Saturday, January 31, 2015

Airbnb to collect taxes in more big cities


Airbnb's been struggling with numerous legal issues for a while now, and one of the biggest complaints against the service is that hosts have been using it to set up illegal hotels to avoid paying taxes. These days, Airbnb's trying to get on the good side of the law, so after getting rid of sketchy listings (in NYC, at least), it's now collecting tourist taxes in more locations. The service has been doing just that in San Francisco and Portland, Oregon since last year, but now the list of locations has grown to include San Jose, California and Amsterdam in the Netherlands (starting this week, as well as Washington and Chicago starting on February 15.


In a blog post, Airbnb Head of Global Public Policy David Hantman explains why the company imposes taxes in a handful of locations at a time instead of all at once. He says it's not always clear what type of taxes the company should pay and to whom it owes the money, but that he and his colleagues "want to help more" as they learn more. Hantman also says that, thus far, the company has collected $5 million from San Francisco and Portland hosts. The San Francisco Democratic Party, however, still wants the company to pay $25 million in back taxes for the past years it's been operating in the city.


[Image credit: Shutterstock / Gunnar Pippel]


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Via: Physorg


Source: Airbnb


'Tron'-like headphones, virtual reality at Sundance and other stories you might've missed this week!


We get it. It's been a busy week. Luckily, we're here to catch you up on the release date of the Apple Watch, VR headsets in Hollywood and all the other cool stuff you may have accidentally glossed over during five days on the daily grind.


'Tron'-like Glow headphones pulse to the music and your heart



These glowing earbuds hope to become much more than just a gimmick. If the Kickstarter for Glow goes as planned, the Fibrance cable will pulsate to your music and your heartbeat, as well as let you communicate with your phone over Bluetooth LE.


Oculus Story Studio is the Pixar of virtual reality



Already the talk of the gaming world, Oculus VR is now setting its sights on cinephiles. This year at Sundance Film Festival the company unveiled its new virtual reality film-innovation lab, Story Studio. Read what we had to say about the lab's first short film here.


Catch up on all the virtual reality news from Sundance



But wait -- there's more! Virtual reality took Sundance by storm this year, and we were there to cover every innovation. Check out the immersive viewing options that could one day become a part of your theatergoing experience.


Sling TV preview: Does this $20-a-month cord-cutter service work as promised?



Does Sling TV have what it takes to replace good ol' cable bundles? We took a long weekend to try it out. Find out how the streaming service held up to our viewing needs.


Tim Cook expects to ship the Apple Watch in April



Apple fans rejoice -- the wearable you've all been waiting for is almost ready. While Apple has yet to name a specific date, the company's CEO says the smartwatch should ship sometime in April 2015.


Sony closing Music Unlimited in favor of Spotify-powered service



We can't say we're sad to see Music Unlimited go, especially considering that our resident gaming expert Ben Gilbert politely refers to it as "hot garbage." Sony's new service, PlayStation Music, will now give users access to Spotify's robust music library.


How a former Rockstar developer is leading a revolution in gaming



Navid Khonsari left Rockstar Games to pursue documentary filmmaking, but his latest project has led to a fusion of the two livelihoods. 1979 Revolution is a game, as well as a history lesson, surrounding one of the most pivotal events in Iran's recent history.


Facebook wants to replace Twitter as your Super Bowl companion



Facebook can no longer sit idly by while Twitter has all the game day fun. The social network has unveiled a "Super Bowl experience" page as a hub for any stats, snubs or outrage you may want to express while "watching Super Bowl XLIX."


The first live VR broadcast brought the beach to my backyard



Will live VR broadcasts become the new "staycation"? We tested the first ever live streaming experience on Samsung's Gear VR headset and sent one of our Michigan-based editors on a virtual trip to Laguna Beach, California.


Of course 'Law & Order: SVU' is doing a GamerGate episode



It was bound to happen. We just hope Ice-T does a better job of handling online harassment than real-life authorities.


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Amazon's Echo lets you control iTunes, Pandora and Spotify with your voice


If you accepted an invitation to buy Amazon's Echo speaker, you've noticed that the device didn't have a vast musical vocabulary at first -- you could tell it to play iHeartRadio or Prime Music tunes, and that's about it. You'll have a better time of things from now on, though. Amazon is rolling out an update that lets you use your voice to steer iTunes, Pandora radio or Spotify on your mobile device . It's not super-sophisticated, but you no longer have to reach for your phone just to skip tracks. And in case millions more songs won't keep you entertained, there's also a "Simon says" command that you can use to prank people (or simply tell them something) from across the home. We'd argue that the biggest upgrade to the Echo would be getting to buy one, but these new features will do in a pinch.


