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"Microsoft releases new Windows 10 preview with Calendar search and Cortana Show Me voice queries | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/microsoft-releases-new-windows-10-preview-with-calendar-search-and-cortana-show-me-voice-queries"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Microsoft releases new Windows 10 preview with Calendar search and Cortana Show Me voice queries Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Windows 10 Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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After spinning up possibly the last Windows 10 build from the RS4 branch two days ago, Microsoft today released a new Windows 10 preview for PCs with Calendar search and Cortana Show Me voice queries. This build is from the RS5 branch, which represents the Windows 10 update the company plans to release much later this year. The next update will come sooner (next month), from the RS4 branch.
Windows 10 is a service , meaning it was built in a very different way from its predecessors so it can be regularly updated with not just fixes, but new features, too. Microsoft has released four major updates so far: November Update , Anniversary Update , Creators Update , and Fall Creators Update.
This RS5 build is for Windows Insiders who have chosen the Skip Ahead option, meaning they continue to receive builds from the RS_PRERELEASE branch. Only a small subset of Insiders can opt into Skip Ahead, as Microsoft still needs testers helping with RS4.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! The main change in this build is that Windows 10’s Calendar finally now lets you search for past or future events. You can query by name, location, people invited, or words in the event body. Events that match your search will be visible on your calendar, while those that don’t will be grayed-out. The search function currently works with Outlook, Hotmail, Live, and Office 365 accounts but does not yet support Exchange Server, Gmail, Yahoo, or other IMAP calendars.
Next up, Microsoft has updated Cortana Show Me , a preview app released last week that’s designed to show you around Windows 10 settings. The app now supports voice queries, and Microsoft has a few suggestions to try: Update Windows – Try, “Update my Windows device” Check if an app is installed – Try, “How to see what apps are installed” Uninstall an app – Try “How to uninstall apps” Change your desktop background – Try, “Show me how to change my background” Use Airplane Mode – Try, “How do I turn on airplane mode” Change your display brightness – Try, “Show me how to change my screen brightness” Add nearby printers or scanners – Try, “How to add a printer” Turn off Windows Defender Security Center – Try, “Show me how to turn off Windows Defender Security Center” Change Wi-Fi settings – Try, “Show me how to change Wi-Fi network” Change your power settings – Try, “How to change when my computer goes to sleep” Discover Bluetooth devices – Try, “Show me how to discover devices” Check your version of Windows – Try, “How do I find my current version of Windows” The app, which has 15 guides and is available in U.K. English, U.S. English, and German, shows you how to change settings step by step. We’re guessing it will eventually become part of Windows 10, assuming users like it.
This desktop build includes the following general bug fixes and improvements: Fixed an issue where typing in the Microsoft Edge URL bar immediately after opening a new tab might result in the letters appearing in an unexpected order.
Fixed an issue when opening .html or .pdf files from the local system (double-click, right-click > open), Microsoft Edge will not render the loaded content if Microsoft Edge wasn’t already running before opening the file.
Fixed an issue where PDFs displayed using Microsoft Edge would shrink after refreshing the page when using a DPI scaling > 100%.
Fixed an issue that could result in Microsoft Edge crashing when turning off certain extensions.
Fixed an issue resulting in Task Manager not showing the application title in the process name for open Visual Studio projects.
Fixed an issue resulting in the UAC dialog potentially not rendering correctly in the last few flights.
Fixed an issue resulting in certain devices with BitLocker enabled unexpectedly booting into BitLocker recovery in recent flights.
Fixed an issue where the Emoji Panel would close after typing an accent in certain languages.
Fixed an issue resulting in focus being lost after using WIN+A to close the Action Center.
Today’s update bumps the Windows 10 build number for the RS5 branch from 17627 (made available to testers on March 21) to build 17634.
This build has three known issues: If you open Settings and clicking on any links to the Microsoft Store or links in tips, Settings will crash. This includes the links to get themes and fonts from the Microsoft Store, as well as the link to Windows Defender.
On resuming from sleep, the desktop may be momentarily visible before the Lock screen displays as expected.
When Movies & TV user denies access to its videos library (through the “Let Movies & TV access your videos library?” popup window or through Windows privacy settings), Movies & TV crashes when the user navigates to the “Personal” tab.
As always, don’t install this on your production machine.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
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The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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5,114 | 2,018 |
"Google’s TensorFlow AI framework adds Swift and JavaScript support | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/ai/googles-tensorflow-ai-framework-adds-swift-and-javascript-support"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Google’s TensorFlow AI framework adds Swift and JavaScript support Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn TensorFlow Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
Google today unveiled a slew of updates to its popular TensorFlow machine learning framework to make it useful for a wider variety of developers and give data scientists new ways to get started building AI models.
TensorFlow is one of the most popular programming frameworks developers can use to set up and run machine learning models at scale. It contains useful abstractions for that task, so it’s easier for developers to get their AI code up and running without having to reinvent the wheel. It’s built around the concept of computational graphs, which describe how data flows between mathematical operations.
It’s an essential part of Google’s AI strategy because it helps the company’s data scientists build more intelligent features and perform machine learning research. Making it available as an open source project means Google can reap the benefits of others’ contributions while driving the field of AI forward with more broadly available technology.
Google integrated TensorFlow with JavaScript for running machine learning tasks in web browsers. The company also expects to release TensorFlow for Swift next month, providing deep integration between the machine learning framework and the programming language Apple introduced in 2014.
TensorFlow Lite , Google’s framework for executing machine learning on less powerful hardware, now supports Raspberry Pi, in addition to Android and iOS devices.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! Google also announced the TensorFlow Hub , which provides a repository for sharing different pre-built modules developers can reuse across multiple models. Those modules, which are self-contained bits of code, come pre-trained on large datasets but allow developers to retrain them based on particular needs. They’re designed to reduce the complexity of building machine learning systems by serving as building blocks.
TensorFlow also received a new graphical debugger that will allow developers to view how the internal nodes of a computational graph are functioning in order to understand better the way their models work.
On the more technical side, TensorFlow’s eager execution feature will exit beta. It’s designed to simplify the process of setting up and executing a computational graph, which TensorFlow initially kept as separate tasks.
In addition, it’s now easier for users to run models built using the Estimator APIs on a single machine with multiple GPUs, thanks to a new method that Google unveiled today. Finally, the company announced a new TensorFlow Probability API that expands the framework’s support for Bayesian analysis.
All of these new features are critical, given TensorFlow’s strategic importance for Google’s business. The tech titan competes against companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and IBM in the cloud realm, and the popularity of TensorFlow could encourage business customers to reach for Google Cloud Platform rather than a competitor’s offering.
That’s because the company offers managed services based on TensorFlow, but also because its mindshare among developers makes its cloud appear more suited to machine learning.
Plus, Google is competing with other tech companies to attract top machine learning talent, and the popularity of TensorFlow can help with that.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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5,115 | 2,018 |
"Emotion AI: Why your refrigerator could soon understand your moods | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/ai/emotion-ai-why-your-refrigerator-could-soon-understand-your-moods"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Guest Emotion AI: Why your refrigerator could soon understand your moods Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
Artificial intelligence is already making our devices more personal — from simplifying daily tasks to increasing productivity.
Emotion AI (also called affective computing) will take this to new heights by helping our devices understand our moods. That means we can expect smart refrigerators that interpret how we feel (based on what we say, how we slam the door) and then suggest foods to match those feelings. Our cars could even know when we’re angry, based on our driving habits.
Humans use non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice, to communicate a range of feelings. Emotion AI goes beyond natural language processing by using computer vision and voice analysis to detect those moods and emotions. Voice of the customer (VoC) programs will leverage emotion AI technology to perform granular and individual sentiment analysis at scale. The result: Our devices will be in tune with us.
Conversational services Digital giants — including Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Baidu, and Tencent — have been investing in AI techniques that enhance their platforms and ecosystems. We are still at “Level 1” when it comes to conversational services such as Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, and Google Assistant. However, the market is set to reach new levels in the next one to two years.
Nearly 40 percent of smartphone users employ conversational systems on a daily basis, according to a 2017 Gartner survey of online adults in the United States. These services will not only become more intelligent and sophisticated in terms of processing verbal commands and questions, they will also grow to understand emotional states and contexts.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! Today, there are a handful of available smartphone apps and connected home devices that can capture a user’s emotions. Additional prototypes and commercial products exist — for example, Emoshape’s connected home hub, Beyond Verbal ‘s voice recognition app, and the connected home VPA Hubble. Large technology vendors such as IBM, Google, and Microsoft are investing in this emerging area, as are ambitious startups.
At this stage, one of the most significant shortcomings of such systems is a lack of contextual information. Adding emotional context by analyzing data points from facial expressions, voice intonation, and behavioral patterns will significantly enhance the user experience.
Wearables and connected cars In the second wave of development for emotion AI, we will see value brought to many more areas, including educational software, video games, diagnostic software, athletic and health performance, and autonomous cars. Developments are underway in all of these fields, but 2018 will see many products realized and an increased number of new projects.
Beyond smartphones and connected-home devices, wearables and the connected car will collect, analyze, and process users’ emotional data via computer vision, audio, or sensors. The captured behavioral data will allow these devices to adapt or respond to a user’s needs.
Technology vendors, including Affectiva, Eyeris, and Audeering, are working with the automotive OEMs to develop new experiences inside the car that monitor users’ behavior in order to offer assistance, monitor safe-driving behavior, and enhance their ride.
There is also an opportunity for more specialized devices, such as medical wristbands that can anticipate a seizure a few minutes before the actual event, facilitating early response. Special apps developed for diagnostics and therapy may be able to recognize conditions such as depression or help children with autism.
Another important area is the development of anthropomorphic qualities in AI systems — such as personal assistant robots (PARs) that can adapt to different emotional contexts or individuals. A PAR will develop a “personality” as it has more interactions with a specific person, allowing it to better meet the user’s needs. Vendors such as IBM, as well as startups like Emoshape, are developing techniques to lend such anthropomorphic qualities to robotic systems.
VoC will help brands understand their consumers Beyond enhancing robotics and personal devices, emotion AI can be applied in customer experience initiatives, such as VoC programs. A fleet of vendors already offer sentiment analysis by mining billions of data points on social media platforms and user forums. Some of these programs are limited to distinguishing between positive and negative sentiments while others are more advanced, capable of attributing nuanced emotional states — but so far, only in the aggregate.
We are still at an early stages when it comes to enhancing VoC programs with emotion AI. Technology providers will have to take a consultative approach with their clients — most of whom will be new to the concept of emotion AI. While there are only a few isolated use cases for emotion AI at the moment, we can expect it to eventually offer tools that transform virtually every aspect of our daily lives.
Annette Zimmermann is the research vice president at Gartner , a research and advisory company.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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5,116 | 2,018 |
"‘Citizen AI’: Teaching artificial intelligence to act responsibly | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/ai/citizen-ai-teaching-artificial-intelligence-to-act-responsibly"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Guest ‘Citizen AI’: Teaching artificial intelligence to act responsibly Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
Researchers at Mt. Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine in New York have a unique collaborator: an in-house artificial intelligence system known as Deep Patient.
The researchers have taught Deep Patient to predict risk factors for 78 different diseases by feeding it electronic health records from 700,000 patients, and doctors now turn to the system to aid in diagnoses.
Deep Patient is more than just a program. Like other advanced AI systems, it learns, makes autonomous decisions, and has grown from a technological tool to a partner, coordinating and collaborating with humans. This isn’t surprising, given that four out of five ( 81 percent ) of executives surveyed for Accenture’s most recent Tech Vision report believe that within the next three years, AI will work alongside humans as a coworkers, collaborators, and trusted advisors.
Bringing up baby For some organizations, AI is already the public face of the business, handling everything from initial interactions via chat, voice, and email to filling vital customer service roles. But any business looking to capitalize on AI’s potential must acknowledge the full scope of its impact. Just as parents hope to raise children who act responsibly and communicate effectively, businesses need to “raise” their AI systems to act as responsible representatives of the business and reflect company and societal norms of fairness and transparency.
AI was initially driven by rules-based data analytics programs, statistical regressions, and early “expert systems.” But the explosion of powerful deep neural networks now gives AI systems something a mere program doesn’t have: the ability to do the unexpected.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! For businesses, this means changing how they view AI — from systems that are programmed to systems that learn. After all, education isn’t about teaching someone to do one task, it’s giving someone the tools to approach and solve problems themselves. This is the approach businesses must take with AI. Raising AI requires addressing many of the same challenges we encounter raising and educating children. This includes things like fostering an understanding of right and wrong, imparting knowledge without bias, and building self-reliance while emphasizing the importance of collaborating and communicating with others.
To meet this new responsibility, companies can look to milestones of human development for guidance. First, people learn how to learn, then they rationalize or explain their thoughts and actions, and eventually they accept responsibility for their decisions. With a successfully trained and raised AI, a company essentially creates a new worker — one that can be scaled across operations.
Where to begin? This process depends on data — the right data, and a lot of it. As children learn to communicate, they often use gestures before words. Ultimately, however, they must achieve the taxonomy of language to scale their understanding of the world. Similarly, a company’s AI starts from basic principles, then progressively builds its skills from set taxonomical structures. The companies with the best data available to train their AI will create the most capable AI systems.
For instance, Google recently released an open source dataset that helps companies teach their AI to understand how people speak. The company recorded 65,000 clips of thousands of different people speaking to create a dataset that would prepare an AI to understand just 30 words in a single language. This scale of training data has enabled Google’s voice recognition to reach 95 percent accuracy.
A moral code Companies building AI systems must provide a context for their AI and those it will be communicating with, whether customers, employees, or other AI systems. At the same time, companies must use care when selecting taxonomies and training data, as it’s not just about scale but about actively minimizing bias in the data. When researchers curate datasets to minimize bias — as well as documenting, organizing, and properly labeling the data — companies can build a strong library of AI models ready for reuse.
Finally, businesses must raise AI systems to act responsibly. What happens, for instance, if an AI-powered mortgage lender denies a loan to a qualified prospective home buyer or if an AI-guided shelf-stocking robot runs into a worker in a warehouse? Companies using AI must think carefully about apportioning responsibility and liability for its actions — in fact, some already are.
Audi, for example, has announced that it will assume liability for accidents involving its 2019 A8 model when its Traffic Jam Pilot automated system is in use. And the German federal government has adopted ahead-of-the-curve rules around the way autonomous cars should act in an unavoidable accident — choosing material damage over injuring people and not discriminating by gender, age, or race.
Just the beginning As AI becomes more firmly and widely integrated into society, it will impact everything from financial decisions to health, criminal justice, and beyond. As this sphere of influence expands, the responsibilities around training AI will only grow. Businesses that don’t consider their AI an entity they must raise will struggle to catch up with new regulations and public demands — or worse, unleash problematic AIs that cause strict regulatory controls to be placed upon the entire industry.
Leaders must accept the challenge of raising their AI in a way that acknowledges its impact on society. In doing so, they’ll set the standards for what it means to create a responsible, explainable AI system while at the same time building trust with customers and employees. Finding a moral framework for AI will be a crucial step in the technology’s integration into society. Call it “Citizen AI.” Michael Biltz a managing director at Accenture Technology where he’s responsible for leading Accenture’s annual technology vision process.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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5,117 | 2,018 |
"Apple is aggressively hiring Siri engineers after widespread criticisms | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/ai/apple-is-aggressively-hiring-siri-engineers-after-widespread-criticisms"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Apple is aggressively hiring Siri engineers after widespread criticisms Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
Following stinging criticisms of its poorly performing digital assistant, Apple has recently ramped up hiring for its Siri division, the data analysts at Thinknum discovered. Siri-specific hiring is currently said to be at an “all-time high,” with 161 open job listings — a jump of 24 percent in the last month.
Starting in mid-February, shortly after initial HomePod reviews pilloried the speaker’s ability to handle spoken requests, Apple appears to have accelerated its efforts to hire new Siri engineers and managers. Tens of jobs posted in February remain open today, and more than two dozen new Siri jobs were posted in the last two days alone.
“It’s easy to see that this is a concerted effort by Apple to make Siri smart,” said Thinknum’s Joshua Fruhlinger, “or, at least, smarter than she has been.” Fruhlinger noted that it’s “no secret” that Siri is perceived as a laggard compared to Amazon’s Alexa, Google’s Assistant, and Microsoft’s Cortana and has been struggling to adapt to home automation tasks. “It’s clear from our hiring data trail that Apple knows where it needs to improve.” Apple’s job postings site today has well over 100 open positions specifically within the Siri division, including various AI engineers, alongside many others with Siri-related responsibilities. Most are located at the company’s Apple Park campus, with a handful scattered throughout foreign outposts.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
Discover our Briefings.
The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
All rights reserved.
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5,118 | 2,018 |
"Amazon's Alexa can now record shows on DirecTV and TiVo | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/ai/amazons-alexa-can-now-record-shows-on-directv-and-tivo"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Amazon’s Alexa can now record shows on DirecTV and TiVo Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Voice assistants like Amazon's Alexa may become the center of home entertainment.
Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
Amazon today announced updates to Alexa’s Video Skills API, which will soon allow users of TiVo, DirectTV, DISH, and Verizon television services to record their favorite shows using their voice on an Alexa-enabled device. This means a user will be able to say “Alexa, record the Warriors game” to start a DVR recording.
The update announced today for the API that gives Alexa control of video content will let customers navigate to often-used destinations, like a show guide, home screen, or DVR menu. Users will also be able to ask for TV apps like Prime Video by name or say “Alexa, pause” to stop play.
Tech giants making AI assistants are vying for people’s attention on many fronts. Amazon wants to enter your workplace and your car , but the main battlefront today still seems to be the home, and there the company has made pitches to enter virtually every room. Amazon now has a Wand with Alexa that sticks to your fridge. One of the first arguments made in favor of an Echo Show at its debut last summer was that it can play you DIY cooking videos.
When the Echo Spot debuted, it was pitched as the replacement for your alarm clock.
The fight for content control in any room with a television is another battleground, and a fairly crowded one at that.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! Beyond the voice control Alexa can provide for devices from companies like TiVo, Alexa voice control for Fire TV sticks was first made available last August and can be used to play shows by title, channel, or genre. Like Alexa’s Fire TV control, Google Assistant can control Chromecast, and unlike Fire TV, it has a YouTube app. Due to a spat between Amazon and Google last year over Amazon’s refusal to sell Nest smart home devices on its marketplace , YouTube access for Fire TV was revoked.
For Samsung, Bixby control is coming to its Smart TVs later this year , while Microsoft brought Cortana to the Xbox One dashboard in 2016.
Xfinity introduced voice control for its remote controls in 2015.
Some Xfinity DVR scheduling abilities were recently lost due to a lost 2017 court battle with TiVo parent company Rovi Corp.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
Discover our Briefings.
The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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5,119 | 2,018 |
"AI Weekly: Watson, Einstein, and Sensei must die | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/ai/ai-weekly-watson-einstein-and-sensei-must-die"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages AI Weekly: Watson, Einstein, and Sensei must die Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
What do Einstein, Watson, and Sensei have in common? All three brands are supposed to encompass a major tech company’s AI features, and they all need to go away.
It’s easy to see why a company would want a megabrand to represent its AI efforts — such a brand makes it possible to consolidate all of a company’s innovation under a single umbrella and promote all of it at once.
That’s obviously much better for marketing than introducing a bunch of disparate AI features for different products that may not influence one another at all. There’s also a nefarious reason: Companies can use these brands to hide capabilities that seem AI-powered but aren’t.
Take the Conversational Queries feature in Salesforce’s Einstein Analytics product, which the company announced earlier this month. When I first spoke with them about it, I thought that it was tied to other Einstein AI efforts, especially since Salesforce Research worked on a system to translate natural language into SQL queries.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! But that’s not the case. The feature just matches patterns from what customers type with metadata that’s fed into the analytics system. Until I brought up the topic of Salesforce Research’s paper, the company representative I spoke to didn’t mention anything about the feature’s disconnection from the AI capabilities that Salesforce has been rolling out over the past couple years.
It’s a feature of Einstein Analytics, not Einstein, and therefore isn’t necessarily connected to the company’s AI efforts. That’s a fine distinction, but apparently one that Salesforce is okay with.
IBM pulls the same tricks with its Watson brand. Although they share a name with the system that wowed people by winning Jeopardy, the features IBM sells aren’t going to win a game show. And while company representatives talk about Watson as a single entity, it’s just an overarching brand with sets of capabilities that don’t necessarily benefit one another. If the company starts parsing social media posts better, that doesn’t mean it’ll suddenly become more adept at spotting cancer.
I’ve seen these megabrands undermine potential customers’ trust in the actual intelligent capabilities that companies provide. Technical decision makers ask me all the time whether one of these companies is really doing AI, and I think part of that mistrust can be traced back to the marketing behind their brands.
In each case, these companies are doing actual work with AI and have at their disposal large datasets that can be used to train unique models, but the smokescreen provided by their brands confuses the very people they’re trying to reach and makes the company seem less serious.
Rather than tack a brand name onto an entire suite of AI capabilities, companies would be better off applying the term judiciously. One complaint I frequently hear from people both inside and outside the tech industry is that it feels like AI is being applied too broadly and too often. Companies large and small add to this by sprinkling a little extra pixie dust on everything they do, like all the startups suddenly pitching themselves as AI companies. Large businesses like Salesforce, IBM, and Adobe are important contributors to the way people perceive AI, and it’s incumbent upon them to act responsibly or face a serious backlash.
Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon tend to have the right idea. Each one wraps AI capabilities in fairly narrow features and individual brands (though Microsoft used to bundle some of its AI capabilities into the Cortana Intelligence Suite, which had basically nothing to do with its virtual assistant of the same name), in keeping with the current state of the art in AI. We’re a long way away from generalized artificial intelligence, and the way we represent these capabilities in public should reflect that.
For AI coverage, send news tips to Blair Hanley Frank and Khari Johnson and guest post submissions to Cosette Jarrett — and be sure to bookmark our AI Channel.
P.S. Please enjoy this video showing how Google’s TensorFlow AI framework can help with the cultivation of Cassava: FROM THE AI CHANNEL Google’s TensorFlow AI framework adds Swift and JavaScript support Google today unveiled a slew of updates to its popular TensorFlow machine learning framework aimed at making it useful for a wider variety of developers and providing data scientists with new ways to get started building AI models. TensorFlow is one of the most popular programming frameworks developers can use to set up and run machine […] Read more French government’s new AI strategy gets a boost from DeepMind, Samsung, and Fujitsu The French government unveiled a new strategic initiative today that seeks to make the country a world leader in artificial intelligence without compromising its notions of privacy and security. The outlined proposals got a lift from a series of related corporate announcements, including plans by Google’s DeepMind and Samsung for new Paris labs and Fujitsu’s expansion […] Read more Spoke launches AI-powered ticketing system out of beta Spoke, a company that aims to help businesses get their internal processes together through an automated ticketing system, exited beta today, after a soft launch in October 2017. Users can ask questions of the software through email and Slack, and it will use AI to analyze the text of their question and try to find […] Read more Nvidia CEO: Uber crash will spur more self-driving car investment Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said today that the autonomous Uber crash in Tempe, Arizona last week would likely lead to more investment in self-driving cars, not less. “I believe as a result of what happened last week, the amount of investment into the seriousness of [autonomous vehicles] is going to go up,” he said during […] Read more Waymo and Jaguar to build a fleet of all-electric self-driving cars Waymo, the self-driving car unit of Google parent company Alphabet, has announced a partnership with Jaguar Land Rover to engineer what it’s touting as “the world’s first premium electric fully self-driving vehicle,” according to a Waymo blog post. U.K.-based Jaguar Land Rover unveiled its first pure electric vehicle (EV), the I-Pace, back in 2016, though the […] Read more Microsoft’s Brainwave makes Bing’s AI over 10 times faster Microsoft announced today that its use of specialized hardware for AI computation allowed it to get more than 10 times faster performance for a machine learning model that powers functionality of its Bing search engine. The system, which the company calls Brainwave, is designed to take a trained neural network and run it as quickly […] Read more BEYOND VENTUREBEAT How coders are fighting bias in facial recognition software Software engineer Henry Gan got a surprise last summer when he tested his team’s new facial recognition system on coworkers at startup Gfycat. The machine-learning software successfully identified most of his colleagues, but the system stumbled with one group. “It got some of our Asian employees mixed up,” says Gan, who is Asian. “Which was strange because it got everyone else correctly.” (via Wired) Read the full story Lights, camera, artificial action: Startup is taking AI to the movies Inside an old auto body shop here in Silicon Valley, Stefan Avalos pushed a movie camera down a dolly track. He and a small crew were making a short film about self-driving cars. They were shooting a powder-blue 1962 Austin Mini, but through special effects the rusted relic would be transformed into an autonomous vehicle that looked more like the DeLorean from “Back to the Future.” (via The New York Times) Read the full story Jaywalkers under surveillance in Shenzhen soon to be punished via text messages Traffic police in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen have always had a reputation for strict enforcement of those flouting road rules in the metropolis of 12 million people.
(via SCMP) Read the full story Watch a computer learn to play ‘Doom’ inside a dream The ability to practice real-world skills inside a dream and then use those skills in waking life is part bong water fantasy and part scientific enigma. Dr. Daniel Erlacher at the University of Bern in Switzerland, for example, has conducted numerous studies on the effects of practicing activities like squatting and dart throwing in a lucid dreaming state—the “waking dream” phenomenon—and then trying them in real life.
(via Motherboard) Read the full story Google x-ray project shows AI won’t replace doctors anytime soon Artificial intelligence looks certain to revolutionize medicine, but research from Google Cloud suggests it may be more challenging than many people suspect.
(via MIT Tech Review) Read the full story VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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"AI-powered ambient computing is just getting started | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/ai/ai-powered-ambient-computing-is-just-getting-started"
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It’s hard to believe that not even 75 years have passed since ENIAC , that room-sized, 30-ton calculating machine, was the number-crunching hero of World War II. Since then, technology has evolved and converged into myriad applications — including the internet; internet of things (IoT); big data; mobile, virtual, and augmented reality; machine learning; and artificial intelligence.
These applications operate infinitely more quickly, ubiquitously, and unobtrusively than ever before. This world of ambient computing, or ambient intelligence , will continue to unleash waves of innovation that will fundamentally change how we live and work.
Ambient computing covers applications incorporating machine learning and other forms of artificial intelligence and is characterized by human-like cognitive and behavioral capabilities and contextual awareness. It creates a digital environment in which companies integrate technology seamlessly and invisibly into everything around us, maximizing usefulness while minimizing demands on our attention.
Cisco IoT expert Rowan Trollope sums up the hopes behind this technology when he says, “ Ambient computing and AI will provide radically better experiences.” VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! The AI-powered ambient era has begun Ambient computing already provides everyday services ranging from the voice-driven smart speaker in the kitchen to smart thermostats that blend into the background. Virtual digital agents, or chatbots, are also making giant strides by incorporating AI. Solution developer [24]7.ai refers to the “age of intent,” when a company’s bot can derive your intent by adding information already available within its databases to the current context of an inquiry. Properly designed, these bots can improve all customer-facing disciplines, including sales, customer service, and marketing.
Far more involved scenarios will soon be possible, with enabling technologies embedded into homes, grocery stores, offices, hospitals, and transportation services.
Here’s one such sequence: A heart monitor embedded in your shirt provides real-time data to a cardiologist, who can then send updated prescriptions to your pharmacist, who can, in turn, send an alert to your smartwatch while you are driving home to say that your medications are ready to pick up. Then your GPS can automatically update itself to route you to the pharmacy, where you arrive in your self-driving car and pay for the prescription using your smartphone.
All the devices and applications in this example are fully integrated, adjusting seamlessly as the user moves from one place to another. This native integration provides a radically better experience than the tangle of applications and actions that are necessary today.
While the term “ambient computing” has been around since the 1990s, the technology required to make it a reality is only now beginning to catch up.
Gartner mentioned ambient computing in its report on strategic technology trends for 2016, claiming it would become a major differentiator for independent software vendors and enterprises alike by 2018.
That timing might be optimistic, but several leading vendors have started discussing the concept in recent strategy announcements. Certainly, consumers and tech enthusiasts are already describing home assistants such as Amazon Echo and Google Home as ambient computing products. This concept garnered initial attention last year through Walt Mossberg’s final column.
While attention is growing around ambient computing, it has not yet reached the mainstream. Nevertheless, many companies are, or soon will be, vying for a piece of the action.
Radically better experiences Radically better experiences mean going beyond efficiency to offer the promise of better living. Some applications could help us maximize our health and prevent disease. The Fitbit Alta AR is an early example , but likely just the beginning. Imagine instead an alarm that alerts you to poor diet choices — based on the items present in your refrigerator and the restaurants you’ve visited — and monitors your levels of physical activity.
Reminders to aim for a healthier lifestyle could include calendared exercise, grocery-shopping suggestions, prompts to help you determine whether eating is being triggered by hunger or emotion, and congratulatory messages as you make progress. In effect, you’d have your own digital health coach, encouraging you to change your behavior in a way that is seamless and continuous while also customized to your readiness and preferences. The results could extend your life and well-being, as well as reducing burdens on the medical system.
These technological advances will inform many aspects of life beyond health care. As a traveler, when you exit an airplane in an unfamiliar city, you would receive a message that says, “Welcome to [the city]. Please pick up your bags at carousel three and then go to the arrivals curb, where your car will be waiting.” When you arrive at the curb, a self-driving car would meet you and, once you’re inside, advise you of the driving time to your destination hotel, then alert the hotel of your anticipated arrival. When you get to the hotel curb, a staff member or a robot would greet you by name and hand over a room key because ambient intelligence would have already taken care of check-in.
Interconnected ambient intelligence Gartner refers to a “ device mesh ” enabling ambient intelligence with devices increasingly connected to back-end systems through various networks. Historically, devices have mostly operated in silos, effectively in isolation from one another or in limited networks. In Gartner’s view, a device mesh creates the foundation for a new, continuous, and ambient user experience. How will this work? According to a USA Today story , IoT sensors will feed people’s movements and routines into the cloud, where AI systems absorb and refine the directions they give to the smart devices that execute ambient computing scenarios. It’s a development arena that is moving quickly , suggesting a future in which practically everything is instrumented, interconnected, and intelligent.
Today, however, working applications of ambient computing and AI are more a vision of the future than a commonplace reality, with current products merely hinting at what is coming in the not-too-distant future.
Eternal vigilance needed While it’s tempting to believe that all of the unfolding applications and scenarios will be positive, some will likely be less pleasant and may feel invasive. Computing intelligence will be nearly everywhere. As stated in an IEEE Spectrum article , perhaps we should worry about ambient overload, where interfaces, connections, and sensors are all but inescapable. There will likely be increased surveillance in both public and digital realms and a general loss of privacy. That’s the main theme in Dave Eggers recent novel , The Circle, with a nod to Orwell, prompting us to remember that vigilance is the price of liberty.
Given the accelerated pace of ambient advancement, we have a unique opportunity to address these concerns now to ensure we realize the promise of AI-powered ambient computing to deliver radically better experiences.
Gary Grossman is a futurist and public relations and communications marketing executive with Edelman.
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"In Japan, Twitter sees revenue and users surge | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/social/in-japan-twitter-sees-revenue-and-users-surge"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages In Japan, Twitter sees revenue and users surge Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Twitter Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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( Reuters ) — Riding a wave of new users, improved advertising options and an embrace of video content by users and advertisers alike, Twitter Inc’s revenue has leaped in Japan, helping lead the company to its first quarterly profit.
Earlier this month Twitter reported that sales in Japan jumped 34 percent in the last three months of 2017, compared with a year earlier, to $106 million.
In Japan, Twitter’s success in converting users into revenue — a problem that has vexed the social network since its founding — has raised hopes it might lead to broader growth across the company. Investors and analysts, however, point to Japan-specific factors that may not be replicable elsewhere.
The company seems to be innovating at a local level instead of simply localizing U.S. services, as is common at other tech firms, said Ryo Sakai, a senior planner for the interactive media division at Asatsu-DK Inc, Japan’s third-largest advertising agency.
“I get the impression that Twitter has, in the past year or two, been responding flexibly to advertisers’ requests,” he said.
At the same time, the company has attracted more eyes in Japan: user numbers rose to about 45 million in October from about 40 million just over a year earlier.
The reasons for that are complex, but ad industry executives say Twitter’s policy of allowing aliases and the idea of tweeting — sometimes translated as “muttering” in Japanese — allows Japanese users to express their opinions in a culture that tends to be outwardly reserved.
“There is an ease to anonymity,” says Motohiko Tokuriki, chief marketing officer at Agile Media Network, which advises companies on the use of social media.
Twitter has moved beyond text and pictures, offering rich video advertising options and providing an alternative to rivals such as Facebook Inc, says Shinya Kobori, manager for the Twitter group at Dentsu Digital Inc, part of Japan’s largest advertising agency, Dentsu Inc.
The popularity of video on Twitter has been evident during the Winter Olympics. National broadcaster NHK’s video of figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu’s gold-medal-winning short program was watched more than 4 million times and shared 125,000 times.
Facebook, which lagged home-grown rival Mixi Inc in the early days of social networks, has failed to dominate Japan as it has in the United States and Europe.
Twitter now makes $2.36 per Japanese user, compared with $5.97 per user in the United States, according to data from the fourth quarter of 2017. That is nearly twice the $1.24 in revenue per non-U.S. user overall.
Twitter has continued to grow its Japanese mobile user base over the last 18 months even as Facebook struggles to expand its app users numbers, data from Nielsen shows.
And for advertisers targeting a population that has tuned out television, Twitter offers an attractive option: around three quarters of Japanese students over the age of 18 use it, compared with around a quarter on Facebook, according to Nielsen.
With smartphones “overwhelmingly” used for social activities like watching video, demand for video advertising has been “explosive,” says Masahiro Ajisawa, Japan-based senior director at Twitter Client Solutions.
Japanese consumers were late to embrace smartphones but have accelerated their purchases, with domestic sales hitting a record high of 32 million units last year, data from the Tokyo-based MM Research Institute shows.
Under the Twitter model, advertisers pay to push their tweets into the feeds of users who may watch the video, retweet to their followers or click through to the advertiser’s website.
Many of the websites of traditional media lack the latest ad options, and video-savvy net media have not taken root to the same extent in Japan as in countries like the U.S., said Yoshiya Nakamura, executive analyst at Nielsen Digital.Digital spending is on the rise, with the ad market for internet media growing 15 percent to 1.5 trillion yen in 2017 — its fourth straight year of double-digit expansion — compared with a 2.3 percent fall to 2.8 trillion yen for traditional media, according to Dentsu.
The importance of Japan to Twitter is reflected by its choice to be one of three countries, along with the U.S. and the U.K., chosen for Twitter’s new “promote mode,” a subscription service that allows smaller business to pay to boost their tweets.
Although Twitter expects its Japan growth to continue, it is less clear whether the success will be replicable elsewhere.
One possibility could be the Middle East, where revenue per user remains low despite a large number of users, said Ross Gerber, chief executive of U.S. investment firm Gerber Kawasaki.
( Reporting by Sam Nussey and Junko Fujita in Tokyo and David Ingram in San Francisco; Editing by Gerry Doyle ) VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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"Where the Water Tastes Like Wine review — a few threads come loose in this intriguing tapestry of tall tales | VentureBeat"
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I was two hours into Where the Water Tastes Like Wine , and it felt like America had run out of happy stories. But the people were hungry for them, so I kept on searching. That’s your job in Dim Bulb Games’s debut effort: to travel the U.S., collect people’s tales, and share them with folks you meet along the way.
