FUNKY GREEN: 06/02/19

Sunday, 2 June 2019

Which Amazon Echo speaker should you buy? - CNET

If you're looking for an Alexa device you can control with your voice, you have a lot of options.

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iPhone XR vs. Galaxy S10E: Which phone has better cameras - CNET

At $750, both phones are cheaper than their flagship cousins. But which of the two takes better photos and videos?

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Un robot que patina

Este robot llamado ANYmal desarrollado en el ETH de Zurich tiene una capacidad de movimientos interesantes. Por un lado patina sobre sus cuatro ruedas con bastante habilidad, y por otro es capaz de «caminar» dejando fijas las ruedas, con lo cual puede hacer movimientos más parecidos a los de los cuadrúpedos.

El trabajo en el que los investigadores explican algunas de las técnicas que han desarrollado se titula Keep Rollin’ – Whole-Body Motion Control and Planning for Wheeled Quadrupedal Robots. La sensación que deja el vídeo es de unos movimientos muy «naturales» y «animales» casi cabría decir.

El robot se para, mira y planifica (parte de sus algoritmos) pero luego ejecuta movimientos como subir un escalón muy al estilo «ensayo-y-error», con ligeros traspies que supera tras varios intentos. Quizá esto último es lo que lo hace más «animal».

¿Su principal ventaja? Moverse con ruedas es mucho más eficiente energéticamente, de modo que ahorra hasta un 83% de consumo de energía. Su velocidad máxima de momento es de 4 metros por segundo.

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Best MacBooks for 2019: Which Model Should You Actually Buy?

It's never been harder to buy the right Apple laptop. Should you get a MacBook Pro? A MacBook Air? What about the Touch Bar? Let us help you with our MacBook buying guide.

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Much @Stake: The Band of Hackers That Defined an Era

Today's cybersecurity superstars share a common thread—one that leads back to early hacking group Cult of the Dead Cow.

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OwlScout Front & Cabin Full HD 1080p Dash Cam - CNET

Capture More of What Happens on the Road & in the Car with Two 1080p Cameras

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Apple Just Patched a Modem Bug That's Been in Macs Since 1999

A researcher found the 20-year-old flaw by drawing on tricks from a childhood spent tinkering with his parents’ Mac Performa.

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LG C8 series 4K HDTVs are on sale — save up to $1,400

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Professional presentation templates (for just $15) can really up your game

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Portable chargers on sale this weekend for 25% off

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Awesome Tech You Can’t Buy Yet: Smart drums and even smarter bike gadgets

Check out our roundup of the best new crowdfunding projects and product announcements that hit the web this week. You may not be able to buy this stuff yet, but it's fun to gawk!

The post Awesome Tech You Can’t Buy Yet: Smart drums and even smarter bike gadgets appeared first on Digital Trends.

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Simpler, air-powered soft robots could help with space exploration

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8-Foot Alligator Found Lurking in Hallway of Florida Elementary School

School’s almost out for the summer and one elementary school in Florida received an unusual reptile student that disrupted drop-off activities. On Wednesday afternoon, trappers were called to remove a giant eight-foot, 2-inch […]

The post 8-Foot Alligator Found Lurking in Hallway of Florida Elementary School appeared first on Geek.com.

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Gadget Lab Podcast: An Interview With Firewire Surfboards CEO Mark Price

Listen to an interview with our guest Mark Price about how to make a surfboard without ruining the ocean.

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Niantic Labs will soon drop support for Pokémon Go on Apple Watch

Niantic Labs said that it will end Apple Watch support for Pokémon Go on July 1. The watchOS app, which was rolled out in December 2016, was made redundant by the release of the Adventure Sync feature for the mobile game.

The post Niantic Labs will soon drop support for Pokémon Go on Apple Watch appeared first on Digital Trends.

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But is Apple really 'killing' iTunes at WWDC 2019?

Apple isn't killing iTunes on Monday. Tim Cook isn't coming to your house and deleting all the music and movies you've bought and downloaded over the years. There will be no Thanos snap live on stage. No decimation around the world. None of that is true or real in any true or real way.

So, why are there so many headlines saying iTunes is ending and the age of digital downloads is over? Because, apparently, writers can't read, fact checkers can't check facts, and editors are too busy baiting clicks and not busy enough thinking about the needless stress and anxiety they're causing the audience that relies on their reporting.

Burn iTunes, burn

Nerds have been wanting Apple to tear down iTunes for a decade or more. It's big, it's bloated, and the iPhone has long shown that individual apps for Music, TV, and Podcasts were a better, sleeker, smarter way to go.