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Source: Zatz Not Funny


Marriott is no longer fighting for permission to block WiFi hotspots


Marriott wants you to know that it's completely done trying to block guests' personal WiFi connections -- it has even given up convincing the FCC to give it permission to do so, a spokesperson told Engadget. The company already announced that it won't be keeping people from using their own MiFis and hotspots in hotel rooms, but its official statement at that time said it "will continue to look to the FCC to clarify appropriate security measures network operators." See, the hotel chain still wanted the FCC to let it continue blocking personal WiFi in its business and convention centers in order to protect guests from rogue internet connections, or so it claimed.


Unfortunately for Marriott, tech juggernauts Google and Microsoft came forward to lobby against that request, though it was the statement issued by FCC chairman Tom Wheeler himself a few days ago that became the final nail in the coffin. In it, he blasted the chain for wanting to go against the Communications Act, which "prohibits anyone from willfully or maliciously interfering with authorized radio communications, including Wi-Fi." So, yes, you should be able to use your phones as hotspots or your MiFi anywhere you want within Marriott's premises. If anybody says otherwise, just show them this statement by Marriott Global Chief Information Officer Bruce Hoffmeister:



Marriott International has decided to withdraw as a party to the petition seeking direction from the FCC on legal Wi-Fi security measures. Our intent was to protect personal data in Wi-Fi hotspots for large conferences. We thought we were doing the right thing asking the FCC to provide guidance, but the FCC has indicated its opposition. As we have said, we will not block Wi-Fi signals at any hotel we manage for any reason. And, as of January 15, we provide free Wi-Fi to all members of our Marriott Rewards program who book directly with us. We're doing everything we can to promote our customers' connectivity using mobile and other devices, and we're working with the industry to find security solutions that do not involve blocking our guests' use of their Wi-Fi devices.



[Image credit: monkeybusinessimages/Getty]


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The Pirate Bay comes back weeks after a police raid


We're starting to wonder if it's nigh-on impossible to keep The Pirate Bay down. Just weeks after Swedish police raided the bootleg file site and knocked it offline, it's back -- TorrentFreak reports that almost everything is up and running once again, complete with a phoenix graphic (above) to taunt authorities. With that said, it's not quite the same experience that many veteran users would remember. While the pre-raid content remains intact, many of the original staffers are locked out of this version. They're planning to create their own version of the Bay that supposedly restores the community spirit of the original. It's not clear if that'll work, but it sounds like cops and copyright holders may have created more problems for themselves in trying to take down one of the best-known pirate havens.


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Source: TorrentFreak


The poetry of my tweets


I'd like to think my tweets offer some cultural value and promote a better world. I consume plenty of brilliant films and scholarly articles, then reflect my learnings on Twitter multiple times a day. So when I heard there was a tool to turn my tweets into real poetry, I expected a reflection of the erudite person I've become. Unfortunately, I was painted as, well...a boob.


If you kept up with Twitter this week, a series of nonsensical poems probably slid into your feed. You can thank Poetweet for that, a project of b_arco cultural center in São Paulo, Brazil. Anyone can plug in a Twitter handle, choose from a sonnet, rondel or indriso style poem and in a minute, it generates a masterpiece.


"The poems are made ​​by combining all user tweets and finding rhymes between them, creating curious results and sometimes surreal," according to the center's blog. For my experience, I chose a sonnet and the site spit out what was a bewildering look into the past two weeks of my life.



As you can see, my social sonnet was mostly gibberish. With the help of Topsy, I was able to find the source tweets that led to this work of "art" and discovered they were all about my obsession with pop culture.


I talked a lot about Chrissy Teigen's brilliant meme and the wonder that is Big Ang over the past week. I also remarked on Amber Rose's new assets and said "YASS" in a number of ways (noting "DAT ass" and "YASS" were the only two stanzas that rhymed).


"How about now create real?," b_arco asks at the end of my poem. I think what they're getting at is making our tweets a bit more thoughtful. Maybe I should pick up a scholarly piece of literature and reflect my learnings of said book in my future tweets. Or, I can just keep saying "YASS."


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HTC's Lollipop update won't reach every One phone on time


HTC hasn't always had success upgrading One users to the latest version of Android within its promised 90-day window, and history is unfortunately repeating itself with Android 5.0 Lollipop on the way. The phone maker is now warning that "some carrier versions" of the One M8 and M7 won't get Lollipop by the expected February 1st deadline. Reportedly, Google's rush to fix Lollipop (which emerged, shall we say, less than polished) gave HTC little time to both finish its own update and put it through the usual provider testing routine.


