Motorola adds a Mophie battery and a car dock to its pile of Mods
Motorola’s magnetic Mods are the reason to own a Moto Z, and the company just pulled back the curtain on two more of them. If the existing bolt-on batteries weren’t big enough for you, a new 3,000mAh Mophie JuicePack (with a USB Type-C port for independent charging) is now available for $80. And since the holidays are nearly upon us — meaning lots of roadtrips to see family — Motorola also teamed up with Incipio on a $65 car dock that charges your Z and can be used to automatically launch apps like Android Auto. Keep your eyes peeled for that next week.
Alright, fine: These new Mods don’t seem all that inspiring. We’ve seen similar battery add-ons in the past, and the car dock concept is one that has been thoroughly explored in the past. (Motorola, for what it’s worth, doesn’t seem concerned about supporting multiple Mods that do the same thing.) Practicality is great and all, but the beauty of Motorola’s modularity is how it can offer experiences wildly different from rival smartphones. One of Motorola’s biggest jobs going forward will to be nurture the kind of thoughtful weirdness that will make for Mods people didn’t know they wanted. Thankfully, that work is already under way.
Motorola partnered with IndieGoGo last month to solicit ideas from a community of ardent product nerds — so far the company has received close to 380 pitches, for everything from Moto Mod game controllers to YotaPhone-style e-ink displays to a “mood” case that change colors. Participants with the best ideas will move on to subsequent rounds of judging, ending in a sort of Shark Tank-style event that should be rife with startup drama. The company’s first public hackathon is also set to take place in New York this month, and if it’s anything like previous internal events, we’re in for some weird, useful new Mods. Case in point: A recent hackathon attended by Motorola employees has yielded a breathalyzer and a Mod with potential to alert parents on the status of their babies. While practicality is the name of the game with today’s new Mod announcements, stay tuned for weirder, wilder augmentations to come.
iPhone classic ‘Tiny Wings’ gets news levels and Apple TV app
Tiny Wings is one of the best iPhone games ever. It’s a great example of a developer making something that wouldn’t make sense on any other platform, and it’s a game equally suited to playing quick bursts or for extended sessions as you try to beat your high score. And after more than two years without an update, developer Andreas Illiger has finally released a pretty major update. Tiny Wings is now available for the Apple TV, and the iPhone / iPad version has five new levels.
Unfortunately, the Apple TV app requires a separate $2.99 purchase — but if it is as good as the iOS game, that’ll be money well spent. The Apple TV app features split-screen multiplayer; players can either use the Siri remote, a dedicated game controller or an iOS device to control the big-screen action. The Apple TV app uses iCloud to sync progress with your mobile devices, and it feature the same array of game modes and levels as the iOS version — including the five new “flight school” levels.
If you bought the iOS app years ago, you’ll get those new levels, and Illiger also finally upgraded the graphics to support the higher screen resolutions Apple introduced with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. There’s nothing else new here, but if you haven’t tried the game before now’s a perfect time to give it a shot. The adorable graphics, procedurally generated levels and excellent music are all as charming now as they were when the game launched way back in 2011. If you want to give it a shot, the update is live in the App Store now.
Via: The Verge
Discogs’ vinyl app offers more info on artists, labels and releases
Discogs’ vinyl-tracking app has been available for everyone since February, but today the company revealed an update for the iOS version. The redesign is primarily focused on serving up more details on artists, record labels and releases. For example, the mobile software now pulls it Discogs’ database info on an individual musician or band. We’re talking things like image galleries, band members, name variations, aliases and more. Any related artists and releases are linked which makes it easy to go hunting for new material.
The new artist view will also quickly display how many releases by a particular band or musician you own. Thanks to a handy “In Your Collection” button, that tally is easily visible. Artist pages also have sharing tools so you can broadcast your findings via your social channels, text message or email. You can also simply save a note to your phone to remind yourself to come back later.
Like the retooled artist pages, the label view now displays more information as well. The Discogs app will show you details on the parent label or sublabels for each imprint. You can also easily see which releases from a label are already in your collection or any that you’ve added to the so-called Wantlist for future consideration.
Although Discogs added release details in a previous update, it’s still worth a mention as part of this data-heavy revamp. When you’re looking at info on a particular release, you’ll now see things like sales history, Wantlist stats, collection totals, sales listings, tracklist credits, YouTube videos and more.
