The ESA’s ExoMars mission looks like a success so far
After a seven-month trip, the European Space Agency announced on Wednesday that its Schiaparelli module, ExoMars mission’s landing craft, has deployed to the surface of Mars. The module jettisoned itself from its partner craft, the Trace Gas Orbiter, at approximately 10am ET and set down to the planet shortly thereafter. ESA Operations has not, however, yet confirmed that the lander survived its drop to the surface.
ACQUISITION OF ORBITER SIGNAL! #ESOC hears @ESA_TGO’s signal loud & clear after it emerges from behind #Mars #ExoMars pic.twitter.com/w85fAFwOvD
— ESA Operations (@esaoperations) October 19, 2016
Upon landing, the module immediately began transmitting data on Mar’s electrical fields, which influence the planet’s dust storms and weather patterns. That data was first uploaded to the TraceGas Orbiter and then bounced back to Earth, which takes about ten minutes, where it was received by the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT). As the data began arriving at ESA Operations, it had to be interpreted and analyzed, another 30-plus minute process. Unfortunately, the initial analysis could not conclusively say whether the lander was intact. Further analysis will require another couple of hours. The ESA expects to post its next update by 4am EST tomorrow.
The ESA did confirm that the lander had achieved its goal. The TGO began transmitting its own data at 12:35pm ET and, by 2:40pm ET, the ESA confirmed that the TGO had successfully inserted itself into a stable orbit around the planet.
Should it have survived, the landing module won’t last very long given its small power reserves, however the orbiter will remain at least partially operational until at least 2022 and continue to seek trace evidence of life on the planet. The insights gained from this mission are expected to help govern the ESA’s next trip to Mars, a drilling expedition with Russia’s space agency scheduled for 2020.
Via: ESA Operations (Twitter)
Source: ESA
eBay teams up with Facebook Messenger to launch shopping bot
Bots are one of the big buzzwords of 2016; Google, Microsoft and Facebook have all made them major parts of their strategy this year. Yes, they might not all be panning out quite as planned, but that doesn’t mean bots are out of style yet. Take eBay: the company just launched a shopping bot for Facebook Messenger in beta appropriately called Shopbot.
Once you set it up (go to Facebook Messenger and search for eBay Shopbot), you just tell the bot what you want to buy and it’ll start serving up suggestions and asking you additional questions to refine your search. I searched for the Apple Watch and it showed me appropriate suggestions and also prompted me with different options for band color, case material, size and so forth to make the suggestions more accurate.
You can even upload photos and the bot will analyze and search for the items contained within, but just don’t expect to get exact matches every time. A picture of my iPhone 6S brought up a whole range of iPhones from the 4 through the latest model, and an image of the Pixel C tablet brought up a host of no-name convertible devices that I wouldn’t want to drop any cash on.
Photos might be hit or miss, but overall the bot’s search functionality seems to be pretty good. Where the experience seems to fail is in its clunky buying process. When you tap through to an item, it brings up a minimal detail page in Messenger’s in-app browser; clicking the prominent “buy” button asks you to login with your eBay credentials. That all makes sense, but I had the eBay app installed on both phones I tried this one — sending me to the app where I was already logged in would have made for a better experience for sure.
Regardless, the eBay Shopbot does meet the company’s mission of putting the service out in front of users on a different platform. “We’re going to where our users are, versus letting it all play out on eBay.com and our mobile app,” EBay chief product officer R.J. Pittman told Bloomberg. The eBay Shopbot is available now in beta and works on iOS and Android versions of Facebook Messenger as well as on the web.
Source: eBay
Sling TV adds NHL Network to its add-on Sports Extra package
Not long after Sling TV cut a deal with parent network Dish back in August to offer NFL Network to its customers, they’re expanding sports offerings again. Just a few games into the season, they’ve added the NHL Network to their “Sports Extra” add-on package, the first time the service has been available for an over-the-top product.
NHL Network will offer over 75 matchups to Sling TV viewers along with its live weekday studio shows. This should fill some of the gaps in the hockey listings already available on channels included in the Orange, Blue and Sports Extra add-ons; The full weekly games schedule across all of the service’s options is listed here. Sadly, matches viewed through NHL Network will still be subject to local blackouts based on users’ locations.
