The Internet Archive doesn’t feel safe in Trump’s America
The Internet Archive collects the history of the internet, one webpage at a time, in order to power services like the Wayback Machine, the free e-book site Open Library and the Political TV Ad Archive. It’s a non-profit based in the United States, but today, staffers announced plans to establish a copy of the Internet Archive’s digital collections in Canada. The decision is fueled by concerns over President-elect Donald Trump’s statements about the First Amendment and net neutrality.
“On November 9th in America, we woke up to a new administration promising radical change,” the Internet Archive’s blog post reads. “It was a firm reminder that institutions like ours, built for the long-term, need to design for change. For us, it means keeping our cultural materials safe, private and perpetually accessible. It means preparing for a Web that may face greater restrictions. It means serving patrons in a world in which government surveillance is not going away; indeed it looks like it will increase.”
Throughout 2015, Trump said he supported the government’s collection of surveillance metadata and that the NSA “should be given as much leeway as possible.”
Additionally, Trump has shown contempt for the open internet. In a tweet on November 2014, he said net neutrality would target conservative media and compared it to the Fairness Doctrine, a WWII-era rule that required broadcasters to air contrasting viewpoints on controversial topics. The FCC eliminated the Fairness Doctrine in 1987.
In a campaign speech on December 7th, 2015, Trump talked vaguely about shutting down the internet in an effort to combat online extremism, disparaging the First Amendment in the process.
“We have to go see Bill Gates and a lot of different people that really understand what’s happening,” he said. “We have to talk to them — maybe in certain areas, closing that internet up in some way. Somebody will say, ‘Oh, freedom of speech, freedom of speech.’ These are foolish people.”
The Internet Archive says it saves 300 million webpages per week, and its plans to build a copy of this information in Canada will cost millions. It’s asking for donations to help cover the costs.
Via: Motherboard
Source: The Internet Archive
Google’s training AI to catch diabetic blindness before it’s too late
Diabetes is no joke, regardless of what Wilford Brimley memes you’ve seen. The disease’s associated foot ulcers can lead to amputation of the limb while diabetic retinopathy (DR) can rob people of their sight. Some 415 million diabetics worldwide are at risk of this visual affliction and many of those living with it in the developing world lack sufficient health care access to treat it. That’s why Google is training its deep learning AI to spot DR before it becomes a problem — and without the help of an on-site doctor.
Since the disease is most readily diagnosed by examining a picture of the back of the eye, the Google team has spent the past few years developing a dataset of 128,000 individual images, each examined by 3-7 ophthalmologists from a panel of 54. By marking damaged areas of the eye — microaneurysms, hemorrhages and the like — and then feeding that data into a machine learning system, Google managed to build a highly reliable diagnostic tool. When tested with 12,000 images, the system’s diagnosis was “on-par with that of ophthalmologists” according to the Google Research Blog post.
The team hopes to expand the scope of this system to be able to diagnose the disease from more complex 3D images (those generated from Optical Coherence Tomography) in addition to the conventional 2D fundus photographs that it currently uses. The team is also looking into automating the diagnostic process to better serve patients in remote locations who might otherwise not have access to trained specialists. But first, Google will need to conduct studies using larger clinical groups and, eventually, obtain FDA approval.
Source: Google Research Blog
Car makers plan grid of super-fast EV chargers in Europe
It’s all well and good to create electric car charging networks to help you on long drives, but merely having stations isn’t enough. What use are abundant chargers if you spend ages waiting for your battery to replenish? Thankfully, at least some big automakers are aware of this. BMW, Daimler, Ford and the Volkswagen Auto Group are forming a joint venture that will install a grid of super-fast EV chargers along major European highways. And we do mean fast — they could supply up to 350kW of power, or nearly triple the 120kW that Tesla Superchargers offer. So long as your car supported that kind of input, you could be back on the road in several minutes.
The initial grid will be modest, with plans to start rolling out approximately 400 chargers in 2017. As of 2020, however, there should be “thousands” of these charging stations across Europe. Other car companies are “encouraged” to sign on, too, and regional partners could help get the network off the ground.
The planned network could easily pay dividends for car brands if it leads to more people adopting electric vehicles. You won’t need to keep that gas-guzzler around to visit friends on the other side of the continent. However, this is also a defensive move against Tesla. It’s not just that Tesla’s Supercharger network currently gives it an advantage for long-distance travelers — it’s that Tesla’s proprietary charging plug could end up becoming the effective default and make it difficult for customers to switch makes. A vast competing network would both nullify Tesla’s edge and increase the chances that a cross-company standard will win the day.
