Apple News is Better for Big Publishers Than Small

Digiday reached out to five publishers participating in Apple News+, and so far it sounds like there is a lot of confusion. Plus there’s the reality that the service seems to favor big publishers over smaller ones.

All participating publishers were given an email address where they were encouraged to send pitches, and sources said that by and large, Apple’s representatives were responsive to their outreach.

But a smaller, select group of publishers were invited to join a private Slack channel where they could connect with Apple more directly, a move that exasperated several sources when they were informed of the channel’s existence.

So far that’s the way Apple News has been, and this isn’t a News+ specific problem. Hopefully the service will improve over time.

Meet the AI-Created Sport Called Speedgate

Design agency AKQA gave data on 400 existing sports to a neural network, and one of the games it created is called Speedgate.

While the sport was created as an exercise for Design Week, it might just become a serious sport. AKQA is talking to the Oregon Sports Authority about Speedgate, and there might be an intramural league in the summer. The company is encouraging others to start their own leagues.

This sounds (and looks) like a cool game and I’d be interested to try it out. Additionally an informative guide to Speedgate can be found here.

iPhones Aren’t Safe From Google’s Sensorvault Database

Google has a database called Sensorvault. It contains location data of users and shares it with law enforcement—if they have a warrant, of course. Apple honors lawful requests as well. But Jennifer Valentino-DeVries wonders whether the database is too broad.

Google would not provide details on Sensorvault, but Aaron Edens, an intelligence analyst with the sheriff’s office in San Mateo County, Calif., who has examined data from hundreds of phones, said most Android devices and some iPhones he had seen had this data available from Google…

“It shows the whole pattern of life,” said Mark Bruley, the deputy police chief in Brooklyn Park, Minn., where investigators have been using the technique since this fall. “That’s the game changer for law enforcement.”

EU Lawmakers Approve Controversial 'Article 13' Copyright Reforms

The EU Parliament voted to approve controversial copyright reforms Monday. The reforms included provisions known as  ‘Article 13. That section makes firms responsible for copyright material on their platform. Article 11, which says aggregators must license content that is more than a “short extract”, was also approved.  AppleInsider reported that the changes will be implemented within 2 years.

Known as Article 13, the most controversial element makes firms put more efforts into policing the content on their services, including properly licensing copyrighted material, or be held liable for illegally shared content. The rules not only apply to firms based in the European Union, as it also will impact practically every company that has an online presence accessible within the EU, including those on other continents. The full rules apply to larger firms, but smaller companies and startups have relatively fewer requirements.

Bringing Alan Turing Back to Life

Ian Mcewan does not like science fiction. However, for his latest work, he imagined a dystopian time in which humans live alongside AI-powered robots. He also brought the acclaimed computer scientist Alan Turing back to life and had him solve one of the major unsolved problems in the field. He told Wired why.

In Machines Like Me, he imagines that the mathematician and codebreaker didn’t die by suicide at age 41 but lived on to crack P versus NP, a major computer science problem that in reality remains unsolved. In the world of the novel, this opens a path toward artificial minds that can learn, think – and fall in love.

Backlash Against Cashless Stores

There is no federal law that requires stores to accept cash, which was something that surprised me. So some stores are going cashless, but some argue this discriminates against poor people who don’t have a bank account and/or a fancy smartphone.

Advocates for cashless bans worry technology is moving too fast for the 6.5% of American households — 8.4 million — that do not have a bank account, according to figures from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Cashless is hard enough, but imagine if you walked into a store only to find out that it only accepts Google Pay. That might bring the reality a bit closer to home.

 

What to Expect From the Tim Cook Biography

A biography of Tim Cook will be released Tuesday. Author Leander Kahney spoke to AppleInsider and told them about the Apple CEO’s core values, his transition to being the main man, and the key differences between him and Steve Jobs. We’ll have a review of the book on TMO in the coming days.

Cook is more collaborative. Remember when they fired Forstall? They put out that press release, and it was kind of like, “We’re make some changes here at Apple, we’re making everything more collaborative. Jony Ive’s got more responsibilities.” They mentioned all this stuff and said, “Oh, by the way we fired Scott Forstall.” Looking back on that, I think it was kind of like Tim Cook’s sort of “Think Different” moment.

ChargeHub V6 Shareable Car Charger 2-Pack: $51.99

We have a deal on a nifty car charger, especially for families. It consists of two parts, the first of which is a two-port charger that plugs into your car’s auxiliary port (i.e. “cigarette lighter,” for those of a certain age among us). It also has a power port of its own designed for a 5-foot cable that attaches to a 4-port hub for the back seat. That’s 6 ports if you need them, and just two if you don’t. And that hub has a clip that lets you attach it to a back seat. It’s $51.99 through our deal.


