Category Archives: Technology

Technology

Chrome for Android now lets you ‘preview page’

Leave a comment

The last major update to mobile Chrome introduced a grid layout for tabs and the ability to group them. A more minor Chrome addition on Android today lets you preview a page before fully opening it.

The context menu that appears when long pressing links now has a “Preview page” option. Appearing between “Open in incognito tab” and “Copy link address,” tapping slides up a sheet for the page in question that covers the majority of your screen, but cannot be expanded further.

A top bar includes the site’s favicon, page name, and domain, as well as a button to open in a proper window (as part of groups). You can close it from the top-right corner “x” or by swiping down on the pull tab. 

This addition is surprisingly useful for certain users, especially in light of how tabs open today. It gives you a chance to decide whether something is worth committing to a group, and makes you more judicious about open page/queue management.

The new “Preview page” capability is rolling out to Chrome 89 for Android via server-side update this evening. Google has been working on this feature for over two years, and it’s now ready for prime time in the stable channel.

More about Google Chrome:

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news:

Read original article here

Technology

Facebook reveals more details about future smart glasses that Mark Zuckerberg says will ‘teleport’ you

Leave a comment

The MarketGauge Group managing director Michele Schneider provides insight into recent market movements and opportunities.

Facebook wants your virtual interactions to be more like in-person experiences.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company is developing augmented reality smart glasses because no current technology can replicate “the holy grail of social experiences” that is feeling present with another person, in an episode of The Information’s 411 podcast this week.

“You have technology that allows you to communicate and that can with different fidelity help you see what’s going on with the other person,” Zuckerberg said on the podcast. “But there’s just something that’s really magical about the sense of presence and feeling like you’re there with another person and everything that goes into that psychologically.”

Facebook wants your virtual interactions to be more like in-person experiences, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

FACEBOOK SAYS FEDERAL, STATE ANTITRUST LAWSUITS NOT CREDIBLE, FILES MOTIONS TO DISMISS

The company shared more details about the development of the futuristic product in a blog post, saying that “a lightweight, stylish pair of glasses could replace your need for a computer or smartphone.”

Zuckerberg told The Information that it could make it seem like people across the world are in the same room.

Ticker Security Last Change Change %
FB FACEBOOK, INC. 264.90 -0.84 -0.32%

“Rather than calling someone or having a video chat, you just kind of snap your fingers and teleport, and you’re sitting there and they’re on their couch and it feels like you’re there together,” he said on the podcast.

The project is being developed by Facebook Reality Labs, the company’s subsidiary previously known as Oculus Research. Facebook acquired Oculus as part of its $2.3 billion deal to buy the virtual reality tech company in 2014.

While Oculus sales of VR headsets and content have grown, the research unit has produced mixed results. In 2018, Facebook cut a virtual assistant from its Messenger app and efforts by Facebook Reality Labs to compete against Google Assistant or Apple’s Siri have reportedly proven unfruitful.

Facebook is developeing augmented reality glasses. (Facebook)

SANDBERG THOUGHT ZUCKERBERG WAS ‘NUTS’ FOR SAYING FACEBOOK EMPLOYEES MAY NEED TO GO REMOTE DURING COVID

Still, Facebook shared some big ideas for the smart glasses. It compared the potential of the future device to the changes in computer use made by the invention of the mouse.

The blog post detailed potential capabilities of the under-development glasses, such as allowing a wearer to put on special gloves to type on a virtual keyboard, mute background noise in a busy café or automatically send a call to voicemail while the wearer is engaged in an in-person conversation.

“You’d have the ability to feel physically present with friends and family — no matter where in the world they happened to be — and contextually-aware AI to help you navigate the world around you, as well as rich 3D virtual information within arm’s reach,” the company wrote in a blog post. “Best of all, they’d let you look up and stay present in the world around you rather than pulling your attention away to the periphery in the palm of your hand. This is a device that wouldn’t force you to choose between the real world and the digital world.”

Facebook first announced it was researching future wearable tech under “Project Aria” last September. (Facebook)

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

Facebook first announced it was researching future wearable tech under “Project Aria” last September. The company didn’t say how far along development on the glasses has gotten, but it did highlight some of the hurdles facing its engineers.

The smart glasses will need to seamlessly do what the wearer wants and give them whatever information they want, according to the blog post. But they will also need to be “secure, private, unobtrusive, easy to learn, easy to use, comfortable/all-day wearable, effortless and reliable.”