Via: The Verge
Source: BMW
Twitter now ranks your conversations based on who replies
Threaded conversations are some of the best interactions you can have on Twitter — with dozens of users chattering away 140 characters at a time. Unless you’re already in a conversation, however, it can be hard to tell if a tweet is getting a lot of social interaction. Now, it’s a little easier: Twitter has added a reply counter and a ‘conversation ranking’ designed to push the most relevant discussions to the top of a tweet thread.
Neither feature will likely change how you use Twitter, but if your wondering why you’re not seeing replies in chronological order, these new tweaks are to blame. Conversation ranking favors threads that the original poster replied to or that includes a reply from a Twitter user that you follow — the feature also tries to group replies into different sub-conversations that make sense within their own context.
The new direct reply counter is exactly what it sounds like: the reply button under any given tweet will now show how many users have replied to that tweet. This number only corresponds to direct replies to the original tweet, however — not the total number of tweets contained within a long conversation. Are these changes better, or worse? Would you rather see replies in pure chronological order, or through Twitter’s new curated lens? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Source: Twitter (1), (2)
Philips Hue App Expands to iPad, Gains New 3D Touch Features
Philips today updated its Hue app, used to control its line of Philips Hue lights, to version 2.6.0. The update adds long-awaited support for the iPad, allowing iPad users to access their lights from an iPad-optimized app for the first time.
The iPad version of the Philips Hue app features the same general design and controls that were introduced when Philips revamped the Hue app back in April.
For iPhone users with a 3D Touch-enabled device, the new version of the app also adds improved iOS 10 support and new 3D Touch options. When you press on the Hue app icon, you’ll now get access to the Widget options you’ve established in the app.
Scene editing has been improved, making it possible to edit custom scenes with and without a picture, and the update includes bug fixes and stability improvements.
What’s New
– Added iPad support
– Improved iOS 10 support, you can now 3D Touch the app icon to quickly access your widgets
– Improved scene edit, now you can also edit your custom scenes both with and without a picture
– Bug fixes and stability improvements
The Philips Hue app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Tags: Philips, Philips Hue
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LeEco partners with AT&T for free DirecTV Now promotion
LeEco takes another step towards relevance in the U.S.
Self-proclaimed technology “disruptor,” LeEco, is taking steps to flesh out its relatively sparse content lineup by partnering with one of the biggest technology companies in the U.S., AT&T.
The Chinese manufacturer of affordable-but-high-end smartphones, TVs and, in the future, self-driving cars, has announced that in addition to opening up ecommerce channels on its website, LeMall.com, on December 1, it plans to offer between three and 12 months of complimentary DirecTV Now access to customers who buy its products before January 5. The breakdown is as follows:
- 3 months of DirecTV Now free with the purchase of an ecophone (Le S3 or Le Pro3), or a Super4 X43 Pro ecotv.
- 6 months of DirecTV Now free with the purchase of a Super4 X55 or Super4 X65 ecotv.
- 12 months of DirecTV Now free with the purchase of a uMax85 ecotv.
LeEco says that it will also begin selling its products in retail stores, including Amazon and physical Best Buy outlets, which should increase its potential distribution massively, especially for those who wouldn’t otherwise learn about the new-to-America company.
The company, which recently came under fire for spending too much too quickly, forcing its CEO to take a significant pay cut, has found significant success with its smartphone and TV business in China. But its ambitious expansion goals took it by surprise, with an internal memo from the company’s co-founder, Jia Yueting, noting that “we blindly sped ahead, and our cash demand ballooned. We got over-extended in our global strategy. At the same time, our capital and resources were in fact limited.” Much of that cash was put towards the LeSee self-driving car project, which is not expected to be released for another five years.
In the meantime, the company’s U.S. expansion hinges on getting its phones, and its content, into the hands of Americans willing to take a chance on an unknown company. This AT&T deal should help, but there’s still a lot of work to be done to build a brand in a saturated American market.
Amazon to release a huge, booming touchscreen Echo in 2017
Alexa, turn it to 11!
