Bots, not humans, tweet majority of links to popular websites, research says

It’s no secret that Twitter is largely populated by bots, automated programs that often act under the guise of being an actual human, but new findings out of the Pew Research Center helps quantify their activity.

Bots account for two-thirds of tweets that link to popular websites, according to the report, and have a tendency to share adult content, sports, and news with particular vigor.

The report comes after many months of revelations into the role bots have played in spreading fake news across social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, potentially influencing votes from the United Kingdom’s Brexit referendum to the 2016 United States presidential election. In November, Twitter updated its policy on bots to limit them to sharing “helpful information” and running “creative campaigns.”

Not all bots are inherently bad. Voice assistants like Siri and Alexa have been given intimate access to our everyday lives, helping many of us manage the chaos of the 21st century. Across social media, some bots send out emergency alerts in the wake of natural disasters, while others help keep bands and brands in contact with their fans.

But many bots are created specifically to spam, troll, and mislead readers with sensational and falsified information.

In their study, the Pew researchers took a random sampling of 1.2 million English-language tweets during a month and a half in the summer of 2017. Their goal was to find out how many of these links were shared by bots, and what topics the bots seemed to focus on.

Using a computer program to track each tweet to its destination, they saved those websites to a database, and selected the nearly 3,000 most common websites. They then counted how many of these tweets derived from bots, a process that meant classifying more than a million tweets and determining which accounts were automated (something many bot accounts don’t openly confess).

To make their job easier, the researchers used Botometer, a machine-learning algorithm that uses more than a thousand bits of information from a given account to make a decision on whether or not the account is a bot. Botometer takes into consideration factors like content, who the account follows, and how long the account has existed. Rather than give a flat-out score of yes or no, the program offers a score between zero and one, which researchers then use to inform their own decision on whether an account is a bot or not.

In the end, the Pew researchers determined that 66 percent of links to popular websites originated from bots. By breaking these links down by topic, they determined that 90 percent of adult content links, 76 percent of sports links, and 66 percent of news links derived from bots.

While these findings may seem intimidating, the Pew team notes that they have yet to answer some key questions. For example, they don’t know how truthful the information shared is nor how humans have interacted with this content. Either way, the report supports the idea that, if you click a link on Twitter, it probably came from a bot.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Twitter is finally working to purge those bots by limiting mass tweets
• Social (Net)Work: How does social media influence democracy?
• 9 things you need to know about the Russian social media election ads
• Here’s what social media giants are doing to keep extremism off your screen
• Twitter now estimates that 1.4M users interacted with fake Russian posts

SpaceX in the clear over ‘Zuma’ spy satellite disaster, report suggests

SpaceX/Flickr

There was much confusion back in January when a secretive SpaceX mission to put Northrop Grumman’s “Zuma” satellite into orbit for the U.S. government failed during the deployment process.

The companies involved have spoken little of the mission, leading analysts to assume the Falcon 9 rocket was carrying a top-secret spy satellite.

With SpaceX declining to declare the mission a success in the hours after the January 7 launch, many speculated that something had gone seriously wrong during the deployment of the billion-dollar satellite.

Following an investigation, government and industry experts have “tentatively” concluded that Northrop Grumman was at the center of the satellite’s failure, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

The findings back up a SpaceX statement in the days after the incident that insisted its rocket “did everything correctly,” and, importantly, help the Hawthorne, California-based company to maintain the confidence of clients looking to companies like SpaceX to safely deploy their hardware in space.

Unnamed sources claiming to be familiar with the investigation told the Journal that two separate teams of experts have pinned the blame for the disaster on the failure of a Northrop part known as a “payload adapter.”

The adapter was obtained from a subcontractor before being “significantly modified” by Northrop, the Journal reported. It was believed to be part of a mechanism designed to reduce shock and vibration, with the Zuma apparently more sensitive to damage than most other satellites.

