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Mitt Romney has a ridiculous Twitter alias: Pierre Delecto
In an interview with The Atlantic, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) admitted to being a "lurker" on Twitter. He wouldn't share his Twitter handle, but it didn't take long for the internet to figure out Romney's alias, Pierre Delecto (@qaws9876).
Watch DARPA's autopilot system fly a turboprop plane
It'll likely take a long time before DARPA's autopilot system flies military planes on its own, but this latest demonstration proves that it works. Aurora Flight Sciences, the aviation company that's developing the technology for the agency, has successfully tested it on a Cessna Caravan turboprop aircraft. Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System or ALIAS is comprised of a robotic arm and a tablet-based user interface with speech recognition, among other components. When installed on a plane, it acts as the co-pilot in charge of flying the aircraft -- its human companions can chill and spend their time keeping an eye on the weather or looking out for any potential threats.
You can use your real name on PlayStation 4 at launch, but aliases are OK too
Earlier this year at the PlayStation 4's coming out event, Mark Cerny, the system's lead architect, announced that gamers would be able to use real names on PlayStation Network. Today, Sony re-confirmed that news to Kotaku, stating that it will be available as an option at launch, although gamers can still opt to elect an alias. The move clearly highlights a different, more social direction for PSN, which up until now has just been a digital storefront. Apart from live video streaming capabilities, we don't have many more details about Sony's planned evolution for PSN, but we do know that, unlike Microsoft and its Xbox One, gamers won't have to wait to unmask themselves online. For its part, Microsoft does intend to let gamers use real names within its Friends app, but that option isn't set to go live until sometime after next month's Xbox One release.
Outlook.com drops linked email accounts in favor of aliases
Hotmail and Outlook.com have long supported linked email accounts for organizing messages. However, Microsoft now sees connected accounts as tempting targets for hackers -- so tempting, in fact, that the company is severing those links as a safety measure. Within the next two months, Outlook.com will move to using its alias system as the only way to handle multiple accounts. Users will have options to forward email and send messages from other addresses, but they won't get to control multiple accounts through one sign-in. Microsoft will start unlinking accounts in late July, so those who'd like a more orderly transition to the safer (if less convenient) approach will want to act quickly.
Mac 101: dealing with iCloud email spam
Dealing with an email inbox filled with spam can be a tedious process. Some spam emails, like those saying you have an inheritance overseas, are easy to spot, while others are cleverly crafted to appear legitimate. If you use an iCloud email account, here are some tips to help you curb your incoming spam. Avoid opening obvious spam emails First and foremost, you should not open an email that you recognize as being spam. Sometimes, the act of opening an email will alert the sender that the email has been viewed by the recipient. If the spammer knows that he has a fresh set of eyes, he will send even more spam your way. Enable junk mail filtering The Mail client built into OS X Mountain Lion has a Junk Mail filtering option that you should enable, especially if you get a lot of spam. You can access the settings by opening Mail > Preferences > Junk Mail (icon) and selecting "Enable junk mail filtering." The default settings should capture most of your spam, but you can tweak the settings if you want more control over you junk mailbox. If you enable the Junk Mail option, make sure you take the time to mark messages as junk mail. Every time you mark an email as junk, the entry is added to the junk mail database and the next message from this sender will be pushed into your junk mail folder. Over time, the amount of spam hitting your inbox will gradually drop. Manage your junk mail folder Apple's mail server is good at filtering spam, but it is not perfect. You can improve its filtering by marking inbox spam as junk. You can either Choose "Mark as Junk Mail" from the Action pop-up menu at the top of the window if you are using iCloud email in a web browser. You can also manually drag an email and drop it in the junk folder. All email messages in the junk folder are flagged as spam and stay in this folder for 30 days. After 30 days, they are deleted. It's a good habit to remember to check this folder on a regular basis. Sometimes, important emails are accidentally identified as spam and routed to this folder. Select a message, then click the Not Junk button to move this and subsequent emails from that sender to your inbox. Disable automatic image loading Besides not opening suspicious emails, you should also disable automatic image loading in emails. I know that it's great to be able to view your cousin's cute cat pictures as soon as you click on an email, but some spammers will use this automatic image loading feature to determine whether an email account is active. You can turn off images in the OS X Mail app by selecting Mail > Preferences > Viewing (icon) and deselecting "Display remote images in HTML messages." Don't worry, this won't strip the images from your incoming emails. You will just have to manually choose to load the images instead. Use an alias email address Signing up for a new online service or joining a new online mailing list is another surefire way to get additional spam. To keep your primary iCloud email in pristine condition, you should use your primary account to email only your close friends and create an alias email account for all your online ventures. Users are allowed to create three email aliases per iCloud account. To create an alias, you should open the web-based version of iCloud email by logging in to iCloud.com. Open iCloud email and click on the gear-shaped Action pop-up menu in the top-right corner of the window. Click on Accounts to open the account management console and then select "Add an Alias." You will have to create a new iCloud email address that includes between three and 20 characters. You can also add in your full name, assign a label color and add a description like "online shopping" for this alias. Once you create a alias, you can send and receive email from the account. You can also disable it when you don't want to use it for a while and turn it back on when you do. When an alias is disabled, all incoming email is returned to sender. You can also delete an alias, but deleting an alias is permanent. If you think you may use the alias again, you should simply turn it off.
