Fight offline with friends in new ‘Star Wars Battlefront’ mode
With the Battlefield 1 closed alpha raging on and the full game launching in October you might think that developer DICE is forgetting about its other shooter, Star Wars Battlefront. That’s not the case. Come July 20th, the game will have a new offline gametype dubbed “Skirmish.” A post on the EA Star Wars site says that Skirmish is playable against bots, either solo or with a co-op partner in Walker Assault and Fighter Squadron modes. The free update is welcome, of course, but I’m not sure how many people still playing this are jonesing for a new AI-based bot mode. Or if they’ve abandoned the game, if this could win them back. This is a problem of publisher Electronic Arts’ own making, though.
The last time EA mentioned the Death Star expansion pack we had a vague “fall 2016” launch date, but that was it. Now the fog has cleared a bit and we know that it’s coming out in September. Next month, EA will probably give us an exact date. It’s frustrating, but that’s unfortunately how this stuff tends to go.
The post goes on to say that the pack will feature ground-and-space based maps (fingers crossed for a trench run gametype a la Walker Assault’s Battle of Hoth reenactment), new weapons and a pair of shiny heroes. Specifically, “one larger-than-life character we know you’ve been patiently waiting for.” Who could that be, hmm?
Source: EA Star Wars
US Congresswoman proposes federal revenge porn bill
Representative Jackie Speier has formally introduced a bill that would make revenge porn a federal crime. The Intimate Privacy Protection Act targets both those who share sexually explicit images without the subject’s consent and those who profit from the act. It classifies the distribution of nonconsensual porn as a privacy violation than as harassment, because it also intends to protect people whose sensitive images are maliciously distributed by medical professionals and law enforcement. If it becomes a law, anyone found guilty of breaking it would either have to pay a fine or spend up to five years in prison, depending on the details of the crime.
The Congresswoman said in a statement:
“Technology today makes it possible to destroy a person’s life with the click of a button or a tap on a cell phone. That is all anyone needs to broadcast another person’s private images without their consent. The damage caused by these attacks can crush careers, tear apart families, and, in the worst cases, has led to suicide. What makes these acts even more despicable is that many predators have gleefully acknowledged that the vast majority of their victims have no way to fight back. Celebrities and other high profile victims might be able take on these predators in civil courts, but the average person can’t afford that option. Even more disturbing is the number of victims who have mustered the courage and strength to pursue criminal charges, only to learn there is no law that protects them. My bill will fix that appalling legal failure.”
A total of 34 states already have nonconsensual porn laws, but they take different approaches in tackling the case. Speier believes the country needs “a single, clear articulation of the elements of the crime” that can protect citizens all over the country. According to SC Magazine, it took over a year for the politician to present the bill, because she wanted to gain bipartisan support first. She also had to come up with a draft that addressed concerns about its effects on protected speech.
Neil Richards, a privacy expert from Washington University in St. Louis, explained that drafting a bill like IPPA is tricky, since has to be done in a way that respects and protects the First Amendment. While he thought the draft did a good job of doing so, Emma Llansó of The Center for Democracy & Technology disagreed. She told Vocativ that the bill is “broad and lacking in some of the key protections that would be necessary to ensure that a law like this wouldn’t have an unintended effect of chilling constitutionally protected speech.” Other privacy experts also told the publication that in its current form, it could be applied even to photos of naked babies and could restrict images people can use online.
We are talking about my bill to end nonconsensual pornograhy aka #revengeporn NOW @RepRyanCostello @RepKClark pic.twitter.com/JVj6N39hob
— Jackie Speier (@RepSpeier) July 14, 2016
Source: Congresswoman Jackie Speier
ICYMI: NAO nurses, herding drones and a lotion-pooping seagull
Today on In Case You Missed It: Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center tests a robotic helper for its nursing staff. Researchers from the Australian Centre for Field Robotics at the University of Sydney have developed an autonomous rover that not only hauls supplies out to remote pastures but can even herd cattle back to their pens.
Oh, and there was also that Nivea ad featuring a seagull-shaped UAV which “dispenses” sunscreen onto unsuspecting kids at the beach. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
AT&T envisions drone-based LTE coverage
AT&T has big dreams for its new national drone program, including the use of UAVs to provide LTE coverage in crowded or remote locations. In a blog post by company Chief Strategy Officer John Donovan, he said AT&T is expecting many “different drone uses in the future.” The carrier envisions using tethered drones for big events like music festivals, since a huge gathering of people tend to congest networks. However, these “Flying Cell on Wings,” as Donovan called them, could also be deployed to disaster areas in order to provide survivors the connection they need to contact family and friends as soon as possible.
Donovan admits that drone-based LTE network isn’t quite a reality yet, but the company has begun working towards that goal. Ma Bell has launched its national drone program’s trial phase in San Francisco, where it demoed how it uses UAVs to inspect its cell towers. In addition to finding out how it can use drones to provide mobile internet, AT&T is also researching how they can tap into its LTE network to send and receive large amounts of data for commercial purposes. It will mostly likely take some time before you see signal-boosting flying machines at Coachella, though, so you’ll probably still have to deal with failed Instagram uploads next year
Via: Consumerist
Source: AT&T
Spark Says ‘No Breach or Data Leak’ After Users Get Locked Out of Apple IDs
Last night a few users began reporting that their Apple IDs had been compromised, causing them to be locked out of their accounts. Recovering and password resets worked for a handful of Apple IDs, but it was still unclear overnight what might have been happening to cause the small breach in Apple’s otherwise secure universal log-in system.
