Bill Gates, SoftBank and Airbus back plan to livestream the Earth

Exploring the planet from the comfort of your own home is nothing new — Google Earth has largely cornered the market on that. But what if, instead of looking at static pictures of your own house, you could explore views of the entire planet, in real time? It sounds ambitious, but that’s exactly what space imaging startup EarthNow aims to achieve.

The initiative wants to create a constellation of satellites around the Earth, providing video of anywhere on the planet, with a latency of just a single second or two. The service is aimed at “high value enterprise and government” customers, and could provide valuable intelligence on storm monitoring, violent conflict, natural disasters and illegal fishing vessels — to name just a few applications. It’s no pipedream, either. EarthNow already has the backing of Bill Gates, Airbus, SoftBank and Intellectual Ventures.

Which is just as well, as this will be a costly project. According to the press release, “each satellite is equipped with an unprecedented amount of onboard processing power, including more CPU cores than all other commercial satellites combined.” Video processing and compressing is power hungry, and satellites have pretty limited power, so it’ll be no mean feat figuring out how to bring that all together while keeping quality high and latency low.

Airbus will be in charge of producing the actual satellites, in its Toulouse and Florida facilities, although it’s not yet clear how many will be built. The amount of money involved in the enterprise is also unknown, but given the pedigree of investors it’ll be a fairly eye-watering sum. The company is in such early stages that there’s no real timeline for the project yet, but given the backing it already has, when results do start rolling out they’re bound to be impressive.

Via: TechCrunch

Apple Pay Offering Free Fries From McDonald’s in New Promotion

Anyone who uses Apple Pay to checkout in the McDonald’s iOS app on a Friday in April will have the opportunity to get free Medium fries with their order. The offer for a free side of fries is Apple’s latest promotion for Apple Pay, and customers have two more Fridays to take advantage of it: April 20 and April 27.

The McDonald’s promotion is valid only with a minimum $1 purchase (excluding tax), is available to each user once per week, and can only be used with Mobile Order & Pay at participating McDonald’s. With this feature, customers can place their order in the McDonald’s app, pay using Apple Pay during checkout, and then head to their local McDonald’s to pick up their food.

The promotional email also touts Apple Pay’s support in other fast food restaurants, including KFC, Pizza Hut, and Subway. Within apps, Apple reminds users that they can order ahead in Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, and Jimmy John’s. Lastly, the company mentions Apple Pay Cash as a way for users to split lunch orders with friends.

The last few Apple Pay promos offered savings for Adidas and Hotwire, Fanatics, Grubhub and Seamless, TouchTunes, and Fandango.

Related Roundup: Apple PayTag: Apple Pay promo
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Play ‘Star Wars’ holochess without a headset on iOS

When Disney and Lenovo teamed up to create Star Wars: Jedi Challenges, it was a significant step in bringing augmented reality (AR) gaming to the masses. The headset was modestly-priced, and the game, a Star Wars-themed version of chess, was accessible to everyone. Now, in a bid to push the technology – and the movie franchise – further still, Disney is now leveraging ARKit to bring the game to iOS 11 devices.

This means you’ll be able to play iconic holochess on any flat surface – phone or tablet – and still enjoy the holographic visual trickery that wowed audiences of the original movie back in 1977. The update comes with the Star Wars: Jedi Challenges app in version 1.3, and includes 18 levels spread across six planets, plus eight unlockable creatures. It’s available from the app store now.

Via: VentureBeat

TaskRabbit returns following data breach it can’t account for

Handyman-for-hire app TaskRabbit was the target of a data breach on Monday, resulting in both the app and website being taken offline while the company investigated the apparently intentional attack. Both are now back up and running, although the company has not said how the breach occurred or what information had been compromised.

“While our investigation is ongoing, preliminary evidence shows that an unauthorized user gained access to our systems,” the company said. “As a result, certain personally-identifiable information may have been compromised.” All users of the IKEA-owned service have been advised to change their passwords and monitor their accounts for unusual activity.

TaskRabbit CEO Stacy Brown-Philpot said, “This is not the last time you will hear from us,” and noted that the company had been working “around the clock” to rectify the issue. The company now plans to reassess its security protocols and enhance its network threat detection technology. Brown-Philpot added, “We hope you will give us the opportunity to regain your trust.”

