Tuesday 2 October 2018

The Morning After: Google's new game console is... Chrome?

Engadget Email Newsletter

It's Tuesday, October 02, 2018.

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

Now it’s Microsoft’s turn to unveil some new hardware. This morning, we’ll dig into our expectations for today’s Surface event and check out an impressive new trailer from Red Dead Redemption 2. Then remember to check back after 4 PM ET for all the news from Microsoft as it’s revealed.

(View in browser.)

Dual-screen Surface?

What Microsoft might unveil at its Surface event (and what it should)

This afternoon, Microsoft will show off its next wave of devices at a New York City press gathering. We're expecting some overdue upgrades for the Surface Laptop, Pro and Book. But it's also the perfect opportunity for the company to show off something entirely new. Now that Microsoft has proved it can innovate, will it take even bigger chances?

It's clever, if also a commentary on Japan's labor priorities.

Humanoid construction robot installs drywall by itself

Japanese researchers have built HRP-5P, a humanoid bot that can handle a variety of construction tasks when there's either a staffing shortage or serious hazards. This prototype is geared toward installing drywalls -- all on its own. It uses a mix of environment detection, object recognition and careful movement planning to install the boards -- it can hoist up boards and fasten them with a screwdriver. Japan's Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Institute says that robots like HRP-5P are meant to tackle the "manual shortages" expected to stem from Japan's aging residents and shrinking birth rate. It’s certainly more practical than a talking tablet on a pedestal.

Killing time.

There's a text adventure game hidden inside Google Search

There’s an old-school text-based adventure game that you can play in the developer console of your browser.

Discovered by a Reddit user attempt_number_1, the game can be accessed by entering the developer console after searching for "text adventure" or "text game." To initialize it, you need to press Ctrl+Shift+J (Cmd+Option+J for Mac users) on the search results page. The game also works on Firefox, Microsoft Edge and, presumably, on all Chromium-based browsers. The game tells you what's happening around you and prompts you to interact with objects and people ("grab," "use," "inventory" etc.) and move between rooms ("north," "south," "east," "west," "map" and so on).

The game's protagonist is the capital G from Google's logo, who is looking for its friends -- that is, the other letters -- around the internet giant's campus in Mountain View, California. Sure, it ain’t Red Dead, but it’s free.

Obviously, there’s glass and chips in there, too.

HP made a laptop out of leather

HP’s Spectre Folio genuinely looks like a pricey leather portfolio, complete with accent stitching and a smooth sheen, when it's closed. Open it up for a 13.3-inch screen and a full-sized keyboard above a sliver of thin metal, where the guts of the machine lie. Its convertible hinge -- which folds out from the base of the machine, instead of from behind the screen like Microsoft's Surface -- lets you arrange it like a traditional laptop.

A limited beta test goes live October 5th.

Google's Project Stream makes 'Assassin's Creed' playable in Chrome

Google’s Project Stream promises to deliver the holy grail to video-game fans around the globe -- the ability to play the latest AAA games on any laptop or PC via a stable, no-lag streaming service. Google is preparing to publicly test it with a "limited number of participants" on October 5th, letting them play a massive open-world adventure packed with 4K-capable graphics. In a demo video, Google shows Assassin's Creed Odyssey streaming at 1080p and 60fps. Google recommends a stable home internet connection of at least 25 Mbps.

The highly anticipated title is out on October 26th.

Latest ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ trailer teases first-person mode

The latest RDR2 trailer focuses on the breadth of missions that’ll be available to gunslinging wannabes. You also get a sneak peek at the series’ expanded Dead Eye targeting system, which allows gamers to slow down time, paint targets and see critical enemy weaknesses. Rest assured, your in-game decisions will matter and affect the way NPCs react to you. Finally, we also get a glimpse at both the first-person mode as well as a cinematic-camera mode. The game is set to arrive at the end of October.

But wait, there's more...

1. Google Maps' new commute tab plans every leg of your journey

2. What's on TV: 'Assassin's Creed,' 'Doctor Who' and 'Walking Dead'

3. Google's new Chrome extension rules improve privacy and security

4. Verizon switches on 'world's first' commercial 5G network

5. LG unveils one of the cheapest 4K HDR monitors yet

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Monday 1 October 2018

The Morning After: Another Google surprise spoiled

Engadget Email Newsletter

It's Monday, October 01, 2018.

Hey, good morning!

October already? Welcome to the Morning After as we unpack our coziest sweaters and drag out our space heaters in celebration. Over the weekend, we talked brain-to-brain networks, leaked Google hardware (again) and learned how some EU citizens can now use their digital IDs in different countries. (Read in browser)

No surprises.