The original Amazon Echo hasn’t been updated since it was released just over two years ago. Specifically, the hardware is unchanged, but Amazon has made significant improvements to the software, and connectivity to other services, in that time.
Now, it looks like Amazon is poised to release a huge hardware upgrade to the Echo in 2017, giving the popular cylinder a 7-inch touchscreen and a more powerful speaker to fill a living room with music. According to Bloomberg, the updated Echo will run an improved version of FireOS, the Android fork that powers the company’s Kindle tablets and its now-deceased Fire smartphone. Options will include the ability to pin photos on the color touchscreen, and to easily check email and use apps.
These new features will not supersede the new Echo’s core function, according to the report, which is to respond to voice commands through Amazon’s constantly-evolving Alexa assistant.
The new unit will reportedly be introduced in early 2017, and will cost more than the current Echo, which regularly retails for $179.
What do you think? Is this the right move for Amazon as it takes on Google and Apple to control the living room?
The 10 Best Horror Games for VR
What are the best horror games for VR? .intro
You either love them or hate them, but one thing has become apparent: horror games in VR are an entirely new experience. Shutting out the real world, including your desk, monitor, lights, and family members, and being injected straight into a horrifying world is quite a thrill. We’ve rounded up the best VR horror games available right now that will scare you real good.
Read more at VR Heads!
You can now play classic games like Pac-Man inside Facebook Messenger
Get your game on with Facebook Messenger.
Facebook has been steadily adding app support to its Messenger app for a few years now, and today the social media company announced it’s adding Instant Games as a new feature within the popular Messenger app. Rolling out to 30 countries starting today, the update adds a new game controller icon to the chat window, which allows anyone to challenge their friends — individually or in a group chat — to play one of 17 games currently available to play right in the app.
This move makes absolute sense when you consider the popularity of Basketball and Soccer — the latter being a wildly successful easter egg to celebrate March Madness 2016, which led to an incredible 1.2 billion games of hoop played across the Facebook community since it launched last spring.
Now, instead of having to scroll through all the Facebook emojis looking for the next hidden game, Facebook has brought gaming on Messenger to the foreground, adding a controller icon to the attachments panel in the chat window. So far, the games run the gamut from arcade classics, word games, to competitive puzzlers. Facebook Messenger will keep track of everyone’s top scores, so you’ll always know where you rank compared to your friends.
When you get the update, you’ll be able to choose from the following launch titles:
- Pac-Man
- Galaga
- Arkanoid
- Space Invaders
- Track & Field 100M
- Shuffle Cats
- Words With Friends: Frenzy
- Hex
- Everwing
- Endless Lake
- Templar 2048
- The Tribez: Puzzle Rush
- 2020 Connect
- Puzzle Bobble
- Zookeeper
- Brick Pop
- Wordalot Express
Expect Facebook to continue to add to this list as time goes on, with ads for Messenger games popping up in your Facebook News Feed.
Let us know if you’ve received the update, and what your favorite games are in the comments below!
New Amazon Echo with a screen and better speakers might arrive in 2017
Amazon has big plans for Echo.
According to Bloomberg, the online retailer is planning a major update to its line of voice-activated speakers. It is developing a premium speaker with a 7-inch screen. Amazon’s original Echo speaker is a cylindrical device that can be controlled mostly through the a digital assistant named Alexa. By adding a screen, Amazon is hoping to make it even easier for users to access content.
- Amazon Echo: What can Alexa do and what services are compatible?
The upcoming speaker will apparently be larger and equipped with higher-grade speaker. It’ll also tilt upward so the screen can be visible when it sits on a tabletop while someone is standing and using it to look up weather, calendar appointments, and news. This Echo-like device, which runs an optimised version of Fire OS, is expected to be unveiled by the first quarter of 2017.
Fire OS is used to power Amazon’s Fire tablets and set-top boxes. With this software, the speaker will still respond to verbal commands and spoken questions, but it’ll have new capabilities, such as a feature that allows users to pin items like photos to their speaker’s screen. Think of it like a refrigerator door. In other words, Amazon sees a lot of potential for Echo in the kitchen.
Amazon reportedly plans to keep selling the Dot, Tap and Echo speakers, which cost $50, $130, and $180, respectively. The new model with a screen will likely cost more. If you recall, The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this year that Amazon’s Lab126 hardware unit was working on an Alexa-powered device with tablet-like display (it’s known internally as “Knight”).
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