Via: Gizmodo

Source: TaskRabbit

Netflix Adds 30-Second Preview Videos to iOS App

Netflix today added a slew of 30-second video trailers to its iOS app, after limited testing of the feature since early March.

Optimized for mobile, the trailers ape the look of Snapchat and Instagram Stories, appearing as circular icons on the app’s main screen and playing back in a vertical format on iPhones. Netflix offered its rationale for the feature in a blog post on its website:

Today, we are excited to introduce mobile previews (launching today on iOS and coming soon to Android) to the mobile experience. Mobile previews present members with a fun, simple, and easy way to learn about all the new content on Netflix — and find something great to watch even faster.

Years of testing has made it clear that video previews help our members browse less and discover new content more quickly. With the launch of mobile previews, we are bringing a video browse experience to your mobile phone in a fun and mobile-optimized way.

While watching a trailer, users can tap to play the content being previewed, get more information on it, or add it to their Watch Later list. Tapping the video or swiping across it also skips to another trailer without having to return to the main screen.

The company introduced video previews to its TV and web interface last year, but Netflix says around a fifth of all viewing occurs on mobile devices, which is why previews will be a permanent feature of the app going forward. Currently in the list are 75 custom-crop previews for both original and licensed content, with Netflix expected to add more in future.

Netflix exceeded Wall Street expectations this week by adding 7.4 million new subscribers between January and March, giving it a total of 125 million paying subscribers worldwide – far more than Amazon and Hulu.

The service is now available in 190 countries, and users of the streaming service can expect a crop of new television shows from around the world to debut this year, including a six-part British series called The English Game, a look into the invention of football, written by the creator of Downton Abbey. Netflix says several newly announced movies will also be added in 2018, along with new seasons of existing series, such as Glow.

Tag: Netflix
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Apple Watch can now unlock your August Smart Lock

Unlocking an August Smart Lock with your phone is easy enough, but if you have an Apple Watch, you don’t even need to have your phone with you. Apple’s smartwatch can now unlock any August-branded smart lock, so long as you’re specified as its “owner.” To set it up, you first need to make sure your wearable is running WatchOS 4 or higher and that it has the new native August Apple Watch app.

You’ll also need to update your iOS app, because you might be prompted to log in to sync your locks. Once that’s done (and you’re a recognized owner), though, you’ll be able to view all the August locks you have on the Watch’s screen. If you want easy access to a specific lock, you can even add it as a Watch face shortcut. August Home says it’s a different feature from Auto-Unlock, since you’ll still have your phone nearby with that one. With this particular feature, all you’ll really need is Apple Watch itself.

Source: August Home

How to Apply Color Tags to Items in macOS Finder Using Custom Keyboard Shortcuts

In one of our previous macOS how-to guides, we explained how using tags can help you organize your files and folders and quickly locate them when they’re needed. In this article, we’re going to show you how to tag items in Finder using a simple custom keyboard shortcut, for even faster tagging.

The first series of steps below shows you how to create a handy key shortcut to activate Finder’s inline tagging menu. Once you’ve done that, we explain how you can use one or more custom shortcuts to directly apply specific color tags to selected items in a Finder window.

This more powerful color tagging method requires creating a simple Automator service. If that sounds scary, don’t worry – it’s a simple process, and if you’re a frequent user of tags then you’ll find this quick recipe well worth the effort. Keep reading to learn how it’s done.

How to Create a Shortcut for Tagging Items in Finder

Launch System Preferences from the Apple menu bar ( -> System Preferences…).
Select the Keyboard preference pane.
Click the Shortcuts tab.

Select App Shortcuts in the left column and click the + button.
Select Finder.app in the Application field.
Type Tags… in the Menu Title field.

Click inside the Keyboard Shortcut field and press your preferred key combination for activating the service. In our example, we’ve used Shift-Command-T.
Click Add.Now your shortcut is set up, it’s time to try it out. Open a Finder window and select an item (or several) for tagging. Hit your chosen key combination and you should see a tag menu pop up beneath the selected item(s), like so.

From there, just start typing the name of the tag you want to use and it should appear in the input field. Hit Enter to apply it. Alternatively, use the down arrow key to choose the tag you want from the dropdown list, and hit Enter.

