The Public Access Weekly: Roadrunner, roadrunner
How is it already December 16th?! I haven't even started my Christmas shopping yet (so, Amazon gift cards for all!), and there's still New Years and CES approaching like a one-two-punch. It has, to put it mildly, been a busy month. Here's what's been going down in the Engadget community:
Commenters were treated to an upgrade this week, and now have profile and notification features enabled. We're pretty pleased with the changes, and so far the switch has been incredibly smooth. However, if you're experiencing anything wonky, please let us know by sending details to support@engagdet.com. I'd also like to give a shout out to the Engadget developer team who did a lot of work, very quickly, to make this happen. Cheers to them!
In Public Access, we've unfortunately had to remove the "Preview" feature for those who have the trial membership status because of some shady behavior on behalf of a few members. While those members have been suspended from the community, we do want to remind everyone that the trial status doesn't last forever. Members who have successfully published three articles without requiring significant editorial corrections, will be graduated to full membership which does have preview abilities enabled.
Speaking of shady behavior, a quick reminder that copying someone else's article and changing out the adjectives is still plagiarism. Rephrasing someone else's work is not the same as writing an original piece. If you're quoting an article, link and cite your sources and you will be A-OK. If you ever have questions about this you can reach us at publicaccess@engadget.com.
Looking for something to read? Check out:
Andre Smith highlights a few fun tech gadgets that can help you feel like James Bond...Or at least like Q. Personally, my favorite of the bunch is the pen document scanner or the lighter spy camera because they seem like they might have some kind of practical application. Not that I can think of one, but that's never stopped me from making a fun gadget purchase before.
Meanwhile, Ben Grooten gets us excited for the impending CES 2017 by running through some of the VR that will likely be showcased during the event. From Asus and HTC to lesser known names like Royole Moon and Finch, this is an intriguing list of what we can look forward to next year.
Lastly, Courtney McCaffrey lists five of the top cities that any technology enthusiast would do well to visit, complete with reasons why these metropolises' are hubs of bustling tech activity and a few suggestions on what to check out while you're visiting. For those interested in the tech attractions in the SF-Bay Area, I would add the Computer History Museum, the Yoda fountain at Lucasfilms, the Internet Archive, and the Pinball Museum in Alameda to your list.
Looking for something to write about? Mull over:
The DOT is looking into the possibility of passengers making voice calls over WiFi on planes. (Because flying is already so much fun.) While this idea makes me cringe, it did make me wonder: What technology development has resulted in the worst side effects? Is it not being able to have a conversation without glancing at our phones anymore? The constant distraction of work chat rooms? Tell us what you think is the most unfortunate technology side effect on human behavior.
This week Super Mario Run was released and yes, everybody in the Engadget office is playing it like crazy. If you are too, write us a review of what you think of the game. If you're not playing it (because you're an Android user, or you're still obsessed with Candy Crush, or you just hate Mario), tell us why.
'Tis the season for red and green themed everything -- and games like Overwatch are not missing the opportunity to get in on the fun with holiday events and game changes. Since the festivities won't last forever, tell us: What is your favorite holiday themed tech change that you've seen this month? Maybe it's the League of Legends holiday patch, or playing Temple Run 2 as Mrs. Claus, or maybe you just really, really like all those "log burning in a fireplace" apps. Weigh in and tell us what tech changes make it feel like the holidays to you.
