Thursday, July 29, 2021

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Louis Vuitton is making a mobile game with embedded NFTs

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 03:55 AM PDT

The worlds of fashion and gaming are cozying up to one another. From Gucci selling digital items in Roblox to Vogue's virtual fashion spread starring Gigi Hadid, the two industries are increasingly overlapping to capture a young, tech-savvy audience. Now, Louis Vuitton is jumping on the bandwagon by releasing a mobile video game to celebrate its founder's 200th birthday. Louis: The Game stars the fashion house's mascot Vivienne, a wooden doll embellished with the company's flower insignia, on a journey through the brand's history, reports Austrian newspaper Kurier.

The iOS and Android game reportedly tasks players with exploring a colorful world by completing various quests — all pretty generic so far. Whether it turns out to be more than just an unashamed bit of promotional fluff remains to be seen. The game drops on August 4th. If LV goes all-out psychedelic like it did with its recent UFO-style speaker, then it could be worth a look.

According to WWD, the game will also feature "embedded NFTs." Though, that hardly sounds promising. The one-of-a-kind digital collectibles have gone from multi-million dollar auctions to freebies designed to promote throwaway pop culture, like Warner Bros. recent Space Jam reboot.

Rocket Lab launches US Space Force satellite after its failed mission in May

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 03:35 AM PDT

Rocket Lab has successfully launched a US military satellite in its first mission since its 20th Electron launch ended up in failure back in May. The company's Electron rocket made its way to space from its New Zealand launch site, carrying a small demonstration satellite from the US Space Force called the Monolith. Peter Beck, Rocket Lab founder and CEO, tweeted shortly after the event that the payload was deployed and praised the team for a "flawless" launch.

Monolith's target location is in low-Earth orbit around 370 miles above our planet. The satellite will demonstrate the use of a deployable sensor, "where the sensor's mass is a substantial fraction of the total mass of the spacecraft, changing the spacecraft's dynamic properties and testing ability to maintain spacecraft attitude control," Rocket Lab explained in the official mission webpage. The results from the demonstration will help companies build more affordable satellites within shorter timeframes.

Rocket Lab's 20th mission failed in May when it suffered an "anomaly" after the second stage ignition. The company lost both its Electron rocket and BlackSky's Earth observation satellite payloads as a result of its second launch failure within the span of a year. After investigating the issue, Rocket Lab determined that the root cause was a problem with the second stage engine igniter system that "induced a corruption of signals within the engine computer." The company says it has since implemented fixes "to prevent any future reoccurrence."

Facebook's next product will be its long-awaited Ray-Ban smart glasses

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 03:05 AM PDT

Facebook's booming business is dominated by digital ads, but it also has hardware ambitions beyond VR. During the company's latest earnings call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said its next product release would be a pair of smart glasses from Ray-Ban. 

"The glasses have their iconic form factor, and they let you do some pretty neat things," the Facebook co-founder said. "So I'm excited to get those into people's hands and to continue to make progress on the journey toward full augmented reality glasses in the future." 

Facebook's sunglasses have been the subject of rumors since 2019. Back then, sources told CNBC that Facebook was working with Ray-Ban owner EssilorLuxottica on AR eyewear nicknamed "Orion." The glasses were billed as a full-fledged phone replacement on which you could take calls, see information and even broadcast livestreams. That inevitably drew comparisons to Google Glass (another Luxottica collab) instead of the phone-tethered Spectacles from Snap. Last year, Hugo Barra, then VP VR at Facebook Reality Labs, confirmed that the glasses would land in 2021. But, we haven't heard much since.

For Facebook, the glasses hold the key to its future. Alongside virtual reality, augmented reality (AR) is integral to building the "metaverse," Zuckerberg said. In the future, Facebook will morph into a shared, liveable platform that lets you "teleport" between different social experiences using VR and AR, Zuckerberg explained. 

The term metaverse is the latest buzzword seized upon by Silicon Valley and futurists. While the concept has been around for well over a decade, it gained traction after the breakout success of multiplayer game creation platforms like Fortnite and Roblox. Earlier this week, Microsoft chief Satya Nadella mentioned an "enterprise metaverse" on his company's earnings call.