Prior to the mission, Northrop Grumman tested the part three times without any notable incident, the sources said. But once it reached space, the adapter apparently failed in zero-gravity conditions, preventing the satellite from detaching from SpaceX’s rocket.

Investigators reportedly believe that the satellite was brought back into Earth’s atmosphere by the returning second stage, before coming free and crashing into the Indian Ocean.

While no official documents have been released about the investigation, SpaceX will nevertheless be pleased that the apparent backing of its initial insistence that its Falcon 9 rocket operated properly.

SpaceX lost a multi-million-dollar Spacecom satellite in a launchpad explosion in September 2016, so another blunder could have cost the company dearly.

The reported findings will make grim reading for Northrop Grumman, however. The Virginia-based company is currently experiencing something of a bad patch, having been criticized by NASA just last month for delays in the development of the James Webb Space Telescope.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Here’s everything you need to know about the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket
• Prepare for liftoff! Here’s 7 crazy facts about the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket
• SpaceX is blazing a trail to Mars, one milestone at a time
• After delays, the SpaceX Falcon Heavy is set to launch on February 6
• Hours before launch, SpaceX posts Falcon Heavy animation with Bowie soundtrack

NASA’s virtual tour of the moon in 4K will blow your mind

The moon can look spectacular enough from here on Earth, but a just-posted NASA video showing the lunar surface in amazing close-up detail is also certain to take your breath away.

Billed as a “virtual tour of the moon” in glorious 4K, the incredible imagery has been collected by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft over the last nine years.

“The tour visits a number of interesting sites chosen to illustrate a variety of lunar terrain features,” Ernie Wright of NASA’s Space Visualization Studio explained in a blog post. “Some are on the near side and are familiar to both professional and amateur observers on Earth, while others can only be seen clearly from space.”

Wright notes how this latest video is an updated version of one released in 2011. While the camera path is the same, the data collected in the intervening years has enabled the space agency to create a far more visually stunning and detailed presentation.

The footage shows us a number of the moon’s physical features, occasionally mixing them with splashes of color that highlight other data that’s sure to fascinate any armchair astronomers tuning in. The fly-by of the South Pole-Aitken basin, for example, adds elevation data so we can clearly see its location. With a diameter of around 1,550 miles (2,500 km) and a depth of 8 miles (12 km), this is the largest and oldest recognized impact basin on the moon and covers almost a quarter of its surface.

Check out, too, the amazing detail captured in the imagery of Tycho Crater, said to be around 100 million years old. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, the camera zooms in even further, still in great detail, to focus on Tycho Crater’s intriguing central peak with a 100-meter-wide bolder at the summit, “the origins of which are still a mystery,” the video’s narrator says.

We’re also taken to the Apollo 17 landing site in Taurus-Littrow Valley, which we’re told is deeper than the Grand Canyon. Another overlay shows us the path the astronauts took during their three days on the lunar surface in 1972. You can even see the bottom half of the mission’s lunar lander and rover vehicle, where they’ve remained untouched for the last 46 years.

The U.S. and other countries appear to be once again taking a serious interest in the moon with various manned and unmanned missions under discussion, while private space company SpaceX is believed to be making plans to send two “tourists” on a weeklong trip around the moon.

The rest of us can continue to enjoy its splendor by gazing at it from here on Earth, though this wonderful new NASA video is definitely worth your time, too.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Get your Sagan on with 60 awe-inspiring photos of the final frontier
• Hours before launch, SpaceX posts Falcon Heavy animation with Bowie soundtrack
• A.I. spots thousands of unidentified craters on the moon
• ‘Prime’-time TV: Here the best shows on Amazon Prime right now
• Geneva 2018: What we saw from Audi, BMW, Porsche, and more

This 17-hour flight will be comfortable but you won’t actually go anywhere

The first-ever non-stop commercial flight from Australia to the U.K. took place at the end of March. For the inaugural journey back to Perth, Australia, which departed later the same day, flying enthusiast Noel Marsh-Giddings took his camera on board Qantas flight QF10 and filmed not just the takeoff and landing, but also the entire 16-plus hours in between.

