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LG’s ‘proactive’ AI predicts appliance problems before they happen

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Earlier this year during its CES press conference, LG made the case for using AI-linked devices to change our lives. While not everyone was sold on the vision, it has continued with the ThinQ-branded push to connect and control everything, and ahead of the IFA 2019 event, LG has announced that the Proactive Customer Care service mentioned during CES will be available across several European countries this year, before extending to North America and Asia in 2020.

Exactly how “AI” is present in the service is unclear, but to start, appliances like front-loading washing machines and refrigerators will feed into the service, which generates tips on how to use them better, and can apparently inform owners of potential problems before they occur. One specific instance cited is monitoring any fluctuations in temperature in a freezer with alerts that go out if it shifts beyond three degrees.

We’ll have to see it in action to know if the hints are worth anything, but the ThinQ AI experience will kick in as soon as units are installed with checks to make sure they’re set up properly. Also unclear are the privacy and security implications. These devices will generate a ton of data about their users and even in the land of the GDPR, knowing where it’s all going and who will have access is a priority before plugging one in and connecting it to a network, although LG has touted its ability to do secure AI processing even offline..

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LG’s smart fridge also makes crystal-clear ice for cocktails

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The $4,400 fridge is built with a dual ice maker, which can make both regular ice and slow-melting craft ice balls. “LG’s exclusive Craft Ice™ slow-melting round ice maker automatically makes upscale craft ice at home without the work. No more time-consuming molds that only produce one or two at a time. Give your beverages the perfect ice for next-level entertaining, from craft cocktails & whiskey to soft drinks, lemonade, even iced coffee,” states the product description on LG’s website.

Owners of this extra premium fridge also have the choice of crushed or cubed ice. But if you’re in need of slow-melting ice, the sphere shape is the way to go. As The Takeout notes, since ice melts when exposed to air or liquid, you should aim for a hefty chunk of ice that touches as little of surface area around it as possible. This type of ice shape isn’t just strictly for cocktails; it works well with lemonade, juices and other drinks. You can watch a demonstration of how the fridge makes its ice spheres below. And if shelling out four grand for a fridge feels a bit excessive, you can opt for your own ice mold for a fraction of the price.

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NASA starts accepting kids’ name suggestions for its Mars 2020 rover

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NASA will whittle the competition down to 52 semi finalists per group, each representing their state or territory. The public will have a chance to vote on nine finalists in January 2020, and you’ll find out the name on February 18th, 2020, a year before the rover is expected to land on the Martian surface. There’s a long way to go before the bot has an honest-to-goodness name, then, but you’ll have an idea of who’s in contention months beforehand.

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Apple will reportedly start online sales in India

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It’s a significant development for Apple, which only has a small presence in the nation of more than a billion people. Chinese Android phone makers and Microsoft Windows have largely been the technology of choice for people in the subcontinent. This is chiefly due to India’s foreign direct investment rules (FDI), which required companies to source 30 percent of its production locally in order to establish a retail presence in the nation. Many Indians who use Apple products either buy them from third-party sellers or abroad. Apple announced plans to open a set of official retail stores in Mumbai — its first retail presence in India — just this year.

Currently, iPhone’s market share stands below 2 percent in India, an especially damning figure where Apple is concerned, given that the nation is currently the fastest-growing smartphone market in the world. Like many other developing nations, a smartphone is the sole source of internet connection for millions of Indians. The nation is expected to have 829 million smartphone users by 2022 — more than twice the total population of the US. In other words, India represents an unmissable growth opportunity for Apple, especially as global sales of smartphones decline.

In an effort to cater to Indian users, Apple announced a range of special iOS 13 features, including keyboards for all 22 Indian languages and all new Indian English voices for Siri. But with this most recent change in India’s trade rules, the path is clear for Apple to make a mark in one of the world’s most populous countries.

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‘Night in the Woods’ studio cuts ties with co-founder Alec Holowka

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Quinn, a well-known game developer and previously received public attention after being the victim of endless amounts of online harrassment during the Gamergate controversy and has been a vocal advocate against online abuse, took to Twitter Monday to explain their experiences with Holowka. In a note posted on the social network, Quinn wrote that Holowka “slowly isolated” them from everyone else in their life and was “absolutely degrading” to them. He allegedly refused to let Quinn live with friends, screamed at them repeatedly and refused to allow them to leave the apartment without his accompaniment. Holowka also allegedly banned Quinn from industry groups and get them blacklisted from events in an attempt to ruin their career. Quinn wrote that they were “scared shitless” to share the details of their experience but felt obligated to do so.

Following Quinn’s post, game developer Scott Benson, who also worked on Night in the Woods, said, “we believe Zoe’s account of Alec’s actions, we’re very sad and very angry.” Holowka has yet to make a public statement on the accusations.



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Get Disney+ for $4 per month, if you buy three years upfront

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For a limited time, Disney is offering a steep discount on its Disney+ streaming service. When it launches on November 12th, Disney+ is set to cost $6.99 per month, with an option to pay $69.99 for the year. But if users are willing to sign up for th…

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Tesla's car insurance is now available in California

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Tesla just gave some of its most faithful US drivers the insurance they've been looking for. After rollouts in Asia and Australia, the EV maker has introduced its simply titled Tesla Insurance in California. Drivers can theoretically lower rates on…

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Epic reverts ‘Fortnite’ turbo building changes after players push back

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High profile players like Ninja immediately complained or threatened to switch to other games, and the response clearly rang bells to get such a quick response.

Epic said yesterday that the change was made to level the differences caused by ping times, and make building more deliberate, instead of just allowing players to spam walls while under attack and turtle without taking damage. While the delay has been returned to 0.05 seconds, there is still a 0.15 second delay to replace a structure that was destroyed. Also, to help level out the differences between ping times, if two players attempt to place a piece in the same spot at the same time, the “winner” will be determined by a coin flip.



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‘Control’ features a wonderfully surreal Hideo Kojima cameo

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“I believe they’re jalapeno flavored,” he adds, before turning to the subject of a distant trio of ocean trees. “Perhaps they are metaphors for how you push people away,” Kojima says, as he asks the player to talk to the plants. Suddenly, a fleet of forklifts with “hateful tires” appear to ruin the idyllic scene, and it’s up to the player to stop the carnage. Adding to the ambiance of the Easter egg is the fact that Kojima narrates the entire experience in his native Japanese, with Aki Saito, the head of marketing at Kojima Productions, translating. Both appear in the credits of Control.

Kojima’s cameo was first hinted at in March when his assistant tweeted that he had done some voice work “for the other Sam.” The Sam referenced in that tweet is likely Control writer Sam Lake. If Lake looks familiar, it’s because he was the model for Max Payne.

At this point in his career, Kojima has a long history of in-game appearances. In Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, protagonist Big Boss can take on a side mission in which he’s tasked with rescuing a captured spy. At the end of the mission, in dramatic, fourth-wall-breaking fashion, the operative is revealed to be none than Kojima himself. Players who complete this mission will then see the game designer join their mercenary outfit in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. It’s safe to say Kojima will find some way to sneak his way into his latest game, Death Stranding. The upcoming PlayStation 4 exclusive is out on November 8th. In the meantime, you can check out Control on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.



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