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Kenya halts biometric ID scheme over discrimination fears
Kenya introduced a sweeping national biometric identity program last year, with the view to collecting personal and biometric data -- such as fingerprints and facial photographs -- from its 50 million-strong population. Now, however, the program has been temporarily suspended by the country's high court, which has cited concerns about the way the data may be used.
Apple TV+ will drop every episode of ‘Little America’ on January 17th
Little America, the anthology series based on true stories about immigrants in the US, arrives on Apple TV+ on January 17th. Apple will release all of season one's episodes at once, rather than weekly as it's done with other shows, and more than a month before Little America's debut, Apple has already committed to a second season.
GitHub will store all of its public open source code in an Arctic vault
Let's face it, there are a lot of things that could bring about the end of the world as we know it -- heightened political tensions, climate change, even an asteroid. In the event that things go FUBAR, what will happen to the masses upon masses of data and digital stuff that humanity relies upon every day? If open source coding platform GitHub has anything to do with it, it'll all be stored safely at the very ends of the Earth.
Zane Lowe's new Beats 1 show is all about new music
This summer, Apple created New Music Daily, a curated playlist with the latest and most popular tracks from around the world. Today, it's launching a companion radio broadcast on Beats 1. The weekly show, "New Music Daily with Zane Lowe," will feature interviews with artists, commentary and songs from the playlist. The first episode premieres today at 12PM ET (9AM PT) with guests Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez and Coldplay's Chris Martin.
USB-C could soon offer protection against nefarious devices
USB chargers and devices are universally accessible and easy to use, but they come with a host of potential security risks, namely the spread of malware from infected devices, and data leakage should a device fall into the wrong hands. Now, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) -- the big dog in the advancement of USB tech -- has launched its USB Type-C Authentication Program, which will help mitigate these issues.
Australia is forming its own space agency
Australia is finally getting its own space agency. After months of talks, the federal government has decided it's time the land down under is on par with other developed nations -- including its neighbour New Zealand -- and has put $50 million aside to launch the program.
Amazon wants social media influencers to sell you products
Amazon's always kicked a few cents the way of its unpaid salespeople if they convince family and friends to purchase something. Now, however, the company is making a big play for people and companies with large social media followings. The retailer has launched an "influencer program" that enables folks that are big on the internet to set up their own branded stores.
Samsung launches a phone upgrade program of its own
With global smartphone sales decidedly flat, how can companies push new device sales? As expected, Samsung is following in Apple's footsteps by launching an upgrade program that will motivate users to get fresh models. According to Reuters, customers in South Korea who purchase the Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge phones have the option to sign up for the 24 month plan and pay 7,700 won ($6.35) on top of the cost of the phone. Like the program that went live in the UK last week, customers can turn in the device and get the Galaxy S8 or whatever the latest model is.
Reprogram your surroundings in Glitchspace, now on Early Access
First-person puzzler Glitchspace is now available through Steam's Early Access service for PC, Mac and Linux. The alpha version of the game from developer Space Budgie is available for $6.99 on Early Access and $6.49 through the game's official site. Described as a "first-person programming" game, Glitchspace has players navigating a cyberspace-style world to locate a place that is a "by-product of cyberspace and its various glitches" known, appropriately enough, as Glitchspace. Space Budgie focused on emergent mechanics for the game, as players can identify glitches in the game and "exploit them in various different ways." Objects in the game are both programmable and non-programmable thanks to the "Null" programming system in the game created by the developer. Programmable objects include a "canvas" in which players can add functions to affect them, such as forces to move them, scale them, duplicate them and a myriad of other possibilities. The game includes a sandbox mode for players to toy around with as well as Oculus Rift support for those that want to immerse themselves in the matrix-like world. Space Budgie expects to launch the full version of Glitchspace in Q2 2014. [Image: Space Budgie]
Apple's official charger trade-in scheme will cover UK, Canada and Australia
When we originally reported on Apple's replacement program for third-party USB chargers, we only knew for sure that it covered the US and China. As 9to5Mac has spotted, however, the official webpage for the scheme now lists a number of other countries in which Apple will start accepting trade-ins on Friday, August 16th. These include the UK, where an official first-party charger will be reduced to £8 (from £15) when you hand over a third-party charger you have concerns about -- and some Brits will indeed have concerns, as local Trading Standards agencies have issued warnings about knock-off chargers posing a risk of electrocution. Australia (where a new charger will cost $14 AUD), Canada ($11 CAD), France, Germany (10 euros) and Japan (1,000 yen) are also on Apple's updated list. Head to the source link to find your nearest participating store or service provider, and just as a quick heads-up: it's one replacement per device you own (a store rep will record your serial number) and the scheme will end on October 18th this year.