There aren’t many commercial flights that stay in the air for this long, but if you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to actually experience such a trip, now you can find out. Just pull up a comfy chair, grab a few snacks, and settle in for the virtual journey of a lifetime.

Noel doesn’t simply crank up his camera the moment the Boeing 787 Dreamliner starts rumbling down the runway. Keen to present viewers with the entire adventure, his video also includes parts of the build-up, including taking the London Underground to Heathrow Airport, checking in, and boarding.

With his camera pointed out of the window, the aircraft and its 200-plus passengers climb into the sky over London before turning south.

“Once airborne, we proceed over Europe, towards Romania, the Black Sea, and Turkey,” Noel writes in the video’s notes. The sun sets as they fly through Turkish airspace, and a while later they pass over the Iranian city of Shiraz, with the lights of Dubai and Abu Dhabi shimmering in the far distance.

A nice touch by Noel is the inclusion of air traffic control audio, as well as map data showing the location of the plane on this first-ever direct flight from London to Perth. He also includes clips showing the aircraft interior, the all-important in-flight meals, and passing air traffic, among other things. To see the list of extras and the precise times where they occur, click on the “show more” button below the video.

The plane later passes over the south coast of India and Sri Lanka before continuing over the Indian Ocean toward Perth where it lands under cloudy skies.

“We get a water cannon salute as we taxi to the terminal, before parking and making our way into a crowd of news reporters and media as we enter the arrivals hall,” Noel wrote. “We hang around to watch the press interview the captain before making our way out to a rainy day in Western Australia.”

OK, unless you’re a fan of slow TV, we understand you might not want to sit through the entire flight, so instead how about a speeded-up version lasting a couple of minutes that Noel has kindly posted on his Facebook page?

Editors’ Recommendations

• After 17 hours, the first nonstop flight from Australia to U.K. touches down
• The five longest flights in the world make New York to London feel like a hop
• A drone and helicopter reportedly tangled in South Carolina. The helicopter lost.
• The best free flight simulators
• Google co-founder’s self-flying taxi venture takes off in New Zealand

Why don’t more phones have audio profile switches?

It’s one of the most useful features Android manufacturers leave out.

If you’ve ever used an iPhone or a recent OnePlus device, you’ve undoubtedly encountered the switch on the lefthand side above the volume buttons. While the exact functions of the switch will depend on which company’s phone you’re using, the main idea is the same: a hardware switch that instantly mutes your phone, without having to turn on your screen and adjust the volume manually.

Few would call this switch a necessity, but it’s convenient all the same.

It sounds a bit lazy, sure, but in practice, this switch can be a lifesaver. If you’re in the middle of a meeting, job interview, or movie, you can’t (or at the very least, shouldn’t) pull out your phone at any point, but an unexpected phone call can cause an embarrassing scene if you forgot to silence your phone beforehand. With the volume switch, you can put your phone into Silent or Do Not Disturb mode right from your pocket, without alerting anyone around you.

Particularly in the case of OnePlus, this switch is also useful for quickly switching between different audio profiles. Rather than a simple on/off switch like on the iPhone, phones like the OnePlus 5T use a three-spot slider that switches between the Silent, Do Not Disturb, and Ring profiles, all of which are configurable in the phone’s settings. You can set different volume levels for media across different profiles to quickly switch between, or leave media volume completely off in Silent mode to quickly mute video ads and games you don’t want to hear.

So why aren’t more manufacturers implementing some variant of the audio profile switch into their phones? It’s a simple, yet extremely convenient hardware feature that takes up no more space than the Bixby button on the Galaxy S9 — and I don’t think it’s terribly controversial to say that between the two, the volume switch is a lot more useful.