It’s a magic realist adventure steeped in Americana, and it’s out now on PC. It’s charming, but I encountered a few issues that made it difficult to truly enjoy my travels.
Check out our Reviews Vault for past game reviews.
What you’ll like I Heard It Through the Grapevine Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! Where the Water Tastes Like Wine has assembled a talented cadre of writers and voice actors, including the musician Sting. The stories are intriguing, hinting at a multitude of unknowable lives all around you, some of which are mysterious and uncanny.
These appear as small bits of text-based interactive fiction with evocative hand-drawn art. Sometimes, your choices will influence the kind of story you end up with. It’s a lot of fun to collect them, and it’s even more enjoyable watching them evolve.
You can have two kinds of encounters as you’re traveling around: collecting stories, and hearing stories. After you’ve collected a few tales, you’ll find that others start sharing your stories, morphing into tall tales in each retelling. Even if you try to dissuade folks from embellishing the truth, you’re helpless to stop word of mouth. Bit by bit, you witness the birth of myths like Pecos Bill and the Sasquatch, and eventually you accept that these stories belong to everyone — even if it happened to you, and even if they become in part untrue.
(What A) Wonderful World Above: After you’ve met a character enough times, they’ll tell you their truth.
It begins with you losing a poker game to the Dire Wolf. He indentures you to go out and collect stories and explore the great tapestry of lives that make up the country. And he gives you the power to see the “true shapes of people,” which you discover after meeting with them a few times.
As you hitchhike, you encounter small farmers, construction workers, and other folks just trying to get by. The people you’re searching for are 16 archetypes — the miner, the blues singer, the hippie, the sailor, the medicine woman. These are the true stories you seek, the strands that shine brightest in America’s tapestry.
When you find the archetypes, you can sit down at a campfire with them and swap stories. All the tales you’ve collected are in your inventory, sorted by topic and feeling. They’ll ask you for scary stories or sad ones, and you have to try to spin a yarn that will please them. You can’t re-use the same story twice, so you’ll have to switch out which stories are active before you sit down at the campfire. If you haven’t found enough tales, you also won’t be able to progress in your relationship with them.
It’s a clever mechanic, one that replicates the feeling of sitting down with a friend or new acquaintance and searching for memories to share. Sometimes the way I interpreted a story was different from how they viewed it. The more you tell them stories that they enjoy, the more they open up to you and share their own histories.
These Boots Are Made for Walking Above: Hitchhiking with a terrific view.
Where the Water Tastes Like Wine’s landscape has a unique aesthetic. The sky looks like it’s been painted with rough brush strokes. It’s a mix of low-poly mountains and textures, popping with gorgeous colors, especially as night falls. And as you travel, you encounter new features — the mesas appearing through the Southwest mist like ghostly statues and the tiny palm trees dotting the beaches of the West Coast.
Each region also comes with its own soundtrack, switching from blue grass tunes to Mexican-inspired folk songs, which makes for good company while you’re wandering.
What you won’t like The Sound of Silence Above: You can’t just cross a river wherever you want, so back to hitting the road it is.
Where the Water Tastes Like Wine can be gorgeous, and the songs are a treat. But traveling is a pain. This is kind of a big issue since you spend most of this game trying to get around. The main problem is you move … really … slowly. You have a few alternative ways to travel, like hitching a ride on the freeway or hopping a train. But these comes with their own caveats.
Roads only go one way, for instance, so if you’re heading north but everyone is driving south, then you’re out of luck. And if you hop a train without paying, you risk getting caught by the foreman and beaten. So often you might just find yourself trekking along at a snail’s pace, encountering great stretches of land without any stories to collect.
This makes for a monotonous experience. Other problems include the looping soundtrack and the interminable landscape, which doesn’t feature any weather and begins to look all the same.
Blowin’ in the Wind Above: Rick, buddy, I just saw you in Boston. How’d you get out here so quickly? The country feels sparse, which can sometimes be liberating. It wouldn’t be realistic, after all, if it were densely packed with stories. Other times, it can be boring.
When you collect tales, they’re often characterful and creative. The process of hearing a story, though, is repetitive. A handful of events occur when you arrive at a location that will enable you to evolve a story — the construction workers, the man reading a newspaper, the movie star — and it gets tiresome after a while. I found myself clicking through quickly and just checking the notification in the top left of the screen to see how the story had changed.
I was also disappointed in the exclusion of certain stories, which I associate with the American experience. I enjoyed speaking to most of the archetypes, but a few I felt were wasted opportunities. It didn’t do anything with Chinese railroad workers or with the rich culture of New Orleans. Instead, we get characters like a beat poet who just wants to talk about his breakup, which I didn’t find compelling at all.
Ring of Fire Above: Your inventory, where you can change which stories you can tell during the course of a night.
I encountered a few technical bugs, most of which were just a little annoying. Once, it told me I’d successfully hopped a train and snuck out without being caught by the foreman, but my health still registered as zero, like I’d been caught and beaten. I also experienced some stuttering as I was moving around.
However, the biggest disappointment was how I missed out on what I can only assume is the true ending.
The Dire Wolf has three chapters to his story. Whenever you die, you find yourself at a table with him and you can share tales with him. Share enough true ones and you’ll unlock the next chapter.
After I finished unlocking all of the archetypes’ true stories, I assumed that I would be able to change my load-out of tales to share with the Dire Wolf before I met him again. However, it didn’t give me any warning, so before I could open my inventory and switch around which stories I wanted to be active, it just sent me straight to the last chapter. This was an unpleasant surprise, and I ended up not being able to unlock his full story because I’d already told him most of the tales that were active.
Once this happened, I tried reloading the game and dying to see if I could have a do-over. But no dice. I was stuck with an anticlimactic ending with no way to get back to the Dire Wolf’s last chapter.
Conclusion I love the idea of Where the Water Tastes Like Wine. It has a lot of personality, and several days after I finished it, I was still humming some of the songs to myself. However, it’s impeded by a few gameplay quirks, like how tedious it is to move around. And most of all, I’m still very disappointed by how I wasn’t able to see the final chapter through to the end.
It’s to Dim Bulb’s credit, though, that I wanted to hear what the Dire Wolf had to say. If the story wasn’t compelling, I’m not sure that I would care as much.
Score: 75/100 Where the Water Tastes Like Wine launches on February 28 for PC. The publisher sent us a code for review.
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"What the Golf? putts around with physics | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/pc-gaming/what-the-golf-putts-around-with-physics"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages What the Golf? putts around with physics Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Danish indie studio Triband thinks that everything can be golf, and it’s testing that theory with its new game, What the Golf? It’s a cheeky physics-based romp that sometimes doesn’t even involve a ball or club, and it just reached its crowdfunding goal on the fundraising platform Fig.
Players can download a free prototype on the campaign page, and the studio plans a PC release later this year.
“It may sound weird, but the inspiration for What the Golf? comes from Dark Souls ,” said Triband director Tim Garbos in an email. “When we first started out, we wanted to do a golf game with enemies and the working title was GOLF vs Evil — the dark holes of golf.” So you could call it the Dark Souls of golf games … sort of. Each level has something that vaguely resembles a course, and the mechanics vaguely resemble the sport. The controls are simple: The longer you hold down the left mouse button, the more energy your swing will have and the farther whatever you hit will go.
In the demo, sometimes you will putt the player instead of the ball, or you will ricochet around as a house or accidentally hurl bowling balls at cats. Occasionally, you play as the golf ball itself. It’s a surreal parody of what the sport can be, and it’s a lot of fun. Triband has also partnered with Superhot and Landfall Games’s Clustertruck for crossover levels, called Superputt and Clusterputt, respectively.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! Above: Be one with the golf.
“We spent around three months just coming up with crazy ideas and never really stopped,” said Garbos. “Making a new weird golf game every day is a tough and lonely process. We’ve slowly been driven into madness. To us everything now looks like a golf game, so we’re no longer allowed to eat eggs for breakfast.” The PC games marketplace Steam offers a plethora of golf games, like Golf With Your Friends, Vertiginous Golf, and Desert Golfing. Some feature M.C. Escher-esque courses filled with winding loop-the-loops and pathways to nowhere. You get the feeling that perhaps these developers created these titles out of actual love for the sport.
But not so much with Triband.
Garbos doesn’t even really consider it to be a “golf game.” It’s more of a delightful goofy way to play with physics and to subvert players’ expectations. The studio has done so before with its previous release Keyboard Sports , which uses the entire keyboard as its controller.
“There is so much hate in the world so we thought it might be a great idea to aim it at something insignificant like golf. We have known golf for some time now and we are sure golf can take it,” said Garbos. “We are just adding another hundred new variations to golf, thanks to advanced computer technology.” GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
Discover our Briefings.
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"Into The Breach -- Watch me live, die, and repeat my way to competence | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/pc-gaming/into-the-breach-watch-me-live-die-and-repeat-my-way-to-competence"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Into The Breach — Watch me live, die, and repeat my way to competence Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Into The Breach has this moment that happens over and over again where you realize that you’ve made a mistake, and you’ve just doomed your progress. But the turn-based mech strategy battler from developer Subset Games is brilliant because, if you just stop and think, you can rise to meet that moment of damnation with a cunning series of maneuvers that lead to your redemption.
Subset released Into the Breach on Steam for $15 on February 27. It is the company’s followup to the beloved starship-management strategy adventure FTL.
Like that previous hit, Into The Breach has players taking a series of runs to see how far into enemy territory they can get. But now, Subset is on the ground and putting you in control of a squad of three mechs who must fight off waves of giant insectoid aliens on one 8-by-8 grid after another.
Structurally, Into The Breach carries over a lot of FTL’s DNA. You have a master Power Grid bar that represents the HP of your human civilization. The bugs can drain that Power Grid by attacking settlements. If that health gauge reaches zero, you have to select one of your living pilots and return back in time to the start of the invasion — like that Tom Cruise movie Edge of Tomorrow: Live Die Repeat.
That’s it as far as your overall considerations go: you have to keep your Power Grid charged up, and you must keep your mechs alive. If a mech dies during a fight, you’ll repair it for the next one with a new pilot.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! You could look at that and every 8×8 map, and I can see how you might think Into The Breach seems like a basic spin on Nintendo’s Advance Wars. But every turn is so deep with potential choices because your mechs are more capable than the units in that Game Boy Advance classic. While your melee mech can punch for damage, and your ranged artillery mechs can fire projectiles for damage, those attack have various knockback characteristics.
With knockback, you can punch a bug into the water for an instant kill or to move it into an open field so that its attack fires off into a void. This is a crucial technique because the insect monsters cannot attack without first giving you a warning. So during a turn, you might see three bugs lining up to hit three different buildings. And these situations are often hopeless — especially if your Power Grid is down to only 1 or 2 HP. But as I got into more of these scenarios — and learned more about how to use my mechs — flashes of insight would hit me more often.
What I find so exhilarating about those flashes of insight is that they are so complex and yet they came to me after only an hour or two of learning the basics. I remember one battle (which you can see near the end of the video at the top of the story) where I was down to 3HP during a boss fight stage. I just finished a turn where I was able to kill or knockback some ferocious enemies preventing them from destroying more of my Power Grid.
I was feeling good until an enemy jumped in on the far side of the map. I now had the devastating boss bug preparing to attack two buildings at once as well as one of my mechs at the bottom of the map, the Psion support bug that buffs its allies with +2HP, a bug right next to that Psion, and then the northern bug preparing an attack across the water on another one of my settlements.
By stopping and thinking, I was able to see the steps I had to take to make the most acceptable sacrifices. I hooked my melee mech around the side of the boss bug, and knocked him into an open space. That boss’s attack would now rush across the countryside without hurting anyone. I then brought around my artillery mech to fire its attack right onto the Psion. This was enough to kill the Psion, but the knockback was also enough to push the adjacent bug into the water for a double kill. I was then able to move my tank mech into the water between the northern bug and my civilian buildings.
You cannot fire from the water, but I had just bought an HP upgrade for my tank — and it was easily able to absorb the enemy attack.
Hitting the spacebar to end my turn and pass control to the A.I. was satisfying. I went from feeling hopeless to what was essentially checkmate all on the same turn, and it wasn’t about waiting for an ability to powerup — it was just about understanding my units and executing on those capabilities in the correct order to maximize their effectiveness.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
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"H1Z1 exits Early Access with the Auto Royale vehicle-only mode | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/pc-gaming/h1z1-exits-early-access-with-the-auto-royale-vehicle-only-mode"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages H1Z1 exits Early Access with the Auto Royale vehicle-only mode Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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The first huge battle royal shooter has finally left Early Access on Steam, and it is getting a new vehicle-only mode to go along with this release. Publisher Daybreak Game Company has launched the 1.0 retail version of H1Z1 for $20 on Valve’s digital distribution platform. After starting as an online survival sim (now called Just Survive), Daybreak added a last-player-standing competitive mode with the help of Brendan “PlayerUnknown” Greene — this was before he left to create PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds with Bluehole Studios.
H1Z1 is a fast-paced battle royale shooter that exists somewhere between PUBG and Fortnite: Battle Royale on a gameplay spectrum. Unlike those others where using a vehicle is sometimes viable (PUBG) or not even in the game (Fortnite), H1Z1’s matches have a heavy emphasis on using cars and trucks. Daybreak is now building on that with its 1.0 release in the form of the vehicle-only Auto Royale mode.
“In 2016, we did something unheard of — we split a successful game into two products and introduced the world to the first standalone battle royal game,” H1Z1 general manager Anthony Castoro said. “The next year, we created the first battle royal esports league and became the second esport to ever air on broadcast television. This year, we continue to push this young genre forward with the introduction of Auto Royale. Auto Royale doesn’t rinse-and-repeat what is currently available on the market, it turns the genre on its head with a fresh approach — arcadey, vehicle-only battle royal unlike anything anyone has experienced before.” Here’s how the Auto Royale mode works, according to the developer.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! Two New Vehicles: Players can choose from two vehicles in Auto Royale — Sedan or ARV — both new to the game and only available in Auto Royale.
Sedan: Nimble car with faster acceleration and higher jump clearance, allowing skilled drivers to quickly evade enemies.
Armored Recon Vehicle (ARV): Offers more stability, making it easier to drive for new players, but has less turbo fuel efficiency.
New Weapons: The Light Machine Gun (LMG), available only in Auto Royale, deals the most sustained damage of any gun in the game.
New Power Ups: Players pick up evasive, defensive and combat drops to throw opponents off their trail, heal themselves, or deal damage to enemy vehicles.
Defensive drops include vehicle repair kits, environmental buffs, fire extinguishers, and vehicle armor.
Evasive power ups include smoke screens, high-octane fuel, turbo boosts, and oil slicks.
Combative pick-ups include land mines and corrosive smoke.
H1Z1 is getting more than Auto Royale, though. Daybreak is delivering a slew of improvements including the option to finally choose where you drop on the map, a new minimap, and a ton of new cosmetic content.
PUBG and Fortnite came in and ate H1Z1’s battle-royale lunch, but Daybreak still has a chance to keep its game relevant and profitable. It will need regular updates beyond this to accomplish that, and version 1.0 is only the start.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
Discover our Briefings.
Join the GamesBeat community! Enjoy access to special events, private newsletters and more.
VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Final Fantasy XV for PC is getting ridiculous Sims 4 outfits | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/pc-gaming/final-fantasy-xv-for-pc-is-getting-ridiculous-sims-4-outfits"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Final Fantasy XV for PC is getting ridiculous Sims 4 outfits Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Final Fantasy and The Sims : These aren’t two franchises you usually expect to see in the same sentence. But they’re coming together in an unusual way.
Sqaure Enix announced today that the PC version of the role-playing game Final Fantasy XV will give players a special outfit based on EA’s life-simulation game The Sims 4. Final Fantasy XV came out for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2016, but the Windows version is releasing on March 6. The Sims 4 outfit is available to anyone who buys the Windows Edition before May 1. Incentives like that can help drive sales. It also marks a rare partnership between two publisher, Square Enix and EA, that are usually rivals.
Sure, it’s all a bit silly, but this isn’t even the first odd outfit Square Enix has announced for Final Fantasy XV on PC. Players can also get a Half-Life costume if they buy the Windows Edition before May 1.
Above: This is … Final Fantasy? Final Fantasy isn’t known for being a PC franchise. Most of its games launch for consoles first, with PC ports coming years (or even decades) later. But these promotions with popular PC gaming franchises could help attract more PC gamers.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! They could also just attract people who love silly crossovers, like me.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
Discover our Briefings.
Join the GamesBeat community! Enjoy access to special events, private newsletters and more.
VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Blizzard gives Overwatch a new hero: Brigitte | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/pc-gaming/blizzard-gives-overwatch-a-new-hero-brigitte"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Blizzard gives Overwatch a new hero: Brigitte Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Overwatch is getting another new character as the game continues to grow nearly two full years after its March 2016 debut. Brigitte, an engineer who decided to fight as a squire, is a new support character who provides both healing and armor to teammates.
Brigitte is available for trial now on the Overwatch public test server (PTR), but she will roll out to anyone who owns Overwatch on PC and consoles in the next couple of weeks. This is the latest example of how Blizzard Entertainment is attempting to keep fans engaged and coming back to Overwatch with new content at no additional charge. The company is able to do this because of its games-as-a-service model where it sells cosmetic items through loot boxes that players can purchase for real money. That business model is so lucrative that Blizzard can commit to releasing new maps and characters into Overwatch without ever charging for them.
Here’s how Blizzard describes Brigitte on the character’s page : “Brigitte specializes in armor. She can throw Repair Packs to heal teammates, or automatically heal nearby allies when she damages foes with her Flail. Her Flail is capable of a wide swing to strike multiple targets, or a Whip Shot that stuns an enemy at range. When entering the fray, Barrier Shield provides personal defense while she attacks enemies with Shield Bash. Brigitte’s ultimate ability, Rally, gives her a substantial short-term boost of speed and provides long-lasting armor to all her nearby allies.” Brigitte is the sixth new character to join the Overwatch roster since its launch. It is also the third support character to come as a downloadable update. Previously, Blizzard gave players the damage-dealing healer Moira, the buff-dealing sniper Ana, the melee specialist Doomfist, the hacking attacker Sombra, and the protective tank Orisa.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
Discover our Briefings.
Join the GamesBeat community! Enjoy access to special events, private newsletters and more.
VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Tobii Eye Tracker's accuracy frightens me | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/pc-gaming/__trashed-28"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Tobii Eye Tracker’s accuracy frightens me Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn The Tobii Eyetracker.
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I’ve had a Tobii Eye Tracker sitting among a pile of PC peripherals that I want to cover or give away for a year now. I hate when this happens, but time and sanity is limited. But something came over me this week, and I finally did the work to plug in the eye-tracking device and set it up … and now I’m scared.
The Tobii Eye Tracker 4C is a $150 USB bar-shaped device that sits beneath your monitor. Using an array of cameras and infrared lights, it can tell precisely where you’re looking on your screen. Tobii is positioning it as a gaming peripheral, and the company is working with publishers like Ubisoft and some indie developers to integrate eye tracking into their games. In Kingdom Come: Deliverance , you can control the camera a bit with your eyes similar to the TrackIR head-tracking camera. And you can set onscreen UI elements to fade to almost total transparency unless you’re looking at them — when you do, they will immediately pop back to 100 percent opacity.
You can also use Tobii’s Streaming Gaze app to display a graphic representation of where you’re looking in videos on Twitch or YouTube. The company wants esports pros to use this to show their fans where they’re looking when they pull off impressive plays … I used it to play Where’s Waldo and to have my friends perform experiments on me during a livestream on Twitch.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! Tobii’s eye tracking works so well, that I expect that we’ll find it and similar tech in all kinds of products over the next couple of years. Laptop manufacturers are already building Tobii into certain notebooks, and Tobii wants to bring it to manufacturing.
I’d anticipate that we’d also get it in smartphones in the next several years.
And that’s what I find scary — even if it’s a good kind of scared. Imagine all the things this tech could enable. You could sell data to websites and mobile apps that details what content people look at and what they ignore. You could build psychological marketing profiles of individuals based on what they look at in a video or image.
Or imagine these cameras at retail stores and Target sending you an email about how that shirt with the cool buttons you were staring at are on sale.
I can also picture a near future where you have something like this built into your smartwatch or glasses, and you get a notification if a stranger is staring at you in public.
Above: What you got going on, Kevin? For now, however, my experience with Tobii eye tracking only involves gaming. And while I wait for some of the sci-fi implementations, I’ll keep it plugged into my PC for a while to see if it is a meaningful improvement to my games.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
Discover our Briefings.
Join the GamesBeat community! Enjoy access to special events, private newsletters and more.
VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"This is the Huawei P20 Lite | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/mobile/this-is-the-huawei-p20-lite"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Exclusive This is the Huawei P20 Lite Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Huawei is preparing to launch its annual spring flagship, its P-series line, on March 27 in Paris. And while most of the hype from both the company and interested observers surrounds the triple-rear-camera P20 Pro, there are two other models in the lineup, and all three feature 18:9, nearly bezel-less displays — along with a controversial “notch” along the top of the screen to house a selfie cam and sensors.
Huawei P20 (with two, not three, rear cameras) pic.twitter.com/GRJbIS8NNY — Evan Blass (@evleaks) February 26, 2018 Even the most modest of these handsets, the P20 Lite (pictured up top) is no slouch with respect to specifications. According to someone who’s spent time using the device, it’s a 5.6-inch phone with a 1080 x 2250 fullscreen display and rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.
Powered by an octa core Kirin 659 chipset (in a 4 x 2.38GHz + 4 x 1.7GHz big.LITTLE configuration), P20 Lite will ship with Android 8.0 Oreo and contain 4GB of RAM, plus 64GB of internal storage and a 3520mAh battery.
On the back, its Leica co-developed dual camera array features a pair of 16-megapixel components, endowing it with hybrid zoom capabilities. EMUI 8.0 is employed for the user interface.
Neither pricing nor release details were shared at this time.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Intel's 5G laptop prototype reveals key challenge: antenna design | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/mobile/intels-5g-laptop-prototype-reveals-key-challenge-antenna-design"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Intel’s 5G laptop prototype reveals key challenge: antenna design Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
Learn more.
A prototype 5G-enabled Intel laptop shown at the 2018 Mobile World Congress is spotlighting a key challenge for 5G device makers: millimeter wave (mmWave) antenna design. While mmWave radios have been praised for enabling super-fast data speeds over 5G networks, their high-frequency radio signals are easy to physically block, raising the prospect that 5G devices might require unsightly external antennas.
Although engineers have anticipated mmWave’s potential design challenges, this year’s Mobile World Congress marked the first opportunity to see how 5G chip and device developers are actually addressing the issues. Unlike the lower 800MHz to 5GHz radio frequencies used in most wireless devices today, mmWave spectrum (including the 24-39GHz range) generally requires a “line of sight” between the transmitting and receiving devices — specifically, a straight line or arc without another physical object in the way.
Because of that, and because of the larger number of antennas required for 5G’s multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) transmissions, it’s challenging to nestle mmWave antennas inside any edges of a device that would potentially be covered by a user’s hand or leg. So even though Intel’s official photo of the prototype laptop (top) focuses on its decidedly normal-looking front, Engadget noticed that its back included two large, thick stands containing 5G components — at least antennas, and possibly the entire 5G modem.
Intel indicated that the stand design was to help the computer minimize obstruction of 28GHz mmWave signals from a nearby base station. Under test conditions, the mmWave setup reached 4-5Gbps data rates, smoothly streaming a 4K version of Wonder Woman.
It’s worth bearing in mind that Intel doesn’t generally design finished laptops or tablets on its own, so its mmWave antennas are likely to be larger and more conspicuous than those implemented by developers. Moreover, the problem certainly isn’t only Intel’s to solve, as Qualcomm, Samsung, Huawei, and other 5G chipmakers are all saddled with the same antenna engineering challenges. And size-obsessed designers such as Apple would never abide external antennas like this — unlike Microsoft, Apple has resisted calls to include stands in its tablets, making this particular antenna challenge even greater.
Until there’s a way to put reliable mmWave antennas inside devices, it’s entirely possible that mmWave support will be mostly limited to larger 5G devices, including home broadband modems, standalone hotspots, and possibly select laptops. Most 5G laptops, tablets, and phones will use midband frequencies within the 3.5-6GHz range instead. That would reduce, if not eliminate, “ you’re holding it wrong ” controversies at the beginning of the 5G era, letting designers catch up with engineers who have been living with 5G’s new radio technology for years.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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"Apple’s iOS update frequency has increased 51% under Cook's management | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/mobile/apples-ios-update-frequency-has-increased-51-under-cooks-management"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Guest Apple’s iOS update frequency has increased 51% under Cook’s management Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
Learn more.
The Telugu “text bomb” bug sounds like an Apple user’s nightmare: you get a message containing a particular character from the Indian language of Telugu, and your iPhone’s messaging apps and WiFi functionality not only crash but “ keep crashing forever ” without drastic intervention. Apple issued a patch on February 19, but the Telugu bug isn’t the only software problem that’s had the company in the news in recent months.
Critics of iOS 11 say the update made their phones slower, drained battery life faster, and came with a host of bugs.
These issues raise questions about Apple’s quality control in general, and a look at the data suggests that a problem may have been brewing for awhile. Since Steve Jobs left Apple’s leadership in January of 2011, the frequency of iOS updates has increased by 51 percent. What does that mean for Apple users? Lots of updates, patches, and sometimes follow-up patches. For example, current iPhone owners had to contend with 15 iOS updates during the year ending January 31, 2018. By contrast, Apple only issued six iOS updates during the 12 months prior to Jobs’ departure from the company’s top spot.
A dramatic rise in iOS update frequency This chart, compiled from a variety of sources for updates to the iPod Touch, iPad, iPhone 4 CDMA, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, illustrates the rise in iOS update frequency over the decade from 2007 to 2017.
The chart shows that during the period that Jobs led Apple, the average 365-day update rate was 6.75. After his exit, the average jumped to 10.22 per year, a 51 percent increase. If we look at the same statistic before and after Jobs’ death, the increase in updates was 48 percent (not shown on the chart). The chart also shows that after Jobs stepped down in January 2011, and also after his death in October 2011, there was still a period of infrequent updates from the second quarter of 2012 to the beginning of 2013. After that, the number of updates per year stabilized around 10 each year, until the last 365 days of the study period, during which there were an astounding 15 updates.
Why are iOS updates becoming so frequent? There are many possible explanations for the uptick in updates. One potential factor is rising complexity. Smartphones have been gaining more functionality, more apps, and more accessories that involve a growing complexity of operating system maintenance. And software updates have become more complicated, with more features required for more devices across more languages and markets than ever before. However, there’s also been a steady stream of bad news involving bugs, inattention to detail, poor performance, and security issues.
For example, Apple released the iOS 11 update in September 2017 to improve security and add features.
By November, Apple had to issue an update to fix a bug that caused the lowercase letter i to autocorrect to a capital A. Users reported that iOS 11 also slowed down their phones (unless they backed up their data and did a factory reset), drew down battery power faster, gave wrong answers to math problems in its calculator, and had other problems. Indeed, the final week of November 2017 saw at least five major iOS and macOS problems, including security flaws followed by patches that introduced problems of their own.
The more recent Telugu text bug, which can “crash and brick iOS devices” as well as macOS devices and Apple watches and TVs, prompted Apple to rush out a patch for the problem amid international headlines.
Is quality in decline at Apple? The level of detail-orientation and perfectionism in Jobs’ leadership style was well-known. Widely considered a product genius, Jobs led in a unique way that’s hard to replicate. And with such a marked increase in updates and patches since his departure, it’s reasonable to ask if Apple’s product quality level is in a long-term decline without that relentless drive for perfection at the company helm. But while the update numbers seem to tell one story, other metrics tell another.
Despite the widespread coverage of Apple’s recent bugs, including some scathing headlines in the tech press, investors seem unbothered. Since Jobs passed away, the value of Apple stock has increased by roughly 240 percent. Consumers seem undeterred as well. In early February, Apple announced record revenue for the first quarter of its 2018 fiscal year , driven by highly profitable iPhone X sales. For consumers and investors alike, the luster of the Apple brand may outweigh any concerns about software issues. If the company continues to have problems with updates and patches, that luster may fade. Only time will tell.
Bernardo Lustosa is Partner, Cofounder, and COO at fraud-management solutions provider ClearSale.
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"Apple Watch Series 3 now tracks skiing and snowboarding stats using altimeter | VentureBeat"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Apple Watch Series 3 now tracks skiing and snowboarding stats using altimeter Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Apple announced today that the Apple Watch Series 3 can track skiing and snowboarding activity, thanks to software updates added to watchOS 4.2. The new feature requires the latest Apple Watch — the first to include a barometric altimeter — and one of several third-party apps, including Snoww, Slopes, Squaw Alpine, Snocru, or Ski Tracks.
Historically, Apple has included software support for a new device’s hardware features at launch, but the Apple Watch Series 3’s altimeter was a somewhat different story. While the Watch shipped with the ability to measure relative elevation using the altimeter hardware, it depended on third-party apps to support the feature. Previously, Apple Watch apps relied on a paired iPhone with altimeter hardware to enable similar tracking, thereby impacting two devices’ batteries at once.
Apple updated watchOS 4.2 with custom workout APIs, enabling developers to track ski- and snowboard-specific metrics, including total vertical descent, horizontal distance, number of runs, and average/maximum speeds. The APIs also enable apps to give credit toward Activity rings despite pauses, record workout information to the iPhone Health app, and activate third-party workout apps using Siri.
The barometric altimeter can also be used for bicycle activity tracking and other purposes. As with skiing and snowboarding, third-party apps are required to make use of the altimeter.
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"Apple now has four roads to a 5G iPhone, each challenging | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/mobile/apple-now-has-four-roads-to-a-5g-iphone-each-challenging"
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Now that the dust has settled from Mobile World Congress 2018’s major 5G wireless announcements , two things are clear: 5G networks are coming even faster than recently expected, and, based on its current relationships with 5G modem suppliers, Apple has a tough road ahead before it launches a 5G iPhone.
Being second or even tenth to market didn’t matter to Apple in 2007, when the first iPhone arrived without 3G network support, or in 2012, when the iPhone 5 shipped two years after early 4G networks. But a lot has changed since then. Apple is now the world’s No. 1 or No. 2 smartphone maker , depending on the quarter, and it depends on iPhones for 1/2 to 2/3 of its revenues.
Additionally, its current flagship phone arguably leads the industry in technology and sales.
So if Apple decides to wait on 5G, which will certainly be 2019’s biggest new technology, it could simultaneously hurt its stock, market share, and reputation for innovation.
I’m not going to tell you what Apple is going to do , because that has become a Tim Cook-level business decision that may require Apple to work with a partner it doesn’t like. But I am going to outline the four roads Apple is going to choose from, and tell you which direction I think it’s most likely to take.
Road 1: Qualcomm Normally, Qualcomm would be Apple’s most obvious 5G partner. Qualcomm’s modems have been inside iPhones for years, sometimes alone, and more recently alternating with Intel modems. The San Diego-based chipmaker has also been working on 5G technology for years , pushing to get 5G standardization completed early and signing up dozens of 5G customers.
Above: Qualcomm president Cristiano Amon announces that 19 manufacturers and 18 carriers will be using Snapdragon X50 modems to roll out 5G devices to customers in 2019.
But Apple and Qualcomm are in the middle of a gigantic legal dispute over 4G patent payments, which has evolved from “ largely about money ” to “ international antitrust battle ” status over the past year. The dispute is currently serious enough that Apple has reportedly abandoned Qualcomm entirely for 2018’s new iPhone models, and has been actively working to remove Qualcomm parts from its product families. (That’s no easy task given the varying cellular needs of iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches.) So why is Qualcomm listed as Road 1? Disputes like this have a way of getting resolved when working together is necessary, and Qualcomm recently settled similar patent licensing issues with another major customer, Samsung.
As discussed below, Apple might not have a better option for launching its first 5G phone, and settling with Qualcomm could make future device development a lot easier.
Road 2: Samsung Conventional wisdom has it that Apple doesn’t really like Samsung — that, as years of lawsuits have established, Apple sees the Korean company as a knock-off artist that made its name trading on obviously copied Apple innovations.
Yet Samsung components are inside many Apple devices — sometimes screens , sometimes chips , and yes, sometimes even ideas.
Apple’s latest flagship phone, the iPhone X, depended 100 percent on Samsung for its Super Retina display, as rival screen maker LG reportedly couldn’t meet Apple’s quality requirements.
Samsung is already publicly working on 5G devices, having revealed prototype tablets earlier this month, and the Galaxy S10 will almost certainly be 5G-capable. Not surprisingly, Samsung makes 5G modems , too, now with CDMA support , as well as hardware that can be used to provide an entire home with 5G wireless services , including optimized performance for Samsung phones.
That’s either bad news for Apple, which recently exited the wireless router business and won’t get Apple-specific optimizations, or a great opportunity for Apple to get friendlier with its key Korean supplier. All things considered, I’d call Samsung a dark horse possibility at best — it’s hard to imagine Apple swallowing its pride at this point and relying upon another Samsung solution for a key iPhone feature. But given its current legal situation with Qualcomm, it mightn’t have another practical choice.
Road 3: Intel Intel is listed as Road 3 for Apple, but it could easily become Apple’s 5G partner in one of two situations: if Intel’s 5G modem development is going better than is publicly known, or if Apple is willing to wait past the first generation of 5G devices. Either is a possibility.
In the 4G era, Intel modems have lagged enough behind Qualcomm’s that Apple felt compelled to slow down the Qualcomm chips in some iPhones to perform comparably to Intel modems found in other iPhones. Without detailed specs for Intel’s upcoming XMM8000 series of 5G modems , many people are assuming — perhaps incorrectly — that Intel will again struggle to match Qualcomm’s performance.
Above: Visitors to Intel’s Mobile World Congress booth on Tuesday, February 27, 2018, are given a first look at a 5G-enabled concept PC. (Credit: Intel Corporation) The big question right now is whether Intel will have any smartphone-ready 5G modem available in 2019. This week, Intel said only that it will have laptop-ready modems available by late 2019 — a long time to wait — and unlike rivals that are already producing early chips , Intel might just miss the entirety of 2019 for phones. Certainly, Apple and Intel know more than they’ve publicly said on this topic, but the lack of any 5G phone announcement from Intel at a show as big as MWC suggests that Apple will need to pick another path.
A road not taken: Huawei Without spending too many words on this point, it’s fair to say that even though Huawei announced the first commercially available 5G chipset this week, Apple’s not going to touch it.
Because of its relationship with the Chinese government, Huawei’s been under investigation by the U.S. government for the entire 4G generation, and it has been deliberately frozen out of 5G planning in the U.S. (and soon, likely by Australia as well).
Many other companies appear set to use Huawei parts , but Apple won’t use any components that would lock it out of selling phones in its home market.
Road 4: Apple The last road — and one I’m not going to put much faith in for the time being — is Apple having its own 5G modem ready to go next year. It’s widely known that Apple is actively working on wireless chip development, and Apple-designed W-series chips have already appeared in the Apple Watch, AirPods, and Beats headphones.
However, a full modem would be a big step forward for Apple, and a 5G modem is all but unthinkable right now. As much as Apple would probably love to own this particular component in its devices, 5G is so hugely complicated from an engineering and testing standpoint that I can’t see Apple going its own way with the first 5G iPhone. 2020? 2021? Maybe.
One of the issues is antenna design.
Qualcomm clued journalists into this ahead of MWC , noting that 5G device makers will need to find ways to keep multiple antennas accessible, lest data speeds drop dramatically. In an effort to address this for particularly reception-challenged 5G millimeter wave modems, Intel’s laptop solution at MWC was a pair of huge kickstands designed to serve as antennas. Apple would never be OK with a solution like that, but it’s going to need to engineer and test something smarter on its own.