For Facebook, the metaverse is more than just a fad. The company is spending billions in order to build its shared universe, which will be populated with Facebook users and digital ads, according to Zuckerberg. In order for it to become a reality, the company needs more people to buy its computing hardware. Therefore, the plan is to make those devices more affordable.

"Our business model isn't going to primarily be around trying to sell devices at a large premium or anything like that because our mission is around serving as many people as possible," Zuckerberg noted. "So we want to make everything that we do as affordable as possible, so as many people as possible can get into it and then compounds the size of the digital economy inside it. So that's kind of at a high level how I'm thinking about this."

Sunglasses aren't the only hardware Facebook is reportedly working on. Multiple reports have claimed Facebook is developing a smartwatch with a built-in cellular connection and a detachable display. Initially, it was believed that the watch would be first out the gate, but it seems Zuckerberg had other plans.

Old Amazon Kindle devices will soon lose 3G access

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 02:30 AM PDT

If you have an older Amazon Kindle with 3G internet, take note that you may not be able to wirelessly access and download new content anymore starting in December. As The Verge reports, Amazon has sent out emails to owners with old Kindles, telling them that previous-generation devices will lose internet access after mobile operators transition from 2G and 3G networks to 4G and 5G.

The e-commerce giant listed the particular devices that will be affected by the switch in its FAQ page. It noted that the first- and second-generation Kindles, as well as the Kindle DX, won't be able to connect to the internet at all since they don't have WiFi connectivity to fall back on. The other devices in the list are the Kindle Keyboard (3rd Generation), Kindle Touch (4th Generation), Kindle Paperwhite (5th, 6th and 7th Generation), Kindle Voyage (7th Generation) and Kindle Oasis (8th Generation), all of which have WiFi connection.

You'll still be able to access your books on an older device and can do wired transfers if you want, though. And if you have a newer 4G or WiFi-only Kindle, you won't be affected at all. In its email, Amazon included a code customers can use to get $50 off a new Kindle Paperwhite or Oasis, along with $15 in eBook credits. You may want to check your inbox to see if you got the company's notice in case you've been looking to upgrade anyway.

Google is banning 'sugar daddy' apps as part of new sexual content restrictions

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 01:10 AM PDT

The term "sugar daddy" entered the lexicon in force back in 2015 when a massive data breach exposed a list of clients on the dating app Ashley Madison. Now, we're hearing about it again via Google's latest Play store policy update, as Android Police has reported. As part of new restrictions on sexual content, it's banning what it calls "compensated sexual relationships (i.e. sugar dating)," effective September 1st, 2021.

If you weren't aware, a "sugar daddy" is someone (a wealthy, older man, usually) who is willing to spend money in exchange for sexual favors. A quick scan shows that there are plenty of sugar daddy style apps on Play, including a number that are literally called "Sugar Daddy." Others have names like Elite Millionaire Singles, SeekingArrangement and Spoil.

Spoil spells it out pretty clearly, as PhoneArena notes. "Here you can find other wealthy sugar daddies who are looking for a discreet arrangement, and you can also meet other attractive girls who are looking for generous men," the description reads. Presumably, this app and all the others will be removed by September 1st, though as with any other Android app, they would still be available via sideloading. 

Bang & Olufsen's Beoplay EQ are its first true wireless earbuds with ANC

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 12:00 AM PDT

Bang & Olufsen is no stranger to the true wireless game. The company has a number of wire-free models under its belt at this point, but there has been on glaring omission over the years: active noise cancellation (ANC). Today, B&O remedied the issue with its new Beoplay EQ earbuds. The pricey audio accessory not only offers the ability to reduce ambient ruckus, but earbuds also feature solid battery life, wireless charging and more. The only potential deal breaker is the price: $399 (£349/€399). 

