New Survey Highlights Substantial Developer Dissatisfaction With Mac App Store

A new DevMate survey recently polled around 700 Mac developers to get responses on how they feel working on OS X, and the lack of app visibility on Apple’s Mac App Store. As The Next Web reports, the developers’ responses highlight a stark difference in the iOS and OS X platforms, with a majority of DevMate’s surveyed developers dissatisfied with Apple’s 30/70 revenue split and poor distribution policies.

When asked, “How do you distribute your Mac applications?” nearly 35 percent of the quizzed developers preferred to specifically share and market their apps outside of the Mac App Store, on their own third-party websites. About 23 percent stick solely to Apple’s Mac App Store for distribution, while 42 percent are straddling the line and working with both. Sources of revenue for the developers in the dual-distribution approach are said to be “split almost evenly.”

All the same, those in the weeds of the Mac App Store say they would advise another developer against selling their app within Apple’s OS X storefront. Of those 35 percent of developers living exclusively outside the Mac App Store, “a whopping 97 percent say they’d try to talk someone out of using Apple’s official App Store.”

Another section of the survey asked if developers believed Apple’s 30 percent revenue cut was worth all of the features gained from using the Mac App Store, with 62 percent responding with “no.” Problems arise from the developers’ inability to address and communicate with reviewers directly, or offer trial periods for apps.

Apple’s OS X App Store has been a pale comparison to its iOS relative since its launch five years ago. Rumors swirling around a possible rebrand of OS X to “macOS” have led to hopeful speculation that changes could also come to Apple’s lackluster desktop App Store, but the company has yet to comment on any of these reports. With a software-heavy WWDC predicted for next week, it’s possible that Apple will address some OS X-related concerns during its keynote speech.

Tag: Mac App Store
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Cyrus Audio will start selling its One compact amplifier this summer for £699

UK-based Cyrus Audio has introduced a compact amplifier that’s affordable.

The high-end stereo system maker is describing its new Cyrus One amplifier as a provider of “high quality audio” but at an tolerable price point. It is a 100-watt-per-channel amp with features like a built-in phono stage for connecting a turntable and Bluetooth streaming. It offers Bluetooth aptX connectivity, so it’s always discoverable and lets you easily stream music from phones and tablets.

There’s also a built-in class AB headphone amplifier that automatically activates when headphones are plugged in. The power supply going to the main amplifier switches over to the headphone circuits, which Cyrus Audio has claimed performs better than any standalone headphone amplifers. Also, when your headphones are unplugged, volume will be returned to zero to protect your hearing and headphones.

The amp has been fitted with a phono stage to boot, thanks to the resurgence of vinyl. And there’s four additional inputs for other devices. You can even us the Cyrus One in home cinema systems due to its AV Bypass mode. You won’t have to worry about which speaker models match your amp either, because it has an automatic speaker impedance detection system that tests speakers and adjusts the amp accordingly.

Cyrus Audio

This compact amp therefore does all the hard work for you. As for updates, Cyrus Audio said you will be able to grab the latest firmware and new features via the amp’s microUSB port. The Cyrus One, which measures 85x220x390mm, also has front panel LEDs you can manually dim and a a high-gloss black finish with rubberised controls.

If any of this interests you, the Cyrus One will cost £699 and be available from retailers across the UK starting this summer.

Konami isn’t only games company making bionics, behold the Deus Ex cybernetic arm

A few weeks ago we brought you a BBC documentary that detailed the creation of a fully cybernetic arm, designed by Konami and based around the one worn by Snake in Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain.

That garnered a lot of attention, because not only did the arm work for an amputee, it really looked the part.

It seems though, Konami isn’t the only games company building bionics for people who have lost or were born without limbs, Square Enix is too.

Its latest game in the Deus Ex series, Deus Ex: Manking Divided, is coming out on 23 August for PS4, Xbox One and PC and like former titles in the series features human characters heavily laden with cybernetics. It inspired the publisher to explore the possibility of building a working prosthetic arm in the style of the one worn by Adam Jensen in the game.

