Twitter’s timeline will highlight news links your friends tweet

Twitter released quite a few news-related features over the past years in an effort to become your go-to source for the latest in current events. It introduced a dedicated News tab in 2015, for instance, though that one didn’t work out as planned. Last month, it also started testing an algorithm that puts trending tweets from news organizations at the top of your timeline when something big happens. Now, the platform has rolled out a feature that highlights news links tweeted by the people you Follow right in your Home timeline, according to BuzzFeed News. Underneath the highlighted story, you’ll see all the tweets from your network that mention that particular link.

I haven’t come across the behavior yet, but Twitter has confirmed its rollout to the publication, which said that it’s now out for all users across iOS, Android and the web. We’ve also reached out to Twitter to clarify whether it’s truly a public worldwide rollout or merely a limited test.

[Image credit: BuzzFeed News]

Twitter started grouping together tweets about ongoing events back when it launched “Happening Now.” It only applied to sports topics in the beginning, but this new feature and the one that pushes trending tweets by news organizations to the top of your feed are probably part of its expansion.

Source: BuzzFeed News

Parents can now limit their kids’ access to the Facebook Messenger Kids app

Facebook wants to make it easier for parents to ensure their kids aren’t spending all day, every day on their phones. In that spirit, the company has launched a new feature in the Messenger Kids app that allows parents to set times when their kids aren’t allowed to use the app. The new feature is called Sleep Mode, and it’s rolling out now.

Messenger Kids, which was launched late last year, is meant to be installed on a child’s device, but is linked to their parents account, allowing the parents to monitor their child’s online activity. The app has been a little controversial given growing concerns about the impact of social media in children, and some have called on Facebook to scrap the app altogether. The ability to limit the app’s usage seems like Facebook’s answer to those concerns — though perhaps not the answer everyone was looking for.

Using Sleep Mode is pretty easy. Parents simply need to go into the control center in their account, where they can see their kids’ accounts and adjust the settings for those accounts. There they can specify when kids aren’t allowed to use the app. There are preset options, like “during the week,” or parents can set specific hours. From the control panel, you can also completely delete your child’s account, if you so choose.

Messenger Kids is a little different than the standard Facebook Messenger. It doesn’t require the child to create an account, and it puts a heavier emphasis on colorful filters and GIFs. Parents can control things like the child’s contact list, and can see the messages that kids are sending — which can’t be hidden and don’t disappear.

Facebook says it has gone a long way to ensure that the app is safe for kids to use — and that it’s compliant with the Children’s Online Privacy and Protection Act. There are no ads in Facebook Messenger Kids, and Facebook says it won’t collect any information from kids to be used for advertising. Not only that, but the app is also free and does not have any in-app purchases — so kids can’t accidentally buy things within the app.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Facebook’s Messenger Kids app is now available for Android devices
• Amazon gets kid-friendly with Echo Dot Kids Edition, FreeTime Unlimited
• Conspiracy theories surface on YouTube Kids
• Fitbit Ace is a basic fitness tracker to keep your kids active
• The new version of YouTube Kids lets parents pick videos for their children

‘An absolute nightmare’: When online banking goes wrong, VERY wrong

If you’ve ever cursed your online banking provider because you couldn’t find a link to a page on its website, then spare a thought for the millions of Brits who for the last week have been experiencing nothing short of a nightmare with one of the country’s major banks, TSB.

The story began last weekend when IT workers embarked on work to migrate TSB’s computer systems from the platform of its former owner, Lloyds, to a newly designed platform built by its parent bank, Sabadell, based in Spain.

What could possibly go wrong?

TSB told its five million customers that the bank’s website and app would be inaccessible for most of the weekend, but promised everything would be back to normal by Sunday evening.

But when it flipped the switch, the site remained down for nearly two million of the bank’s customers.

As the bank scrambled to rectify the situation, worrying stories began to emerge from a number of TSB customers who had managed to access their accounts.

These included reports of people being presented with banking information that belonged to other customers, with some people even able to initiate the process for moving funds from those accounts. One person reportedly opened their account to discover a phantom deposit of £13,000 ($17,900), while another told the BBC that half of her current account transactions had gone missing, and her mortgage account had completely disappeared.

