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Sony's Sociable Cart SC-1 — the autonomous vehicle-cum-party bus designed for theme parks and golf courses — has finally landed. Launching in Japan's Kanucha Bay Resort in Nago City, and the Botanical Garden in Okinawa City, the pilot scheme kicks…
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Samsung will fix bug that lets any fingerprint unlock a Galaxy S10
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“Samsung Electronics is aware of the case of the S10’s malfunctioning fingerprint recognition and will soon issue a software patch,” the company told Reuters in a statement. The problem has been deemed serious enough that an online bank in South Korea, KaKaobank, has advised owners to switch off fingerprint recognition until it’s resolved.
It’s not clear what’s causing the problem, but the Galaxy S10 uses an ultrasonic sensor to detect fingerprint ridges. Plastic or silicon screen protectors can stymie it, so Samsung has been recommending that buyers used approved protective devices. That doesn’t explain why the system is allowing access to non-registered fingerprints, however, so Engadget has reached out to Samsung for more information.
Samsung originally told UK publication the Sun, which first reported the issue, that it was looking into the issue. Until a patch comes, you could use Samsung’s face unlocking, but that has had its own issues. For now, maybe just use a good old code.
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Google Stadia controller’s wireless capability will be limited at launch
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Since the Stadia controller only uses Bluetooth for setup and connects via WiFi for gameplay, you truly can’t use it without a cable at first. It’s still not clear when wireless play will be available for the other Stadia-compatible devices, but the tech giant told The Verge that it’s focusing on getting wireless right on TV first to make the big screen gaming experience as good as possible.
Google’s Stadia game streaming service will debut on November 19th in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. The Stadia Founder’s Edition will set you back $130 and will come a controller, a Chromecast Ultra and two three-month Stadia Pro subscriptions.
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Master & Dynamic’s MW07 Go is a $199 AirPod alternative
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M&D says it discovered people were using the MW07 for workouts, even though they weren’t specifically built for it. That first model is only IPX4 rated against splashes. That’s probably enough to keep sweat from ruining the $299 earbuds, but much of the competition offers more substantial protection. In response to customer feedback, the company decided to create “a dedicated active model” that was smaller, more durable and had better water resistance.
The earbuds themselves are made of TR90 composite, a substance typically used to make glasses. M&D has taken inspiration from eyewear before: both the MW07 and MW07 Plus have acetate shells, which is also a material used to make glasses frames. To ensure a secure fit, the MW07 Go comes with three sizes of Fit Wings and five sizes of ear tips. You can use the earbuds with out the wings, but I’ve found they do help keep things in place. And if you need to take a call, the MW07 Go is equipped with dual beamforming microphones that the company says will “filter out external noise” if you happen to be in a loud spot.
The physical controls from the MW07 remain, with volume buttons on the left earbud and a multi-function option on the right for play/pause, skipping tracks and summoning your voice assistant. The MW07 Go doesn’t have proximity sensors though, so the earbuds won’t automatically pause when you take them out of your ears. They also lack the active noise cancellation and ambient sound mode found on the new MW07 Plus.
Like the MW07 Plus, the MW07 Go offers up to 10 hours of battery life on a charge. Again, that’s more than double what the first MW07 could manage. M&D swapped the shiny aluminum charging case for one that’s wrapped in knit fabric, but it kept the handy LED charging status indicators. It’s about the same size, but it’s much lighter, so stashing this case in your pocket won’t seem like a burden. The case offers an additional 12 hours of battery life and can charge the earbuds to 50 percent in 15 minutes — same for charging the entire thing with a cable. The company says a full charge in the case or for the entire set via USB-C takes 40 minutes.
The MW07 Go is available now from Master & Dynamic in red, black, blue and grey color options for $199. The earbuds will also be available at Best Buy starting October 20th.
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Master & Dynamic’s MW07 Plus are much-improved true wireless earbuds
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In terms of battery life, the MW07 Plus now offers 10 hours of listening time on a charge. The included aluminum charging case packs three full charges, so you can expect up to 40 hours of use before you’ll need to reach for a USB-C cord, according to the company. Thanks to a quick-charge feature, the earbuds can charge to 50 percent in 15 minutes and a full charge takes 40 minutes. That’s for both the earbuds in the case and the entire set plugged in — those times apply to either method. M&D upgraded to Bluetooth 5.0 with support for aptX and SBC and says it increased the range to 100 feet (30 meters). I had some issues with wireless range on the original MW07, so I’m looking forward to putting that figure to the test during a full review.
The company also added active noise cancellation (ANC) on the MW07 Plus. Via the on-board volume controls, you can activate ANC and an ambient sound mode — or turn them both off entirely — with a long press. Between the battery upgrade and the addition of noise cancellation, what M&D is offering here is pretty impressive considering it managed to do so without increasing the price.
Master & Dynamic also increased the ingress protection on the MW07 Plus to IPX5 water resistance. While the new MW07 Go might be a better option for the gym, the MW07 Plus should hold up just fine during your sweat sessions. There are also four beamforming microphones (two on each side) that the company says will filter out ambient noise to focus on your voice. Physical controls are here as well, giving you the ability to adjust volume, play/pause, skip tracks and activate a voice assistant without having to pick up your phone.
Like the MW07, the MW07 Plus has acetate enclosures. Master & Dynamic opted for the material that’s typically used in sunglasses and eyeglass frames to bring a punch of color to its earbuds. The company uses a lot of metal and leather in its products, but since you can’t really employ those on true wireless accessories (besides the case), it chose acetate as the “premium” material. The MW07 Plus will come in four colors: Tortoiseshell, White Marble, Steel Blue and Black Quartz. That last colorway is a Kevin Durant/Studio 35 special edition. Durant and his Thirty Five Ventures invested in M&D earlier this year. The MW07 Plus also comes with three sizes of the company’s Fit Wings and five different eartip options.