All of this added information is an addition to existing features like a barcode scanner to help verify and catalog any records you come across when digging through old crates. The Discogs app comes in handy when hunting for vinyl releases, so adding in loads more data will certainly help audio aficionados make informed decisions and keep track of what they already own.
Movie studio Annapurna Pictures now makes games
Annapurna Pictures, the production company behind blockbuster films like Her and Zero Dark Thirty, announced today that it will publish and produce games as Annapurna Interactive. It’s no secret that video games are big money and now it seems that, once again, the movie industry wants a piece of gaming’s lucrative pie.
Run by a team responsible for games like Mortal Kombat, Journey and God of War, Annapurna Interactive aims to publish interactive experiences that are “personal, emotional and push boundaries”.
The first two games the company will publish are Giant Sparrow’s PS4 exclusive, What Remains of Edith Finch and a mobile puzzle game called Gorogoa. What Remains of Edith Finch features a collection of intriguing first-person stories revolving around a cursed family and will be the developer’s second game after indie hit The Unfinished Swan. Gorogoa, on the other hand, is the debut title from lone developer Jason Roberts and promises a “unique” panel-moving mechanic.
As well as publishing other people’s games, the studio will also be producing its own titles. Annapurna Interactive is working on a few projects with big names attached to them, including a game from the lead designer of Monument Valley, Ken Wong. The studio has also revealed it’s releasing a game from creator of the beloved Katamari Damacy franchise, Keita Takahashi, as well as publishing a new game from Luna creators Funomena.
With Steam becoming increasingly flooded with titles, it’s now harder than ever for developers to get consumers to even notice their game, let alone purchase it. With a big-name studio like Annapurna coming along to champion more arty and ambitious projects, it could prove to be a winning move for both indie devs and consumers alike.
Yet this isn’t the first time a movie studio has created a games division. Movie companies like Lucasarts were responsible for gaming classics throughout the 90s and early 2000s, but even their behemoth brands weren’t enough to keep them afloat. Universal Studios also spent a decade flirting with video games, seeing great success with the like of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro The Dragon before losing interest and selling its game studios.
Warner Brothers is one of few movie publishers with a game division still standing, single-handedly redeeming the movie tie-in field with the Batman: Arkham series. Disney had less luck, however, recently announcing the demise of its once-successful toys-to-life series Disney: Infinity. Since Annapurna is focusing on smaller indie titles, though, the relatively low cost of funding the games could prove to be a fruitful investment.
Source: Annapurna Interactive
Apple’s renewed fight against AIDS includes new iPhone cases
Apple has made a tradition of marking World AIDS Day with a campaign to donate to the Product (RED) charity, and it’s going the extra mile for its 10th year of support. On top of the company’s existing (RED) gear (which sends a contribution to the Global Fund’s fight against AIDS), it’s launching four new accessories and devices that count toward the charity. You can get red versions of the iPhone 7 Battery Case, the leather iPhone SE case, Beats Solo 3 Wireless headphones and the Beats Pill+ wireless speaker. All of these are available today, and there are other ways to help out even if you have no intentions of buying hardware.
To begin with, purchasing anything at an Apple store (physical or online) through Apple Pay between now and December 6th will donate $1 toward (RED), up to a maximum of $1 million. Bank of America will match those donations if you buy using one of its cards. You can also buy an album from The Killers (Don’t Waste Your Wishes) on iTunes with all US proceeds heading to the fund. Beyond this, in-app purchases in 20 high-profile iOS games (including Angry Birds 2, Clash of Clans and PewDiePie’s Tuber Simulator) will contribute to the anti-AIDS campaign through December 7th.
These individual efforts may seem like drops in the bucket, but Apple has historically been one of Product (RED)’s strongest contributors — it had raised $65 million by 2013. And while a bona fide cure is still years away, the United Nations now believes that you could realistically see the end of AIDS by 2030. You may only make a small difference by yourself, but the combined effort adds up.
Source: Apple (1), (2)
Netflix’s offline viewing mode was inevitable
The ability to finally download Netflix videos came as a surprise this morning. After all, it’s the same company that just a few years ago said that offline support was “never going to happen.” But recently, Netflix’s tone started changing. Back in April, CEO Reed Hastings said it would “keep an open mind” about the feature. And earlier this month, chief content office Ted Sarandos noted that it might be necessary for international markets. And if you really think about it, there are plenty of reasons why Netflix couldn’t avoid offline viewing any longer.
