New paper from Apple research scientists dives deeper into work on autonomous systems
Tim Cook has publicly commented on Apple’s work in autonomous systems before, and a new research paper from two Apple research scientists dives deeper into the company’s efforts. The paper explains how Apple is using a combination of LiDAR with other technologies for 3D object detection that represents the future.
Apple acquires AR startup Vrvana for $30M as it continues work on its own AR headset
According to a new report from TechCrunch, Apple recently acquired a virtual/augmented reality startup out of Montreal, Canada called Vrvana. The deal was worth radon $30 million, the report says.
Uber officially discloses data breach that affected 57M users after concealing it for a year
Apple sells out of External Graphics Development Kit allotment, Sonnet offers eGFX Box + GPU at reduced cost
Apple launched its External Graphics Development Kit during WWDC 2017 as a way to assist developers with demanding graphics-intensive apps and VR content creation. The unit included the developer edition of Sonnet’s external eGFX GPU chassis, along with Sapphire’s AMD RX 580 8GB graphics card, and Belkin’s USB-C to 4-port USB-A hub.
Apple priced the External Graphics Development Kit at $599, which was reasonable considering that the Sapphire Pulse RX 580 8GB still goes for around $279, and demanded a higher price during the kit’s launch. The External Graphics Development Kit has been on sale for several months, but now all stock appears to be exhausted.
As a part of its Cyber Week Sale, Sonnet is offering the eGFX Breakaway Box – Developer Edition — the same unit included in Apple’s kit, sans Belkin USB hub, for $499. That’s a $100 price difference from what Apple was charging, and the developer edition of the eGFX units are now available to all users, not just developers. more…
iPhone X: Create useful shortcuts with a virtual Home button for a super efficient UI
You’ve likely quickly adapted to the new Home button-less iPhone X and its gesture based user interface. But while there are a lot of improvements, some aspects have become less user-friendly, like pulling up Control Center, Notification Center, and Apple Pay. Luckily, you can use a (mostly invisible) virtual Home button to create shortcuts to make a custom, efficient UI.
ecobee launches pilot program for its Alexa-enabled Switch+ light switch ahead of release
Smart thermostat maker ecobee previewed its first smart light switch earlier this year, and now the Alexa-enabled Switch+ is getting closer to shipping. Before ecobee releases Switch+ to the public, however, the company is opening a limited product pilot to select testers.
4K drone footage captures Apple Park Visitor Center from the sky, on site work nearing completion
Apple Park is now open for business, but that doesn’t appear to be stopping drones from flying over Apple’s new campus and capturing aerial footage of the nearly finished project. See for yourself below:
Hands-on with Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp for iOS, now available a day early
For those who don’t know me very well, I am an unapologetic Nintendo fanboy. Almost everything they produce is a masterpiece to me. I was even a fan of the poorly-received Wii U and Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild might be the best video game I’ve ever played. So what’s my take on Nintendo’s newly released Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp for iOS so far? It’s only been out for a few hours (one day sooner than expected) and it’s already great although there are a few key downsides to expect.
9to5Toys Lunch Break: iMac & MacBook Pro $250 off, Sonos Black Friday $100 off, Ring Smart Doorbell $100, more
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Trump’s FCC plans to abandon net neutrality regulations, allowing paid Internet fast lanes
Led by chairman Ajit Pai, the Trump administration’s Federal Communications Commission has today released its controversial plan to undo the current net neutrality regulations that were approved under the Obama administration two years ago.