applenews
Latest
YouTube's 2017 lineup of Red Originals includes six new shows
Other than its innovated VR180 format and YouTube TV expansion, Google's video streaming site found time to mention its subscription package during Vidcon 2017. For 2017 the YouTube Red Originals lineup has a mix of new series on the way including an eSports comedy from Dan Harmon (Community) called Good Game starring Game Grumps personalities Dan Avidan and Arin "Egoraptor" Hanson, and its first reality series, Lace Up: The Ultimate Sneaker Challenge. As far as renewals, we knew of a cancellation for PewDiePie's show, but one of Red's first shows, Foursome, will return for a third go-round, alongside four other returning series and one movie sequel. YouTube also finally dropped a number showing some of the activity on its service, saying its originals have notched "nearly" a quarter billion views. After the break, check out a quick teaser trailer for the new shows plus more details on all of them.
Virgin Media: Change your Super Hub 2 password or risk being hacked
Typically, internet routers are designed to protect you and your devices from malicious third parties. But when many come with a default username and password, they can leave owners open to attack. That's the message consumer website Which? is pushing today, after it found that Virgin Media's Super Hub 2 routers can be hacked if users don't change the original credentials (normally printed on the back). Virgin Media says the risk is "small" but is urging over 800,000 customers to change the details to protect themselves.
Code 'recipes' from IFTTT help you stay on top of government news
It's not exactly hard to find publicly available government info and new announcements online. A bunch of new IFTTT recipes (now officially called applets) can make sure you never miss them when they become available, though. The platform has revealed its first group of applets under a new initiative called Data Access Project, and they cover health and travel alerts, the latest news in cybersecurity, economy and other areas. IFTTT recipes follow the "if this happens, then do that" formula -- for instance, you can whip up a recipe to send yourself a text whenever Engadget posts on Twitter. That's also how the Data Access Project applets work.
Nissan teases self-driving features for the next-gen Leaf
The next generation Leaf EV will be the first with ProPilot driver assist in North American and Europe, and Nissan has just showed how that will look. Activated by a button on the steering wheel, it can control steering, braking and acceleration, but only in a single freeway lane. The driver can see exactly what's going on with the aid of a fancy animation front and center in the largely digital dashboard.
IBM-powered DNA sequencing could find bacteria in raw milk
Babies love milk. Adults love milk-based products. You know what else loves milk? Good and bad bacteria. It's the ideal medium for bacteria growth and could cause various food-borne illnesses, especially if consumed in raw, unpasteurized form. Researchers typically just test the milk supply in the US for specific pathogens or harmful bacteria and viruses, but IBM and Cornell University want to take things a step further. They plan to create new analytical tools that can monitor raw milk -- that's milk straight out of the udder -- and instantly detect any anomaly that could turn out to be a food safety hazard.
Tesla is laying the groundwork to build cars in Shanghai
If you've been waiting to pull the trigger on one of Tesla's electric vehicles, the upcoming Model 3 probably looks pretty appealing. The car promises 215 miles per charge, ample seating, the tech for autopilot and it starts at just $35,000. Well, unless you're in China -- where imported vehicles get slapped with a 25-percent tariff. That fee is potentially disastrous to both customers' ability to buy Tesla vehicles in china and the company's bottom line. That's probably why Elon Musk's electric vehicle company is now talking with the Shanghai municipal government about opening a local manufacturing facility.
YouTube TV expands to ten more US metropolitan markets (updated)
YouTube TV seemed an adequate addition to the increasingly crowded streaming television market, but it launched back in April with a modest area footprint, operating in only five US cities for its first few months. Today, the company announced it's expanding availability to anyone in ten secondary metropolitan areas in the country.
Airbnb tests payment-splitting feature so you don't get stiffed
Airbnb is testing out a feature that would allow reservations to be split among multiple people. So, if you're booking with rude friends who never pay you back or if you want to book an expensive reservation that may be too much for one credit card to handle, this new feature would help you out. The option allows a reservation to be split with up to 16 people and is being tested with just a few listings as of now.
Sling TV extends cloud DVR to iOS devices
Sling TV's cloud DVR service is now available for iPhone and iPad. The streaming service's DVR "First Look" option costs an additional $5 per month and gives you 50 hours of DVR storage. The iOS devices now join the growing list of DVR-supported systems, which includes AirTV players, Amazon Fire TVs and tablets, Android TVs and mobile devices, Apple TVs, Roku™ streaming players and TVs, Xbox consoles and Windows 10 devices.