How to Create a Color Tagging Service in Automator

Launch Automator from the Applications folder.

Click New Document.
Choose Service as the type of your document.

Type label into the Library search field at the top of the Automator sidebar.
Drag the Label Finder Items action into the empty workflow area.

Click the tag color you want to use for your first keyboard shortcut. (We’re going for red in our example.)
Select files or folders in the Service receives selected dropdown.
Select Finder in the in application dropdown.

Select File -> Save from the Automator menu bar, and give your service a name. We’ll be using the name “Tag Red”.
Click Save.

How to Assign a Shortcut to Your New Tagging Service

Launch System Preferences from the Apple menu bar ( -> System Preferences…).
Select the Keyboard pane.
Click the Shortcuts tab.
Select App Shortcuts in the left column and click the + button.

Select Finder.app in the Application field.
In the Menu Title field, type the exact name of the service you just created in Automator (“Tag Red” in our example).

Click inside the Keyboard Shortcut field and press your chosen key combination for activating the service. We’ve used Shift-Command-R.
Click Add.You should now be able to tag selected items in Finder with your chosen color using the keyboard shortcut you created.

To create additional shortcuts for applying other tag colors, simply follow the Automator steps again but choose another color, and save the service under a corresponding name. Then simply assign a shortcut to the named service in the Keyboard preference pane as described above.

Related Roundup: macOS High Sierra
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Hyperloop Transportation Technologies is on its way to the UAE

Just days after announcing that its Hyperloop test track is one step closer to completion in France, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies is breaking ground again and moving forward with the first commercial Hyperloop system in the UAE. On Wednesday, Hyperloop TT and Aldar Properties signed what is being called a “historic agreement” for the first commercial Hyperloop system to emerge between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. 

Not only will HyperloopTT soon begin to build the transportation system, but it’ll also construct an Innovation Center and a Hyperloop Visitor Center. Construction is slated to begin in Aldar’s Seih Al Sdeirah landbank in Abu Dhabi, which is located on the border between the Emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. It’s also near the site of Expo 2020 — which is slated to attract quite a large audience — as well as Al Maktoum International Airport.

“We are delighted to be working with HyperloopTT as they look to bring one of the world’s most revolutionary transportation technologies to Abu Dhabi,” said Talal Al Dhiyebi, Chief Executive Officer, Aldar Properties. He noted that the site of the Hyperloop is particularly strategic. “Alghadeer sits at such a strategic point within the UAE – close to major growth areas of both Abu Dhabi and Dubai, that it makes sense to pair it with rapid transport opportunities. We believe that Hyperloop technology can have a major positive impact on the lives of all of those living within our communities, and we look forward to this possibility becoming a reality.”

As with its test track in France, HyperloopTT intends to build the new line in a number of phases, first beginning with a 10 kilometer (6.2 mile) route. Further development will aim to construct an entire Hyperloop network throughout the Emirates and surrounding regions.

“This agreement creates the basis for the first commercial Hyperloop system in the world here in the Emirates, with the goal of eventually connecting Abu Dhabi to Al Ain, Dubai, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.” said Bibop Gresta, Chairman of HyperloopTT. “With regulatory support, we hope the first section will be operational in time for Expo 2020.”

“A forward-thinking nation like the UAE is ideal for building the most revolutionary, most efficient, and fastest transportation system in the world,” added Dirk Ahlborn, CEO of HyperloopTT. “With this historic agreement in Abu Dhabi, we take a big step towards the world’s first commercial system.”

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JPEG XS will be a faster format for 8K streaming, better VR, and safer drones

Joint Photographic Experts Group

JPEG has been the compressed standard for images for decades but the file format will soon gain a little brother designed to eliminate lag time while streaming to create anything from a better virtual reality experience to safer camera drones and self-driving cars. The organization behind the JPEG, the Joint Photographic Experts Group, recently introduced JPEG XS, a compressed photo and video file format designed to use less energy.

