Amazon Acoustics channels ‘MTV Unplugged’ for Prime Music
Exclusive content is all the rage these days when it comes to music streaming services, and Amazon has some new goods of its own. The retailer announced Amazon Acoustics today, a collection of unplugged performances from a variety of artists. As you might expect, the songs are only available for purchase from Amazon or streaming from Prime Music. And yes, Prime members get them at no additional charge. In terms of the artist lineup, there are originals and covers from JJ Grey, Train, Five For Fighting, Michelle Branch, Marc Roberge of O.A.R., Surfer Blood, Deer Tick and more for 32 total tracks.
Amazon Acoustics will offer folks who prefer the company's music service an added benefit that subscribers are getting elsewhere. Spotify offers Spotify Sessions, for example, some of which are unplugged -- like Miguel's set. Of course, the likes of Tidal, Apple Music and others all have their own exclusives, looking to add a bit of extra value to the regular streaming libraries. Unplugged shows seemed to work out okay for MTV (most of which were released as full albums), so we're curious to see what Amazon's future releases offer.
[Image credit: Sebastian Reuter/Redferns via Getty Images]
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/31/amazon-acoustics/?ncid=rss_truncated
Japan’s ridiculous robot hotel is actually serious business
"My name is Yoshiyuki Kawazoe. This is my hotel." The University of Tokyo's associate professor of architecture gestures behind himself to a flat, two-story building that doesn't really look like a hotel. "Two-hundred people were involved in making this happen," he says. "Experts in environmental design, engineering, architecture, robotics and construction ... it's their hotel." The "Hen-na Hotel" will go down in tourist guides as the robot hotel, but there's more being invested in here than just talking robots: The minds behind it hope the facility will change the world of low-cost hotels -- and save the world. (Well, at least a little.)
Meet the faces of Japan's first robot-staffed hotel
The aim of the hotel, as CEO Hideo Sawada puts it, is a serious one: to be the most efficient hotel in the world. He draws on comparisons with low-cost airlines that "changed how we travel." Two years ago, as hotel prices continued to rise, the CEO (who runs the nearby Huis Ten Bosch theme park) began discussions with robotics and engineering experts with the aim of creating an efficient hotel, one that costs (both fiscally and environmentally) less.
If you thought Hen-na Hotel was a kitschy gimmick, well, that's partly true. (The receptionist is an English-speaking dinosaur and there's a talking tulip in each room.) Still, the bigger picture here is that researchers from Japan's largest, most influential university are involving themselves and testing out cutting-edge green technology, as well as trying to create a space where both robots and humans can move around and do what they want (or need) to do. Robots could help reduce staffing costs, as well as help to run a hotel more efficiently. (To some extent -- human workers are still required -- just less of them). The entire premise might scream wacky Japan, but it's also testing the boundaries of robot-human interaction in the field -- and trying to make a profit as it does.
The Hen-na Hotel is actually Hotel Zero, a proof of concept: Everything that goes down here will inform the next stage. Sawada-san is planning to roll out the Hen-na Hotel concept to two more hotels: another somewhere in Japan, and one overseas, although he wouldn't be drawn to exactly where. "Given the philosophy behind the hotel, the location of the site will have a large effect on what the hotel will look like, how it'll be built." The CEO didn't discount the idea that a hotel could be made inside a city center, while Kawazoe added that design considerations could make future hotels substantially different from this real-world proof of concept. Rents are at a premium in built-up areas.
The layout of the four-building complex is arranged in a way to let air flow through the entire thing. That's important, because there's no air conditioning. Dealbreaker? Given that the hotel is on Kyushu, the hot, humid main southern isle of Japan, that sounds insane. However, while outdoor temperatures reached 93 degrees Fahrenheit, the place was reassuringly cool. That's done through a network of high-end radiator panels, combined with heat-absorbing bricks, special reflective paint and solar panels on the roof, as well as sensors to monitor temperatures down to the individual room. (The architecture team even took inspiration from Japanese tearooms to design roofs at an angle that lets in winter sun, but blocks summer rays.)
The company expects to reduce energy costs by around 30 percent compared to typical hotels and these temperature considerations are a major part of how it'll do that. Those cost savings also tie into how Hen-na Hotel is trying to pitch itself as a clean, stylish-but-low-cost hotel: Amenities are bare minimum, with extras sold in vending machines. Room cleaning only happens if you pay for it or stay for longer than a week, but that all translates to room prices that are cheaper than the local competition.
