Mercedes’ ridesharing ViaVan service comes to London

Add another company to the list of transportation services filling Uber’s London-sized void. Mercedes-Benz and Via have launched their jointly owned ViaVan service in Zones 1 and 2 of the city, giving Londoners a “ride-pooling” option that bridges the gap between plain ridesharing and mass transit. The allure, as you might guess, stems from the low cost that comes with multi-passenger rides — for a limited time, rides into and out of Zone 1 will cost a relatively low £3 (about $4). You just have to accept that ViaVan will choose nearby pickup and drop-off points rather than offering a lift at your exact location.

The service premiered in Amsterdam in March. On top of its reduced prices, it also makes a point of helping drivers make a “decent living” — a jab at Uber’s reputation for less-than-stellar pay. ViaVan claims it takes the smallest cut of any comparable service in London.

This isn’t as far-reaching as conventional ridesharing (which can typically cover a whole city), and even the discounted rate can be more expensive than a bus or the Tube if either option will get you where you want to go. Still, it might hit the sweet spot if you’re in a relative hurry, but not so much of a hurry that you’re willing to pay a premium for a private car.

Source: ViaVan

US’ proposed China tariffs would target robotics and satellites

The US Trade Representative has published the list of Chinese products that would be subject to its proposed tech tariffs, and there are a few clear themes. The move would hike the costs of about 1,300 products, including industrial robots, communication satellites, spacecraft and a slew of semiconductors.The aim, as before, is to punish China for allegedly goading American companies into transferring their patents and technology to Chinese firms for the sake of claiming economic superiority.

The USTR claimed the proposed tariffs would stymie Chinese plans will “minimizing the impact” on the American economy. The tariffs are still subject to a 60-day notice process that would include public comments until May 11th and a public hearing on May 15th.

Whether or not it plays out as claimed is another matter. Although China does have laws requiring joint ventures for some foreign businesses operating in the country (and thus sharing ideas), this won’t necessarily get officials to back off. There are concerns this will simply raise prices for American shoppers. And China has vowed to retaliate with “equal” measures if the tariffs go ahead — it may be expensive for everyone involved, whether they’re companies or customers.

Via: CNBC, Bloomberg

Source: USTR

YouTube shooting suspect had been angry over filtering, demonetization

News outlets including the New York Times and NBC report law enforcement sources identified the shooter at YouTube’s HQ as Nasim Aghdam, a 39-year-old woman from the San Diego area. While the sources have not confirmed a reason behind the attack, now that her name is known we’ve found a number of videos from her posted on YouTube and other sites saying that she was a vegan athlete and animal rights activist.

In several videos posted over the last year or so, she angrily spoke about the company’s policies, saying they were filtering her videos so they wouldn’t get any more views, and she was upset over demonetization. It appears the channels have now been completely removed by YouTube, citing policy violations.

On her website, she wrote: “There is no equal growth opportunity on YOUTUBE or any other video sharing site, your channel will grow if they want to!!!!!”

BE AWARE! Dictatorship exists in all countries but with different tactics! They only care for
personal short term profits & do anything to reach their goals even by fooling simple-minded people,
hiding the truth, manipulating science & everything, putting public mental & physical health at risk,
abusing non-human animals, polluting environment, destroying family values, promoting materialism &
sexual degeneration in the name of freedom,….. & turning people into programmed robots!
“Make the lie big, Make it simple, Keep saying it, And eventually they will believe it” Adolf
Hitler… There is no free speech in real world & you will be suppressed for telling the truth that is not
supported by the system. Videos of targeted users are filtered & merely relegated, so that people can
hardly see their videos!
.There is no equal growth opportunity on YOUTUBE or any other video sharing site,
your channel will grow if they want to!!!!!

CBS2 News reporter Tina Patel spoke to Aghdam’s father, who said he told police of her anger with YouTube after they called him and said that after being missing for a few days, she’d been found in her car in Mountain View. The network also said Aghdam asked for the male victim by name before the shooting started. Buzzfeed heard from Mountain View police in an email that officers found a woman by that name asleep in her vehicle in a parking lot there Tuesday morning.

Source: New York Times, CBS2, SFGate, AP, Buzzfeed

Reddit refurbishes its bland style, adds an endless scroll, new view options

Even CEO Steve Huffman calls Reddit a “dystopian craigslist” — but that could soon change as the social site launches a major redesign with multiple view options, scrolls that never end, and an upgraded posts editor. While the “front page of the internet” has been planning the update for over a year now, on Monday, April 2, a small percentage of users got the first glimpse at the website’s major overhaul.

A randomly selected group of Redditors now have access to an early version of the redesign. The company said it is are still adding in some earlier features, designing new ones, and incorporating feedback from early users — so what that small percentage of users see now will likely change before a more widespread rollout.