Amazon, Netflix ink licensing deals with ABC, add new content for you to munch on
It was a pretty busy day for the Disney-ABC Television Group yesterday, as the company announced a new licensing deal with Amazon, while renewing its pre-existing agreement with Netflix. The Amazon deal will allow Amazon Prime members to access all prior seasons of Grey's Anatomy, every episode of Lost, and all previous seasons of The Secret Life of the American Teenager, among other series. Amazon expects to add a total of some 13,000 titles to Prime Instant Video by "early next year," and just in time for the holiday season (as well as the release of the Kindle Fire). The renewal of Netflix's deal, meanwhile, ensures that the company will continue to offer episodes of shows like Private Practice, Brothers and Sisters, and Ugly Betty, as well as new additions, including Switched at Birth, Kick Buttowski and Alias. Basically, though, it's just more of the same. But at a time when Netflix is losing customers in the wake of its price hike and Qwikster debacle, maybe stability isn't such a bad thing. Surf past the break for a pair of dueling PRs.
Grammy-winning Up composer got his break in video games
You may have heard of mild-mannered Michael Giacchino, who ended up winning two Grammys this past weekend for his work as the composer for Pixar's tear-jerking animated romp, Up. However, you might not know that he found his humble beginnings in video games -- according to his recent interview with Variety, he was hand-picked by Steven Spielberg to do the soundtrack for the Jurassic Park: The Lost World game. J.J. Abrams played said dino-platformer, and ended up contacting Giacchino to do the music for Alias -- it was all uphill from there. It's a really cool story, if only because it finally proves that The Lost World actually had a soundtrack behind all those raptor squeals and Wilhelm screams.
Mac Pro takes a bullet, brings justice
This piece isn't about shooting Mac Pros, but it is about how the Mac Pro is helping forensics professionals solve cases faster and more accurately. Pyramidal Technologies produces a system called ALIAS (Advanced balLIstics Analysis System), a replacement for standard ballistic investigation systems that offers faster ramp-up times, increases data accuracy in ballistics investigations, and lowers operator error. Pyramidal's tagline, "Solve more crimes, Convict more criminals, Save more lives" sums up their mission pretty succinctly. ALIAS will help to convict more criminals with more accuracy, and should even solve some previously-unsolvable cold cases. Helping to proactively build a civil society by identifying wrongdoers and exposing them to justice is among the many socially conscious goals of Pyramidal Technologies. I found this story of interest because, in my limited experience, the world of law enforcement does not lean very heavily toward the Apple side of the computing spectrum. I assume that this is for the same primary reason that any agency, organization or company tends to stick with Windows: the software they depend on is Windows-based and often proprietary. What intrigued me here was the fact that the benefits of various systems, both hardware and operating system, were weighed in an OS-agnostic fashion, and the Mac won. Here's what I learned about the reasons why ... Share
Using aliases to extend Front Row's capabilities
While Front Row's integration with iTunes and iPhoto provides a nice, seamless experience, there are times when your needs demand a not-so-integrated approach -- say, for example, if you have an external hard drive full of videos that you'd like to watch on Front Row, but don't necessarily want to import into iTunes or copy into your Movies. One solution to this is to create an alias that points to said external hard drive or any other folder on your computer or network. For new PC-to-Mac converts, an alias is the equivalent of a "shortcut" on Windows. To create an alias, right-click on the file or folder (in our case, folder) and select "Make Alias." Now, place said alias in the your Movies folder, which is located in /Users/username/Movies. Now, you'll be able to browse and play movies of the folder that the alias points to. And if QuickTime can play the file, then so too can Front Row.