Which road will Apple take? It’s easy to conclude that Apple will likely rely on Qualcomm, Samsung, or Intel for its first (and maybe even its second) 5G iPhones, then switch to its own modem whenever it’s confident in its network compatibility and performance. But that conclusion leaves two key questions: Which company will be its first 5G modem supplier, and when? If I had to pick just one of these companies as Apple’s most likely partner, it would come down to a choice between Intel and Qualcomm, with Qualcomm in the lead based solely on today’s publicly available information.
Despite Intel’s widely-publicized 5G displays at sporting events , the fact that it hasn’t announced smartphone deals suggests that it has probably fallen behind its rivals in some key way. For Apple, that means either waiting for Intel, or choosing between Qualcomm and Samsung. Its dispute with Qualcomm is over money, versus Samsung, which it still deals with despite issues with both money and copying. Settling the lawsuit with Qualcomm would give Apple immediate access to 5G chips and hence the ability to launch a 5G iPhone.
There’s always the possibility that Apple could sit out the first generation of 5G devices — and obviously, there’s precedent for that with 3G and 4G. I think the stakes for Apple are too high at this point, but if the company’s willing to risk sales, its reputation, and its stock price, it could be 2020 before we see the first 5G iPhone. If so, the market for premium 5G smartphones will be Samsung’s to lose.
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"Spotify files for a direct public listing on New York Stock Exchange | VentureBeat"
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( Reuters ) – Music streaming service Spotify on Wednesday filed for a direct listing of its shares, taking an unusual path to the U.S. public markets for a large company.
A direct listing will let Spotify list existing shares, owned by its investors and employees, without raising new capital or hiring a Wall Street bank or broker to underwrite the offering.
The company did not specify a listing price for its shares in the filing or say how much it would list. It is valued at roughly $19 billion according to Reuters calculations based on the filing.
Spotify, launched in 2008 and available in more than 60 countries, is the biggest music streaming company in the world and counts services from Apple and Amazon as its main rivals.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! Revenue for Spotify was 4.09 billion euros ($4.99 billion) in 2017, up from 2.95 billion euros a year earlier, the company said in the filing. Its operating loss widened to 378 million euros in 2017 from 349 million euros a year earlier.
Its net loss however ballooned 129 percent in 2017, driven mostly by on-paper financing costs related to a 2016 deal in which Sweden-based Spotify raised $1 billion in debt that would convert to shares upon an initial public offering. In its filing, the company said it has 71 million premium subscribers and about 159 million monthly average users.
Apple Music launched in 2015 and has 36 million paying subscribers and Amazon Music Unlimited has 16 million paying subscribers. Pandora has 5.48 million total subscribers, according to the company.
Spotify’s premium subscription costs $9.99 a month. Apple Music charges the same but offers a three-month free trial. Unlike Spotify, Apple does not have an advertising-based free service.
“With our ad-supported service, we believe there is a large opportunity to grow users and gain market share from traditional terrestrial radio,” Spotify said.
The company is valued at between $16.8 billion and $22.5 billion, based on recent ordinary share prices between $95 and $127.50 in the private markets in February and 178 billion shares estimated outstanding by the end of February, according to its filing.
The company is seeking to list its ordinary shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “SPOT.” In December, Spotify and the music arm of China’s Tencent said they would buy minority stakes in each other.
According to Spotify’s filings, that exchange was part of a larger series of deals with its note holders that would allow a direct listing instead of a public offering satisfy the conditions of its convertible debt. Tencent agreed not to transfer its shares for three years.
That deal helps Spotify, a music streaming leader in Europe and North America, and China-focused Tencent Music, to increase exposure to each other’s core markets.
Besides saving hundreds of millions of dollars in underwriting fees, a direct listing frees company insiders from any lockup period restricting them from selling their shares following the listing.
A direct listing does not dilute ownership as would happen with a conventional initial public offering.
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"PS Plus games March 2018: Bloodborne, Ratchet & Clank, and bad news for PS3/Vita | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/games/ps-plus-games-march-2018-bloodborne-ratchet-clank-and-bad-news-for-ps3-vita"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages PS Plus games March 2018: Bloodborne, Ratchet & Clank, and bad news for PS3/Vita Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn The blood starved beast is a creature that would thrive in Silent Hill just as much as it does in Yharnam.
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Sony has announced its PlayStation Plus free games lineup for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and Vita in March. Sony also revealed that starting on March 8, 2019, the service will only offer free games for PlayStation 4 and no longer offer these bonuses for PlayStation 3 and Vita.
But for now, PS Plus members can look forward to getting two of PlayStation 4’s best exclusives in March.
Bloodborne (PlayStation 4) Bloodborne is an action role-playing game by FromSoftware, the studio behind the Dark Souls franchise. It features similar gameplay with a more gothic setting. Bloodbourne is one of the PlayStation 4’s most celebrated exclusives.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! Ratchet & Clank (PlayStation 4) This is a remake of the original Ratchet & Clank , featuring the familiar 3D platforming and shooting gameplay with updated levels and stunning graphics. This is a great game to play if you want to show off the PlayStation 4’s improved hardware.
Mighty No. 9 (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3) This is a 2D action-platformer inspired by the classic Mega Man series.
Mighty No. 9 was a disappointment with its ugly graphics and clunky levels, but now curious gamers with PS Plus can check it.
Claire: Extended Cut (PlayStation 4, Vita) Claire is a 2D horror game, which is something of a novelty. It’s an indie title from Hailstorm Games and could be worth checking out if you’re looking for something unique.
Bombing Busters (PlayStation 4, Vita) Bombing Busters is a Bomberman clone. It’s not super-interesting or creative, but if you like Bomberman … well, here it is.
Legend of Kay (PlayStation 3) Legend of Kay is a 3D action-platformer that came out for the PlayStation 2 in 2015. This PlayStation 3 version followed 10 years later in 2015.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
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"Horizon: Zero Dawn sales pass 7.6 million on its first birthday | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/games/horizon-zero-dawn-sales-pass-7-6-million-on-its-first-birthday"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Horizon: Zero Dawn sales pass 7.6 million on its first birthday Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Aloy gets to explore a detailed world -- especially in 4K.
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Horizon: Zero Dawn is celebrating its first birthday, and sales for the PlayStation 4 exclusive have passed 7.6 million.
The open-world game received praise from critics and gamers for its beautiful landscapes, crisp graphics, and engaging writing. This sales milestone makes Horizon one of the PlayStation 4’s most popular exclusives. To give you something to compare it against, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End sold 8.7 million copies about seven-and-a-half months after it launched in May 2016. But that series is an established franchise. It’s impressive for Horizon to come close to the number as a debut game.
“We had huge ambition for Horizon: Zero Dawn and as we approached the launch we knew people were excited, but to see sales of this volume is truly mind blowing,” developer Guerrilla Games co-founder and managing director Hermen Hulst noted in a post on the PlayStation Blog.
“Since launch, millions of players have joined Aloy on a quest to discover the secrets of the old ones. We hope they enjoy playing Horizon: Zero Dawn as much as we enjoyed making it.” To celebrate, Sony is giving away free Horizon avatars for PlayStation 4 to help people customize their profiles. You can also get a new Horizon theme for your PlayStation 4 that uses images captured from the game’s Photo Mode.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
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VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"PetTech startup Piavita lassoes $5.5 million to track horse health | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/entrepreneur/pettech-startup-piavita-lassoes-5-5-million-to-track-horse-health"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Exclusive PetTech startup Piavita lassoes $5.5 million to track horse health Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
Silicon Valley has been laser-focused on digitizing health care, be it through a credit card-sized heart monitor or an AI-powered gut test.
But what about our four-legged friends? According to Piavita , today’s veterinary practices are outdated, expensive, and time-consuming. So Piavita’s team created a palm-sized monitoring device, which is currently being used on horses to track their vitals. The Zurich, Switzerland-based startup announced today that it has secured $5.5 million in funding in a round led by True Ventures. Fyrfly Venture Partners, Zurich Bank ZKB, and several private investors also joined.
The wireless device is plugged into a mounting unit that is wrapped around the horse’s body, which allows for high-precision measurements of vital signs through the animal’s coat (or hair), according to Piavita cofounder and CEO, Dr. Dorina Thiess. The data is then transferred to the Piavita web-based app so veterinarians can track and monitor the health of the animal.
Above: Piavita monitoring device “This means we not only save time for the veterinarian, but there is also no need to shave, prepare, or sedate the horse for in-depth health investigations,” wrote Thiess, in an email to VentureBeat. “Veterinarians can offer more services in the stables without the need to transport patients to the clinic. We bring all the benefits of digitization to the vet industry.” Use cases include monitoring horses in the field, post-operative and intense care monitoring, night supervision, and more.
For now, Piavita sells a Vet System package for about $7,000 that includes an installation fee, two monitoring devices, and the first year of the software-as-a-service (SaaS) subscription fee.
Thiess says her team has installed more than 200 systems in over 80 clinics and practices across Germany and Switzerland. She expects to have 2,000 systems installed by the end of the year in countries that include Austria, the Netherlands, Spain, France, and the U.K. Piavita will be opening an office in Berlin within the next few months.
Entry in the U.S. market will come at a later date, but Thiess doesn’t anticipate any major roadblocks. “Seeing as our system is non-invasive and purely for use on animals, there are very low barriers to enter the U.S. market,” she wrote.
While Piavita sees potential applications for other animals, the startup is currently focused on horses and is looking to broaden its client base beyond veterinarians to include the breeding and sports industries.
“However, the core technologies work on any species and can be adapted to different settings and animals through software and algorithm changes,” Thiess wrote.
Piavita participated in Swissnex’s first Swiss Startup Summit in San Francisco last March, coming in second place. To date, it has raised $6.5 million, and it plans to use the fresh injection of capital to scale production, expand to new markets, and grow its team of 20.
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"Heartland Tech Weekly: Distance shouldn't keep Silicon Valley and the Midwest apart | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/entrepreneur/heartland-tech-weekly-distance-shouldnt-keep-silicon-valley-and-the-midwest-apart"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Heartland Tech Weekly: Distance shouldn’t keep Silicon Valley and the Midwest apart Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
For many Silicon Valley venture capitalists, the five-hour flight to the Midwest may seem five times that long, considering most of their portfolio companies may currently be within a 30-minute drive.
But distance shouldn’t keep Silicon Valley and the Midwest from working together — and in fact, Silicon Valley venture capitalists are likely to miss out on killer deals if they only look at startups in their neighborhood.
That was the message of a tour last week organized by Reps. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) and Ro Khanna (D-California), who brought together more than a dozen venture capitalists to visit with entrepreneurs and investors in five Midwestern cities: Youngstown and Akron, Ohio; Detroit and Flint, Michigan; and South Bend, Indiana.
“[Silicon Valley VCs] don’t necessarily have to pick up and go to Detroit, but [Midwest organizations] can certainly get on the phone and get on the video conference, to tap into the expertise of these people who have been doing this for 20 years,” Rep. Ryan told VentureBeat in a phone call. He said that the trip had already resulted in one $100,000 investment in a Flint organization, and the participants are already discussing more concrete ways to invest in the Midwest.
Critically, Silicon Valley has to get used to going the distance. And that’s something that VentureBeat will discussing at next week’s BLUEPRINT conference in Reno, Nevada. We’re excited to say that we’ve gathered more than 250 participants from 30 states to talk about concrete ways to bridge the divide between Silicon Valley and the rest of the country. Next week, you’ll see our coverage live from the conference as executives from companies like Microsoft, Google, and Walmart outline the ways that their companies hope to invest more in the Heartland, as well as investors and startups in the Heartland who want to amplify their successes to Silicon Valley.
As always, please send me your thoughts via email.
Thanks for reading, Anna Hensel Heartland Tech Reporter Featured Video Please enjoy this video from CNBC, “ Koch group: Tax breaks luring Amazon’s HQ2 won’t pay off ” From the Heartland Tech Channel Microsoft partners with Michigan company to bring internet access to 82,000 rural residents As part of a recent push to increase rural broadband access in the U.S., Microsoft announced today that it will partner with Michigan-based Packerland Broadband. The goal is to provide internet access to 82,000 people living in rural regions of northern Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan over the next four years. The partnership is […] Read the full story Michigan’s ‘Marshall Plan for Talent’ aims to become model for tech education nationwide As tech executives call for state education programs to do a better job of providing STEM education, states are jockeying to show that they are attuned to the industry’s needs. This week, Michigan’s Republican governor Rick Snyder unveiled what he calls the “Marshall Plan for Talent” — a $100 million, five-year investment to restructure Michigan’s […] Read the full story Kentucky’s AppHarvest seeks to create high-tech greenhouse jobs in coal country The unemployment rate in Pike County, Kentucky is 8.7 percent. Kentucky-born Jonathan Webb graduated from University of Kentucky with an opportunity to go into coal sales — Kentucky is the third-largest coal-producing state — but he turned it down in favor of a career path that promotes sustainability. After working with the U.S. Army to implement renewable power […] Read the full story Indianapolis tech community sees lack of funding and diversity as its biggest challenges Entrepreneurs can pull up plenty of data about the business conditions in Silicon Valley. But tech companies outside of the coasts often don’t have access to the same level of information about how diverse the local workforce is or how many entrepreneurs are raising funding in their area. That’s a problem Powderkeg, a community-building platform […] Read the full story Beyond VB Tech Envisions the Ultimate Start-Up: An Entire City For all the optimism, innovation and wealth that are produced here, the Bay Area can also feel like a place that doesn’t work quite right. The cost of housing has priced out teachers and line cooks. Income inequality is among the widest in the nation. The homeless crisis never seems to ebb. Traffic is a mess. On bad days, transit is, too. And local governments are locked in conflict.
(via The New York Times) Read the full story The American Midwest is quickly becoming a blue-collar version of Silicon Valley AThe economic engine of Silicon Valley seems to have driven right by the Midwest. America’s urban coastal cities have enjoyed an explosion in their technology sectors. New York’s Silicon Alley and Boston’s biotech corridor are world-class incubators of talent and startups. Austin (Texas), Seattle (Washington), Washington, D.C, and even Miami Beach claim a piece of the digital economy (and Silicon-something monikers).
(via Quartz) Read the full story With Jobs in Mind, Ohio Democrat Takes Venture Capitalists on Midwest Road Trip Standing before a group of Michigan entrepreneurs, Rep. Tim Ryan introduced more than a dozen venture capitalists from Silicon Valley and New York who were on a three-day road trip the Ohio Democrat organized to try to boost businesses in cities that need a comeback.
(via Wall Street Journal) Read the full story How Cities Are Divided By Income, Mapped In Philly’s Center City live its richest residents—those who can pay the premium for that walkable, amenity-rich, green neighborhood. But just across the river, blocks away from the lush, expanding campuses of the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University, the visual landscape of the city changes: Pawn shops, fast food eateries, boarded-up store fronts, and dilapidated houses. Only a few areas in West Philadelphia have become more prosperous (and whiter). The rest continue to suffer concentrated poverty and decline.
(via CityLab) Read the full story VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"6 states you should probably block from your token sale | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/entrepreneur/6-states-you-should-probably-block-from-your-ico"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Guest 6 states you should probably block from your token sale Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
My blockchain startup, Mobius, recently conducted a $39 million token sale.
But, given that the rules for token sales in the U.S. are still in flux, we had to do a lot of legal research before launching our sale. And we ended up excluding would-be buyers in six states: Alabama, Connecticut, Hawaii, New York, Vermont, and Washington.
In approaching our sale, we talked to countless elite law firms and Big 4 accounting firms to recruit the best team to guide us through this process. Ultimately we retained the team of Deloitte , Paul Hastings , Conyers Dill , and AML Experts to ensure we met all legal and regulatory requirements and that we have a solid base to build a large, global, decentralized business.
As you can guess, this kind of readiness comes with immense legal costs. And we found that legal advice is quite fragmented given that the industry and regulatory environment is still emerging. Lawyers have different opinions on what the law is, and the body of law involved is massive, potentially including securities, banking, money transmission, anti-money laundering, and consumer protection laws.
Our experience tells us that many blockchain companies will face unexpected legal and tax consequences due to inadequate preparation.
In order to help the community, we are releasing two key resources we developed for our token sale. We’re doing this via a new initiative called LawDEX , a free, open-source legal resource for blockchain developers and entrepreneurs that I developed with fellow Harvard Law School grad and Lightyear.io Counsel Lindsay Lin.
We hope that, in sharing these resources, we will save future blockchain startups quite a bit of money and rework.
As mentioned above, one of the biggest takeaways for us was that including the states of Alamaba, Connecticut, Hawaii, New York, Vermont, and Washington in our sale would pose a risk. Our legal advisors explained that those states appear to take the position that the exchange of fiat currency for virtual currency or virtual currency for virtual currency triggers money transmission or bit license requirements. While our lawyers said those states appear more intent on regulating exchange activity than token sales, they also told us they can be fairly aggressive when it comes to punishments based on state money-transmission acts. So we decided to err on the side of caution and exclude them.
Without further ado, here are the links to the two key resources our lawyers produced for us, each with a brief introduction: Resource A : A 50-State Survey of the Regulation of Token Sales under State Money Transmission Acts , researched and drafted by Thomas Brown and Molly Swartz of Paul Hastings.
This survey guided Mobius in forming its token sale policies. It gives a breakdown of how likely and unlikely each state is to regulate virtual currency sales under state money transmission statutes.
Resource B : A version of the Founder Institute’s Founder / Advisor Standard Template (FAST) , modified to use tokens as compensation.
David Gobaud is cofounder and CEO of Mobius.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Intimate raises $1.1 million to enable payments for porn and sex services | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/commerce/intimate-raises-1-1-million-to-enable-payments-for-porn-and-sex-services"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Intimate raises $1.1 million to enable payments for porn and sex services Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Intimate.io team (Left to right): Craig Morris, Leah Callon-Butler, Tom Carr, Nathan Smale, and Reuben Coppa.
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Many payment services, like credit card companies, won’t go near payments for online porn or sexual services. As a result, the sex industry uses lesser-known platforms that take a huge cut. But Intimate has created a payment technology on a blockchain that the startup says will enable better trusted commerce for adult content.
If that starts raising a lot of questions in your mind, then you’re on the right track. Balancing trust, safety, legality, and anonymity — all aspects of the adult industry — isn’t easy to do. It may appear seamy, but London-based Intimate believes it can bring trust and safety into sex commerce. The company is announcing today that Alphabit , a billion-dollar digital currency fund, has invested $1.1 million into Intimate’s ongoing cryptocurrency token presale.
So far, Intimate has raised $5.1 million through the presale for its “open, distributed trust mechanism” for all segments of the adult industry, including interactive content, delivery, and services. The presale is open only to accredited investors in places where it is legal.
As mentioned, porn and sex companies have problems dealing with financial institutions. Many customers that use credit cards will say that their credit card numbers were stolen to pay for porn, and so the credit card companies stopped approving such transactions. That leads to frozen accounts, excessive merchant fees, and further social exclusion for the adult industry, Intimate said.
“Alphabit’s support for intimate’s mission demonstrates that funds see real value in using blockchain to drive social change whilst unlocking new revenue into industries blocked by banks,” said Leah Callon-Butler, cofounder of intimate, in a statement. “Individuals transacting in the adult industry services deserve the same financial services that other industries take for granted.” Intimate plans to make an alternative option for adult workers, suppliers, and customers, providing the same level of trust and security through the blockchain — which is a transparent and secure ledger that is the backbone of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin — that other industries can have.
Above: How Intimate works “Alphabit invests in projects that are solving real-world problems with blockchain technology, and intimate is breaking down barriers to financial services for a traditionally underserved demographic. This is the exact use case crypto has been waiting for,” said Alphabit CEO Liam Robertson, in a statement.
Intimate takes the traditional advantages of blockchain technology a step further by establishing reputation on a distributed ledger. This provides an open platform of trust providing pseudo-anonymous reputation launching with a network of content, interactive content, dating, novelties, and love hotel brands worldwide. Intimate said its tech could be applied to escorts, livecam operators, porn, and even dating apps.
Intimate was founded in October, and it employs 15 people. Much of the team has been working together since 2013 when Reuben Coppa, Intimate cofounder, started ABA Technologies, which introduced the first Bitcoin ATMs in Australia.
Coppa said in an email that even “so-called progressive innovative companies, like Stripe and PayPal, won’t deal with the adult industry.” Providers of payment services for the adult industry can often take a 25 percent cut of the transaction. Or they can freeze a service provider’s account without warning if they receive a small percentage of chargebacks, Coppa said.
“The adult industry deserves the same respect and the same business services as any other,” said Nathan Smale, cofounder and director of operations at Intimate, in an email.
The Intimate token (ITM) uses the Ethereum blockchain to verify payments. It also verifies a person’s reputation, particularly whether they have used adult services in the past and have received a stamp of approval from the other party. Once a customer or a service provider has a good reputation, others can verify the reputation and are more likely to trust it, even though the parties remain anonymous.
Intimate requires a reputation rating to be attached to every transaction, and it says this foundation of trust will lead to more commerce. Coppa also started a company called Rendevu, an on-demand platform for adult services providers such as escorts. That was where he discovered the problem related to payments for adult services. While legal, Rendevu (dubbed the Uber of sex ) had trouble making its transactions happen efficiently. Many transactions simply don’t happen.
The fact that Intimate can introduce a reputation system into the payment platform is important, the company said. If sex workers can verify the reputation of a client or use the platform to report a disreputable client, then the work becomes a lot safer, Intimate said. Disreputable clients will soon find they can’t make payments through the system anymore and will be weeded out.
Of course, people could argue that enabling better commerce in the sex industry will only lead to more illegal activities, such as sex trafficking and forced labor.
Above: Charlotte Rose Intimate said that the adult industry has always been a driver of innovation, whether it was the VHS tape or the mainstreaming of porn on the Internet. It makes sense that the industry will again unlock the potential of blockchain and cryptocurrencies, Intimate said.
Rivals include Live Stars.
Intimate’s advisors include Charlotte Rose, an English sex worker, “dominatrix, sexual trainer, and political candidate” in Nottingham, England.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
Discover our Briefings.
The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"ARKit app Skrite adds teleportation to its AR messenger (Updated) | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/top-arkit-app-skrite-adds-teleportation-to-its-ar-messenger"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages ARKit app Skrite adds teleportation to its AR messenger (Updated) Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
Learn more.
Ever since Pokémon Go popularized augmented reality apps, developers have been trying to build the “next big thing.” Skrite Labs has announced the addition of a new feature that lets its users virtually teleport to locations around the world.
The Skrite app lets users create and post user-generated AR content directly from an iPhone or iPad. Messages can be private or public, and users have posted more than 200,000 messages on the app, to date.
Today’s announcement brings a new feature that allows users to experience 360-degree panoramic views of skylines where Skrite messages have been posted. If a user makes a Skrite above the Statue of Liberty, for example, their followers or friends receive a notification. Once followers choose to view the message, they are “teleported” to the exact location where the AR content was posted in the sky above the famous landmark and can see the material left by the original creator.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! “Our primary acquisition strategy has been to build an exceptional app that leverages groundbreaking technology,” Skrite cofounder and COO Dr. Arshia Siddique told me. “The AR market, to date, has been saturated with gaming apps, so there has been a real thirst for something that’s more accessible to everyone. Skrite stands out because of its uniqueness to enable social interaction through augmented reality in a way that’s never been done before. And because users can claim portions of the sky on a first-come, first-served basis, there’s incentive to reserve your space now.” But when it comes to user acquisition, the company hasn’t simply relied on creating an engaging experience.
“Tactically, we focused on the college market early on, via online and offline channels such as ground marketing, Facebook ads, and more, and saw the Skrite community take off from there,” Siddique said.
Analysts agree that AR has a high potential for long-term cultural change.
According to Digi-Capital, the augmented and virtual reality market is expected to hit $120 billion by 2020.
Apple CEO Tim Cook recently stated that “AR is big and profound” and “one of those huge things that we’ll look back at and marvel at the start of it.” “Undoubtedly, AR will command a very important segment of technology,” Siddique said. “We’ve focused on the ubiquity of smartphones so far but will continue to explore all other options that make AR more accessible.” Of course, AR glasses are the obvious device for broad consumer adoption. With recent announcements from the likes of Magic Leap, we’re getting closer to devices that the average person won’t mind wearing in public. Once that happens, AR will affect our daily lives in exciting new ways.
“Over the next five years, we anticipate a new spectrum of everyday uses for AR — from Wikipedia-type information for landmarks to navigation and business reviews,” Siddique said. “We predict that owning physical space will become just as important — if not more — than online domain space.” “There will soon be a land grab to own the physical space, and that’s a big opportunity for us,” Siddique said. “We’re exploring a network that can stream AR ads on all platforms that have integrated it with their businesses. We plan to share more soon.” Correction on March 6: Skrite doctored a chart regarding its popularity in Apple’s App Store. We have removed the offending claims from this story.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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Join the GamesBeat community! Enjoy access to special events, private newsletters and more.
VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"The WebXR API opens the door to a new breed of cross-reality games | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/the-webxr-api-opens-the-door-to-a-new-breed-of-cross-reality-games"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Guest The WebXR API opens the door to a new breed of cross-reality games Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Mozilla’s WebXR Viewer on iOS and an aPainter fox model Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Last May I pointed to WebVR games as one of the VR industry’s biggest potential sweet spots for generating widespread traction because the combination of VR, games, and the open web represents a giant industry intersection. The web is unparalleled in its capacity to get VR games in front of end users, and get them playing, since it bypasses so much of the friction that otherwise serves as one of the chief headaches for the industry: distribution.
There’s also WebVR’s forthcoming seismic upgrade to the WebXR API , which will soon allow developers to create mixed reality content that is responsive across the full spectrum of immersive computing devices. That is, VR and AR under one umbrella. The implications this opens up are profound insofar as it expands the potential reach for any single piece of content that developers ship, and in the context of games it means that any player with virtually any gadget or gear will now be able to play, wherever they are and on their own terms.
“WebXR’s real strength is about distribution. Not many people I have polled over the years like downloading and installing anything, not even the game developers.” Damon Hernandez, WebXR Product Manager for the Samsung Internet team, told me. “WebXR allows anyone with an Internet connection and the right browser interested in your game to be able to experience it with one click on a link. Sure I am not in the games industry but removing major barriers to entry is key in any field and very transformative.” Load, cache, and repeat The WebXR API opens up an exceedingly more practical path for creating cross-reality games because a developer just needs to learn and work with a single API in order to offer the same entry point for a multitude of different realities to converge, and all of this according to the customized requirements of the user. You can play a board game, for instance, with your handheld device during your lunch break at work against an opponent who is playing in VR in their living room, and another who has the board and pieces manifest on a table outside at the park.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! Above: Spot-the-Bot by Hook Studios One example of an early stage cross-reality game is Spot-the-Bot by U.S.-based Hook Studios , which was among the first WebVR experiments to be showcased by Google last year. It’s a social two-player game that allows you to team up with friends in a collaborative race against time. While “player one” is immersed in a virtual world filled with robots and parts, “player two” watches by using a mobile or desktop screen, serving as a spotter to helping player one to, you guessed it, “spot the bot” in VR. The WebXR API potentially opens the door to the third-mode of game play, which would allow these bots to go out for some fresh air as digital sprites in the real world.
“WebXR will open the doors to a new breed of games, because of the combination of cross-modality responsive nature of WebXR, and the lightweight responsive nature of the web.” Blair MacIntyre, Principal Research Scientist on Mozilla Mixed Reality Team, told me. “Building games for WebXR means it is relatively straightforward to respond to the user’s choice of device and modality (handheld, desktop, tablet and headworn AR and VR displays), but also respond to new displays and devices as they come out. As long as the new devices have a browser that supports WebXR, a version of the game should work on the new platforms.” Small, social, and shareable Some believe, as I do, that so-called “ killer apps ” that will inevitably take immersive computing to the mainstream will be social and collaborative. What other platform is more inherently the staging ground for these qualities and features than the open web? Indeed, it’s the innate structure of the web that offers the social grease that makes it so appealing and approachable, which are the ideal conditions for discovery, distribution, and monetization for the lightweight cross-reality WebXR games that the industry should be prioritizing.
It’s the small, social, and shareable games that are fun and have a high likeliness of going for a viral spin around the web just by by sharing a URL that we should be encouraging and incentivizing the developer community to explore. These kind of WebXR games benefit hugely from being able to be shared on Facebook, Twitter, and over instant messaging; allowing friends to jump into the experience without having to install anything. The additional layer of WebAR simply extends and enhances the accessibility, usability, and sheer convenience for the benefit of the user.
Shifting the frame “The biggest challenge is to adopt a mindset that is not trying to create the next blockbuster hit. They need to break the game idea down into smaller chunks, with less complexity and realistic content, so that this smaller experiences can be delivered directly via the web.” MacIntyre told me.
Mozilla has also just recently made it even easier for those more heavily vested in the fully-featured game engines to benefit from the immersive web with their recent release of a neat WebVR exporter for Unity that takes advantage of Unity’s WebGL exporter. So native developers can now readily publish straight from Unity to the open web so that their users can get access and play without having to deal with app stores or long update cycles.
Above: A demo of Mozilla’s WebVR exporter for Unity The WebXR API should be made available to developers for early testing in Q1 2018 and, with it, you can expect to see more of the old borders and boundaries blur, which is why they call it mixed reality. Conceptual barriers will continue to fall so that developers and players alike, along with the pundits who keep misframing VR and AR as two separate and distinct streams, can start to look through the lens of a new paradigm in which games and mixed reality content in general can be increasingly customized according to the localized requirements of the user, regardless where they are or what they have in their hands or on their heads to play or work with.
Amir Bozorgzadeh is cofounder and CEO at Virtuleap, the host of the Global WebXR Hackathon and the startup powering up the Gaze-At-Ratio (GAR) XR metric.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
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"Smart Valor: Switzerland on the Way to Becoming a Leading Hub for Blockchain Innovation | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/smart-valor-switzerland-on-the-way-to-becoming-a-leading-hub-for-blockchain-innovation"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Press Release Smart Valor: Switzerland on the Way to Becoming a Leading Hub for Blockchain Innovation Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn 2nd Annual Crypto Summit dedicated to Shaping Crypto Together ZUG, Switzerland–(BUSINESS WIRE)–February 28, 2018– Switzerland’s Economic Minister, Johann Schneider-Ammann, announced last month that the nation’s focus on crypto should move beyond the Crypto Valley and should now refer to the entire country as a ‘Crypto Nation’. This was a demonstration of commitment from the highest political level for the establishment of the crypto industry in Switzerland.
Last week, this was indirectly confirmed in the form of ICO (Initial Coin Offering) guidelines published by Swiss Financial Regulator, FINMA. It represents one of the first frameworks published by a national financial regulator with the goal of giving guidance to startups and companies around conducting compliant crowdfunding.
This topic will be the leading theme of the 2nd annual Crypto Summit , the largest international conference dedicated to blockchain technology in Switzerland. The Crypto Summit will be held on 27-28th March at Samsung Hall in Zurich. Overall, this event is set to bring together leading figures in the global crypto community including Vinny Lingham (CEO of Civic), Alex Tapscott (CEO NextBlock Global), Kathleen Breitman (CEO Tezos), Tim Draper (a venture investor), Jon Matonis (Founding Director of Bitcoin Foundation) and Ransu Salovaara (CEO of TokenMarket).
Vinny Lingham, Silicon Valley based entrepreneur and CEO of Civic, whose popularity rankings recently made him one of the top 5 people in the blockchain industry worldwide, says “I see a growing need for the establishment of specialized crypto hubs with a recognized regulatory environment and global exposure. Switzerland seems to be on its way to becoming such a hub and I am excited to contribute to it,” says Vinny.
Confirming this stance, several high level officials such as Joerg Gasser , State Secretary for International Financial Matters at the Federal Department of Finance and Parliament Member Ruedi Noser , the driving force behind Swiss innovation and startup support, will also join the conference.
“Being held in Switzerland, the epicentre of blockchain and ICOs, the purpose of this event is to bring together Swiss policy makers, global influencers, investors and startups. This is the best way to have to an open dialog, create impact and shape the future together” says Olga Feldmeier, CEO of SMART VALOR and producer of the Crypto Summit.
This year the Crypto Summit will expand on the previous event’s colourful programme of workshops, keynotes and panel discussions. The conference will also include two new tracks: the Crypto Investment Track and the Tech Track. This year’s summit is set to bring together some of the biggest names in crypto to share their experience and best practices for successful crypto investments and ICO execution, including a keynote from blockchain expert Alex Tapscott.
Tapscott is CEO and founder of NextBlock Global, an investment company in the blockchain industry – and co-founder of the Blockchain Research Institute. He and his father, Wikinomics author Don Tapscott, co-wrote the bestselling book ‘Blockchain Revolution: How the Technology Behind Bitcoin is Changing Money, Business and the World’.
With a keynote titled ‘Global State of Crypto’, Tapscott will be sharing his insights about the trends, opportunities and challenges facing the crypto world right now – and speculating on how the industry might evolve in the near future.
“Switzerland has done a good job of providing regulatory clarity to companies, entrepreneurs and foundations while also not restricting their ability to innovate and iterate,” said Tapscott.
“As a result, Switzerland is now a leading hub for this fast moving industry. Other governments should take note and heed this example – get regulations right and create a hospitable environment – and you too can lead in the 2nd era of the internet.” Last year this event became the first international blockchain conference in Switzerland, with 85% of speakers coming from outside of Switzerland and over 30 countries represented among attendees. The keynote was delivered by William Mougayar, one of the key thought leaders in the crypto financing field. This years edition devoted to the theme “Shaping crypto together” is currently open for speaker and sponsor registration.
— ENDS — NOTES TO EDITORS: About SMART VALOR: SMART VALOR is a Swiss-based company building a decentralized marketplace for tokenized alternative investments. Its mission is to leverage tokenization and cryptocurrencies to democratize access to wealth. For more information, please visit www.smartvalor.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180228005187/en/ Clarity PR for Smart Valor Helen Frear [email protected] +44 (0) 20 7100 1333 VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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"How blockchain can help IoT deliver ROI (VB Live) | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/how-blockchain-can-help-iot-deliver-roi-vb-live"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages VB Live How blockchain can help IoT deliver ROI (VB Live) Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn The Internet of Things is here — and blockchain technology is the key. Learn how the security and transparency of distributed ledger technologies can boost customer trust, unlock new business model use cases for IoT, plus deliver real ROI, when you join this VB Live event! Register here for free.
From wearables to wind turbines, the application of sensors on the things around us has become ubiquitous. But even with a projected 10 billion more devices connecting to the Internet in the next four years, the IoT still suffers from a lack of shared architecture to interconnect, nevermind authenticate or monetize distributed machines. This doesn’t just limit business model success and ROI, but customer value, product utility, security, compliance, and innovation made possible through data.
And analysts are pointing to blockchain for IoT as the future. Blockchain is a peer-to-peer distributed ledger technology designed for transactional applications. With a list of cryptographically secured data records, each hardened against both tampering and revision, blockchain can help reduce costs, accelerate transactions, and build trust between people and parties who transact together.
What does that mean for IoT? Efficiency + cost savings Because it’s decentralized, blockchain has the power to massively reduce the cost and complexity of operating businesses. You’re gaining the ability to track and trade any data point across the world efficiently and securely, without added infrastructure, since data is traded on a peer-to-peer basis and the cost — in both money and time — of the middle man has been eliminated.
