Fitbit partners with Google to send health data to doctors
Fitbit's recent acquisition of Twine Health is already helping the company expand into the healthcare world via sales to health plans and self-insured companies, as well as make money from subscriptions to its services. Fitbit isn't the only wearable looking to healthcare, of course; Apple Watch has already made inroads to medical studies on sleep apnea, heart issues and strokes.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2018/04/30/fitbit-google-health-data-doctors/
What’s coming to Netflix in May: Michelle Wolf’s weekly talk show
David Letterman's interview show, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, is dropping one episode at the beginning of the month with Tina Fey and another at the end with Howard Stern. May 4th sees the debut of Danish original show The Rain, which is both an imported series (like Dark) and a sci-fi show, which Netflix is now focusing on.
On the new Netflix original films front, Anon is a sci-fi thriller from the director of Gattaca about a murderer deleting data to evade capture, starring Amanda Seyfried and Clive Owen. Viewers can also catch Cargo, an Australian zombie survival film starring the ineffable Martin Freeman, or the girls trip-style Ibiza starring Community's Gillian Jacobs and 2 Dope Queens' Phoebe Robinson. Plus, last year's incredible Pixar film Coco is coming to the streaming platform at the end of the month.
If you're a comedy person, Netflix is also adding several original specials, including those from John Mulaney, Hari Kondabolu, Ali Wong and Tig Notaro. Be sure to check out what's leaving the platform next month lest you miss out.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2018/04/30/what-s-coming-to-netflix-in-may-michelle-wolfs-weekly-talk-sho/
TSA’s thirst for Instagram fame pays off with three Webby awards
The wins are ironic when TSA agents are notorious for their lack of humor (jokes are more likely to get you a pat-down than a laugh). One look at its feed explains exactly why it won, though: its Instagram account is thirsty as hell. The feed is virtually dominated by adorable sniffer dogs, inventive drug smuggling and strange weapons. Even if you ignore the cheeky yet informative write-ups, the TSA's photos virtually beg for reposts and can-you-believe-this Facebook shares.
It's a cynical strategy, to be sure, but the thousands of likes per post suggests it's effective. We're just wondering why the TSA's Facebook and Twitter presences are helpful, but as dry as a bone -- you do want our attention, don't you TSA?
A post shared by TSA (@tsa) on Apr 18, 2018 at 2:03pm PDT
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2018/04/30/tsa-instagram-wins-three-webby-awards/
Twitter nabs live ESPN shows in new Disney deal
ABC and Marvel are also part of the strategy. You should hear more about the ESPN shows both from Twitter (later on April 30th) and ESPN itself (May 2nd).
Twitter hasn't been shy about its live video push, with offerings coming from a range of news sites, sports leagues and TV networks. The Disney deal is a major coup, though. Even if these aren't as riveting as what you see on conventional TV, they suggest Disney sees Twitter as an important enough medium to merit a large range of programs -- it's not just producing one or two token shows to pretend it's relevant.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2018/04/30/disney-espn-live-twitter-shows/
Iran tells ISPs to block Telegram
Iranian officials have called for ISPs to block both the mobile and desktop versions of Telegram in the country. ISPs are also reportedly being instructed to block the messaging service in a way that can't be bypassed by a VPN. Reuters reports that Iran's judiciary website Mizan, quoting a court order, said, "All internet providers in Iran must take steps to block Telegram's website and app as of April 30." The site also said that Telegram had threatened the country's security through "propaganda against the establishment, terrorist activities, spreading lies to incite public opinion, anti-government protests and pornography."
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2018/04/30/iran-tells-isps-to-block-telegram/
Google adds user reviews to help you decide on Assistant apps
For now, at least, you can only view or leave reviews using an Android device, and they aren't visible on the Google Assistant iOS app or web directory. Reviews are currently displayed chronologically, and there's no way to see which ones are the most helpful — something you can see on Google Play app reviews.