Similar to flagship earbuds from the likes of Sony and others, Bang & Olufsen's "Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation" setup on the Beoplay EQ is powered by a dedicated ANC chip. This means the Bluetooth chip isn't pulling double duty. That component combines with a set of four microphones to continuously monitor your surroundings and automatically adjust ANC levels as needed. That's the "adaptive" bit. Two additional microphones are equipped with "retune noise reduction technology" that B&O says results in "crystal clear" calls. Mileage varies greatly on claims of voice quality when it comes to true wireless earbuds, so that description is definitely something that will need proper testing. When it comes to sound, the company's app offers a feature called Beosonic that allows you to fine-tune things as you see it. 

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ
Bang & Olufsen

In terms of battery life, Bang & Olufsen says you can expect 6.5 hours on the earbuds themselves with two additional charges in the case. That case supports wireless charging and in true B&O fashion, it's made out of aluminum. The company included a quick-charge feature that gives you two hours of listening time in 20 minutes. To help you find the best fit, there are four sizes of silicone tips and one pair of Comply foam tips in the box. Lastly, the Beoplay EQ is IP54 certified, so they should withstand dust and water splashes just fine. That's enough to keep the earbuds working through your sweaty workouts. 

The Beoplay EQ will be available in most of the world August 19th in black and gold color options. The earbuds actually go on sale today in China and Japan, but only in black. Gold will be available in those countries next month.  

Samsung vows to make foldable smartphones 'mainstream'

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 10:42 PM PDT

In its latest earnings release, Samsung confirmed that it will release new foldable smartphones soon and attempt to make the category "mainstream." It also showed that it doesn't need mobile to make money, as it boosted earnings by 20 percent to 63.67 trillion won ($55.56 billion) and saw an operating profit of 12.57 trillion won ($11 billion). That's despite the fact that its mobile division saw revenue fall over the previous quarter due to component shortages and COVID-related factory issues. 

As you might expect given the current shortage, Samsung's chip business dominated its earnings this quarter, accounting for more than a third of total revenue and over half its profits. That was helped by price increases in categories like memory and display panels. The company's consumer electronics division also saw growth thanks to premium TV sales and appliances. 

While the mobile division fell off due to weaker seasonal demand, a component shortage and COVID-related closures at its Vietnam factories, the company did make some interesting comments about the business. It said it would "solidify its leadership in the premium [mobile] statement by mainstreaming the foldable category" — meaning we might see cheaper foldable phones in the near future. 

Samsung revealed that it's working on new under-screen camera technology, as well. It also confirmed that it would introduce new foldable products soon, likely referring to its August 11th event in which its expected to announce follow-ups to the Z Flip and Z Fold 2. 

Spotify's CEO doesn't believe the platform has editorial responsibility over podcasts

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 09:03 PM PDT

Joe Rogan's podcast has become one of the most listened-to shows on Spotify since the platform added it to its lineup last year. It's also become one of the most controversial due to Rogan's choice of guests and his own views. Spotify doesn't have any plans to do anything about it, though, because the company's CEO doesn't believe the platform should have any say on podcasters' content. When Axios asked Spotify CEO Daniel Ek in an interview whether the company should have editorial responsibility over podcasts like Rogan's, Ek responded that Rogan is just one of its many content creators.

Axios pointed out that Rogan may be just one of them, but he's also one of the most well-paid. Ek responded, however, that rappers earns tens of millions of dollars from the platform, but Spotify doesn't dictate what they can put in their songs either. Rogan signed a $100 million deal with the audio streaming service in May 2020 to make The Joe Rogan Experience available to Spotify listeners. Before the year ended, the podcast became a Spotify exclusive.

According to a Wall Street Journal report from last year, Spotify employees expressed concerns over the materials in his podcast that they felt was anti-transgender. Rogan has guested several polarizing figures on the show since its debut on the platform. They include Abigail Shrier, author of Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters, and InfoWars owner Alex Jones who spread coronavirus misinformation on the podcast. More recently, Rogan said he doesn't think people should get the COVID-19 vaccine, though he did backtrack and told listeners not to take his advice seriously. 

In Spotify's most recent earnings report, it said Rogan's podcast performed "above expectations." Clearly, whatever he's doing is getting people to tune in, so the company probably doesn't see any reason to step in.

