Mark Zuckerberg: over 99 percent of Facebook content is authentic
Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg is clearly riled by allegations that his social network skewed the election by allowing fake news to propagate, and he isn’t having any of it. The CEO has posted a defense of Facebook in which he argues that the low volume of bogus news made it “extremely unlikely” that it gave Trump his election win. According to Zuck, “more than 99%” of the Facebook content you see is authentic, and what fake news exists is neither limited to one side of the political spectrum nor always political. This isn’t to say that Facebook is unconcerned with hoaxes, the exec says, but it has to tread “very carefully” before it purges anything.
The biggest challenge is simply determining whether or not something is a hoax in the first place. In some cases, a story may get core ideas right but omit important details. In other cases, stories may simply reflect opinions that others don’t like, even though they’re technically accurate. Recently implemented tools to help report fake news should help, as will future efforts to fight it, but Facebook is leery of becoming an “arbiter of truth” in its own right.
Zuckerberg is naturally eager to defend Facebook’s positive roles in the election, such as sparking a surge in voter registration and promoting discussion. “A lot of that dialog may not have happened without Facebook,” he says.
The defense comes as word circulates of the company questioning its level of influence. New York Times sources understand that “several” executives asked each other whether or not Facebook played a pivotal role in the election, and there was enough concern that they agreed to tackle staff anxieties at a quarterly all-hands meeting. They also planned a separate chat with the company’s policy team. While it’s not clear how much uncertainty there is among top brass, rank-and-file staff are worried about the spread of racist memes and a “filter bubble” where you only see posts that agree with your ideology.
The Zuckerberg post has a point in that the company has to be careful, and that there’s a risk of overstating the volume of fake news. However, he sidesteps the question of the significance of the hoaxes that get through — a handful of lies can be very damaging if enough people believe them. University of North Carolina professor Zeynep Tufekci notes that a story falsely claiming that Pope Francis endorsed Trump was shared nearly a million times, for instance. While many of those who read such articles have already made up their minds, it’s difficult to believe that no one was swayed.
Source: Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook)
The biggest feature Google Play is missing: Gifting content
It’s time to start thinking of presents for the loved ones in your life. Google Play won’t be much help for it, though.
Google Play has been around for a few years, and while it’s caught up to iTunes and the App Store in several areas, there’s one feature that is noticeably, and sometimes painfully absent. Ever find an app you want to buy a friend? Want to send an album to a special someone? Welp, you’ll just have to send them Google Play credit and hope that’s what they use it on. While iTunes has had content gifting for well over a decade, Google Play still won’t let me buy someone a song.
We already have so much of the groundwork laid for gifting content, too. The Redeem function already accepts 16-digit codes for digital copies of films and for app codes that developers give out. Allowing the gifting of content on Google Play means that families can gift desired content to their kids rather than having a payment option enabled on the account — or shelling out for gift cards every few weeks/months, like I did as a kid. It allows for more personal gifting than a $10 gift card.
Allowing gifting of content could also help breathe life into a Google Play feature that’s all but forgotten in its current form: the Wishlist. You can’t share your Wishlist and no one can buy you anything off it, which basically relegates it to a ‘waiting for a sale/project’ list. Allowing people to see your Wishlist and buy you apps from it encourages users to make lists and buy off them.
Gift-giving is a mutli-billion business, and gift cards aren’t enough. I’d love to buy Nova Launcher Prime for a few non-believers, or buy The Little Mermaid for a friend that wasn’t lucky enough to see it as a kid. But I can’t. And that’s a shame for Google, too, because that’s money it’s missing out on.
Android Central 314: OK Google, Home is a good start
In this episode, Alex, Andrew, Jerry and Daniel talk about the post-Pixel releases of the year: Google Home, Chromecast Ultra, Daydream, and the new (and improved) Android Auto! There’s so much to like, but many of the feature feel like half-measures.
Also, Nougat is on the verge of getting released broadly, other than the Pixel and a couple recent phones you won’t find it beyond beta.
Finally, the Mate 9 is coming soon, but did Huawei do enough to make EMUI usable? Oh, and the HTC Bolt — a Sprint exclusive, but also a good indication of HTC’s carrier-focused future.
Podcast MP3 URL: http://traffic.libsyn.com/androidcentral/androidcentral314.mp3
Donald Trump’s environmental plan and more in the week that was
The Hyperloop keeps getting realer by the day. This week, architects unveiled detailed plans for a next-gen transportation system that will travel from Dubai to Abu Dhabi in just 12 minutes. Meanwhile, Elon Musk announced big plans to build a second Gigafactory in Europe that will produce lithium-ion batteries and electric cars. Gogoro rolled out a faster, more powerful version of its battery-swapping electric Smartscooter, while Vespa delighted fans with plans to launch an all-electric model next year. And MIT teamed up with NASA to develop a new “morphing” airplane wing that could revolutionize aviation.