While this reviews program isn't fully fleshed out yet, adding them is a logical move. Helping others gain a sense of how well a Google Assistant integration works (or flagging their quirks or drawbacks) should help users get the most out of the voice assistant and avoid pitfalls. If, say, you have a smart home app that isn't responding correctly, it'd be helpful for others to be aware of a potential bug. Reviews will aid developers in figuring out what's working or not beyond their data dashboards too, so it should help everyone in the long run.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2018/04/30/google-assistant-user-reviews/
Alexa exec calls it quits after five years at Amazon
"The pace of the past 5 years has finally gotten to me and I simply need to catch my breath," he wrote. "I've recently been joking with folks that 'I used to get my adrenaline rush going heli-skiing. Now I just go into work.'"
Despite Amazon's notoriously high-pressure work culture, Kindel went on to add that he would miss the company's high standards and didn't rule out the possibility of returning in the future. We couldn't blame him for staying away, though: Kindel spent the last three years leading the Alexa team in building new voice features, crafting a Skills kit for developers and ensuring more consistent Alexa experiences from external hardware makers through the creation of the Works with Alexa certification. (Despite his surname, Kindel never worked on Amazon's e-readers.) Needless to say, Kindel has earned a break.
While the home automation and car restoration projects Kindel mentions in his post could be cool, it's likely his work with Amazon that will remain his most influential and impactful in the long term. If nothing else, Alexa is already faring better than Kindel's last major project at a massive tech company: in a previous life, he was the general manager for Microsoft's ill-fated Windows Phone 7 platform.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2018/04/30/alexa-exec-calls-it-quits-after-five-years-at-amazon/
Malaysia’s fake news law has already led to a one-month jail sentence
The dispute centers on a YouTube video in which Sulaiman said Malaysian police took 50 minutes to respond to calls reporting Palestinian lecturer Fadi al-Batsh had been shot in Kuala Lumpur. But state officials claim police responded in just eight minutes. Sulaiman said in court that he posted the video during a "moment of anger." "I agreed I made a mistake," he said. "I seriously apologise to everybody in Malaysia, not just in the Malaysian police."
Malaysian parliament passed the new law earlier this month and after it received the king's approval, the Anti-Fake News Act 2018 became enforceable on April 11th. Those who violate the broadly termed legislation face up to six years of prison and a fine of up to 500,000 ringgit ($127,493). And those outside of Malaysia are subject to the law if what they publish or share affects Malaysia or its citizens.
Many suspect the law is an attempt to silence reports on a major corruption scandal involving Prime Minister Najib Razak. Multiple countries, including the US, are investigating allegations that the prime minister and his associates embezzled billions of dollars held in a state investment fund. A Malaysian official said last month that any reports about the fund that haven't been verified by state authorities would be considered false.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2018/04/30/malaysia-fake-news-law-led-to-jail-sentence/
Facebook data dispute reportedly prompts WhatsApp founder’s exit
Koum sold WhatsApp to Facebook for $19 billion in 2014 but remained committed to ensuring user privacy, and encrypted all conversations on the service in 2016. Last month, amid the furor following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, WhatsApp's already-departed other cofounder Brian Acton tweeted #deletefacebook, a hashtag advocating leaving the social network for mishandling user data. But sources told The Washington Post that Koum decided to leave prior to the scandal breaking. He will also step down from Facebook's board of directors, which is notable given that he's the only founder of a company Facebook acquired to sit on its board.
Facebook declined to comment, but pointed to Koum's brief post and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's comment below it: "Jan: I will miss working so closely with you. I'm grateful for everything you've done to help connect the world, and for everything you've taught me, including about encryption and its ability to take power from centralized systems and put it back in people's hands. Those values will always be at the heart of WhatsApp."
It's unclear when Koum will leave WhatsApp and Facebook's board.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2018/04/30/jan-koum-whatsapp-facebook/
Chinese authorities claim they can read deleted WeChat messages
Not necessarily. WeChat's creator, Tencent, denied storing or studying any chat histories. Like some other messaging services (such as WhatsApp), messages are supposed to remain solely on your phone or PC. Australia's military banned WeChat over security fears back in March, but that appears to have stemmed more from solidarity with US policy on Chinese companies instead of specific concerns.
We'd take the claim with a grain of salt. It's entirely possible that the watchdog was exaggerating its abilities, or misinterpreted its evidence gathering. However, the very fact that people are entertaining the idea speaks volumes about China's approach to surveillance. It hates the thought that any data might be outside its reach, and it's willing to go to great lengths to ensure it can collect that data.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2018/04/30/china-claims-it-can-read-deleted-wechat-messages/