You might not see the update all that soon, either. In the US, it still hasn't reached the certification stage with the big four carriers (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon). At least some UK users report seeing the new software, but there's no handy chart to detail progress. As you might guess, the only surefire way to get Lollipop right now is to own a One M8 developer edition, Google Play Edition or unlocked model -- otherwise, you might have to make-do with last year's software for a while longer.

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Via: SlashGear


Source: HTC


Casio's new iOS app turns your whistling into full-length tunes


Apps have done wonders for music creation, and now there's mobile software from Casio that aims to make it even easier. The Chordana Composer app for iPhone creates a track basked on a melody that you create by singing or whistling two bars of a tune. Casio's handiwork records you, and then automatically builds the rest of the song based on your input. This means that anyone can construct a hit without in-depth music knowledge or the ability to play an instrument. After the base of the song is captured, there's five genres and three melodic settings for the tweaking before hitting the Auto Compose button and putting the app to work.


In addition to the vocal input, Chordana Composer also has a keyboard interface, notation option and MIDI compatibility, so once the song is complete, that score can be fine-tuned. Don't just take my word for it, though, have a listen at the track I composed down below. The results aren't awesome by any means, at least on my first few attempts, but the process is certainly interesting. If you're ready to give it your best Katy Perry impression, the $3 app is available now over at iTunes.

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Source: Casio (PRNewswire), iTunes


Recommended Reading: Reliving virtual reality in the '90s

Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read.


A young boy stands wearing virtual reality mask and hand piece under a plastic roof at a music festival



A Look Back at the Doomed Virtual Reality Boom of the 90s

Kyle Fowle, Kill Screen



With the revival of VR, it's important that we take a look back to the last big push for virtual reality. Kill Screen recently dedicated an entire issue to the topic, including a piece that recalls what VR was like in the '90s, when it was all circle pods, massive headsets and plastic guns. Ah... the good ol' days.














Justified Creator on the Final Season, that Death in the Premiere and More

Eric Goldman, IGN


The final season of Justified is underway, and IGN's Eric Goldman caught up with series creator Graham Yost to chat about what's to come before the final showdown between Raylan and Boyd.



How Three Guys With $10K and Decades-Old Data Almost Found the Higgs Boson First

by Joshua Batson, Wired


Remember when a team at CERN used the Large Hadron Collider to find the elusive Higgs boson back in 2013? Well, a much smaller group with a much smaller budget almost beat them to it.



The Devil Wears Pulsars

by Shirley Li, The Atlantic


High fashion is taking inspiration from the stars once more, and The Atlantic's Shirley Li takes a look at why the runway is so interested in astronomy again -- including how advances in space exploration have provided a wealth of visual inspiration.



Virtual Reality at Sundance: The Long-Delayed, Inevitable Future Is Bright, Empathetic, and Already on Your Phone

by Matt Patches, Grantland


You've likely read up on all our VR coverage from Sundance, and if you're itchin' for more, Grantland has a solid rundown, too.



[Photo credit: Diverse Images/UIG]


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Your BMW just downloaded a security patch

FRANCE-CARS-CONCEPT


Have a BMW, Mini or Rolls Royce with the ConnectedDrive feature parked in your driveway? Maybe all three? Well, it turns out there was a bug that allowed ne'er-do-wells to manipulate it -- entirely wirelessly. According to Reuters , by simulating a fake phone network researchers at German outfit ADAC (essentially Deutschland's AAA) were able to gain access to systems governed by the platform's SIM card by spoofing a cell tower. They've even put together a video describing the gap in security which you can check out after the break -- if you speak German. While the vulnerabilities didn't include anything related to steering, acceleration or braking, the ConnectedDrive does have access to traffic information, air conditioning and... door locks.





For its part, BMW says it hasn't seen any reports of compromises to vehicle security, and now it's using HTTPS to encrypt all data transmissions. Perhaps best of all? Owners of the 2.2 million affected vehicles didn't need to hit the dealership for this patch -- it was already delivered over the air. The update pushed automatically once the system connected to BMW's servers recently, but those who keep a car stored may want to hop in and hit the "Update Services" button. Good thing, because taking all three of your rides in for service (like they did in 2012 to fix a problem with the ODB port that thieves actually used to steal cars, and as of 2014 were still using on unpatched vehicles) would probably be kind of inconvenient.