Data security With devices able to communicate with secure blockchain-based ledgers, IoT devices become secure ways to conduct transactions. Customer information can be tracked and traded across a variety of connected devices, ensuring that the customer experience is seamless, and that information still remains private and inviolable. Secondly, the use of encryption and distributed storage means that data can be trusted by all parties involved in the supply chain.
The technology is doing the heavy lifting here, with machines recording the details of every transaction that passes through, with no human oversight. And since the private keys that enable write-access to the blockchain remain in the possession of the machines, no human can get their sticky hands on any record and overwrite it.
It’s a way to give customers a sense of security when transacting with your company, whether it’s a purchase or their personal data. The customer might not be familiar with the device they’re interacting with, but with blockchain backing that transaction, they know it’s secure.
Oversight Blockchain’s transparency also means that oversight is amped up considerably — which is essential in an ecosystem that is, by definition, crying out for it. The Internet of Things is a complex web of networks and companies, and therefore a ripe target for fraud. But since blockchain records are built to be transparent, all activity can be monitored for suspicious trends by anyone who can connect. The blockchain record makes it simple to identify and act on that information right away.
With a projected 10 billion more devices connecting to the Internet in the next four years, the business potential is huge. Join the latest VB Live event to learn more about intersections between IoT and distributed ledger technologies and explore how they can unlock the security required to realize a profitable Future of Things.
Don’t miss out! Register here free.
In this VB Live event, you’ll learn: What distributed ledger technologies such as blockchain mean for businesses in 2018 How blockchain for IoT can build trust between people and parties who transact together, reduce costs, and accelerate transactions The future of universal architecture and what it means for autonomous products and services Speakers: Jessica Groopman , Analyst, Kaleido Insights Jonathan Johnson, Overstock.com Board Member. Medici Ventures President Bob Kain , CEO, Luna DNA Rachel Brownell , Moderator, VentureBeat The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Google launches Hangouts Chat, its Slack competitor, for all G Suite users | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/google-launches-hangouts-chat-its-slack-competitor-for-all-g-suite-users"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Google launches Hangouts Chat, its Slack competitor, for all G Suite users Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Google Hangouts Chat Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
Learn more.
After nearly a year in beta, Google today announced that its Slack-competing Hangouts Chat platform is ready for prime time.
The internet giant announced last March that it was splitting its Hangouts communications platform in two, with Hangouts Chat bringing messaging and collaboration smarts to teams , and Hangouts Meet focused squarely on video conferencing. The former has hitherto remained a private beta product, but from today Google is rolling it out for all G Suite users.
Hangouts Chat is entering a busy field. Besides the perennially popular Slack, other notable incumbents include Workplace by Facebook, Cisco Spark, and, of course, Microsoft Teams. The latter launched back in 2016 and is included in Office 365 subscriptions, though reports surfaced this week that Microsoft is mulling a free version of the software.
As a long-standing player in the online communications realm, however, Google’s Hangouts Chat is a notable addition to the team collaboration mix.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! How it works Hangouts Chat features threaded conversations, search, and bots that help automate tasks, while virtual chat spaces can be used for specific teams or projects.
Above: Hangouts Chat While it integrates with the broader G Suite toolset — including Calendar, Drive, and the aforementioned Hangouts Meet brethren — Hangouts Chat also works with third-party apps.
At its initial private rollout last year, Hangouts Chat worked with 11 third-party services: Prosperworks, Box, Zendesk, Asana, Polly.ai, Freshdesk, Zapier, Zenefits, Xero, Smartsheets, and Intuit. But in the intervening months, Google has ushered in a number of additional tie-ups, including Salesforce, Trello, Wrike, Zoom.ai, and UberConference.
Above: Integrations Though Google is encouraging companies to build their own bots and create customized automations, Hangouts Chat also comes with its own G Suite bots, including @Drive and @Meet, which helps schedule meetings on your behalf.
To avoid a string of emails being sent between various individuals, the @Meet bot can, for example, scan different calendars to identify the best time to schedule a meeting and make suggestions accordingly.
Above: @Meetbot As noted previously, Google split Hangouts into two distinct products last year. And although Hangouts Chat has remained under the radar, Hangouts Meet has received a fair bit of attention over the past 12 months. Back in October, for example, Google announced the $2,000 Hangouts Meet video-streaming kit , which included a touchscreen, speaker mic, camera, and Chromebox. Last month, the company extended Hangouts Meet video call support to tablets.
But although the two Hangouts products have been evolving separately, now that Hangouts Chat is publicly available, Google is bringing them together via tight integrations. This means you will be able to set up and participate in a video conference call from within Hangouts Chat.
There’s more Loosely related to the Hangouts Chat rollout, Google is today announcing a handful of additional G Suite updates.
Over the next few months, the company said that Calendar will be updated to use artificial intelligence (AI) and suggest available rooms and spaces for you to reserve in your workplace. It will consider factors such as the building, floor number, booking history, and equipment needs when making suggestions. In effect, Hangouts Chat will soon be able to not only suggest when to meet, but help you arrange where to meet, as well.
Above: Google Calendar: Room suggestions Also today, Google announced that it’s expanding its Google Drive “quick access” feature to Docs. Quick access basically uses machine learning to show users the documents Google thinks they’re looking for when they first open the app.
With this feature added to Docs, teams will be able to see related files from within Google Drive and easily include relevant information from other documents.
Above: Quick Access in Docs For now, Hangouts Chat will be available to companies as part of their G Suite subscription. But with rumors that Microsoft is preparing to launch a free version of the Teams product that lives outside of Office 365 accounts, and the likes of Facebook and Cisco offering (limited) free versions of their respective collaboration suites, it will be interesting to see whether Google makes Hangouts Chat available outside of a G Suite subscription.
A spokesperson did confirm that in the near future Google will add a special “guest access” feature to Hangouts Chat, which suggests that part of it will be opened to non-G Suite users, though the spokesperson didn’t elaborate.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"BestMile Hires Mobility Services Executive to Lead Worldwide Sales | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/bestmile-hires-mobility-services-executive-to-lead-worldwide-sales"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Press Release BestMile Hires Mobility Services Executive to Lead Worldwide Sales Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Michael Cottle Joins Management Team to Drive Customer Growth SAN FRANCISCO & LAUSANNE, Switzerland–(BUSINESS WIRE)–February 28, 2018– BestMile , the leading mobility services platform that enables mobility providers to manage, operate and optimize autonomous vehicle fleets, today announced the appointment of Michael Cottle as Vice President of Sales and Customer Success to lead the company’s worldwide mobility service provider strategy.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180228005546/en/ Michael Cottle, VP of Sales and Customer Success (Photo: BestMile) Cottle brings more than 25 years of experience leading software and SaaS organizations to his role at BestMile. He has a proven track record of building highly successful sales teams and delivering results from startups to public companies. Most recently, he served as vice president of sales and customer success at Ridecell where he was responsible for building out the company’s worldwide customer base. Prior to Ridecell, Cottle was vice president of worldwide sales at location-based services platform company deCarta Inc. for nearly 10 years, culminating a successful acquisition by Uber.
“To attract an executive with a respected industry pedigree like Mike speaks volumes about the path we are paving to bring innovation to the rapidly evolving global mobility service provider market,” said Raphael Gindrat, CEO of BestMile. “With his deep industry understanding and experience, Mike will be instrumental as we expand our customer base worldwide.” Cottle will be responsible for growing new customer and account teams in the U.S. and Europe and begin supporting operations in Asia. He will focus on BestMile customer markets including Transportation Network Companies (TNCs), public transit agencies, transportation operators, private communities and campuses.
“BestMile offers service providers a unique value proposition of mobility service management for autonomous fleets and conventional driven services. The modular platform provides resource and fleet management to business service operations and optimization, business back office to data intelligence – everything the mobility service provider needs as they are rolling out autonomous and mixed fleet services,” said Cottle. “I am honored to join such a high-caliber team as we grow our sales and account staff worldwide.” About BestMile BestMile empowers mobility providers to deploy, manage and optimize autonomous and conventional driven vehicle fleets. BestMile’s cloud platform enables the intelligent operation and optimization of autonomous mobility services, managing fixed-route and on-demand services, regardless of the vehicle brand or type. BestMile’s on-demand autonomous mobility services platform is being used daily in city centers on both pedestrian areas and open roads. Incorporated in 2014, BestMile has global offices in San Francisco (USA) and Lausanne (Switzerland). For more information, visit www.bestmile.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180228005546/en/ BestMile Media: U.S.
Sarah Thorson, +1 609-234-8531 [email protected] or Europe Jelena Alonso, +41 21 508 70 01 [email protected] VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
Discover our Briefings.
VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Edgybees lands $5.5 million to save lives with AR drones | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/arvr/edgybees-lands-5-5-million-to-save-lives-with-ar-drones"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Edgybees lands $5.5 million to save lives with AR drones Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
Augmented reality and drones. It sounds like a match made in entertainment heaven, but one company is using the combination of drone technology and AR to help save lives.
Today, Edgybees — whose technology enables augmented reality (AR) on high-speed platforms such as drones and cars — has announced a seed round of $5.5 million to expand its operations.
Edgybees technology was initially applied to AR drone racing and was released in partnership with DJI in early 2017. Later that year, Edgybees released First Response, a drone-flying app that emergency responders use to orient themselves in confusing environments and to better track rapidly evolving circumstances.
I saw Edgybees in action during a recent visit to Jerusalem for the OurCrowd Summit. During the demonstration — a simulation of an emergency response situation — a first responder arrived by motorcycle and deployed a DJI drone. The software overlays live drone camera footage with Google Maps data to pinpoint exactly where the emergency is taking place.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! Those coordinates can then be sent to responders. Edgybees can also deploy volunteers on foot, motorcycle, bicycle, or via other modes of transport to reach places inaccessible to cars, fire engines, and ambulances.
The drone flying app was first used in the Florida Keys in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, when officials used map overlays to identify distress calls in flooded areas. First Response was most recently used by local authorities to keep fire fighters out of harm’s way during the Northern California fires last October.
A volunteer-based service structure makes Edgybees’ business model exciting and relatively rare.
“Public safety is a market with hundreds of buyers backed with billions of dollars of budgets — in fact, one of the investors is Motorola, which is an $18 billion company focused on public safety,” Edgybees cofounder and CEO Adam Kaplan told me. “There are many fire, police, and other agencies going to DJI to purchase tens of thousands of drones because they are seeing a major change in the efficacy of their missions with aerial footage. We are taking what is possible and multiplying its value with AR overlays, and we’re already seeing our first users value this at a sale price that makes this a very large market.” The company does not see itself as a drone-based business, however.
“We are first and foremost a technology company and intend to foster an ecosystem of application developers who want to bring AR to other verticals,” Kaplan said. “This includes multiple commercial and end customers in the defense world, broadcasting, oil and gas, automotive OEMs and suppliers, as well as gaming studios.” The round included Motorola Solutions Venture Capital and Verizon Ventures. Venture firms OurCrowd, 8VC, NFX, and Aspect Ventures also participated. Edgybees will use the funding to bring its AR technology to new verticals, including defense, smart cities, automotive, and broadcast media.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
Discover our Briefings.
The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Voice shopping may hit $40 billion by 2022 in the U.S. alone | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/ai/voice-shopping-may-hit-40-billion-by-2022-in-the-u-s-alone"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Voice shopping may hit $40 billion by 2022 in the U.S. alone Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Amazon Echo Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
The voice shopping market is expected to grow from $2 billion today to $40 billion by 2022, according to a new survey of 1,500 owners of smart speaker like Google Home and Amazon Echo in the United States. The survey was conducted by OC&C Strategy Consultants in December 2017 and released today.
AI assistants are spreading to more devices in the home and to environments beyond the home like the car and workplace — so much so that, in the next four years, 55 percent of U.S. households are forecast to have a smart speaker, according to Juniper Research.
Grocery shopping is the most commonly used voice shopping category today, making up 20 percent of shopping among survey respondents. That’s not a complete surprise when you consider more than 50 percent of Amazon Echo speakers are used in the kitchen. Grocery is followed by entertainment (19 percent), electronics (17 percent), and clothing (8 percent).
A survey by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners last month found that Amazon has 69 percent of the U.S. smart speaker market, while Google brings in 31 percent. Though Amazon continued to outsell Google in the latter half of the year, Google did gain some ground as Home sales surged during the holiday season.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! Google announced it’s sold millions of smart speakers in recent months, while Amazon said “tens of millions” of Alexa-enabled devices were sold and the Echo Dot was the best-selling product from any manufacturer in any category across all of Amazon this holiday season.
Players entering the smart speaker market this year include Apple, whose HomePod hit store shelves earlier this month ; Samsung, which plans to release a smart speaker with Bixby inside in the second half of 2018 ; and potentially Facebook, which unnamed sources said plans to release a video chat device with voice control at F8 in May. Microsoft’s Cortana is also expected to make its way into additional devices this year following the release of the Harman Kardon Invoke in October.
Both Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant can make recommendations for voice shoppers today. These recommendations, like the kind Alexa draws from Amazon’s Choice products, will become even more important, the study says, since 85 percent of consumers pick the product Amazon suggests.
While Amazon draws from its marketplace, Google Assistant connects with Google Express, a service made available in the past year to get products from major retailers like Walmart, Home Depot, and Costco.
Amazon is reportedly in talks with brands like Procter & Gamble and Clorox to promote their products to Alexa users.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
Discover our Briefings.
The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"The predictive powers of AI could make human forecasters obsolete | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/ai/the-predictive-powers-of-ai-could-make-human-forecasters-obsolete"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Guest The predictive powers of AI could make human forecasters obsolete Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
Thousands of years ago, oracles read the future through divine inspiration. Today, we’ve still got Oracle making predictions (along with many other forward-thinking tech firms), but it uses something a little more grounded. Artificial intelligence and its capacity to assess approaching events are pretty awe-inspiring even without the supernatural flair.
Many industries are looking to artificially intelligent software to help make predictions on everything from a customer’s buying decisions to which medical treatments will be most effective for a sick patient. Though we live in a world that still depends on the educated guesses of experts, it is becoming increasingly clear that next generation of prognosticators will be more silicon-based than carbon-based.
AI is a prediction technology at its very essence. With the ability to evaluate data exponentially faster than any person, machine learning programs can assess patterns, make connections, and test hypotheses in less time than it takes their human equivalent to pour a cup of coffee. Thanks to its advanced capabilities, AI’s predictions are already taking shape, with strong implications for retail, health care, and the way we understand the world around us.
Retail Retailers are going all-in on predictive software, with an eye on better serving their customers’ needs even before they manifest themselves. While the oft-repeated story about Target’s marketing software revealing a teenage girl’s pregnancy based on her buying patterns turned out to be a myth, that kind of foresight is not completely out of the realm of possibility for retailers, given enormous leaps in machine learning capabilities.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! In an IBM survey, 91 percent of retail executives said that AI is set to disrupt their industry.
There’s no reason to believe they’re wrong, either. In a field that rewards efficiency and ingenuity, smart computing offers both in a rapidly improving package.
Amazon trademarked predictive stocking all the way back in 2014 (an eon in software development time). We haven’t yet seen it come to life, but Amazon technology like Dash buttons is part of the data-collecting process that will one day make it a reality. Today, you press a button to tell Amazon when you need detergent, razors, or cat food. Tomorrow, the data gleaned from those button presses will get those goods to you before you even realize you need them. Creepy? Maybe. But our AI-inflected future will be so full of this kind of interaction that those uneasy feelings are unlikely to last.
Health care While the consumer front is undergoing its own AI revolution, there’s a parallel one happening in the health care field. While big-picture changes usually come more slowly in medicine due to entrenched hospitals and insurers and the necessary diligence required when dealing with a person’s well-being, the potential to improve and save ever more lives ought to make AI a priority for decision makers as it develops.
Advanced software has already been able to predict heart attacks and strokes better than traditional methods and create end-of-life treatment paths to better alleviate symptoms of long-suffering terminal patients. It’s not always pretty, but when AI can make life-or-death decisions more assured, there’s no question it’s worth pursuing.
Predictive AI can even stem health problems on the largest scale, allowing scientists to halt highly contagious diseases before they go global. A team of researchers from the University of Georgia, Massey University, and the University of California was able to use AI to model potential hot spots for outbreaks by monitoring the movements of likely disease vectors in bats. The next epidemic may be over before it ever takes root, thanks to a healthy dose of AI.
Meteorology If there’s one field that stands to make a quantum leap forward with AI, it’s the millennia-old practice of weather forecasting. Ever since ancient Babylonians looked to the clouds to determine what was coming next, we’ve struggled to accurately and consistently make reliable weather predictions. Computer modeling represented a major step in the process, and AI looks poised to make another leap.
In 2016, researchers were able to identify complex atmospheric phenomena , formerly something that could only be accomplished by teams of human experts, through AI software. Artificial intelligence’s power here is in its ability to assess information at a scale far beyond what even the brightest scientists are capable of. We can now analyze patterns in air pressure by the petabyte, meaning weather-prediction models can lean on the entirety of weather-observation history to make predictions.
The same software currently used to identify images and language can do the same for weather, and while it might not yet be able to predict when hurricanes will arise , it can rapidly model and forecast scenarios for their growth and movement, potentially saving lives in the process.
These are just a few illustrative examples, but globally, we can expect massive changes in how we look at driving, law enforcement , and even human interaction itself , arising from the prediction power of AI. For any of us hoping to look into a machine learning crystal ball to see the future, that may be impossible for now. But the coming years are sure to usher in a new level of predictive power in spaces that we encounter every day as consumers. Whatever mystical powers the ancient oracles may have had, they definitely didn’t see this coming.
Bennat Berger is the cofounder and principal of Novel Property Ventures in New York City.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Salesforce Einstein now powers over 1 billion AI predictions per day | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/ai/salesforce-einstein-now-powers-over-1-billion-ai-predictions-per-day"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Salesforce Einstein now powers over 1 billion AI predictions per day Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
Salesforce announced today that the company is now delivering more than 1 billion AI-driven predictions to its customers every day. Those predictions are powered by the company’s Einstein-branded capabilities, which include sales and service forecasting.
It’s a major milestone for both Salesforce and Einstein, showing the potential of artificial intelligence’s interaction with business users and the appetite for intelligent predictions based on business data. Salesforce launched the platform in the fall of 2016 with a great deal of fanfare from CEO Marc Benioff. Since then, the company has been building on its AI offerings.
What’s not clear from this announcement is how distributed these predictions are across Salesforce’s user base. A spokesperson for the company refused to answer questions about how many customers are using Einstein, or roughly how broadly it’s being used. Einstein features can cost extra to implement above a company’s existing subscription to Salesforce’s software-as-a-service offerings, which can stymie adoption.
Even without that clarity, this is good news for Salesforce as it vies with a host of other companies to dominate the business software market. AI fever has gripped the field of enterprise SaaS, with companies like Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP all touting their own AI capabilities, with varying degrees of maturity. To compete, Salesforce unveiled a series of major improvements at its Dreamforce conference last year, such as the ability to create custom predictions.
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"Lyft opens its first European hub to develop autonomous car tech | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/transportation/lyft-opens-its-first-hub-in-europe-will-focus-on-developing-autonomous-driving-tech"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Lyft opens its first European hub to develop autonomous car tech Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
Learn more.
Lyft, Uber’s main U.S. rival, has announced its first official expansion into Europe with the opening of an office in Munich, Germany.
The move doesn’t signal an imminent launch of Lyft’s core ride-hailing service across the Atlantic, however. The company said that the hub’s main focus will be self-driving vehicles, with a “talented group of new colleagues” working on simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) for level 5 autonomous cars — or vehicles with full driverless autonomy.
This team will “build the layer of software that helps our self-driving cars know precisely where they are and what’s around them,” the company said in a blog post.
Why Munich? Munich may seem a random location, but digging into the company’s recent history reveals why it may have chosen the southern German city for its first foray into Europe.
Way back in 2016, General Motors plowed $500 million into Lyft as part of a $1 billion investment, while also revealing plans to build self-driving cars. Last summer, Lyft announced its own self-driving car division before unveiling further plans with Ford to get autonomous vehicles onto roads by 2021.
So it’s clear Lyft has been ramping up its partnerships to keep apace with rivals such as Uber in the autonomous vehicle space. Earlier this month at CES, Lyft and self-driving car tech startup Aptiv launched a passenger pickup service in Las Vegas that involved eight BMW 5-Series vehicles. And BMW is headquartered in Munich, where it announced a new autonomous driving development center last year.
It’s not entirely clear whether this is why Lyft chose Munich for its European self-driving car hub, but Munich certainly offers close proximity to a major automotive company that is known to be investing heavily in self-driving cars and which only a few weeks ago displayed a close alliance with Lyft in Las Vegas. Munich is also a major university city, which would make it easier to recruit talent.
Lyft has now raised more than $4 billion in funding, including a $1 billion round a few months ago led by Alphabet’s CapitalG. And Lyft announced its first international expansion in November , starting with Toronto, Canada.
Lyft also met with London transport officials last year, so a broader global rollout of its core service is likely a case of sooner rather than later.
For now, however, Lyft’s first official presence outside of North America is all about building cars that can drive themselves.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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"3 modest predictions for transportation technology in 2018 | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/transportation/3-modest-predictions-transportation-technology-in-2018"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Guest 3 modest predictions for transportation technology in 2018 Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
You practically have to predict the future to successfully build or make investments in startups. As a founder of Clearcover, a car insurance technology startup, and in my prior role as a venture capitalist at American Family Insurance, I’ve spent a lot of time making predictions about the future of transportation, mostly as it relates to technology and insurance.
There’s just one problem: Forecasters, myself included, almost always get predictions wrong.
You see, an accurate prediction requires two things. The first is knowing the potential outcomes you can predict, and the second is knowing the probability that any specific outcome will occur. Most forecasters focus on the second item at the expense of the first. In other words, we spend too much time predicting the likelihood of things we already know, and not enough time exploring possibilities we haven’t yet considered.
So, while it’s fun to make flashy, specific predictions for the new year, my 2018 predictions focus on things that are intentionally broad. That means you aren’t likely to find these predictions to be true or false at the end of the year. Rather, they should foster discussion around what might be true or false (or some of both), so we can all learn a little more about what’s possible.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! Prediction 1: We’re nearing the top of the transportation hype cycle Autonomous vehicles (AVs), the end of car ownership, and new forms of transportation (like Hyperloop or Uber’s drone fleet ) are buzzy topics. But, while the long-term impact of these advances is inevitable, the transition period will be messy — and many predictions overlook that messiness. In other words, we should temper optimism with pragmatism.
My team believes adoption rates are a function of three factors: technology, regulation, and behavioral impact. And while technology will likely progress faster than most people think — it almost always does — regulation will contribute to the messy part of adoption, at least at first. For example, despite the recent legislative support of AVs, bureaucratic slowdowns have begun, and we’ll start to see even more as the debate around new modes of transportation becomes more politically charged. (We’ll touch on behavioral impact in the next prediction.) The sheer amount of positive technology-related commentary is also likely skewing projections of adoption rates (see: availability heuristic ). To play devil’s advocate, here’s a potentially surprising fact for people predicting the rapid demise of the current transportation paradigm: Personal car ownership rates are rising.
This means even with amazing growth from services like Uber and Lyft — companies that have earned a prominent role in the transportation economy — a growing number of Americans still want to own a car. And while this trend won’t last forever, it may slow a major transition in the use of shared vehicles.
Prediction 2: We’ll discover new pockets of resistance and new use cases Autonomous vehicles will make roads safer. That reason alone supports widespread adoption. However, the relationship between intelligent, autonomous vehicles and humans will be exceedingly complex, and resistance will come from a variety of places. That said, new or niche use cases will likely emerge to battle this resistance.
Some resistance may be systemic. For example, many people factor cost barriers into their AV adoption rate predictions, but most are looking at incremental price increases due to adding autonomous functionality to vehicles. And yes, that cost is high, but it’s also coming down. However, fewer people are looking at other economic considerations, like the size of the purchase decision (cost relative to income). As you can see in this chart , while technology adoption rates have accelerated significantly over time, few recent innovations have represented as large a portion of household income as a car (other than the “V1” car). This friction in turning over an asset like a car is also reflected in ownership trends — today, consumers are holding onto their cars for longer than ever.
We may also be underestimating natural behavioral responses to AVs. For instance, there’s still much to learn about whether AV-powered car services/fleets — despite economic benefits — will influence ownership preferences. Given people’s relationship with cars, we probably won’t face entirely rational economic decision-making when it comes to trading in driveable vehicles for good. However, new use cases, like improved mobility for the elderly or disabled, can change these behavioral arguments dramatically. Put another way, things like freedom to drive and ancillary ownership benefits have little influence when they didn’t exist to begin with.
Prediction 3: Insurance will follow the car Innovation in insurance (yes, it exists) will follow the transportation evolution. The largest five P&C insurers sell over $100 billion in car insurance every year, so you know they’ll be paying attention to how changes in risk affect their strategies.
Insurance companies, large and small, will be monitoring the growing likelihood of “ black swan ” events. Excluding catastrophe modelings, historically, car insurance pricing considers accidents to be (mostly) independent events, meaning that the cause of an accident in Reno isn’t connected to an accident in Boston. However, in a world of networked vehicles, this assumption changes. When a single hacking incident might cause hundreds or thousands of losses simultaneously, new ways of measuring and transferring risk will be required.
Another area to watch is the relationship between computers (AV) and human drivers. While lots of people are thinking about insuring AVs and/or humans separately, my team believes it’s more important to develop protection for trips where driving responsibility is dynamically exchanged between the person and the car. We call this a Complex Adaptive Responsibility model — since each entity learns independently, understanding the whole system requires more than simply looking at its individual parts.
Insurance companies that thrive won’t necessarily be the companies that start the earliest — there’s still too much uncertainty on what the future holds. Instead, the winners will be the companies that can adapt their organizations most quickly to capitalize on new realities as they become clear.
2018 holds promise, potential, and more predictions While no one really knows what the year ahead will bring, it is certain to be exciting. Every small experiment will get us a little closer to the next reality, and I’m excited for the experimentation to continue. If you have thoughts on what I missed, where I was right or where I am dead wrong, please join the conversation.
Kyle Nakatsuji is CEO of Clearcover, a car insurance company.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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"Facebook's user engagement dips on News Feed tweaks, WhatsApp passes 1.5 billion monthly users | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/social/facebooks-user-engagement-dips-on-news-feed-tweaks-whatsapp-passes-1-5-billion-monthly-users"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Facebook’s user engagement dips on News Feed tweaks, WhatsApp passes 1.5 billion monthly users Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
Learn more.
( Reuters ) — Facebook said on Wednesday that time spent on the social network fell at the end of last year by about 50 million hours a day, even before the company made changes to its flagship News Feed that may further reduce user engagement.
On the Q4 2017 earnings call, Mark Zuckerberg announced that WhatsApp passed 1.5 billion monthly active users and sees 60 billion messages sent per day.
Shares of the company were down 4.1 percent at $179.25 after the bell.
Facebook’s 1.40 billion daily active users was up 14 percent from a year earlier, but below analysts’ estimate of 1.41 billion for the fourth quarter, according to financial data and analytics firm FactSet. The number of daily users in the United States and Canada actually fell to 184 million from 185 million a quarter earlier.
Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said in a statement that the reduction in time spent during the quarter reflected changes to show fewer viral videos “to make sure people’s time is well spent.” The 50 million fewer hours per day was compared with the prior quarter and excludes engagement on Facebook’s Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp products, the company said.
“I think that the reduction of 50 million hours per day is spooking investors. That comes out to 2 minutes per day in lower engagement,” Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter said.
Facebook, founded in a college dormitory in 2004, has become one of the world’s most valuable corporations by selling internet ads that it puts in front of people on Facebook and on its Instagram unit.
Facebook shares were up 43 percent during the past year as of Tuesday’s close. The S&P 500 Index .SPX rose 24 percent during the same period.
Zuckerberg, though, this month described Facebook as being at a crossroads, as the world’s largest social media network seeks to stem the spread of disinformation in elections and in daily life.
Facebook sent a tremor through U.S. politics last year when it said that Russian agents used Facebook to try to sway American voters from 2015 to 2017, an allegation that Moscow denies. Facebook said 126 million Americans may have seen Russian-backed political ads and posts.
Plans to shake up the News Feed, Facebook’s centerpiece product, to prioritize posts from friends and tamp down sensational media threaten to cut customer engagement, Zuckerberg has warned.
The News Feed changes came too recently to affect results for the quarter ended Dec. 31. Going forward, though, they could be a positive for the company if Facebook becomes more enjoyable and a better place to advertise, analysts from Deutsche Bank said in a research note on Sunday.
“Users could see brands and advertisements even more closely aligned with their needs and desires at a given time… potentially making for greater ad performance and thus justification for higher prices for Facebook ads,” Deutsche Bank said.
Facebook does not give revenue guidance, though it does project expenses and said in November that expenses would likely grow 45 percent to 60 percent during 2018. The spending spree includes new warehouses full of servers and thousands of new workers to review content posted by users.
Net income attributable to Facebook shareholders rose to $4.27 billion, or $1.44 per share, in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31 from $3.56 billion, or $1.21 per share, a year earlier.
Excluding a tax provision, the company earned $2.21 per share, topping analysts’ estimates of $1.95, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Facebook said it increased its provision for 2017 income taxes by $2.27 billion, citing U.S. tax changes.
Total revenue rose 47 percent to $12.97 billion, while full-year revenue was also up 47 percent at $40.65 billion.
Total advertising revenue was $12.78 billion, compared with analysts’ estimate of $12.30 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Mobile ad revenue accounted for 89 percent of the total ad sales, up from 84 percent a year earlier.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"What Israel’s cybersecurity landscape foreshadows for 2018 | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/security/what-israels-cybersecurity-landscape-foreshadows-for-2018"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Guest What Israel’s cybersecurity landscape foreshadows for 2018 Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
In recent years, global-scale cyber-attacks have become more frequent and hackers continue to discover new attack vectors in existing and evolving domains, forcing cybersecurity vendors to constantly reinvent solutions in this cat-and-mouse game. At the same time, the “traditional” enterprise network is expanding and becoming increasingly complex, undefined and diffuse, as the enterprise perimeter moves into the cloud. These unique dynamics, which keep the market in an ongoing explosive phase, are catalysts for cybersecurity-related innovation and result in attractiveness for investments and M&A deals.
The fast pace of change also makes the Chief Information Security Officer’s job quite challenging. CISOs address endless alerts aggregated on multiple monitoring screens while simultaneously investigating and responding to the significant ones. To stay ahead, they need tools that grant more visibility. They also need orchestration, automation, and consolidation solutions, preferably from as few different vendors as possible (“one-stop shop”).
To get a grasp of the security landscape in 2018, we looked at the Israeli cybersecurity ecosystem, which is considered a global leader in the field. We created an infographic map of the Israeli cybersecurity landscape that highlights the main industry categories, startups, public companies, and M&As. After many hours of analysis and numerous validation calls, over 500 companies were reduced to the 199 included on the map. It is important to note that we excluded companies specializing in offensive cybersecurity and security services. To qualify, companies must have raised at least $1 million in funding or generated at least $100,000 in annual revenues. Companies who offer more than one product were classified by either their core product/main offering or the target they are protecting.
Funding and exit trends According to IVC-Meitar’s fundraising and exit report for 2017 , there is a clear decline in both the number of financing deals and the amount raised compared to 2016 and 2015. On the M&A side, the market set a record in total exit volume in 2017, while the number of exits decreased dramatically. In theory, that means larger amounts per exit. However, after taking a deeper look at the numbers it turns out that in practice, if you exclude outlier exits such as Argus Cybersecurity ($430 million), Skycure ($275 million), and FireGlass ($250 million) in 2017, and Cloudlock ($293 million) in 2016, the average exit size of cybersecurity companies in the past two years is less than $80 million. Although most of the exits have generated great returns, that might explain why there is a decline in investments, and why the local cybersecurity market in its current state is not attractive enough for large venture capital funds that generally seek over $500 million exits.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! Above: Israeli cybersecurity landscape, as of January 2018 Security categories and product trends Today’s complex enterprise environment creates a high degree of overlap between the security categories. Therefore, we redefined the “traditional” enterprise perimeter to include solutions that not only overlap with the perimeter but can also “extend” it (e.g. containers and serverless security). Vertical-focused categories such as automotive, industrial, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were placed outside of the perimeter. In addition, while it is common to treat “deception” as a standalone category, we perceive it as a technology enabler/approach rather than a core product, since the goal is endpoint or network protection. For that reason, we decided to add another dimension to our map and highlight companies who use deception with a special purple “mask” icon.
Another category that is making its first appearance in 2018 is Gartner’s SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response).
Through the research process we uncovered several new cybersecurity findings: Being a “single-feature” company is no longer sufficient.
CISOs are looking for a one-stop-shop vendor. From an investment perspective, being a niche or “single feature” company is just not enough.
Security integration and orchestration should be considered key criteria of any new technology investment since the product’s ability to integrate and orchestrate with other products in the target environment is elementary.
There is a shift away from AI-based solutions , which suffer from high false-positive rates and indeterminate results, to a whitelisting-based approach, which is more accurate, non-statistical, and in most cases enhances protection.
Budgets and venture capital investments are shifting in emphasis from prevention solutions to incident investigation and response to overcome the cyber-talent shortage in Security Operations Centers (SOCs) and enable quick and effective responses.
Emerging new technologies and frameworks, such as serverless and docker/containers, are quickly being adopted , driving tailor-made cybersecurity solutions that operate on a micro-service level.
Industrial Control System (ICS) security has experienced a recent increase in demand , but in terms of market adoption, there is a long way to go, probably due to the conservative nature of the customers.
A new domain, healthcare security, is on the rise , driven by the recent WannaCry attack, which shut down the UK National Healthcare Service (NHS), as well as by increased demand for Electronic Medical Records (EMR) on the DarkNet.
The area of automotive security is seeing divergent trends.
Solutions deployed outside the vehicles’ network are gaining momentum (e.g. cloud-based solutions for fleet protection), but in-vehicle security adoption is relatively slow, perhaps because the industry is awaiting regulation — and because OEMs are taking the time to assess different solutions, trying to find the best fit.
Many companies use buzzwords to make their value proposition more appealing , but it seems to create more confusion than clarity. Our advice is, be accurate, coherent, and concise.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will raise the stakes for companies who suffer from cyber breaches causing privacy-related data loss. Those who experience these breaches or fail to meet GDPR requirements could face serious fines. To prepare, companies’ cybersecurity budgets are expected to increase.
These trends, which we see clearly in the Israeli cybersecurity landscape, are very likely global as well, since they map to the redefining of the traditional enterprise security perimeter. Overall, the landscape provides a good look at what types of solutions and solution categories currently define the market and where the blue and red oceans are as we go into 2018.
Nir Donitza is Senior Manager of Business Development and Partnering at Deutsche Telekom.
Gal Ringel is Investment Manager at Verizon Ventures.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Cisco Talos warns about malicious cryptocurrency mining attacks | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/security/cisco-talos-warns-about-malicious-cryptocurrency-mining-attacks"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Cisco Talos warns about malicious cryptocurrency mining attacks Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Cisco's Talos division is warning about cyrptocurrency mining malicious software.
Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
Malicious hackers are infecting unsuspecting users’ computers with code that commandeers the devices for cryptocurrency mining.
Cisco Talos , a threat intelligence group owned by networking giant Cisco, issued a report today that documents how victims’ computers are being hijacked to enrich the attackers through cryptocurrency mining, which takes a lot of computing power.
Cisco Talos has observed botnets consisting of millions of infected systems, which could in theory be leveraged to generate more than $100 million per year. And as long as users are clueless, that would turn into recurring revenue for the cryptocurrency thieves.
