Home

Category: News

  • Avengers and X-Men Crossover in Danger? AT&T Time Warner Takeover

    Avengers and X-Men Crossover in Danger? AT&T Time Warner Takeover

    We really want to see Wolverine going toe-to-toe with the Hulk. Or Reed Richards and Tony Stark talking shop. Or Thor and Storm making sparks together. Really, we just want all the Marvel characters to come together on the big screen. And we’re so close! Disney has but in a bid to buy 20th Century Fox. But this darn AT&T ruling could really mess it up. 

    Comcast and Fox 

    Marvel Comics owns the rights to all of their characters, of course. They can create comic books, television shows and pretty much anything they want with their characters. But they sold the film rights to a ton of them to other companies in the late 90’s. Sony owns the film rights to Spider-Man, for instance, and Fox has the rights to the X-Men and Fantastic Four. However, the House of Mouse owns Marvel now. And they want their stuff back. 

    Disney put in a bid to purchase Fox last year for an absurd $54.2 billion in Disney stock. Comcast, seeing dollar signs, decided that they, too, wanted to buy Fox. But they put their plans on hold. See, A&T, for their part, was in court defending their attempt to acquire Time Warner.  

    AT&T Won that Case 

    And then AT&T won their case, and the regulatory board is likely to allow their acquisition. This gives Comcast a pretty clear-cut course to acquiring Fox. Fox, for their part, seemed hesitant to go for the Comcast offer, even though it was higher than Disney’s because it was uncertain if the deal would pass a regulatory board.  

    Now that there’s proof that such a merger can pass the board, Fox might just take the deal. This would spell disaster for our dreams of an Avengers and X-Men crossover. Which would be a serious shame. We just want to see Captain America and Professor Xavier exchanging tips for leading groups of super-powered people! And maybe have Scarlett Witch meet the X-Men film version of Quicksilver so she can have her mind blown! Okay, that one’s not happening anyway, but we can dream! In the meantime we’ll just have to read Marvel comics if we want to see the two super-teams cross paths! 

    Feature Image Credit: MovieWeb 

  • Ongoing Security Measures from Apple May Not Be Enough

    Ongoing Security Measures from Apple May Not Be Enough

    Apple’s newest moves to protect their users from data tracking were on showcase at their WWDC conference. Privacy experts largely praised their attempts to block “device fingerprinting” and keep users from being tracked by sites. Sadly, many say, their efforts likely aren’t enough. The biggest issues are logistics. Consumer data is a huge target and covering it adequately would be like making sure no trees were ever cut down. Not to mention, companies like Facebook and Google make billions of dollars by tracking users for targeted advertising. While criminals tracking users are a problem, they’re largely piggybacking on techniques made by legitimate companies. As such, Apple is largely fighting a losing battle. 

    The Age of Paranoia 

    People are quite aware of the ways their data is being collected and used against them now. Namely, Facebook’s notorious Cambridge Analytica breach is a prime example. In our age, people are paranoid of any misuse of their data. Yet, they’re not taking advantage of the tools that could protect them. Companies that create counter-tracking software report that there are depressingly few people using their countermeasures.  

    Similarly, Apple’s counter-tracking measures, while valiant, aren’t enough to truly hinder the vast number of different tracking devices on the web. Google’s Android operating system is more popular by number of users and offers no such protections. This allows the trackers to propagate and refine themselves even though most users are aware of them. 

    The Age of Apathy 

    The worst part? The average users don’t even care that their data is being tracked. Nearly every website has Google or Facebook trackers embedded. And there are hundreds of companies you’ve likely never heard of that are also tracking you. As such, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and feel apathetic in the face of the countless ways your data is being collected. And it’s that very apathy that empowers these companies to keep harvesting your data and targeting you with ads.  

    Companies like Apple Aren’t the Norm 

    Even worse, Apple is nearly alone in Silicon Valley in opposing these practices. Their biggest direct competitor is Google, and Google is the most egregious offender in data collection. As much as Apple tries to defend their own consumers, they’re fighting an uphill battle. Thankfully, smaller companies like Ghostery are on the case, too, but they’re vastly outnumbered.  