Affected models:



BMW



1 Series Convertible, Coupé and Touring (E81, E82, E87, E88, F20, F21)

2er Active Tourer, Coupé and Convertible (F22, F23, F45)

3 with Convertible, Coupe, GT, Touring and M3 (E90, E91, E92, E93, F30, F31, F34, F80)

4p Coupe, Convertible, Gran Coupe and M4 (F32, F33, F36, F82, F83)

5 Series GT and Touring (F07, F10, F11, F18)

6 Series Gran Coupe Convertible (F06, F12, F13)

7 Series (F01, F02, F03, F04)

I3 (I01), I8 (I12)

X1 (E84), X3 (F25), X4 (F26) X 5 (E70, F15, F85), X6 (E71, E72, F16, F86), Z 4 (E89)



Mini


Three-door and five-door hatchback (F55, F56)



Rolls Royce



Phantom Coupe and Drophead Coupe (RR1, RR2, RR3)

Ghost (RR4)

Wrait (RR5)



[Image credit: BMW - AFP/Getty Images, control unit - ADAC / Uwe Rattay]


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Source: Reuters, BMW, ADAC (German)


Friday, January 30, 2015

Daily Roundup: Tesla Model X, DARPA YouTube robots and more!


Tesla's Model X has been spotted in the wild; a new DARPA technology lets robots learn from YouTube videos; and Verizon is changing its policy on "supercookies." Get the details on these stories and more in the Daily Roundup.


Tesla's long-delayed Model X SUV is testing in California



Tesla's long-delayed Model X SUV was recently spotted in the wild. A skateboarder riding at a nearby park captured this video of the mysterious car being tested at an abandoned airfield.


DARPA's new tech lets robots learn from YouTube videos



What may be the best way to teach a robot new tricks? Have them learn by watching YouTube videos. Hopefully, these future robots will be more inclined to help us out with mundane tasks, as opposed to the alternative.


Verizon Wireless will let you dodge those sketchy 'supercookies'



Verizon Wireless appears to be backing off its scummy policy of tracking users with a "supercookie." However, there's no word yet on when this change will happen.


Jay Z is buying Spotify rival Tidal for $56 million



Jay-Z is getting into the streaming-music business. A company indirectly owned by Jay-Z has made a bid for Aspiro, a Norwegian company behind the streaming service Tidal.


Google Now finally pulls in data from your favorite apps



Google Now is rolling out support for third-party apps. The predictive-search app will now push relevant data from 40 apps and services.


'Lego Jurassic World' game packs four movies' worth of brick dinosaurs



In case you haven't had your fill of dinosaurs yet, (and let's be honest, who has?) the Lego Jurassic World game is set to be released alongside the blockbuster movie. Get ready to explore Isla Nublar and run from brick-built velociraptors this summer.


Of course 'Law & Order: SVU' is doing a GamerGate episode



NBC's Law & Order: SVU plans to tackle the seedier side of the "GamerGate" movement and its harassment tactics in an upcoming episode to air in February.


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Nest is losing its tech VP and the CEO of Dropcam


Google's plan for a connected home including Nest and Dropcam lost a few family members today. Nest's Vice President of Technology Yoky Matsuoka and Dropcam cofounder Greg Duffy have left for other ventures, according to The Verge's sources. Matsuoka's joining Twitter while Duffy's next move isn't known at this point. Nest and Twitter, for their part, offered us an official "no comment" when we asked for confirmation of the departures. Matsuoka's Twitter profile looks relatively new, with her sole two follows being Alex Roettler and Dock Costolo -- Twitter's VP of engineering and its CEO, respectively.



These departures will likely affect Mountain View's long-in-development household automation platform Android @ Home as well, but how isn't exactly clear just yet. From the looks of it, this adds to the story of a reorganization within that area -- like Nest cofounder Tony Faddel recently moving to lead the Google Glass team, for instance. The seemingly disparate services will likely continue to come together, just without Dropcam's leader.

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Source: The Verge


Google makes Earth Pro available to virtual travelers for free


While we're sure Google Earth works just fine for your daily virtual 'round-the-world travels, the Pro version comes with some really useful features -- even better, it's now completely free. Google Earth Pro, which used to cost an eye-watering $399 per year, gives you the tools to measure 3D buildings and other locations, print high-resolution screenshots, view demographic and traffic layers, and even record your virtual trips. To use it for free, you'll first need to sign up for a license and make sure your PC or Mac meets the minimum system requirements needed to run the program.


Windows computers should be running XP or higher, and have at least 500MB of free storage and 512MB of RAM. Macs, on the other hand, have to run OS 10.6 or higher, along with the same storage and memory requirements. After that, you can download Google Earth Pro to plan for that hike you've always wanted to do or, you know, to take your armchair adventures to the next level -- we ain't judging.