It’s not the only content Sling TV is adding today: The Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries are both now included in the “Lifestyle Plus Extra” add-on. While Sports Extra costs $5 per month extra for customers with the Sling Orange option and $10 for Blue, Lifestyle Plus Extra can be added for $5 to either.
Source: BusinessWire
Apple will finally update its Mac lineup on October 27th
It’s been a very, very long time since Apple has updated its Mac lineup — the new Macbook is the only computer that Apple has seen fit to upgrade in 2016. That should all change next week, though: We just received an invite to an event in Cupertino on Thursday, October 27th. With the yearly iPhone refresh in the rearview mirror and macOS Sierra out in the wild, it’s time — well past time, in fact — for some new Mac computers. The event’s tagline — “Hello again” — is a pretty clear nod to the Mac, which debuted with a big old “hello” on its screen way back in 1984.
Headlining the event should be a totally redesigned MacBook Pro, which has existed in its current form for a good four years now. Rumors point to a touch-capable OLED strip on the keyboard above the number row that can adapt to whatever app you’re using. Touch ID might be making its way to the Mac for the first time, as well. Of course, the computers will likely be thinner and lighter and will probably see many of the innovations Apple first rolled out in the MacBook in 2015. The butterfly keyboard mechanism, tiered battery design and reliance on USB-C all seem likely to come on board at this point. We’re hoping the MacBook Pro will be available in a variety of colors for the first time, too.
Beyond that, spec bumps for the iMac and MacBook Air seem like good bets, as does the inclusion of USB-C on those models as well. Looking beyond the Mac line, it’s also possible the iPad will get some love. The iPad Air 2, while still a very capable tablet, is now two years old. And the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is just about a year old and lags behind the smaller iPad Pro in a few key ways. It wouldn’t surprise us to see both of those devices get some updates.
Whatever Apple has to show off, we’ll be there live to bring you all the news as it happens when the event starts at 10AM PT.
Source: Apple
Facebook chief explains why Peter Thiel is still on the board
Ever since Peter Thiel drove Gawker Media to bankruptcy in a bid to silence unfavorable press, many have been wondering: why is Facebook keeping Thiel on its board of directors when he’s antithetical to the company’s emphasis on free speech, and is an ardent Trump supporter? Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg has finally broken the silence… but it’s not going to make everyone happy. In a leaked post (Facebook has since confirmed that it’s authentic), Zuckerberg claims that it’s all about upholding diversity. You can’t just stick up for people you already agree with, he argues — you have to also protect the rights of people with “different viewpoints.”
Zuck adds that it’s possible for people like Thiel to support Trump without embracing racism, sexism or other labels attached to the Republican candidate. It would be wrong to give Thiel the boot if he was really just concerned about smaller government, lower taxes or other typical right-wing views, according to the executive.
The argument is nothing new. Social critic Noam Chomsky has long contended that free speech means protecting the right to hold unpopular views, for example. Thiel’s stance complicates things, however, and his support for Trump isn’t the only reason people have distanced themselves from his venture capitalism. After all, he took down Gawker precisely to restrict freedom of expression, to suppress a view he didn’t like. Why is his free speech allowed to override someone else’s? Zuck clearly has to walk a fine line in such a politically sensitive climate, but it’s hard to ignore the contradiction of claiming to defend free speech while embracing someone bent on destroying it.
Via: CNN Money
Source: Hacker News
Samsung blocks video of ‘GTA V’ Galaxy Note 7 bomb mod
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 has been the butt of its fair share of internet jokes since it started exploding in September, but it’s hard to surpass what one Grand Theft Auto V modder did when he turned the phone into an in-game grenade. Apparently, Samsung doesn’t think it’s very funny, though — the company appears to have filed a totally bogus copyright infringement claim on the YouTube video showing this mod.
If you try to watch the video now, you’ll see that Samsung has blocked it by using YouTube’s tools for reporting infringing material. Of course, this isn’t how those tools were meant to be used — they’re for reporting instances in which video or audio is posted in violation of copyright. Using the Note 7’s likeness in a video made from a video game mod doesn’t really seem like what YouTube’s tools are meant to be used for.