Others reported having direct debits cancelled without warning, and their cards declined in stores.

U.K. news outlets have been reporting fresh incidents daily. London-based locksmith Lee McDonald, who has two TSB online accounts for his business and no nearby branch, described the situation to the BBC on Wednesday as “an absolute nightmare,” adding, “I don’t know what money’s coming in, I don’t what money’s going out, it’s unbelievable.”

On Friday, some TSB business customers said they were unable to make the usual payroll run, while others who’d made it to a local branch claimed some had also suffered outages with their internal systems.

Reports at the end of the week suggest only about half of the bank’s online customers are able to log into their account via the web, while its banking app was faring much better. TSB said it could be days before the issue is properly resolved, with the problem likely to drag into next week.

“Hell of a team!”

As if all that wasn’t enough, embarrassingly for the bank, the Guardian on Thursday came into possession of photos posted on LinkedIn showing IT workers celebrating at the offices that handled the botched migration, with attached messages such as, “TSB transfer done and dusted!” and “Hell of a team!” The photos landed on the professional networking site last weekend, shortly before news of the problems began to emerge.

TSB chief executive Paul Pester offered a “big apology” to the bank’s customers and promised no one would be out of pocket as a consequence of the chaos. In another BBC interview, the boss said the bank was “on our knees” as it tried to clear up the mess, adding that the bank had been forced to call in experts from IBM to try to sort it out once and for all.

It’s not the first time a British bank has had to deal with chaos on such a huge scale. In 2012, a software upgrade left millions of Royal Bank of Scotland customers unable to access their online accounts, resulting in regulators hitting it with a fine of £56 million ($77 million). Many commentators are now wondering what fate awaits TSB, once they get their systems sorted, that is.

And the punchline to this whole sorry saga? TSB’s recent ad campaign (top) ran with the tagline, “Break free and go somewhere better.” It’s likely many people will be heeding the advice, though not in the way the bank intended.

Editors’ Recommendations

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• BMW mistakenly installs the wrong emissions software on nearly 12,000 cars
• Amazon is looking to expand its burgeoning empire into Brazil
• Panera Bread’s data leak might affect more than 37 million customers
• You could one day send money to a friend simply by asking Alexa

Blue Origin will livestream its first test flight of 2018

Blue Origin is gearing up for its eighth test flight, which also happens to be its first for 2018, on April 29th. Thankfully, it’s one we’ll be able to watch: Blue Origin chief Jeff Bezos has announced on Twitter that it’s live streaming the event on Sunday. The company hasn’t posted the stream’s details yet, but you can expect it to go live around 8:30AM CDT (9:30AM Eastern) when the launch window opens.

Launch preparations are underway for New Shepard’s 8th test flight, as we continue our progress toward human spaceflight. Currently targeting Sunday 4/29 with launch window opening up at 830am CDT. Livestream info to come. @BlueOrigin #GradatimFerociter pic.twitter.com/zAYpAGWB8C

— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) April 27, 2018

The aerospace company’s most recent flight back in December 2017 put the Crew Capsule 2.0 to the test for the first time. Blue Origin even stuck a test dummy in the capsule right next to one of its enormous windows — “the largest windows in space,” the company said — before sending it 322,405 feet above ground level. Shortly after that flight, Blue Origin said it might be able to launch a manned mission this year “depending on how the test program goes.”

We’ll keep an eye out for the broadcast details, so make sure to check back for an update.

Source: Jeff Bezos (Twitter)

Steam Spy returns with less accurate game stats

Earlier this month, Steam revamped its privacy settings to let users change how much of their game data can be publicly viewed. The company made player libraries, along with time played per title, hidden by default — which ended up locking out game industry stats site Steam Spy. Unable to access the data it needed, the site essentially shut down…but only temporarily. Now, Steam Spy is back up, but with a different method that produces less accurate statistics.

Instead of automatically scraping all Steam users’ data to see what games people are playing (and for how long), Steam Spy is slowly switching to a machine learning model. Using ‘coincidental data’ produced somewhat accurate results, the site’s creator Sergey Galyonkin said in a blog post: His algorithm predicted that the new game Frostpunk sold 252,000 copies, while its developers announced it had sold 250,000.