The report shows how quickly the threats from hackers are evolving. A couple of years ago, hackers used the anonymity of Bitcoin to launch ransomware attacks that couldn’t be easily traced. Now that cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin have exploded in value, these hackers are switching tactics again to make money from the exponential growth.
“Over the past several months, Talos has observed a marked increase in the volume of cryptocurrency mining software being maliciously delivered to victims,” the report said.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! Above: Cryptocurrency In the new offensive, the attackers are no longer penalizing victims for opening an attachment or running a malicious script by taking systems hostage and demanding a ransom. Now attackers are actively leveraging the resources of infected systems for cryptocurrency mining. Cryptocurrency has a value that can be unlocked through mining, or solving large mathematical calculations to discover keys that unlock an additional unit of the currency. Users can employ pools of high-powered computers to mine for the currency.
In these cases, the better the performance and computing power of the targeted system, the better for the attacker from a revenue-generation perspective, the report said. Internet of things (IoT) devices — which make everyday objects smart and connected — aren’t directly monitored by users. But they’re useful for attackers to hijack precisely because they have processing power that users don’t monitor.
The power of each IoT device is weak, but the number of exposed devices that are vulnerable can add up to a lot of collective processing power, and the cyber criminals are trying to marshal those resources.
Cisco Talos estimates that an average system would generate about 28 cents of Monero, an untraceable cryptocurrency, each day. If you had to buy a $3,000 computer to do that mining, it would be a long time before you paid off the investment. Electricity costs are also not trivial. But a hacker who has enlisted 2,000 victims through a phishing scheme could get essentially steal the computing time of the users to solve about 125 hashes per second per machine. Those 2,000 victims’ computers could generate $568 per day, or $204,400 per year.
The attackers can proceed with minimal effort, following the initial infection. More importantly, with little chance of being detected, this revenue stream can continue for a long time. Add to this the fact that cryptocurrency values are going up at an exponential rate, and you can see how the scheme pays off. Monero itself saw a 3,000 percent increase in the past 12 months, from $13 in January 2017 to $300 now. Bitcoin’s value was halved in the past month , but it is still valued at $10,945, compared to $930 at the beginning of 2017.
The main problem is that users may not notice the theft of computing time. If someone stole your credit card number, you would notice the unauthorized purchases piling up, but in this scenario you may be none the wiser.
Above: Bitcoin / Cryptocurrency “Attackers are not stealing anything more than computing power from their victims, and the mining software isn’t technically malware. So, theoretically, the victims could remain part of the adversary’s botnet for as long as the attacker chooses,” the report said.
While ransomware exploded due to anonymous collection techniques, only a small percentage of infected users actually paid the ransoms demanded by attackers, the report said. And cybersecurity software has gotten better at detecting and blocking the attacks. Bitcoin mining has been going on since 2009, but it is getting progressively harder, requiring more hardware to yield currency rewards.
“Currently, the most valuable currency to mine with standard systems is Monero (XMR), and adversaries have done their research,” the report said. “In addition, Monero is extremely privacy-conscious, and as governments have started to scrutinize Bitcoin more closely, Monero and other coins with heavy emphasis on privacy may become a safe haven for threat actors.” The hijacking of a pool of computers is similar to what happens with Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, where 100,000 machines flooding a target with bogus traffic becomes much more effective than a single system sending bogus traffic, the report said.
Pool-based mining is coordinated through the use of Worker IDs. These IDs are what tie an individual system to a larger pool and ensure that any mined coin associated with a particular Worker ID is delivered to the correct user. These Worker IDs have allowed Cisco Talos to determine the size and scale of some of the malicious operations, as well as providing an idea of the amount of revenue adversaries are generating.
Above: Monero and Bitcoin tokens To hide their tracks, attackers can limit their usage of a CPU to prevent users from noticing. They can also use the computer when it goes into sleep mode and isn’t being used by its owner. Cisco Talos has witnessed both Chinese and Russian criminal groups discussing the use of crypto mining, with the first observed Chinese actors talking about mining botnets in November 2016.
“From a Russian underground perspective, there has been significant movement related to mining in the last six months,” the report said. “There have been numerous discussions and several offerings on top-tier Russian hacking forums. The discussions have been split, with the majority of the discussion around the sale of access to mining bots, as well as bot developers looking to buy access to compromised hosts for the intended purpose of leveraging them for crypto mining.” One of the things the groups liked about this system was that it doesn’t require command and control attention. It’s a hands-off infection that generates consistent revenue until it is removed.
The attackers infect machines in a variety of ways, including email spam campaigns, exploit kits, and directly via exploitation. When users open emailed attachments, such as Word documents, they inadvertently download a malicious macro or compressed executable that initiates the mining infection.
Cisco Talos found a large number of enterprise users running miners on their systems for personal gain, most likely without the support of their employers. As a result, each enterprise has to figure out how to deal with miners, and whether they should be judged as malware.
“Cryptocurrency miner payloads could be among some of the easiest money makers available for attackers,” the report said. “This is not to try to encourage the attackers, of course, but the reality is that this approach is very effective at generating long-term passive revenue for attackers.” Above: Bitcoin The report concluded, “The number of ways adversaries are delivering miners to end users is staggering. It is reminiscent of the explosion of ransomware we saw several years ago. This is indicative of a major shift in the types of payloads adversaries are trying to deliver. It helps show that the effectiveness of ransomware as a payload is limited. It will always be effective to ransom specific organizations or to use in targeted attacks, but as a payload to compromise random victims its reach definitely has limits. At some point, the pool of potential victims becomes too small to generate the revenue expected.” By contrast, the report noted that “crypto miners may well be the new payload of choice for adversaries. It has been and will always be about money, and crypto mining is an effective way to generate revenue. It’s not going to generate large sums of money for each individual system, but when you group together hundreds or thousands of systems it can be extremely profitable. It’s also a more covert threat than ransomware. A user is far less likely to know a malicious miner is installed on the system, [even if there is] some occasional slowdown. This increases the time a system is infected and generating revenue.” The Cisco Talos post was written by Nick Biasini, Edmund Brumaghin, Warren Mercer, and Josh Reynolds, with contributions from Azim Khodijbaev and David Liebenberg.
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"It Lurks Below mixes David Brevik's Diablo with Terraria's sandbox | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/pc-gaming/it-lurks-below-mixes-david-breviks-diablo-with-terrarias-sandbox"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages It Lurks Below mixes David Brevik’s Diablo with Terraria’s sandbox Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Diablo creator David Brevik is finally ready to show off what he’s been working on for two years at his indie studio Graybeard Games. It Lurks Below is a sandbox game that takes its cue from Re-Logic’s Terraria in both gameplay and style. Two hundred players will have access to its closed beta from Friday to Monday evening, and Brevik plans to livestream himself playing the game at various times this weekend on his Twitch channel.
Graybeard hasn’t released much about It Lurks Below. It mashes up gameplay from Terraria alongside Diablo mechanics. Screenshots feature a retro pixel art aesthetic with characters wielding guns, defending homesteads, and fighting monsters in gold-studded mines.
Brevik created the iconic action role-playing game Diablo at his studio, Condor, which eventually became a part of Blizzard Entertainment and adopted the name Blizzard North. The game was hugely successful when it launched in 1996, selling over 2.5 million copies and popularizing the real-time action RPG genre. It eventually spawned two sequels — Diablo II and Diablo III, which has sold over 30 million copies in its lifetime.
Since Brevik’s early days at Blizzard North, he’s founded and joined other companies including Gazillion Entertainment. He went independent in January 2016 and founded Graybeard. His story seems to follow the trend of triple-A talent taking the plunge into indie games.
Graybeard is a solo effort, and Brevik says that it’s challenging but rewarding.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! “It’s humbling going from large teams making content based on huge properties like Marvel to a one-man team with a brand new idea no one has heard of yet — but I’m loving every minute of the process,” said Brevik in a statement. “It’s all very exciting … and a little bit scary, too. I’ve always been a huge proponent of community involvement in game creation, and I heartily welcome all feedback from players and Twitch-stream viewers — anything that can make It Lurks Below the best it can possibly be.” Terraria released in 2011 for PC, though it has rolled out to iOS, Android, and a plethora of other consoles since then. It’s sold over 20 million copies and inspired other games besides It Lurks Below, such as Chucklefish’s sci-fi sandbox title Starbound.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
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"Hacktag's colorful take on co-op stealth sneaks out of Early Access on February 14 | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/pc-gaming/hacktags-colorful-take-on-co-op-stealth-sneaks-out-of-early-access-on-february-14"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Hacktag’s colorful take on co-op stealth sneaks out of Early Access on February 14 Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Piece of Cake Studios tested its debut game, Hacktag, on Steam Early Access last June. It’s a stealth co-op title about infiltrating big corporations and stealing their data, and it enters its full release state February 14 for PC.
Unlike other stealth games, which favor more military tactics or espionage, Piece of Cake opted for a colorful aesthetic , featuring friendly anthropomorphic animals and bright colors. Two players split up the roles of field agent and hacker, and both have to work together to crack codes, solve puzzles, and sneak past security to steal data. Online and local multiplayer are available, and a story mode takes players through three different corporations that parody real-world companies like Google. It focuses on puzzles, but players can also choose what to do with the data they obtain — whether they want to be a whistleblower or mercenary.
Hacktag has asymmetrical play, though both the field agent and hacker roles have analogous challenges. Where the field agent has to avoid patrolling guards, for instance, the hacker has to avoid getting caught in a firewall. Piece of Cake’s cofounder Bérenger Dupré says that the studio also wanted each player to have a unique story experience as well, even if they’re playing together.
“As the game is two-player co-op, each player will follow his own story and that’s why he or she will have unique NPCs,” said Dupré in an email to GamesBeat. “For instance, a player may have to do a mission from his dad, while for another player it will be from his ex-boss, etc. As it is a multiplayer game we wanted to have several stories to ensure that players that play randomly together wouldn’t have experienced exactly the same story, so they each feel more unique as a character. ” Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! Though the core gameplay is co-op, the studio has added a single-player mode because of player feedback.
“Thanks to the feedback from our Early Access community, we have completely changed the interface and the reward and progression system,” said Dupré. “But the biggest new additions are new mission types and the solo mode where one player switches back and forth to handle both the Agent and Hacker roles. We had been playing with the idea of a solo mode for a long time, but it probably wouldn’t have been possible if we had not decided to enter Early Access.” Piece of Cake also intends to continue updating the game after release. The study has created a system that will enable them to update the game with seasonal content. And though the initial release is only for PC, Dupré says the studio’s got its eyes on consoles as well — specifically, the Nintendo Switch, which would be a good fit for the multiplayer gameplay. However, at this time, Hacktag doesn’t have any definite plans for console release.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
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"Golem Gates fuses real-time strategy and collectible card game | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/pc-gaming/golem-gates-fuses-real-time-strategy-and-collectible-card-game"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Golem Gates fuses real-time strategy and collectible card game Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Laser Guided Games and Hollow Earth are launching the first episode of Golem Gates , a hybrid game that combines real-time strategy combat and collectible card battlers like Hearthstone or Magic: The Gathering.
The release on Steam is the first part of a single-player campaign, which they’ll publish later. The teams at Laser Guided Games include industry veterans from Epic Games, while Hollow Earth was responsible for character design in the Marvel films Spider-Man Homecoming , Iron Man , and the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War.
It’s $20 in Steam Early Access, and it should come out as a full release in March.
Golem Gates is a dark fantasy RTS and CCG, and the first episode, dubbed Book I, is available today as a free update on Steam. It has 100 collectible cards (known as Glyphs) for combat units, buildings, traps, buffs, debuffs, and techs.
Above: Golem Gates is a mystery in five episodes.
The story begins with a mysterious voice, calling from the darkness. The Harbinger is an outcast in this forsaken world, and its goal is to find the monolithic Golem Gates, which aid the enemy, and destroy them to be redeemed. The episode teaches the player to wield the power of The Harbinger to manipulate and command nanites from The Ash. Over the course of five episodes, you’ll follow this mystery about the golem’s long-lost creators.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! “We’re thrilled to introduce players to the The Harbinger, the protagonist of the game, and the Golem Gates themselves, the ominous giant structures that protect the enemy,” said Hollow Earth head Josh Nizzi, in a statement. “We can’t wait for players to dive deeper into the dark and dangerous world of Golem Gates.” Through Steam Early Access, players can take their decks online in various competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes and experience the beginnings of Golem Gate’s story ahead of launch. Today’s update also adds a new Trials Mode for a series of diverse challenges.
Above: Golem Gates fuses RTS and CCG gameplay.
“With the introduction of the Golem Gates single-player campaign, players can now further immerse themselves in its arcane setting,” said Laser Guided Games’ Matt Oelfke, founder and lead developer, in a statement. “Our Early Access players enjoying Golem Gates’ multiplayer side couldn’t get enough of the world we created, so we’ve expanded our scope to deliver even more single-player content than originally planned. Book I is just the beginning, and we can’t wait to hear what fans think.” Golem Gates is a collaborative project developed by Laser Guided Games and Hollow Earth. The Laser Guided Games team has worked on titles such as Gears of War and Unreal Tournament, while Hollow Earth focuses on art design and story development. Hollow Earth’s Nizzi was also involved in games such as Red Faction and MechAssault 2.
Laser Guided Games is self-funded and it has four employees.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
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"Bungie reveals Destiny 2 development roadmap as fans grow restless | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/pc-gaming/bungie-reveals-destiny-2-development-roadmap-as-fans-grow-restless"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Bungie reveals Destiny 2 development roadmap as fans grow restless Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn This is fine.
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Interest in Destiny 2 isn’t as high as it was after its September launch as fans ask for more content and communication from the developer.
Developer Bungie is working to revive that lost excitement, and it posted a blog to show players what they can expect from the sci-fi cooperative shooter through May and the start of its Season 3 content.
In the blog, Destiny 2 director Christopher Barrett talked about this week’s content update. The studio just rolled a number of new features into the live game, and those include improvements to raid rewards and Heroic Strikes. But these tweaks are only the start of Bungie’s process.
“A few weeks ago, we published a dev update with some details about our plans for Destiny 2,” wrote Barrett. “With the first of those downloads out the door, we’re following up on the conversation with a clearer outlook on when more features and content will arrive in the game.” And here is that clearer look: Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! These aren’t potential ideas. Every single one of these features is in the works, and Bungie has confirmed that they will hit the game at some point in the future.
“Some of these delivery dates may change,” wrote Barrett. “But everything you see listed here is being worked on the by the team. While there are larger projects in development, these are the game enhancements you’ll find in your immediate future. If any of these deployments change, we’ll let you know.” Bungie details what many of these features are and how they will change the game in its dev update from late last year — in case you want to understand more about what this roadmap means.
This increased transparency comes at a time when Bungie needs to get players feeling good about Destiny 2 again. After a hot start and huge sales, players are drifting away as they run out of content. And this is a game that people want to come back to every day to enjoy with their friends.
But if we look at Twitch viewership as one metric of excitement or engagement, Destiny 2 has fallen out of favor. You can see in the chart below from Twitch-tracking tool Sully Gnome, Destiny 2 has had a steady decline for months: Above: Destiny 2 viewership numbers.
Over the last week, Destiny was the 46th most-watched game on Twitch with an average of 1,934 viewers across all channels. That puts it behind Gears of War 4 (2,834), Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege (5,985), and Heroes of the Storm (8,299). Even with yesterday’s update, viewership only climbed to 5,046.
Twitch viewership isn’t everything, of course — and Amazon’s livestreaming service welcomes partnership campaigns that artificially inflate some other games. But this is just one indicator that the large gaming community that watches live broadcasts are losing interesting in Destiny 2. And Bungie is going to have to do something to win them back.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
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"Boomba Cat spins the Roomba kitty meme into a competitive multiplayer game | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/pc-gaming/boomba-cat-spins-the-roomba-kitty-meme-into-a-competitive-multiplayer-game"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Boomba Cat spins the Roomba kitty meme into a competitive multiplayer game Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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This past weekend, thousands of people gathered all over the world to develop games in the span of 48 hours during the annual Global Game Jam.
It’s an event where people drink a lot of coffee, cry while debugging, and come out on the other side with weird, wonderful little projects.
Boomba Cat is one of these — a multiplayer competition to see which Roomba reigns supreme and earns the right to have a cute kitty sitting on top of it. It’s available for PC and can be downloaded from the Global Game Jam website , and the developers are working on releasing a full version.
Four players can play Boomba Cat at once, and each controls a colorful robot in an arena that floats in space. The countdown starts with a minute and 40 seconds on the clock, and the goal is to knock other robots off and fill up a white meter by avoiding damage. Whoever fills up their meter gets a reward — a cat dropping onto their Roomba from the sky with a startled yowl.
While the cat is riding around on their robot, the player continuously earns points. And other players, of course, try to knock them off the platform and earn the cat for themselves. Whoever has the most points wins. It’s delightful, and I had a stupid amount of fun when I played the demo at the Los Angeles Global Game Jam site at the University of Southern California.
Boomba Cat is an effort from 11 people, most of whom met for the first time at the Global Game Jam. Each year, participants are given a theme as a springboard for their games. This year’s was “transmission,” which can mean anything the game jam participants want it to mean. Some folks created games around viruses or picking up radio signals, for instance. Boomba Cat’s team member Ben Mears says that their project gradually evolved from a Marco Polo-type competitive multiplayer game featuring player avatars that looked like hockey pucks. In the initial idea, one player would be blindfolded and have to find the other players on the map based on audio cues and controller vibrations. However, they decided that the gameplay wasn’t engaging enough.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! “We also started to focus on making the player interactions with each other really fun,” said Mears in an email to GamesBeat. “Then someone on the team pointed out that the hockey puck characters looked like those popular vacuum cleaner robots, adding a cat to ride on the bots was the next logical step and then we had our final game concept, then we actually found a reference GIF of two animated cats on a robot vacuum.
” By day, Mears is the games community manager at SideFX, the company that developed the 3D animation software Houdini. During the game jam, he took on the roles of 2D graphic artist, sound effects engineer, and producer. Many of the folks involved tackled various tasks, and some people took it upon themselves to learn new tools like the game engine Unity and Houdini.
“Here’s a quick rundown of what our team members worked on for the most part: Paul did art and programming, Alex did music, Ken did art, Drake did art and producing, Ruben did sound effects, Sara did voice acting — mostly cat noises — Christopher did music, Matt did programming, Shrek did art, Martin did art, and Wyatt did programming and producing,” said Mears. “Teamwork!” This year was Mears’s fifth Global Game Jam, though he’s participated in other events such as Indie Speed Run and MolyJam before. Some of the other team members had participated in Ludum Dare, Nordic Game Jam, and Philly Game Jam — and for others, this was their first time. Mears says that it’s always challenging to develop a game in such a short amount of time, but it’s an exciting undertaking.
“Also, in literally the last hour of the game jam, we ran into a major issue with getting a final build of our game created, but our coders tackled the challenge head-on and figured out a solution just before the submission deadline — two minutes before the deadline to be exact,” said Mears. “If you participate in a game jam you will learn something new, guaranteed.” Boomba Cat got a nod at the Global Game Jam’s closing ceremony at USC, winning the Excellence in Gameplay award alongside another title created at that location. Based on how people responded to the game — and winning accolades doesn’t hurt — Mears says the team is going to try to polish the prototype and release a full version of the game.
“After showing Boomba Cat at the USC GGJ showcase and seeing how much fun all the players had, as well as winning an ‘Excellence in Gameplay’ award, we are thinking that we should probably keep working on the game a bit more and release it as soon as we’re able to,” said Mears. “Of course, this is a challenge because everyone on the team has jobs, families, other responsibilities, etc. but the good news is that we were able to finish most of the game during the game jam. Now it’s just a matter of fixing bugs, adding more content, and making minor changes to improve the game overall.” GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
Discover our Briefings.
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"Blockchain could trigger the game industry's next evolution | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/pc-gaming/blockchain-could-trigger-the-game-industrys-next-evolution"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Guest Blockchain could trigger the game industry’s next evolution Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Decentralization in the form of NFTs is coming to videos.
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Technology is mostly incremental. We make batteries last 20 percent longer. We make glass strong enough to serve as the front surface of a cellphone. We let headphones sample ambient sounds so they can filter more noise. Products perform better. They cost less. They last longer.
Sometimes a different sort of innovation comes along, a technology that serves as the platform for unanticipated breakthroughs. These innovations disrupt the status quo, toppling established market leaders and creating opportunities for a generation of creators: artists, technicians, leaders, or dreamers.
The full implications of these major innovations are never fully grasped at first. A few visionaries get a glimpse and play a hand in the disruptive transformations that accompany the new technology. But disruptive technologies don’t achieve full fruition until they are harnessed by a community of creative dreamers who use them to instantiate their creative visions.
That’s where we stand today with blockchain.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! What is blockchain? Blockchain is a data structure and associated set of algorithms for distributing, storing, and accessing data. Computer programs use blockchain protocols to ensure that access to information is, due to the unique distributed nature of the blockchain architecture, secure, authenticated, and authorized. The technology supports the authentication and transfer of digital data, including everything from medical records to cryptocurrency without the need for an intermediary broker.
That’s why blockchain is ideal as the technical foundation for an international, friction-free virtual currency like Bitcoin or GAME.
Every unit of cryptocurrency is indexed and every transaction is recorded in a secure, authenticated open ledger that maintains anonymity and privacy among those who conduct the transaction while providing a verifiable record.
Blockchain data and currency transfers are implemented as “smart transactions” that take place without the need for a middleman. If you’ve ever secured a mortgage to buy a house, you know about escrow, a place the buyer’s funds are held by a bank until all the contracts have been signed and they are released to the seller. With blockchain, there’s no need to pay a bank to hold funds in escrow. The buyer and seller can conduct their transaction in a secure, verifiable environment. Every step of the transaction is stored as a block in the chain, and each block has encoded pointers to the preceding and following block. Blockchain data is therefore permanent, private, and secure.
Blockchain technology exists in a spectrum of usefulness. At one end, you could visit the player’s home and deliver groceries or bars of gold. Then there’s PayPal, cash, credit cards, bank transfers … there are many mechanisms for transferring funds from one person to another. The blockchain solution is no more useful, but it is more convenient because you can do it from within the game environment. The end result is the same no matter which technology you employ. Blockchain is distinguished from other solutions by its convenience and the way it does not disrupt gameplay.
This mirrors the way automobiles have impacted the world. The fact is, the automobile originally didn’t do anything you couldn’t do on foot, on a horse, or on a train. Cars were more convenient, but some questioned whether the incremental benefits justified the establishment of a network of fueling stations and the construction of roads, bridges, parking lots, and so on. If all a car does is give you a little more speed than a horse, then where’s the revolution? The revolution wasn’t obvious at first. But over time, the automobile fundamentally changed the way we create cities and neighborhoods, the way we separate the places we work from the places we live, the way we distribute food and other goods … not to mention its huge impact on the global economy. Although it offers only an incremental benefit over the horse and buggy, the automobile really has changed everything.
Blockchain technology is rapidly finding important applications beyond cryptocurrency. For example, it seems to be ideal for giving doctors, clinics, and hospitals appropriate access to digital medical records. Blockchain lets you share all your medical records with specialists and clinics from a single distributed datastore secured with a digital key. This eliminates the privacy, access, and data-format barriers that have historically prevented medical records from being digitized and shared despite the obvious benefits.
This new way of looking at data, privacy, transactions, and ownership promises to serve as the foundation of a new wave of imaginative products and services. Software companies, financial-services firms, research consortiums, national governments, and other groups are investing heavily into research and tools for developing products and services based on blockchain technology.
Transforming the gaming world The most obvious way to integrate blockchain technology into gaming is to use the same blockchain-based cryptocurrency to reward in-game achievements, to purchase upgrades and game options, and to purchase other games from the online store. It turns out the blurring the line between game-commerce and real-commerce creates freedom and opportunities for players. We at GameCredits were the first to announce technology that integrates cryptocurrency into gaming in these ways, but we won’t be the last. A host of start-up companies have announced their intentions to implement similar features.
But blockchain can do much more. For instance, a blockchain could also be used as a data structure to store gameplay, with each of a player’s moves within the game stored as a transaction in a verifiable ledger. It’s a simple way to document the record-breaking high scores you earn when no one is around — even for tournament play. In a blockchain-structured game, this storage would happen automatically and the historic data would be accessible to anyone who receives a key.
Developers could even use blockchain nodes to store executable elements of the game program, linking to them at run-time to create a more varied, unpredictable gaming experience.
Let’s talk specifics.
Blockchain technology enables four key freedoms for players.
Freedom to collaborate Role-playing adventure games enable you to form teams or cohorts to accomplish quests. With blockchain, you might transform your time investment and game-playing skills into a career as a game master, requiring prospective members to buy a place on the team to compensate you for your leadership, management, and story-crafting skills. This is already happening, on a limited basis, in tabletop role-playing games, but blockchain could help the profession grow by supporting game masters in existing and new MMORPGs. Integration with a blockchain-based cryptocurrency makes it simple to collect the payments, to distribute them to players for excellent performance or prizes, and to share the spoils your cohort earns upon slaying a dragon or rescuing a village.
Blockchain lets you send gifts or loans to team members without leaving the game environment. In fact, clever programmers could associate blockchain-based cryptocurrency with particular prize objects within the game’s miniverse. When you give a cohort member a purse full of gold or a fist-sized ruby, the value is not merely symbolic: It’s actual, based on the underlying cryptocurrency’s value within the miniverse and — crucially — outside the game in the game store or the virtual currency exchange. Blockchain helps make interactions with other gamers more social and more lucrative.
Blockchain is a way for you to interact and negotiate with other players directly — inside the game — without using the game’s developer, the online host, your bank or credit card provider, or even the game software as an intermediary. It’s a flexible, friction-free alternative to a game-disrupting pop-up window to enable an e-commerce transaction.
Freedom to profit Serious gamers accumulate lots of in-game rewards. In traditional gaming, those rewards disappear the moment you log out. They are useful only within a single game, and even then, once you’ve achieved the top level they really aren’t good for much.
With blockchain, the rewards you earn stay with you , and you can use them however you want. You can spend them in the game, use them in the game store, hold them as an investment, or transform them into cryptocurrency or fiat at an online exchange.
A very good player could conceivably accumulate enough in-game achievements to play games for a living. Gaming has become a profession in the esports world already. The next few years will see the continued transformation of gaming from a hobby to a career, at least for some people, much like music or athletics. Among the new gaming-based careers will be a kind of achievement-mining, in which good players accumulate cryptocurrency through in-game achievements, ad hoc competitions with other players, and wagering on amateur competitions.
Blockchain means more game developers and managers will announce tournaments with prizes with rewards in cryptocurrency that winners can use within the game, in the e-store, and in the offline world.
Without blockchain, players must count on game publishers or store operators to convert achievements into cash. Some publishers would participate and others wouldn’t. Policies and restrictions would vary by publisher or by game. Credits accumulated in one game would disappear if the game were to be discontinued. Blockchain supports the conversion of achievements into cryptocurrency that is accepted throughout the gaming world.
Freedom to grow You can use your blockchain wallet to invest in your own success as a player. You can double-down on the game you’re playing, purchasing options and upgrades. You can enlist the help of expert players or enter expert-only playing levels. You can use rewards earned playing one game to skip past tedious opening levels in another, although this would require developers to build this possibility function into their games. You can study the moves of expert players – stored automatically and efficiently in the blockchain database – to benefit from their expertise.
Without blockchain and a widely accepted cryptocurrency, such investments are limited to a single game, publisher, or ecosystem. The verification, openness, and freedom from intermediaries offered by blockchain technology make it ideal for breaking through the barriers that separate businesses and players today.
Freedom to create With blockchain, the game designer’s goal doesn’t have to be your goal. Blockchain technology empowers you to pursue your own goals and tailor your gaming experience to your own preferences.
In-game wagering is an example. If you’re playing a neighborhood simulation, you might bet another player that you could have a better garden or make more virtual friends during a session. You each contribute a bit of cryptocurrency and the winner takes it all. Without a blockchain-based cryptocurrency, you would need to approve each potential transaction with your bank or credit-card provider. And you would need a trusted intermediary to hold funds in escrow until the wager is resolved. With blockchain, such intermediaries — and escrow fees — are unnecessary.
Alternately, you might pay a neighbor to collaborate with you and help you plant virtual crops or build a barn. Blockchain lets you create your own solutions to challenges you encounter in the game. You could do this today in a particular publisher’s in-game technology of rewards and achievements. With blockchain’s verified open transaction model, you’re free to create and dissolve such partnerships on an ad hoc basis — including partnerships that the game publisher never anticipated.
Even the most open of today’s gaming platforms restrict your options. The game’s goals and environment are dictated by developers. You play the developer’s game or you don’t – those are your only options. With blockchain, every player can create new games in the developer’s world by incentivizing certain achievements. You can collaborate with who you like, set game goals and rewards that make sense to you, and play your own game within the developer’s gaming universe.
It’s not just monetizing, though that feature is garnering lots of attention. What the approach really implies, long-term, is the creation of a rich world like World of Warcraft in which the game developer’s quests are just the beginning. Players can establish their own quests and assign negotiable achievement points to tasks along the way. Advanced players can accept fees as game masters or as designers of quests. A cohort that’s facing a big challenge might hire mercenaries within the game — temporary cohort members. Blockchain isn’t necessary for any of these changes, strictly speaking, but once you’ve re-engineered a game for blockchain and digital assets, it’s a small step from developing games to developing game-worlds-as-platforms for customers to create their own adventures – either on their own or with the assistance of experienced guides.
Game developers will be free to implement this feature or not, of course. But some surely will. Historically, the trend is for gaming miniverses to allow more flexibility and freedom for players over time. Games get more and more like real life. Armed with blockchain, future developers could shift their focus to world-building, selling a game as a Quest Kit – a customizable world-building kit plus the infrastructure to create and incentivize behaviors. People could create different quests or communities as they wish using the kit as a starting point, making every player a de facto game developer.
Blockchain for game developers That’s the player’s side.
For developers , blockchain represents exciting opportunities to innovate.
You can create games that are more compelling. Players will be drawn to games that allow them to earn meaningful rewards instead of mere in-game trophies. They will work harder and longer to achieve milestones. They’ll create strategies and explore your world in ways previous generations of players couldn’t. Your games won’t just have fans – they’ll have enthusiastic collaborators, gamers who help create new adventures for other gamers. That’s one reason so many cryptocurrency startups are following GameCredits into the gaming world these days.
Blockchain also supports you in your desire to be more creative. With an in-game economy that interacts with real-world currency, you can open up all sorts of options that never made economic or practical sense before. Custom adventures. Special versions for elite players. Worlds with lots of resources but few rules. Blockchain lets your users collaborate to create their own games within the worlds you envision for them. For example, a game master might create a quest to colonize a certain region of the virtual world or to collaborate in gathering certain kinds of objects — creating games that never existed before. There’s no need to type in a credit card number or type in your PayPal ID. These features can be implemented without breaking the spell that gamers crave and developers work hard to sustain.
It’s up to you to make those worlds sufficiently enticing to capture their attention. Look for a software development kit that lets you add blockchain technology — including cryptocurrency support — with a couple of mouse-clicks.
Higher profits are on the way too. When games are more compelling, players purchase more upgrades and add-ons. They explore optional equipment and additional lands or histories or scenarios. With online wallets full of cryptocurrency they’ve earned playing your game, they’ll be eager to purchase more, especially since a fully integrated cryptocurrency makes the purchase friction-free.
Plus, the ease of blockchain-based e-commerce means that the e-stores that sell your games can afford to charge a smaller commission, pay you faster, and perhaps create incentives to publish more games for the blockchain platform.
The sky’s the limit Of course there’s more. Thomas Edison never imagined Spotify or the Apple Store. We have note seen more than a glimpse of the blockchain-transformed world of gaming that is barreling toward us at 60 seconds per minute.
Blockchain is more than a cryptocurrency, more than a way of allowing interaction without intermediaries. It is also an auditable, verifiable datastore that records players’ moves within a game, serving as a sort of finite-state-machine record of how players progress through the game. Developers have always been able to create such datastores. What’s unique about blockchain is that the data is protected yet verifiable in an open ledger. Having every move of every player automatically recorded opens up a world of possibilities.
Developers or sponsors could hold a virtual tournament for a single-player game. Just ask players to send a pointer to the best game they played during the contest period. All their moves are in the datastore, so it’s easy to verify the quality of the entrant’s performance. The sponsor could even publish the move-by-move record of the winning game.
New players could challenge record-holders – like playing a legendary master of chess or Go. The datastore lets them step through a one-on-one battle against a great player, analyzing the player’s every move before proceeding to the next move.
Play-by-play records could support the development of game coaching and clinics, in which experts analyze players’ performance, pointing out errors and missed opportunities. Similarly, teachers could create seminars in which they analyze and explain the work of expert players.
These features have unlikely precedents in the world of tabletop games, where masters’ moves were recorded on paper. By creating and maintaining records of game-play, blockchain will more efficiently bring those benefits to the world of video games.
Watch for the emergence of big data tools that scan through the game-play records of tens of millions of anonymous players, identifying winning techniques and strategies. That information can help developers make games more challenging and compelling. It can help game coaches and educators create substantive, worthwhile seminars. Gamers can study the information to improve their own play. Gaming is a $100 billion worldwide industry.
And that’s just data. Blocks of distributable code can also be stored in blockchain nodes. Every industry group associated with the blockchain movement is starting to assess the potential of incorporating a distributed, verifiable data structure as the basis of a distributed computing system. Blockchain could address and nullify the security concerns of malicious executable code, not just in games, but everywhere in the internet-connected world.
One thing’s for sure. We stand at the threshold of a disruptive transformation in the ways games are built and played. The next generation of games will be more flexible, more rewarding, and more profitable for players and developers alike.
J.D. Hildebrand is director of content at GNation.
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"Skyrocketing digital fan engagement at Super Bowl LII will bring a windfall of analytics | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/mobile/skyrocketing-digital-fan-engagement-at-super-bowl-lii-will-bring-a-windfall-of-analytics"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Sponsored Skyrocketing digital fan engagement at Super Bowl LII will bring a windfall of analytics Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Presented by Extreme Networks It’s been decided: on Sunday, February 4, we’ll witness the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles battle it out at Super Bowl LII. Under the dome of the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, an estimated 70K hyper-engaged fans, media, and dignitaries will be watching, snapping, and posting throughout the course of the game.
Underpinning that engagement: secure, connected Wi-Fi, which isn’t just a nice-to-have any more, but essential. It’s not just a part of the fan experience but a wellspring of actionable, in-depth customer intelligence. With the amount of data passing over the network increasing exponentially, digital marketing teams are being handed the ball, and a clear field for their engagement strategies and tools.
The NFL case study Currently 22 NFL stadiums are leveraging the ExtremeAnalytics tool from Extreme Networks, the League’s Official Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Analytics Solutions Provider, including Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium, Seattle’s CenturyLink Field, New England’s Gillette Stadium, and Buffalo’s New Era Field.
It all started when organizers realized that there was a correlation between television ratings and in-stadium attendance.
“When the television audience sees too few people in the crowd, they subconsciously believe it’s not as interesting an event,” explains Norman Rice, chief marketing, development and product operations officer for Extreme Networks. “So the NFL’s original goal was to improve attendance by improving the fan experience. That meant enabling connectivity and engagement — whether that’s sharing social, consuming from outside, sharing just in general, or consuming content from within the venue.” As a result, in-stadium wireless usage has increased from one terabyte to 4 times that on game day year over year. From 2015 to 2017, the average number of unique users rose from 20,574 to 28,001, with peak concurrent user count shooting up from 14,836 to 18,650.