Donald Trump is preparing to move into the White House, and it’s terrible news for the environment. Trump has threatened to pull out of the Paris climate agreement, scrap Obama’s Clean Energy Plan, and he’s already tapped a top climate denier to lead his EPA transition team. The company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline saw Trump’s election as an opportunity to push forward on the controversial project — in direct defiance of President Obama — and a Trump presidency could even revive the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Things are looking brighter on the UK’s energy front. The nation announced plans to shutter all coal plants by the year 2025, and it’s getting ready to build its first wave power plant, which will produce enough electricity for 6,000 homes. In other design and technology news, Las Vegas just installed the world’s first streetlights that can be powered by footsteps. Boeing developed the world’s lightest metal, which weighs 100 times less than Styrofoam. A new brain implant allowed a paralyzed monkey to walk again, and an MIT spinoff developed a solar-powered sign for the smart cities of the future.
Watch the largest supermoon in 68 years
You’re about to get one of the best views of the Moon in decades. When the celestial body reaches its closest point to the Earth in the early hours of November 14th (in the US, shortly after 6AM Eastern), it’ll be the largest supermoon observed in over 68 years — yes, it hasn’t been this near since 1948. And you won’t see a comparable supermoon again until 2034, so you might want to step outside if you at all can. Don’t despair if clouds, work or the time of day prevent you from getting a glimpse, though. There will be ways and times to watch where you’ll still have a grand view.
For a start, Slooh is livestreaming the supermoon. You can see what’s happening even if you’re on the other side of the planet at the time. And if you’d rather see our lunar neighbor first-hand, NASA stresses that you don’t have to be up exactly when the Moon is at its closest. The changes in distance over time will be slight, so you can head out on the nights of the 13th or 14th and still witness an impressive display. Either way, this may be your best opportunity at lunar observation without pulling out your telescope.
Via: Space.com
Source: NASA, Slooh
Vudu’s upgraded mobile app brings offline rental viewing
Unlike some big streaming video services, Vudu isn’t sitting on the fence when it comes to offline playback. The Walmart-owned provider has revamped its Android and iOS apps with several big features, most notably an option to download your rentals — you can watch that movie in mid-flight even when the in-air WiFi is lousy. You’ll also have access to movie extras for supporting titles, and iOS users now get both higher-quality 1080p HDX streaming as well as AirPlay. And if you’re still attached to hard copies, you can buy discs inside the app instead of heading to the web. So long as you live in the US and like Vudu’s à la carte approach to movies and TV, you can check out the upgrade right now.
Source: Vudu Blog, App Store, Google Play
Space mining gets a boost through Luxembourg’s new law
American asteroid mining companies are allowed to keep their hauls, but what about European outfits? They should be set from now on. Luxembourg (which already has its own space mining tech) has adopted a draft law that gives private operations the right to keep what they take from asteroids and other near Earth objects, so long as they get authorization for their mission and obey international law. This doesn’t let anyone lay claim to spaceborne entities, the country says — it just eliminates the uncertainty when that material arrives on the ground. The law should take effect sometime in early 2017.
Most European countries don’t offer a similar level of legal protection, but they might not have to. Many companies use Luxembourg as their European hub, and approval there could grease the wheels for space mining businesses across the continent.
As it stands, Luxembourg isn’t just counting on the law to lure the corporate crowd. It’s negotiating formal relationships with about 20 space companies and entrepreneurs, including bigger names like Deep Space Industries and Planetary Resources. While the terms aren’t specific, the nation will be “one of the main shareholders” in Planetary Resources. In short, at least some companies will get an infusion of cash in return for operating in Luxembourg. They might not have much choice. Even the most aggressive space mining plans won’t swing into high gear until closer to 2020, and it could take years after that before they become profitable.
Via: DW
Source: Gouvernement.lu
Cox brings its internet data caps to Florida and Georgia
Like it or not, you’re going to have a hard time escaping the clutches of landline internet data caps. Cox has expanded its trial 1TB data caps from Cleveland to include customers in Florida and Georgia. Once a two-bill grace period expires, you’ll have to pay $10 for every 50GB of data you consume over the limit. You’ll start getting warnings if you reach 85 percent of your cap. It’s not clear if or when Cox will expand the trial or make it permanent, but it won’t be shocking if it becomes a mainstay.
At the moment, 1TB is par for the course among numerous US internet providers, and relatively roomy. About 99 percent of customers are on plans that meet their needs, Cox claims. The problem, as always, is that caps can easily be anti-competitive. Telecoms can use caps to steer heavy users toward conventional TV services, or exempt their own internet services to discourage you from using competing offerings. Also, there’s the simple matter of future-proofing. A 1TB cap seems like a lot now, but it could be a problem a few years from now when you’re regularly streaming 4K video, downloading extra-large games or backing up your entire PC.