The new model isn’t very accurate yet, Galyonkin admitted: For 90 percent of the 70 games he tested, his algorithm was within 10 percent margin of error. But any data is better than no data to games companies, Galyonkin told Kotaku: “Analysts can work with data when they know it’s not entirely accurate as long as they are aware of the limitations and caveats.”

The API is back in a limited capacity.

I was planning on bringing it back later, but Valve effectively killed their Store API yesterday and I figured Steam Spy API would be useful even in a limited form.

— Steam Spy (@Steam_Spy) April 26, 2018

He’s still working to re-implement some old features like country stats, but Steam Spy is more or less back online.

Via: Kotaku

Source: Steam Spy blog | Medium

‘Shadow of the Tomb Raider’ expansions include a co-op mode

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is all about the Mayan apocalypse, but the end of the narrative isn’t the end of the world game. Developer/publisher Square Enix today unveiled what’ll be included in Lara’s latest season pass. Rather than calling them expansions this time out, the nomenclature is “Paths,” and there are seven total as spotted by USGamer. Each will have its own challenge tomb, story, skill, outfit and weapons. They’ll be doled out on a monthly basis and the first will add co-op play of some sort. Oddly, there isn’t any info regarding how much the season pass will cost.

However, if you feel like ponying up for the game’s $90 dollar “Croft Edition” or the $200 “Ultimate Edition,” replete with a statue and a ton of other tchotchkes, both will include the season pass. Still not satisfied? Maybe give our preview a read and check out the new trailer embedded below. Or not. It’s up to you!

Via: USGamer

Source: Square Enix

Microsoft makes Office 2019 ready for business users to preview

guteksk7/Shutterstock

Microsoft is now starting to let business users experience the changes and new features in Office 2019 via a preview released today. The preview includes clients for Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, Access, Project, and Visio.

Office 2019 was initially announced at Microsoft’s Ignite conference last year. Unlike the subscription-based Office 365, Office 2019 operates on a perpetual license. This means you pay once for the software and don’t need to worry about monthly charges. With Microsoft focusing more on its cloud and subscription services, it’s unclear if Office 2019 will be the last stand-alone version of Office based on a perpetual license. Microsoft said it is listening to customer feedback to help shape its product road map.

“Office 365 delivers continuous cloud-powered innovation for increased productivity, better security, and the lowest [total cost of ownership],” Microsoft said. “But we recognize that for many customers, moving to the cloud is a journey with many considerations along the way. Office 2019 will be a valuable upgrade for customers who feel that they need to keep some or all of their apps and servers on premises.”

Some of the new features in Office 2019 include improved inking support, more powerful data analysis tools, and more sophisticated presentation tools for PowerPoint.

“Office 2019 delivers new features to help end users create amazing content in less time,” said Jared Spataro, Microsoft general manager for Office, in a blog post. “Updates include new-and-improved inking features across the apps, like the roaming pencil case, pressure sensitivity, and tilt effects; more powerful data analysis in Excel, like new formulas, new charts, and Power BI integration; and sophisticated presentation features in PowerPoint, like Morph and Zoom.”

These features in Office 2019 were already available for users on the subscription-based Office 365, Spataro notes, but weren’t included as part of Office 2016. Office 2019 is therefore intended for organizations who aren’t already on Office 365 plans.

In order to run Office 2019, you must have Windows 10 installed, as the software won’t work on older versions of the Windows operating system. The client apps will only be available as a click-to-run installer to make deployment easier for IT administrators.

A Mac version of Office 2019 will be available in the coming months, and business users will be among the first to preview the software on MacOS. Microsoft will also make its Exchange, SharePoint, Project Sever, and Skype for Business 2019 available to test at that time.

A consumer preview for Office 2019 will not be made available, ZDNet reported, and consumers can purchase Office 2019 when it gets released for retail during the second half of this year.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Microsoft Teams will likely eventually offer a subscription-free version
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• Microsoft gives OneNote Windows 10 a promotion, kills off OneNote 2016
• Windows 10’s Mail app may display an Office 365 ad for some users
• Microsoft adds new features to Office and OneDrive apps for iPad, iPhone

Apple’s rumored wireless mixed reality glasses could launch in 2020

Microsoft’s Hololens mixed reality headset is about to get some competition from Apple. The Cupertino, California-based maker of the iPhone is said to be working on a headset that is capable of supporting both augmented and virtual reality technologies, CNET reports, citing one person familiar with Apple’s plans. Codenamed T288, the headset is said to still be in the early development stages, and Apple could potentially launch the mixed reality glasses in 2020 to take on Facebook’s Oculus, HTC’s Vive, Magic Leap, and others.