Users genuinely need it
There’s a reason Netflix subscribers have been demanding offline support. It’s becoming all but a necessity, and that’s largely Netflix’s fault. It’s turned on-demand video into a drug, and now we need our fix wherever possible, be it on the subway or a plane. Offline support will also be useful for people who don’t have lots of mobile data to waste on streaming video.
In a strange way, it also seems like a fitting feature to debut after the “Netflix Vista” spoof ad, a Black Mirror tie-in which showed people ignoring the beauty of the world around them in favor of watching Netflix directly in their eyes. That ad tries to push people to get out and live their lives, but in reality Netflix is making it easier than ever to ignore everything so you can catch up on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (which you should totally watch).
Amazon has been doing it for years
If you’re not a media addict, you probably didn’t know that Amazon has been letting its Prime customers download streaming videos for years. At first, offline viewing was exclusive to Fire tablet owners, but last year Amazon opened it up to iOS and Android devices as well. Amazon has, for some reason, done a poor job of marketing the feature (so much so that a few of our editors didn’t even know it existed). It’s also annoying to set up if you’re on Android, since it involves downloading Amazon’s app store just to grab the Prime Video app.
If you haven’t used it, Amazon’s offline mode works a lot like Netflix’s version: There’s a choice selection of shows and films you can download, and there’s also a time limit for how long you can keep content (there still has to be a reason for you to buy them, after all). It’s a particularly great way to catch up on Amazon’s original series (check out Transparent, Bosch and Mozart in the Jungle), but you can also download some shows and films from other studios as well.
Amazon is usually tight-lipped about metrics, but analysts estimate that there are currently between 54 and 69 million Prime members in the US. They also estimate around 60 percent of those subscribers actually watch Prime Video content at least once a week. Netflix, in comparison, has 47 million members in the US and 86 million globally. With more original content and better licensing deals heading to Amazon (it’s scored plenty of new films and TV deals), Netflix can’t afford to sit back and let a major competitor outdo it feature wise, as well. It’s hard to say if Amazon’s offline support directly influenced Netflix’s decision, but I’d wager it had some weight.
It’s an easy way to entice new subscribers and boost viewership
Netflix has done a remarkable (one could describe it as frightening) job of filling up our free time at home. It helped make “binge-watching” a reality, and at this point Netflix streaming accounts for more than a third of US internet traffic during prime time. But where does it go from here? So far, its price hikes haven’t affected subscriber growth, but who knows how long that’ll last. It’s also spending even more money on original content, and subscribers continue to criticize its inadequate film library.
By offering offline support at no extra cost, Netflix has an easy way to convince even more people to sign up. And, perhaps even more importantly, it could serve as a way to keep current subscribers onboard. And depending on how much people actually use the feature, it could also lead to significant viewership growth for all of its content. That could end up being useful when it needs to woo investors or potential content partners.
And yes, it’s necessary for international expansion
Netflix has already made this point pretty clear, but it’s one worth considering further. It’s true, that as the company expands to areas where internet access is spotty, it’ll need some way to ensure people can actually watch videos without interruption. Netflix will also be competing against other services in those markets that might offer downloads and cheap bootlegs. And, as usual, Netflix will have to deal with the omnipresent specter of piracy. If it doesn’t offer its own legal downloads, the pirates win.
The Moto Z series could get Google’s world-sensing Tango tech
Lenovo’s Phab 2 Pro might be the first smartphone out there with Google’s Tango technology, but other parts of the company are interested too. While addressing press at an event in Chicago, Motorola Mobility president Aymar de Lencquesaing said that the Lenovo subsidiary is “likely to have a Tango module” for the Moto Z line of smartphones… though he stopped short of confirming such an add-on was currently in the works.
“Augmented reality on a phone is a technology that’s likely to stick,” de Lencquesaing added later. “Of course we’ll follow, or lead, the market in this area.”
In case you’re new to Tango, Google’s work combines multiple cameras — mostly for measuring depth and motion — with additional sensors to give a phone a very fine understanding of where it is and what’s in front of it. The issue so far is that Tango, or the way it’s implemented in Lenovo’s enormous phablet, is far from perfect. Depth-sensing is sketchy at best, the interfaces for Tango apps can be cumbersome and in general, there’s still plenty of work to be done. The upside, however, is the staggering potential that becomes evident when Tango experiences work the way they’re supposed to. Tango, for lack of a better word, can feel like magic.
