iPhone X Gets (RED) Leather Folio, But No Rumored Red or Gold Finish, While AirPower Wait Continues

In addition to the (PRODUCT)RED edition iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, Apple today introduced a (RED) leather folio for the iPhone X.

The folio, which looks more like burgundy in the render, will be available for $99 beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, April 10, from Apple.com, Apple Stores, and the Apple Store app in the United States and several other countries.

(RED) was founded in 2006 by U2 frontman Bono and activist Bobby Shriver to raise funds for The Global Fund, which helps people affected by HIV or AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria in eight African countries, including Ghana, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Kenya, and Zambia.

Apple makes an unspecified contribution to The Global Fund for every (RED) product it sells, raising over $160 million to date in the past 11-plus years.

No Red or Gold Finish

Over the past few weeks, rumors have suggested the (PRODUCT)RED finish may extend to the iPhone X, but it appears the color will be limited to the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. There’s also no sign of a twice rumored Blush Gold finish.

AirPower Wait Continues

With the (PRODUCT)RED edition iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus debuting today, it was reasonable to assume that availability of Apple’s new AirPower charging mat could also be announced. Alas, it appears more patience will be required.

Apple has only stated that AirPower will be available at some point in 2018. A trio of reports that pinpointed a March release date proved to be inaccurate.

One possibility is that the AirPower will merely show up on Apple’s online store tomorrow alongside the red-colored iPhones, but this is purely speculation. It’s very possible the AirPower simply isn’t ready for an imminent release.

Related Roundup: iPhone XTags: (PRODUCT)RED, AirPowerBuyer’s Guide: iPhone X (Neutral)
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Is Online Poker Coming to the Empire State?

Thumbs up to NY Online Poker Bill after Committee Vote

USA online poker is fast gaining traction along the East Coast. New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania have legalized online poker, and New York lawmakers are looking to plug a gaping hole in gaming revenues that has resulted in $1 billion of New York gaming cash flooding into neighboring states. Lawmakers are hoping that the third time is a charm for a possible online poker deal. For years, New York has failed to advance legislation in the New York assembly. The Senate has no problem with online poker, but there has been little interest in the other legislative chamber.

In fact, various lawmakers in the Empire State are considering dual options: sports betting and online poker. Pundits are hoping that New Jersey’s showdown with the Supreme Court will bear fruit. If the Garden State gains the green light to offer online sports betting, this will pave the way for regulated gaming across the US. However, New York state law is complicated. In order to authorize online gaming activity such as online sports betting or online poker, a constitutional amendment is needed. The only workaround is if poker is deemed a game of skill, and not a game of chance. If the words gambling or games of chance are removed from the literature, it could be approved without a constitutional amendment.

Committee Vote Approved

The New York Senate held a quick committee vote on the online poker bill and approved it without hesitation. The RGWC (Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee) approved a measure to send the bill to the SFC (Senate Finance Committee). GOP Senator John Bonacic is leading the way and is hopeful that the online poker bill will pass through the Senate this year. However, it is unclear whether the New York Assembly will vote on this poker bill. Lawmakers like Bonacic are pushing this bill as a way for New York casinos to make good on their revenue streams. GGR (Gross Gambling Revenues) have been falling for New York casinos for quite some time. The approval of online poker legislation could bolster revenue and help the state.

Gary Pretlow, and assemblyman in charge of the Racing and Wagering Committee in the New York assembly supports the current poker bill. However, the success of New York’s impending online poker legislation could hinge on something entirely different – the Resorts World Catskills Casino. This $1.2 billion casino project will be open for business this month, and will feature an expansive selection of table games, roulette, slots, and video poker machines. It was part of a large group of Vegas-style developments approved by the New York legislature in 2013. The Empire State moved swiftly to fast-track approval of licensing and development of additional casinos to prevent the outflow of some $1 billion worth of New York gaming revenue to neighboring states. Currently, New York lawmakers are only contemplating online poker, not online casino games.