Sony waives its publishing fee; Would Apple ever do the same?
Video-game maker Sony has been making a big push for independent developers lately, both on its handheld PS Vita system and on its upcoming PlayStation 4 console, and yesterday, the company took another big step. Sony has decided to waive its usual US$99 fee for PlayStation Mobile developers, meaning that anyone can join the developer network and publish games on its platforms for free. That's a big move, and while it might not mean a boost in PlayStation Mobile publishing (there are other hiccups, such as the difficulty of game creation and the limited size of the market), it does show just how open Sony is to independent software developers. So here's a question: Would Apple ever do the same thing? Ever since the App Store opened, Apple has charged $99 a year for a developer account to publish apps on its platforms. Anyone can download and use Xcode to make apps, but to publish them, you've had to pay that fee, and the price has never changed. If Apple did lower the price or remove it, there would be some benefits: There'd be more apps on the App Store, and thus more potential profit for Apple and its developers. The developer community would be more open, which would lead to better documentation and communication in general. And while, yes, there would probably be even more low-quality apps, there would also be more potential for great or terrific apps that focus on a relatively niche market. However, Apple would lose all the money it makes from the developer fee, money that probably goes into maintaining the developer network and its services. And Apple likely doesn't want the dev network to be a complete free for all. It still uses that network to beta test new software and operating systems, and there is still (technically) a non-disclosure agreement that binds anyone who signs up for the program. Plus, it's not like Apple needs more developers. Those numbers are growing every day, even with the fee in place. So it seems unlikely that Apple will drop or even change that fee anytime soon: It's a very low barrier to development, but for Apple, it's better than no barrier at all.
Aralon: Sword and Shadow HD available for free through new Free Play program
Touch Arcade blogs about iOS games, and they've just announced Free Play, which will periodically feature selected iOS games for free. There are quite a few programs like this around, of which Free App a Day is probably the most popular. But a lot of those programs do things such as charge developers to be promoted on the service, essentially selling installs to boost chart listings, Touch Arcade's Eli Hodapp tells TUAW that this program will specifically pick games based on quality. "Everything 'free' nowadays," he says, "has a catch deserving of a giant asterisk and a load of fine print. We just want to work with developers to get people playing their games." Free Play will target games chosen by the site's editors as quality titles and one that have only been sold as paid apps, making them free for a limited time. "Take your typically heavily promoted free game," Hodapp says. "Chances are moments before the game goes on sale, an update lands that totally rebalances the game into a free-to-play [in-app purchase]-powered experience, at which point it's hardly even a 'sale' or 'deal.'" The Free Play promotion will offer new titles periodically, and Hodapp says the plan is to offer selections "as often as we can but seldom enough that they still feel special." The first title chosen to go free is Crescent Moon Games' Aralon: Sword and Shadow HD, a 3D-roleplaying game that's been popular on the App Store. It'll be interesting to see which titles are chosen with a strategy like this, and the end result is a great one: We all get more free games.