Read original article here

Technology

Sakurai Explains Why Xenoblade’s Rex Isn’t A Smash Ultimate DLC Fighter

Leave a comment

During last week’s Super Smash Bros. Ultimate presentation, Sakurai explained how the team considered having Xenoblade Chronicles 2‘s protagonist Rex fight alongside Pyra and Mythra but it simply wasn’t possible due to the limitations of the game.

Sakurai has now elaborated on this in his latest Famitsu column, once again explaining how the idea the team had in mind (of two different fighters at once) was ruled out due to technical barriers. In the end, it was decided the fighter would transform into two similar but different characters.

Here’s the full translation, courtesy of Ryokutya2089 (via Siliconera):

“When it was decided that we were to create a character from Xenoblade Chronicles 2, the very first thing I thought about was to show and move Rex and Pyra at the same time on screen. But a conclusion that it’s impossible came at a match speed. I somewhat requested the team to inspect it, but it was impossible.”

“When we talk about 2 people who move as a single group, there are the Ice Climbers. They have the same looks and can only do the same things. When we tried Rex + Pyra, it was clear that we could not do an essential task to have their [data] capacity exceed a processing load threshold.”

“The system to have Rex as the main fighter and Pyra overseeing him was also determined to be difficult. The design was so complex that a lot of things would have to be done.”

“Rex would have to be moved on his own. But then I thought it would be better if we can change between Pyra and Mythra.”

So this is why Rex didn’t make the cut as a DLC fighter. At least he got to feature in the final smash scene for the new DLC fighter. What do you think of the latest two-in-one character? Were you hoping Rex would be a playable character? Share your thoughts down below.



Read original article here

Technology

Yuri Sakazaki gameplay trailer revealed for King of Fighters 15

Leave a comment

Andy Bogard was revealed for King of Fighters 15 last week. Though we didn’t receive the “tune in next week for more info” at the end of the trailer, expectations didn’t have to be shattered with disappointment this week as SNK has continued their tradition of releasing a new King of Fighters 15 trailer every week.

As such, Yuri Sakazaki has now been revealed for King of Fighters 15 thanks to the newest trailer.

She is the younger sister of Ryo Sakazaki, and is the first female practitioner of Kyokugenryu Karate — which is based on a real world fighting style called “Kyokushin Karate.”

During the trailer, Yuri Sakazaki shows off fiery abilities by hitting opponents with flaming projectiles up close. The trailer also demonstrates that she has a deadly uppercut in her arsenal.

Though Yuri uses the lowest-grade version of the Kyokugenryu Karate discipline, she rearranges the style to better fit her purposes. Many of her techniques have a flying swallow-naming motif to them.

By the end of the trailer, Yuri has not yet been paired with two other characters. This means that we won’t find out her canonical team in King of Fighters 15 until the coming weeks.

Check out Yuri Sakazaki’s trailer below:

Click images for larger versions

Read original article here

Technology

OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro shown in leaked renders

Leave a comment

We have a very clear picture of what the upcoming OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro will look like thanks to WinFuture — the site has published a whole bunch of official press renders of the upcoming phones well ahead of the March 23rd launch. We got our first official look at the upcoming flagship in a teaser video from OnePlus earlier this week, but this latest leak features both regular and Pro models from multiple angles in a variety of colors.

These renders align with what OnePlus has already shared, and they also resemble an alleged prototype device that was leaked late last year. It appears that the OnePlus 9 Pro will come with a slightly curved 6.7-inch display, and the OnePlus 9 will feature a flat 6.5-inch screen. That’s about the extent of the spec details in this leak; WinFuture speculates that the 9 may use a plastic chassis rather than metal, but it’s hard to say for sure based on these images.


What is evident is the Hasselblad branding on both devices’ camera bumps, thanks to a new partnership. Both phones include a Sony IMX789 sensor in the main camera, and as confirmed by OnePlus CEO Pete Lau on Twitter, an ultrawide camera will be included with a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 sensor. That’s an unusually high resolution count for an ultrawide, but as Lau demonstrates with some side-by-side images, those extra pixels might allow for more aggressive distortion correction and cropping.

Outside of camera lenses, these renderings show the range of color options we can likely expect from the 9 and 9 Pro. The 9 Pro is shown in sturdy black, olive green, and metallic silver. The 9 looks to be offered in black, with more laid-back blue and purple options available, too.



Read original article here

Technology

Parler denied return to Apple app store: report

Leave a comment

Apple denied Parler re-entry to the company’s App Store, after the controversial conservative-attracting social media app was ousted from the platform in January following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, according to documents cited by Bloomberg.