Apple’s headset could feature an 8K display for each eye, offering more a more realistic experience. Apple may be waiting for display and chip technologies to mature before releasing its headset.

A previously uncovered Apple patent revealed that Apple is investigating AR lens technology. Apple’s research calls for a compact lens array to help focus light and eliminate chromatic aberration effects. This could potentially lead to more compact sizes for AR glasses and help improve usability and reduce wearer fatigue. Gaze tracking was also mentioned in Apple’s patent application.

The glasses could operate as a stand-alone unit that doesn’t need to be tethered to a computer or smartphone to function, allowing for greater mobility. Given that it’s designed as a stand-alone unit, Apple’s headset would utilize a custom-built processor.

Unlike some existing headsets available on the market today, Apple’s T288 implementation may not need special in-room cameras to track the headset. All the components would be built into either the headset or an accompanying box.

“Apple’s headset would connect to a dedicated box using a high-speed, short-range wireless technology, according to a person familiar with the company’s plans,” CNET reported. “The box, which would be powered by a custom Apple processor more powerful than anything currently available, would act as the brain for the AR/VR headset. In its current state, the box resembles a PC tower, but it won’t be an actual Mac computer.”

By relying on a cordless, wireless solution, Apple hopes that a simple setup would not deter consumers from embracing AR technology. The wireless connection to the box could rely on the WiGig, though the final WiGig 2.0 standard won’t be finalized until 2019. A second-generation version could be based on the 802.11ay protocol, allowing for faster speeds and improved wireless range.

The custom silicon inside the box could be based around a five-nanometer architecture. For comparison, Apple utilizes a 10nm architecture today for its A11 Bionic processor in the iPhone X, and Intel’s current processors are based on a 14nm architecture.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Apple AR glasses: News and rumors about ‘Project Mirrorshades’
• Apple’s latest patents hint at sleep tracker and continued work on AR
• Mozilla announces Firefox Reality, a browser for augmented and virtual reality
• Low-cost Ghost AR headset promises MacOS multitasking on steroids
• You AR what you eat — augmented reality menus are coming to Snapchat

HP reopens pre-orders for its first ‘always connected’ Windows 10 PC

Matt Smith/Digital Trends

After briefly appearing during February in a limited quantity, HP’s first Windows on ARM PC, the Envy x2, is finally back to pre-order for $999. It’s the result of a new relationship between Qualcomm and Microsoft to provide Windows 10 devices relying on Qualcomm’s ARM-based processors. It’s a departure from using the typical x86-based processors manufactured by Intel and AMD, creating a new “always connected” family of products. 

HP’s new laptop sports a 12.3-inch touch-enabled IPS screen with a 1,920 x 1,280 resolution. Backing this screen is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 processor — not its newer 845 chip — that is typically associated with smartphones and tablets. It includes an integrated Qualcomm Adreno 540 graphics component — you won’t find a discrete graphics chip here.  

Outside of the processor aspect, the Envy x2 features 4GB of LPDDR4 memory, 128GB of SSD storage, and a 49.33WHr battery promising up to 22 hours of mixed use (up to 19 hours of video playback). That’s the big selling point with these new always-connected PCs: The promise of crazy-long up-times on a single charge. The other selling point is the hardware powering the always-connected claim. 

As the specifications show, the laptop ships with Wireless AC (2×2) and Bluetooth 5 connectivity. But it also sports an integrated LTE modem, thus no matter where you drag the laptop, it will have a connection to the internet where service is available. It supposedly moves seamlessly from Wi-Fi to 4G LTE and back again without interrupting your Netflix or Facebook trolling addiction. 