Reddit’s design overhaul was, in part, to create a code base that will allow the team to add new features faster than previously possible. Reddit explained that its code base has remained largely unchanged since launching more than 12 years ago and that the outdated code made it more difficult to add new features to the platform. The second major idea is to make Reddit more welcoming to new users, simplifying the process of finding new communities to join.

The new design gives users three different view options to choose from (and users part of the early launch can also opt out to get the old design back by going to old.reddit.com). The card view, as the name suggests, puts each post inside a Reddit community in an individual card, with some of the content expanded without the need to click on it. The company says this version is the most like Facebook and Twitter, which was a conscious decision to make the platform easier to use for Reddit newbies. Compact view is designed for scrolling through posts quickly and Classic view, as the name suggests, is closest to the old Reddit.

Besides just giving Reddit a new look, users will also see a handful of new features. For one, text, links, and images can now all be part of the same post, created inside a new post editor. The update also includes infinite scrolling — and when you do stop that scroll to click, a pop-up will show the content while keeping your spot in that scroll that never ends. The update also builds in some customization for communities that moderators previously created with their own workarounds.

Social media users have a tendency to resist changes at first (case in point: Snapchat’s redesign) and as Wired points out, Reddit has remained the same for so long that any user resistance might be more extreme than the norm. The company notes, however, that it does “not have plans to do away with the current site,” suggesting the option to revert to the old school Reddit will be available for some time. But of course, for users that don’t like the new design, there is a Reddit for that — the platform is taking feedback on the update at the r/redesign Reddit.

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Samsung goes on a gaming Odyssey with new Core i7 CPU, GTX 1060 graphics

Now that’s Intel’s latest eighth-generation CPU batch is finally out in the open, Samsung revealed a new laptop built for gamers: The Notebook Odyssey Z. It is based on a new Intel Core i7 processor packing six cores and 12 threads along with Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1060 discrete graphics processor with 6GB of dedicated graphics memory. The laptop is available in Korea and China now with a North American launch slated for the third quarter. 

Here are the specifications: 

Screen size: 

15.6 inches 

Screen type: 

Unknown 

Screen resolution: 

1,920 x 1,080 

Processor: 

Intel eighth-generation Core i7 

Graphics: 

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 

Memory: 

Up to 16GB DDR4 @ 2,400MHz 

Storage: 

Up to 1TB PCI Express-based NVMe M.2 SSD 

Sound: 

2x 1.5-watt speakers 

Camera: 

720p 

Connectivity: 

Wireless AC
Bluetooth 

Ports: 

1x USB-C 3.1 Gen1
2x USB-A 3.1 Gen1
1x USB-A 2.0
1x HDMI
1x Headphone / Microphone combo 

Battery: 

54WHr 

External power supply: 

180 watts 

Dimensions: 

14.78 x 10.03 x 0.70 inches 

Weight: 

5.29 pounds 

Color: 

Titan silver 

Samsung’s big pitch with the Notebook Odyssey Z is how it manages heat. The design relies on three components: The Dynamic Spread Vapor Chamber, Samsung’s Z Airflow Cooling design, and the Z Blade Blowers. The “intelligently made” vapor chamber is an area extending between the left and right sides of the laptop covering the processor and graphics chip. It’s designed to enable the laptop’s two fans — one over the CPU and one over the GPU — to push cold air to the hottest sections above and below the motherboard. All the hot air is thus ejected out through the laptop’s rear vents. 

According to Samsung, the Notebook Odyssey Z includes a Silent Mode option you can toggle via a shortcut key on the keyboard for a quieter operation. The keyboard itself sports Crater Keycaps highlighted by a silver, metallic theme and red backlighting. Meanwhile, Samsung crammed the precision touchpad to the right of the keyboard to provide a more natural desktop-like feel for right-handed individuals. Two front-facing speakers reside just above the keyboard. 

As the chart above shows, you can configure the laptop with up to 16GB of system memory, and up to 1TB of storage. This laptop only supports one storage option, and there is no SD card slot in sight. But you can add an external storage device using the laptop’s USB-C port, or one of the three USB-A ports. Adding to the USB complement is HDMI output and a headphone/microphone combo audio jack. 

“With the Notebook Odyssey Z, we set out to create a dynamic, user-friendly laptop that would take gaming experiences to new heights, from the vibrant display to powerful processing power output,” Samsung’s YoungGyoo Choi said in a statement. “The seamless visuals, combined with an industry-leading cooling system will help give our players an upper hand in their gaming experience.” 

Look for Samsung’s new gaming laptop to hit North America for a currently unknown starting price in the third quarter of 2018. 

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Snapchat reinstates Giphy stickers following removal of racist GIFs

Last month, both Snapchat and Instagram pulled Giphy stickers from their apps after users discovered a racist GIF with a slur. At the time, Giphy said that it had removed the GIF in question and fixed the bug that let it through. It also said it would be reviewing all of its GIF stickers manually. Last week, Instagram reinstated Giphy stickers and now, so has Snapchat.