There are several ways that New York lawmakers can include online poker and/or online sports betting in the state without changing the constitution. One of them is through a referendum which is what happened with sports betting at commercial casinos. A successful referendum would ensure that online poker and online sports betting could gain a foothold in New York State. By joining online poker and sports betting, it may be easier to push legislation through both chambers. This is crucial if the state wishes to pass mobile betting and not just sports betting at Native American casinos in the state. With the momentum of online gaming legislation sweeping across the East Coast, New York state could soon be voting on a package deal to approve poker and sports betting. Several other states including Rhode Island, and Illinois are also contemplating an expansion of the gambling industry.

What Challenges Currently Exist in New York State?

A major lawsuit is currently underway in New York to try and prevent DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports) betting. If this lawsuit proves successful in the New York State Supreme Court, it is likely that DFS will be ruled a gambling game and not a game of skill. According to proponents of the lawsuit, daily fantasy sports betting is gambling and is prohibited. The other side of the argument is that it is within the government’s purview to determine what is categorized as gambling. If DFS is permitted, opponents argue that it violates the New York Constitution.

The other legal issue is online poker. It has had no problem in the New York Senate, but it continues to meet stiff opposition in the Assembly. No votes have been passed in favor of online poker for several legislative sessions. Among the many reasons why online poker has fallen on deaf ears is the opposition against it by female legislators. Regardless, there is a slim chance that both forms of online betting will be included in a state budget with Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

New York desperately needs the tax dollars but pending the SCOTUS outcome it may not be a good idea to preemptively bank on sports betting in the state. A decision is expected by the Supreme Court of the United States in the summer of 2018. If it gets the green light from the Supreme Court justices, online sports betting could provide significant momentum for legal online gambling across the United States

Parent groups say YouTube defies underage data-collection laws

The Federal Trade Commission has been asked to, once again, investigate Google’s practices around its YouTube Kids platform. A group of child-safety organizations accuse the search giant of violating child protection laws by collecting data, and using that data to advertise, to kids under 13.

The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood says that the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act offers strict rules on data-collection for kids. Companies that run websites directed at children need to inform parents what information they plan to gather, and get permission to do so.

But YouTube is accused of avoiding this responsibility simply by saying that YouTube kids is only to be used by those over 13. The CCFC says that Google knows that YouTube is the most recognizable brand among kids aged between six and 12.

This is borne out, according to officials, because Google boasts to advertisers about how well it can access children. The CCFC also highlights programs like Google Preferred, where companies can pay more to get airtime on popular, rugrat-friendly channels.

The organizations want Google to be held accountable for violating COPPA and stop pushing itself on pre-teens. In a statement to the Guardian, a YouTube spokesperson said that it will “read the complaint thoroughly and evaluate if there are things we can do to improve.”

It’s not the first time that parenting groups have gone to the FTC armed with an angry letter about YouTube’s behavior. In 2015, the site suffered criticism that it was violating decades-old FCC laws about advertising to children.

In addition, the algorithmically-monitored content has raised serious concerns amongst parents who see inappropriate videos available on the YouTube Kids app. The company has been forced to admit that its systems aren’t doing enough, and will hire human moderators to curate its content.

Via: The Guardian

Source: CCFC

Apple’s red iPhone 8 and 8 Plus go on sale tomorrow

For over a decade now, Apple has worked with HIV/AIDS charity Product RED, raising over $160 million for the non-profit to date. That money comes from the sales of scarlet-colored covers, cases, Apple Watch bands and rarer, special edition devices. A recent rumor suggested the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus would be next to receive the Product RED treatment, which has just been validated by Apple. The deep red editions will be available to buy online tomorrow and in stores from Friday April 13th for the same price as existing models.

There’s no Product RED version of the iPhone X, but a new claret-colored $99 leather folio case for the flagship will also be up for grabs tomorrow. And for anyone interested, it’s a win-win. Not only do you get to be the envy of your boring, Space Gray peers, but have the added benefit of knowing some of your cash is going towards a good cause.

Source: Apple

‘Vandals’ combines street art and ‘stealth noir’ on your iPad

Paris-based indie developer Théo Le Du Fuentes goes by the name of Cosmografik, a fitting pseudonym for the creator of Vandals, a turn-based puzzle game that focuses on street art. Arriving on iOS, Android, Mac and PC on April 12th, it’s being co-produced and published by ARTE, a public European TV and digital network founded in 1992.