And as fan engagement soars, attendance rates are corresponding, Rice added.
But that initial focus on increasing attendance led to something arguably more valuable: unexpected insights gleaned through hundreds of thousands of usage data points.
Fan experience + advertising advances As in-stadium Wi-Fi data ramped up, marketing and experience teams gained the ability to understand which applications are running on their networks, who is using them, and what the response time is for each application. The location of users and their mobile activities can be mapped in context to other identity-specific information about the mobile user — including demographic information, brand affinities, social network information, buying behaviors and more, allowing tailored customer profiles to be updated on the fly and personalized experiences delivered seamlessly.
“With this engagement, you can work with each fan, each person, and make sure that it all connects your brand to that particular person, and to what you can give them to make them more loyal, make them stickier, or reward them for being a fan.” Rice explains.
And as usage grew, the club gained a whole lot of invaluable analytics, uncovering some surprises along the way, especially as more and more stadiums came on board.
For instance, the demographic at Super Bowls typically skews towards an older male audience. So when asked which social network would be most popular at the Super Bowl, many might default to Facebook as their answer. But at last year’s Super Bowl, other social apps like Snapchat ruled the day. With ExtremeAnalytics, not only can NFL sponsors discover the people who are actually attending these events, they sometimes uncover unexpected platforms to reach and connect with end users in the venue.
Advertisers can identify touch points like these via consumers’ profiles, what they’re doing during the event, and in what cycles, via time stamps on the data. That allows them to optimize ad placement — for instance, in the case of last year’s Super Bowl, choosing Snapchat during the fourth quarter, perhaps. And by pinpointing each ad to a specific set within a specific geography, that ad can be highly targeted, delivering the right information at the right time, right when those users will be most receptive.
On a very technical or tactical level, Rice says, you can highlight or amplify certain services that you want to make available to a fan in the venue, he says. For example, using a push alert in the mobile venue app for autographed memorabilia.
With one-step engagement enabled, you can prioritize that ordering and outreach service, and the content delivered to the person, over any other content that’s available in that venue – for instance, amplifying the offer by giving it higher priority to those on a particular channel, rather than somebody who’s watching something on YouTube.
“Giving the Game Day app priority seems trivial or easy, but it actually creates both a completely different user experience and gives the advertiser an unprecedented advantage by capturing that fan’s attention naturally and powerfully,” Rice says.
Super Bowl LI and the 2018 NFL season Last year, Super Bowl LI made Wi-Fi history by being one of the most connected and engaged sporting events to-date. The game leveraged both Extreme’s Wi-Fi infrastructure and Wi-Fi analytics solution, and the company reports that a record-breaking 11.8 TB of total data was transferred, up from 10.12 TB at last year’s Super Bowl — a tremendous amount of data for a single event.
Super Bowl LI broke another Super Bowl Wi-Fi record, with over 27K concurrent users on Wi-Fi at peak — 41 percent more than Super Bowl 50. In total, over 35K fans were on the network throughout the game.
What were they doing? Social networking, and a lot of it. 1.7TB of the total data was transferred from social networking engagements, a 55 percent increase in comparison to Super Bowl 50.
“In the ’17-18 NFL season, we saw video usage through the roof — people were basically real-time filming the game and sharing it externally through social,” Rice adds.
The case for a Wi-Fi strategy The NFL Clubs and Stadiums have made significant investments in their fan-facing Wi-Fi. Now that they can measure the operational and business metrics, they can watch trends across games and stadiums to establish benchmarks, create digital strategies that are smart and data-driven, and deliver more powerful and personalized fan experiences.
That means ensuring that both the Wi-Fi platform is providing a seamless, quality experience in-stadium as well as in-depth analytics to measure that satisfaction and continue to fine-tune.
It results in data that’s relevant across every department — from social, digital, and marketing, to sales and business development stakeholders — unlocking a spectrum of actionable opportunities across the stadium and throughout social platforms and the web. Which means Wi-Fi in an event space is so much more than engaging with fans during the game. Actionable data gathered in-stadium means you’re always engaging and connecting with fans, even when the next game is days away.
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"Samsung's smartphone sales drop in Q4 puts pressure on upcoming Galaxy S9 and S9+ | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/mobile/samsungs-smartphone-sales-drop-in-q4-puts-pressure-on-upcoming-galaxy-s9-and-s9"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Samsung’s smartphone sales drop in Q4 puts pressure on upcoming Galaxy S9 and S9+ Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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For a company that’s seen a fair bit of turmoil over the last couple of years, Samsung reported relatively strong earnings today, largely thanks to its surging chip business. Fortunately for Samsung, that strength overcame a mobile handset business that remains in transition.
With less than a month to go before Samsung unveils its new flagship phones, the earnings numbers are a reminder of just how much Samsung’s mobile business has riding on sales of the new Galaxy S9 and S9+ , which are not expected to be radically different from last year’s S8 and S8+.
In the company’s Q4 earnings release today , Samsung Electronics reported record results for the third straight quarter. Given a disastrous recall of exploding Galaxy Notes in 2016 and a scandal that saw Samsung’s leader sentenced to five years in jail last year , that’s somewhat remarkable. Samsung said its profits were up 42 percent from the previous year, and revenue rose 23.7 percent.
However, while Samsung did not provide specific numbers, the company noted that “total smartphone shipments decreased, due to the lineup optimization of low-end models, while shipments of flagship products, such as the Galaxy Note 8, increased from the previous quarter.” In other words, Samsung has traditionally been focused on market share, selling a wide range of smartphones. But it’s been winnowing that lineup, particularly after a couple of rough years that saw it blown out of markets like China by tough local competition.
Instead it is (once again) trying to follow Apple’s lead and focus more on premium phones with features that set them apart. Thus, increased sales of the flagship S8 are good news, even if it’s not enough to offset the overall drop in lower-end smartphones.
But if Samsung wants to lean harder on its flagship phones, the upcoming announcement of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ takes on greater significance.
In spite of leaks suggesting the S9 and S9+ will be fairly close to their predecessors, Samsung is optimistic that the new phones will boost earnings.
“In the first quarter, the company expects the mobile business to improve its earnings, led by an increase in sales of flagship products with the launch of Galaxy S9,” the company said in its earnings report.
And it emphasized that going forward, “Samsung will continue its efforts to differentiate its smartphones by adopting cutting-edge technologies, such as foldable OLED displays.” Samsung also said that demand for smartphones is expected to rise this year “thanks to growing replacement demand for premium smartphones.” The company certainly has its fans. We’ll soon see if that loyalty will be enough to move the new Galaxy phones in sufficient numbers to boost Samsung’s current smartphone strategy.
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"Japan's Line turns to SoftBank and cryptocurrency to make its messaging app a one-stop shop | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/mobile/japans-line-turns-to-softbank-and-cryptocurrency-to-make-its-messaging-app-a-one-stop-shop"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Japan’s Line turns to SoftBank and cryptocurrency to make its messaging app a one-stop shop Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Line rings the opening bell on the New York Stock Exchange on July 14, 2016.
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Japanese mobile messaging company Line has offered up a major hint as to how it plans to make its messaging app a one-stop shop for just about any digital transaction.
First up, Line has offloaded a majority stake in its mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) subsidiary to SoftBank. The deal will see SoftBank procure 51 percent of Line Mobile, with Line retaining the remaining 49 percent.
A subsidiary of South Korea’s biggest web operator, Naver Corp, Line offers a WhatsApp-style messaging app that now claims 220 million users, the majority of whom are based in just a handful of Asian markets — including Japan. The company has also branched into numerous other verticals, including games, apps, mobile payments , carpooling , smart speakers , and, indeed, mobile networks.
Line, which embarked on a dual IPO in Tokyo and New York nearly two years back, revealed plans to become an MVNO in early 2016 before launching to the public later that year via a licensing partnership with NTT DoCoMo.
Fast-forward 16 months, and it’s clear Line needs a closer strategic alliance with one of the big three mobile network operators in Japan, one of which is SoftBank. Full details of the partnership are still to be decided through “mutual consultations,” but it should, of course, mean that Line will switch from NTT DoCoMo to SoftBank’s network. Additionally, the new partners plan to pool their collective strengths to become a “one-stop location” for just about everything. In effect, SoftBank will leverage Line’s scale and reach as a messaging company, while Line will be able to access SoftBank’s promotional and financial might to push its products and services to millions more across the region.
This is what Line refers to as its “smart portal strategy,” which it hopes will transform the Line messaging app into a conduit that “seamlessly connects people to information and services, as well as to companies and brands,” according to a statement.
“I am fully confident that Line Mobile will become one of the major mobile telecommunication services demanded by users in the future through its three proposed values of ‘simple’, ‘free’, and ‘value’,” said Line Mobile president Ayano Kado. “Through this partnership between Line — which brought to light a new form of communication in the smartphone generation — and SoftBank — the first carrier in Japan to carry the iPhone and drive the smartphone market — we will bring together our mutual strengths and strive to further improve users’ experiences with Line Mobile.” Money talks The company also announced a new subsidiary called Line Financial Corporation, which will serve as a complementary business to its existing mobile payments company, Line Pay, which launched in 2014.
Line said that its Line Pay service, which works through the Line messaging app, processed ¥450 billion ($4.1 billion) last year, with 40 million registered users.
The new Line Financial business unit was established on January 10 of this year with around ¥5 billion ($46 million) in capital. It will essentially help create a new avenue for transacting all manner of financial products, including loans and insurance, through the Line messaging app. More interestingly, Line said it also plans to serve as a cryptocurrency exchange. The company said it has started the process of registering as a virtual currency exchange with the Financial Services Agency but gave no indication as to when this will likely bear fruit.
These plans all feed into the broader societal push toward a cashless and — increasingly — a wallet-less society. With that in mind, Line wants your phone to be the only item you need to buy anything you want.
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"Google Flights now predicts delays and shows how bad 'basic economy' fares really are | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/mobile/google-flights-now-predicts-delays-and-shows-how-bad-basic-economy-fares-really-are"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Google Flights now predicts delays and shows how bad ‘basic economy’ fares really are Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Basic Economy Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Google has announced two new features for its flight-booking search service.
Using historical flight status data, Google Flights will now try to predict when flights will be delayed, and it will also now tell you what amenities are not included in basic economy fares.
Down to basics Delta Airlines, if you remember, helped kickstart the “basic economy” airfare back in 2012, offering a sort of rock-bottom tier below the traditional economy class. While this idea has been criticized as a cynical way to increase regular economy fares, American Airlines and United Airlines followed suit by also offering “last class” tickets.
One of the problems with the fare, however, is that it is not always clear at the outset what services and amenities you’re missing out on with the budget ticket — perhaps you have to pay extra for luggage, or you may not have access to overhead bin space.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! Now Google Flights will show you upfront what isn’t included in the fare — across Delta, American Airlines, and United Airlines.
Above: Basic Economy: What it’s really like Sorry for the delay… Elsewhere, Google Flights will not only tell you when a flight delay has been announced, it will also show the reasons for the delay. More interestingly, it will also now try to predict whether a flight is likely to be delayed.
Above: Google Flights: Delayed To do so, Google Flights will combine historical data with machine learning smarts to tell you when a delay may occur. Google said that it only flags potential delays when it’s around 80 percent confident in its predictions.
Google Flights launched in 2011, shortly after the company acquired Cambridge-based flight data startup ITA Software for $700 million. Google Flights has helped travelers decide when to buy tickets by estimating when prices are likely to rise, similar to startups such as Hopper , and this latest update is an extension of those smarts.
However, delay predictions seem to be more a proclamation of “look how clever we are” than something that’s actually useful. Nobody should base their travel decisions on a predicted delay, so really it’s not clear what purpose this feature serves beyond perhaps setting your expectations and saving you from a nasty surprise.
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"Apple manufacturer Wistron reportedly plans budget iPhone factory in India | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/mobile/apple-manufacturer-wistron-reportedly-plans-budget-iphone-factory-in-india"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Apple manufacturer Wistron reportedly plans budget iPhone factory in India Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn iPhone 6s Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Apple contract manufacturer Wistron is planning a new iPhone production facility in Bengaluru, India, according to Reuters , and will likely begin assembling inexpensive iPhone 6s models there for Indian customers. The iPhone 6s would potentially replace the iPhone 6, which Apple has been selling in India despite discontinuing it in other countries, and might supplant the iPhone SE , which Wistron has been producing in India since last year.
Despite its status as the second-largest smartphone market in the world, India has presented major challenges for Apple, largely due to high price sensitivity and regulations impacting foreign products. Apple’s already high iPhone pricing has been increased by significant Indian taxes , and laws have impeded the company’s attempts to establish an official retail presence in the country. The iPhone SE was spared recent tax increases due to its domestic manufacturing.
Over the last year, Apple has lobbied the Indian government in an effort to increase the company’s less than 3 percent market share in the country, asking for regulatory changes that would let it open retail stores and expand domestic manufacturing. To that end, India relaxed a rule limiting foreign investment earlier this month, and Wistron recently won approval to import Chinese machines that could assist with iPhone production.
It’s unclear how a locally made iPhone 6s will impact the iPhone lineup in India. The iPhone 6s and iPhone SE share the same Apple A9 processor and, apart from chassis and screen size differences, they are substantially similar devices, making the 6s a potential replacement for the SE. On the other hand, the SE might be upgraded. Rumors of a redesigned “iPhone SE 2” were partially shot down this week by reliable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who suggests that Apple will at most improve the iPhone SE’s processor and lower the price to retain its appeal to budget customers.
Update at 10:09 a.m. Pacific: Despite its modest overall Indian market share, Apple leads the country’s premium smartphone sector.
The Economic Times reported today that Apple’s iPhone X helped the company command a 46.9 percent share of India’s growing premium smartphone business in the last calendar quarter of 2017 — more than 20 percent higher than the number two-ranked OnePlus and up nearly 9 percent year-over-year. However, premium smartphones account for only 4 percent of the Indian market.
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"PyeongChang will host first major 5G video demonstrations for Olympics viewers | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/media/pyeongchang-will-host-first-major-5g-video-demonstrations-for-olympics-viewers"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages PyeongChang will host first major 5G video demonstrations for Olympics viewers Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Intel's event at CES 2018.
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This year’s Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea will host the first large-scale public demonstrations of 5G video streaming technologies, broadcasting industry group IBC reports today, as well as the world’s first major 8K HDR video production. While the next-generation wireless and video standards have been tested in research labs across the world, their use at the Olympics will be their live public debut for a global audience.
On the 5G front, the International Olympic Committee has worked with Intel and Korea Telecom to create 5G wireless infrastructure at select Winter Games venues. Thanks to real-time 5G video links to bobsled cameras, viewers at home will be able to experience Olympic bobsledding from “an extraordinary bullet’s eye view” at the front of any sled picked by TV producers. According to Olympic video producers, the multiple “real-time links are only possible with the low latency (almost zero delay) of 5G,” proving that 5G has game-changing applications in gathering video from events, as well as distributing it to viewers.
Other 5G demonstrations will be viewable only in special zones using demo 5G viewing devices. Intel will offer “time-sliced views of skaters in motion,” letting viewers switch between different angles of figure skating performances at any given moment, as well as “Omni-View,” a multi-view, real-time presentation of every cross country skiing competitor. The company will also offer a 5G connected car experience in Seoul, demonstrating in-car videoconferencing powered by high-bandwidth, low-latency 5G networking.
IBC also reports that the Winter Games will host “the largest ever live 8K UHD production,” featuring high dynamic range (HDR), “a world first on this scale.” 8K is the successor to 4K television, offering four times as much detail; HDR expands color and brightness ranges to include stronger and more subtle tones of white, colors, and black. While both formats were introduced nearly simultaneously, their incredible bandwidth demands required a gradual transition from the prior top video standard, 1080p.
As 8K HDR TVs are not yet commercially available, OBS is working with Japan’s NHK television network to capture 90 hours of 8K content including figure skating, ski jumping, and snowboarding that will be displayed on special screens. Some screens will be set up at PyeongChang’s International Broadcast Center for viewing during the Olympics, while others will be used for private viewing in Japan. NHK is expected to roll out satellite 8K video feeds in 2020.
American viewers won’t be totally left out of the ultra-high-definition experience. Though most of the games will be shot in 1080i, NBC will have access to a downconverted 4K HDR version of the 8K footage for display in the United States.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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"Epics.gg raises $2 million for esports digital trading cards | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/esports/epics-gg-raises-2-million-for-esports-digital-trading-cards"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Epics.gg raises $2 million for esports digital trading cards Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Epics Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Epics.gg has raised $2 million in a seed round for its digital trading card platform for esports. It enables users to buy, sell, and collect digital trading cards based on esports athletes, much like collectible cards in traditional sports.
Bitkraft Esports Ventures led the investment, with participation from Jon Goldman’s GC Tracker Fund , Everblue Management, Hersh Interactive Group, Imagination Capital, Courtside Ventures, and angel investors. Esports investments are hot, and the market is expected to grow to $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion by 2020, according to research firm Newzoo.
The Epics cards include rich media (like the GIF below), stats, in-game items, and digital signatures. You can see one of the cards below.
Above: Epics relic knife is an example of the kind of cards you can get.
The Santa Monica, California-based Epics.gg has founders from Xfire, LoLking.net, Esportsify, and Skinz.gg. Epics.gg wants to provide more than cards of esports players and online influencers — it also wants to create an integrated marketplace and trading system enabling users to buy, sell, and build collections.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! “Relics are unique Epics cards that combine in-game items from games like Counter-Strike that have actually been used by esports legends in major competitions,” said Gavin Weeks, cofounder of Epics.gg, in an email. “We provide a process and software to certify that these items were indeed used by the player specified and the event in which they were used. If users find these cards in an Epics pack, they also receive the in-game item and can use it when they play the game. This is the first time that any fan can own a one of a kind piece of esports history.” Epics.gg deals in certified digital memorabilia, such as in-game skins (like a uniform in a game) used by their favorite players in major esports events. Previously, there was no way to certify or prove that a skin was used by a specific esports star or influencer, limiting the collectible aspect of this valuable market. Now users can purchase a skin tied to a card, certified by Epics, and can use it in a game.
While the esports market is nascent, the collectibles market is close to $400 billion worldwide, with the sports collectibles market accounting for most of this. Epics.gg targets the overlap in both markets.
“We combined our favorite childhood hobby with modern technology for the ultimate user experience,” said Epics.gg cofounder Mark Donovan in a statement. ”We’re incredibly excited to enable fans and collectors to own a piece of esports history, including skins from Counter-Strike.” Jens Hilgers, Bitkraft Esports Ventures founding partner, said in a statement trading cards are a missing piece of the esports market. Goldman said his investment in Epics.gg showed his fund’s commitment to investing in companies that cater to the esports generation.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
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VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Soraa's violet LEDs can help you sleep better with healthy lights | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/entrepreneur/soraas-violet-leds-can-help-you-sleep-better-with-healthy-lights"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Soraa’s violet LEDs can help you sleep better with healthy lights Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Soraa Radiant uses violet LEDs to bring colors to life.
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If you’re not getting enough sleep, you can blame it on those blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that are replacing incandescent light bulbs everywhere. But Soraa wants to protect your eyes and your sleep cycle with violet LEDs that give you the full spectrum of colors.
Fremont, California-based Soraa has been making high-end LED bulbs for five years, but today the company is launching two consumer bulbs, dubbed Soraa Radiant and Soraa Healthy. They’re the byproduct of years of research by Shuji Nakamura, father of the modern LED light and founder of Soraa.
Above: Soraa Healthy lights could help you sleep better.
In the past couple of decades, blue LEDs have been slowly taking over, as their price has fallen below incandescent bulbs and their energy-saving features have become widely known. But blue LEDs also have a downside.
They cannot reproduce the entire color spectrum, so they aren’t as good at illuminating vibrant colors. On top of that, blue LEDs can inhibit the body’s production of melatonin , a hormone that enables you to fall asleep more easily.
Nakamura was the inventor of the blue LEDs used for lighting in the 1990s, and in 2014 he won the Nobel Prize for physics. In 2008, he started Soraa to finish the work he had started. In 2012, the company began shipping its first violet LEDs, which were expensive back then and so were mainly used in high-end applications such as lighting for museums, hotels, galleries, historical buildings, and luxury retailers.
Now Soraa has been able to bring down the costs. The Soraa Radiant bulbs will sell for $13.95 each, while the Soraa Healthy bulbs will sell for $18.95. That’s more expensive than a blue LED, where you might spend $10 for a half-dozen bulbs. But it’s also healthier, said T.J. Grewal, chief product officer at Soraa, in an interview with VentureBeat.
Above: Soraa Radiant lights can produce reds better.
“Blue LEDs have replaced incandescents and saved energy,” Grewal said. “But the downside is the light isn’t giving you the full color spectrum. And it inhibits your sleep. Our lights reinforce your sleep cycle.” Soraa Radiant is a full-spectrum bulb that will give you “museum-quality light in your home,” Grewal said. The bulb reproduces sunlight as closely as possible, which means red colors will look more vibrant and skin tones more attractive. The white light from a violet LED is also more pure, and shades of white light become more visible.
Colors produced with standard blue LEDs, by contrast, have gaps, because phosphorus filters put on the blue LEDs can’t really simulate sunlight’s effects. Standard LEDs have an R9 value below 10 percent and an RW of zero (those are lighting quality terms). Soraa Radiant LED bulbs create light with an R9 value of 95 percent and an RW value of 100 percent.
Carli Lloyd, captain of the U.S. women’s national soccer team, said in an interview that she has always been diligent about her sleep and that she needs about nine hours of sleep.
“I need that to be sharp on the field and quicker than my opponents,” Lloyd said. “The thought is to put the Soraa light in your bedroom. I’m in the process of getting a new home with my husband. We are researching bulbs, and this is the best company to be affiliated with.” Above: Soraa has done research into lighting technology.
Meanwhile, Soraa Healthy LED bulbs have zero blue light. The invisible blue light in sunlight is like a wake-up call in the morning. It triggers your body to wake up. At night, when there is no light, your body produces melatonin, preparing you for sleep. The natural hormone regulates your sleep and wake cycles. When blue light disappears and melatonin levels rise, we become sleepy.
But standard LED bulbs pump invisible blue light into you at night, inhibiting the melatonin and making you stay up longer. Falling asleep is more difficult because your body still thinks it’s daytime. Soraa Healthy LED bulbs produce a soft white light, and they don’t inhibit melatonin production.
Above: Soraa’s bulbs range in price from $13.95 to $18.95.
Soraa manufactures its own bulbs with proprietary LEDs. They are fully dimmable, and they don’t produce any buzzing noise. In addition, Soraa light does not produce the stroboscopic effect that has been shown to cause headaches, eyestrain, and fatigue, Grewal said. The bulbs are available on Soraa ‘s site and on Amazon.
“Your lights shouldn’t do you harm,” Grewal said. “It’s hard to have a good sleep regimen without the right lighting.” VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"OurCrowd has raised $650 million for 145 startups and will top $1 billion in 2018 | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/entrepreneur/ourcrowd-has-raised-650-million-for-145-startups-and-will-top-1-billion-in-2018"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages OurCrowd has raised $650 million for 145 startups and will top $1 billion in 2018 Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
Israel punches well above its weight on the world stage when it comes to tech startups. As I detailed back in October 2017 , the DNA of the region lends itself to success, though it’s not without its own challenges.
Today, at OurCrowd ‘s Global Investor Summit in Jerusalem, the organization revealed the extent of its effect on Israeli startups with the announcement that it has raised $650 million for 145 startup companies and 12 funds since its inception in 2013.
“We’re trying to change the brand of equity crowdfunding,” founder and CEO Jon Medved told me in an interview from the event. “This is not like Kickstarter or any other typical crowdfunding process. We are investing over and over again. People ask us if we’re really going to follow our bets like normal venture people, and we say a resounding ‘yes.’ We don’t have a fixed fund that limits us.” Unlike Kickstarter or Indiegogo, where you invest in a project in return for gifts, merchandise, and other benefits, OurCrowd allows investors to take a stake in the company they’re backing. While there is nothing new about equity crowdfunding, the twist is that OurCrowd only allows accredited investors to take part.
The company forecasts that it will exceed $1 billion in managed assets during 2018.
“We’re proud of the fact that we’ve got to this $650 million mark, but that’s nothing,” Medved said. “We’ve been doubling the business every year, and if that continues for the next few years, we’ll be in excellent shape. We have 550 different VCs coming to our conference from 250 funds — we’re working closely with the VC community to bring in new money and open up a new asset class.” What’s in the DNA of an OurCrowd-funded startup? And what does it take to be accepted into the program and gain access to crowdfunding? “A great story,” Medved said. “It could be an outstanding business, but if it is completely unintelligible to a crowd, we’ll probably have to pass. It’s a shame, but that’s the nature of the beast. You’ll see probably a higher percentage of social impact investments because of that, but it comes down to the story. By the way, that’s great investment advice, in general.” The equity crowdfunding platform now has over 25,000 registered investors from 112 countries. It has offices in 10 countries, having opened in three new locations in 2017 — London, Hong Kong, and Madrid. Notable investments in 2017 include Airobotics (autonomous drones for industry), BrainQ (AI for treating neuro-disorders), Arbe Robotics (vehicular radar systems), and Dreamed (artificial pancreas).
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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All rights reserved.
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"Heartland Tech Weekly: Affordable education is the key to preparing for job displacement | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/entrepreneur/heartland-tech-weekly-affordable-education-is-the-key-to-preparing-for-job-displacement"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Heartland Tech Weekly: Affordable education is the key to preparing for job displacement Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
This week, MSNBC and Recode hosted a town hall with Google’s Sundar Pichai and YouTube’s Susan Wojcicki to get their thoughts on how technology is affecting the U.S. and what responsibility big tech has in ensuring that all Americans get to reap the benefits of innovation.
The town hall touched on a number of buzzy topics right now, including immigration, the role platforms like Google and Facebook may have played in the 2016 presidential election, and diversity in tech. The portion that piqued my interest was when Recode’s Kara Swisher and MSNBC’s Ari Melber asked Pichai and Wojcicki about how artificial intelligence will change the way America approaches job training.
VentureBeat’s Heartland Tech channel invites you to join us and other senior business leaders at BLUEPRINT in Reno on March 5-7. Learn how to expand jobs to Middle America, lower costs, and boost profits. Click here to request an invite and be a part of the conversation.
Artificial intelligence has the potential to automate a continuous onslaught of white collar skills — from accounting to radiology — and Swisher wanted to know what Google is doing to help prepare American workers for a future where the job they went to college for may one day be automated.
“Twenty, thirty years ago — you educated yourself, and that carried you through for the rest of your life. That’s not going to be true for the generation which is being born now. They have to learn continuously over their lives — we know that, so we have to transform how we do education,” Pichai said.
“You need to move forward with that technology responsibly — that means partnerships between government and private companies to be able to make sure that … whichever group whose job ends up changing has that support system to be able to retrain to be able to find what that next set of jobs are,” Wojcicki added.
I think that this is a correct assumption, but I don’t think that the public and private sector is tackling the issue of affordable education with the urgency it needs to, if there will indeed be a future where American workers are going to have to train for multiple jobs over the course of their lifetime.
Tech companies are addressing this issue, but there are potential pitfalls that could arise with their models. Google teamed up with Coursera a couple of weeks ago to launch a low-cost online program to train entry-level IT professionals — but it remains to be seen if this is a model that can work across multiple professions, and if similar programs can be created without being subsidized by Google. And a new startup I wrote about yesterday called Lambda School wants to make software engineering education more affordable through the use of income-share agreements — but this model may still be too costly for people who have existing debt.
I’ve included the link to the full Recode/MSNBC town hall as today’s featured video. The discussion on job training begins at roughly the 33 minute mark.
As always, please send news tips or feedback to me via email , and be sure to bookmark our Heartland Tech Channel.
Thanks for reading, Anna Hensel Heartland Tech Reporter Featured Video Please enjoy this video from MSNBC: “ Revolution: Google and YouTube changing the world ” From the Heartland Tech channel How Illinois tech companies are working to retain local engineering grads GUEST: Illinois is the second largest producer of computer science graduates in the country. In fact, in 2016, Illinois produced a record 40,400 STEM degrees. Yet research collected by the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition shows Illinois still has room to grow. Specifically, while Illinois ranks 15th in the country for retaining computer science graduates, 45 percent […] Read the full story Esther Dyson to discuss what makes a healthy local economy at VentureBeat’s Blueprint event VB EVENT: Way to Wellville executive founder Esther Dyson is one of the speakers at VentureBeat’s inaugural Blueprint conference, taking place on March 5-7 in Reno, Nevada. At Blueprint, speakers including Dyson will discuss how tech companies can create higher paying jobs across the U.S. and expand economic opportunity for all. A former journalist, Dyson is most well-known […] Read the full story You don’t need to be in a major tech hub to build a cryptocurrency community GUEST: It’s safe to say that digital currency is no longer a niche subject. Since hitting 4.9 million users in November 2016, Coinbase has nearly tripled its user base in the last year. Of course, Bitcoin’s meteoric rise is driving much of the recent interest, impacting hundreds of other digital currencies. Until now, interest in Bitcoin […] Read the full story Cities Amazon snubbed for HQ2 can attract other suitors by investing in local tech talent Amazon just released the list of 20 cities that might become the host of their next office HQ2, and your city likely wasn’t on it. Yes, Amazon HQ2 is expected to bring 50,000 jobs with an average annual compensation of more than $100,000, a huge boost to any economy. But this will not be the […] Read the full story Beyond VB The case for putting Amazon’s HQ2 in the suburbs If it’s built on the urban fringe, HQ2 doesn’t have to be an inward-looking campus marooned in sprawl. It could be the mother of all suburban retrofits.
(via City Lab) Read the full story Memphis wasn’t ready for 4,000 new jobs, thanks to the state’s slow pace Toyota-Mazda’s decision to locate in Alabama carries a lesson for Memphis and West Tennessee. It’s time to get ready. And it’s time for state leaders in Nashville to help Memphis get ready.
(via commercial appeal) Read the full story Tucked into the tax bill, a plan to help distressed America A little-noticed section in the $1.5 trillion tax cut that President Trump signed into law late last month is drawing attention from venture capitalists, state government officials and mayors across America.
(via The New York Times) Read the full story What Outcome Health must do to rebuild Outcome Health made peace with its investors. But the company’s to-do list remains daunting: Find a CEO with the chops to take a fast-growing company to an IPO that no longer seems like a given; win back credibility with customers; rebuild morale of a staff whose confidence is shaken; restore the shine to the company’s badly tarnished reputation—and do it all under the watchful eye of two 30-something founders who still have majority ownership.
(via Crain’s Chicago Business) Read the full story VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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"Greymatter: Why traditional growth strategies fail (podcast) | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/entrepreneur/greymatter-why-traditional-growth-strategies-fail-podcast"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Guest Greymatter: Why traditional growth strategies fail (podcast) Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Greymatter illustration Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
Are B2C companies starting to see a decline in viral growth responsiveness? That’s what Greylock’s growth advisor Casey Winters and head of rider growth at Uber Andrew Chen believe. Andrew coined the term “ The Law of Shitty Clickthroughs ” to describe how every ad channel and every marketing platform eventually sees a decay in responsiveness. Due to increased consolidation and competition, viral growth is now much harder to achieve.
In this episode of Greymatter, Casey and Andrew riff on why consumer growth is getting harder and more expensive, and what viable opportunities companies can leverage in their own growth strategies. Both Andrew and Casey have a deep background in growth. Andrew advises and invests in tech startups including Barkbox, Dropbox, and Tinder, and for the past decade, he’s written extensively on mobile, metrics, and growth. Before heading growth at Pinterest, Casey ran marketing for Grubhub.
Casey and Andrew share actionable growth strategies for startups, current trends in paid acquisition, and why they are excited for the rise of enterprise viral growth. Below are some key takeaways from the podcast. For even more growth advice, be sure to check out Andrew’s blog and Casey’s blog.
The future of viral growth Until recently, consumer companies focused on virality to increase users; however, viral growth of consumer applications is on the decline. Because of this, many consumer companies are switching to models that monetize earlier in their lifecycle so they can use paid referrals.
Content loops have also emerged as a replacement to viral growth as the smartphone becomes not just a content consumption device, but the best content creation device that has ever existed. The content is easy to share to social networks and search engines and offers a great way to introduce others to an app. Mobile athletic tracker Strava has leveraged this idea of consuming data on the phone and publishing it to Facebook.
However, be hesitant about making search engines your primary growth strategy early on because the lead time to compete is taking longer and longer for most popular searches.
For B2B, virality is still a viable strategy. Traditionally, enterprises hired sales teams to market their product but are now using a bottom-up growth strategy. They can apply growth techniques originally used by consumer companies to organically integrate their product within teams. As these companies become more deeply integrated into the workplace, we will see an opportunity for startups to grow on top of these embedded platforms.
Leveraging new growth opportunities Understanding where your audience lives is key to introducing your product. In the early years of a startup, look for channels that are smaller and/or earlier in the life cycle. These channels are more likely to be proprietary so you aren’t competing with every Facebook or Google advertiser.
However, there is a risk and reward element. Newer paid channels including Snap, Pinterest, and Reddit have fewer advertisers, but they lack the targeting options of Google and Facebook.
The goal of an entrepreneur or startup is to initially win in these niche channels, test your product, and prove you are able to retain users. It’s about finding product market fit and getting initial traffic; then you can start exploring the larger opportunities to accelerate growth.
Trends in paid acquisition Paid acquisition is best used as an accelerant to organic growth strategy, rather than the main driver. Google Adwords and Facebook Ads are hyper-competitive, so unless your company has an advantage, such as deep engineering expertise like Wish or a strategic business advantage like Booking.com , it’s easy for competition to respond.
Moreover, paid acquisition is no longer just a marketing channel to get more users. As part of a company’s strategy early on, traffic buying is more about testing your product than trying to scale it. Experimenting with different ads and exposing consumers to varied landing pages allow companies to learn from the results and build a more viable product. Deep integrations within platforms like Facebook and AdWords provide product insight.
As paid becomes one of the primary channels that companies need to scale to win, it will become core to the DNA of the company. Lessons learned from paid acquisition allow product, engineering, design, and marketing teams to become highly integrated and to better their product cohesively.
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"GoPro's spectacular implosion reveals brutal reality facing tech hardware startups | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/entrepreneur/gopros-spectacular-implosion-reveals-brutal-reality-facing-tech-hardware-startups"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages GoPro’s spectacular implosion reveals brutal reality facing tech hardware startups Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
Learn more.
While the recent earnings warning from GoPro was seen as a disaster, it’s quite possible that the situation for this briefly high-flying camera company is even worse than it appears. But GoPro’s fate is also an indicator of a larger problem that’s sweeping across independent hardware startups.
Just since GoPro took its pratfall in early January , there has been a steady drip of grim announcements from consumer electronics hardware startups: Sphero fired 45 employees following weak holiday sales of its smartphone-controlled gizmos; Tile laid off 30 employees citing the need to “recalibrate” its business; and Fitbit confirmed it was finally euthanizing the Pebble smartwatch brand this summer after buying it for chump change last year.
Speaking of Fitbit, back in November the company reported it lost $113 million in the previous quarter, almost nine months after it laid off about 100 employees. But at least they are still in business. The same can’t be said for Jawbone , Njoy , Electric Objects , Lily Robotics , sleep-tracker Hello , and tablet startup Fuhu.
And, of course, Juicero.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! Each has its own tale of misery and woe. But at their heart, they reveal the same fundamental issue: Building an independent hardware startup is next to impossible in an age where hardware sales are still dominated by giant tech companies.