Maybe the reason most Android manufacturers don’t bother with an audio profile switch is that, frankly, most users don’t care — and even the ones like myself that do probably wouldn’t call its absence a dealbreaker. It’s a treat any time I get to use a OnePlus phone with the audio slider, but that alone doesn’t make the OnePlus 5T a better phone for me than, say, the Pixel 2 XL. The audio slider is considerably more convenient than the simple volume rocker almost every phone defaults to, but in the end I’m still going to go for the phones with the better cameras and more important features like water resistance — and so will almost everyone else.

What’s your take on audio profile switches? Do you yearn for them in every phone like I do, or are you completely indifferent towards them? And if you fall into the latter category, have you ever used a phone with the switch before? Let us know in the comments below!

How’s the Essential Phone doing in 2018?

Let’s check in with the AC forums.

The Essential Phone was one of the most polarizing smartphones of 2017. We were expecting big things from Andy Rubin’s new startup, but unpolished software, a less than sub-par camera experience, and an expensive price tag gave a lot of early adopters a bad taste in their mouth.

Thankfully, the state of the Essential Phone is much different in April of 2018 compared to when it first launched. Essential’s released countless software updates for the phone over the past few months, and this has slowly turned it into one of the better mid-range options available right now.

Some of our forum members recently started talking about how they’re liking the phone at this point in its lifecycle, and this is what they had to say.

swagglepuff
04-08-2018 12:44 PM

“

I like to try lots of devices and so far this is the only one I have kept. It’s just a good solid all around device. My latest venture was the galaxy s9 plus which is frankly an apple style upgrade for Samsung. I have the s8 plus which is updated to the same software and there is really no difference between the 2 phones that is worthy of an upgrade. I had it for 24 hours before I returned it, it…

Reply

SactoKingsFan
04-08-2018 04:43 PM

“

Most of the issues like jittery scrolling, no full screen video and dead zone on the edge of screen have been fixed. The camera has improved a lot. I can get consistently good to great results with the monochrome camera but the color camera can struggle with low light conditions.

Reply

dmateo
04-09-2018 07:47 PM

“

QC was definitely an issue when I had my essential (went through 4 devices) and it has horrible reception on TMO in NYC. Had it not been for that I still would’ve had one and not this S9 (which I’m also enjoying).

Reply

mogelijk
04-08-2018 09:28 PM

“

Fancy seeing you here, tired of the S9 already? 😉

I bought my Essential back during the Sprint sale, and really only bought it because it was about $140 with the 360 camera. The phone has improved a lot since the end of November, and the camera is greatly improved. Unfortunately, I don’t use it enough because of my other “toys” but I do love the phone.

Reply

Now, we’d love to hear from you – If you still have an Essential Phone, how are you liking it?

Join the conversation in the forums!

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Android TV dongle passes through FCC with giant Google logo

There’s also a remote with a Google Assistant button.

If you’re in the market to buy a new Android TV-equipped device, your options are – limited – to say the least. Google isn’t currently selling any Android TV gadgets of its own, but that could soon change according to a new FCC filing.

Spotted by Ausdroid, a gadget from Shenzhen SEI Robotics Co., Ltd. recently filed a new listing for a “4K ATV Stick” with the FCC. There are a number of pictures that accompany the listing, and they show a Chromecast-like HDMI dongle with a large Google “G” logo plastered on the front.

The dongle uses HDMI 2.0 for its connection to a television set, and it comes with a USB cable that can either connect directly to your TV or to the included 5V/2A power supply. An Amilogic S905X processor with 2GB of RAM is powering the gadget, and there’s 8GB of eMMC storage for storing apps/games. There doesn’t appear to be an ethernet jack for using a wired Internet connection, but you will find Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 4.1. In other words, these are essentially the same specs found on Amazon’s Fire TV dongle that came out late last year.