ARTE’s chief of web and video, Adrien Larouzée, says that the company is interested in media that helps us get to know more about other cultures and peoples through telling stories, and Vandals fits the bill.

Along the way, you’ll come across various bits of history regarding street art and the artists who have become famous for it. There are photos of the artists and their work along with descriptions and informative text to peruse either as you find them in each level or as a larger archive accessible from the main menu.

Ostensibly a stealth game, Vandals has you avoiding the cops and painting the walls in different cities like Paris, New York, Berlin and Tokyo across 60 levels. It’s turn-based, so you can think through your strategy and plan your path to gather as many extras as possible while trying to exit the level. Le Du Fuentes (who also made Type:Rider) said that Vandals‘ main levels will take most people around four to five hours to complete while gathering all the extra bonuses could take up to 10 hours.

In the iOS version, you swipe toward an adjacent node; your character walks to that space and any enemies move as well. You’ll need to pay special attention to the environment too. Sometimes you’ll need to toss a bottle behind a policeman to distract him. Other times you’ll have to drop into a manhole to pop up elsewhere, out of sight of a city camera or police dog.

Each area has the same final task before you can leave: Draw your own painted street art. Once you make it to the end of each level, you’ll use a set of tools familiar to anyone who’s played with an art app before. You can draw freehand to produce anything you want using your finger in the mobile version or the mouse on your computer. These “masterpieces” can then be shared on your favorite social network. Le Du Fuentes noted that despite this freedom, there haven’t been any drawings of male genitalia (though I have no doubt that will probably change once the game is released to the general public).

The art uses both muted and bright colors to lead you to your goal; the result is a noirish feel in each city, with each soundtrack providing a sense of place. The Paris levels sound like jazz from the 1920s, while New York levels have a distinct saxophone-and-bass-fueled background. Vandals is a beautiful game and almost relaxing to play. The turn-based structure allows for a more meditative approach than other real-time stealth games, and you can always try levels again if you don’t solve the puzzle the first time. ARTE’s Larouzée noted that there is typically more than one way to “beat” a level, too, which allows for creative problem solving rather than trying to find a singular solution.

If this sounds like your thing, you can pre-order Vandals on iOS right now for $3.99. The Steam version will run for $5.99 when it is released later this week on April 12th, and in keeping with its international theme, the game supports English, French, German, Spanish and Italian.

Apple Introduces (PRODUCT)RED Edition iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, Available to Order April 10

Apple today introduced a (PRODUCT)RED edition of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, available to order on Apple.com starting Tuesday, April 10, after 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time, and in Apple Stores starting Friday, April 13.

PRODUCT(RED) editions will be available with 64GB or 256GB storage for the same $699-$849 and $799-$949 prices as the equivalent iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models in space gray, silver, and gold.

Notably, the red finish is complemented by black front bezels, compared to white bezels on the (RED) edition iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Otherwise, these are identical iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models as unveiled last September, with the new color introduced mid-cycle likely only to bolster sales.

Orders begin Tuesday, April 10 after 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time, with deliveries and in-store availability beginning Friday, April 13 at Apple Stores and other resellers in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

Availability in Brazil, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and other regions will follow later in April, with Chile, Colombia, India, Israel, Turkey, and more regions following in May.

Apple also introduced a new (PRODUCT)RED edition iPhone X Leather Folio, which will be available for $99 beginning Tuesday, April 10 from Apple.com, Apple Stores, and the Apple Store app around the world.

(RED) was founded in 2006 by U2 frontman Bono and activist Bobby Shriver to raise funds for The Global Fund, which helps people affected by HIV or AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria in eight African countries, including Ghana, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Kenya, and Zambia.

(RED) CEO Deborah Dugan:

Today’s announcement is further evidence of Apple’s leadership in and commitment to the AIDS fight since the beginning of (RED) in 2006. The more than $160 million Apple has donated in the last 11 years today equates to more than 800 million days of lifesaving ARV medication that prevents the transmission of HIV from mothers to their babies. We’re honored that Apple has dedicated its resources to our purpose, and can’t wait to see customers bring our mission to life through the purchase of iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition.

Apple has partnered with (RED) for nearly 12 years to sell a variety of red-colored devices and accessories. For each product sold, Apple makes an unspecified contribution to The Global Fund, raising over $160 million to date.