READ: Watch Bodyhack: Metal Gear Man and the story of a real-life Snake bionic arm

Square Enix partnered with Intel, Razer and Open Bionics, a British company that specialises in developing robotic limbs. and even by the 3D printed prototype, they are both well on the way to create an excellent replacement arm. What’s more, the latter company is making all of its progress open source, so others can 3D print every element and build their own arms too.

The end goal is to make something much similar to Jensen’s Deus Ex equivalent, with a shiny chrome finish, but even the model sported by the one-handed Dan Melville in the video below is impressive stuff. What’s more, it could be made on a budget.

READ: Deus Ex Mankind Divided preview: Cyberpunk satisfaction

So check out the Deus Ex Augmented Future video and we’re sure you can’t fail to be impressed, like us.

Mirror’s Edge Catalyst review: On the edge of greatness

The original Mirror’s Edge, released in 2008, was the very epitome of a Marmite game. Despite having an inordinate amount of glaring flaws, and not selling particularly well, it still managed to generate a passionate cult following.

It was easy enough to see why: Mirror’s Edge dared to be different, basing its gameplay on free-running yet taking a first-person perspective, paired with a gorgeous Scandinavian-influenced art style plus a thoroughly alluring protagonist, Faith.

Can the follow-up, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst, eradicate its predecessor’s weak points and establish Mirror’s Edge as a top franchise?

Mirror’s Edge Catalyst review: Stockholm syndrome

Catalyst certainly has a good stab. Perhaps the most egregious drawback in the original, its single-path linearity, has been replaced by an open-world you can traverse at your leisure.

And that potentially has the knock-on effect of eliminating another gripe: that the original was far too short. Catalyst is rammed with side-missions and challenges, has an online component which adds plenty of replay value. Although to finish the game you’ll only need about 9-hours total. 

What really sets Catalyst apart from other games is how it looks. It’s set in the amazing-looking Glass City, which appears far too pristine to actually have any inhabitants, and leaves no doubt that the game’s developer, DICE, is based in Stockholm, Sweden. There’s the Scandi art-style again, which we rather like. It’s perhaps the first must-buy game if you’re a Wallpaper subscriber. We jest.

Catalyst also trumps its predecessor by giving you more of a feeling that you’re involved in what is going on in Glass City, which is a pretty dystopian place – even though you spend the vast majority of the game on its rooftops.

Mirror’s Edge Catalyst review: Up to no good

The story begins with Faith being let out of a juvenile detention facility. The initial cut-scenes will strike a chord with millennials: she is told that she has 14 days to find a job, or she will be locked up again.

Thankfully, her old runner colleagues are there to remove the implant that briefly allows her to see what the “employees” see – a mess of ads and propaganda beamed direct to their visual cortices.

EA

But she soon resumes her old life as a free-runner and general thief-for-hire, hooking back up with mentor Noah, plus various rival runners and associated hackers, as well as crime boss Dogen, to whom she owes money.

Story-wise there are some interesting aspects, but too many of them are touched on and then abandoned. Too much plot establishment takes place at the start of the game, interspersed with a number of pretty trivial, tutorial-like missions, so Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst takes an absolute age to get going. And in a relatively short game that throws the balance.

Mirror’s Edge Catalyst review: Perseverence rewarded

It is worth persevering, though, as there is plenty of satisfaction to be found. Faith has some fantastic moves (which are added to as you level-up), and when you get her flowing along a route pointed out by her red “runner’s vision” it can be a great feeling.

However, you will encounter moments when what looks like it ought to be a straightforward move turns out not to be (usually, at least, at non-critical moments), which can result in her repeatedly plummeting to her death. Catalyst is heavily checkpointed, so you aren’t really penalised for dying. If you’re the sort of gamer who thinks you should be penalised when the character you control dies, you’ll hate Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst.

EA

This time around, there are plenty of story-missions and side-missions of various types – delivering fragile goods, for example, or time-trials which you can design yourself and post to the game along with other challenges. Plus there are control and security chips to collect (which help you gain XP).

But by far the best missions are the Grid Nodes: towers guarded by lasers that you must work out how to climb. They prove that first-person platforming works beautifully, and outshine most of the story missions.