Android 8.0 Oreo and its refreshed UI for Android TV are present out of the box, and there’s also a remote with a dedicated Google Assistant button. Similar to the dongle, the remote also features a very prominent “G” logo.

So, is this the “Pixel Player” we’ve been waiting for? Google clearly isn’t making this dongle itself seeing as how Shenzhen SEI Robotics owns the FCC filing, but the “G” logos on the dongle and remote indicate that Google will likely be promoting or selling it in some fashion.

Google I/O 2018 will officially begin in less than a month, so here’s to hoping we learn more about this mystery dongle then.

Android TV vs. Roku: Which smart TV platform is right for you?

Most Secure Android Phone in 2018

• Best overall
• Best for typing
• Best for simplicity

Best overall

Google Pixel 2

See at Google
See at Verizon

The Google Pixel 2 is the most secure Android phone you can buy, and one of the most secure phones of any available today.

Without disabling any security protections, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are updated to keep you protected against known public security exploits and remote installations are monitored by Google’s scanning software which blocks potential malicious content. While security and privacy are two very different things, when you decide you want private things to stay private you need to make sure your phone is secure to keep them that way.

Bottom line: The open-source nature of Android and the dedicated Android security team work in tandem to make the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL the best phones when it comes to security and privacy.

One more thing: The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL also show us that a secure phone that’s great to use is a reality.

Why the Google Pixel 2 is the best

A phone you want to use can also keep your data safe — and it comes in two sizes to fit everyone.

Every device that can connect to the internet has exploits available that break the default security configuration. If your phone isn’t getting timely updates to combat them, you’re simply not secure. We keep a vast amount of private — and priceless — data on our phones, and we all should care about keeping it safe from outside attacks. After you read all the agreements and decide what you’re willing to give away, you should expect the remainder to stay private.

Pixel 2 phones are updated directly from Google with the latest version of Android. Outside of any new features that may come with, the device security model has been updated and strengthened by a dedicated team who regularly audits and enhances the code used to build Android. On top of this, Google releases updates to the security model at the beginning of every month for the people who build Android phones to apply to its software. These are important. More important than any other update.

Equally important, but often overlooked, is transparency. You shouldn’t have to trust a company when it says something is secure or updated, and the Android code for both the platform version and all updates is available for anyone to take a look at. Plenty of people do, and despite any opinions to the contrary, Android, as written, has proven to be a very secure platform. A phone like a Pixel 2 is the embodiment of this.

Most important of all is that both Pixel phones are not only secure but are also phones that you’ll want to use. No compromise is needed and the 5-inch Pixel 2 and 6-inch Pixel 2 XL both share the same fast processor and other internal components. A great — and secure — experience is available for fans of both sizes.

Best for typing

BlackBerry KEYone

See at BlackBerry Mobile

BlackBerry is legendary when it comes to mobile device management and security, and follows that trend when using Android to power its phones. With the KEYone, you also get the keyboard experience that only BlackBerry can offer. The KEYone is a great way to enjoy Android for people who still want a physical keyboard on their phone, and peace of mind that knowing a company is concerned about security.

Bottom line: BlackBerry continues its reputation for excellent mobile security and having a great keyboard with the KEYone.

One more thing: The BlackBerry is usually the first phone to get the monthly Android Security update — often hours before Google releases the bulletin itself!

Best for simplicity

BlackBerry Motion

See at Bell
See at SaskTel
See at TELUS
See at Koodo

The BlackBerry Motion resembles the KEYone at first glance, if you were to remove the keyboard.

This 5.5-inch phone has the bells and whistles — IP67 water resistance, a fast fingerprint scanner, a great camera, etc. — that you expect and BlackBerry’s reputation of security in a more traditional smartphone package. The Snapdragon 625 with 4GB of RAM means it can handle both work and play, and Android 7.1 with BlackBerry’s enhancements will keep you secure while doing any of it

Bottom line:The BlackBerry Motion brings the security you want in a modern and familiar package.