Apple’s vice president of product marketing Greg Joswiak:

This special edition (PRODUCT)RED iPhone features a stunning red and black color combination and also offers customers the opportunity to make an impact in fighting the spread of HIV and AIDS. iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus improve on everything we love about iPhone, including Retina HD displays that are more beautiful than ever, the most powerful and smartest chip ever in a smartphone with the A11 Bionic and more advanced cameras for unbelievable photos and videos. We are proud to support (RED) with this bold new iPhone and hope customers think it is as special as we do.

Apple introduced a (PRODUCT)RED edition iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in March 2017. The special color was discontinued alongside the launch of the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X in September 2017.

Related Roundup: iPhone 8Tag: (PRODUCT)REDBuyer’s Guide: iPhone 8 (Neutral)
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HP’s Chromebook x2 is a detachable tablet too

HP is joining Acer in making Chrome OS devices that can do away with the keyboard. It just unveiled the Chromebook x2, a 12.3-inch laptop that’s really a detachable tablet — unlike the earlier Chromebook x360, you can leave the keyboard behind instead of merely flipping it behind the screen (though you can do that too). There’s an included pen for note-taking and sketching, and you’ll find a 13-megapixel rear camera on top of a more conventional 5-megapixel front shooter.

It’s a fairly powerful machine, too. We wouldn’t describe the 1GHz Core m3 as “high-performance” like HP does, but the 2,400 x 1,600 display, 4GB of RAM (8GB is an option), 32GB of expandable storage and claimed 10.5-hour battery life make it more powerful than a garden variety Chromebook. And while the fully-attached combo isn’t the lightest at just under 3.2lbs, the 1.6 pounds of the tablet portion is considerably easier to carry when you’re scribbling in OneNote or watching Netflix.

And importantly, it hits a price sweet spot. The system will sell for $599 (keyboard and pen included) when it arrives in June. That’s considerably more than many Chromebooks, but it’s on the low end as far as detachable tablets go. HP not-so-subtly pitches the Chromebook x2 as a rival to the iPad Pro, which currently starts at $649 without a pen or keyboard. With that said, the two are frequently different beasts — the iPad is primarily a tablet that happens to have keyboard support, while the Chromebook x2 is really a laptop with some convenient tablet functions thrown in.

Source: HP

‘Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration’ Release Date and Mac Requirements Revealed

Back in February, Feral Interactive announced that Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration would make its way onto macOS this spring, as a direct port of the 2016 PS4 game and the sequel to the series reboot Tomb Raider from 2013.

In a follow-up announcement today, Feral revealed an April 12 release date for the title as well as pricing and the official system requirements that Mac owners will need in order to run the game at an acceptable performance.

As well as AMD and NVIDIA graphics cards, Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration will support the following Intel integrated graphics cards: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 540, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 550, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 and Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650.

Feral says the game will be supported on the following Macs:

• All 13-inch MacBook Pros released since 2016
• All 15-inch MacBook Pros released since Late 2013 with a 2.3GHz processor or better
• All 21.5-inch iMacs released since Late 2017
• All 27-inch iMacs released since Late 2014 (models with an Nvidia GT 755M graphics card are not officially supported)*
• All Mac Pros released since Late 2013

*Late 2012 models with a 2GB Nvidia 680MX graphics cards are also supported.

Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration can be pre-ordered on the Feral Store for $59.99, which includes the base game and all the DLC ever released for it. It’s also worth checking your Mac’s hard disk space before purchasing the game: Customers who download it from the Mac App Store will need 37GB of available storage, while purchases from Steam will come in at a less weightier 27GB.

Tag: Feral
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NASA wants to make the first Starliner test flight a fully operational mission

Boeing

NASA hopes to accelerate the timeline for accelerate the timeline to certify private companies to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS). The Agency is turning a previously scheduled Starliner test flight into a full-fledged mission. It’s a bold move, but some scientists worry that such an aggressive venture could jeopardize crew safety.

The updated schedule, proposed by Boeing in a contract modification, would add a third blue-suited crew member to the Starliner “Crew Flight Test” and extend the mission from two weeks to a full six months, according to Florida Today.