Tesla is reportedly trying to build its own music streaming service
Tesla has continued to one-up its achievements as a successful proprietor of safe, green and increasingly autonomous electric vehicles. But it might venture out from the niche its carved for a much more saturated market: Streaming audio. Music industry sources told Recode that Tesla has been in talks with major labels to create a proprietary service that it would bundle with its cars.
FCC may fine robocall spammer $120 million for illegal spoofing
Everyone hates those robocalls that target our phones to sell things we don't need. They're universally reviled, with Republicans backing legislation for ringless voicemail, the FTC offering a $25,000 reward for anti-robocall tech and AT&T and Burner both creating automatic robocall blocking systems for their customers. Now, an individual robocall scammer is facing a $120 million proposed fine from the FCC for his massive caller ID spoofing operation.
Google urges Congress to revise outdated overseas data laws
Access to data stored overseas has become a contentious issue with tech companies and the US government. Today, in a speech given to the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, Google's senior vice president and general counsel, Kent Walker, urged Congress to update the laws concerning this topic.
Airbnb to target wealthy customers who prefer luxury hotels
Airbnb keeps expanding its core disruption with new features to help increase its audience. The company has made it easier for business travelers to find a room with the Airbnb app and has tried its hand at tour guiding with a new activity suggestion feature. Now the room-sharing company is reportedly looking at ways to attract customers who would rather book at high-end luxury hotels.
Use emoji to search Kayak for travel deals
The inevitable march to replace words with emoji continues apace, with the world granting more legitimacy to the cartoony mini-images. Last month, an Israeli court ruled that they counted as enough "intent" in a civil case to turn the tide in one side's favor. But today is for you, travel fiends: Kayak now lets you search for destinations by emoji.
YouTube's 'VR180' format works on screens and in headsets
At today's Vidcon event, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki rolled out a new format for videos called VR180. Intended to split the difference between 360/VR formats and standard videos, it lets creators shoot videos that are immersive when viewed in a virtual reality headset, but still have a normal perspective -- with slight stretching and flattening -- for anyone watching on their 2D computer screen or phone. The Daydream team is apparently working with Lenovo, LG, and YI Technology to build new cameras that will record in the format, which creators will be able to edit using tools like Adobe Premiere.
Local ISP claims Comcast sabotaged it into shutting down
Comcast, everyone's favorite internet service provider, is embroiled in a lawsuit for allegedly destroying a local business. According to the complaint, as the telecom giant encroached on the turf of a small ISP in Texas, Comcast cut the business's cables in the process of setting up its own, which the local internet company claims was no accident. The subsequent service interruption caused customers to jump ship to Comcast and ran the local ISP out of business, and its owners are suing for damages.
Log off now before today’s Steam’s summer sale leaves you broke
Your wallet is about to get a bit lighter. Or, if you lack self-control, a lot lighter. That's because over the next 13 days games on Steam will be marked down dramatically during this year's summer sale. The first crop includes up to half off the Final Fantasy franchise and 70 percent off underwater indie charmer Abzu. Hyper Light Drifter has been discounted by half as well, and if you wanted to explore Mafia III's version of the Luisiana bayou, now it'll only cost you around $15.
Death by text: How the Michelle Carter case will impact free speech
Words can kill, a Massachusetts Juvenile Court judge decided last Friday, when he found 20-year old Michelle Carter guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the 2014 suicide of her then-boyfriend, Conrad Roy III. This decision, with its broad interpretation of the manslaughter statute, could potentially pose long-lasting consequences for how we speak to each other online and how cyberbullying is addressed by social media platforms.
FCC proposes ‘Blue Alert’ for threats against law enforcement
During their June Open Meeting today, the FCC adopted a proposal to add an alert to the US Emergency Alert System. If enacted, the Blue Alert would notify the public of ongoing threats to law enforcement in their area through broadcast, cable, satellite and wireline video outlets.
Mars Rover’s AI is really good at selecting rocks to analyze
If we truly want to go to Mars, then we really need to know what it's made of -- it's hard to bring everything you need from Earth. NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has been using specialized AI software to zap soil and rocks on the planet this past year to discover what each is made of. The software that guides the rover's efforts is called AEGIS, or Autonomous Exploration for Gathering Increased Science. AEGIS allows the rover to get more science of this nature done while Curiosity is out of contact with its human controllers, according to a new paper published by NASA in Science Robotics.