Hagi-San, another expert from the University of Tokyo, was brought onto the project to "integrate robots and architecture."
There's another crucial design difference in comparison to other hotels: This one isn't only designed for humans. Hagi-San, another expert from the University of Tokyo, was brought onto the project to combine the robots and architectural design of the hotel. "I don't think this combination [of robots and building design], while working to provide a service [to humans], exists anywhere else in the world. ... The problem has been integrating these designs with human-centric ones. For the porter robots, we designed the hotel to include wide paths." Two paths slope around the hotel lobby: One inches up to the second floor, while another follows a gentle decline to guide first-floor guests (slowly, but with their baggage) all the way to their room.
Design considerations dovetail into sensors and infrastructure too, like the hotel's face-detection locks on each room. While you don't need your keycard (your beautiful face will suffice), the design of the hotel had to account for this, with low-power LED lighting located both at check-in (where your face gets scanned in), and next to each guest room entrance. During check-in, the process is distributed among multiple machines, working in tandem with each other. Face-scanning software interacts with the touchscreen console, while directions are delivered (and questions answered) by enigmatic robotic receptionists. The performance of these robots is monitored, and that will inform changes in design in the future.
That's where big challenges likely lie: This was a hotel on opening day, with everyone looking to give the best first impression. How will the hotel handle the realities of day-to-day hospitality? With normal visitors (and less staff around when accidents happen), it's likely to be a steeper learning curve than the inclines on those gentle slopes to the first floor. What happens when kid hopped up on one too many soft drinks consistently gets in the way of the porter robot? Is the drone going to fly through your window? What happens when you just need some air-con? Lots of questions, and plenty of challenges for robotics experts (as well as architects, hoteliers and engineers) to tackle.
Quotations in this article have been translated, condensed and edited.
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/31/japan-robot-hotel/?ncid=rss_truncated
Mini review video: our verdict of Windows 10 in 45 seconds
Didn't read all the way through our nearly 3,700-word review of Windows 10? You really should: Devindra makes some good points. That said, if you're short on time, or just have a hopelessly short attention span, we've distilled our writeup into a mini review video. As you can tell by the score alone (91 out of 100), we really, really dig the new software, and found very little fault with it. In particular, we love how the new, Live Tile-ized Start menu seems to combine the best of Windows 7 and 8, all the while correcting some big UX mistakes that Microsoft made over the past few years. In addition, new features like Cortana search and the Edge browser are in and of themselves worth the upgrade (and what an easy upgrade process it is too). Find the highlights in the short video above, and head over to our full review at the link below if you decide you want a little more detail after all.
Summary
Windows 10 is the ideal next step for Microsoft, bringing together the best elements of Windows 7 and 8. With new features like Cortana and Edge, extensive desktop interface refinements and Microsoft's free upgrade offer, it's a must-have for anyone who uses Windows.
a href="http://www.engadget.com/products/microsoft/windows/10/"
Microsoft
Windows 10
/a
Microsoft Windows 10
-
Key specs
-
a href="http://www.engadget.com/products/microsoft/windows/10/" title="Microsoft Windows 10 reviews" target="_blank"
Reviews • 9
/a
-
Prices
-
Discussions
-
1
Why Windows 10 may be the answer -
1
Microsoft’s to be launched upcoming Windows 10 is perfect -
54
What do you want from Microsoft Windows Phone OS ?
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/31/windows-10-mini-review-video/?ncid=rss_truncated
The best of Public Access Vol.7: online security and Android frustrations
Microsoft set the world on fire this week with the release of Windows 10 as a free download for existing Windows users. And in our review of the OS, we found that Edge, Windows 10's new web browser, is a sleek and speedy onramp to the information superhighway. Simply upgrading to the latest and greatest software doesn't make you impervious to harm on the internet, however, so last week we asked you to share how you stay secure online. Caroline Leopold doles out some handy tips for password management and stresses the importance of HTTPS. Meanwhile, Jess James has a bone to pick with Google's all-encompassing power over Android, and Bob Summerwill thinks we could all be more efficient at our jobs if we eliminated synchronous operations from the workplace and embraced asynchronous communication instead.