    Ghostery, for their part, has turned to artificial intelligence to help shore up countermeasures for tracking software. Perhaps Apple will take a similar track and use the strongest tools of the data harvesters against them? In the meantime, be careful with your sensitive data, and consider getting a plug-in like Ghostery for your browser! 

  • Vivo Nex: A Phone from the Future

    Vivo Nex: A Phone from the Future

    Vivo has announced their Nex phone, a futuristic and incredible concept. The phone features a massive display, coming in at an astonishing 6.59 inches. The phone also has no notch and an in-screen fingerprint scanner. How cool is that? Let’s get into some of the details. 

    Who’s Nex? 

    The Nex phone has a lot of interesting and innovative technologies in play. The first is the in-screen fingerprint scanner. Vivo has had varying degrees of success with such scanners in the X20 and X21 phones. The scanner in the X20 was superb, but the one in the X21 left something to be desired. The second innovation is the lack of a screen notch. 

    The screen notch seen on phones like the iPhone X is used to house the camera and speaker for phone calls. The Vivo Nex accomplishes this in two unique ways. The first is by using the screen itself as a speaker. This is a very interesting innovation that hasn’t been seen in any mass-production smartphones before. Early reports say that this speaker actually sounds pretty good, despite its unusual position under a phone screen. 

    Odd-Looking Selfie Camera 

    The second innovation allowing for a notch-free screen? That weird looking little nub coming out of the top corner of the phone. It’s the selfie camera! Yeah, it pops up when you activate the selfie feature. It’s about the quaintest thing going on with this complex, high-tech phone. I don’t know if this is a better option than just having a notch, but it’s certainly amusing. 

    Flagship Processor 

    The phone is also packing some serious power. It uses a Snapdragon 845 processor, which is top of the line, and sports 8 GB of RAM. It also sports 256 GB of internal storage and a huge battery, clocking in at 4,000mAh. All-in-all, this is an impressive-looking piece of hardware. 

    When Can We Try the Vivo Nex Hands-On? 

    Sadly, we don’t have a release date or a price for the Chinese smartphone yet. However, when it does launch, expect to import it, as Vivo’s phones are sold almost exclusively in China. 

    Feature Image Credit: NDTV Gadgets 

  • Apple’s Cryptocurrency Ban

    Apple’s Cryptocurrency Ban

    Apple is cracking down on cryptocurrency on its platform,Yes it is time for a BitCoin Panic. The new rules for Apple’s cryptocurrency ban are aimed mainly at limiting the shadier side of cryptocurrency like unregulated ICOs and mining coins on your Apple hardware. The rules apply to both computers and phones, but are more restrictive on phones because of Apple’s secure and down right oppressive mobile ecosystem.

    Apple sights the reason for Apple’s cryptocurrency ban is the excessive tool it takes on the resources of your device. The new guidelines may have been imposed over concerns regarding the longevity of the hardware and the battery. Cryptocurrency mining is a processor intensive activity that puts great demand on the hardware and the power supply. This could affect the life of both. Users casually running these applications after hearing about the cryptocurrency craze may probably have no idea the toll on their devices this mining it taking. Apple more then likely is already had to face devices damaged by mining, this would be a good prompt for  the company to decided to act so strictly on the matter.

    Apple’s cryptocurrency ban, What it Means

    So you are probably asking the big question Why? It’s part of wider restrictions against apps that drain battery, generate excessive heat, or strain a device’s resources. All of which take place during cryptocurrency mining.

    “Apps, including any third-party advertisements displayed within them, may not run unrelated background processes, such as cryptocurrency mining,” states the new policy.

    I do want to clarify that Your favorite crypto wallet app is still in the clear. Even after an update to Apple’s developer guidelines for iOS and macOS. Apple’s ban on cryptocurrency will only affect mining for cryptocurrency. Not apps that allow you to manage, hold or spend cryptocurrency.

     

    The Final Thought

    Mining on your phone or tablet is futile and utterly impossible. Bitcoins value is dropping by the hour. This is a hard hook to the jaw to Bitcoin by Apples’s ban on cryptocurrency. Not that this will have any actual effect on bitcoin other then the perception of Apple bans cryptocurrency.