Mirror’s Edge Catalyst review: Clunky combat

Later in the game, things hot up as Kruger Security starts to target Faith, and her brawling engine comes into play more. But her melee abilities are a mixed bag. If you can get her launching into a chain of attacks by jumping, sliding and mantling into enemies, the action feels quick and responsive. But when she is face-to-face with enemies, proceedings feel oddly ponderous.

EA

Essentially, you must constantly side-step then kick – which is a tad unforgivable for a game in which the protagonist literally runs everywhere, even through closed doors, thanks to a rather excellent forearm-slam move. And even when you die at the hands of K-Sec, you aren’t penalised in any meaning way, beyond having to endure a loading screen.

Faith’s upgrade path is also unconvincing. You can add abilities and useful items such as a grapple via four categories – movement, combat, gear and skill. But most of the latter two remain locked during the first half of the game, and you’re often given new moves in story missions, rather than having to earn them. RPG enthusiasts will feel that she has a rather basic upgrade path.

Verdict

Mirror’s Edge Catalyst has various gripes, then, but they don’t entirely detract from Catalyst’s enjoyment. Without doubt it is much more fun and, crucially, substantial than the first game.

However, hardcore gamers will note those flaws, and react with revulsion, in much the same way as they did to Mirror’s Edge. Its best gameplay is also hidden in side-missions, and its key mechanics, such as the brawling system, are just off.

Which is a bit frustrating, because Catalyst comes close to greatness. It has a truly iconic protagonist, who is a joy to control, some unusual gameplay, and an innate stylishness which puts pretty much all other games to shame.

Tesla allegedly exchanged repairs for owner silence

Tesla suffered a hit late last year when Consumer Reports revoked its “recommended” rating noting a “worse-than-average overall problem rate” in October. Now, the electric vehicle company headed by Elon Musk is facing scrutiny by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) over claims that the Tesla Model S had faulty suspension parts. A representative told Reuters that the agency is “examining the potential suspension issue on the Tesla Model S, and is seeking additional information from vehicle owners and the company.”

Tesla has refuted claims that it’s being investigated, saying in a blog post that “[the] NHTSA has not opened any investigation nor has it even started a ‘preliminary evaluation,’ which is the lowest form of formal investigatory work that it does.” The NHTSA acknowledges that it’s just in “data collection mode” right now, though the public at large may not grasp the distinction.

According to the owner, the left front hub assembly separated from the upper control arm of a customer’s 2013 Model S with 73,000 miles on it. When the customer took it in for service, the repair techs said that the amount of wear was abnormal, and was caused by a loose, rusty ball joint (shown below). The owner made a post on the Tesla Motors Club forums back in April (the thread is 18 pages long as of this writing) detailing the incident, which automotive site Daily Kanban picked up. An NHTSA safety report reportedly says that a defect could cause suspension control arms to break, which could severely impact a driver’s ability to control the vehicle.

Shortly after the incident, the automaker agreed to cover 50 percent of the repair costs since the car was out of its warranty period, but under one condition: that the owner keep quiet and not invoke any legal proceedings against the company, and not hold Tesla responsible for “any and all claims or damages arising out of or in any way connected with any claims or incidents leading or related to our provision of Goodwill [partially paying for the repairs],” according to a document obtained by Daily Kanban. Tesla allowed that “we will take a look at this situation and will work with [the] NHTSA to see if we can handle it differently.”

The NHTSA is concerned about the NDA, calling it “troublesome.” Tesla, however says that it uses the document, which it calls a “goodwill agreement,” to ensure that “Tesla doesn’t do a good deed, only to have that used against us in court for further gain.” It adds that the document does not stipulate that a buyer can’t talk to the NHTSA or government, calling the idea “preposterous.” (The exact wording is “you agree to keep confidential our provision of the Goodwill, the terms of this agreement and the incidents or claims leading or related to our provision of the Goodwill.”)