Since we've told you what we think of Microsoft's latest version of Windows, we want to hear your thoughts too. This week, tell us if you've taken advantage of Satya Nadella's largesse to grab a copy, and what you think of Win10. If you're a Windows person, but don't plan to upgrade, well, tell us why not? And finally, if you're a Mac user, are you tempted to leave the cozy confines of OS X?
P.S. The homepage is coming soon! in the meantime you can check out the latest from Public Access right here. Not a member? Apply, and keep the weird alive.
"Well guess what? Our work "work streams" suffer from exactly the same concurrency problems as computers, because these patterns are the nature of the beast for any coordinated activities, whether that is in digital form for computers or in organization form for team activities within corporations."
Read the rest of Why I will probably refuse your meeting request and not answer my phone by Bob Summerwill
"One of the biggest security risks is when you are using an unsecured Wifi hotspot. Hackers can collect all of the data you sending, including private emails, credit card information and security information. Then, hackers take that information and masquerade as you, which can cause havoc to your bank account and compromises your identity."
Read the rest of How-to: stay secure online by Caroline Leopold
"And so, when I put inserted my SD card all excited that my awesome solution was imminent, and headed giddy and breathless into the configuration of my Google Music app (and my camera app, for that matter), to tell it to use my SD card I was met with nothing but a greyed out button and the bitter sting of disappointment."
Read the rest of Digital Therapy: share your most frustrating tech moments by Jess James
Microsoft has finally made Windows 10 available to the world, and upgrading is free for existing users. Critics' responses has been good, but we want to know if you're on board the Win10 train, and what you think of the OS. If you're not, well, we want to know that too. And, if you're a dyed in the wool Mac fan, are you now tempted to take the Microsoft plunge? Why or why not?
a href="http://www.engadget.com/products/microsoft/windows/10/"
Microsoft
Windows 10
/a
Microsoft Windows 10
-
Key specs
-
a href="http://www.engadget.com/products/microsoft/windows/10/" title="Microsoft Windows 10 reviews" target="_blank"
Reviews • 9
/a
-
Prices
-
Discussions
-
1
Why Windows 10 may be the answer -
1
Microsoft’s to be launched upcoming Windows 10 is perfect -
54
What do you want from Microsoft Windows Phone OS ?
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/31/the-best-of-public-access-vol-7-online-security-and-android-fru/?ncid=rss_truncated
These disposable vapes let you huff your caffeine instead of drink it
Dammit, Logan. I'm glad it's your first day working at this coffee shop; congrats on getting hired and all. But dude, seriously, I don't have time to waste waiting for you to fish that beard hair out of my coffee. I'm "latte" enough for work as it is. That's why, for a full week, I tried switching from my normal intake of three to four caffeinated beverages a day to Eagle Energy caffeine vaporizers. Oof, my heart is still racing.
Eagle Energy vapes are self-contained atomizers that operate much like Blu disposable e-cigs or the Blackout X hash pens, except that it's loaded with caffeine instead of nicotine or THC. Each EE pen measures about five inches in length and is maybe a half-inch in diameter. Inside, a small reservoir holds about 3ml of liquid and 0.08 percent caffeine per milliliter. This liquid passes through a small atomizer driven by a non-rechargeable lithium ion battery where it is converted into a vapor and inhaled.
According to the included documentation, regular coffee drinkers will need about 10-20 puffs to notice the effects -- a figure I found to be pretty accurate during my testing. Each pen is rated to last about 500 puffs before the battery conks out, which seems about right as well.
Eagle Energy's kick comes from a mixture of caffeine (guarana extract), taurine and ginseng -- basically the same stuff as in a Red Bull. Unsurprisingly, these things taste uncannily like the popular energy drink. The vapor does not, however, contain sugar or calories. But man, these pens gave me heartburn something awful. Even when huffing the recommended number of times over a three- to five-minute span, I immediately felt as if I'd just chugged a Big Gulp's worth of espresso or a carton of apple juice on an empty stomach.