  • The Ten Coolest Games Showcased at E3 2018

    The Ten Coolest Games Showcased at E3 2018

    With Nintendo’s Direct in the books, the E3 2018 press conferences have now wrapped. There were some huge reveals from all the major players. Let’s check out some of the hottest games showcased during the show! 

    Gears of War 5 

    Photo Credit: NDTV Gadgets 

    As one of Microsoft’s flagship franchises, Gears of War has had some serious longevity. The newest entry focuses on Kait Diaz, pictured above. Kait was first introduced in Gears 4 and is a refreshing change from the monotonous macho-man mayhem the series is known for. The trailer Microsoft showed featured colorful new vistas and an arctic environment. Previous entries were criticized for their gray-and-brown color pallet, so it’s nice to see some color in the series. The trailer also showed off some interesting new monsters for the protagonists to chew through. Get ready for war! 

    Fallout 76 

    Photo Credit: ComingSoon 

    Few franchises command as much fanatic devotion as Fallout. After a teaser before the show, Bethesda unveiled more details during E3 2018. This time around, players will work together to make a settlement and defend it from monsters. Oh, and other players. In Fallout 76, all NPC are replaced by players. Those marauders looking for nuclear launch codes to wreck your settlement? Yeah, those are players. Go get ’em, hero! Or join them, if you want. Bethesda is giving players the freedom to adventure how they wish. 

    Spider Man 

    Photo Credit: GameSpot 

    Insomniac’s amazing-looking Spider Man game got a new trailer. In this game, things look rough for the web-slinger. The Raft, a floating prison for super-criminals, has had a prison break. Rhino, Scorpion, Vulture, Electro and Mister Negative are all teaming up to take down Spidey. The trailer showed off some Arkham Asylum-esque combat and fluid, fast-paced web-slinging. If any game is going to make you feel like Spider-Man, this is the one. Another killer exclusive for the PS4! Spider Man hits September 7th. 

    Super Mario Party 

    Photo Credit: VG 24/7 

    One of Nintendo’s surprise reveals this year was Super Mario Party. Showcasing board game-like play with multiple Switch systems, the game seems perfect for the hybrid console. While it has been a few years since the last Mario Party, this one seems poised to revitalize the series. This outing will be bolstered by the flexible “go-anywhere” Switch hardware. Mario Party while camping? Sure! Game night at a friend’s house? Bring your Switch! Meeting some friends for lunch one lazy Sunday? Bring Mario Party and make an afternoon of it! Nintendo is really bringing the heat to Switch this holiday season. Super Mario Party is landing on October 5th. 

    Halo Infinity 

    Photo Credit: VG 24/7 

    Halo, Microsoft’s juggernaut first-person shooter, was due for an appearance. The cutscene shown at the show looked absolutely incredible, but scant details about the story were shared. Apparently, the game will run in a new “Slipspace” Engine, designed from the ground up for Halo. The cutscene shown ran in that engine, which is assuring. While the game is likely still a year or two away, it looks exciting! Here’s hoping developer 343 Industries doesn’t repeat the narrative mistakes of Halo 5. 

    Anthem 

    Photo Credit: EA 

    BioWare’s newest project looks like a serious contender for Bungie’s Destiny. The gameplay shown looks fast-paced and exciting, and the game is gorgeous. Many have reservations about the explosions-first direction, as developer BioWare has a history of story-based games. However, the trailers shown certainly reaffirm the tight, explosive gameplay looks fun. And why else play video games than to have fun? Not to mention, the latest attempt at a story-based game by the studio was a disaster. Mass Effect: Andromeda will forever remain a black spot on developer BioWare. Hopefully they can forge a new legacy with the promising-looking Anthem. 