This morning speculation came to a close as third-party email client Spark confirmed that an upgrade to faster servers for iCloud users on the platform triggered the issue and forced password resets in a collection of Apple IDs. The company mentioned that it has been preparing to launch Spark for Mac, which was the reason for the faster server upgrade, but now promises that “there’s NO breach or data leak” that users have to worry about.
Readdle, the creators of Spark, reiterated what it tweeted out throughout the morning in a post on Reddit.
Hello guys,
Thank you for the feedback and comments! Our team has been investigating this for a few hours. What we know so far: 1. There’s no breach or data leak according to our investigation. 2. The new, faster AWS server logic might have triggered iCloud security algos. We are already working with Apple to learn more details. We are doing some server side work to make Spark much faster, and to make it ready for the Mac version, which is already in Alpha. We will keep you updated once we have more news from Apple side.
Thank you.
As some users have noted, the security problem didn’t hit all Spark users who use the service with their iCloud account. The company said that it’s working with Apple to get the issue fixed as soon as possible, but it seems that users affected by the security lockouts need not worry about malicious attempts at entry into their private Apple ID at least. If Readdle posts any more updates on its fix for the problem, we’ll update this story as well.
Tag: Spark
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Xiaomi to offer phones for just ₹1 for its second anniversary in India
Xiaomi is all set to kick off a three-day promotion to celebrate its second anniversary in India. The sale is kicking off on July 20, and will feature discounts, flash sales where customers will be able to pick up its phones and accessories for just ₹1, and availability of additional color options for the Mi 5.
Here’s a list of the phones and accessories that will be up for grabs for just ₹1:
- July 20: 10 Xiaomi Mi 5 and 100 20000mAh Mi Power Bank
- July 21: 10 Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 and 100 Mi Band
- July 22: 10 Xiaomi Mi Max and 100 Mi Bluetooth speakers
The flash sales will kick off at 2 p.m. on each day. The festivities kick off on July 20. We’ll bring you all the details once the sale goes live.
Want to get in on the action right now? Xiaomi is giving away up a crore worth of coupons and handsets for those playing this game.
See at Xiaomi
Galaxy Note 7 clears the FCC
Samsung is all set to unveil the Galaxy Note 7 on August 2. Ahead of its debut, the phone has undergone certification at the FCC, revealing model numbers for the carrier-branded variants.
The certification authority has processed SM-N930V, SM-N930A, SM-N930P, SM-N930T, SM-N930R4 and the SM-N930W8, indicating carrier editions for Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint. Details regarding the phone are sketchy, but it is heavily rumored to feature an iris scanner, based on images leaked on Weibo recently:
The phone is likely to be powered by Qualcomm’s recently-announced Snapdragon 821, and is said to offer 6GB of RAM. There should be a variant powered by Samsung’s in-house Exynos SoC, which will be available internationally. Check out our preview for more on Samsung’s upcoming flagship.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 preview
Pokémon Go is now available in Italy, Spain, and Portugal
Pokémon Go is continuing its international availability, with the game heading to the Play Store in Italy, Spain, and Portugal. The game landed in Germany earlier this week, followed by availability in the U.K. yesterday.
Here’s the official Play Store link for the game:
Pokémon Go on the Play Store
Don’t understand what all the fuss is about? We’ve got you covered. Be sure to take a look at our extensive coverage of the title.
Pokémon Go
- Join our Pokémon Go forums!
- How to deal with GPS errors in-game
- Which team should you choose?
- How to play without killing your battery
- The Ultimate Pokémon Go Game Guide!
Gear S2 update brings Contacts app, automatic sleep tracking and more
Samsung is currently pushing out a major update for the Gear S2, bringing a number of new features to the watch. The update is available for both the Gear S2 and Gear S2 Classic, bringing the same changes to both. With new additions like automatic sleep tracking, Contacts app, social features and more, you’ll want to grab this update now.
The update (as spotted by SamMobile) brings a number of new features to the Gear S2. Some of them include:
- Adds a new watch face named My Photo
- Displays life index in Weather
- Adds social networking sharing and automatic measurement features for Sleep
- Adds Contacts app and widget
- Downloads the recommended apps and watch faces directly from Gear S2
The update weighs in at around 61MB, so it shouldn’t take too long to download and install. Once you get it installed and set up, be sure to let us know what you think of the update.
UK’s giffgaff slashes prices of Galaxy S7, Huawei P9, Xperia X, and more
UK MVNO giffgaff is discounting a series of phones, including the Galaxy S7, Huawei P9, and more. The deals are available on unlocked options as well as monthly plans.
Here’s what’s on sale right now:
- Samsung Galaxy S7 – £499 (monthly plans from £23.52) – down from £539
- Sony Xperia Z5 Compact – £279 (monthly plans from £12.60) – down from £299
- Huawei P9 Lite – £199 (monthly from £8.64) – down from £239
- Huawei P9 – £379 (monthly from £17.56)
- Sony Xperia X – £449 (monthly from £31.45)
- Sony Xperia XA – £219 (monthly from £9.63) – down from £239
- Samsung Galaxy A5 2016 – £299 (monthly from £13.60) – down from £309
The deals are valid until August 3. Anyone interested?