A spokesperson for Snapchat, which has had issues with racist filters in the past, told TechCrunch today that it worked with Giphy to boost its moderation system and that it was content with the changes Giphy has implemented. Last week, Giphy said that it had reviewed all of its GIFs four times, adding that it would review any new GIFs going forward.

Source: TechCrunch

Facebook survey asks users if it is ‘good for the world’

Facebook has scrambled to win back trust after the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the leaked ‘ugly truth’ memo. The company has made it easier for users to delete their data, dump third-party apps in bulk and started rolling out news verification tools. Now Facebook just wants to know what you think of, well, Facebook. In a poll sent to an unspecified number of people, the company asked whether they think the social media platform is “good for the world.”

This poll appears under the heading “We’d like to do better,” according to The Associated Press. We’ve reached out to Facebook for comment and will confirm if we hear back.

Source: Popular Mechanics

NYC’s mayor has a plan to get e-bikes on city roads

San Francisco and other cities around the US have been rolling out pedal-assisted e-bike sharing programs to help decrease street traffic and air pollution. Now New York City’s Mayor Bill de Blasio has directed his city’s Department of Transportation to start making rules that allow pedal-assist bicycles on the streets. Throttle e-bikes that can travel faster than 20 MPH, will not be included in the legalization effort, however. Pedal-assist bikes have been illegal to operate under the current administration due to safety concerns.

“As cycling continues to grow in popularity for commuting, deliveries and tourism, we are seeing the demand for pedal-assist bicycles that can help cyclists travel longer distances and more easily climb steep hills,” said Mayor de Blasio in a statement. “With new and clear guidelines, cyclists, delivery workers and businesses alike will now understand exactly what devices are allowed.”

The goal here is to create better options for cycling delivery workers and commuters, especially as the L train tunnel’s planned closure in April of next year. The Mayor’s office says that the Williamsburg Bridge sees more than 7,000 bicycling trips daily and expects that number to double during the tunnel closure. NYC also cites a European study that found the health and environmental benefits of cycling, especially among older cyclists.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: New York City Mayor’s Office

Apple’s Upcoming Morning Show Drama Gets New Showrunner

One of the TV shows Apple has in the works, a “morning show drama” starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston, is getting a new showrunner, reports Variety.

The original showrunner and creator, Jay Carson, had planned to work with Apple on the series, but he has departed over creative differences. Kerry Ehrin, known for “Bates Motel,” is instead set to take over and is close to inking a deal with Apple.

Ehrin was the co-creator, executive producer, and showrunner of “Bates Motel.”

Apple has signed a deal for two seasons of the as-of-yet untitled morning show drama, each with 10 episodes. The show, based on the 2013 book “Top of the Morning” by Brian Stelter, takes a look inside the cutthroat world of morning television. Stelter’s book was based on the rivalry between NBC’s “Today” and ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

Apple has multiple TV shows in the works, all of which are outlined in the original content section of our Apple TV roundup. Rumors have suggested the first of Apple’s TV shows could debut in 2019.

Related Roundup: Apple TVBuyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)
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Amazing software turns 3D scans into knitted objects, no grannies required

Carnegie Mellon University

When people talk about those most likely to lose their jobs to automation, chances are that grannies aren’t the first people who come to mind. But knitting needle-wielding grannies, busy churning out tiny knitted jumpers for their grandchildren, could soon find themselves at risk of techno-replacement thanks to new research coming out of Carnegie Mellon University’s Textiles Lab.

Computer scientists there have developed software that’s able to transform 3D models into stitch-by-stitch knitting instruction for V-bed automated knitting machines. The result is a system that could one day take any 3D scan of an object and transform it into a knitted object, with minimal human intervention.

“A 3D model usually consists as a set of points and encodes how they are connected to represent a shape,” Vidya Narayanan, a doctoral student working on the project, told Digital Trends. “Knitting machines cannot directly work with such an input. A knitting machine consists of hundreds of needles on which loops or stitches can be created and moved around. The input to such a machine needs to specify exactly where stitches or loops must be added and how they must be moved.”

Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon’s system works by taking a 3D model as its input, and then computes the necessary stitches and their connectivity so that the shape can be replicated through knitting. After this, it works out the order in which loops must be generated, assigns needle locations for each loop, and calculates the necessary instructions to ensure the finished structure looks as intended. And you thought making a car drive autonomously was complex!

For now, though, it seems that granny may be safe from total replacement. That’s because, while the tech is certainly impressive, there is still room for improvement.

“Noticeably, this version of our system only generates stockinette patterns, and does not support textures or patterns,” Narayanan continued. “But it is indeed possible to generate knit objects with interesting patterns such as laces and cables, as well as color work. This also calls for ways to encode aesthetic considerations and provide more user control in the pattern generation process.

“Secondly, our project was focused on the geometry — getting the shape right. Modeling yarn stress is also important for functionality. Soft knit objects can deform in unintuitive ways, simulations will go a long way in making better design tools for such systems. We are now looking at understanding and solving these problems.”

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