Facebook will require its US office workforce to be vaccinated

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 02:58 PM PDT

Facebook will require that its workers get immunized against the coronavirus before they can return to its Menlo Park headquarters and other offices across the US. "As our offices reopen, we will be requiring anyone coming to work at any of our US campuses to be vaccinated," Lori Goler, Facebook vice president of people, said on Wednesday. "We continue to work with experts to ensure our return to office plans prioritize everyone's health and safety."  

Much like Google, which announced a similar policy earlier in the day, the company said it would have a process in place for workers that can't get inoculated for medical and "other" reasons. It also says how it implements the requirement in different areas around the world will depend on local conditions and regulations.

In June, Facebook announced it was on track to reopen most of its US offices at 50 percent capacity by early September. Earlier in the year, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said employees could apply for permanent remote work positions. In the same post, he noted that within the next five to 10 years, up to half of the company's workforce could be made up of remote workers.

Mark Zuckerberg says video accounts for almost half the time spent on Facebook

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 02:43 PM PDT

Facebook users are spending a lot more time watching video, and short-form video like Instagram Reels is growing fast. Speaking during the company's second-quarter earnings call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that "video now accounts for almost half of all time spent on Facebook." And on Instagram, TikTok competitor Reels is the "largest contributor to engagement growth."

Though he stopped short of sharing more specific stats, the new details suggest Instagram's Reels may be gaining more traction as the company vies for creator talent. Zuckerberg also noted that the company's focus on creators and shopping would also help it reach its longer term goal of becoming a "metaverse company."

Facebook revealed earlier this week that it was tapping an Instagram exec to start a new team focused on creating a metaverse. "You can kind of think about this as an embodied internet that you're inside of rather than just looking at," Zuckerberg said. "You're basically gonna be able to do everything that you can on the internet today, as well as some things that don't make sense on the internet today like dancing."

Zuckerberg's comments come as the company reported some of its strongest growth in years, with revenue of more than $29 billion, an increase of 56 percent from last year. The company also reported more than 3.5 billion "monthly active people," though user growth in the US once again remained flat.

Despite the strong numbers this quarter, the company warned that the rest of 2021 could look very different. Facebook expects revenue and growth to "decelerate significantly" in the second half of the year, said CFO Dave Wehner. He also noted that Apple's iOS 14.5 update, which allows users to opt out of the social network's ad tracking, would have a "greater impact" next quarter.

This robot made a 100,000-domino 'Super Mario Bros.' mural in 24 hours

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 02:11 PM PDT

A new robot known as the Dominator has set a Guinness World Record for placing 100,000 dominos in just over 24 hours. Created by YouTuber and former NASA engineer Mark Rober, the Dominator is the result of more than five years of work. Rober had help from two freshmen from Stanford University and a Bay Area software engineer in creating the googly-eyed robot. The group programmed more than 14,000 lines of code, and outfitted it with components like omnidirectional wheels and 3D-printed funnels to create what Rober says is a "friendly robot that's super good at only one thing: setting up a butt-ton of dominos really, really fast."

Up against professional domino artist Lily Hevesh, the Dominator used its ability to lay down 300 tiles all at once to work about 10 times faster than a human. It took the robot about two hours to put down over 9,000 dominos.

While the Dominator is the face of the project, a lot of its efficiency comes from a separate sorting mechanism that consists of a Kuka robotic arm and almost three miles of Hot Wheels tracks. A series of conveyor belts ferry the dominions by color before the Kuka arm deposits them in the appropriate chute. When the Dominator visits the station for a refill, the lower platform slides away, instantly loading its 3D-printed funnels with all the dominos it needs to lay down 300 at once. In this way, downtime is kept at a minimum.

To put its final achievement in context, it would take a team of seven skilled domino builders about a full week to make the Super Mario Bros.-like mural the Dominator needed a little more than a day to complete.

The NBA is working with iHeartMedia to produce over 20 basketball podcasts

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 12:37 PM PDT

The National Basketball Association is teaming up with iHeartMedia for a significant new push into the podcast market. In all, the two organizations plan to co-produce more than 20 shows together as part of a new multi-year partnership, with the first one to debut sometime this fall. 