Samsung's e-ink texting Alias 2 now on sale at Verizon Wireless
Electronic ink ain't just for readers. Samsung's Alias 2 is here, making use of a cleverly segmented display to make a mighty-morphing, e-ink keypad, which you can now get thumbing at Verizon Wireless -- right on time, no less. The price with a two-year contract is $129.99, but another $50 instant discount brings it down to a tick under $80. Go get your text on.[Via PhoneArena]
Video: Samsung's Alias 2 dynamic E-Ink keypad in action
JenJen, a forum jockey over at HowardForums, was lucky enough to coax a Verizon sales rep into selling her Samsung's new Alias 2 a few days early. Fortunately she did as any of us would and posted a video of her fresh out of box experience to YouTube. While this featurephone isn't much of a looker, it's nice to finally see the dynamically changing E Ink keypad in action. Check it after the break.[Thanks, Mike M.]
Samsung Alias 2 and Motorola Rival a445 appear in the wild
Got enough electronic ink yet this week? Hope not, cause here's the Samsung Alias 2 in the wild, complete with that segmented E Ink keypad. Apparently mode changes happen smoothly and quickly, so our usability fears now just boil down to feel -- those buttons do not look fun to press. We'll see when it launches on May 11. Oh, and teenyboppers on the V might want to check out the blurry pic of the Motorola Rival a445 / Rush 2 after the break -- it's not going to blow your mind, but we hear you're into the colorful QWERTY slider scene these days. You scamps.
Samsung Alias 2 launching on May 11, E Ink confirmed?
We're hearing that the Alias 2 is on track for a release in less than two weeks from now -- May 11, to be exact -- which would mean that we're just a few short days away from seeing the very first E Ink handset launch in the States. Yes, that's right, we said it -- after all the heated debate over the technology powering the Alias 2's configurable keypad, our tipster tells us that new information floating down from corporate confirms that the device is using E Ink, which would explain why it's able to maintain state even with the power off. We still think it's one awfully ugly phone, but this might be one of those all-too-frequent cases where cool tech ends up winning our hearts anyway. As for pricing, the tipster thinks it may come in at $79, which seems improbable even with deep contract discounting and a big mail-in rebate -- but if by some miracle it does end up being accurate, they're going to be selling tons of these to text-heavy geeks like ourselves. [Image via PhoneArena, thanks ehjun]
The Agency's character advancement stays true to skill-based gameplay
In most MMOs, we're used to our time investment leading to a character that is overwhelmingly powerful, compared to a player that is fresh out of the gates. For example, a level 30 is going to thrash a level 10 in World of Warcraft or Warhammer Online, barring gross incompetence from the higher level. However, The Agency's developers are making sure that a ranked-up character isn't guaranteed to beat down a rookie in PvP combat, as SOE Seattle game designer and writer Matt Staroscik detailed in a recent interview.This doesn't mean that there's no point to leveling up a toon -- Staroscik reminded us that players will gain new skills and weapon techniques as they play, and the ability to equip different gear. These perks will make an experienced player a tad more deadly, but a newcomer that takes quickly to the shooter gameplay should be able to hold their own. It sounds quite similar to Call of Duty 4's multiplayer advancement.Staroscik also mentioned the "alias" outfits that we've heard about in the past. The system sounds like it could provide a nice change from being a heavily-armed bad-ass, provided that there's some variety to the missions that come up.
ZAP Alias electric car makes its video debut
ZAP didn't have much more than some shiny renders to show for itself when it snapped up the hundred-year-old Detroit Electric brand earlier this year, but it looks like the company has now finally turned out an equally shiny prototype, which recently made its debut on the local news in Ohio. Unfortunately, the car apparently isn't capable of moving off the parking lot on its own just yet, with it reportedly now on its way to California where it'll get outfitted with a motor. While the current pace of things may seem a bit slow, the company is apparently still promising to have its first cars on the road as early as next year, when the Alias here is expected to sell for about $33,000. Hit up the read link below for the video.[Via AutoblogGreen]
Q&A with The Agency's Hal Milton
In a recent Q&A session with Hal Milton, SOE Seattle's lead designer for The Agency, we get a glimpse into some new info on the characters, leveling and ranking system put in place already. We find out how the six specialties work according to the outfit your player wears, and how certain items can increase your level in a unique system of proficiencies and badges to prevent a typical linear leveling system.There's also word on a mind-blowing alias system which is based on how well you can act the part of the alias you're assuming. For instance, you're in disguise in a bar, and you may start to seem a bit out of place. By performing certain actions that people would normally do in that environment, you're tricking them into thinking you're actually NOT a spy. Of course if you act suspicious, you'll blow your cover! Then, everyone will scream NARC and it's all over for you.