I also noticed that the kick didn't last as long as a standard cup of coffee. I mean I typically average a 350 ml mug of Peet's Major Dickason blend every hour for the first three hours of my workday with each cup's effects lasting around an hour. According to Caffeine Informer, a 16-ounce cup of this blend contains 267 mg of caffeine. As such, Eagle Energy's kick isn't nearly as potent as the coffee's. There isn't the sip-sip-wheeeeeomgthisisawesomeImhavingeverythoughtinthewoooooooorld feeling you get with a good cup of coffee. It's subtler and less of a jolt, though that also means there's less of a crash later.
Overall, I rather like these things. They're obviously never going to be a 1-to-1 replacement for my morning coffee and I can't absentmindedly puff on it as I would a hash pen, but for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up or an emergency morning kickstart, you could do worse. Eagle Energy is currently running an Indiegogo campaign to fund both the 3-pack and 10-pack options, although the company's rep has assured me that it will move forward with the 3-packs regardless of whether the campaign funds. They're expected to retail for $9 apiece, $20 a 3-pack and $75 for 10.
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/31/eagle-energy-caffeine-vapes/?ncid=rss_truncated
HBO is selling ‘Game of Thrones’ S5 downloads earlier than usual
In another sign that HBO is trying to convert some of the numerous Game of Thrones pirates into paying customers, the network announced that season five will be the first one available for downloaders to own before it hits DVD and Blu-ray. It's actually going on sale via download way before the discs, with a digital release of season five due August 31st, just two months after the finale aired. The Blu-ray version is still on deck for next March as usual, but you can pre-order the digital season pass (including extras, listed after the break) from outlets like Amazon, iTunes, Vudu and Google Play for $39 (HD) -- unless of course you live in another country like Australia, where season five has been on sale since it finished airing, or are already subscribing to HBO Now. Of course, you don't really need to hurry, as HBO announced during yesterday's TCA panel that it expects the series to last about eight seasons.
Send a raven. For the first time, #GoTSeason5 is available early for digital download on 8/31. http://t.co/7uGr0IlWK0 pic.twitter.com/xvQcj92CNS
— Game Of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) July 30, 2015
Game of Thrones S5 extras (* marks digital exclusives)
- Introduction to Dorne* - Visit the kingdom of Dorne in this special that delves inside the impressive realm and its many colorful characters, including Prince Doran Martell (Alexander Siddig) and the fiery Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma) and her venomous Sand Snakes (Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rosabell Laurenti Sellers and Jessica Henwick).
- Poisons of Westeros* - Explore the devious methods of poisoning seen throughout Game of Thrones in this featurette.
- Invitation to the Set - Visit the set of Game of Thrones for this intriguing preview.
- A Day in the Life - Glimpse the epic scale of Game of Thrones in this featurette that spends one day touring various Season 5 sets in Croatia, Spain and Ireland. See cast members preparing to shoot scenes while prominent members of the show's massive crew talk about the many jobs they must oversee-sets and costumes, hair and makeup, and much more-to keep the production operating smoothly.
- Set Design - Production designer Deborah Riley reveals the thought process behind the impressive sets used to create the territory of Dorne in Season 5.
- The Weapons of Dorne - Game of Thrones weapons master Tommy Dunne takes a close-up look at the razor-sharp armaments he created for the Sand Snakes and other inhabitants of Dorne in this featurette.
- New Characters Locations - Take a tour of the new locations in Season 5 and meet some of the new players in this featurette. Included are visits to the sets of Dorne and the House of Black and White as well as introductions to Doran Martell, the Sand Snakes, the High Sparrow, and more.
- Season 4 Recap - Revisit every twist and turn from the thrilling fourth season.
- Trailer - Whet your appetite for Season 5 with this exhilarating glimpse at things to come
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/31/hbo-got-s5-tca/?ncid=rss_truncated
Kim Dotcom promises to launch an open-source competitor to Mega
Third time's a charm. Kim Dotcom -- creator of Megaupload and Mega file-sharing sites, New Zealand politician, US fugitive -- plans to launch a third cloud-storage company when his existing non-compete clause runs out at the end of the year. Dotcom briefly outlined his plans for a new site in a Slashdot user interview, saying, "I will create a Mega competitor that is completely open source and non-profit, similar to the Wikipedia model. I want to give everyone free, unlimited and encrypted cloud storage with the help of donations from the community to keep things going."
