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YouTube will temporarily increase automated content moderation
YouTube will rely more on machine learning and less on human reviewers during the coronavirus outbreak. Normally, algorithms detect potentially harmful content and send it to human reviewers for assessment. But these are not normal times, and in an effort to reduce the need for employees and contractors to come into an office, YouTube will allow its automated system to remove some content without human review.
Apple removes Taiwan flag emoji from iOS in Hong Kong
Apple appears to have removed the Taiwan flag from the emoji keyboard of users that have their iOS region set to Hong Kong or Macau, according to a number of local websites, including Hiraku. The change, implemented via a software update, comes not long after the company released its iOS 13 operating system, and highlights the complicated relationship that Apple -- and indeed many American companies -- have with China.
Instagram users can now flag false content
Beginning today, Instagram users can report content that they believe to be false. Instagram will use those flags to better understand misinformation on the platform and to train its AI to spot false content. In time, Instagram will use the feedback, as well as other "signals" -- like how old a post is and the account's previous behavior -- to determine if a post needs to be reviewed by third-party fact checkers. This is slightly different than the pilot program Instagram launched in May, which allows users to flag false content for review by fact checkers. For now, that will remain a pilot.
UK university will study students' social media data to prevent suicide
A university in the UK is planning to use data analytics to help prevent student suicide. Northumbria University, and a handful of partner organizations, will collect data from students' social media accounts to create an "Early Alert Tool." If successful, it will identify students in crisis so the university can provide aid.
Google's refreshed Chrome design is nearly here
Chrome's design has remained largely the same for a long time, but earlier this year Google started hinting at a complete "Material Design" overhaul. Now, we've got a better idea of what this might finally look like. As the company gets even closer to updating the browser's UI, it's today rolled out an update to Chrome Canary on Windows, Linux and Chrome OS that enables the new Material Design UI by default.
Lawmaker: Chile and Texas don't share a flag, y'all
The current roster of emojis includes many national flags, but not state-specific ones. So, left with few other options, people have taken to using the Chilean flag emoji (🇨🇱) to signify Texas pride. This makes sense considering how much the two flags look alike, but one Texas lawmaker has had enough.
Intel drones form US flag for Lady Gaga's halftime show
Remember when quadcopter drones juggled balls and formed up into a Star Trek logo? That seems downright quaint compared to what we just saw at Lady Gaga's elaborately produced Super Bowl halftime show. During her first number, 300 Intel drones formed the shape of an American flag, punctuating the singer's wire-assisted fall to the stage below.
Should this be the flag for planet Earth?
What's going to happen when astronauts finally land on Mars? In all likelihood, the expedition will be a joint effort between multiple nations and space agencies. So when a perilous explorer steps out onto the red planet, we might need a new flag. One that represents Earth. Such a mission is unlikely to happen any time soon, but already one designer has drawn up a potential flag design. It features a blue background and seven interlocking rings, which creator Oskar Pernefeldt says forms a flower. It was made for a graduation project, so there's nothing to suggest it'll be adopted, and oddly NASA is listed among the project's contributors. Do you think it does the job? Let us know below. Update: NASA has confirmed it wasn't involved in the creation of the flag design. "When we go to Mars, we will carry an American flag," a spokesperson told Engadget.