Skitch's chief designer talks mistakes, lessons learned, and new / returning features for his screenshot app
They say Rome wasn't built in a day, but no one ever focuses on how quickly it fell. Skitch can't exactly be compared to an empire, but with some ten million users globally, there were a lot of voices shouting a lot of various things when the upstart jumped in bed with Evernote and upgraded itself to version 2.0. Not surprisingly, members of our own staff as well as vocal readers have been forced to look for alternative options after v2.0 yanked and / or maimed some of our favorite features from the original. Truth be told, there's really no alternative that doesn't also come with a severe compromise, but the Skitch team knows full well that said scenario could change if rivals are given enough time. Today, the company's chief designer Keith Lang is clearing the air on what happened, what's happening, and where his program is going in the future. For starters, he mentions that his team was so heads-down on managing the product, that they failed to actually take into account "how deeply ingrained Skitch had become into many people's daily workflows and how disruptive even small changes could be." The good news, however, is that he's vowing to "fix it." He notes that version 1.0 was held together with many years of duct tape, and to ever truly move forward, a new program would have to be built from the ground-up. That new program, of course, was met with near-universal hatred from the prior user base, but it looks as if those in the passionate camp are fixing to be addressed. In updates due to hit between now and sometime soon, Skitch will be regaining Menubar Extra support, FTP / sFTP capabilities, short URLs, direct hosting of Skitch images (!), multiple fonts and custom colors, as well as streamlined cropping and resizing. Aside from bringing v2.0 back up to where v1.0 left off, Keith is promising "really amazing stuff" in the future. We'll be anxious to give the new builds a try -- hopefully, they'll bring back some good memories.
Next round of Steam Greenlight titles drop November 30
Valve has revealed it is targeting to announce the next set of Steam titles to earn "greenlit" status from its community-powered submission program on November 30. Since it was first announced, Steam Greenlight has navigated a bumpy road, most recently leading to the addition of a "concepts" category to help developers generate a following for their titles.The next wave for Greenlight will bring with it at least ten new offerings, the company says.At least five of those ten will also include the program's first Software (meaning non-game) graduates, a category that Valve added to Greenlight earlier this month. Valve says all of the titles chosen will be offered worldwide distribution agreements, so presuming everyone agrees, you'll be able to buy them right off of Steam no matter where you lay your head.
MechWarrior Online developer blog discusses beta stages and launching
The term "open beta" has kind of been kicked around in the world of free-to-play MMOs, with several games entering open beta and essentially remaining there for eternity. MechWarrior Online's latest developer blog leads off by describing this problem, pointing out that terms like "launch" and "beta" don't have the same meaning when applied to a free-to-play game. But the game is still progressing toward open testing and a launched state, and the timeline for both is outlined in the blog. Starting on August 7th, all Founders will have full access to the closed beta, complete with currency to purchase items. All funds spent on purchasing items during closed beta will be refunded with each major patch and refunded again when the game switches to open beta. If you still haven't quite grabbed the Founder's Package yet, you've still got some time, as the package is being extended past the initial cut-off date of August 7th. For more details on the testing schedule and what's next for the game, look through the full rundown of the testing phases and the road to launch.
Dark Meadow devs' next title is Horn
Phosphor Games' Dark Meadow made a big splash when it arrived on iOS last year, offering up a unique (and somewhat scary) experience on Apple's platform, with some excellent graphics and storytelling for a mobile title. Now that studio is following up with a second game, called Horn, as profiled recently by IGN. The game looks intriguing -- it's a third-person fantasy action game, and while it looks a little bit like Infinity Blade (not a bad thing), the world is supposed to be a little more open, with lots of area to explore, and even some puzzles to solve as you move along. Phosphor's already got a nice reputation rolling with Dark Meadow, and Horn looks like it will be good, too. Horn will presumably also be part of Zynga's partners program, of which Phosphor was reported yesterday as a founding member. What that means is unclear just yet, but the program is designed to connect Zynga's audience and other titles together, so it's possible that Horn will be promoting Zynga's titles or vice versa. We'll have to see -- Horn is due out sometime later on this year.