    Death Stranding 

    Photo Credit: Wccftech 

    Hideo Kojima-led project Death Stranding still makes no sense, but it looks awesome. Featuring Norman Reedus of Walking Dead fame as the apparent protagonist, the game seems to be a horror-exploration hybrid. The trailers so far haven’t exactly explained the plot or why exactly the main character has a baby in a tank in stasis. That said, the trailers have all been quite gripping and intense. The trailer shown at Sony’s press conference showed gameplay footage that involved traversing a gorgeous, desolate open-world. The protagonist was also shown hiding from an invisible monster with hands for feet (apparently) and avoiding shadowy, human-like monsters. And those monsters have umbilical cords, for some reason. Yeah, the game looks weird. And I can’t wait to see more. 

    Assassin’s Creed Odyssey 

    Photo Credit: Ubisoft 

    The latest entry in the long-running open-world series takes place in Hellenic Greece. Like, all of it. And a huge swath of the Mediterranean. It looks downright stunning, as one would expect from this series. This entry also introduces new RPG-like elements, allowing the player to shape the unfolding story. There are also now quests to engage in romance with NPCs, instead of just, y’know, stabbing them. With wrist-mounted knives. But don’t worry, there will still be tons of badies to shank. 

    Beyond Good and Evil 2 

    Photo Credit: Gematsu 

    Cult classic Beyond Good and Evil is finally getting a sequel! Well, a prequel, but, hey, we’ll take it. No gameplay or release dates yet, but the trailers confirm Jade and Pey’j will both return. Aside from the amazing-looking cinematic, though, we have scant few details on the game. However, Ubisoft seems dedicated to providing awesome experiences and really knocked it out of the park at E3 2018. 

    The Star of E3 2018: Super Smash Bros Ultimate 

    Photo Credit: The Verge 

    Easily the biggest game of the show, Smash Bros Ultimate promises the return of every character to ever grace the legendary series. Even Solid Snake and Pichu are back this time! Additionally, developer Masahiro Sakurai has promised this will be the biggest Smash Bros yet. The game has been made from the ground-up with new animations and mechanics for every fighter. Truly, the development team has been putting in crazy amounts of work. It looks like the game is walking the razor-thin balance of appealing to both competitive and casual players. Super Smash Bros Ultimate is sure to break records when it drops on December 7th. 

  • Washington First State to Pass Net Neutrality Laws

    Washington First State to Pass Net Neutrality Laws

    Washington put new laws into effect on Monday with the federal repeal of net neutrality. The laws Washington put forth stop ISPs from blocking or slowing lawful internet traffic. It also prevents ISPs from charging online services a fee to make themselves a higher priority. This means that ISPs will have a hard time making their services look as convoluted and anti-consumer as cable services. 

    Ahead of the Curve 

    Washington actually approved the law in March, following the FCC’s repeal of federal net neutrality in December. While there are currently no lawsuits challenging the law, they are likely to come soon. Many telecom companies opposed the legislation, as it effectively continues the federal regulations that were just repealed.  

    Washington isn’t alone in this fight, but they were the first on the field. California has a similar law in the pipe, and it’s awaiting approval by the State Assembly. After passing the Assembly, it would go to Governor Jerry Brown. It seems unlikely that either will have any qualms with the bill. 

    Net Neutrality Alternatives 

    Washington and California aren’t the only states taking steps, either. They are to be joined by Hawaii, Montana, New Jersey, New York and Vermont. Those states governors have issued executive orders to enforce net neutrality rules on ISPs that serve their state governments. While these orders aren’t as broad as those in Washington or California, they are still steps in the right direction. 

    It seems that, in the wake of the federal repeal, many states will be issuing their own regulations over what ISPs can do in their states. It seems likely that this situation will get very complicated very quickly. No two states will likely allow the same things of any given ISP, which could result in serious operational headaches for ISPs. Hopefully the companies who lobbied for the repeal of consumer protections find themselves caught in a maze of regulations as thanks.  

    Who knows, maybe those companies will miss the days when they could just meet a federal standard and not worry about the myriad of rules they must follow. It would be just deserts for their haphazard repeal of what were considered mild protections. 

  • Tesla Updates Autopilot to Insist on Safer Driving

    Tesla Updates Autopilot to Insist on Safer Driving

    Following three crashes involving Autopilot since the start of the year, Tesla is pushing out an update called 2018.21.9. This new update shortens the time a driver can have their hands off the wheel of their vehicle before it begins to warn them to return their hands to the wheel. These measures seek to reduce the number of accidents that involve Autopilot by making sure the driver stays aware of the road while using the technology. 