“After having reviewed the new information, we do not believe these changes are sufficient to comply with App Store Review guidelines,” Apple wrote to Parler’s chief policy officer on Feb. 25, according to Bloomberg. “There is no place for hateful, racist, discriminatory content on the App Store.”

Apple suspended Parler from its platform in January because of the app’s lack of moderation and threats of violence. The app was also removed from Amazon’s web hosting services that same month.

Apple and Amazon gave Parler an opportunity to change its content moderation policy. But on Feb. 15, Parler relaunched, this time on its own platform, which allowed it to sidestep moderation regulations. 

With the launch, the app introduced new community guidelines, but those were inadequate for the App Store’s regulations – namely because of “easily identifiable” disparaging terms and symbols on the platform.

“In fact, simple searches reveal highly objectionable content, including easily identified offensive uses of derogatory terms regarding race, religion and sexual orientation, as well as Nazi symbols,” Apple wrote to Parler in a letter, according to Bloomberg. “For these reasons your app cannot be returned to the App Store for distribution until it complies with the guidelines.”

On Wednesday, Parler reportedly cut three of its remaining iOS developers, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the matter. Overall, the company removed seven workers, the majority of whom were contractors, while other staff worked on Parler TV and quality assurance.

Parler’s community guidelines were written by Chief Policy Amy Peikoff, Bloomberg reported citing two people familiar with the matter.

Parler surged in popularity among conservative users after the 2020 presidential election and the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, branding itself as a pro-free speech platform following moves by Twitter to block certain users, including former President TrumpDonald TrumpManhattan prosecutors intensifying probe into Trump’s New York estate: report GOP leaders reiterate commitment to working with Trump amid back-and-forth Top Republicans seek to tamp down concerns over Trump’s funding demands MORE, which banned him permanently.

Apple and Parler did not immediately respond to requests for comment.



Read original article here

Technology

Elon Musk explains why Starship SN10 exploded as SpaceX preps for SN11 launch

Leave a comment

Last week, private rocket company SpaceX got as close as it’s ever been to successfully carrying out a soft-landing of a reusable heavy lift rocket it hopes to one day send to the moon and Mars. 

The Starship SN10 launched from the SpaceX facility in Boca Chica, Texas last Wednesday, ascending to an altitude of more than 32,000 feet before making its way back to Earth in a controlled descent. 

America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.

When the spacecraft touched down on its landing pad without perishing in a fireball like its two predecessors, it seemed that SpaceX nailed one of the most challenging processes in making a reusable, cost-effective rocket. 

Minutes later, the stainless steel rocket ship was destroyed in a fiery explosion. 

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Tuesday explained the rocket touched down at too high a speed. 

“SN10 engine was low on thrust due (probably) to partial helium ingestion from fuel header tank. Impact of 10m/s [22 miles per hour] crushed legs & part of skirt,” he tweeted. 

A closer look at the landing of SN10 shows it was slightly leaning to one side before exploding. 

Musk went on to explain that the helium ingestion was probably the result of a pressurization system that had been added to the methane header tank to fix a problem that occurred in a previous starship prototype, SN8. 

“If autogenous pressurization had been used, CH4 bubbles would most likely have reverted to liquid,” he said. “Helium in header was used to prevent ullage collapse from slosh, which happened in prior flight. My fault for approving. Sounded good at the time.”

The test, however, was still hailed as a success as SN10 landed and remained in one piece significantly longer than two earlier prototypes that exploded on impact. 

Wasting little time, another Starship prototype dubbed SN11 was rolled out onto the launchpad this week. 

SpaceX has yet to say exactly when the next flight test will take place, but NASASpaceFlight.com projected the rocket could be ready to go as soon as next week. 

Before SN11 was placed on the launch mount, SpaceX employees were seen testing the spacecraft’s legs. 

“Multiple fixes in work for SN11,” Musk tweeted. 

Musk has said this week that Starship will be ready to launch humans into orbit and beyond by 2023. 

READ MORE LIKE THIS FROM CHANGING AMERICA

‘SPACE HURRICANE’ SEEN HOVERING ABOVE THE EARTH FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER

WORLD’S FIRST SPACE HOTEL PLANS GRAND OPENING IN JUST SIX YEARS

MINUTES AFTER ELON MUSK DECLARES SUCCESS, MARS ROCKET EXPLODES IN GIANT FIREBALL

MARS ROVER CARRIED SECRET MESSAGE SPACE FANS DECODED

WE DON’T BELONG ON MARS, WE HAVEN’T LANDED ON EARTH YET

 



Read original article here

Technology

Apex Legends on Switch: Early reactions say it’s pretty bad

Leave a comment

Apex Legends launched Tuesday on Nintendo Switch, and early reactions to the battle royale game from fans are … not good. They’re disappointed in the game’s performance, and they say cross-platform play against users on higher-performance systems leaves them at a huge disadvantage.