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Source: Google Maps Blog


Chicago's subways are getting speedy LTE data


Just because you have cellular service in the subway doesn't mean you have good service -- in many cases, your data goes in the dumps when your train ventures underground. That won't be a problem in Chicago for much longer, though. The city has reached a deal with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon that will have the carriers paying to bring LTE data to Chi-town's subway tunnels. When the upgrade is complete sometime later this year, you should have fast internet access all the way from O'Hare Airport to the Blue and Red Lines downtown. This upgrade was ultimately necessary given that wireless networks are preparing for a future where everything goes through LTE, but it's good to know that you'll soon have an easy time streaming music on the way home from a Cubs game.


[Image credit: Chris Smith, Flickr]


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Via: GigaOM


Source: Chicago Transit Authority


Aziz Ansari's new Netflix stand-up special debuts March 6th


If you're a big fan of comedy specials that are unique Netflix, the latest from the man behind Parks and Recreation's Tom Haverford is on the way. On March 6th, Aziz Ansari: Live at Madison Square Garden will premiere at 12:01 AM PT. The title is another Netflix original from Ansari, whose first, Buried Alive, debuted back in 2013. Other stand-up specials from the comedian are available through the internet service too, including Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening and Dangerously Delicious. For those who fancy an extra dose of Ron Swanson, fellow cast member Nick Offerman has a Netflix original stand-up session of his own, offering his "10 Tips for a Prosperous Life" in American Ham.


[Photo credit: Colleen Hayes/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images]


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Source: Netflix


This art dealer wants to hang an indie game on your wall

Okami Print


Dutch art dealership and gallery Cook & Becker has been selling fine art prints from video games for a few years now. Thanks to partnerships with companies like Capcom, Naughty Dog, DICE and BioWare, it's offered artwork from critically acclaimed titles like The Last of Us, Mass Effect, Okami, and Mirror's Edge. Now, it's wooing indie developers into its ranks with a new initiative called the Cook & Becker Indie Program. The first fruits from the effort came last month with the release of artwork from Ronimo Games' Awesomenauts , and it's signed deals with both Vlambeer and The Astronauts -- Ridiculous Fishing and The Vanishing of Ethan Carter prints are coming soon.


The company is sending out a call to all indie developers, telling them to get in contact to offer prints through the program. It also says it's created a module that will allow devs to offer artwork through their own websites while it "takes care of all the stuff behind the scenes."


We're pretty big fans of Cook & Becker here at Engadget. It produces high-quality stuff at not-completely-outrageous prices, and has a good range for most budgets: you can pick up smaller artworks - its latest collection of Dragon Age: Inquisition prints, for example -- for under $100, go all out with a limited-edition 6-foot-wide Mass Effect print for $2,500 or settle for something in-between. No word yet on exactly when the Ridiculous Fishing and Ethan Carter prints are coming, but we're definitely keeping an eye out.


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Source: Cook & Becker


Woman in India rape case sues Uber

circa may 2014 berlin the...


A woman who claims she was raped by an Uber driver in New Delhi last month has filed suit against the US-based car-sharing company. In a civil complaint filed yesterday in California, the unnamed woman, who's referred to as "Jane Doe," said the company put its bottom line ahead of ensuring rider safety -- especially its female passengers.


The suit claims the company lacks systems to properly track Uber rides in progress and doesn't adequately screen potential drivers. Those shortcomings, the complaint states, end up "risking the safety of its unbeknownst customers." This all stems from an Uber ride back on December 5th of last year. As detailed in court documents, the woman used Uber's app to request a ride home after dinner with a friend - however a driver identified as Shuv Kamir Yadav instead drove her to a secluded area and sexually assaulted her.


In all, the suit claims Uber was negligent in its hiring, supervision and retention of employees. It also alleges the company was fraudulent when it claimed to have thoroughly screened its drivers and when it claimed to be able to track routes. In addition, the complaint cites battery, assault and false imprisonment, as well as intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.


Not long after the rape was initially reported, Uber was banned from operating in India's capital. CEO Travis Kalanick released a statement at the time, saying the company would do everything it could to help "bring this perpetrator to justice and to support the victim and her family in her recovery." However, the suit alleges the company failed to involve the victim, as she had requested, in efforts to upgrade its policies. In the days and weeks that followed, the company vowed to improve passenger safety - citing beefed-up background checks and options for passengers to share their locations with friends. This month, it slowly started operating within New Delhi again after applying for a taxi service license.


We reached out to Uber today for comment, and will update this story if it responds.