Mario dons the stars and stripes for Smash Bros. alternate
Though Mario now spends his days jumping on turtles and racing go-karts throughout the Mushroom Kingdom, he's a boy from Brooklyn, and this latest Super Smash Bros. costume demonstrates his patriotic spirit. Unveiled by the Japanese Super Smash Bros. Twitter account, the above costume is a Yankee Doodle homage to the duds Mario is seen wearing on the cover of classic 8-bit golf game NES Open Tournament Golf. Though that is a wildly esoteric reference, it provides a nice contrast to Mario's staid red and blue overalls. Why this image is appearing now and not, say, six days ago is a mystery. [Image: Nintendo]
Crowdfunded Project News: The best of Kickstarter, Indiegogo and the rest
Every week, TUAW provides readers with an update on what new or significant crowdfunded Apple-related projects are in the news. While our policy is to not go into detail on items that haven't reached at least 80 percent of their funding goal, this update is designed to give readers a heads-up on projects they might find interesting enough to back. Note that we're not covering those "projects" on Indiegogo where people are trying to get someone else to cough up money for a new computer or tablet... From Kickstarter: The Bringrr Bluetooth tag was funded this week, achieving a level of US$76,561 -- just over the $75,000 project goal. Backers will begin to see their diminutive finder tags in July. iCPooch is a fun project for dog owners. It's a combination webcam and remotely controlled doggy snack dispenser. You can talk to your pooch from your iPhone while you're away, see how your pet is doing and then give him a treat. The project is already more than half-funded with 27 days to go, so expect to be able to spoil your hound remotely in the near future. Flag wants you to be able to print and mail up to 20 photos a month to friends (or yourself). How's this possible? The developers of this app and service will print an ad on the back of every high-quality photo print. The project is 77 percent funded with six days to go. It's a very clever idea that takes the cost out of getting smartphone and tablet photos printed. You've seen the Padcaster in the Apple "Verse" advertisements. It's an aluminum frame that holds a full-size iPad (pre-Air, although an insert is in the works), lights, microphones and other movie-making gear and can be mounted onto a tripod. Well, Padcaster creator Josh Apter has a Kickstarter project started up for an iPad mini version of the device. Padcaster Mini has 29 days to go; be sure to give this project your support. From Indiegogo: Jumper Card is a project I've been watching for a while, although it was only recently added to Indiegogo. It's essentially a credit card-sized set of cables that can be used for charging or syncing your favorite device. Although it's just slightly thicker than a credit card, it contains USB, micro-USB, Lightning and 30-pin Dock connector cables along with a small emergency battery and an LED flashlight. Jumper Card currently has only $745 of a $10,000 goal with 41 days to go, but will go ahead regardless of whether or not the project reaches its goal. We'll have a TUAW review of this handy little device in the very near future. If you're aware of any other crowdfunded Apple-related projects, be sure to let us know about them through the Tip Us button at the upper right of the TUAW home page for future listing on the site.
Korean players protest a flag in World of Warships
When you're dealing with a global market, sometimes it's the most innocuous elements that cause a problem. World of Warships, cousin to both World of Tanks and World of Warplanes, included something that made several Korean gamers very angry: A flag. Specifically, the Rising Sun flag on several Japanese ships. From Wargaming.net's perspective, since the game is meant to have players at the helm of ships used by the major armies involved in World War II, including a period-appropriate decoration was perfectly reasonable. However, to several players in the region, the Rising Sun flag is seen as a reminder of Japanese military expansion and aggression, which is still a sensitive topic in many regions. The company's representatives posted on the official forums that the flag will be removed from the game, with the added clarification that the team is trying to be as sensitive as possible to cultural differences. The game is currently in testing and is due for general release later this year.
EVE Evolved: Baiting players is hilarious fun!
I originally planned to put together updated ship setups for EVE Online's newly revamped Caldari, Minmatar, and Amarr Tech 1 cruisers this week, but I've honestly been having far too much fun baiting people in highsec with last week's Vexor setup. I'm having such hilarious fun doing it that I just had to dedicate this week's column to the dirty art of the bait-and-gank! There's absolutely nothing more amusing in EVE than baiting a ship twice the size of yours into attacking you for an "easy kill" and then turning it into a very expensive smoking wreck. The basic idea of baiting is simple: Get yourself flagged as a suspect by committing a minor crime like theft, fly around waiting for someone to attack you, and then tear him to bits. Before Retribution, you were flagged as a valid target only to the individual people you stole from, but once they attacked, you were safe to engage. Now you're flagged to the whole of EVE, making it easier to get a bite but also a whole lot riskier to engage in a crowded area. It's hard to pick and choose your fights when the whole universe is gunning for you, but when you get a good bite, there are some insanely fun fights to be had. In this week's EVE Evolved, I give some top tips on how to safely bait players in high-security space, where to find the best targets, and what ships are most effective.
