Tinder: one in five Brits swiped right to learn more about Brexit
Despite its reputation as a dating app for millenials, Tinder often uses its powers for good. In the US, it’s already helped Americans find their presidential match and learn more about the dangers of STDs. But in the UK, over the past three weeks, Tinder has been educating users about tomorrow’s EU referendum — commonly known as the Brexit vote — and it’s had quite the effect.
In a statement today, Tinder confirmed that more than 20 percent of UK users swiped right to take a true-or-false quiz that covered the major topics surrounding the referendum. Developed with help from non-profit Bite the Ballot, the quiz loaded between potential matches in an attempt to engage with younger users — aged between 18 and 34 — and help them register ahead of the June 23rd vote. Participants were split almost down the middle, with women accounting for 51 percent of swipes and 49 percent for men.
It’s not the first time an app or web service has played its part in a major political event — Facebook urged Britons to record their vote in last year’s General Election — but it’s interesting to see how Tinder is attempting to shake its image as a hook-up app by getting stuck into key issues that could affect its users’ futures.
WiFi-connected hard drive fits a Plex server in your pocket
Over the years we’ve seen Plex’s media software run across a number of different devices, from PCs to game consoles to NAS and cellphones. Now, it’s teamed up with Western Digital for what it says is the first portable Plex Media Server. The hardware is handled by the My Passport Wireless Pro, a battery-powered portable hard drive that can run standalone for 10 hours, charge mobile devices, and back up data via SD or USB 3.0. The all-in-one box can even create a WiFi network to sync with mobile devices or stream media to any device running Plex. The 2TB version is ready to take your stuff on the go for $230, and upgrading to 3TB only costs an extra $20.
Of course, if you prefer to leave your network-attached storage at home, Western Digital also rolled out some My Cloud Pro devices that trade portability for capacity and power. They can handle up to 32TB of storage, and back up connected devices with the press of a button. An integrated video processor lets it push 4K video, transcode up to four 1080p streams at once for viewing on other devices and run apps for Plex or Adobe Creative Cloud, all from your own home with prices starting at $400.
Source: Plex Blog, WD Passport – Plex, WD Cloud – Plex
NASA Launches Official Apple TV App Featuring Real-Time View of Earth
NASA has launched its official app for the fourth-generation Apple TV, joining the app’s popular iOS versions on iPhone and iPad, which have been downloaded over 17 million times.
The Apple TV app lets users watch high-definition live streams from NASA TV, and allows them to enjoy a real-time view of the Earth from the International Space Station.
The app also informs users of their next opportunity to view the ISS and other NASA satellites as they pass overhead, based on user location.
The app has several other features, including a slideshow viewer with more than 15,000 images, on-demand NASA videos, 2D and 3D satellite tracking maps, NASA mission news, and the ability to listen to Third Rock internet streaming radio.
“The NASA app has been a fantastic way for the public to experience the excitement of space exploration from their mobile devices,” said David Weaver, NASA associate administrator for Communications in a press release.
“Now, users with the latest Apple TV can explore and enjoy our remarkable images, videos, mission information, NASA Television and more on the big screen with the whole family.”
The NASA app is available in the App Store on the fourth-gen Apple TV.
Tag: NASA
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Japan is deploying pirated anime-hunting human personnel
Japan’s automated bootleg-hunting software isn’t quite as effective as its government would like. So, it’s boosting its anti-piracy campaign by hiring human employees to manually scour forums, torrents and video-streaming websites for illegally distributed anime and live video content. See, it’s pretty easy to slip through the clutches of an automated system — all people have to do is change the video a bit to make sure it’s not an exact match to what Japan’s computers are looking for. That tactic obviously won’t work on human personnel.
As Motherboard noted, Japan is betting on anime and manga to boost its economy. Animation studios have recently made their creations more available to audiences outside the country, but they’re still not as easy to access as Western media. Hulu, for instance, dropped a ton of titles from its anime catalogue in May. As such, illegal distribution of anime is still so widespread that its estimated cost of damage is a whopping $20 billion.
According to RocketNews24, the government will start this new project next week with one hire, perhaps to test things out. The employee will have to determine whether the pirated video he finds affects the copyright holder financially. If it does, the government will assess the legal actions it can take.
Via: Motherboard
Source: Yahoo Japan
‘Mighty No. 9’ suffers Xbox 360 delays and a deluge of issues
Gamers eager to jump into the long-awaited 2D action platformer Mighty No. 9 were in for a rude awakening today after some concerning issues plagued the Kickstarter-funded title that looked to some to be a spiritual successor to Mega Man in many ways. Not only has the Xbox 360 suffered a delay on the game’s very release day, but there are scads of other problems plaguing those who just wanted to jump in and shoot some bad guys.
Mighty No. 9 was planned for release today on various platforms, and it did make its way to players on other consoles including Wii U, but the Xbox 360 delay came as something of a shock as developer Comcept came forward to announce that it wouldn’t, in fact, be out for a few more days still.