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Via: Ars Technica


Source: Legal complaint


ESPN offers standalone subscription for the Cricket World Cup


Talks of ESPN's standalone options are nothing new, and for the 2015 Cricket World Cup, the network is offering a cable-free standalone subscription. Access to the event's six-week slate of 49 matches will cost viewers $100 for viewing on the web. Teams from 14 countries begin competition on February 13th, and if you're interested, sign-ups go live on the 3rd. As you might expect, the subscription includes access to all the action via iOS and Android apps too, options that ESPN says will arrive ahead of the first inning. The matches won't air on WatchESPN or any of the traditional channels, but pay-TV companies like Dish Network and Time Warner Cable will serve it up as a pay-per-view add-on -- if you're looking to bundle the bills. If you'll recall, rumors of ESPN's standalone NBA subscription began circulating last fall, and the broadcaster could do the same with Major League Soccer in the future.


[Photo credit: Scott Barbour/Getty Images ]


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Via: Re/code


Source: ESPN


Google Now finally pulls in data from your favorite apps


At long last, Google Now will now support third-party apps. That means that in addition to serving you helpful information like when your next appointment is and how long it'll take you to get to the airport, Google's predictive search app will now push data from third-party apps too. The list for supported third-party apps at launch is long -- almost 40 at current count -- and include notable apps such as Airbnb, Lyft, The Guardian and Pandora. The idea here is if you already have these apps on your phone, info from those will be pushed to cards in Google Now. So for example, Pandora will offer recommendations to you on your commute, or Airbnb will remind you of the place that you were searching for and ask you if you want to book it. It'll also work in concert with contextual information from the phone, so if you've just arrived at the airport, Lyft might ask you if you want a ride.


According to the Wall Street Journal, no user data from Google Now will be shared with third parties and though some Now cards will be triggered by location, the location itself won't be shared. If you do tap on that third-party Now card though, it'll launch that particular third-party app and it would get your data as it would normally. Android users will get this update starting today.

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Source: Google, WSJ


Uber gets a thumbs up on data security from privacy auditors


The results from Uber's six-week-long external privacy audit, spurred on by several high profile security controversies, are in. And, surprisingly, the final report looks positively rosy for the on-demand taxi company . "Uber has dedicated significantly more resources to privacy than we have observed of other companies of its age, sector, and size," auditors from the law firm Hogan Lovells said in a statement. That's not exactly what you'd expect from a company who had one of its executives joke about tracking journalists' private lives using its internal data. Uber admits "we haven't always gotten it right" when it comes to security, and notes that it will continue to "review and iterate" on its policies as it continues to grow. Of course, no audit would be complete without a few suggestions for improving things. The Hogan Lovells team, led by data privacy expert Harriet Pearson, recommended that Uber start training employees about security issues, make it clearer to consumers about how their data will be used, and restrict access to data even further among employees. Uber, naturally, says it's working on implementing those changes.


"At Uber, protecting the personal information of riders is a core responsibility and company value," CEO Travis Kalanick said in a statement. "Delivering on that value means that privacy is woven into every facet of our business, from the design of new products to how we interact with riders, drivers and the public at large. We will continue to make it a priority to ensure that everyone at the company understands just how critically important it is to build and protect this trust with all of these constituents."


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Source: Uber, Uber Privacy Program Audit


'Heavy Rain' creator's earliest cinematic game gets remastered


If you missed out on the cult classic Indigo Prophecy (("Fahrenheit" in Europe), the first stab at a pseudo-cinematic game from Heavy Rain developer Quantic Dream, you've now got a good reason to give it a spin. A revamped version of the title has just landed on iOS and Steam (with support for Windows, Mac, and Linux) for $10, sporting better graphics and no censoring (nudity and sex scenes were cut from the original US import). While it's not the first game to combine a detective story with supernatural elements, Indigo Prophecy won plenty of praise for its mixture of interactive elements and movie-like style. That's something its director David Cage would later refine with Heavy Rain on the PlayStation 3 -- though the less said about his most recent title, Beyond: Two Souls, the better. An Android version of this shiny new version of Indigo Prophecy is in the works, but Aspyr Media, the developer handling the port, doesn't have a release date in mind yet.



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Via: Joystiq


Source: iTunes, Steam


Google's 3D-sensing Project Tango is no longer an experiment


Yet another project is graduating from experiment to proper part of Google. Only two weeks ago, Glass left the confines of the Skunk Works-like Google X and became its own division headed up by Nest co-founder Tony Fadell. Now Project Tango, the 3D-sensing and -mapping concept, is moving on from the ATAP (Advanced Technology and Projects) labs to become a part of the company proper. Unfortunately what that means for the technology or what products it might eventually end up in isn't exactly clear. Will the next Nexus sport a depth-sensing IR camera? Maybe. Or perhaps they'll be used to build more advanced home automation and home monitoring tools for Nest. All we do know is that Tango will live on, even if the name "Project Tango" eventually fades away.