A decade ago, that wouldn’t have been such a startling idea. Hardware required big investment upfront, capital expenditure to create manufacturing capacity, logistics for distribution, marketing muscle to get products onto shelves, and a strong brand.
Then came along what I, and many others, began to refer to as a new “ Golden Age of Hardware Startups.
” Entrepreneurship had opened up in the late 1990s to a far greater range of founders thanks to the internet, and then tumbling storage costs, broadband, and the cloud accelerated that trend. This led to web services, and then apps. The kind of stuff a couple of kids and their dog could build in a dorm room after a long weekend of hacking.
But eventually these trends intersected with hardware. The smartphone era meant more objects could be connected cheaply with most of the computing being done on the phone. Kickstarter offered a fast way to raise money. 3D printing allowed for rapid prototyping. Outsourced manufacturing operations became available for rent. Ecommerce meant no need to go begging at bricks-and-mortars. Suddenly, hardware didn’t seem so far out of reach.
That explosion can be tracked by the arc of CES, the famous Las Vegas-based gadget show.
The last time I went was in 2014, when I wrote that year: “CES set a new record with 3,200 exhibitors across more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space — or enough to fit about 35 football fields. That’s up from 3,000 exhibitors and 1.92 million square feet last year. Eureka Park, which is the traditional start-up corner of CES, hosted 200 companies this year, up 40% from last year.” And now? In 2017, CES reported 4,000 exhibiting companies, and exhibition space of more than 2.6 million square feet — 600 companies in Eureka Park alone. Final numbers are not yet in for 2018, but CES had said it expected 800 startups in Eureka Park and 2.75 million square feet of space.
And so the number of gadgets exploded. It was a phenomenon that was always going to be unsustainable. There simply wasn’t going to be enough interest, enough consumers, enough need, for the vast majority of this stuff.
Yet surely some would break through? Indeed, some have. Unfortunately, these hardware startups are named “Amazon” and “Google” and “Facebook.” And they are sucking up most of the oxygen when it comes to hardware sales these days. They have the deep pockets and the long-term outlook to invest in research, take their time, and not get completely torpedoed if one product sputters, or rises and falls.
The same can’t be said for these smaller, independent companies. GoPro is a pretty good indicator of why.
The company’s sports cams were a sensation with a strong brand identity. The problem with such devices is that eventually prices drop as cheaper knockoffs enter the market. A company like Apple has defied this dynamic for years by continuing to spend huge sums on new features and designs, and expanding its ecosystem of products. But you can do that when you’re the world’s most valuable company and have a license to print money.
GoPro tried to do something similar, but almost every initiative failed. Drones? GoPro tried to make one, but it was heavily delayed before being released, and then recalled in 2016. That led to its second round of layoffs that year. And it eventually decided to exit the drone business.
Its GoPro Hero5 camera, a version that is both waterproof and responsive to voice commands, hasn’t turned things around either. It initially rolled out this and other new versions of the Hero5 and Hero 6 at steep prices, before being forced to cut them dramatically in the face of consumer indifference.
And then there’s content. GoPro users produce insane amounts of content, which presents a couple of interesting opportunities for GoPro. The first is helping users manage, store, and edit that mountain of video. But its software solutions haven’t done much to translate that into revenue.
The company also tried to leverage content that was getting huge traffic on its YouTube channel by creating its own content platform.
GoPro hired Tony Bates, the former Microsoft executive and head of Skype, in 2014 to be president. Part of his mission was to oversee the development of this content platform, which would hopefully generate ad revenue as well as fuel marketing and interest in GoPro hardware. Alas, no. Bates left quietly in late 2016 amid broader layoffs.
This was all bad, and yet somehow, it’s gotten worse.
At the beginning of January, GoPro pre-announced fourth quarter revenue of $340 million, a gigantic miss from the $470 million guidance it had given two months previously. And the company said it would cut its workforce from 1,254 to 1,000, down almost one-third from its peak of 1,500 employees in 2015. GoPro is scheduled to officially report earnings February 1.
That’s already got legal eagles sniffing around for possible class action lawsuits. And it forced the company to deny rumors that it was for sale, even though many analysts believe a sale is probably the best option at this point.
But its stock has been hammered. After going public in June 2014, its stock peaked that September at around $93.70 per share. Today, it’s trading at around $5.50 per share.
It’s hard to imagine GoPro pulling out of this downward spiral, as resources and staff shrink, smartphone cameras become more powerful, and prices of knockoffs continue to drop. There is no room to maneuver.
But what about all those thousands of other hardware startups? While controversial at the time, the decision by Oculus VR founders to sell to Facebook looks prescient now. Could an independent Oculus has survived the softer-than-expected reception to VR hardware? Tucked inside money-machine Facebook, however, it doesn’t really matter.
For other hardware startups, though, it seems the choices are limited. Either remain small, almost novelty size. Or, if you score a hit, rather than scaling quickly, just find a willing buyer and exit ASAP.
This reality hasn’t seemed to dim the enthusiasm of hardware startup founders, as evidenced by CES. Starting seems to be the easy part — maybe too easy. Yet sadly for those poor souls, hardware has created a strange reality where failing is bad, but succeeding a bit is almost worse. Because it’s just going to make the inevitable crash that much more painful.
The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Asana raises $75 million from Al Gore's fund, others to grow its task-management app globally | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/entrepreneur/asana-raises-75-million"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Asana raises $75 million from Al Gore’s fund, others to grow its task-management app globally Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Asana cofounders (and investors) Dustin Moskovitz and Justin Rosenstein.
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Productivity-focused task-management startup Asana has announced a fresh $75 million round of funding led by Generation Investment Management (GIM), the London-based investment firm cofounded by Al Gore. Existing investors 8VC, Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, Sam Altman, and Asana’s very own Dustin Moskovitz also participated in the round.
By way of a quick recap, Asana was created by Facebook cofounder Dustin Moskovitz and Justin Rosenstein, a software engineer who played a key role in developing early Google products such as Gmail chat and helped create the “Like” button when he joined Facebook as engineering lead in 2007. The duo left Facebook in 2008 to kickstart Asana — though the product didn’t launch to the public until 2012 — and Asana went on to secure some notable investors, including Mark Zuckerberg , Sean Parker, Peter Thiel, and Marc Andreessen.
The idea behind Asana actually began while Moskovitz and Rosenstein were at Facebook, where they wanted to improve Facebook employees’ productivity — they felt that they were spending too much time on “work about work,” such as task-planning. According to Rosenstein, he felt this represented a “Facebook-sized opportunity all on its own.” Above: Asana launched in German last year Asana claims 30,000 clients globally, including Uber, Airbnb, Google, Spotify, Tesla, Dropbox, Samsung, NASA, Snap, and — yes — Facebook. Until fairly recently, Asana hadn’t really pushed its business outside the U.S., though it did set up a small team in Dublin, Ireland a couple of years ago to further its European ambitions. In an interview with VentureBeat back in November , Asana said that around 40 percent of its revenue and 45 percent of its paying customers are now outside the U.S., and it has expanded its interface beyond English into French and German, with plans for Spanish, Portuguese, and Japanese later this year.
The San Francisco-based company has now raised around $163 million in funding, and with its latest cash injection Asana said it plans to turbocharge its international expansion and push further into the enterprise.
The company added that it’s now valued at $900 million, putting it just short of the much-coveted “unicorn” status.
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"Amazon HQ2 finalists should refuse tax breaks, say nearly 100 economists, professors | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/entrepreneur/amazon-hq2-finalists-should-refuse-tax-breaks-say-nearly-100-economists-professors"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Amazon HQ2 finalists should refuse tax breaks, say nearly 100 economists, professors Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Amazon HQ2 locations Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
In the weeks since Amazon announced the 20 cities still in contention to land its second headquarters (HQ2), many of the finalists are scrambling to gain an edge over their competitors. But some prominent economists, academics, and former government officials are asking cities to think twice before they offer the ecommerce giant too good a deal.
Tuesday afternoon, a petition began circulating on Change.org asking “elected officials and community leaders of Amazon HQ2 finalist cities” to collectively agree that they will not offer Amazon any tax incentives to land HQ2. The petition’s 93 original signees include Robert Reich, former U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton; urban studies expert Richard Florida, who coined the term “creative class ;” and Jason Furman and Alan Krueger, both former chairs of the president’s Council of Economic Advisors. As of this evening, the petition had over 300 signatures. A number of professors from Harvard University, MIT, and other top schools also signed on.
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The petition states that while the signees support Amazon’s decision to build a second headquarters, “incentives do not alter business location decisions as much as is often claimed and are less important than more fundamental location factors. Worse, they divert funds that could be put to better use underwriting public services such as schools, housing programs, job training, and transportation, which are more effective ways to spur economic development.” While the petition didn’t criticize any cities by name, it did call out “at least four jurisdictions [that] have proposed multi-billion-dollar incentive packages.” That list includes Newark, which — along with the state of New Jersey — offered Amazon at least $7 billion in tax incentives.
If the Newark package is any indication, the incentive packages offered to Amazon will likely be among the largest, if not the largest, ever offered to a U.S. company.
In its original RFP for HQ2, Amazon said that “incentives offered by the state/province and local communities to offset initial capital outlay and ongoing operational costs will be significant factors in the decision-making process” — so it’s unlikely that cities will collectively agree to take incentives off the table. But the petition will likely put more pressure on finalist cities to reveal what they offered Amazon.
“Unilateral disarmament has never worked … we want to see incentives that benefit the greater community,” Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in reaction to the petition.
VentureBeat reached out to Amazon for comment, and will update this story if we hear back.
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"South Korea uncovers almost $600 million in illegal cryptocurrency trade | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/commerce/south-korea-uncovers-almost-600-million-in-illegal-cryptocurrency-trade"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages South Korea uncovers almost $600 million in illegal cryptocurrency trade Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Bitcoin is a volatile cryptocurrency. Brian Fargo will create his own, dubbed Iron.
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( Reuters ) — South Korea has uncovered illegal cryptocurrency foreign exchange trading worth nearly $600 million, a sign authorities are tightening the regulatory screws on the digital asset that many global policymakers consider to be opaque and risky.
The country’s customs service said in a statement on Wednesday that about 637.5 billion won ($596.02 million) worth of foreign exchange crimes were detected.
“Customs service have been closely looking at illegal foreign exchange trading using cryptocurrency as part of the government’s task force,” it said, underscoring stepped-up efforts by Seoul to crack down on illegal trade in the digital asset.
Illegal foreign currency trading of 472.3 billion formed the bulk of the cryptocurrency crimes, Customs said, but gave no details on what action authorities were taking against the rule breaches.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! South Korea has adopted a tough stance on regulating cryptocurrency trading as many locals, including students and housewives, jumped into a frenzied market despite warnings from policy makers around the world of a bubble.
Effective from Jan. 30, authorities will allow only real-name bank accounts to be used for cryptocurrency trading designed to stop virtual coins from being used for money laundering and other crimes.
Among other breaches, Customs said there were also cases where investors in Japan sent their yen worth 53.7 billion won to their partners in South Korea for illegal currency trade.
It said authorities will continue to monitor for any violations of foreign exchange rules or of money laundering activities.
Seoul previously said that it is considering shutting down local cryptocurrency exchanges, which threw the market into turmoil and hammered bitcoin prices. Officials later clarified that an outright ban is only one of the steps being considered, and a final decision was yet to be made.
Bitcoin stood at $9,800.00 as of 0502 GMT on the Luxembourg-based Bitstamp exchange. The heightened regulatory scrutiny around the world, however, has seen bitcoin dive about 31 percent so far this month, on track for its biggest monthly decline since December 2013.
Cryptocurrencies got another jolt last week after Tokyo-based exchange Coincheck said hackers stole over $500 million in one of the world’s biggest cyber heists.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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"Tinyclues Momentum Continues with Record Revenue and Customer Growth | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/tinyclues-momentum-continues-with-record-revenue-and-customer-growth"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Press Release Tinyclues Momentum Continues with Record Revenue and Customer Growth Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn PARIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–January 31, 2018– Tinyclues, the leading AI-first marketing campaign intelligence solution used by leading retail, e-commerce, fashion, and travel & hospitality companies, had a strong growth of over 100% in 2017 and launched its North American operations.
New York, London & Paris: January 31, 2018.
Tinyclues , provider of the leading AI-first marketing campaign intelligence solution, today announced that it reached new heights in 2017. Company growth surpassed 100% as more major brands trust its solution to increase revenue from marketing campaigns and improve customer experience including Air France, Andre, Arcadia, Agnes B, Cdiscount, ClubMed US, Chevignon, Charles Tyrwhitt, Corsair and Nature & Decouvertes. The solution now powers marketing campaigns for more than 80 enterprise companies.
“2017 is another record growth year; we are excited as it validates our vision of AI-first marketing solutions redefining the way B2C marketers are interacting with their customers” said David Bessis, founder and CEO of Tinyclues.
“Our campaign intelligence solution brings a new Deep Artificial Intelligence layer on top of marketing campaigns, enabling marketers to seamlessly find the future buyers for each and every campaign. More than an analytical approach, it’s a unique business-led approach and we are proud that on average our customers measured a 49% increase in their campaign revenues”.
As well as revenue growth and new customer wins, Tinyclues believes that 2017 has been an exciting year marking numerous achievements: Launch of operations in North America – In November 2017, Tinyclues opened an office in New York City to drive growth in the United States and Canada; the solution has been unveiled to North American retailers at NRF Retail’s Big Show in January of this year.
Analyst recognition – In October 2017, Tinyclues was identified as a Vendor to Watch in Gartner’s 2017 “ Magic Quadrant for Digital Marketing Analytics ” report.
Product innovation – In March 2017, Tinyclues Action was launched, bringing intuitive campaign planning optimization in an AI-first solution. New channels like push notifications and Facebook Custom Audiences were added as omnichannel campaign demand and adoption grew among customers.
Product adoption – Now used in 10 different countries by hundreds of marketers, Tinyclues’ Deep AI technology optimized more than 35,000 campaigns across 6 channels.
High levels of customer satisfaction – End of 2017, Tinyclues had a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 65, a world-class NPS rating, proving the ease of use of their solution and the very significant impact on revenue.
According to Gartner’s report Multichannel Marketing Effectiveness Survey 2017 , “Marketing leaders’ multichannel maturity is advancing, but they still have unfinished business when translating customer-centric strategies into bottom-line business results.” The survey highlights that: “Nearly 40 percent say reaching audiences at the right moments using advanced techniques continues to be their top multichannel marketing challenge.” Tinyclues believes that this reflects its mission statement to empower marketers to drive sustainable engagement with their customers and generate additional revenue, without damaging customer equity. The company also feels that it bolsters their aggressive objectives for 2018, including rapid growth across EMEA and North America, support for a wider range of use-cases to deliver more value to customers and continued innovation within the product with more automation and prescriptive features to solidify Tinyclues’ place as the leading AI-first solution for marketing campaign intelligence.
Source: Gartner, “Multichannel Marketing Effectiveness Survey 2017: Marketers Are on a Mission to Advance Multichannel Marketing Results,” Noah Elkin, Adam Sarner, 17 November 2017.
Source: Gartner, “Magic Quadrant for Digital Marketing Analytics,” Martin Kihn, Christi Eubanks, Lizzy Foo Kune, 4 October 2017.
Gartner Disclaimer Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
About Tinyclues Tinyclues is the leading AI-first Marketing Campaign Intelligence solution enabling companies to generate additional revenue through intelligent campaign targeting and planning. Tinyclues’ solution uses Deep Artificial Intelligence to identify future buyers for any promoted item, even in the absence of recent intent.
Companies like Brandalley, Cdiscount, Club Med, Corsair, Fnac, Lacoste, La Redoute, Manor, Rue du Commerce, Vente-privee, Sarenza, Vestiaire Collective, Voyages-sncf.com and more are using Tinyclues to optimize and orchestrate more than 600 million messages per month across channels such as email, mobile push notifications, direct mail, call centers or Facebook to generate quantified and sustainable additional revenue.
For more information, visit http://www.tinyclues.com Twitter: @tinyclues VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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"Nintendo Switch Online service will debut in 2018 | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/nintendo-switch-online-service-will-debut-in-2018"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Nintendo Switch Online service will debut in 2018 Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Nintendo Switch Online is coming in 2018.
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Nintendo will debut a paid multiplayer gaming service dubbed Nintendo Switch Online in September 2018.
The Kyoto, Japan-based company made the announcement during its earnings call for the third fiscal quarter ended December 31. Nintendo reported last night that it has sold 14.86 million Switch hybrid portable-home consoles since launching the system in March 2017.
Nintendo said that the new service will let players enjoy online gaming as well as a dedicated smartphone app that connects to your Switch system and helps you connect with friends for online play sessions in compatible games.
Above: Splatoon 2 screen for the Nintendo Switch Online app.
The first game to be compatible with the app will be Splatoon 2, the colorful multiplayer shooter game. It will give you access to SplatNet2, where you can see online battle stats, your gear, and more. With the iOS and Google Play app, you can send invites via social networks and messaging service to invite friends to play with you. Once connected, you can use voice chat with friends while in the online lobby and during online play, depending on the game.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! Nintendo said it will charge $4 a month for a one-month membership, $8 for a three-month membership, or $20 for a 12-month membership. The online gameplay service will be free until the paid service launches later in 2018, and the same goes for the app. Nintendo did not say when it is starting a beta period. Subscribers will get to download a compilation of classic Nintendo titles.
The Japanese company reported nine-month profit of $1.26 billion on revenues of $7.88 billion for the period ended December 31, compared with net income of $947 million on revenues of $2.86 billion for the nine months ended December 31, 2016. During the nine months ended December 31, 2017, Nintendo sold 12.1 million Switch consoles, bringing the lifetime total to 14.86 million. That means that in 10 months, the Switch has sold more units than the entire lifetime of the previous console, the Nintendo Wii U.
Nintendo has also sold 47 million games to date for the Switch.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
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"Microsoft reports $28.9 billion in Q2 2018 revenue: Azure up 98%, Surface up 1%, and Windows up 4% | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/microsoft-reports-28-9-billion-in-q2-2018-revenue-azure-up-98-surface-up-1-and-windows-up-4"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Microsoft reports $28.9 billion in Q2 2018 revenue: Azure up 98%, Surface up 1%, and Windows up 4% Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Microsoft today reported earnings for its second fiscal quarter of 2018, including revenue of $28.9 billion, net income of $7.5 billion, and earnings per share of $0.96 (compared to revenue of $26.1 billion, net income of $6.5 billion, and earnings per share of $0.83 in Q2 2017). All three of the company’s operating groups saw growth. The quarter’s results also included a net charge of $13.8 billion due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Analysts had expected Microsoft to earn $28.39 billion in revenue and earnings per share of $0.86. In short, the company beat expectations. The company’s stock was up 2.45 percent in regular trading, but largely flat in after-hours trading. Microsoft said it returned $5 billion to shareholders in the form of share repurchases and dividends during the quarter.
“This quarter’s results speak to the differentiated value we are delivering to customers across our productivity solutions and as the hybrid cloud provider of choice,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a statement. “Our investments in IoT, data, and AI services across cloud and the edge position us to further accelerate growth.” Last quarter, Microsoft’s cloud annualized run rate passed $20 billion , ahead of schedule. Nadella’s plan to turn Microsoft into a cloud company is working.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! Here are the highlights across the company’s three operating groups: Productivity and Business Processes: Up 25 percent to $9.0 billion. Office commercial revenue grew 10 percent, Office consumer revenue was up 12 percent, and Dynamics revenue increased 10 percent. Office 365 subscribers hit 29.2 million. LinkedIn contributed revenue of $1.3 billion.
Intelligent Cloud: Up 15 percent to $7.8 billion. Server products and cloud services revenue grew 18 percent while Enterprise Services revenue increased 5 percent. But the big number as always was Azure revenue, which grew 98 percent.
More Personal Computing: Up 2 percent at $12.2 billion. Windows OEM revenue was up 4 percent while Windows commercial revenue increased 4 percent. Search acquisition advertising revenue minus traffic acquisition costs jumped 15 percent. Surface revenue increased by 1 percent, and gaming revenue was up 8 percent (driven largely by the Xbox One X).
The fact that Surface revenue is flat is surprising. The Surface Laptop helped the company in the previous quarter, but it looks like the Surface Book 2 didn’t make much of a dent. That said, the current quarter will give us a full three months of sales, so we’ll be able to make a better call in Q3 2018.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
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The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Google Cloud gets custom access controls | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/google-cloud-gets-custom-access-controls"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Google Cloud gets custom access controls Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn At the Google Cloud Next conference in San Francisco on March 8, 2017.
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Google launched a new cloud security feature today that allows its cloud customers to set up custom access policies for different user accounts, only allowing access to particular aspects of specific services.
For example, one account could be set up to only view cloud storage buckets, plus list the database tables in Google’s BigQuery service. That may not seem like much, but it’s important for only giving accounts access that they need, which can help reduce risk in a security breach. Google previously offered a large set of prebuilt security roles for different situations, but this new feature lets companies create their own.
This new feature helps developers create service accounts in Google’s cloud that give automated software agents the ability to access multiple services while still retaining few privileges to access or modify what they shouldn’t be able to.
Above: A Google animation shows how its custom access roles work.
It’s also important for compliance purposes — regulations may require people inside a company to be able to audit particular pieces of information but not modify content, or to prevent someone’s access to that information depending on their role.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! Google Cloud is focused on making its offerings appeal more to enterprise customers, in a move to compete with Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and other players in the market. These sorts of finer-grained security controls, while not the flashiest announcements in the world, help solve requirements that enterprise IT leaders need to have fulfilled.
To help customers get started, Google published a list of supported access permissions for its cloud services, as well as a set of best practices for getting started with custom roles. These capabilities are available free of charge, though they’re not of much use without other paid services running inside Google Cloud.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Electric Motor Manufacturer YASA Secures £15m Growth Funding, Opens New Oxford Production Facility | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/electric-motor-manufacturer-yasa-secures-15m-growth-funding-opens-new-oxford-production-facility"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Press Release Electric Motor Manufacturer YASA Secures £15m Growth Funding, Opens New Oxford Production Facility Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn OXFORD, England–(BUSINESS WIRE)–February 1, 2018– YASA , the world’s leading manufacturer of axial-flux electric motors and controllers, today announced raising £15 million in growth funding.
Universal Partners joins Parkwalk Advisors and other existing investors in the round, bringing the total raised by the company to £35 million.
This £15 million investment follows YASA’s signing of long-term development and supply agreements with customers in the automotive sector. The company has recently opened a new 100,000-unit capacity production facility in Oxford, UK to meet the growing demand for its products. Eighty per cent of YASA’s production is destined for export to automotive manufacturers across the world, including China.
The new production facility will be officially opened today by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Rt Hon Greg Clark MP.
A range of YASA-powered vehicles will be on display at the event, including cars from Nissan, Jaguar Land Rover and Williams Advanced Engineering.
The Business Secretary Greg Clark MP said, “ YASA is a brilliant example of what can be achieved when government, academia and industry come together to turn the best ideas from the best minds into scale-up companies.” YASA’s innovative axial-flux electric motor design offers best-in-class power and torque densities and is ideally suited to both hybrid and pure electric vehicle applications.
With YASA’s technology, automotive manufacturers have greater design flexibility to improve vehicle performance whilst reducing vehicle weight.
YASA motors and controllers enable automotive manufacturers to meet increasingly stringent emissions targets whilst delivering exciting driving experiences.
In addition to automotive, YASA motors are used in marine applications and in aerospace where high power density and torque density are critical.
Dr. Chris Harris, YASA’s CEO said, “Our customers are looking to adopt innovative new technologies such as YASA’s axial-flux electric motors and controllers in order to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding hybrid and pure electric automotive market. This additional £15 million in growth funding will enable YASA to further invest in the volume production capacity necessary to meet our customers’ requirements, and to address markets beyond automotive including aerospace and marine.” Andrew Birrell of Universal Partners – who joins YASA’s board – said, “YASA has unique and highly differentiated axial-flux motor technology that offers clear advantages in terms of power and torque density compared to their competition in class. We are pleased to have the opportunity to invest and are very excited by the prospects for the Company.” Alastair Kilgour, Chief Investment Officer at Parkwalk Advisors said, “YASA has made excellent commercial progress over the past two years and we are pleased to continue to support the Company in this latest financing round. With the rapid growth of electrification in automotive and other sectors such as aerospace and marine, we believe YASA has huge business potential.” <ends> EDITOR’S NOTES YASA http://www.yasa.com/ YASA is the world’s leading manufacturer of axial-flux electric motors and controllers for automotive, aerospace and marine applications. YASA’s proprietary electric motor and controller products offer the smallest, lightest form factor for a given power and torque requirement. The privately-held company is based in Oxford, the UK’s automotive manufacturing heartland. Investors include Parkwalk Advisors and Universal Partners.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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"Tesla names Oracle's Larry Ellison, Walgreens exec to board as part of SEC settlement | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/transportation/tesla-names-oracles-larry-ellison-walgreens-exec-on-board-as-part-of-sec-settlement"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Tesla names Oracle’s Larry Ellison, Walgreens exec to board as part of SEC settlement Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
(Reuters) — Tesla on Friday named two independent board directors, including Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, to fulfill a September deal that resolved federal charges that arose from Chief Executive Elon Musk’s tweet about taking the electric carmaker private.
Tesla said Ellison and Walgreens Boots Alliance’s global head of human resources, Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, joined the board, effective December 27.
Ellison, who calls himself a close friend of Musk, bought 3 million shares of Tesla earlier this year.
Under an agreement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Musk agreed to pay a $20 million fine and step aside as Tesla’s chairman for three years to settle charges that could have forced his exit. Tesla also agreed to pay a $20 million fine.
Tesla further consented to the appointment of an independent chairman, two independent directors and a board committee to control Musk’s communications. Twitter has frequently been Musk’s go-to venue for freewheeling communications and confrontation with Tesla’s critics.
A U.S. judge in October approved the deal, which resulted from tweets by Musk on August 7 that he was considering taking the company private and had secured funding. The SEC subsequently filed fraud charges against him, citing what it said were his “false and misleading” tweets.
Tesla’s shares were up 1.8 percent at $321 in Friday morning trading.
Analysts welcomed the additions, especially Ellison, whose background is similar to Musk’s. Ellison, through a spokeswoman, declined to comment.
“Larry Ellison obviously has a tremendous presence in Silicon Valley … with maverick type CEO traits very similar to Elon Musk, so he brings a level of understanding because he has gone from a startup to a successful company similar to Tesla,” Tigress Financial Partners analyst Ivan Feinseth said in an email.
“I don’t believe he would let friendship get in the way of good judgment,” Feinseth added about Ellison.
Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives called the appointments a “home run” in a research note.
The addition of Ellison to the board “could help channel Musk’s energy and passion into positives going forward thus moving further away from the ‘going private tweetstorm’ from a few months ago, which continues to be a lingering overhang on the name,” Ives said.
In November, Tesla named director Robyn Denholm as board chair, fulfilling one of the demands. Denholm, who joined Tesla as an independent director in 2014 and agreed to step down as finance chief of Australian telecoms firm Telstra Corp Ltd, spent 11 years as a senior vice president at Sun Microsystems, a unit of Oracle.
Tesla said it conducted a “thorough, expansive” search process for the directors, calling Ellison a “preeminent entrepreneur” and Wilson-Thompson “a human resources leader” and said both had a passion for sustainable energy.
The larger-than-life Ellison is also known for making bombastic, brash public comments. He went on a diatribe attacking cloud computing at a 2008 analyst conference, which only served to highlight Oracle’s slow move into the space. He undermined Oracle’s business relationship with Hewlett Packard in 2010 in an email to the New York Times that chastised the board for firing its CEO and his friend, Mark Hurd, after a sexual harassment inquiry.
He rarely interacts with journalists or blogs, and has only Tweeted once — a 2012 message promoting Oracle’s cloud products.
Ellison, said by Forbes magazine to be worth $55 billion, has in the past defended Musk.
“I’m very close friends with Elon Musk, and I’m a big investor in Tesla,” Ellison, 74, said on an October 26 conference call with analysts.
“This guy is landing rockets,” Ellison added about Musk, referring to his leadership of SpaceX. “He’s landing rockets on robot drone rafts in the ocean, and you’re saying he doesn’t know what he’s doing. Well, who else is landing a rocket?” Wilson-Thompson, who could not be immediately reached for comment, spent 17 years at Kellogg Co before joining Walgreens, and serves on the boards of two U.S.-based manufacturing companies.
Musk has gained fans for his bold approach to business and technology, using his almost 24 million Twitter followers to promote Tesla, SpaceX and tunnel venture Boring Co.
But the August claim that he had the funding to take Tesla private, and a subsequent U-turn, stunned Wall Street and came as Musk was filmed briefly smoking marijuana during a live Web show and when he called a British diver in the Thai cave rescue a “pedo.” Tesla’s market cap exceeds that of traditional, established U.S. automakers that make millions of vehicles and billions of dollars in profits annually, and the company has garnered legions of fans despite repeated production issues.
(Additional reporting by Jim Finkle; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila and Steve Orlofsky) VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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"Instagram 'back to normal' after bug replaces vertical feed with horizontal scrolling | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/social/instagram-back-to-normal-after-bug-replaces-vertical-feed-with-horizontal-scrolling"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Instagram ‘back to normal’ after bug replaces vertical feed with horizontal scrolling Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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(Reuters) — Facebook’s photo-sharing social network Instagram said on Thursday it has fixed a bug that led to a temporary change in the appearance of its feed for a large number of users.
The bug led to a small test being distributed widely, the company said. As part of the test, some users had to tap and swipe their feed horizontally to view new posts, similar to its Stories feature.
The momentary change sparked a widespread outrage among users on Twitter, with several comparing it to Snapchat’s unpopular redesign.
“The Instagram update is so trash it’s worse than the Snapchat update,” @samfloresxo tweeted.
The redesigned Snapchat app has struggled to attract more users since its roll-out last year and newer versions have been criticized for being too confusing.
In response to a tweet, Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri apologized for the confusion and said, “that was supposed to be a very small test that went broad by accident.” “We quickly fixed the issue and feed is back to normal,” Instagram said in an emailed statement.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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"Kingdom Come: Deliverance wins the He-Man's Manly Game for Men Award | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/pc-gaming/kingdom-come-deliverance-wins-the-he-mans-manly-game-for-men-award"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Kingdom Come: Deliverance wins the He-Man’s Manly Game for Men Award Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Kingdom Come: Deliverance is an open-world role-playing adventure set during medieval times in Europe. Developer Warhorse Studios promised historical accuracy and realism with the game, and that didn’t come across while playing it. Instead, the developer ended up a medieval version of Entourage.
And the game’s bro-y vibe is why it wins the He-Man’s Manly Game for Men Award as part of our GamesBeat Rewind 2018 retrospective.
You can listen to us discuss the award in the video above or as part of Bad Awards podcast below: In Kingdom Come, you’re a blacksmith’s son who hangs out with three other bros. The writing reduces most women to nothing more than potential sexual conquests. And if the women in the game aren’t someone you can try to have sex with, then Warhorse doesn’t really have any interest in them.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! The best example of this is an early quest where you have to go mess with the Deutsch. Up to this point, the game has given everyone a name, or — in the Deutsch’s case — a nickname. But as part of this quest, you have to harass the German by getting his wife away from their home so they can throw cow manure at it. But the Deutsch’s wife is just called “Deutsch’s wife.” She didn’t get a name. She only existed because of her relationship to her husband. And to drive this point home, the Deutsch’s son shows up to fight you for throwing crap at his house, and the son, Hans, does have a name.
I found this all indicative of what kind of game Kingdom Come: Deliverance is. It isn’t as concerned about “historical accuracy” as it is about making a game for guys.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
Discover our Briefings.
Join the GamesBeat community! Enjoy access to special events, private newsletters and more.
VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"ProBeat: Foldable phones will be niche devices, until they're not | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/mobile/probeat-foldable-phones-will-be-niche-devices-until-theyre-not"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Opinion ProBeat: Foldable phones will be niche devices, until they’re not Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Foldables, as the new mobile category of devices is likely to be called, have yet to arrive. Sure, we’ve had last year’s dual-screen ZTE Axon M and an early first foldable smartphone last month, but so far we’ve simply been setting the groundwork for 2019 and beyond. Most notably this year, Google added native support for foldables to Android and Samsung showed off a prototype of its tablet-size two-screen foldable phone , slated for 2019.
The pitch is certainly interesting: Fold out to double your screen size and fold in to pocket a big device. A tablet that turns into a phone, and vice versa. Foldables could indeed prove incredibly useful, but they are still years away for most people, even with giants Google and Samsung on board. And that’s not simply due to the rumors of exorbitant price tags (expect somewhere in the $2,000 range) or of early clunky form factors (folding a screen over adds weight and bulk, and likely hurts battery life).
The real determining factor will likely be whether foldables can offer a killer feature. Flexible screens will need a use case that a larger screen cannot simply accommodate.
I’ve been playing with ZTE’s Axon M recently just to refresh my mind on what foldables could bring to the table. The dual mode, which lets you run apps side-by-side, is neat, but big phones already do this just fine. The extended mode is probably the most innovative, since it’s like having two monitors for a PC, but the software simply isn’t there. And the mirror mode, which duplicates the content on both screens, is useless. ZTE was clearly hoping users would figure out what to do with the double-screen Axon M so the company could fold those learnings into future devices.
Foldable phones remind me of the “phablet phenomena.” Phones with styluses, the category Samsung pioneered and continues to dominate with the Galaxy Note, did not supersede smartphones. And yet, smartphone screen sizes continue to grow and grow every year, rendering the phablet term irrelevant. Plenty of innovations and improvements have been copied from the Galaxy Note to all smartphones.
I suspect the tech behind foldable phones will end up in all smartphones eventually, but it will take a long time. Take convertible laptops as an example — the technology for 2-in-1 tablet computers has been around for decades, but it took Microsoft’s Surface to define the category that all computer makers now push.
I’m betting foldables will remain niche for years, just how the Galaxy Note remains in a league of its own. Split screens and multi-tasking are all neat, but they’re not killer. And more importantly, today’s large-screen phones can already pull those off. Something about the physical folding and unfolding functionality needs to provide inherent value.
Until then, foldables will be compared to 3D TVs. When that changes, the term “foldables” will disappear.
ProBeat is a column in which Emil rants about whatever crosses him that week.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Valve reveals Steam VR's 100 best-selling games for 2018 | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/games/valve-reveals-steam-vrs-100-best-selling-games-for-2018"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Valve reveals Steam VR’s 100 best-selling games for 2018 Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Valve released a list of the 100 top-selling VR games on Steam in 2018, and the biggest hit gets you off the couch and puts VR lightsabers into your hands.
More than 1,000 titles released on Steam this year with VR support, according to Bellevue, Washington-based Valve Corporation. The vast majority of the releases are VR-only but the only new 2018 VR release to reach the top “platinum” tier of gross revenue on Steam was Beat Saber — which sold more than 100,000 copies in its first month of availability on PC this year.
We’ve linked to our reviews below for most of the titles in the platinum, gold and silver tiers. Other top selling VR titles at the platinum level include Fallout 4 , Gorn, Orbus, H3VR, Pavlov, Skyrim (which released on PC in 2018 but appeared on PSVR in 2017), Superhot , Job Simulator , Onward, Arizona Sunshine and one title intended for adults only.
The gold tier of titles includes Budget Cuts , Raw Data , Virtual Desktop, Stand Out, Tilt Brush, Sprint Vector , Sairento , Zero Caliber, I Expect You To Die , Space Pirate Trainer and Doom VFR.