A VR Version of Milgram’s Shocking Experiment

Stanley Milgram’s most famous experiment involved taking random people and telling them to electrocute someone who they thought got wrong answers on a quiz. Now there’s a virtual reality version, and the results prove insightful.

During the experiment, participants quizzed a virtual character. A correct answer meant they could move on, while an incorrect answer meant the human participant had to administer a virtual electrical jolt. The scientists noticed that participants sometimes tried to feed the virtual avatar the correct answer by pronouncing it louder — in hopes that they wouldn’t be told to shock them.

How to Type the Escape Key on iPad Keyboards

iPad keyboards don’t tend to have an escape key, but OSXDaily tells you how to type it.

Depending on what keyboard is in use with the iPad Pro, iPad, iPad mini, or iPad Air, you have several different options for typing the Escape key. Some of these keyboard shortcut options may work in some apps but not others, and some may work with some keyboards but not others, so try each option out on your own.

I can’t think of a reason why you would need to type the escape key on iOS, but here you go.

Patents Suggest Face ID Coming to Mac, Touch Bar Coming to Magic Keyboard

Newly published Apple patents revealed that Face ID could be coming to Macs. The documents, reported on by 9to5 Mac, also suggested the Touch Bar could be coming to the Magic Keyboard.

The patent application spotted today by Patently Apple is actually for Face ID using a retina scan rather than a 3D map of the face. This is a type of technology used in some high-end security systems. Apple notes in patent claim #86 that devices with the Touch Bar may also use a biometric sensor that is “a facial detection sensor.” In patent claim #87 Apple notes “wherein the biometric sensor is a retina scanner.” This may be a genuine interest on the part of Apple to switch to a new technology for Face ID, or it may simply be the company covering all the bases – as it usually does in patent applications.

Disney+ Likely Coming to Apple TV, Bob Iger Staying on Apple Board

In a fascinating interview with Bloomberg TV, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger discussed the new Disney+ streaming service. In the course of the conversation, he revealed that the service will be available via Apple TV. He also confirmed he will be staying on Apple’s board. That is despite the fact the two firms are going to be competing directly against each other in streaming.

The new Disney+ app will “in all likelihood be available through traditional app distributors, Apple being one of them,” Disney chief Bob Iger said in an interview with Bloomberg Television’s Emily Chang. While the studio behind “Star Wars” and Marvel movies said during an earlier presentation that consumers will be able to subscribe on Roku and PlayStation, it held back from naming others. Disney didn’t make announcements about other platforms because they “haven’t made deals with all of them yet,” Iger said. He also suggested that he isn’t planning to step down from the Apple board despite the companies going head-to-head in streaming

News+: Fixes and Enhancements With Affinity Photo

I’ve been using Affinity Photo for several months now, and I’m still getting used to using it. In the latest issue (May 2019) of MacFormat magazine, they share photo fixes and enhancements with Affinity Photo.

As well as using Affinity Photo to fix common problems, you can produce more creative results using selection and compositing tools such as layers and masks.

Unfortunately, this magazine is in PDF form instead of using Apple News Format. So you’ll have to swipe to page 28 (As opposed to me being able to share the singular article).

This is part of Andrew’s News+ series, where he shares a magazine every Friday to help people discover good content in Apple News+.

Dr. Katie Bouman - The 29-year-old Scientist Who Beamed a Black Hole Back to Earth

The image of Dr. Katie Bouman clasping her hands in glee next to her MacBook Pro as data from space downloads is almost as famous as the image she helped create. Dr. Bouman wrote the algorithm that helped produce the first-ever image of a black hole. The Telegraph published a biography of the acclaimed computer scientist and electrical engineer.

Dr Bouman’s CV reveals an impressive academic record in electrical engineering and computer science. She has studied at some of the best institutions in the world, getting an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, and a Masters and PhD at MIT, winning prizes and scholarships along the way. In 2017, as a graduate student, she took up her role leading the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) team – which made the black hole picture possible – based out of the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics, in Massachusetts

Tree-Planting Drones Shoot the Forest Back

Startup Biocarbon Engineering use tree-planting drones that shoot the forest back in Myanmar and other places around the world.

The drones first fly over an area to map it, collecting data about the topography and soil condition that can be combined with satellite data and analyzed to determine the best locations to plant each seed. Then the drone fires biodegradable pods—filled with a germinated seed and nutrients—into the ground.