NASA’s current contract with Russia to ferry astronauts to the ISS aboard Soyuz spacecraft expires in 2019. Purchasing additional Soyuz seats is not an option, due to the long lead times involved. However, the two private contractors, Boeing’s Starliner and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, will likely not be certified for four-person crews by that time.

“It was clear to us that we needed to provide NASA with additional flexibility to ensure the station remains fully staffed and fully operational until the Commercial Crew Program providers can pick up a more regular cadence of flying long-duration crew rotation missions,” Boeing said in a statement.

“This contract modification provides NASA with additional schedule margin if needed,” Bill Gerstenmaier of NASA added. “We appreciate Boeing’s willingness to evolve its flight to ensure we have continued access to space for our astronauts.”

In 2014, NASA awarded a $4.2 billion contract to Boeing and a $2.6 billion contract to SpaceX for two test flights and six operational missions. Boeing and SpaceX will both launch unmanned test flights later this summer, and the original plan was to follow those missions up with second test flights with two-person crews before the end of the year.

Schedule pressure was a factor in the two shuttle disasters, and scientists on the NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel have warned the agency not to be too hasty. As recently as 2012, however, NASA expanded the scope of the Dragon capsule test launch by packing it with supplies for the ISS and proceeding with the launch as if it was a regular operational mission.

At a presentation in March, NASA’s Kathy Lueders admitted that the new timeline was aggressive but achievable, reported Space News. “In a perfect schedule, it all could come together,” she said. “We really want to give them the time to do this right. Yes, we want them to do it as fast as possible, but we’re not willing to sacrifice the safety of the crew.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• SpaceX nails another mission, sends a used Falcon 9 rocket to resupply the ISS
• SpaceX is blazing a trail to Mars, one milestone at a time
• After a monthlong stay at the space station, Dragon capsule returns to Earth
• Get your Sagan on with 60 awe-inspiring photos of the final frontier
• Watch NASA test fire a giant rocket engine for its mighty Space Launch System

Coinbase may register with SEC as brokerage firm

The Wall Street Journal has reported that Coinbase, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, has reached out to the United States Securities and Exchanges Commission regarding registration as a licensed brokerage firm.

This would expand Coinbase’s roster of cryptocurrencies to include those that the SEC has classified as securities. Additionally, this would likely pressure Coinbase’s rivals to register with the SEC and submit themselves to government oversight.

Coinbase president Asiff Hirji said that the increased regulations would result in Coinbase listing more currencies because it only wishes to list coins which have “some amount of regulatory certainty.”

“The assets that we do list have all had some amount of regulatory certainty,” Hirji told CNBC. “As soon as there is more regulatory clarity than there currently is, you would expect us to start listing more assets.”

The Wall Street Journal reached out to Coinbase for comments regarding its claims, but Coinbase declined to comment on the matter of registering with the SEC.

Bitcoin and similar cryptocurrencies currently face very little in the way of oversight from the U.S. government, but that is slowly starting to change things to the rise of initial coin offerings, which is where startups sell investors tokens in exchange for cash. The rise of ICOs has prompted the SEC to take a closer look at digital currencies, with SEC chairman Jay Clayton saying that most of the tokens offered through ICOs were securities, and thus could only be legally traded on licensed exchanges.

This increased regulatory oversight is what prompted Coinbase to slow down when it comes to listing new currencies. By becoming a  licensed brokerage firm, however, Coinbase is likely hoping to increase the number of currencies it can offer while also staying on the right side of the law.

There are some downsides to registering as a brokerage firm. The SEC has wide-ranging powers to investigate brokerage firms in order to ensure they are complying with various regulations. If Coinbase is registered as a broker, the SEC would have the power to examine its trade records, cybersecurity, and policies, which would prevent market manipulation and insider trading.

That being said, Coinbase is already under the government’s gaze when it comes to tax matters, as the IRS has started cracking down on the trades taking place on Coinbase.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Digital currency prices fall after SEC warns about exchange dangers
• Companies, lawyers probed for selling cryptocurrency initial coin offerings
• Japan’s Coincheck will refund $400 million in stolen cryptocurrency tokens
• SEC shuts down AriseBank initial coin offering after it made fraudulent claims
• Japan to crack down on cryptocurrency exchanges after high-profile hacks