Publisher Deep Silver took to official game blog to explain the delay, noting “issues regarding the publishing process” for the Xbox 360 version as well as a “certification bug” that was found during final rounds of testing.
“Our team has already re-submitted the build to Deep Silver (and to Microsoft), and we expect it to go gold within a few days if all goes according to plan. For the backers who chose that platform we are supplying Steam keys so that those users are not left behind on release day. Once the Xbox 360 version is ready for release we will send out those codes to the relevant backers ASAP,” the blog noted. Additionally, players who chose Mac or Linux versions of Mighty No. 9 will be waiting a few more days as well as those aren’t officially ready to roll out just yet, either.
Unfortunately, it looks like those lucky enough to both receive a copy of the game on a console of their choosing and get started on release day are having to deal with another set of problems entirely. Users with Wii U consoles have reported that their consoles seem to have been bricked, or rendered totally useless, after entering the special Mighty No. 9 backer codes sent out to Kickstarter supporters.
So my Mighty No 9 PSN backer code doesn’t work, it supposedly bricks the WiiU, DLC apparently breaks the game, and pic.twitter.com/3ECDWLBqDd
— #BeeLDeaL | B:L (@blbeel) June 21, 2016
Other players report their codes simply won’t work, or they only received one of the special vouchers for DLC character Ray and not the “Retro” downloadable content pack. According to VentureBeat, Deep Silver has claimed there was a patch deployed to alleviate these issues, but that likely won’t help a console that’s already been bricked to begin with.
Mighty No. 9 hasn’t enjoyed a very successful launch day despite its promising Kickstarter campaign and preliminary artwork, game design briefs and especially the involvement of the legendary Keiji Inafune. Perhaps these issues will be resolved in the next few days or so and players rewarded with the game they’ve been waiting for, even if it doesn’t appear to be delivering exactly what was promised according to initial reviews.
Via: VentureBeat
Source: Mighty No. 9
NASA’s app turns your Apple TV into an ISS observation deck
According to NASA, the space agency’s official app has been downloaded more than 17 million times on iOS, Android and Fire OS. Today, that same window into space exploration got even bigger with the addition of a new version for Apple TV. That means: high-definition versions of NASA TV, on-demand NASA videos, 3D satellite tracking maps, realtime views of the Earth from the International Space Station and a stellar new backdrop for your next cocktail party.
In addition to all the livestreams and launch videos, the NASA app also allows you to queue up a slideshow of more than 15,000 images, stream Third Rock internet radio, or view NASA’s Earth as Art galleries. When you finally feel the need to actually get outside and look up at the sky yourself, the app will also help you find the next opportunity to view the ISS as it passes over your location.
The NASA app is currently available in the App Store on Apple TV, as well as iOS, Android and Fire OS.
Jump into the ‘Overwatch’ Competitive Play beta now
Overwatch, the massively popular online multiplayer shooter from Blizzard, is now bringing its Public Test Region live in North America, allowing PC players the chance to square off in the upcoming Competitive Play update. That means any current PC player can pick up the official client to test out the Competitive Play mode right now. As in, right now? You’re still reading this?
The patch, which originally launched in South Korea, is available to players all over the world now, serving up the Competitive Play mode. You can jump in and try out the tweaked gameplay, which comes packing a new point system, sudden deaths in the event of a tie, and other various additions.
If you make progress in the beta test, you won’t be able to carry it into your official Overwatch game, but you won’t have to wait much longer for the full patch as it comes out later this month. Unfortunately, this test won’t be out for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One users just yet, but Blizzard is planning on announcing the Competitive Play update for both platforms in the coming week.
Source: Overwatch Blog
Stave off creepy texting partners with Burner’s Ghostbot
If you’ve ever unwittingly received harassing texts or annoying messages from someone who got hold of your number somehow, you’ve probably made friends with your phone’s block feature. If not, because you don’t want to be rude, you’ve put together a series of noncommittal replies to stop those conversations dead in their tracks. Thanks to Burner, the app that lets you create and destroy phone numbers at your leisure, you won’t have to pay them any mind ever again. Meet Ghostbot, the bot that’ll blow those pesky texters off for you.
Ghostbot is a special bot that you can assign to any active Burner. It’s as simple as creating a number using the app, then activating Ghostbot to interact with that skeevy match from Tinder or that coworker who just can’t take a hint. For instance, a message asking if you want to “hang out” might receive a response like “I’m pretty busy but I’ll get back to you.” Nothing rude, but direct enough to communicate the fact that you just aren’t interested. These canned responses are sent after Ghostbot analyzes the texts sent to you via your Burner number, with appropriate ones sent as replies.