“I can excuse bad graphics, but on Switch, the game feels awful to play,” wrote one player, in the Switch subreddit on Wednesday afternoon.

“The game drops to like 10 frames when you’re in any gunfight,” says the Reddit thread starter. “Graphics look muddy in docked mode … I don’t even want to know how handheld looks.”

Apex Legends, which launched in 2019 on PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One, runs at 720p resolution in the Switch’s docked mode, and 576p in handheld. The slower frame rates and weaker resolutions give Switch players less time to react in a fast-paced shooter, and less visual information than competitors on other systems can get just at a glance.

Reddit user Ann0ying posted a visibility comparison of a Switch running Apex Legends and the same frame on an Xbox One at 1080p. “Close up enemy model (is it even there?)” they wrote, over a pixelated smudge that doesn’t resemble anything important at a distance.

“Apex runs on a highly customized Source engine that was built to expand the loading distance for long distance views and such,” noted redditor JabroniSn0w.

“It does look nice at times,” shrugs YouTuber RGT 85, “But it definitely does look blurry. … The frame rate targets 30 frames per second, but it definitely drops at times, and that kind of disappoints me a bit. … If you play first-person shooters on other platforms, it’s definitely jarring.”

Switch users are recommending that players turn off the cross-play option (in the game’s settings menu), and join Switch-only lobbies, to stand a better chance in Kings Canyon. Playing against people on platforms where visibility isn’t an issue, the thinking goes, might not be as balanced as matching up against folks who are in the same boat as Switch players. For some reason, probably because it gets players into a match faster, cross-platform play is on by default for Switch. But opting for Switch-only lobbies reportedly means much longer wait times to get a game started, given the new launch’s much smaller installation base.

Panic Button, the port shop that brought Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal to the Switch, developed Apex Legends for the console, too. Lots of players still pointed to the job that studio did bringing a hardcore multiplayer shooter to Nintendo’s platform, and the post-launch support both titles have received, in hopes that Apex Legends will get better on Switch over time.

“They were still patching Doom a few years after, even though it didn’t need it and they didn’t have to,” said one Redditor. “Give it a few months. I was also expecting better, but I am not disappointed, if that makes sense.”

Apex Legends launched March 9 on Switch, giving players on that platform 30 free levels of the Battle Pass for Season 8, which is already in progress. Switch players also earn double XP during the first two weeks the game is available.

Read original article here

Technology

Valorant Player Sinatraa Suspended Following Sexual Abuse Accusations

Leave a comment

Professional Valorant player Jay ‘Sinatraa’ Won has been suspended from the North American Valorant Champions Tour following allegations that he sexually abused a former partner.
Content Warning: details on sexual and emotional abuse follows.

In a statement yesterday, Cleo Hernandez provides a detailed, graphic account of her relationship with Won, saying Won pressured her into sex on numerous occasions without her consent, even after she repeatedly told him no or expressed that she was in pain. She also accused him of being emotionally abusive and manipulative while they were together.

The account includes an audio recording in which Hernandez can be heard saying “No” repeatedly while a male voice, said to be Won’s, insists on continuing.

Today, Riot issued a statement through its official Valorant Champions Tour NA account authored by global head of competitive operations and Valorant, Alex Francois:

“We are aware of the current situation regarding Jay Won (Sinatraa) and have launched an investigation. Per our existing competitive rules and investigative process, a decision has been made to suspend Won throughout the investigation and therefore he will not be able to compete this weekend.”

Won’s team, the Los Angeles Sentinels, has also suspended Won with a similar statement:

“We are aware of the current situation regarding Jay ‘Sinatraa’ Won and have launched an investigation internally. While the investigation is pending, he is suspended from the team. We will provide a further update once the investigation has concluded.”

Won is a former competitive Overwatch player who used to play for the San Francisco Shock, before moving to the Sentinels and Valorant in 2020.

Won has yet to reply to these accusations. IGN has also reached out to the Overwatch League for comment as well.

Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.



Read original article here

Technology

The Asus ROG Phone 5 has 18GB of RAM, two USB ports, crazy rear display

Leave a comment

  • The Asus ROG Phone 5. It looks like it’s going to transform into a robot any second now.