Fortunately, that was far from the only YouTube video that shows off the Galaxy Note 7 being used as an incendiary device. Now that the cat’s out of the bag, it’s probably not worth the effort for Samsung to chase down these videos — the company has a lot more serious things to be worrying about right now.
Via: The Verge
Source: YouTube
Apple Listed as 2017 Exhibitor at Mobile World Congress
Apple Inc. has been listed as a 2017 exhibitor at Mobile World Congress, which is an oddity given the company’s trade show presence has been virtually nonexistent since the company’s final appearance at Macworld in 2009.
If the listing is accurate, it would mark Apple’s first time attending Mobile World Congress, the world’s largest exhibition and conference for the mobile industry. MWC 2017 runs between February 27, 2017 and March 2, 2017.
Babel PR pointed us towards Apple’s exhibitor listing, which shows the company has booked space in the App Planet in Hall 8.1, as well as two spaces in the upper level that runs above Hall 2 in the Fira Gran Via Conference Centre.
App Planet is described as “a unique area focusing on the latest technology from the fast-moving apps industry,” so Apple’s presence could be related to promoting the App Store ecosystem or Planet of the Apps.
Apple’s other upper level spaces appear to be meeting rooms, suggesting the company’s presence may not be public facing. This would be unsurprising, given Apple has shifted new product announcements to its own media events.
Apple steadily stopped attending trade shows in the late 2000s, including the NAB Show, Macworld, and Apple Expo in Paris, and it has regularly passed on attending CES, the largest consumer electronics show, in Las Vegas.
In announcing its departure from Macworld, Apple said trade shows have become a very minor part of how it reaches its customers. For that reason, Apple’s public presence at Mobile World Congress is questionable, although still plausible.
Apple is reaching more people in more ways than ever before, so like many companies, trade shows have become a very minor part of how Apple reaches its customers. The increasing popularity of Apple’s Retail Stores, which more than 3.5 million people visit every week, and the Apple.com website enable Apple to directly reach more than a hundred million customers around the world in innovative new ways.
Should we receive confirmation about Apple’s presence at Mobile World Congress, we will update this article accordingly.
Tag: Mobile World Congress
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Google Signs Deal With CBS for Upcoming YouTube Streaming Television Service
Google has inked a deal with CBS for its upcoming web-based streaming television service, reports The Wall Street Journal. Called “Unplugged,” the paid subscription service, available on YouTube, will see Google offering a bundle of several channels for a set price of $25 to $40 per month.
CBS, a major network, is now on board, and Google is also said to be close to reaching deals with both 21st Century Fox and Disney, putting it one step closer to establishing a streaming service. Google plans to launch “Unplugged” in early 2017 and has already built out the necessary infrastructure.
Google’s YouTube Unplugged offering is aimed at cord cutters and is the type of television service that Apple was hoping to provide to customers before its streaming television plans were put on hold. Apple wanted to offer a “skinny bundle” featuring channels from major networks and popular cable channels, which would have been priced at approximately $35 per month.
Apple has been trying to create some kind of streaming television service for many years, but has continually run into negotiation difficulties with content providers due to its “hard-nosed” negotiating tactics and an inability to assuage fears about the interruption of traditional revenue streams.
Apple’s latest streaming plans fell through because media companies demanded too much money for content rights and were reluctant to unbundle channels.
While Google and other companies are developing streaming television services, Apple is aiming to position the Apple TV set-top box and the tvOS App Store as a platform to allow existing content providers to share their content through Apple’s interface. Apple is also working on some original television programming, including “Planet of the Apps,” “Vital Signs,” and “Carpool Karaoke.”
Tags: Google, YouTube
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Apple Invites Media to ‘Hello Again’ October 27th Mac-Centric Event
Apple today sent out media invites for a Mac-centric event that will be held on Thursday, October 27 at 10:00 a.m. at Apple’s Cupertino campus.