What about everyone who just wants to sync their iPad without using iCloud, or rip CDs onto their iPod nano from their Windows PC? Screw 'em. Who cares about their comfort level? iTunes has to burn.

This year, though, there have been credible rumors that Apple is getting ready to do just that. Kinda.

It started, as many things do, with Steven Troughton-Smith on Twitter.

I am now fairly confident based on evidence I don't wish to make public at this point that Apple is planning new (likely UIKit) Music, Podcasts, perhaps even Books, apps for macOS, to join the new TV app. I expect the four to be the next wave of Marzipan apps. Grain of salt, etc
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) April 5, 2019

Just a month before, at their March Show Time event, Apple had announced the TV app was coming too macOS, so it made the kind of sense that did.

Then, naturally, it escalated to Gui Rambo at 9to5Mac:

I've been able to independently confirm that this is true. On top of that, I've been able to confirm with sources familiar with the development of the next major version of macOS – likely 10.15 – that the system will include standalone Music, Podcasts, and TV apps, but it will also include a major redesign of the Books app. We also got an exclusive look at the icons for the new Podcasts and TV apps on macOS.

In May, though, Gui followed up on 9to5Mac saying Music wouldn't be a Marzipan app after all. I'll quote this part verbatim since it's important:

The new standalone Music app on macOS will actually be an AppKit application, based off of iTunes. It will include many of the advanced features iTunes users are accustomed to, including things such as smart playlists, advanced library management, syncing with iPods and iOS devices, and even disc reading and burning.

Mark Gurman had been saying similar things on Bloomberg as well.

There will also be a new Apple Music app, which is being developed as a standard Mac program.

And on Twitter clarified it wouldn't be a Marzipan app.

The Mac Podcasts app will be a ported iPad app (Marzipan), but the Music and TV apps will likely be true Mac apps. https://t.co/C64UMD7Su7
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) May 6, 2019

Then, just yesterday on Bloomberg, and again, I'll quote verbatim because important:

iTunes has been the way Apple users listen to music, watch movies and TV shows, hear podcasts, and manage their devices for almost two decades. This year, Apple is finally ready to move into a new era. The company is launching a trio of new apps for the Mac – Music, TV, and Podcasts – to replace iTunes. That matches Apple's media app strategy on iPhones and iPads. Without iTunes, customers can manage their Apple gadgets through the Music app.

Now here's the LA Times's headline — and, to be 100% crystal clear, the LA Times is only one of the many terrible reports on this circulating today:

Apple will shut down iTunes, ending the download era, report says

And the lede:

The iTunes store is a dead service walking.

Oh, so clever. If only we cared as much about accuracy as cleverness, right?

Why accuracy? Because the report the LA Times cites and links to is Bloomberg's from Yesterday. The one I just quoted verbatim. The one that, if you command or control F and search for iTunes Store or downloads you know what you find? Nothing. Because Gurman didn't mention the store or the downloads. He only mentioned the app.

So, yes, the iTunes app for Mac is likely going to be replace by new Music, TV, and Podcasts apps. Deprecated might even be a better word, at least in the macOS 10.15 beta released to developers on Monday. But that has nothing to do with the iTunes store, potential rebranding to Music Store or whatever aside, or the downloads any of us have in our existing libraries.

Gui Rambo ended his last piece by positing:

With the standalone versions of Apple's media apps coming to the Mac, it's natural to ask: what about iTunes in macOS 10.15? According to sources, the next major version of macOS will still include the iTunes app. Since Apple doesn't have a new solution for manually syncing devices such as old iPods and iPhones with the Mac, it's natural to keep iTunes around a little longer.

When Photos for Mac launched a few years ago, Apple didn't eradicate the old iPhoto app immediately and Tim Cook didn't show up at to your house to delete all your photos off your drives.

The Times even says as much at the very end of its… whatever you want to call this word soup:

The specifics of iTunes' reported demise haven't been made public, but music fans will probably be able to access all offerings, including download purchases, through the Apple Music app.

Good thing nobody just reads the headline and everybody skips right to the end, right? God.

Even if Apple announces the new apps on Monday, they won't be released to the general public until this fall and it will likely be years until the existing version of iTunes finally stops running on future versions of macOS. Again, if past is prologue and, in these cases, it pretty much always is.

If only because we haven't seen any reports yet of what's going to happen with iTunes for PC, which is a non-insignificant part of the install base.

So, if you've been at all stressed or worried about any of this, please don't be. And please tell your friends and family they don't have to be either. Hell, send them this video if it helps.