In addition to content devoted to the latest news from the league, analysis and player commentary, it sounds like iHeart and the NBA want to replicate the success of projects like The Last Dance. They say they'll use material from the NBA archives to retell stories of "some of the greatest moments in sports history." What exactly they have planned on that front, we don't know yet, though iHeart and the NBA promised to share more information soon.

"The partnership provides the NBA and its teams access to iHeartMedia's massive reach across multiple audio platforms including podcasts, streaming and broadcast radio, as well as the opportunity to develop a new slate of groundbreaking shows each year," iHeart said.

Podcasts, in particular ones related to sports, have become big business in recent months. At the end of April, DraftKings spent $50 million to secure distribution rights to The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz.

FDA clears Synchron's brain-computer interface device for human trials

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 12:02 PM PDT

A company that makes an implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) has been given the go-ahead by the Food and Drug Administration to run a clinical trial with human patients. Synchron plans to start an early feasibility study of its Stentrode implant later this year at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York with six subjects. The company said it will assess the device's "safety and efficacy in patients with severe paralysis."

Synchron received the FDA's green light ahead of competitors like Elon Musk's Neuralink. Before such companies can sell BCIs commercially in the US, they need to prove that the devices work and are safe. The FDA will provide guidance for trials of BCI devices for patients with paralysis or amputation during a webinar on Thursday.

Another clinical trial of Stentrode is underway in Australia. Four patients have received the implant, which is being used "for data transfer from motor cortex to control digital devices," Synchron said. According to data published in the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery, two of the patients were able to control their computer with their thoughts. They completed work-related tasks, sent text messages and emails and did online banking and shopping.

It takes around two hours to implant a Stentrode device with a minimally invasive procedure, according to Synchron. The device is implanted through a blood vessel at the bottom of the neck and maneuvered into the brain. Synchron CEO Thomas Oxley told Bloomberg the device could be available to buy within three to five years.

Google will require coronavirus vaccines for returning office employees

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 11:10 AM PDT

Google will require its employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus before they're allowed to return to the company's offices. "Anyone coming to work on our campuses will need to be vaccinated," CEO Sundar Pichai said in an internal email the company shared on Wednesday. "Getting vaccinated is one of the most important ways to keep ourselves and our communities healthy in the months ahead."

Google will implement the policy in the US in the "coming weeks," with other regions to follow in the months to come. The requirement won't apply in an area until vaccines are widely accessible there, and the company says there will be an exception process in place for employees who can't get immunized for medical or "other protected reasons." Google hasn't said what percentage of its employees are already vaccinated, but Pichai notes in the letter it's been "encouraging to see very high vaccination rates for our Google community in areas where vaccines are widely available."

In the same email, Pichai also announced Google is pushing back its return-to-office date. The company now hopes to have employees on a hybrid workweek by October 18th instead of September as previously planned. The announcement follows a similar decision from Apple in light of increasing COVID-19 caseloads in the US and many other parts of the world due to the spread of the more contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus. "This extension will allow us time to ramp back into work while providing flexibility for those who need it," Pichai said. "We'll continue watching the data carefully and let you know at least 30 days in advance before transitioning into our full return to office plans."

State attorneys general will appeal dismissal of Facebook antitrust suit

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 10:46 AM PDT

The antitrust lawsuit brought by 48 attorneys general against Facebook isn't dead yet. A federal judge dismissed the suit last month, but the AGs have filed a notice of plan to appeal.

"We filed this notice of appeal because we disagree with the court's decision and must hold Facebook accountable for stifling competition, reducing innovation, and cutting privacy protections," New York's attorney general Letitia James said, according to The New York Times. "We can no longer allow Facebook to profit off of exploiting consumer data."

The suit, which was filed in December, alleged that Facebook created a monopoly and illegally stifled competition through its acquisitions of Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014. Judge James E. Boasberg of the US District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that too much time had gone by since the mergers were approved for the case to proceed.

On the same day he dismissed the AGs' suit, Boasberg tossed a similar case from the Federal Trade Commission. The agency is expected to file an amended suit next month.

The FTC lawsuit was initially filed in December while Trump administration appointee Joseph Simons led the agency. Big Tech critic Lina Khan was appointed FTC chair last month. Facebook has asked the agency to recuse her from antitrust decisions involving the company.