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Source: Google ATAP (Google+)


Vine Kids delivers family-friendly video loops


Let's be honest: Kids are really easy to entertain. Give 'em something that makes noise and flashes some pretty colors and they're set. And that's pretty much what Vine does, ad infinitum. There's sounds, and sites and it loops forever or until the kid swipes down to the next clip. The only issue is, not everything on Vine is what you'd call "family friendly." Chances are you've got at least one foul-mouthed coworker that's always posting six-second barrages of profanity. So during a recent hack week, where employees work on pet projects, rather than focus on daily responsibilities, a few folks built Vine Kids.


Inside the app you (or more likely your child) will find looping clips of "adorable animated characters" that are selected by the Vine staff. Rather than infinitely scrolling, kids will swipe left or right to get to the next video and tapping the screen will make the characters emit "quirky sounds." Now it just remains to be seen how much demand there is for a curated, kid-friendly version of a social network for six-second video loops. Though, since other social networks don't bother even paying lip service to the youngest members of our society, it seems like Vine has the market cornered... no matter how small it is. Vine Kids is available on iOS right now, but whether or not it'll reach other platforms remains to be seen.



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Source: Vine


Verizon Wireless will let you dodge those sketchy 'supercookies'


Living a wholly private life on the internet is getting to be impossible, but months of thinkpieces and public outcry finally seem to have done a little good where one company is concerned. According to the New York Times , Verizon Wireless is giving its customers the option to fully opt out of the quiet, advertiser-friendly web tracking it's been conducting for the better part of two years. Alas, there's no word yet on just when that change will take effect, though it can't come soon enough for the privacy advocates and concerned consumers that've been raising hell since the existence of so-called "supercookies" came to light.


Right, let's take a step back for a moment. Since 2012, Verizon's been modifying some of its mobile web traffic to include what are technically called a Unique Identifier Header - better known these days as "supercookies" - that quantify your activity on the web to help build a pattern of interests and actions. That information forms an invisible portrait of you that's incredibly valuable to advertisers looking to target ever more specific subsets of people who might want to buy their crap. Now in fairness, Verizon has been giving people the option to opt-out of the advertising side of the equation for a while now. Thing is, their web traffic would continue to be tagged with supercookies anyway. Users never had a say in whether or not they were tracked, just whether or not they were pandered to in the process. That thankfully won't be the case for too much longer (we hope) but c'mon Verizon -- if you're going to pull something like this, at least give us the choice to opt in rather than bail out of something you've unilaterally imposed on us.

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Source: New York Times


Tesla's long-delayed Model X SUV is testing in California


It may look like a Prius that's been vomited on by Mad Max, but the vehicle you see in the clip below is probably Tesla's long-delayed Model X SUV. You see, when companies begin stress-testing vehicles, they dress them down with a dodgy paint job and go riding out a deserted airfield, like the one at the old naval base in Alameda. No amount of weird paint, however, could disguise the latest all-electric vehicle to roll off the production line, especially one as long-awaited as the X.


It's been a long road, getting from there to here. The Model X was originally announced back in 2012, but by the start of 2014, issues with the battery meant the date was pushed back to early 2015. Then, back in November, Elon Musk revealed that the company was having difficulty mass producing components for the falcon-winged vehicle, pushing the launch date back to the tail-end of 2015. If the company is feeling bullish enough to let its high-riding whip out in public, then perhaps he'll make that deadline. It looks like, despite the heftier build, that the Model X will still be mightily fast, let's just hope that the company puts Insane Mode as a button right on the steering wheel.



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Via: TechCrunch


Tesla doubles the size of its Supercharger network in the UK


The last time we checked in with Tesla's UK roll-out, the company had opened three new Superchargers in London, bringing its grand total for the British Isles up to nine. It promised that within six months, Model S owners would be able to drive the length of the UK on its ultra-fast chargers alone. A tough promise to keep, but one that it's now starting to deliver on; in just under three months, Tesla has more than doubled the size of its network to 20 Supercharger stations. Sites can now be found near Exmouth and Northampton, as well as Sainsbury's supermarkets in Winchester, Exeter and Bristol. Sure, a Model S still isn't practical for most drivers, but it's slowly becoming more viable -- especially if you live in London, where the bulk of Tesla's Superchargers are set up. If Musk is to persuade Britain to join his EV revolution, it's this sort of infrastructure that'll start winning people over.