One more thing: The Motion’s 4,000 mAh battery will keep you up and running all day plus!

Conclusion

Media outlets like to give Android a bad reputation when it comes to security, and it’s difficult to blame them. Old, outdated software from manufacturers with no real concern for your security or privacy are the norm when it comes to phones running Android. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

The Google Pixel 2 delivers a great smartphone experience that ticks all the boxes for reviewers and users alike, and with no modifications, your personal data is very safe. A team of security professionals and engineers are dedicated to keeping it that way. Any of the phones on our list will do a great job when it comes to security, but the overall experience makes the Google Pixel 2 the best.

Best overall

Google Pixel 2

See at Google
See at Verizon

The Google Pixel 2 is the most secure Android phone you can buy, and one of the most secure phones of any available today.

Without disabling any security protections, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are updated to keep you protected against known public security exploits and remote installations are monitored by Google’s scanning software which blocks potential malicious content. While security and privacy are two very different things, when you decide you want private things to stay private you need to make sure your phone is secure to keep them that way.

Bottom line: The open-source nature of Android and the dedicated Android security team work in tandem to make the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL the best phones when it comes to security and privacy.

One more thing: The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL also show us that a secure phone that’s great to use is a reality.

Update April 2018: The Google Pixel 2 is still our top pick, with the BlackBerry KEYone and BB Motion rounding out the list.

Here are the best places to buy the Huawei P20 Pro in the U.S.

If you know where to look, buying the P20 Pro in the U.S. is actually pretty simple.

Thanks to its striking design and triple rear camera setup, the Huawei P20 Pro is easily one of the most unique Android phones to be released so far in 2018. Huawei’s selling the phone in a number of countries, but unfortunately isn’t bringing it to the United States.

Although you won’t be able to pick the phone up at Best Buy or buy it at your local carrier store, that doesn’t mean you can’t purchase it at all in the States. In fact, doing so is quite simple.

eBay (never-msrp and sobeonline1)

Our friends at Android Police recently spotted a couple sellers on eBay that are currently running pre-orders for the phone, and for folks that are dead set on using it State-side, this is your best bet for picking it up.

Both sellers have very positive ratings (99.1% for never-msrp and 98.6% for sobeonline1) and are selling the phone for just about $883 USD. That’s not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s also not terrible considering that the phone isn’t officially being sold here in the country.

No matter which seller you choose, shipments are expected to go out on April 18 with free Standard Shipping.

You’ll find 30-day return periods for both sellers, but the way these are handled is slightly different. You’ll pay for return shipping no matter which one you choose, but sobeonline1 does note that a 15% restocking fee may apply.

See at eBay (never-msrp)
See at eBay (sobeonline1)

How to check if your Facebook info was accessed by Cambridge Analytica

Chances are your data was shared with Cambridge Analytica. Here’s how to double check if it was.

Perhaps you’ve heard something over the last few weeks regarding Facebook and Cambridge Analytica. I suggest reading through Derek’s full explanation talking about exactly what went down, but essentially, millions of users had their personal information extensively shared with the research firm in an obtrusive, yet legal, manner.

Facebook last reported that up to 87 million of its users in the United States were affected by the issue, and as you’d probably guess, a lot of folks want to know whether or not they’re included in that number.

Thankfully, checking is now as easy as can be.

Android app

Open the Facebook app and go to the Settings page on the far right
Scroll down until you find the Help Center icon
Tap it and search for “Cambridge”
Select the option titled “How can I tell if my information was shared with Cambridge Analytica?

After tapping on this, you’ll see a card letting you know whether or not your data was accessed

Desktop

If you’re accessing Facebook from your computer, the process is mostly the same.

From the Facebook homepage, search for “Help Center”
Click on the Help Center link
Type in “Cambridge”
Select “How can I tell if my information was shared with Cambridge Analytica?”

Facebook will add an ‘unsend’ feature to Messenger in the coming months