Facebook has argued against both suits, claiming much of the evidence in the cases was submitted to the FTC before the purchases of Instagram and WhatsApp were rubberstamped. It also claims it doesn't have a monopoly, partly due to competition from the likes of Snap and Twitter, as well as messaging apps.

Activision Blizzard CEO says response to harassment lawsuit was 'tone deaf'

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 10:25 AM PDT

Following nearly a week of internal unrest, Activision Blizzard has published a letter from CEO Bobby Kotick addressing the company's original response to the sexual harassment lawsuit brought against it by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) on July 20th. "Our initial responses to the issues we face together, and to your concerns, were, quite frankly, tone deaf," Kotick says in the letter addressed to Activision Blizzard employees. "It is imperative that we acknowledge all perspectives and experiences and respect the feelings of those who have been mistreated in any way. I am sorry that we did not provide the right empathy and understanding."

Kotick claims Blizzard Activision is taking "swift action" to ensure a safe, respectful and inclusive working environment for women and other minority groups. The company has hired law firm WilmerHale to review its policies, and Kotick says Activision Blizzard will implement changes to its hiring practices. It also plans to make personnel tweaks and remove content from its games employees and players have said is "inappropriate" in light of the allegations against the company. On Tuesday, the World of Warcraft development team said it would remove specific references from the MMO. While the team didn't elaborate, those references may involve items and non-playable characters named after Alex Afrasiabi, one of the former Blizzard employees singled out in the DFEH lawsuit for repeated inappropriate behavior.

Notably, the letter doesn't make mention of forced arbitration, saying only the company "will continue to investigate each and every claim and will not hesitate to take decisive action," nor does it promise greater transparency when it comes to employee compensation. Those are two issues Activision Blizzard employees who are staging a walkout to protest for better working conditions highlighted in a statement of intent they shared on Tuesday.

In its initial public response to the lawsuit, Activision Blizzard said the allegations from DFEH included "distorted, and in many cases false, descriptions of Blizzard's past." In a separate email to employees, Frances Townsend, executive vice president of corporate affairs at the company, claimed the lawsuit presents "a distorted and untrue picture of our company, including factually incorrect, old and out of context stories — some from more than a decade ago."

James Bond's iconic Aston Martin is coming to 'Rocket League'

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 10:00 AM PDT

Yet another iconic car is coming to Rocket League, and it's one that'll be nigh-on impossible to drive without humming a certain theme tune. James Bond's Aston Martin DB5 will arrive in the Item Shop on July 29th. 

Until August 4th, you'll be able to snag the 1963 model of the car, along with a DB5 paint finish (which is designed to look like Aston Martin's signature Silver Birch color), engine audio, wheels and decal. Given the Bond movies' focus on gadgetry, something about firing up the rocket boosters to score a goal with the DB5 seems just right. 

This won't be a one-and-done deal for James Bond in Rocket League, either. More content related to the legendary superspy is in the pipeline. Developer Psyonix struck a multi-year deal with MGM and Aston Martin.

James Bond's 1963 Aston Martin DB5 in Rocket League
Psyonix

This is the latest in a long line of crossovers between Rocket League and pop culture tentpoles. The DeLorean from Back to the Future and Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters have made their way to the arena. More recently, three vehicles from the Fast and Furious franchise rolled into the game.

Meanwhile, the latest Bond movie, No Time to Die, is scheduled to finally hit theaters on September 30th in the UK and October 8th in the US. The impact of COVID-19 forced distributors MGM and Universal to delay it several times.

How to watch Rocket Lab's US Space Force satellite launch

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 08:34 AM PDT

The US Space Force is gearing up to launch a research and development satellite on Thursday with the help of Rocket Lab. The company's Electron rocket is scheduled to launch from a site in New Zealand sometime between 2AM and 4AM ET (6PM-8PM local time) to take the Monolith satellite into low Earth orbit.

The aim of the mission, which is called "It's a Little Chile Up Here" (a reference to the green chile from the Space Test Program's New Mexico home), is to test small satellites for the Department of Defense. Monolith will help determine whether it's large deployable sensors are feasible. Such sensors account for a significant proportion of a spacecraft's total mass. Since the sensor may alter the spacecraft's dynamic properties, the mission will examine whether it's possible to maintain altitude control after the sensor has been deployed.