Following the NHSTA’s initial probe, the owner said the agency informed him that the parts weren’t in good condition and that a further investigation was warranted. An NHTSA spokesperson tells Bloomberg that anyone concerned about the safety of their cars should file a report at SafeCar.gov. The New York Times writes that since October, Tesla has received 33 complaints of similar suspension failures. Tesla agrees that the ball joint had “very abnormal rust,” but is says there is no safety defect, adding that “when we got the car, it was caked in dirt” because the owner lives on a long dirt road.

The new Telsa Model S 60

Tesla further writes in its post (entitled “A Grain of Salt”) that the Daily Kanban writer, Edward Niedermeyer, has a grudge against it. The company says he “fabricated this issue, then caused negative and incorrect news to be written about Tesla by reputable institutions,” adding “this is the same gentle soul who previously wrote a blog titled ‘Tesla Death Watch,’ which starting on May 19, 2008.”

The automaker also asserted that it’s “rigorous” about safety issues and working with the NHTSA. “Not only do we regularly meet with NHTSA, we have also shown that we won’t hesitate to conduct proactive and voluntary recalls even when there is only a slight risk of a safety issue. Most recently, Tesla recalled third row seats in the Model X even though not a single problem had been reported by any customer.”

However, the NHTSA told Reuters that it was concerned about the NDA, saying it wasn’t aware of other automakers requiring customers to sign similar documents. “Part of what we have to figure out is whether or not [non disclosure agreements] might have impeded people making [complaints],” says NHTSA administrator Mark Rosekind. “The agency immediately informed Tesla that any language implying that consumers should not contact the agency regarding safety concerns is unacceptable, and NHTSA expects Tesla to eliminate any such language.”

Steve Dent contributed to this report.

Via: Daily Kanban

Source: Tesla, Reuters

CarbFix turns a power plant’s CO2 emissions into rock

Apparently, pumping carbon dioxide into volcanic basalts is a pretty effective carbon capture technique. Back in 2012, scientists began an experiment in Iceland called the CarbFix Project. Since then, they’ve been injecting tons of carbon dioxide waste from a geothermal plant in the country into basaltic rock 1,600 feet underground. According to results they’ve recently published in Science, 95 percent of the gas they store underground turn into solid carbonate minerals within only two years. Even better, the team doesn’t have to turn the gas into liquid first.

Other carbon capture techniques require turning CO2 into liquid, which uses up energy. The scientists only have to mix the gas with water for this method, creating some sort of a bubbly, soda mixture. They found that the mixture ends up forming chalky veins in the porous rocks. The CarbFix project already stores 5,000 tons of carbon dioxide underground per year, and it only takes $30 to capture one ton of CO2 as opposed to $65 to a $100 convential techniques cost per ton. However, it’s still not the ultimate answer to climate change.

As Wired notes, the amount of carbon dioxide geothermal plants emit can’t even compare to the amount coal plants generate. Coal plants would need vast lands with basaltic rock, and other places just don’t have Iceland’s geology. Further, other basalts might not work as well as the country’s highly weathered rocks. While the team could pump carbon dioxide into the ocean floor, we still need to think of ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to continue developing renewable energy technology.

Source: Wired, Smithsonian, Science, MIT

This short film was written by a sci-fi hungry neural network

Remember when we played with Google’s Deep Dream neural network to create trippy visuals that featured a whole lot dogs? The creators behind the short film Sunspring do. Instead of Google’s product, however, they turned to a neural network named “Jetson” to do all the heavy lifting. The result? A bizarre nine minutes that you’ll remember for quite some time.

Starring Silicon Valley’s Thomas Middleditch and directed by Oscar Sharp, the short features a special script compiled by the neural network that even wrote a song unique to the film. After being fed scripts like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Watchmen and Aliens (as well as tons of others) it produced a nonsensical mess that actually works quite well in practice. It’s terrible. But then again, it’s so intense it’s entertaining. The film was shot and edited in 48 hours, which is a feat considering how polished it looks in practice.

As one character says “Well, I don’t know anything about any of this, so…” You might get that feeling after viewing the film, but it’s just like watching the insane ramblings of porn stars in Vernon Chatman’s Final Flesh. They’re both eerily similar in tone, though Sunspring is far more incoherent. Check it out for yourself below.

Via: io9