Amazon's Alexa is Listening to You - More Than You Might Know

Bloomberg reports:

Tens of millions of people use smart speakers and their voice software to play games, find music or trawl for trivia. Millions more are reluctant to invite the devices and their powerful microphones into their homes out of concern that someone might be listening.

Sometimes, someone is.

The article goes on to explain how Amazon employs thousands of people around the world to  listen, transcribe and annotate conversations with Alexa. All in an effort to improve Alexa’s ability to understand human speech. Of course, Amazon has strict policies and the user identities are anonymized. But still… Seriously?

Humm.ly Music Therapy App 1-Year Subscription: $19.99

We have a deal on Humm.ly, a musical therapy app designed to upgrade your mindfulness practice and boost well-being. All content is designed by certified music therapists and music producers, and it will serve up music calibrated to your desired goal. Read more about the app in the deal listing. You can get one year subscription to the service for $19.99 through our deal.

Foxconn is Confusing People in Wisconsin

People in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin may have initially been happy when they heard Foxconn was coming. The company promised  13,000 jobs would be created. But, according to the Verge, things have all got a little confusing.

Mount Pleasant residents engage in Kremlinology based on overheard conversations at local bars and which contractors are seen coming and going from the site, which is heavily patrolled by private security. Even then, appearances can be misleading. Most of the construction that was visible from the roads in Mount Pleasant this winter wasn’t being done by Foxconn, but by government contractors building roads and utilities. As for the innovation centers announced across the state, Foxconn has bought property, but beyond that, much is unclear, including what an “innovation center” actually is.

Nintendo Labo: Getting Physical With VR

Gaming is one of the most exciting, and tangible, applications of VR. Wired spoke Tsubasa Sakaguchi, who leads software development for Nintendo Labo, the company’s DIY VR kit. He revealed that Nintendo focused on the physical sensations associated with VR, not the screen.

Though Labo is designed primarily for entertainment, says Sakaguchi, he notes that this creative element and the company’s focus on involving young children has led to the game being introduced in schools and museums. “It’s a joy for us,” he says, “but we secretly expected it.” Sakaguchi hopes that Labo will provide players with a compelling introduction to VR.

Cars With Dashboard Screens are the Next Frontier for Ads

Paywalled article from the Wall Street Journal. If advertisers could beam ads directly into our brains so there was zero chance of escaping them, they would absolutely do it. We don’t have that capability yet, so meanwhile dashboard screens in your car are the next frontier.

On future screens, local restaurants, doctors’ offices and other services could target ads based on typical driving routes. An insurance company could offer lower rates for cautious drivers, while car makers could use system data to offer service on an aging part before it blows. Some envision a world where users could start watching a TV show at home, then with a voice command continue watching the same program in the car. Others are working on allowing users to order and pay for gasoline and coffee on their screens.

Amazon's HR Chief - the Most Influential Person in Tech You've Never Heard of

Beth Galetti is not one of the most famous names in tech. But she’s one of the most influential. Fast Company‘s Harry McCraken spoke to Amazon’s HR chief, the only woman in Amazon’s Senior Team, on her role and the firm’s massive recruitment drive.

Like most–okay, all–HR executives, the 46-year-old Galetti isn’t exactly famous. But in her nearly six years at Amazon, three as a division leader, she has quietly become one of its most influential figures. Galetti is the highest-ranking woman at the company, and the only woman on the 18-person “S-Team” (short for “Senior Team”) that reports directly to founder and CEO Jeff Bezos. And she has presided over a hiring spree of historic proportions.

AirPods 2 Get a Zero out of Ten for Repairability

iFixit is back, this time doing a teardown of the AirPods 2. They remain “disappointingly disposable” and get a 0/10 for repairability.

That said, the construction isn’t entirely unimproved—this set might survive an extra trip through the washing machine. It’s just, we know Apple can do better.

Not really a surprise here.

MacX DVD Ripper Pro Lifetime License: $14.99

We have a deal on MacX DVD Ripper Pro, software that can convert your DVDs into digital video files for your media library. It supports batch converting for multiple videos at once, can extract audio, and more. The deal listing has more information, and a lifetime license for MacX DVD Ripper Pro is $14.99 through our deal.

Ready? Google Planning Ads in Maps - Think $$

Bloomberg’s Gerrit De Vynck writes:

Service was mostly ad-free for years. That’s changing now.

Company looks beyond ‘utility’ navigation for new ad revenue.

He concludes:

Suddenly charging for something free — or slipping ads into formerly uncluttered services — are rare and risky steps for Google. But parent Alphabet Inc. has shareholders to please and revenue growth targets to hit. Maps is the next, big service the company is leaning on to achieve those goals.

Thank goodness for Apple Maps.