The Public Access Weekly: Fix up look sharp
Admittedly, I am extremely late to the party here but we just started watching Mr.Robot and holy cow is that ever a great show! I'm not sure I've ever been so impressed by the USA Network. It more than makes up for the turn that Gotham has taken this season. (Why is everyone going to the same Hunger Games hairstylist all of a sudden? Why do we keep retreading over the same characters? And am I really supposed to buy Jim Gordon as a bounty hunter? So. Many. Questions.) Rants aside, let's get down to business because we've got some updates for you Public Access members:
Starting this week, the "Looking for something to read?" section of the Public Access Weekly will feature stories written by Public Access members, instead of by Engadget staff members. While we may make an occasional exception for particularly stand-out Engadget stories that are in the same vein as Public Access, we'll be highlighting your work here much more often.
Some of you may have noticed that we had wee bit of a glitch with last weeks Public Access Weekly newsletter, which (embarrassingly enough) went out to you empty. We are awfully sorry about that! The newsletter was pulling data from the wrong place, but we've made the necessary fixes that so there shouldn't be a problem going forward.
Also, next week you'll see a refreshed and updated Public Access post page -- meaning the template where you create your stories will look a bit different. You'll still have all the same buttons, in much the same locations, but will also see some changes and additional features. We'll be updating our "Writing and Publishing Posts" resources page to reflect these changes, but as always, let us know if you experience any snags or problems!
Looking for something to read? Check out:
Sarah Pike covers Google Fiber's struggles in expanding to Portland, discussing how the service has pulled in fewer customers than expected and faced unanticipated expenses in installation. Portland customers have apparently been unimpressed by the service so far, but Pike points out the ways in which Google Fiber's offerings have upped the ante for other service providers in the area.
Not being a pro gamer personally, I would have a limited idea on how to prepare myself for a gaming competition (Uh... Get hydrated? Be well rested? Do carpal tunnel stretching?). Fortunately, Dianna Labrien has written a guide in time for the Intel Extreme Masters Championship. Full of a variety of tips from what hardware to bring, and what to expect, this is an interesting look at what it takes to game at this level.
We get a fair amount of articles about 3D printing on Public Access, but none of them has examined the potential for 3D printers to go boldly where no 3D printer has gone before in order to... make pancakes for astronauts. This unique article from DImitar explores the hypothetical possibilities of using 3D printers to improve the breakfast offerings of spacemen.
Looking for something to write about? Mull over:
After several unfortunate fires and two recalls, Samsung has ended production of the Galaxy Note 7 to the dismay of the handsets many fans. The news of the recall has many ruminating on what this will mean for the manufacturer (as evidenced by the nearly 400 comments in the article). So, where does Samsung go from here? Can they win back the trust of their fans and customers?
The NYPD uses Windows Phones -- because of the platforms remote management and security features. And there are more Windows Phone fans out there, as many people in the comments tout their love for their Lumia handsets. Are you using a Windows Phone? If so, tell us why you're sticking with the handset and what you like most about the platform.
Madefire has released a free Gear VR preview app to let fans of its Motion Books read the series in virtual reality. While this is just an initial foray into including VR into digital format comics, it could be a good way to upgrade the experience. Do you read comics digitally? If so, what's your favorite method/service to do so? And do you find VR a compelling addition?