Just don't let the Times or anyone else steal your attention. It's our job to inform and empower our audiences, not panic them just for papers or cheap clicks. Because, the facts matter. Even and most especially in the age of clickbait and social, which has become more virus than viral anyway.

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John Romero's unofficial 'Doom' expansion is available now

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Here’s our first look at Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge!

You'll forget all about Earth and Disneyland while you're in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there is the planet of Batuu, inhabited by various humanoids, Wookies, and other aliens at the Black Spire Outpost. The area is under the "protection" of the First Order, but you'll find many pledging allegiance to the Rebel Alliance. Which side do you choose?

This is Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, the new Star Wars themed land that just opened up at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California on May 31, 2019. Just as a reminder, while Galaxy's Edge is now open, you'll still need a reservation to get in until June 23. After that, it'll be a free-for-all.

Honestly, with the reservation system that Disneyland put in place, everything in Galaxy's Edge went as smoothly as possible, and it was not as chaotic as I thought it would be. If you have a reservation, you would need to check-in at the Star Wars Launch Bay in Tomorrowland, up to two hours before your 4-hour reservation block. The cast members were very helpful and the check-in process was very streamlined. We got there exactly at 6 pm (we had reservations for 8pm-12am), got in line, and it only took no less than 20 minutes to get to the check-in computer, have our QR code scanned with proper IDs and tickets, and then our wristbands that admit entry. The cast members should tell you which entrance you can go through (Critter Country), though we weren't told any information on this upon receiving our wristbands.

After getting our wristbands, we had time to kill, so we rode Star Tours to get even more hyped for Galaxy's Edge. However, if you want to be among the first into Galaxy's Edge during your time block, you'll want to start lining up at least an hour or two before you're allowed in.

We got to the entrance about five minutes prior since we trekked from Tomorrowland to Big Thunder Mountain before they told us where to go. The initial crowd to get in to Galaxy's Edge was like a can of sardines, but once you got inside the land and the crowd began dispersing so everyone can go their own ways, it became fairly mellow.

And then you forget you're in Disneyland at all.

Once you enter Batuu's Black Spire Outpost, you'll forget all about Earth and Disneyland. This is the most immersive experience possible.

As you walk along the entrance path, you'll be surrounded by beautiful trees with sounds from the expansive wildlife that can only be found in Batuu. Just past the trees, you'll get a peek at a modified X-Wing, a ship famously aligned with the Rebel Alliance. Chewbacca may even be walking along the side with a humanoid friend telling you to keep moving.

Past the Rebel ships, the start of the marketplace will become visible. Here, you'll find a large selection of unique trinkets, toys, creatures, clothing, and even some tasty grub at the Ronto Roasters or Kat Saka's Kettle. I headed immediately towards Savi's Workshop — Handbuilt Lightsabers. The line snaked around near the walls, but fortunately we got there before it was cut off for the rest of the night. If you want a lightsaber or custom droid, it's recommended to get in line for these ASAP, as they only allow so many people in at a time and each session takes around 20 minutes (at least Savi's did), and they can only take in so many people for the reservation block or day (once it opens up to everyone).

For Savi's Workshop, you need to pay for your ticket before you're allowed inside. The experience and lightsaber cost $199 before tax, and there are no Annual Passholder discounts. When you get your colored ticket, they will give you an estimated time to report back for each color group. With that in mind, you're free to explore the rest of Batuu until you need to come back. If you think about it, the system is fairly streamlined, just like the rest of the reservation system for entry into the land.

While waiting for my spot for Savi's Workshop, we decided we want to go on Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run. Since it was only about an hour and a half into our reservation block at that point, the wait time was a little less than an hour. We also went again as we neared the end of our reservation block (standby was 15 minutes, so best time to go is towards the end of your time).

As you weave through Ohnaka Transport Solutions, you'll find various boxes of cargo, scrap metal, tables of cards, and other miscellaneous bits from ships. As you get closer to getting into the cockpit, there's a fantastic view of the top of the Millennium Falcon, so you can see every last bit of detail and texture on the "fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy." And right before you get assigned to your group of six, Hondo Ohnaka, the Weequay pirate himself, greets you. He'll introduce himself, and give you the task of helping him smuggle some goods with the Millennium Falcon that he's borrowing from Chewie himself. Don't worry, you'll be awarded with space credits, depending on how well you do, though he gets most of the cut, of course.

Everyone in your group is assigned a role (Pilot, Gunner, or Engineer) through the use of colored cards to determine groups, and the job is on the card with a description of what that person is supposed to do. Pilots will navigate the ship (left pilot does horizontal movement and right does vertical, along with "punching it" into hyperspace), Gunners must defend the ship from incoming enemies, and Engineers help repair the ship and also fire the harpoons that latch onto the target cargo ships.