Port-wise, the laptop’s complement is rather scarce, packing one Micro SD card reader, one USB-C 3.1 Gen1 port, one USB-A 3.1 Gen1 port, and a headphone/microphone combo jack. You will also find a Nano SIM card slot for your 4G LTE connection provided only by Sprint or Verizon Wireless here in the United States. 

HP’s new laptop is very Surface-like, measuring just 0.27 inches thick. Likewise, it weighs a mere 1.54 pounds without the backlit keyboard, and 2.67 pounds with the keyboard attached. HP’s Wide Vision 5MP camera faces the user while a 13MP camera resides on the back. The device ships with a stylus that slips into a holder on the right side of the keyboard. 

“Mobile intensive customers want a versatile device that keeps up with their busy lives and lets them be connected to everything that matters when they need to,” HP’s Kevin Frost said in a statement. “The Envy x2 is designed to go everywhere.” 

Qualcomm and Microsoft introduced their always-connected initiative in December 2017. It’s Microsoft’s official return to ARM-based PCs after abandoning its Windows RT operating system due to poor reception and cross-platform app headaches. Microsoft’s new Windows on ARM should be a more mature platform. 

But there are limitations to these always-connected PCs as seen with Microsoft’s pulled list for developers. For one, you can’t run 64-bit apps created for AMD- and Intel-based machines. Apps may also render a user interface built for smartphones, render the screen in the wrong orientation, or completely fail to start. 

HP’s Snapdragon-powered Envy x2 ships on May 8.

Pre-order now

Editors’ Recommendations

• HP’s first Qualcomm-powered PC, the HP Envy X2, suffers a slight delay
• Microsoft pulls list of limitations on ‘Always Connected’ Windows 10 PCs
• Lenovo takes wraps off Windows 10, Chromebook device lineup at MWC
• The best HP laptops
• The best touchscreen laptops

What does a potential T-Mobile / Sprint merger mean for wireless users?

Why do these two companies want to hook-up so badly, and what would it mean for us?

Update: April 27, 2018 CNBC recently reports that financial synergies the recent corporate tax cuts provide and the actual costs of a 5G rollout have caused SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son to have a change of heart about retaining any control of a combined company. Combined with a Comcast and Charter deal that includes phone services, the landscape has changed enough that we should expect an announcement of a $26 billion deal very soon.

Sprint and T-Mobile are back at it again. The two companies are said to be working on a way to find the common ground that lets them merge after two failed sets of talks. The most recent failure came after Softbank, Sprint’s parent company, had concerns about relinquishing control. While many say that the downsides of any merging of the two companies are less consumer choice — we need only to look to Canada to see the effect on prices of three large telecom companies controlling the wireless market — not much has been said about the benefits, not only to Sprint and T-Mobile but to the consumer. No matter where you stand on the benefits and drawbacks of the two companies getting together, it’s interesting to look at any changes that could happen.

Why this is good for both companies

On the corporate level, both Sprint and T-Mobile see huge benefit from any merger but for very different reasons. The obvious is all the ways this helps the two compete with AT&T and Verizon, who each have more subscribers than the other two combined. With the new entity, there will be more competition for things such as spectrum auctions because a united Sprint and T-Mobile not only has more revenue but also poses a greater risk to AT&T and Verizon. Without a third “giant” carrier to drive them, AT&T and Verizon may not take the same risks they will when there is a large competitor in their rearview mirror.

Softbank needs to unload Sprint but needs to have a say in how it’s used.

Softbank may benefit more from any merger or buyout than anyone else. The company purchased Sprint as a way to break into the U.S. market but its influence hasn’t created the splash many thought it would. What did happen was $30 billion of long-term debt the company has incurred by absorbing Sprint. While it’s likely that any deal between Sprint and T-Mobile wouldn’t erase Softbank’s obligation in full, the company would likely walk away with it reduced or with a cash injection to pay a portion of it off.

Look for Softbank to still require at least some control over any merged Sprint-T-Mobile entity, as the company has also invested heavily into Internet of Things applications. Having influence in a carrier’s decisions is a nice benefit when in that position. Softbank needs Sprint-T-Mobile to be a strong player but also needs to be able to steer policy and decisions to stay favorable to them.

T-Mobile needs more spectrum and Sprint has exactly the kind it needs.