JPEG XS is a bit of a misnomer because the file sizes aren’t actually smaller than a JPEG — in fact, the files take up more room because the compression is six times compared to 10 times. The XS instead refers to the file’s compression process. JPEG XS uses a compression that is both faster and simpler than the original JPEG. So while a JPEG XS will take up more space on a hard drive or smartphone, the files will stream faster using Wi-Fi or 5G. Because the files are actually larger than a regular JPEG, the file type creates high-quality footage while simultaneously speeding up the streaming process.

The organization isn’t trying to replace the JPEG — the original JPEG’s smaller file size still makes the original ideal for applications where the file is being saved, not streamed. The JPEG XS instead aims to alleviate a number of issues associated with streaming content. For example, by creating faster streams, a JPEG XS could reduce lag time between what a drone camera sees and when the drone pilot actually sees the same thing. The same idea could help make self-driving cars safer by increasing reaction times.

The faster streams and reduced latency aren’t just for live-streaming content, however. In virtual reality, the group explains, the delay between moving and the nearly imperceptible response to that movement is one of the reasons some headset users can feel nauseous inside the experience. The file format would also make sharing a video from a smartphone to a screen (wirelessly) faster.

The organization also says that the faster compression could also allow higher resolution and increased frame rates, such as streaming in 8K. The file format has even caught the eye of the European Space Agency — the group is interested in potentially using the format on space probes because the format uses less energy.

Professor Touradj Ebrahimi is leading the group’s work as part of the School of Engineering at École Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne, a technical university in Switzerland. “For the first time in the history of image coding, we are compressing less in order to better preserve quality, and we are making the process faster while using less energy,” Ebrahimi said in a statement.  “We want to be smarter in how we do things. The idea is to use less resources, and use them more wisely. This is a real paradigm shift.”

JPEG XS, like the original JPEG, is also slated to be an open-source file format. That accessibility has The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers considering the format for editing since the format could be a universally accepted file type because of that open source.

The International Organization for Standardization has yet to approve the file format before JPEG XS could be widely adopted. Once approved, Ebrahimi says new hardware could adopt the format, while software would need to be updated.

“In the immediate future, JPEG XS will be put to use in professional applications like movie editing, space imagery, and professional-grade cameras. Consumer electronics will come next, including self-driving cars, virtual reality, augmented reality, and wireless connections between multimedia devices and TV monitors or projectors,” he said. “To be able to use JPEG XS, consumers will need to own the next generation of devices. In terms of software, they will probably just need to run an update, like they do from time to time on their computers and smartphones anyway.”

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A new bracelet can detect if you’re being attacked, automatically call help

Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham have developed a smart wearable they hope could be used to keep people safe in the face of possible physical or sexual assault, or elderly people experiencing a fall. The Smart Jewelry Bracelet uses a combination of machine learning technology and smart sensors to automatically detect when an assault or fall takes place.

The bracelet can then alert passersby with a loud beeping sound and a red strobe light. It also connects, via Bluetooth, to the wearer’s smartphone and sends their location and an emergency message to a predetermined contact list. Unlike dialing 911 or using an emergency app, the device works autonomously — meaning that the user is not required to trigger it.

“The difference with existing panic button type devices is that we use multi-modal sensing and machine learning to automatically detect the assault or the fall,” Ragib Hasan, associate professor of computer science in the UAB College of Arts and Sciences, told Digital Trends. “This is a significant improvement as the assault or the fall can leave the user unconscious or otherwise unable to call for help.”

The multi-modal sensing Hasan refers to includes accelerometers able to detect unusual movements, as well as blood pressure and temperature sensors to sense elevated blood pressure on the part of the wearer. The bracelet’s learning component allows it to learn to distinguish between the user’s regular movements and an unusual incident. It can function for more than 12 hours on a single charge.

“Our goal is to make an inconspicuous wearable bracelet, which for all purposes looks and feels like a regular jewelry item, but which can essentially act as a guardian angel to watch over the user,” Hasan said.

He noted that the current Smart Jewelry Bracelet is only a prototype, and not yet ready to bring to market. The team working on it is continuously improving the prototype by adding additional sensors to collect more data. They are also working to incorporate similar sensing technology into other objects like shoes and earrings which can be worn by the user.

“We envision a future where our everyday objects will be smart without looking like nerdy gadgets,” Hasan continued. “We are essentially working on making the computer invisible, yet an essential component of our everyday clothing, jewelry, and other objects.”

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