Burner is serving up Ghostbot as proof of what developers can accomplish with its Developer Connection platform, which allows anyone to create their own extensions on top of the Burner service. Ghostbot is an interesting creation as-is, however, and surely a useful tool for anyone who’s ever had trouble figuring out how to exit gracefully from a conversation they just weren’t digging.
Samsung Gear S3 smartwatch: What’s the story so far?
It’s almost time for Samsung to introduce a successor to the Gear S2.
The company unveiled that smartwatch last November, but because we live in a high-tech age of annual product life cycles and never-ending consumerism, we’re sure Samsung has been diligently working on yet another wearable for you to buy. Although the Korea-based electronics manufacturer hasn’t confirmed anything yet, there has been several rumours and leaks popping up over the last few months.
Here’s everything we know so far…
Samsung Gear S3: What’s up with that codename?
Samsung’s Gear S3 will officially be called Samsung Gear S3 (we’re assuming, anyway, based on previous generations). However, according to SamMobile, the Gear S3 currently has a development codename at Samsung: Solis. Solis translates to “sun” in Spanish. We can’t help but wonder if that means the upcoming device will definitely sport a circular/round display with a rotating bezel – just like its predecessor.
Samsung Gear S3: What might it feature?
Tizen Cafe (Twitter)
Design
Overexposed images posted to Twitter (and spotted by SamMobile) have given us a first look at the Gear S2. It’s hard to tell if they’re real; all we can see is a round smartwatch with a Rolex-like design, including a metal bracelet and fluted bezel. The images are also stamped with the brand “Gear S3”. These could be fakes or bad Photoshop jobs, but either way, it’s safe to assume Samsung is developing a Gear S3.
It’s also been stipulated that the 1.2-inch display of the Gear S2 might get a size upgrade in order to help make touch interactions – where the bezel control isn’t used – a little easier for users. No other specs in regards to the hardware or design have been revealed.
Software
Details on the Samsung Gear S3 leaked out in early June, along with model numbers and OS details. According to sources of SamMobile, the next Samsung watch will launch running the Tizen operating system instead of Android. It will also have an updated interface that’ll likely take advantage of the same rotating bezel control system that the Gear S2 offers. No other specs in regards to the software were revealed.
Samsung Gear S3: Will there be different models?
SamMobile claimed the Gear S3 will come in a variety of unlocked models. Three of them have been identified with the model numbers SM-R760, SM-R765, and SM-R770. There will also likely be two carrier variants with the model numbers SM-R765V and SM-R765S.
Samsung Gear S3: What about that luxury edition?
Pocket-lint
Luxury jewellers de Grisogono already revealed that it is working with Samsung to co-create a high-end version of the Gear S3. The Korea Herald claimed that it will be officially released later this year: “We are currently collaborating with Samung to develop its next-generation smartwatch,” a de Grisogono official told the newspaper, while emphasising Samsung wants to enter the luxury accessories market.
Keep in mind Samsung already makes a diamond-studded version of the Gear S2 with de Grisogono. It was unveiled at Baselworld 2016. Only 100 units are handcrafted each month, and each watch costs $15,000. We expect the luxury-edition Samsung Gear S3 device to be priced similarly.
Samsung Gear S3: When will it be released?
It’s safe to assume that Samsung is developing a Gear S3 and might even launch the watch at IFA 2016 in Berlin. That show will kick off in early September. We’ve assumed the Gear S3 will make an appearance then because Samsung launched the S2 at last year’s IFA.
Want to know more?
Stay tuned to Pocket-lint’s Samsung Gear S3 hub for all the latest news.
Apple to ditch iPhone home button, overhaul design for 10th anniversary
Forget about this year’s new iPhone; the 2017 model is where it’s at.
A slew of reports came out today revealing Apple’s next iPhone – thought to be called the iPhone 7 – will release this autumn with a design that closely resembles the last two generations. The phone will only have “subtle design” changes, including a missing head phone jack. The 4.7- and 5.5-inch screen sizes will remain the same, meaning Apple will break away from tradition this year by not overhauling the iPhone.
Apple typically completely switches up the design of the iPhone every two years, but apparently, the company is changing that to three years this time around. According to The Wall Street Journal, the iPhone 7 won’t look very different from the iPhone 6/6S, but the iPhone coming out in 2017 will look totally different. The Touch ID fingerprint sensor, for instance, will be built into the display, thanks to Jony Ive.
Apple’s design chief has “for years” wanted the iPhone to look like a “single sheet of glass”. So, he ditching the home button as we currently know it, plus he’s considering a curved, edge-to-edge OLED screen. Keep in mind 2017 just so happens to be the iPhone’s 10th anniversary. We can therefore assume that Apple wants to go big with the iPhone that year. But that also means this year’s iPhone might be a little boring.
The upcoming iPhone 7 is thought to feature improved water resistance, a thinner body, and a dual-camera system. Check out Pocket-lint’s round-up for more information on iPhone 7 news, leaks, and rumours.