Via: Multichannel News, Consumerist
Source: Cox
IMAX is raising $50 million to create high-quality VR
If IMAX is going to get serious about virtual reality, it’s going to need some cash… thankfully, it’s not having trouble on that front. The media mainstay has wrapped up the first phase of an effort to raise $50 million for creating “at least” 25 premium VR experiences across numerous platforms, including dedicated IMAX VR locations. On top of its own contribution, some of the bigger investors include Acer (not surprising given its link to IMAX partner Starbreeze), the talent seekers at Creative Artists Agency and a trio of Chinese media companies (China Media Capital, Enlight Media and Studio City).
That’s a lot to invest in technology that’s still young, but it’s not shocking. IMAX is already in the midst of introducing experimental IMAX VR centers at theaters in the US and UK. The company is going to need a lot of content for those VR centers if they take off — having over two dozen high-quality experiences could keep you entertained for a while after the novelty wears off.
Via: Gamasutra
Source: PR Newswire
Best Smart Home Hub
We don’t have slick future homes like The Jetson’s yet, and the path to getting there has been more than a little rocky so far. Still, if you want to start making your house a little smarter on your own, there are some hubs that aren’t total garbage.
Best overall
Samsung SmartThings
See at Amazon
While one-off connected home gadgets are fun, the real power of the connected home comes from all of the smart things in your house talking with one another.
Samsung’s acquisition of SmartThings in 2014 signaled the company was ready to bridge the gap between its incredibly popular mobile and appliance divisions with tech that worked to give you access from everywhere. Since the acquisition, Samsung has focused on expansion and refinement of the SmartThings brand, turning it into a complete solution that users can slowly build based on their needs.
The SmartThings Hub has grown over the years to support smart outlets and switches, a keyfob that lets the house know when you’re home or away, door and motion sensors to keep you informed and safe, and a massive network of third-party accessories that work with SmartThings hubs and apps.
Bottom line: Samsung SmartThings is the most supported connected home hub, so you stand the best chance of building a system that works with your needs.
Why Samsung SmartThings is the ‘best’
It’s got the most support, basically.
The one big point that makes SmartThings stand out in the crowd right now is support. All of the major popular products support SmartThings, and that’s important when trying to create a smarter home for yourself. All of the good smart thermostats, connected lighting, automated door locks, and even most connected kitchen tech supports SmartThings out of the box. That kind of plug and play support makes a big difference when trying to set everything up, especially if you’re trying to set a up a connected home for someone who isn’t technically minded but could use some assistance.
So why is this called the least terrible, with best in quotes up there? Security is a big part of it. SmartThings aren’t encrypted from end to end, which means your house could be an easy target for someone who wanted to cause you some trouble by turning on your stove when you aren’t home. Almost no connected home tech was built with encryption in mind, which is why Google and Apple are trying so hard to build new systems that place a premium on being secure.
Beyond security, a lot of the SmartThings kits aren’t particularly convenient. You can buy a $54 connected outlet that takes up two outlet spots on your actual outlet but only gives you one place to connect something to power, and it’s only real feature is that you can turn it on and off with your phone. That’s cool for very specific situations, but why not make something that fully replaces the outlet instead of an adapter that actively takes away outlets? It’s messy, but it’s one of the best messes you can build for yourself right now.
Best for price
Belkin WeMo
See at Amazon
If convenience and sheer number of options isn’t where you place your priority, and you’d rather have something a little cheaper with a little more flexibility and customization, the folks at Belkin have what you want. WeMo kits offer a lot of the standard connected hub features like motion sensors and power outlets, but also include fully integrated switches and other smarter pieces that are a lot more technically designed. This is the kit for those who don’t want it to look like they have a smart home.
WeMo also partners with a lot of the less expensive connected home options out there, and the company usually does so before anyone else. Cheapest LED bulbs, smarter room heaters, and even a crock pot that talks to your phone are on the short list of things that WeMo supports out of the box.
Bottom line: Belkin’s WeMo kits have been around longer than most, and while they’re clumsy they get the job done.
Conclusion
The connected home market is kind of a mess right now. There are a lot of individual products that work well, but it’s going to be a while before a single truly great hub comes out to support everything. If you’re not willing to wait, Samsung’s SmartThings is a decent place to look for building your ideal setup. If you’re ok with clumsy software in exchange for hardware that does a better job disappearing into your house, Belkin WeMo is probably what you want for now.
Best overall
Samsung SmartThings
See at Amazon
While one-off connected home gadgets are fun, the real power of the connected home comes from all of the smart things in your house talking with one another.
Samsung’s acquisition of SmartThings in 2014 signaled the company was ready to bridge the gap between its incredibly popular mobile and appliance divisions with tech that worked to give you access from everywhere. Since the acquisition, Samsung has focused on expansion and refinement of the SmartThings brand, turning it into a complete solution that users can slowly build based on their needs.
The SmartThings Hub has grown over the years to support smart outlets and switches, a keyfob that lets the house know when you’re home or away, door and motion sensors to keep you informed and safe, and a massive network of third-party accessories that work with SmartThings hubs and apps.
Bottom line: Samsung SmartThings is the most supported connected home hub, so you stand the best chance of building a system that works with your needs.
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