Best Buy inadvertently sold Google's next-gen Chromecast

Google’s big October 9th showcase loses another surprise. Redditor GroveStreetHomie managed to buy the as-yet-unreleased third-generation Chromecast at a Best Buy that had mistakenly put it out for sale. Externally, it's more a subtle refresh of the 2015 model than a revolution -- it's still a puck-shaped dongle, just with a matte surface and the Chrome logo replaced with the virtually omnipresent ‘G’ from newer devices. Inside, however, it might be more interesting.

Maybe it is just a visual refresh, or maybe…. The FCC recently greenlit a new Chromecast that would include Bluetooth and, potentially, more powerful WiFi. Although it's not certain how Google would use Bluetooth, rumors have swirled of Google developing a game-streaming service that could use the wireless format for gamepads.

Thinking what I'm thinking?

Brain-to-brain network allows three people to share their thoughts

Researchers have developed a three-person brain network that lets participants send thoughts to each other -- in this case, to play a Tetris-style game. It uses familiar technology but in a much more scalable format.

The network relied on a combination of electroencephalograms to record electrical activity and transcranial magnetic stimulation to send info. Only one person could both send and receive data, but they also couldn't see the full screen -- that was up to two people who could send thoughts to the receiver.

The current FCC chairman has claimed this bill is 'illegal.'

CA governor signs net neutrality bill into law... and then the Justice Department sues

A net neutrality bill that its sponsor Scott Weiner calls "the strongest in the nation" (after being restored to its original form) is now state law in California after being signed by Governor Jerry Brown. SB 822 is intended to restore the protections put in place by a (now-rescinded) 2015 FCC Order, as well as closing "loopholes" that its backers said could have allowed anti-competitive forms of zero-rating. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai captained the effort to repeal those rules and has called the bill "illegal," setting the stage for a squabble between the state and federal government.

It should be that much easier to move abroad or open a bank account.

EU now recognizes digital IDs across borders

The EU officially supports cross-border recognition for digital IDs, making European's virtual driver's license or bank card useful in any member state so long as it's notified according to EU rules. Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain have already finished the notification process. Croatia and Estonia are next in line, while Belgium, Portugal and the UK (still there) are in the early stages. The move should mostly reduce paperwork, making it easier to enroll in universities, check your health records or set up bank accounts.

But wait, there's more...

1. Google Store launches mail-in repair service for Pixel devices

2. After Math: Hello Darkness, my old friend

3. Canada launches fund to guarantee faster broadband in rural areas

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Saturday 29 September 2018

Tech News Flash

Tech News Flash: Saturday -- September 29, 2018

TechNewsWorld -- All Tech - All The Time
http://www.TechNewsWorld.com
Part of the ECT News Network

Headline Scan
The Transportation Revolution: Self-Driving Cars Are Only the Beginning
Voice Control for Connected Entertainment: Challenges and Opportunities
Women as CEOs: The Problems and the Promise
Protecting Against 'Natural' Cybersecurity Erosion
In Technology We Trust... But Should We?

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Today's Story Highlights

The Transportation Revolution: Self-Driving Cars Are Only the Beginning

The autonomous car has thrown the automotive industry -- an industry
that is notoriously slow to change -- into the forefront of technology.
The autonomous car has become a technology catalyst because it requires
innovation in many areas, ranging from processor and sensor technology
to AI. The industry's focus initially has been on consumers because they
represent the billion-dollar pot of gold.
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/85595.html

Voice Control for Connected Entertainment: Challenges and Opportunities

Smart speakers are becoming a more common platform for controlling
connected entertainment due to a rapid increase in popularity and ease
of use. Household penetration of smart speakers is expected to reach 47
percent among U.S. broadband households by 2022. New entrants in the
connected consumer electronics market are likely to make announcements
about new voice-controlled speakers at CES 2019
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/85589.html

Women as CEOs: The Problems and the Promise

I've followed several female CEOs over the years. Most failed, largely
because they were both unqualified for the job and their boards didn't
back them up. In several cases, the board and the CEO seemed to be in
conflict, or the board failed to act. That has created the impression
that female CEOs are a bad bet. However, I believe the real problem is
that boards haven't been doing their jobs.
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/85583.html

Protecting Against 'Natural' Cybersecurity Erosion

Every child who's ever played a board game understands that the act of
rolling dice yields an unpredictable result. In fact, that's why
children's board games use dice in the first place: to ensure a random
outcome that is -- from a macro point of view -- about the same
likelihood each time the die is thrown. Consider what would happen if
someone replaced the board game's dice with weighted dice.
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/85582.html

In Technology We Trust... But Should We?

Since the industrial revolution, technology has changed society
continually. Largely due to innovations in semiconductor electronics,
software and computer technology, the pace of technological development
has continued to accelerate over the past 50 years. Personal computers
now fit into your pocket. You have access to people and information all
over the world through the Internet.
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/85579.html

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