  • There’s a tiny OLED screen on the back for decoration.


    Asus

  • The screen can run several animations or custom text, but it doesn’t seem to show notification info.


    Asus

  • The side USB port. If lightning bolts appear while charging, you probably have some kind of grounding issue.


    Asus

  • You get virtual shoulder buttons on the left and right of the phone.


    Asus

  • New for the Ultimate edition, there are L2/R2 triggers on the back of the phone, triggered via a touch-sensitive area on the back. It’s hard to really tell, but the touch areas seem to be somewhere around the two red circles here (which I added).


    Asus

  • The fan attachment has two more buttons on the left and right sides.


    Asus

  • That blue thing is the SIM tray.


    Asus

Welcome to the world of maximum Android overkill with the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate! It has two displays, two USB ports, and two… batteries? It’s the new highest-spec Android phone on the market, available in Europe for €1,299, or about $1,545. This is the follow-up to last year’s Asus ROG Phone 3—a ROG Phone 4 is not happening because Asus is a bunch of tetraphobics.

Let’s talk about these crazy specs. The ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is sporting a 144 Hz, 6.78-inch, 2448×1080 OLED display; a Snapdragon 888 SoC; 18GB of RAM; 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage; and a 6000 mAh battery. Eighteen gigabytes of RAM is a new high-mark for Android phones and (I’m not sure if this is good or bad for Android) is more RAM than you’d get in some laptops. The phone comes with Android 11, supports Wi-Fi 6E, and supports 65 W wired quick charging with a charger in the box. There’s also an in-screen fingerprint reader, a headphone jack, two USB-C ports, and front stereo speakers. The cameras are definitely an afterthought, with a 64 MP Sony IMX686 as the main camera, a secondary 12 MP ultrawide, a 5 MP macro camera, and a 24 MP front camera.

The headline addition is the second screen on the rear, which appears to be just for fun. Embedded diagonally in the back of the phone is a tiny, low-resolution, monochrome OLED display. There are no official specs for it, but it looks to be around a 1.7-inch, 256×64 display. Last year, the ROG phone had an RGB LED logo on the back, and similarly, this seems to be mostly for decoration. There are a number of premade animations for it, like a motorcycle speeding past a city, and it’s programmable with a custom message. One animation is for an incoming call, while another is for charging, but for actual data, that appears to be it. The little screen doesn’t seem like it can show notification information or the time, like other secondary displays we see on foldable phones. Samsung did a lot more with a 1.1-inch display on the Galaxy Z Flip.

In the PC world, “gamer” branding is automatically put on almost all the high-end parts and products, so you’re getting better performance. But for phones, “gamer” stuff is a tough sell since everyone uses all the same parts. Asus’s biggest gamer pitch revolves around extra control schemes that you can map in games. In landscape, ultrasonic sensors in the left and right corners of the phone give you virtual shoulder buttons, while touch sensors on the back of the phone give you virtual “L2/R2 triggers.” There are also phone tilt motion control schemes. It looks like all of these can be mapped to emulate touchscreen input, so you can trigger on-screen buttons without actually blocking the display.

Asus’ other gaming consideration is the dual USB-C port design, with one on the bottom in the usual area and the other centered on the side, allowing for easy charging while gaming in landscape mode. Next to the side USB port is an accessory connector for an optional fan attachment. The internal design of the phone is very unusual. Normally, you get one big battery in the center of the phone, with the SoC and other main components pushed to the top (Samsung) or side (Apple) of the phone. Asus has two separate 3000 mAh batteries on the top and bottom of the phone, and the main motherboard is the center of the device, allowing for easy connection of the side USB port. This also means the attachable centered fan can actually do something. Of course, the fan is pointed at solid glass, and under that is the rear OLED display, and then you hit the SoC. But at least it’s in the right ballpark. The fan, by the way, has two more gaming touch points on it, so between the top triggers, the back trigger, and the two fan buttons, you can have six virtual buttons on the back.

Most of the ROG Phone 3 accessories from last year are supported. There’s the Nintendo Joycon-style ROG Kunai 3 Gamepad, which is two controller halves that can mount to the sides of the phone or slide into a controller grip. There’s also a “ROG Clip” phone mount for a Playstation or Xbox controller. The TV dock is different this year, and the ROG Phone 5 is incompatible with last year’s version.

A few lower-tier versions of the ROG Phone 5 are available without the rear display and slimmed-down specs, but we’re just here for the insane gamer excess. The spec sheet-busting “Ultimate” model will go on sale in May in Europe.

Listing image by Asus

Read original article here