[Image Credit: Tesla]


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Soundcloud's latest iPad app is good for listeners, bad for creators


Soundcloud likes to keep its apps looking sharp -- this much we know. It was only just recently that the music service gave its iPhone app a bit of spit and polish. This time it's the iPad version's turn. Unsurprisingly, a lot of the design-DNA from the smaller iOS app carries over to the tablet version, but it comes with some functional tweaks too. The music-player's waveform isn't just simplistic, it's functional (touch to play, pause, skip etc). Also, you don't need an account to listen to tracks (you just ope, search and play) -- why don't all music apps work like that! It's not all give though: comments, track info and follower lists are all temporarily removed (they'll make a return at some point soon, we're told). As for the bigger picture, the update also proves Soundcloud is moving towards content delivery rather than enabling its creation (it's been a tool for independent musicians right from the start). How so? The removal of recording and uploading tools should fairly well make that clear.


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Microsoft's white space internet aims to improve education in Ghana


Microsoft has long been championing TV white space internet for use in places conventional types of connections don't reach, even in places that don't even have access to electricity. After a pilot program that brought white space broadband to some African universities, Redmond is now making it available to anyone in Ghana. The company has collaborated with local provider Spectra Wireless to launch what it claims is the "first commercial service network utilizing TV white spaces" in Africa. Now, people (specifically students) in Ghana can subscribe to affordable high-speed internet bundles and even internet-enabled devices, presumably phones, tablets and laptops.


While the project page doesn't have a comprehensive list of gadgets, it did mention the brands, namely: Microsoft, Lenovo, Dell and HP. Each internet/device plan will also give students access to useful apps like Microsoft Office 365 and The Microsoft Virtual Academy. The service costs at least 2 Ghana cedi (or roughly 60 cents) for a 24-hour internet access, going up depending on the duration and the speed. And, in case subscribers can't afford any of the devices offered, they can apply for a zero-interest loan, thanks to a partnership with a local bank.


Microsoft General Manager in Africa, Fernando de Sousa, believes TV white space broadband will provide teachers and students in Ghana what they need to improve education in the region. "High speed broadband offers students and teachers a way to access learning resources from all over the world, equalising the divide between developed and developing nations," he says. "While the initial pilot project in Ghana offered wireless broadband to universities, this new commercial service allows students to have their own internet bundles, determine their own usage and purchase an internet-enabled device for anytime, anywhere access and enhanced productivity."


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Via: Neowin


Source: Microsoft


British thieves stole DVDs from a supermarket by mailing them home

Asda


Before we start, we know that crime is wrong and that theft is a serious issue. That said, the lengths some people will go to steal a few DVDs is pretty entertaining. Thieves at a Walmart-owned ASDA supermarket in Cheshire, England managed to evade security after they began packing movies and other stolen goods into envelopes. Instead of walking out with the goods, where they'd be instantly apprehended, they came up with the clever idea to send the packages to themselves using the in-store Post Office. Apparently no one told them DVDs were dead.


The Liverpool Echo reports that staff at ASDA caught wind of the scam (although it doesn't say how long it took for them to notice) and decided to move packaging supplies behind its entertainment counter at the other end of the store. It was only when a local shopper attempted to buy an envelope that he was let into the secret of what actually happened. The supermarket chain has confirmed it's now a police matter, who may now be looking for the local equivalent of Ocean's Eleven.


[Image credit: lordspudz, Flickr]


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Via: Indpendent


Source: Liverpool Echo


Google agrees to make its privacy policy clearer in the UK


Three years ago Google merged more than 60 privacy policies into one gargantuan document, in the hope it would be simpler and more readable for its customers around the world. Some people were skeptical of the changes and, despite Google's best efforts to explain itself, the company was pulled into an investigation with European regulators. Since then both sides have been debating back-and-forth, with Google proposing new changes and the EU's assigned taskforce asking for various revisions and improvements.


But at long last, Google seems to have finally put the problem to bed, at least in the UK. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) today announced that the search company has signed a new agreement that should make its unified privacy policy easier to understand. The document's entire navigation, structure and terminology will now be revamped, and a new overlay will offer real-world examples for some of the more complex aspects. A fresh section will also detail Google's use of cookies, and the entire policy document will be updated with new explanations for technical terms.


But the ICO's demands don't stop there. The conditions also mean that Google has to provide earlier notice and information for "passive users," improve and simplify user privacy controls, and overhaul its in-house policies for deleting user data. The UK regulator admits that Google's current policy hasn't "resulted in substantial damage and distress" for customers, but clearly it felt there was some room for improvement. The company now has until the end of June to make the agreed changes, although there are further measures it needs to comply with over the next two years. Will this be enough to satisfy the larger European taskforce? It's not clear, but assuring Britain would certainly be a start.


[Image Credit: Shutterstock]


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Source: ICO