The MW07 Plus is available from Master & Dynamic today for $299, and will go on sale at Best Buy October 20th.
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California’s statewide earthquake alert system launches Thursday
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In Mexico and Japan, warning systems that send out alerts for seismic events have been in place for years, but a similar setup for California has been long-delayed. Finally, on Thursday the first statewide Earthquake Early Warning System will go online. Until now, large-scale alerts have only been available in LA County, where they haven’t been triggered yet.
As the LA Times reports, Thursday is the 30th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake, where energy from a tremor under the Santa Cruz mountains took up to 35 seconds to reach the northern edge of San Francisco. While the ShakeAlert system California will rely on can’t predict earthquakes, it can feel them thanks to monitoring stations and send out messages using the MyShake app (click here to install of Android or iOS) or Wireless Emergency Alerts (like an AMBER Alert) that can give people time to prepare before the quake’s energy reaches them.
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Skydio’s station lets self-flying drones work around the clock
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The Dock is small enough to fit inside a carry-on suitcase, and should be ready to go in “minutes,” according to Skydio. That, in turn, could make it ideal for field deployments — think search-and-rescue operations after natural disasters, or security patrols that need to run all night. You’d need multiple drones for non-stop flights when it takes an hour to charge a single drone, but it beats requiring a human to plug in a drone or swap batteries.
Skydio hasn’t said how much the Dock will cost, but promised The Verge that it would be “vastly more accessible” than similar solutions costing “many tens or thousands of dollars.” It should reach a handful of customers in early 2020.
The real challenge isn’t so much technical as legal. Drone rules in the US and other countries require human operators, forcing Skydio to carefully choose where it offers service. It sees “promising signs” in beyond-line-of-sight waivers, but it’s ultimately up to regulators to decide whether or not Skydio’s drones can fly without humans in view. If they’re not pleased, Skydio’s drones might stay grounded more often than it would like.
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BILL-E is a cute robot that builds structures block by block
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The team calls their creation BILL-E, short for Bipedal Isotropic Lattice Locomoting Explorer — and, yes, it’s named after WALL-E. Each one looks like a small arm, with a hinge at the middle that gives the robot its signature inchworm-like gait. At both ends of the arm, BILL-E features tools for clamping down on structures the team has termed “voxels.” Cute though it may be, BIIL-E isn’t the breakthrough here; it’s the relationship it has with the voxel structures mentioned above.
“You can’t separate the robot from the structure — they work together as a system,” one of the researchers involved in the project, Professor Neil Gershenfeld, told MIT News. What the voxels allow BILL-E to do is navigate 3D space without a complex system of cameras, sensors and algorithms. Instead, it can keep track of its position by simply counting its steps on whatever structure it’s tasked with building. This relationship BILL-E has with the building blocks it uses to create structures has led the team at MIT to describe it as a “relative robot.” It also makes it more affordable to make than the specialized robots you see at factories, while also being more capable than a robot made with off-the-shelf components.
What’s more, BILL-E’s navigation system is easily scalable to include additional units. The software allows multiple BILL-E units to build a structure together without getting in each other’s way. Another benefit of the system is how easy it makes repairs. To fix something it built, all a BILL-E unit has to do is replace any broken or damaged voxels with new ones. This capability makes the robot a natural fit for things like space stations and spacecraft since multiple BILL-E units could “live” on the structure, moving to repair it as needed.
Like with any new technology, it’ll probably be a while before we see BILL-E assembling buildings. That said, the project has already garnered interest from some heavyweights. NASA, for instance, collaborated on the robot, and one of the companies that provided financial support was aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
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Netflix is turning the classic comic book ‘Bone’ into a series
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There’s no mention of when the series is likely to premiere, or any talent attached to the project.
Nonetheless, this is something of a coup for Netflix and illustrates the contrast between its approach and traditional outlets. Deadline noted that Warner Bros. had tried to adapt Bone as a movie starting in 2008, but never got anywhere. It wasn’t much more successful when it tapped Kung Fu Panda‘s Mark Osborne to head up a franchise. Netflix, however, has been more willing to take chances and more flexible in how and when it offers projects. It doesn’t have to fight for airtime or theaters, and it can pick whatever format best suits a story.
As it is, Bone might fit well into Netflix’s existing strategy. It’s been adapting Mark Millar’s comics through its Millarworld acquistion, but it’s also been securing other big titles like Neil Gaiman’s Sandman. This adds to its repertoire, and might reel in viewers at a time when rivals are bolstering their animated shows and kids’ programming.
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Mark Zuckerberg will stream a speech on ‘free expression’ Thursday
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His talk is sure to be newsworthy one way or another. At the very least, it should offer some insight into the logic behind some of Zuckerberg’s (and by extension, Facebook’s) stance on free speech.
It follows criticism from presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren (with a Facebook ad including a blatant lie about Zuckerberg endorsing Donald Trump) and others over Facebook declining to pull a Trump attack ad that contains falsehoods about Joe Biden. The speech will also take place the same week Zuckerberg and his company faced a backlash from some users after reports emerged of him having dinners with conservative and right-wing figures.
You’ll be able to watch a livestream of what he has to say. You can catch it on his Facebook page starting at 10AM PST/1PM EST. We’ll embed the stream here once it’s available.
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