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Signal adds a face blurring tool its secure messaging app

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Encrypted chat app Signal is rolling out a new feature to help its users stay anonymous: face blurring. Developed in response to the ongoing Black Lives Matter demonstrations taking place around the world, the feature is included in the latest version of Signal for Android and iOS. While in image editor, tap the new blur tool icon at the top of the screen and the feature will automatically detect faces to be blurred, as well as give you the option to manually blur out areas anywhere in the image (such as logos, badges or tattoos, for example). All of the processing happens locally on your device.

Signal face blurring toolbar

Signal

Unsurprisingly, the platform has seen a huge spike in use, so it’s also taking steps to keep up with increased traffic. And, as Signal says in its blog post announcing the tool, its system libraries aren’t perfect — they don’t detect every face 100 percent of the time (which is why there’s a manual blur option). However, the company says it’s keen to “figure out additional ways we can support everyone in the street right now,” adding that “2020 is a pretty good year to cover your face.”

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Panasonic debuts its first true wireless earbuds in Europe

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The S500W and S300W promise “supreme call quality” with a premium microphone in a specially designed housing that minimizes wind noise. Each earbud connects individually to your device rather than to each other, which should improve sound quality over older wireless earbuds. The Panasonic Audio Connect App will let you change sound modes and customize additional settings, including your voice assistant of choice. Both pairs of earbuds are compatible with Siri and Google Assistant, and support for Alexa will be added in a future update. 

The RZ-S500W sell for £169, while the RZ-S300W are £109. Once they hit American shelves, the RZ-S500W will cost $199 at launch and are available in white or black. The RZ-S300W will be only $129 and comes in black, white, or green. In January, Panasonic said these earbuds were scheduled for a June release in Europe, but a US launch date has yet to be announced. 

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‘Project Cars 3’ trailer has some sim racing fans worried

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Another bit that set fans off is what developers said in an interview with GamesRadar, about their attempts to make the sim game available to a wider audience. Simply Mad Studios CEO Ian Bell has pushed back against that impression, telling gamers that it’s “Same base physics upgraded, and consolidated.”

The video does show an impressive number of cars on the track and up-to-date looking lighting effects, especially for a game targeting the current generation of consoles. Plus, many of the game’s highlight new features won’t show up in the trailer, like vehicles that are more customizable than ever, enhanced AI, a rebuilt career mode and, on PC, support for VR as well as rendering in resolutions as high as 12K. In multiplayer, it’s added skill-based matchmaking, rivals time challenges, and the ability to borrow a car fit for a particular race if you don’t have one in your garage already. All you can do now is judge the trailer for yourself, until Project Cars 3 ships this summer.



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Kitty Hawk moves on from its original flying car project

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Unfortunately, it failed to find a way to turn the project into a viable business venture. “No matter how hard we looked, we could not find a path to a viable business,” Kitty Hawk CEO Sebastian Thrun told TechCrunch. The company had another project called Cora that developed two-seater autonomous taxis. Since that one evolved into a joint venture with Boeing, which will soon conduct passenger trials in New Zealand, Heaviside is its only known initiative at the moment.

Kitty Hawk revealed Heaviside, its all-electric plane, in 2019. Like Flyer, it’s a one-seater vehicle that’s capable of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) like a helicopter, though it’s supposed to be 100 times quieter. “Going forward, we are doubling down on Heaviside as our primary platform,” its announcement reads. “But we would never have gotten here without launching and learning from Flyer, and the amazing team of people who built and operated it.”

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Fiat Chrysler’s early EV plans include an Alfa Romeo SUV in 2022

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Fiat Chrysler hasn’t been very specific about its plans for all-electric vehicles, but it’s starting to open up. The company told Autocar (via Electrek) that its Alfa Romeo brand will release a small electric SUV sometime in 2022. A spokesperson didn’t share too many details, but the mini-ute “won’t be identical” in style to the Tonale hybrid SUV you see above. It’s expected to sit on a platform from Peugeot owner PSA (whose merger with FCA is still in progress), and the spokesperson suggested it would maintain Alfa’s blend of “sportiness” and “comfort.”