Can you do that? Verizon renames year-old Samsung U740 to "Alias"
After a full year on the market, Verizon's apparently looking to give its dual-hinged U740 textmeister a swift kick in the pants. How? By hooking it up with a slick, marketing department-approved name, of course. The U740 will heretofore be known simply as the "Alias," which we don't really think has anything to do with the phone's physical characteristics, but maybe we're just totally missing something here. The specs obviously haven't changed, but at the very least, we think we can probably expect the phone to be on the market for a while yet seeing how they've invested this little smidge of effort into its revival. 80 bucks will land you a shiny new Alias on contract, if you're so inclined.[Via phoneArena]
TUAW Tip: Names for .Mac aliases sync to Apple Mail
One of my most significant gripes with .Mac has been in relation to a seemingly minor feature, but one that is (in my experience) fairly unique to Apple's struggling web service: email aliases. When I discovered .Mac a few years ago, I immediately fell in love with the ability to create alternative email addresses that still funnel into one inbox; one address for email lists I'm subscribed to, another for shopping online, etc. These .Mac aliases make it incredibly easy to filter email (for example: a rule that says "move all messages sent to [this address] to [that folder]"), and they also act as a safety net because if one gets caught by a spam bot, it can easily be deleted and replaced with a new one with barely a few clicks in the .Mac mail preferences pane. I also prefer the way .Mac aliases work to Gmail's, because they can be truly unique names: shopping@mac.com can be an alias for steve@mac.com, while Gmail is limited by a username+alias@gmail.com format, allowing any person or bot familiar with Gmail to easily scrape out one's true address.However, my gripe with this wonderful alias feature is that, at least early on, you couldn't apply actual names to any of these aliases; they would simply appear in people's inboxes as being from AliasName@mac.com. Once .Mac introduced the ability to name these aliases some time ago, they were still handicapped by the fact that the names you apply to aliases wouldn't sync down to Apple Mail, and sending email from those aliases would not take on the names you applied. Again, an admittedly minor gripe over an obscure feature, but there are a number of reasons this name + alias thing can be incredibly useful, not the least of which is a professional appearance when corresponding with clients and businesses, as well as simply allowing people to know who you are when you reply to email lists and the like.But the time for griping about minor details that make a big difference in .Mac aliases has been officially retired, for sometime since that big .Mac webmail upgrade last October that we reviewed, Apple Mail has been endowed with the magical goodness necessary to synchronize the names you apply to your aliases. Like I said, I haven't touched my .Mac email in a while for various reasons (this alias issue being one) so I didn't catch it earlier, but after tinkering with it this morning I noticed that Mail was suddenly displaying a few of the names I had given to my aliases (pulldown menu pictured above on right). This should be fantastic news to any .Mac members (or potential members) interested in leveraging the incredibly handy powers of this alias feature. It might take a synchronization or two for Apple Mail to pull down any of the names you apply in the .Mac mail preference pane, but you too can enjoy the wonders of flexible, secure and (if need be) anonymous emailing both online and - finally - with the integrated goodness of Apple's desktop email client.
Give names to your .Mac aliases in Mail.app with a simple AppleScript
I.heart.macosxhints.com. An enterprising reader of their site submitted an AppleScript that offers you a simple dialog for each .Mac alias you have, allowing you to enter custom names to be associated with each alias in Mail.app (something Apple badly, badly needs to add themselves). It works wonderfully, but here's a tip: make sure Mail.app isn't running when you use this script, as it's doing nothing more than editing Mail.app's preference file in order to add these names to each alias.Here is a link to the AppleScript, which I recommend you simply copy into a new window in Script Editor. Enjoy!
HDTV Listings for May 22, 2006
What we're watching: Sydney Bristow vs. Jack Bauer for one night only. Alias surprises us with a move to Monday for a two hour Rambaldi-revealing series finale. 24 also puts a two hour season finale on deck, accompanied by King of Queens, Two and a Half Men, the last two episodes of New Adventures of Old Christine and CSI: Miami.Not to be forgotten are the ongoing NHL playoffs, as well as two NBA Game 7s. We finally find out who will be going to the conference finals and who will be going home with Mavericks vs. Spurs at 8 p.m. followed by Suns vs. Clippers at 10:30. Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