The enjoyment of Smuggler's Run is determined by your role. Piloting can be quite challenging and requires good reflexes, while Engineering is simple and just requires you to push some buttons when they flash. Gunners will need to push the buttons at the right time to fire, and I'm sure that some aiming is required as well (as long as the pilots get into the correct positioning), but I'm not entirely sure since I did not get the opportunity to be a gunner, unfortunately. To me, gunner also seems like the most fun role.

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run is meticulously crafted, down to every last bit of detail.

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run is a must-do while you're in Batuu. The entire cockpit of the ship is meticulously crafted, down to every last bit of detail. The action takes place on a huge video screen in the front (think Star Tours), but everything looks quite real and it's one of the most immersive rides at the park. Communicating with your group is also important if you want to actually do well, but it's not necessary—just the experience itself is enough for some people. Hondo docks credits from you depending on how badly damaged the ship is, and once you exit the cockpit, the clever touches like flashing lights and sound effects of fried wires really pull it all together.

There was still some time before I was allowed in to Savi's Workshop, so we needed some food. Ronto Roasters is one of the quick-serve food areas in the Black Spire Outpost, and it's perfect for a quick bite.

We grabbed a delicious Ronto Wrap (roasted pork, grilled pork sausage, peppercorn sauce, and tangy slaw wrapped in a Pita) when we needed to refuel, and it was quite tasty. I washed that wrap down with a Tatooine Sunset (Gold Peak Unsweetened Tea, Odwalla Lemonade with Melon and Blueberry), which was a perfect blend, and it was only lightly sweet and not overwhelming at all. My husband also got the Meiloorun Juice (Barrilitos Aguas Frescas Pineapple, Simpley Lemonade with Blueberry, White Cranberry Juice, Lemon Juice, and Desert Pear), which was much sweeter with a dash of sour.

Once we were done eating roasted meats, we headed back to Savi's Workshop to wait for my appointment with the other visitors of Batuu.

The lightsaber building experience is one of the coolest parts of Galaxy's Edge. Once you get inside, you're assigned to a workstation, and then Savi will pull you into a narrative. While there have been greats in the past, such as Rey, Luke Skywalker, Mace Windu, Darth Vader, Obi Wan Kenobi, the time has come for you to forge your own path. The Gatherers have kept the workshop hidden from the likes of the First Order, and they are passing on their knowledge of the Force and the ancient ways of the Jedi on to you. The lightsaber that you build is customized just for you, as you are part of the next generation of Force wielders.

In Savi's Workshop, you'll have your own workstation, and guests that are in your group (that haven't bought their own lightsaber) are welcome to come in and watch you build. You can choose between four styles of lightsabers (Power and Control, Peace and Justice, Elemental Nature, and Protection and Defense), which all have their own unique lightsaber parts that you can choose. The entire process takes about 20 minutes total, but it makes you truly feel like you're in the Star Wars universe.

To make the entire Galaxy's Edge experience as immersive as it can be, the cast members have been trained to remain in character at all times, and they play their parts perfectly.

Everything else besides Galaxy's Edge disappears, and the cast members take their character roles seriously.

When you ask the workers near Savi's Workshop if this is the place to buy a lightsaber, they'll hush you and respond with, "you mean buy scrap metal?" They've also never heard of Disneyland, they're not familiar with Earth, and they'll think that Mickey Mouse is an odd name for a beloved family character. Stormtroopers will randomly roam around Black Spire Outpost, along with other recognizable characters, and interrogate you on which side you pledge alliegance to, though this seems to be more of a daytime thing, as I didn't see many during our nighttime excursion.

Again, once you get into Galaxy's Edge's Batuu and Black Spire Outpost, then you will forget about Earth and Disneyland. The land is so incredibly detailed with the buildings, props, inhabitants, shops, goods, and atmosphere that everything else just disappears. Disney has truly outdone themselves with Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

Our time went by fast, and even though we got four hours to explore Batuu and Black Spire Outpost, it wasn't enough to do everything we wanted. We didn't have enough time to check out Oga's Cantina for drinks, and the Milk Stand for the Blue and Green Milks were closed by the time we finished with the other stuff. But thanks to the reservation system, we didn't feel too rushed with the things we managed to check out, and we definitely will be coming back to see everything else that we missed on the first go.

It's quite jarring once you're done and leave Batuu to go back to Earth and Disneyland. I can't wait to visit Batuu once again. If you're able to get in, then it's an experience that cannot be missed.