While it’s unclear if we’ll ever actually see a Tango mod magnetically lashed to a Moto Z, it’s no surprise it’s under consideration. After all, the idea of squeezing the requisite technology into a smartphone add-on is a damned good one. Consider this: the Phab 2 Pro wound up being enormous in part because of all the Tango technology Lenovo had to fit into a relatively sleek body, and that size made the phone cumbersome to use as a daily driver.
By off-loading those extra cameras and adding an external battery, Motorola could maintain its flagship devices’ trim physiques and provide the (undeniably neat) augmented reality experiences Tango is known for. And let’s not forget that the Moto Z series runs cleaner, more functional versions of Android than the Phab 2 Pro does — that means you’d get a better all-around phone with the option of dipping in to augmented reality when the mood strikes. Google has said in the past that other Tango devices are coming, and some of them are sure to pack flagship levels of power. Until device makers figure out how build Tango into phones seamlessly, though, the optional approach Motorola could deliver just seems brilliant.
Android malware skews Google Play ratings by installing apps
Malware writers haven’t stopped trying to game app rankings through bogus app installs. Researchers at Check Point have identified a new strain of the longstanding Ghost Push malware, Googlian, that has infected over 1 million Android devices to date and continues to grow (about 13,000 new infections per day). As with earlier code, attackers trick you into installing a Googlian-based app through either a third-party app store or a phishing scam. Once it’s on your phone, the software takes advantage of Linux kernel exploits to access your Google authorization token and install fraudulent apps, whether to boost their Google Play rankings or to generate money through ads.
You’re probably safe. Google fixed the vulnerability in Android 6.0 Marshmallow and beyond, and you’re unlikely to run into one of the malicious apps if you stick to downloading from Google Play. Also, Google observes that the apps aren’t harvesting data or committing fraud beyond the Google Play ratings. If you’re concerned, you can use a web tool from Check Point to verify whether or not Googlian has abused your account.
The concern, as is frequently the case with Android malware, is that many people will remain at risk. As of this story, Google reports that only 24.3 percent of users it tracks are running sufficiently up to date versions of Android. Also, Google Play isn’t always an option — the Chinese can’t use Google Play, for instance, while others may have devices where the store app isn’t installed. It may take a long while before enough people are up to date (most likely through new hardware) that malware like Googlian is no longer effective.
Via: The Verge
Source: Check Point (1), (2), Adrian Ludwig (Google+)
Make your own Moments with Twitter’s mobile apps
Back in September, Twitter opened up Moments and gave anyone the ability to create a narrative with a collection of tweets. Since then, the story-curating feature has only been available on the web. Today, Twitter announced that Moments is rolling out to all users on mobile as well.
To get started, all you have to do is hit the down arrow in the top right of any tweet. From the menu options, select “Add to Moment” to begin your collection of posts. After you do so, you’ll be able to add your own tweets, favorites or search for material from other users to fill out the story. As far as customization goes, you can re-order tweets, crop images and select background colors for text-only posts. Set a cover and enter a title and description and you’re all set.
With Moments, you can bring together favorite Tweets to tell richer stories – rolling out on mobile starting today.https://t.co/SMqIZ1Zngo
— Twitter (@twitter) November 30, 2016
Source: Twitter
Yelp wants you to add a ‘Yelfie’ to your restaurant reviews
After letting its users virtually queue up for restaurants with a previous update, now Yelp wants them to put a face to the person behind each star-rating. With the service’s amateur reviews shaping restaurant scenes around the globe, the influential platform’s latest update allows its users to attach a selfie, or “Yelfie,” as the site is unfortunately calling them, to their reviews.
When checking-in to a restaurant, reviewers can now pout after being served a poor pastry or smile after tasting a particularly succulent soup. With over 140 million monthly users, these amateur critics now have a chance to gain some notoriety. It will be interesting to see how influential popular “Yelpers” become.
The idea was originally developed by the company at a hackathon conference and they decided that it was too good an idea to waste. Both Android and iPhone Yelp users can download the update today. With spurned restaurant owners now being able to see who’s behind their scathing reviews, be sure to check your Yelfie before you wreck your self(ie).
Source: Yelp
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