EVE Evolved: Three ways to break Retribution
EVE Online's upcoming Retribution expansion is set to revolutionise PvP with its brand-new criminal and bounty hunting systems. Players will be able to hunt down criminals who show their faces in highsec, and bounty hunters will track not just individuals but also entire corporations and alliances. If past expansions are any indication, however, the first thing players invariably do with any new feature is to try to break it. Some people will undoubtedly find ways to bend the new gameplay into scams, others will trick players into getting themselves killed for a few laughs, and a few will hunt for borderline exploits. We now know enough about Retribution's new features to figure out some of the ways they can be potentially abused. The ability to sell kill rights opens up a whole new scam based on tempting players with a juicy target and then pulling the rug out from under their feet. The new Suspect flag that lets players dispense justice to criminals can also be used to bait innocent players into getting themselves killed. There may even be a way to get rid of bounties for free, undermining one of the expansion's core mechanics. In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at three potential pitfalls in the upcoming Retribution expansion, how they might work when the expansion goes live, and how to protect yourself from falling victim to them.
EVE Evolved: Bounty hunting and revenge
Last week I looked into the major PvP changes coming in EVE Online's upcoming Retribution expansion, from the piracy revamp to a new global flagging system that puts players in the driving seat of justice. This week CCP Games revealed full details of the upcoming bounty hunting system revamp, and I have to say I'm really excited. The new bounty system not only makes bounty hunting a viable profession again but also gives players a way to deal significant financial damage to their enemies without getting their hands dirty. As if that weren't enough, players will even be able to enforce the law on their own terms, trawling high-security space for criminals and lighting them up for everyone to kill. Corporate- and alliance-level bounties will push grudges to new levels, enabling a new type of passive financial warfare. The new bounty system can also be used as a tool to motivate troops into battle, a way to incentivise boring but necessary starbase warfare, and even a method for running tournaments. In this week's EVE Evolved, I get ridiculously excited about EVE's upcoming bounty hunting revamp and explain why it makes the Retribution expansion a complete game-changer.
Assassin's Creed 3 gets Limited Edition in North America, with colonial flag, statue, and more
Just in time for Independence Day, Ubisoft has offered up a way to show a little national pride, Assassin's Creed 3 style. The company has announced the Assassin's Creed 3 Limited Edition, which will retail for $119.99 and come with extra goods, including a huge 24" by 48" Assassin's Creed-inspired colonial American flag. Ubisoft sent a flag fitting this description to the press last week, and we've placed a picture of it after the break. (see update)There's also a 9.44" statue of new assassin Connor, and a metal belt buckle, presumably used for holding up your pants while carrying out cold-blooded murders. The Limited Edition is an exclusive to retailers in North America and Latin America, so Europeans are out of luck on this one.There's also a Digital Deluxe Edition available straight from Ubisoft for the PC. For $64.99 you'll get a notebook featuring "George Washington's true story" (we hope wooden teeth are involved), three extra single-player missions, two extra in-game outfits, and an Assassin's Creed soundtrack collection. %Gallery-159585%Update: Ubisoft has confirmed that the flag in our picture below is not the flag available in the Limited Edition.
YouTube options, iPad multitasking animation, Game Center flagging coming in iOS 4.2
9to5Mac has been digging through the brand new iOS 4.2 beta, and they've found a few new features hidden in the mix. First up, the build offers some new YouTube uploading options -- you can now choose to make your uploaded YouTube videos public, unlisted, or private upon upload. Honestly, I've had hit-or-miss luck with uploading to YouTube straight from my iPhone, but it's nice to know the process is being worked on. Maybe we'll have some optimization come along with the new options. Second, as you can see above, the iPad has gotten itself a brand new multitasking animation. Instead of just pulling up whatever app you're switching to, it'll actually spin the windows around (this functionality is already up and running on the iPhone, but now it'll be available on the iPad as well). And finally, last but definitely not least, it looks like iTunes will be getting some Game Center indicators -- you'll be able to see directly from the App Store listing when an app is compatible with Apple's official Game Center features. That last one is a big one, given that Game Center integration seems to be selling games lately. It's unfortunate that we probably won't have any other icons like that. It would be cool to browse the App Store and instantly see whether a game is compatible with OpenFeint or Plus+, or whether it has local or online multiplayer or just leaderboard functionality. But Apple's probably not interested in that other stuff -- it's just selling Game Center integration for now. You can look forward to all of these features in iOS 4.2, which is scheduled to come to the public in November.