T-Mobile benefits because Sprint has the one thing it wants and hasn’t been able to get (at least not get as much as it feels it needs) — mobile spectrum. Sprint happens to have a massive 150 MHz of it and it’s exactly the kind T-Mobile requires. T-Mobile is positioned well when it comes to cell site density and mid-band spectrum but needs more high-band spectrum to give it the capacity to expand. Sprint has only utilized about a third of its 2.5 GHz spectrum so there is plenty left that could be used exactly the way T-Mobile wants to use it should the two companies join.

Why it would be good for consumers

The reasons that make any potential get together good for both companies are also the reasons it makes it good for customers. The results would mean better coverage and a faster network.

Assuming the two companies wouldn’t stay separate (and they shouldn’t, for all the reasons above) getting them together could mean the fast T-Mobile LTE network is available for more people in more places, with less dead spaces in between.

Any Sprint-T-Mobile merger means more 5G in more places.

T-Mobile knows that expansion is what comes next. We’re seeing it expand to “rural” areas using the recently-acquired 600 MHz spectrum which now covers more than 300,000 square miles of previously dead air. But the spectrum available isn’t enough, and Sprint’s massive chunk of 2.5 GHz spectrum would slide right in to keep the expansion going at the same aggressive rate once the 600 MHz block runs out.

This is also “5G-ready” spectrum, as it can provide the bandwidth a large number of high-speed connections would require. T-Mobile already has 200 MHz of millimeter-wave spectrum spread out across 100 million potential customers and has been deploying 5G-ready infrastructure in its 600 MHz expansion. T-Mobile was late to the 4G revolution, but has eyes on what’s next.

Current customers would see better service with fewer dead spots.

Sprint has everything it needs to be a network powerhouse. We’ve all heard the promises, and the few places where Sprint has built the network out are filled with happy customers. But issues with funding, changes in the company’s leadership and poor decisions in the past have plagued Sprint and the network is in a downward spiral it may never be able to pull out of. To expand, Sprint needs money. To get money, it needs rapid customer growth. To get more customers it has to be able to have a better network. Joining with T-Mobile breaks this circle and both sides know it. That makes Sprint’s assets very valuable.

Finally, a look at the coverage map is interesting and enlightening. Not the coverage maps the two companies publish on their websites, but a more realistic map like this one from Ookla that shows the combined network footprint as read by the company’s SpeedTest service.

Wisconsin, Florida and the Mid-Atlantic would have a great network should this merger happen.

Every pink dot is a place where you can connect to a fast T-Mobile network. The yellow spaces in between are where you can find a Sprint signal, but it’s hampered by Sprint’s mid-band spectrum (which is also shared with the company’s 3G network) and that signal is attached to a low-speed, low-bandwidth network that customers aren’t all that happy with. A better utilization of Sprint’s assets on top of T-Mobile’s could mean a very strong network across this entire footprint and would mean the speeds you see in Seattle (T-Mobile) would come to the network you can find in Yakima (Sprint) for example.

That’s really what all the talk about spectrum and Megahertz means. T-Mobile doesn’t have what it needs to bring service to more places and Sprint doesn’t have what it needs to make its network faster. The two together means better service for a lot of people. Sprint’s assets would let a merged company build in more places and T-Mobile’s assets mean what it could build would be good.

This isn’t over

Any merger or buyout is nowhere near final, as we’ve seen before. there are plenty of drawbacks to losing an independent network operator and replacing it with another multi-headed AT&T-like beast. As potential customers, we’re most concerned with pricing and how this takes away any incentive for Sprint and T-Mobile to offer a better deal than AT&T or Verizon. But things like policy decisions, where Sprint and T-Mobile have lobbied for things that benefit the “little guy” and creative ways to change how we buy service are important and could disappear if any merger happens, too.

All the good a merger may bring could be outweighed by what’s not so good.

AT&T and Verizon aren’t very pleased with the idea of Sprint and T-Mobile becoming one large competitor either. It would threaten the two company’s market position — currently, the two go back and forth at the top spot for revenue and subscriber count — which could, in turn, affect what sort of treatment either receive from regulators and partners. Expect both to fight against any merger or buyout should it get close to happening.

For now, we can simply wait and see and try to analyze how this could change the current mobile landscape and shape the future.