Samsung launches customer service app on Android as proof that it Cares
Worried that Samsung is too busy selling millions of devices to care about you, the individual consumer? Fear not, for the company has released an app to prove its unconditional dedication to your happiness, and it's appropriately called Samsung Cares. The program serves as a hub for online support, offering how-to videos, troubleshooting guides, FAQs and service ticket tracking. Oh, and for those who don't own a Samsung device but still want the sweet reassurance of the company's interest in your well-being (or perhaps you just use other products made by Sammy), the free app can be downloaded on any phone or tablet running Android 2.1 or higher. Head to the source to grab a copy for yourself.
Droplet and StackAR bring physical interface to virtual experiences, communicate through light (hands-on)
Light-based communication seems to wind throughout the MIT Media Lab -- it is a universal language, after all, since many devices output light, be it with a dedicated LED or a standard LCD, and have the capacity to view and interpret it. One such device, coined Droplet, essentially redirects light from one source to another, while also serving as a physical interface for tablet-based tasks. Rob Hemsley, a research assistant at the Media Lab, was on hand to demonstrate two of his projects. Droplet is a compact self-contained module with an integrated RGB LED, a photodiode and a CR1216 lithium coin battery -- which provides roughly one day of power in the gadget's current early prototype status. Today's demo used a computer-connected HDTV and a capacitive-touch-enabled tablet. Using the TV to pull up a custom Google Calendar module, Hemsley held the Droplet up to a defined area on the display, which then output a series of colors, transmitting data to the module. Then, that data was pushed to a tablet after placing the Droplet on the display, pulling up the same calendar appointment and providing a physical interface for adjusting the date and time, which is retained in the cloud and the module itself, which also outputs pulsing light as it counts down to the appointment time. StackAR, the second project, functions in much the same way, but instead of outputting a countdown indicator, it displays schematics for a LilyPad Arduino when placed on the tablet, identifying connectors based on a pre-selected program. The capacitive display can recognize orientation, letting you drop the controller in any position throughout the surface, then outputting a map to match. Like the Droplet, StackAR can also recognize light input, even letting you program the Arduino directly from the tablet by outputting light, effectively simplifying the interface creation process even further. You can also add software control to the board, which will work in conjunction with the hardware, bringing universal control interfaces to the otherwise space-limited Arduino. Both projects appear to have incredible potential, but they're clearly not ready for production just yet. For now, you can get a better feel for Droplet and StackAR in our hands-on video just past the break.
Orbotix update proves that six Spheros are better than one (video)
It's far more than a pricey cat toy, but should you really shell out 130 bucks of a color-changing robotic sphere? Well, if you make it to the video after the break, you might just be buying six. Sphero's latest app pairing adds some pretty spiffy interactive games, that could prompt early adopters to make yet another impulse purchase. MacroLab lets you design programs for your flashy mechanical ball, enabling the device to roll every which way while also shifting speed and color. And the Android version supports multiple Spheros, letting you create a routine for an entire set to follow simultaneously. The second app, Chromo, tests memory and coordination, prompting you to move the ball every which way to match colors displayed on your iOS device. Both apps, while excellent video fodder, are likely to grow old just as quickly as the gadget's initial offering. So, if your wallet's not as big as your curiosity, the promo vids waiting just past the break should entertain you almost as much as a proper Sphero can.
Motorola asks business users to defect, offers $200 for new Android handset purchase
Motorola Mobility wants business users on Android handsets, and to accomplish this the company has decided to put its money where its mouth is. Starting today, Moto will offer up to $200 to smartphone users that trade in their old, BLUR-less set for a new Android device. The company is also offering converts its MotoAssist service, which should -- in theory -- make the data migration process as painless as possible. The Droid RAZR Maxx, Droid 4 and Atrix 2 are just a few of the handsets up for grabs. Saunter on past the break for the full PR, and be sure to let us know if a pair of Benjamins in your pocket is just what you've been waiting for to make the switch.