    The Tension of Safety and Convenience 

    Tesla CEO Elon Musk is convinced that Autopilot increases safety on the road. This claim is dubious at best, and Tesla’s own safety regulations somewhat undercut it. If Autopilot is meant to be so safe, why are drivers encouraged to stay razer-sharp and aware while it is online? Truly, what is the point of an autopilot feature if you’re supposed to stay as aware and ready to intervene as you would if you were just driving anyway?  

    Tesla’s current update now alerts the driver once their hands have been off the wheel for thirty seconds. This begs the question: is the technology even ready yet? Elon Musk seems convinced that it is safe, and that true self-driving technology is just around the corner. Yet, it doesn’t look that way from the outside looking in. Every few months another autopilot-related accident occurs, and then Tesla issues another update. At what point does that update involve simply disabling Autopilot?  

    Walter Huang’s Case 

    The most recent fatality involving Autopilot was Walter Huang. Huang’s vehicle veered into a concrete lane divider while using Autopilot and he was killed by the impact. While Tesla maintains that Huang would have had to be ignoring the road in order for the crash to occur, a report from the National Transportation Safety Board suggests otherwise. The report holds that Huang last touched the wheel about six seconds before the crash. 

    This suggests that Tesla’s 2018.21.9 update would have had no effect on Huang’s death. Should the Autopilot function alert the driver five seconds after they release the wheel? At what point do we simply say that this experiment has failed? 

    Tesla and Ambition 

    There is something truly inspiring about a company trying to push the limits of technology. And, truly, Tesla seems to be on the edge of some amazing breakthroughs. However, when the safety of the public is compromised, any and all bets are off. Pushing technology through despite its glaring safety holes is irresponsible. Musk’s insistence on its safety in spite of the accidents is frustrating at best, and negligent at worst.  

    Maybe there will come a day when Tesla is the leader in self-driving car technology. Maybe one day we’ll look back at these days as the growing pains of a new form of transportation. But today, Walter Huang is dead. Whether or not he was paying attention to the road, his Autopilot steered him to his death, literally. This technology clearly still needs some serious work. 

  • Razer Expands RGB Support to Third Parties

    Razer Expands RGB Support to Third Parties

    Serious PC gaming doesn’t require you to have a flashy assortment of glowing peripherals and PC parts. It does, however, look super awesome. WIth tha in mind, Razer has expanded their back-end Chroma support to work with a wider range of manufacturers’ hardware.  

    Wait, What? RGB? Synchronization? 

    RGB is a type of lighting that is quite popular with PC gamers. As awesome as the flashing lights can look, it’s often a pain to synchronize their colors and flashing lights. This is due to the software used to control their color schemes: nearly every company uses different software. Corsair, AMD, Logitech and even Razer all have their own control programs. 

    To remedy this, Razer has issued its new Chroma partnership program. The stated goal? Helping make your entire set-up much more synchronized. Now, if you have hardware from AMD, MSI, Thermaltake, NZXT, or a few others, you can synch them all with the Chroma program. 

    What’s the Big Deal? 

    For those who haven’t used RGB, it might not seem like that big of a deal. However, many games, like Overwatch and Fortnite, offer some awesome functionality with the technology. Overwatch, for instance, changes your RGB colors when you change characters, further immersing you in the game. Additionally, having a unified keyboard, mouse, headset and PC case can make your set-up look slick and futuristic. Unless, of course, the colors and pulses are all out of sync. 

    The Downside 

    The only bad news in this announcement is the timeline. For the time being, very few manufacturers have hardware out that supports the partnership project. Razer’s new program is a step up over its previous initiatives, though. The previous partnership program required that hardware had to be hard-programmed to work with Chroma. This means that manufacturers had to consider Chroma while making their own peripheral. The new program, however, uses a new Razer API to connect all the devices through software. 