The small SUV space is a good place to start with an EV, according to the representative, noting that it offers the “best solution for range and usage.”

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Facebook and Instagram ‘mistakenly’ blocked #sikh for months

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It’s unclear exactly how the block came about, or why it took so long for the company to realize the error. In a statement, Facebook said the block happened on March 7, “following a report that was inaccurately reviewed by our teams.”

“We investigated this issue and found that these hashtags were mistakenly blocked on March 7th following a report that was inaccurately reviewed by our teams,” the company wrote. “We became aware that these hashtags were blocked today following feedback we received from the community, and quickly moved to unblock them. Our processes fell down here, and we’re sorry.

“We designed hashtags to allow people to come together and share with one another. It’s never our intention to silence the voices of this community, we are taking the necessary steps so this doesn’t happen again.”

The incident is the second time this week Instagram has acknowledged incorrectly preventing use around a specific hashtag. Earlier in the week, Instagram’s spam detection system caused some users to be unable to post or interact with the #blacklivesmatter hashtag. The company now says it was able to address the issue, and “reduce” the number of users who saw the “action blocked” message when they tried to use the hashtag.



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‘Call of Duty’ developer will further crack down on racist players

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Activision and Infinity Ward are responding to Black Lives Matter protests with more than delayed Call of Duty seasons. Infinity Ward has vowed to crack down harder on racism in its military shooters, including more efforts to monitor and identify racist material, more in-game reporting systems and increasing the number of permanent bans to deal with habitual offenders. It’s also adding more content filters and tighter limits on name changes, and it’s “evaluating” changes that would help you report offenders.

The company said it had been stepping up its anti-racist efforts since launching Modern Warfare, but that it had to “do a better job” and wanted to “apologize” for not doing enough.



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Epic delays the next ‘Fortnite’ event and season again

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“Recent events are a heavy reminder of ongoing injustices in society, from the denial of basic human rights to the impact of racism both overt and subtle against people of color,” Epic wrote in a blog post. “We’re acutely aware of the pain our friends, families, team members, players, and communities are experiencing. We believe in equality and justice, diversity and inclusion, and that these fundamentals are above politics. The team is eager to move Fortnite forward, but we need to balance the Season 3 launch with time for the team to focus on themselves, their families and their communities.”

Epic has pushed back the Season 3 start date several times. It was originally supposed to begin on May 1st, but it moved to June 4th and then June 11th.

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Fitbit’s COVID-19 ventilator gets emergency FDA approval

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Fitbit is one step closer to putting its Flow ventilator into use during the pandemic. The FDA has given Fitbit an Emergency Use Authorization for the Flow to help with severe COVID-19 cases. It still doesn’t have customers lined up, but it’s “in talks” with US government agencies to gauge needs and hopes to work with aid organizations worldwide.

The Flow is pitched as a blend of advanced sensors and alerts with a simple-to-use interface that won’t require specialized operators. It also meets the “same lower price range” as other emergency ventilators, Fitbit said. The company is betting that its production advantages in making activity trackers will give it an edge.

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SpaceX’s latest batch of internet satellites includes one with a sun shield

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SpaceX is launching another pack of Starlink satellites into orbit at 9:25PM Eastern (weather permitting), but this won’t be a typical mission. As TechCrunch explains, one of the 60 internet satellites in the bunch will test a sun visor that should make the vehicles less of a nuisance in the night sky. If the design succeeds in cutting back on reflected light, it could become a staple for Starlink satellites going forward.

The company is aiming for a total of up to two dozen Starlink launches by the end of 2020. If all goes well, this would enable a beta internet service in Canada and the US, with a larger international rollout sometime in 2021 or 2022.

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