Dotcom added that he doesn't trust Mega, a company he founded in 2013, now that the New Zealand government has control of the site. He claims a corrupt Chinese investor purchased enough shares in Mega to take over the company, but the New Zealand government recently seized all of the investor's shares, transferring control to itself.
"In addition Hollywood has seized all the Megashares in the family trust that was setup for my children," he says. "As a result of this and a number of other confidential issues I don't trust Mega anymore. I don't think your data is safe on Mega anymore." Of course, someone planning to launch a direct competitor to Mega would say something like that.
While his claims of a hostile takeover remain unverified, Dotcom plans to release a detailed breakdown of Mega's status next week, he said in a tweet today.
I will issue a detailed statement about the status of #Mega next week. Then you can make an educated decision if you still want to use it.
— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) July 31, 2015
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/31/kim-dotcom-new-site-mega/?ncid=rss_truncated
Marine Corps finally declares the F-35B ready for combat
After years of testing and development, production setbacks and cost overruns and more than half a trillion dollars invested, the F-35B fighter jet has finally passed its biggest milestone to date: it's achieved initial operational capability (IOC) within the US Marine Corps. That means that the F-35B can now be deployed around the world and employed in active combat.
Developed by Lockheed Martin, the F-35B Lightning II is a fifth generation fighter similar to the F-22. The B designates it as the Marine's variant and, as such, is outfitted with a short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) system. The Marines plan to buy about 340 of these jets (and another 80 of the C models) to replace the outgoing F/A-18 Hornet. The F-35B is expected to engage in "close air support, offensive and defensive counter-air, air interdiction, assault support escort and armed reconnaissance as part of a Marine Air Ground Task Force, or in support of the Joint Force," Gen. Joe Dunford, outgoing Marine Corps commandant, said in a statement.
This milestone is even more impressive given the growing pains that the F-35 line endured. The program experienced numerous delays and cost overruns almost as soon as the first prototype took off in 2006. Between 2007 and 2008 foreign spies reportedly got their hands on several terabytes technical specs related to the F-35's design and electronics. By 2010, the program had exceeded its initial budget by more than 50 percent. And by 2012, the entire Department of Defense was so tired of delays that it reduced its operational requirements for the jets just so they wouldn't have to go through another redesign.
The first F-35B is expected to deploy in 2017 to Iwakuni, Japan. The Air Forces F-35A variant is expected to be operational this Fall and the carrier-based C variant, which both the Navy and Marines will use, is expected sometime in 2018.
[Image Credit: Associated Press]
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/31/marine-corps-finally-declares-the-f-35b-ready-for-combat/?ncid=rss_truncated
Security researcher: Globalstar GPS at risk of hackers
As is the case with seemingly anything that connects to the internet these days, a security researcher has found that GPS devices which connect to the Globalstar satellite network are vulnerable to man-in-the-middle hacking. According to Synack Inc researcher Colby Moore, who is presenting his findings next week at BlackHat, transmissions within this system are not encrypted. This means they can be intercepted and altered between the sender and recipient -- not good when you're trying to find survivors after a natural disaster. What's more, Moore states that the flaw is a fault in the system's architecture and one that is nearly impossible to patch.
Millions of devices already run on the Globalstar system. It's employed by private citizens and major corporations alike. And, according to Moore, likely already has a few intelligence agencies listening in to boot. There's no word on whether other private GPS satellite systems, such as Iridium or Inmarsat, are equally vulnerable.
[Image Credit: Shutterstock / Pincasso]
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/31/security-researcher-globalstar-gps-at-risk-of-hackers/?ncid=rss_truncated
Yahoo’s latest purchase is digital fashion community Polyvore
Marissa Mayer opened up the Yahoo warchest once again, and this time it was to buy the "leading social shopping site," Polyvore. Yahoo's purchasing the whole kit and caboodle from the sounds of it too with Mayer writing on her Tumblr page that it's acquiring not just the service, but the team that built it as well. She says the purchase will work to bolster Yahoo's digital content growth and that current CEO Jess Lee (apparently a Polyvore community member prior to joining the company proper) will report directly to her. And if you're a current Polyvore enthusiast yourself, it doesn't sound like too much should change aside from where current employees report for work -- we'll let you know if those turn out to be offices for ants.
[Image credit: Pink Cow Photography/Flickr]
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/31/yahoo-purchases-polyvore/?ncid=rss_truncated