CCP Games conquers Mount Kilimanjaro, one step closer to world domination
CCP Games is a company with a singular lofty goal: World Domination. From their humble beginnings in a small office in Reykjavik, Iceland, they released an experimental sci-fi MMO into an untested market. Almost seven years down the line, EVE Online has been a consistent success and CCP as a company has expanded at an incredible rate. Now with additional offices in China, North America and the UK and two exciting new games on the way, they're well on their way to meeting that gargantuan goal. Last month, CCP took their plans to dominate the earth literally as they conquered Africa's highest peak. On March 1st 2010 at approximately 6:30AM, CCP developers "CCP Solomon", "CCP Diagoras" and "CCP Punkturis" from the company's Reykjavik office arrived at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Along with a fourth friend named Sveinn Sveinsson, they completed an impressive 6 day trek to the peak through harsh conditions. On arrival, they literally planted the CCP flag at Uhuru peak, an incredible 5895 metres above sea level. [Via MMORPG.com]
Gilneas flag revealed
Every faction and major city has its own flag and crest, and of course we figured that goblins and worgen would be no exception to this rule come Cataclysm. We haven't seen the goblin one yet, but it looks like Blizzard may have just revealed the worgen flag in promotional materials for their fifth anniversary celebration! As seen in the photo above, featured in Kotaku's 5 Years of WoW article, the flag looks ... a lot like the Quake III logo, upside down. But, of course, it also looks a lot like a clawed hand, which makes sense. And it's also a red and yellow circle on a black background, which is the classic worgen eye color scheme. It's worth noting that this isn't the same design as the Warcraft II Gilneas flag, but that makes sense given how much change the kingdom has experienced. Looks pretty neat. Hopefully we get a full crest like every other faction gets, too. The blood elf and draenei crests were so cool that it'd be a shame if these new races didn't get one. We're counting on you, Samwise. And while we're on the subject, it's just about time for you to update the official Cataclysm site, isn't it, Blizzard? World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it. Nothing will be the same. In WoW.com's Guide to Cataclysm you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion. From Goblins and Worgens to Mastery and Guild changes, it's all there for your cataclysmic enjoyment.
ATI DCT Firmware update pops up on Windows Update, DRM-free MCE recordings & SDV are a go
Microsoft delivered the first half of two promised ATI Digital Cable Tuner-related updates as the 1.19.12.09050155 firmware update is now available from Windows Update (listed with the optional udates) that will relax the way it handles DRM on its recordings and add support for Switched Digital Video. With the new update applied, all Copy Freely-marked programing will be recorded without DRM allowing you to move it between PCs, convert it to another format or whatever you wish with ease, however as our hands on experience with the new firmware indicated you'll still need your cable provider to pass along the right bits to make it all operate properly. Still waiting in the wings is the Advisor Utility that will allow Digital Cable Tuners to work with any PC, no OEM purchase or hacking skills required. [Thanks, Rob]
Apple permitted to fly flag
Just this week, Apple was granted permission to fly a 19.5 square-foot flag at the forthcoming Santa Barbara, CA Apple Store. The only other Apple Stores to have a flag London's Regent Street and Pasadena, California. The odd thing is that the flag will be this store's only external sinage.When Apple was developing the store on Boston's Boylson Street, they had trouble getting the facade approved by the Back Bay Architectural Commission and went through several revisions before everyone was satisfied. The Santa Barbara store, which is likely to open next month, will be California's 43rd location.[Via ifoAppleStore]