The October event is expected to focus on the introduction of new Macs, headlined by a much-rumored and highly anticipated revamped MacBook Pro. According to rumors, the new MacBook Pro will feature the first redesign to the machine since 2012.
A thinner, lighter body is expected, with a wider, pressure-sensitive trackpad and a flatter MacBook-style keyboard with the same butterfly key mechanism. The MacBook Pro will be available in the same 13 and 15-inch size options, and will feature USB-C with USB 3.1 support for faster transfer speeds, Thunderbolt 3, and Touch ID.
Touch ID is expected to be built into a new OLED touch panel built into the top of the MacBook Pro, where it will replace the physical function key row. The OLED touch panel is said to feature contextual buttons that will change based on each app that’s in use. A leaked chassis suggests it will feature four USB-C ports and a headphone jack, but no HDMI port, no USB-A ports, no MagSafe connector, and no SD card slot.
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A refreshed 13-inch MacBook Air with USB-C ports has also been rumored, but it is not clear if other internal changes will be made to Apple’s low-cost machine. It’s possible the 13-inch MacBook Air will be a standalone product going forward, based on rumors suggesting the 11-inch model will be discontinued.
Apple is also said to be working on updated iMacs with AMD graphics chips, which could be introduced at the event, and we might possibly see the debut of a rumored 5K Retina display with an integrated GPU. Apple discontinued the original Thunderbolt Display earlier this year, but an updated product has been in the works and it makes sense to release it alongside refreshed Macs if it’s ready to launch.
Apple’s Mac Pro and Mac mini are in dire need of refreshes, having been updated last in 2013 and 2014, respectively, but it is not clear if these machines will also see updates at the event.
MacRumors plans to provide live coverage of Apple’s October 27 event, both here on MacRumors.com and through our MacRumorsLive Twitter account. Apple will also live stream the event on its website and on the Apple TV.
Related Roundups: iMac, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro
Buyer’s Guide: iMac (Don’t Buy), MacBook Air (Don’t Buy), Retina MacBook Pro (Don’t Buy)
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Get smoky with these barbecue wallpapers
Barbecue.
Just the word summons up so many tastes, textures and of course smells. The sizzle of burgers on a grill at a backyard barbecue, the scent of low-temperature smoke going to town on a big ol’ pork butt, the taste of that smoke mingling with dry rubs and turning tough meat into dark, delicious gold…. And this week there will be plenty of that amazingness at the Big Android BBQ in Hurst, TX! We hope you join us there this weekend for Android development, interacting with developer and enthusiast alike, and lots of great food.
Ribs may be one of the most iconic barbecue cuts in the country, and there’s a reason for that: they are amazing. We take muscles that are moving and working literally every second of an animal’s life, breaking down some of the toughest fibers in the body, and turning them from tough to tasty. And while there are many forms of barbecue that will shun sauce, ribs is not one of them. Look at the lovely sheen it leaves atop the char, and the specs of spices visible throughout…
Ribs
Look at those coals… Hot, fiery, perfect for putting the serious burn on some burgers, or on some skirt steak for fajitas… Mmmmm…. This might be a bit hot for true barbecue but it’s just right for firing me up for some time with the grill. Sing it with me now, everyone: HOT, HOT, HOT!
BBQ Fire
Look at that shellacking! The meat will always be the most important part of your ‘que, but there’s nothing saying your sauce can’t be plentiful and finger-licking good. This pile of sauce and meat is making your mouth water right now, isn’t it? Isn’t it?
Boston Butt
Smoky, and flavorful, and wonderful… Granted, we might not want our smoke quite that bright or thick… but at least there’s plenty of it! Smoke is a piece of barbecue that will linger long after the meat has been devoured, and will spread and bless the whole neighborhood with it’s wonderful aroma. No matter how little food there is to share, the smoke can be shared with everyone!
Smoke
Ribs may be popular, and burgers may be easy, but if you want real barbecue, and a real challenge, get yourself some pork shoulder (or pork butt, because nothing can be named honestly) and smoke you up some pulled pork. Put it in a sandwich, mop it up alongside some slaw, hell, just eat it by the handful, if you’re feeling like unleashing your carnivorous side.
Pork Shoulder
AIVAnet 