"Analysis from the use of a deployable sensor aims to enable the use of smaller satellite buses when building future deployable sensors such as weather satellites, thereby reducing the cost, complexity, and development timelines," Rocket Lab wrote in a statement. "The satellite will also provide a platform to test future space protection capabilities."

You can watch the launch as it happens on the Rocket Lab website. A stream may also be available on Rocket Lab's YouTube channel.

Google begins showing what its new Play Store safety listings will look like

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 08:00 AM PDT

There's still half a year to go before you start seeing Google Play's new safety section, which will show you an Android app's privacy information, in listings within the store. Google announced the upcoming feature that's similar to the Apple App Store's nutrition labels back in May. In a new post on the Android Developer blog, though, Google has given us a glimpse of what that section may look like. 

Within a listing, you will see a summary from the developer on what kind of data an app collects, so you can make a decision whether to install it or not. You'll also see safety details the developer chooses to highlight, such as whether an app encrypts your data, whether it's suitable for children and families and whether it's been independently validated against a global security standard.

Google
Google

Further, you can tap the summary to see more details about the type of data an app collects and how it's used. It can show you whether an app collects location and contact data, personal information such as name and email address, as well as financial information. The section can also tell you whether the app uses your data for its features, for personalization or for other purposes. In addition, it can let you know whether you can opt out of getting your data collected or if giving an app access to your information really is necessary to be able to use it.

Google says the details might still change before the feature goes live, but all developers are required to provide a privacy policy for their apps and must provide accurate information for the safety section. Developers can start declaring privacy information in October and have until April 2022 to do so, but you'll start seeing the section pop up on Google Play sometime within the first quarter of next year. 

Twitter tests new shopping features for businesses

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 08:00 AM PDT

Twitter is the latest social media platform to experiment with new shopping features. The company is allowing a handful of brands to place a "Shop Module" at the top of their profiles that links to products their followers can buy.

While it's not the first time Twitter has tried out shopping features, it's the first time the company has incorporated shopping directly into the profile. With the change, businesses can highlight a handful of products in a carousel in between the main profile info and their timeline. The feature is limited to only a few brands, including GameStop and bag-maker Arden Cove, in the US for now.

While up until now Twitter hasn't pursued shopping as aggressively as some other platforms, the company has recently signaled that could soon change. A "shop" button for tweets has also been spotted, and the company recently introduced new "business profiles." Shopping features could also have interesting implications for creators, a demographic Twitter has also made a recent push to pursue with new money-making features. Allowing creators to showcase their existing merch shop from their profile could provide an additional boost, and help the company compete with Facebook's creator shops.

Sony has sold 10 million PS5 consoles

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:47 AM PDT

The PlayStation 5 just crossed a significant milestone. Sony has revealed that it has sold 10 million PS5 consoles as of July 18th, eight months after the system's November 12th debut. The company considered that no mean feat between the pandemic and ongoing chip shortages that reportedly held sales back. It's now Sony's fastest-selling console to date, outpacing the PS4 by nearly a month.

Sales have slowed down since launch. Sony racked up 4.5 million PS5 sales in 2020, but sold 3.3 million in the first quarter of 2021 — it took another four months to add 2.2 million to the tally. That's not surprising between supply constraints and the usual mid-year slump, but you might not see sales climb until the holidays.

PlayStation chief Jim Ryan told GamesIndustry.biz in an interview that it was "too early to tell" which markets were the hottest given widespread demand, but pointed out that China was a pleasant surprise. The company sold out its PS5 launch stock "very, very quickly" despite a local market focused on mobile games and the free-to-play model.

The PS5 doesn't have an easy road ahead. Even if Sony could quickly overcome hardware shortages, it still has a dearth of PS5-exclusive titles outside of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Returnal. The biggest games tend to be enhanced versions of games available for the PS4, like Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and even upcoming blockbusters like Horizon Forbidden West will have PS4 releases. While demand still appears to be brisk, there might not be much added incentive to buy a PS5 until Gran Turismo 7 and other system exclusives arrive in force.