    Razer has stated that we can expect supporting hardware by the end of the year. If you’re interested in just jumping in with a great gaming keyboard, though, you can check out our favorites right here. 

  • Bitcoin Falling: Less than Half as Valuable as it Was Last Year

    Bitcoin Falling: Less than Half as Valuable as it Was Last Year

    Last year, in December of 2017, Bitcoin hit its all-time high, an astronomical $20,000 per Bitcoin. Following this high-water mark, the cryptocurrency has been steadily losing value. On Sunday it dipped even lower, now being worth only $7,200 per Bitcoin. It is worth noting, however, that the price is far above what it was this time last year. At that time, a single coin cost $2,800. 

    A Sign of a Dying Fad? 

    It seems unlikely that this volatility is suggesting any long-term issues for Bitcoin, or indeed, for cryptocurrency in general. Many find cryptocurrencies to be ideal, as the blockchain technology that powers them is secure and difficult to fool. While most markets have been hesitant to pick up the currency, it’s likely not becoming irrelevant any time soon. Recent fluctuations are only natural. As demand waxes and wanes, mining operations scale up and GPU prices stabilize, changes in price like this are to be expected. 

    Notable opponents of Bitcoin, Warren Buffet and Jamie Dimon have both recently reiterated their reservations about the new form of currency. Regarding Bitcoin, Buffet had this to say: “When you’re buying nonproductive assets, all you’re counting on is the next person is going to pay you more because they’re even more excited about another next person coming along,”

    Effect on Power Companies 

    Power companies have taken note of the extreme demand of large crypto-mining operations. Mining Bitcoin requires a tremendous use of power to solve the complex algorithms that yield them. Due to this, mining companies prefer to operate in regions like Quebec, where energy is cheap. In response to this increased demand, Hydro-Quebec, the company that supplies power for the province, has cut off power to mining companies.  

    The company has stated it holds no ill-will towards mining companies. In fact, they expressed that they saw crypto-mining as an avenue of growth worthy of consideration. However, in Hydro-Quebec’s own words, they want to exercise caution. “Guidelines are nevertheless required to ensure that the development of this industry maximizes spinoffs for Québec without resulting in rate increases for our customers. We are actively participating in the Régie de l’énergie’s process so that these guidelines can be produced as quickly as possible.” 

    Similarly, a few months ago, power companies in New York raised energy rates for mining companies. It seems their ravenous power consumption has begun to have an effect on the average person in their region.  

  • Next Apple Watch to Sport no Physical Buttons, Report Says

    Next Apple Watch to Sport no Physical Buttons, Report Says

    A report from FastCompany promises a trustworthy has confirmed that the next Apple Watch will sport no buttons. This is a growing trend in Silicon Valley: many gadgets are ditching unneeded artifacts of past design in the name of design purity. The iPhone X, for instance, has no 3.5mm headphone jack. Similarly, Apple’s phones from the iPhone 7 forward use haptic feedback to simulate the feel of pressing  the home button.  

    Apple Watch: Buttonless? 

    The design outlined in the report isn’t truly buttonless. The crown and traditional button will still be on the watch, but they will be stationary nubs that are touch sensitive. This accomplishes a few things. Firstly, it is easier to design and manufacture gadgets with less moving parts. Secondly, that lack of moving parts also makes the gadgets have more longevity. One of the most common hardware breakdowns is buttons, so eliminating them is wise.  

    Thirdly, the lack of buttons frees up more space in the gadget for things like processors and other chips. Finally, it helps make a device more waterproof. All these considerations make it hard for button lovers to defend their stance! 

    Classic Apple Move 

    Apple is somewhat famous for minimizing or eliminating buttons and other unneeded design artifacts. Famously, the mouse used for Mac computers has no right click button, but instead just one central button. While either side can be clicked, the device itself is just one large button.  

    The new Apple Watch could be releasing this September, or perhaps next year. The nature of these kinds of rumors makes them inherently a little suspect, but this one seems reasonable. Their track record of cutting features from their gadgets would suggest this rumor isn’t wild speculation. Not to mention, this would be an odd piece of trivia to spread falsely. In the meantime, rest assured that Apple will continue leading the anti-button charge.