Tesla will reportedly move stores out of high-end malls and use remote fleets

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:28 AM PDT

The days of seeing Tesla stores in fancy malls and retail centers may be over, according to a report from Electrek. Sources tell the site that Tesla will instead focus on finding cheaper spaces, like parking lots and warehouses, that will house a remote fleet of cars. The company also won't be firing its retail staff (it's actually in the middle of a hiring spree). Instead of being tied to individual stores, those workers will help to manage Tesla testing and purchases from those remote locations.

If this news sounds familiar, it's because Tesla previously said it was going to close most of its stores in 2019 before quickly reversing course. This new strategy, if it ends up being implemented, seems to be a smarter implementation of that plan. Most Tesla customers already buy their cars online, so there's less of a need to have pricey mall stores around. The cheaper locations will also be better for holding more vehicles, which should help to satisfy increased demand for purchases and test drives. 

 

Uber is moving into flower deliveries

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:10 AM PDT

The next time you open Uber Eats, you might see a new delivery option: a way to have flowers dropped off at your door swiftly with just a few taps. Uber has teamed up with flower industry stalwart FTD for its first nationwide florist partnership as part of its latest on-demand delivery venture.

Folks in New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami and some other locations can now order flower arrangements from FTD's ProFlowers locations. Uber expects to roll out the option nationwide by early 2022, so it should be available almost everywhere by Mother's Day next May. You can see the available options by tapping the flower icons in the Uber Eats app and selecting a ProFlowers location. Uber Pass and Eats Pass subscribers will get discounts and no-free deliveries on eligible orders of at least $15.

Deliveries have become an increasingly important part of Uber's business over the last couple of years. One key reason is that far fewer people took rides amid COVID-19 restrictions. The company recently doubled its grocery delivery markets to more than 400 US towns and cities, and it just started delivering Costco orders in Texas.

Hulu will livestream Lollapalooza 2021 this weekend

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:00 AM PDT

Lollapalooza is once again an in-person festival after a switch to a streaming-only gig in 2020, but that's not the only big change for fans. Hulu has become the exclusive streaming partner for Lollapalooza 2021, and will stream the Chicago event to on-demand subscribers between July 29th and August 1st starting at 2PM Eastern (1PM Central). Yes, that means what you think it does — Lollapalooza won't be streaming on YouTube like it has in recent years.

There's no extra charge, and you can watch if you sign up for a free trial. The Lollapalooza 2021 lineup includes plenty of big names, including Illenium (July 29th), Tyler, the Creator (July 30th), Post Malone (July 31st) and Foo Fighters (August 1st).

Hulu has streamed concerts before, including a Black History Month show in February and a Summer of Soul tribute on Juneteenth. However, this is the service's first exclusive live event. It's a big bet that livestreams like this can translate to more customers, not to mention draw attention away from free services like YouTube.

Whether or not music fans follow is another matter. YouTube is still a go-to destination for live festivals like Coachella, and that may be what virtual concertgoers are expecting. There's a real possibility that many would-be viewers will just skip Lollapalooza altogether rather than sign up for Hulu, no matter how easily they can cancel service afterward.

Snapchat’s map now helps you keep track of where you’ve been

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:00 AM PDT

Snapchat is updating its in-app map to help users keep track of places they've visited, and where they may want to go next. An update rolling out today adds a new "Places" section to the map, with educated sections for recommendations, locations you've visited and "favorites" to remember.

The idea is similar to Foursquare (the original check-in based iteration), except "checking in" in this case consists of tagging a specific location in a Snap. Places you've tagged are automatically saved in your "visited" tab, but you can also manually add establishments to your "favorites" list. Interestingly, Snap is also using the new feature to generate recommendations. The "popular" section of the map will surface a list of personalized suggestions based on places you've been and what's popular in your area.

Though the Snap Map has been around for years the company has been working to make it more useful — and more visible — within the app. The company gave the feature more prominent placement in a redesign last year, and plans to add Map Layers, a feature that allows third-parties like Ticketmaster to incorporate events and other content directly into the map.
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