The silver tier includes two Serious Sam games as well as OVR, In Death , Moss , Box VR, Fruit Ninja , L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files , Richie’s Plank Experience, Creed , Dead Effect 2, Blade & Sorcery, VTOL, Audioshield and Duck Season.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! You can check out the 2016 and 2017 lists as well, with a lot of titles on 2018’s list also represented in previous years. The full list on Steam also includes 60 games at the bronze tier as well as a new section this year that lists top releases of 2018.
This story originally appeared on Uploadvr.com.
Copyright 2018 GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
Discover our Briefings.
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"FlyInside shows VR flight sims how to soar | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/games/flyinside-shows-vr-flight-sims-how-to-soar"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages FlyInside shows VR flight sims how to soar Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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After almost two years of development, FlyInside Flight Simulator has launched in Early Access on Steam.
FlyInside is a made-for-VR flight sim which supports Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Windows MR heasdsets.
Virtual reality is well suited for cockpit sims, providing a sense of depth and scale monitors simply can’t match. Even from a practical perspective, looking around a cockpit naturally with your head is far easier than using a hat switch or D-pad. TrackIR is a useful middle ground, but is awkward for large movements since it isn’t 1:1 and the monitor is still stationary.
FlyInside originally began in 2015 as a Kickstarter for a mod for Flight Simulator X (FSX). The project raised more than double its $13,500 goal, unlocking Leap Motion support as a stretch goal, as well as support for Prepar3D, a newer flight simulator based on the FSX codebase.
Why a new sim? Above: Learning to fly, but I ain’t got wings.
Through either mods or official updates, all major PC flight simulators today have some form of VR support. However, the fact that VR was an afterthought in these sims is often all too obvious. Performance is sub par, the menus are difficult to operate, and a lot of functionality is almost impossible while essentially blindfolded, requiring complex keyboard mappings. FlyInside standalone is tackling these issues by building from the ground up for VR.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! Performance has been a key focus for the team’s custom engine. In VR low framerate feels sickening, so must be a priority. In our brief testing we found performance to be adequate on a GTX 970 with only a few hitches- noticeably better than the mod for Flight Simulator X.
The sim lets you decide which input device you want to use. You can use your VR controllers as virtual hands, Leap Motion to use your fingers directly, or the traditional option of a HOTAS (joystick).
Using Touch controllers in the mod for FSX felt tacked on and glitchy, but in the standalone it now feels native. Flicking switches, adjusting levers and even controlling the stick can all be done with your hands.
Available aircraft Above: Ready to fly! While all flight sims come with default aircraft, most enthusiasts use 3rd party solutions from studios who develop highly detailed models for multiple sims. For FlyInside, the studio has included 10 aircraft from studios MilViz and TFDi Design: Light Aircraft Baron B55 [MilViz] Cessna 310R [MilViz] Airliners Boeing 737-200 [MilViz] Boeing 717 [TFDi Design] Legacy T-50 Bobcat [MilViz] DHC-3 Otter [MilVIz] Military T-38 Jet Trainer [MilViz] Helicopters Bell 407 [MilViz] MD 530 [MilViz] CH-47 Chinook [MilViz] Future plans Above: Yeah, I’m not brave enough to fly at night.
According to the early access listing on Steam, FlyInside plans to add: Improved scenery World-wide scenery coverage Live road and air traffic ATC functionality Improved flight model physics Additional aircraft and missions The team intends to be in early access for 6 to 12 months. The sim will be at a higher price when it launches, with the price increasing when new features are added.
We’re certainly impressed with the initial early access build. VR flight simulation was once thought to be a simple addon for existing sims, but it’s now clear that a deeper appreciation of the challenge is needed. VR represents a unique interaction paradigm in which the user is essentially blindfolded. Rather than relying on old keyboard shortcut workflows, flight sims need to take radical new design decisions to streamline flying. The FlyInside team are one of the first to appreciate this and start the hard work.
This story originally appeared on Uploadvr.com.
Copyright 2018 GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
Discover our Briefings.
The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"7 ways to avoid VR motion sickness | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/games/7-ways-to-avoid-vr-motion-sickness"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Opinion 7 ways to avoid VR motion sickness Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Dean Takahashi demos the first-generation Haptx gloves in 2018.
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Motion sickness: It’s far from the flashiest aspect of VR, but it’s a real problem for some people when they put on a headset and enter a virtual world.
VR motion sickness happens when your eyes tell your brain you’re moving around in a VR environment, but your body feels like it’s sitting in a chair or standing still. If you’re prone to the problem, these conflicting inputs cause you to feel miserable. Specifically, you might experience sensations like nausea, dizziness, headaches, sweating, excessive salivating, or all of the above. Even worse, these symptoms can continue for hours after you take off the headset and compound together.
Even if you’ve experienced VR motion sickness first-hand, don’t give up hope just yet. It’s possible to mitigate and even overcome VR-induced motion sickness altogether. We’ve already gone over a few tips that developers can use to limit reactions here , so we’ve included some advice specifically for consumers below. Next time you’re having issues, give some of these a try.
Baby steps Let’s say you’ve had a bad experience playing a VR game. You tried it, and the moment you started moving around in the virtual world, your stomach lurched and your head started to spin. You might not be inclined to venture back into VR, but if you give up now, you’ll be depriving yourself of some truly amazing experiences. It’s actually possible to overcome VR motion sickness without using any crazy tricks at all. You can do it simply by taking it slow.
If a game makes you feel queasy, start out by limiting your play sessions to just a few minutes at a time. When you start feeling uncomfortable, shut your eyes, breathe deeply, and take a short break before trying again. If you gradually increase the time you spend in those games, there’s a good chance you’ll overcome the discomfort in just a few days’ time. Before long, you’ll be cruising around imaginary worlds like a pro. For many people, getting their “VR legs” just takes patience and practice.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! Have someone say you’ll be OK This one sounds bizarre, but at least one study suggests it’s rooted in scientific fact. According to the report, you may be able to overcome VR motion sickness simply by having someone tell you you’re going to be fine. The study focused on naval cadets who, prior to boarding their assigned vessel, were told they were unlikely to suffer from seasickness, regardless of whether it was true.
As a result, the cadets who’d been given this “verbal placebo” got seasick at a lower rate than cadets who hadn’t. Assuming the findings are accurate, this method could help anyone who’s anxious about VR motion sickness before trying. Now you just have to get over your anxiety about asking someone for such a strange favor.
Eat ginger first That thin, slippery garnish that comes with your sushi isn’t just for cleansing your palate. According to some studies , it’s also good for kneecapping nausea before it starts. If you eat ginger — or take a ginger supplement — an hour or two before putting on a VR headset, you may lower your chances of losing your lunch. Whether it works for you or not, it’s as good an excuse as any to make some quick additions or alterations to your diet.
Above: So, that’s what the fan is for.
Aim a fan at yourself Another potential VR motion sickness cure that might sound strange is to have a fan blowing your direction while you play. It’s not clear why a cool breeze on your skin makes you less likely to hurl, but many nausea-prone forum goers have reported that it does indeed stop the discomfort before it starts. If you have a fan handy and you’ve struggled in a VR game, why not give it a shot? At the very least maybe it will help stop you from sweating inside the headset so much.
Take dramamine If you’ve ever felt seasick on a boat or gotten dizzy from reading in a car, there’s a good chance someone recommended you take Dramamine. Dramamine is an antiemetic medicine you can use to curb any symptoms you might get from motion sickness — which includes the VR-induced variety.
Dramamine comes in a number of forms, from standard pills to chewable tablets, and under a number of brand names. There’s even one that’s designed to provide 24 hours of nausea protection, which would be a good fit for anyone who likes to marathon their way through games.
Wear a wristband If you’re looking for a potential solution that doesn’t involve taking medication, Sea-Bands might be the right choice. Sea-Bands (and other similar products) are wristbands that put acupuncture pressure on what’s known as the Nei-Kuan point in your wrist. The result, for many people, is a reduced susceptibility to motion sickness. Like some other potential solutions on this list, Sea-Bands are primarily marketed toward travelers, but VR users have reported that they work in virtual worlds as well. You can buy Sea-Bands and other similar products online or at most drug stores.
Marijuana If you live in an area where marijuana is legal and you’re old enough to use it, you may find the solution to VR motion sickness in medicinal weed. After all, one of the primary applications of medical marijuana is to curb nausea.
It’s not for everyone, but if it works, it works.
Now the bad news: it’s possible none of these potential solutions will help you feel better in motion-heavy VR experiences. If none of them work for you, your best option is simply to avoid playing games that bring motion sickness on. Racing games, flying games, and games that let you move freely to explore virtual worlds are good ones to avoid if you’re susceptible to VR motion sickness.
On the plus side, that leaves plenty of VR experiences as fair game. If you simply focus only on games and apps where your viewpoint remains locked in place, or only lets you move through actual roomscale movement or teleportation, you’ll probably fare just fine.
This story originally appeared on Uploadvr.com.
Copyright 2018 GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
Discover our Briefings.
Join the GamesBeat community! Enjoy access to special events, private newsletters and more.
VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Dell returns to public markets after 6 years | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/commerce/dell-returns-to-public-markets-after-6-years"
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(Reuters) — Dell returned to public markets on Friday, nearly six years after the company’s founder and Chief Executive Officer Michael Dell took it private in what was then the biggest buyout since the financial crisis of 2008.
The computer maker is trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ‘DELL’, after it bought back shares that tracked the financial performance of software maker VMware , in which Dell held an 81 percent stake. The cash-and-stock deal was worth nearly $24 billion.
Buying back the shares allowed Dell to bypass the traditional IPO process, which would likely have involved grilling by investors over the company’s $52.7 billion debt pile.
Dell shares opened at $46 on Friday, marking its market valuation at $16 billion, as per Refinitiv data.
The company was seen as a model of innovation in the early 2000s, pioneering online ordering of custom-configured PCs and working closely with Asian component suppliers and manufacturers to assure rock-bottom production costs.
But it missed the big industry shift to tablet computers, smartphones and high-powered consumer electronics such as music players and gaming consoles later in the decade, and saw sales declining to a little over 10 percent in 2012’s fourth quarter on a fall in shipments.
That forced Michael Dell to take the company off the public market, and look at acquisitions to transform his company from a PC manufacturer into a broader seller of information technology services, ranging from storage and servers to networking and cyber security.
The strategy is in sharp contrast to that of rival HP’s, which separated from Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s in 2016, based on the reasoning that two technology companies focused separately on hardware and services would be more nimble.
But Dell’s strategy seems to be paying off, especially as corporates are increasingly turning to one-stop shops to help them manage their IT infrastructure on the cloud.
Dell reported a 15 percent rise in revenue in its latest quarter, and said it expects total adjusted revenue in the range of $90.5 billion to $92 billion in 2019.
The company currently holds 17 percent of the global PC market share year-to-date, behind rival HP’s 23 percent and Lenovo’s 21 percent share, according to data from Canalys.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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"Will Facebook's stablecoin project help crypto or hurt it? | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/will-facebooks-stablecoin-project-help-crypto-or-hurt-it"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Guest Will Facebook’s stablecoin project help crypto or hurt it? Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
Both Facebook and cryptocurrencies have had a bad year. Could they do better, together, in 2019? Facebook apparently thinks so.
The company discreetly formed an internal unit early this year dedicated to exploring blockchain technology — led by David Marcus, former president of well-trusted PayPal.
Then this month we learned the company is aiming to build a stablecoin , a cryptocurrency tethered to the U.S. dollar, in order to let WhatsApp users easily send money globally. Enthusiasts believe this combination of Whatsapp and stablecoin could be the breakthrough the crypto industry needs to go mainstream. But it seems equally likely, given Facebook’s sordid 2018, that the social network could do more damage to the crypto space.
Facebook’s brand isn’t strong enough to support crypto Facebook’s mainstream reputation has been on a steady decline since the Cambridge Analytica scandal in early 2018, with user confidence in the company plunging 66 percent between the hack and the resulting congressional hearings in April.
Since then, public perception has been so much on the decline that according to June data from the Pew Research Center, 42 percent of Facebook users reduced daily activity and engagement on the platform. (Just three months earlier, Pew’s survey found 74 percent of users visited daily and over half, 51 percent, went to the site numerous times throughout the day.) If anything, 2018 taught the tech industry that if consumers didn’t care about data privacy and trust before, they do now, and they’re proving that with the brands and platforms they chose to support.
Between users denouncing the platform and prosumers having no idea what or how to approach crypto, it’s hard to be convinced that Facebook could be a driving force behind mainstream adoption.
How can the crypto industry trust Facebook to be an ally if the same audience they want to attract is now detaching itself from the platform? Facebook is building this payment system for a group of people who may or may not believe in the technology but will likely never believe in their brand again. It’s similar to the neighborhood bully joining the community watch program.
WhatsApp is Facebook’s best gateway Choosing WhatsApp as a platform meant an instant user group. North Americans may be unfamiliar with the app, but its user base in Q4 2017 was about 1.5 billion, and the platform sees around 60 billion messages sent per day (per a Q4 2017 earnings call) compared to 1.3 billion monthly users and 1 billion daily active users in July 2017. Although those numbers don’t top Facebook’s 2018 third quarter of 2.27 billion monthly active users, WhatsApp has proven itself to be a global messaging goldmine and one of Facebook’s most strategic purchases.
With direct access to all WhatsApp users, who may or may not have access to payment systems such as Paypal or Zelle, Facebook could easily become the number one peer-to-peer payment system “by accident” as it did with news consumption ( 43 percent of Americans get some of their news from Facebook ).
Stablecoins are easier to understand than other tokens Generally speaking, the volatility of cryptocurrencies has prevented large-scale adoption to date for day-to-day transactions. Logically, the next best thing would be a stablecoin.
Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that are pegged to a stable, widely-known fiat currency.
Stablecoins had a pretty good year , unlike the rest of the crypto industry. They are designed to act as a bridge between crypto and traditional currencies by addressing volatility. Just this week, we heard that Mizuho Financial Group (MHFG), the second largest financial services group in Japan and one of the largest financial institutions in the world, is launching its own yen-pegged stablecoin in 2019 in a bid to promote cashless payments at Japanese retailers. In addition, the overall volume of the tokens issued collectively on Tether, TrueUSD, and USDC — some of the largest, most recognized stablecoins — grew by 43 percent from $1.385 billion to almost $2 billion, according to research from Blockshow.
So … WhatsApp facilitates global liquidity By enabling billions of people to send and receive payments safely and easily, a WhatsApp-based stablecoin sounds like an idea with legs.
We do need to hold onto a healthy dose of skepticism when listening to claims that Facebook’s moves into blockchain could help bolster the sector. Still, it’s certainly possible. WhatsApp is indeed well-positioned to be a winner in the trustless economy, and thus it’s parent company, Facebook, is too.
The irony is palpable.
Jen Nash is CEO of FreshWealth.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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"Why online retail has to drop its addiction tactics | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/why-online-retail-has-to-drop-its-addiction-tactics"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Guest Why online retail has to drop its addiction tactics Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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I stopped wearing my Apple Watch a few months back. The notifications had become overwhelming, and I just needed a break from the constant pull for my attention.
But I did worry about how would it look to my clients — online retailers — when I admitted that even I had started to reject marketers’ attempts to grab my attention.
The other day, as I was explaining this to a client, he pulled up his cuff to reveal a bare wrist, explaining, “I stopped wearing mine, too.” Clearly we’ve reached a saturation point with tech overload. Many of us have found ourselves falling into reward-center feedback loops , craving the dopamine hits that likes and comments give to the brain or the instant gratification of one-click shopping.
We’re not exploring and learning anymore — we’re zombie scrolling, buying things we don’t want, and spending precious hours staring at pictures we don’t care about.
I don’t just worry about this from a personal perspective — this has big implications for my entire industry as well. In a world where former Facebook executives won’t let their kids on Facebook and people are going to digital detox camp , where does this leave businesses that have evolved to sell, or help sell, things online? Don’t get me wrong: I don’t think it’s fair to fault companies for getting strategic about how to get our attention on the web, but at the same time, isn’t there some degree of moral culpability? Right now it’s an open question: With great marketing power, is there also social responsibility? A losing battle for our brains Of course, what draws us to our screens — whether to scroll aimlessly or to shop thoughtfully — is fine-tuned science meant to exploit our brains.
Ads are now seamlessly integrated into social media, with hyper-targeting that follows us from site to site. Daily deal sites like Groupon and referral programs rely on social proofing to get you to buy; shopping clubs with an exclusive allure use false scarcity and the “gamification” of commerce to get us hooked on their flash sales.
Meanwhile, social media influencers compete endlessly for our attention while surreptitiously pushing products.
With everything we come across online we’re incentivized to keep checking back , to share with our friends, to “win” via our engagement.
A lot of these tactics have been part of marketing forever (think sample sales and subscription schemes like Columbia House CDs — remember those?), but add on the way we’re constantly engaged with our devices and the addictive UI and UX engineered by neuroscientists to target our brains , and do we really stand a chance? At one point, it was considered the pinnacle of success for marketers to hook consumers on a subconscious or psychological level (case in point: the best-seller Hooked ). But as more people reject tech’s addictive tactics , as well as the cost of being constantly plugged in, marketers may soon be forced to up their moral game.
Getting from addictive to ethical Detox camps and kid-proofing computers will only get us so far in combating addictive tech.
The onus for action, on some level, needs to shift from consumers to brands themselves. The good news is that taking responsibility and embracing ethical marketing tactics brings with it its own set of advantages.
As people get more savvy about corporate behavior online, brands that rely on exploitative technology engineered to provoke a Pavlovian response are likely to face backlash (ahem … Facebook). The smarter approach is to build values-based relationships with customers that actually grow over time. Building that genuine connection with consumers takes a careful approach to applying, or even avoiding, certain technologies. For those looking to follow suit, here are some tactical takeaways: Avoid retargeting: Stalker ads that follow you from site to site do a great job of getting products in front of eyeballs, but they’re also widely regarded as being super creepy.
In 2019, retargeted ads are the equivalent of getting telemarketing calls in the middle of dinner. They’re an outdated, annoying and invasive form of advertising. Though these may convert in the here and now, in the long run these ads likely do as much to turn off consumers as to turn them on.
Email is a privilege, use it accordingly: Once upon a time, email inboxes were sacred spaces designated for meaningful, personal, communication. Retailers should use email sparingly — think once or twice a month, rather than once or twice a week — and restrict themselves to sending relevant information geared to the individual. My favorite example of this right now is Patagonia.
Their emails are more about environmental or political issues I’m interested in, which do a much better job of bringing me to their website than any deal or flash sale ever could. And that brings me to my final point: A sale is the beginning of your relationship, not the end: Too many brands rely on clicks and cookies to get to a conversion at all costs — and then completely forget about the person on the other end. Building an ethical following requires meaningful follow-up that inspires consumers to consciously opt-in to an ongoing relationship. Sephora is tops in this regard, with an omnichannel approach that rewards customers with desirable real-world perks, like free consultations with beauty experts, in addition to personalized product recommendations and discounts.
Of course, brands may soon be compelled to act more ethically in response to increased regulation as well, such as Europe’s new General Data Protection Regulation act, or Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation.
And consumers also need to do their part to become more savvy online.
The growing awareness of addictive tech might seem all negative at first, but I see it as an important step towards making e-commerce, social media, and digital content what it should be: relevant, personalized and helpful. We should all be thinking critically about these tools and platforms; just as we should be demanding more than just a quick dopamine hit from companies that are asking for our money and our attention.
Benjamin Crudo is CEO of Diff , an agency that designs and builds e-commerce solutions for major retailers.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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"We could all soon own shares of 'digital property funds' | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/we-could-all-soon-own-shares-of-digital-property-funds"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Guest We could all soon own shares of ‘digital property funds’ Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica scandal will be remembered as the tipping point that finally convinced us to take control of our personal data assets. None of us can predict exactly what trajectory this will take over the next few years, but it is already unleashing new forces that will transform markets for our personal digital property.
Last year, Supreme Court Justice Gorsuch argued, in reference to Carpenter v. United States , that cell phone data is personal property and so is protected under the Fourth Amendment. If his stance — that cell phone data is personal property — catches on, we could soon see a market driven fix for many of the data breach issues we’re seeing today.
Specifically, as owners of our phone data, we could restrict how its used and who can access it. And anyone who does use our data should expect to pay us for the privilege. But how are we supposed to negotiate with the giant companies that currently control our digital property? Consider this: A hundred years ago, small individual investors had a very hard time making investments in securities. Then, in 1924, the first mutual fund was created to amass the power of many small investors. Today the mutual fund industry, led by firms like Fidelity Investments and Vanguard, constitutes the most powerful investment arm in the world, managing over $49 trillion in assets globally.
It’s time to create something similar for digital property called a “digital property fund.” If you’re having trouble wrapping your mind around how this might work, don’t worry. Let’s take a quick trip into the future and see for ourselves. Three years should do it.
A trip to 2022 It’s Monday, January 10, 2022, and you’ve just read an article on these new digital property funds in VentureBeat. The author projected that over 1 billion people globally will have digital property fund accounts by 2025 due to growth in India and some wildly popular integrations with personal digital assistants. You decide it is time to sign up. First, remember, you’re hiring a firm to manage YOUR personal data. So, the first step is to make a contribution of your personal digital property to a fund of your choice.
How do you do this? In current mutual fund lingo, it’s called an “in kind contribution.” In other words, your contribution isn’t money but an assignment of your digital property. You download the app and click on an initial data profile that communicates your preferences to the digital property managers at the fund. You decide to go back later and spend more time configuring preferences, but this will get you started. Wow! It only took nine minutes! The thing to remember about this fund contribution is that you are free to move the management of your digital property to another fund at any time. Specifically, you’re hiring the mutual fund to act as your agent. Now, instead of simply clicking “I Accept” to terms of use agreements written by the Facebooks and the Googles, professional asset managers at your fund negotiate terms that produce maximum returns for you and hundreds of millions of other small digital property owners. This year the funds will move to a blockchain public ledger for secure broadcasting of your terms of service to all companies that might create or interact with your data.
The fund retains a small percentage of all earnings on your digital property as a management fee and passes the balance through to you. An annual report recaps these money flows in detail. This small percentage will exceed $16 billion in 2022 global fee income for the funds.
Now, back to 2019… Individually we have very little power to manage our digital property. But we don’t have to go it alone. We can hire professional asset managers to represent us in these negotiations. The improvements in AI and machine learning coming over just the next few years means that the value of our digital property is set to increase dramatically. This vast new opportunity is just too big for the financial services industry to pass up, and our data is too valuable to continue to manage it by simply clicking on unread terms of service agreements.
Brian Mulconrey is an advisor to insurtech startup Sureify Labs, a cofounder at Force Diagnostics, and a futurist. He lives in Austin, Texas.
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"This AI-driven writing aid corrects more than just typos and grammar | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/this-ai-driven-writing-aid-corrects-more-than-just-typos-and-grammar"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Sponsored This AI-driven writing aid corrects more than just typos and grammar Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Writing is hard. Whether you’re drafting an email to your boss or trying to pen the next great American novel, ensuring that everything from your punctuation to your overall sentence structures is error-free is no easy task.
But most spell-checking apps and grammar aids only live up to their names when it comes to overall functionality.
WhiteSmoke Writing Assistant , on the other hand, is a comprehensive, all-in-one tool that corrects everything from minor typos to the overall flow of your text, and right now a Lifetime Premium subscription is available for 80 percent off at just $79.
Unlike most writing aids that rely on simple tools and libraries to check your punctuation and grammar, WhiteSmoke Writing Assistant utilizes artificial intelligence to help improve your overall writing style as well.
Whether you’re writing on a mobile device or desktop, this top-rated app is compatible with all browsers, easy to install, and lets you perfect your writing in virtually any medium.
It activates with a single click and quickly analyzes your text using unique patented algorithms that will help you craft better sentences and eliminate multiple types of writing errors — from small mistakes and typos to grammar issues and formatting mistakes. You’ll also have unlimited access to a wide range of writing tutorials and document templates that can save you much-needed time during the drafting process.
This software even comes with a translator that can be used with over fifty languages, and you’ll even be able to easily check for accidental plagiarism thanks to a huge database of submitted papers, emails, and journal entries — making this an ideal tool for students and academic writers.
Write more effectively with a Lifetime Premium subscription to WhiteSmoke Writing Assistant for just $79 — 80 percent off its usual price for a limited time.
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"These compact Bluetooth earbuds offer supreme sound and portability | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/these-compact-bluetooth-earbuds-offer-supreme-sound-and-portability"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Sponsored These compact Bluetooth earbuds offer supreme sound and portability Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
Learn more.
Bluetooth wireless earbuds don’t tend to have stellar reputations when it comes to audio quality. Although much more convenient and portable than traditional over-ear headphones, these compact cousins tend to lack the rich bass and defined treble that most serious listeners crave from a piece of audio equipment.
These REVEL True Wireless Earbuds, however, break all the rules by offering supreme portability and convenience along with truly incredible sound, and right now you can land a pair for over 45 percent off at just $79.95 for a limited time.
Featuring the latest Bluetooth 5.0 technology, these earbuds are ideal for audiophiles who don’t want to sacrifice sonic quality for portability.
These buds deliver a defined, rich bass and crystal-clear highs, along with a detailed and defined midrange that doesn’t interfere with the other frequencies (an all-too-common problem for most earbuds of this size), thanks to powerful Neodymium drivers and a frequency range of 15Hz to 22Khz.
They easily connect to any Bluetooth-compatible device and deliver a whopping fifty hours of on-the-go listening with an included charging case — meaning you won’t have to worry about your music cutting out even if you’re away from an outlet for extended periods of time. And when you do finally need to charge, you can get the job done in less than forty minutes.
These buds are also incredibly comfortable, thanks to a twist-and-lock configuration that allows them to fit snuggly in your ear, and they won’t fall out even if you’re in the middle of an especially demanding workout or run — making them ideal for exercise enthusiasts. They’re even fully sweat-proof.
Don’t sacrifice great sound for on-the-go convenience and portability. These REVEL True Wireless Earbuds offer both for just $79.95 — over 45 percent off their MSRP for a limited time.
VentureBeat Deals is a partnership between VentureBeat and StackCommerce. This post does not constitute editorial endorsement. If you have any questions about the products you see here or previous purchases, please contact StackCommerce support here.
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"The strange case of Hush: French cryptocurrency banking startup disappears after failed ICO | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/the-strange-case-of-hush-french-cryptocurrency-banking-startup-disappears-after-failed-ico"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages The strange case of Hush: French cryptocurrency banking startup disappears after failed ICO Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Hush Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
We may one day look back on 2018 as the year the great cryptocurrency dream died. And the case of banking startup Hush could serve as a cautionary tale about the risks that were always inherent in this relatively unregulated sector.
Founded in my backyard of Toulouse, France, Hush was a “neo-bank” that wanted to revolutionize banking by using cryptocurrencies and tokens to create a participative community service that would foster a decentralized governance model.
The company appeared to be credible because it was founded by Éric Charpentier, who had been the founder of banking startup Morning.
Charpentier’s past wasn’t without a touch of controversy, however. Two years ago, Morning’s operations were suspended by financial regulators, who accused the startup of mishandling funds. Eventually, Morning was acquired by French bank Edel, which continues to operate it.
Meanwhile, Charpentier launched Hush, which started getting a lot of buzz as the founders began promoting plans for an initial coin offering to raise between $17 million and $23 million. The company listed a host of notable advisors and was getting fairly good ratings for its ICO prospects.
But Hush only sold 245 of its USH tokens, on the way to raising about $618,000. With cryptocurrency valuations plunging since the beginning of 2018, the tide was heavily against it.
While that was disappointing, what happened next left some confused and concerned. As the original target date for a September launch of the service approached, the Hush team went silent.
Mind Fintech reported that various providers and consultants “have not been paid and have no news from the founder.” Charpentier erased his tweets from his Twitter account and deleted his LinkedIn account. The company also had an active Telegram account, but he deleted his account from there, as well. Hush’s Medium account is also gone.
After the Mind Fintech report sparked interest, France 3 television station managed to get a statement from Hush community manager Max Massat, who claimed the story was “exaggerated” and said: “Eric is now taking the time to manage his projects far from the pressure of his networks. We have decided not to justify ourselves. We work in silence. The real investors in the project know. We leave the fantasies for others.” That was in September. Neither Massat nor Charpentier responded to my requests for comments. And there appears to have been no recent activity on the Telegram channel or any other public statements.
I did manage to reach Sébastien Bourguignon, a blockchain expert who had been an advisor on the project. He said in a LinkedIn message: “I didn’t have any news from Eric Charpentier since [the middle] of June, he didn’t pay me for the advisory [work]. I am in litigation with him.” It’s unclear what, if anything, happened to the funds pledged. And it’s also uncertain what may come next. But for the moment, Hush appears destined to be emblematic of a cryptocurrency era that seems to be coming to a close.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"The DeanBeat: 12 predictable predictions on gaming in 2019 | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/the-deanbeat-12-predictable-predictions-for-gaming-in-2019"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Opinion The DeanBeat: 12 predictable predictions on gaming in 2019 Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Here we go again with our annual game industry predictions.
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I’m making my annual predictions for the game industry again, not because I’m good at it, but because it has become one of the annual rites of December for me. I’m usually wrong or predictable when I make my predictions, but one day I’ll get right. I can’t be wrong all of the time.
As the game industry grows beyond the $134.9 billion behemoth it was in 2018, I hope that I can at least help people plan for the future or take a guess about something that forecasters might not otherwise think about. We are what we pretend to be, and today I’ll pretend to be a seer. I have 22 years experience as a beat writer on games. But I have never programmed or designed a game in my life.
I do play them though, and I talk to a lot of people about games. I’ve written about 17,000 stories for VentureBeat over 11 years, mostly about what other people think about the future of tech and games. Once a year, I look back at last year’s predictions and try to get into prediction mode. You’ll see some familiar themes that we will explore in our upcoming GamesBeat Summit 2019 event in Los Angeles.
First, I’ll give myself grades for last year’s predictions, and then I’ll make 12 new ones. For the usual comparison and embarrassment, here are my predictions for 2017 , 2016 , 2015 , 2014 , 2013 and 2012.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! My 2018 scorecard 1. Red Dead Redemption will be the Game of the Year Above: Red Dead Redemption 2 I was right that the much-delayed game would debut in 2018. I felt this epic Western deserved Game of the Year, after I played through 105 missions for more than 50 hours. It was a rare beauty of a game, with more than 3,000 people contributing to it over the course of eight years. But it was edged out at The Game Awards by God of War , and GamesBeat’s own team outvoted me and gave that title to another game. Yet Rockstar Games may have the last laugh, as the game is a huge commercial success and could generate more than 20 million copies sold in its first two months of sales. Let’s just say I was almost right.
Letter grade: B 2. The Nintendo Switch will be the bestselling console of the year Above: Nintendo Switch Nintendo has had good lifetime sales for the Switch so far, selling an estimated 25 million units since March 2017. It is more successful than its predecessor, the Wii U, by far. But it’s unclear which console sold the most units in 2018, as none of the parties have reported sales yet, and the all-important month of December still has to play out. In the second fiscal quarter ended September 30, sales were kind of disappointing.
Letter grade: TBD 3. Gamer rage will take new and unpredictable forms Above: The Monk in Diablo: Immortal.
I was right about this one, but I didn’t think Blizzard Entertainment would be the instigator. When Blizzard promised a new glimpse of a Diablo game for BlizzCon 2018, gamers got their hopes up. But they were very upset to find out that Diablo: Immortal would be a mobile game.
They feared, wrongly, that Blizzard wasn’t working on a big PC title related to Diablo. Epic Games’ popular Fortnite title also got some hit from the hip hop artist 2 Milly, who claimed Epic Games copied his Milly Rock dance as an emote in the battle royale game. Even the companies with the best intentions and the best hardcore line-ups can run afoul of the internet haters. That’s something we’ll address at our GamesBeat Summit 2019 event, where the theme is about building gaming communities.
Letter grade: A 4. VR will get cheaper and better, but it will continue to perform below expectations Above: Oculus Go.
Facebook did indeed launch a price war in virtual reality with its $200 standalone Oculus Go VR headset in 2018. But that system didn’t ignite a boom in VR sales. The Sony PlayStation VR continued to sell, but it felt like the whole industry was pivoting to VR arcades throughout the year. Facebook’s Oculus will try again in the spring of 2019 with the launch of the Oculus Quest, a wireless headset with full hands-on controllers. But for now, the consumer reaction to VR is quite muted.
Letter grade: A 5. AR gaming will take off in a variety of ways Above: Pokemon now appear at scale in augmented reality.
Augmented reality still hasn’t taken off the way anyone hoped or predicted. There’s a lot of it on mobile devices, like Pokémon Go and Jurassic World: Alive. But AR headsets are so expensive that they’re being targeted at enterprises. And there aren’t any AR apps in the top 100 grossing mobile games, unless you count CSR 2’s AR experience.
But that was an add-on to a popular game.
Magic Leap began selling the developer version of its AR headset, dubbed the Magic Leap One Creator Edition. But it was priced at $2,300, and very few people were able to enjoy it as a consumer technology in 2018. Like VR, it looks like AR is going to be a slow-cook experience.
Letter grade: C 6. Influencers will grow in importance, but must be reined in as well Above: PewDiePie doesn’t want to be considered with Nazis, but his language isn’t helping.
Influencers got more popular than ever. Dominique “ SonicFox ” McLean and Ninja are making lots of money showing off their skills and entertaining people at the same time.
But it didn’t seem like the bad boy influencers like PewDiePie lost any real audience, despite a history of making Nazi jokes.
Plenty of misbehaving streamers were banned, and yet others became more popular because of their badness.
Letter grade: B 7. Esports will continue to score funding and growth Above: Seoul Dynasty is a new Overwatch League team.
As predicted, investment stalled on VR, and a lot of attention shifted to esports investments. Venture capital firms such as Accel became bullish on esports, and traditional sports owners got further into making investments in esports teams.
Millions of dollars in investments went into companies like Fnatic, PlaysVS , ESL , Newzoo, The Esports Observer , Team Vitality , Popdog, Complexity Gaming, and Gen.G.
Market researcher Newzoo predicted that esports could hit $1.7 billion by 2021. Esports is still in its hype stage, but no one has popped the bubble yet.
Letter grade: A 8. The Leisure Economy will gather momentum Above: Esports is on the rise.
Getting paid to play games was a big theme of our GamesBeat Summit 2018 event. It started as something I had heard from the craziest of forecasters, like Bing Gordon of Kleiner Perkins, and it slowly became something that I believed in as well. (It will come up again at GamesBeat Summit 2019 ).
Now I hear other people talking about how streamers and other esports stars are creating new jobs that didn’t exist a generation ago. They include esports athletes, shoutcasters, esports agents, cosplayers, mod designers, user-generated content developers, influencers, livestreamers, and more.
There isn’t a huge long tail yet. Mostly, celebrities like the aforementioned Ninja are getting rich playing games. But in the long run, I think this trend is getting more exciting.
Letter grade: A 9. Big games will be delayed. Blockbusters will astound us.
Above: The Monitor leads the Dominion in Anthem.
Sadly, some of the most anticipated video games of the year were delayed from 2018 to 2019. One of those was Anthem, from Electronic Arts’ BioWare division. That title is now coming on February 22. We’ve got some big titles coming in 2019 (that we expected in 2018) like Days Gone. We have no idea when others are coming, like Ghost of Tsushima, Halo Infinite, or The Last of Us Part II.
Meanwhile, yes, Red Dead Redemption 2, Spider-Man, and God of War astounded us.
Letter grade: A Above: PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has crossed 10 million daily active users.
10. Battle royale titles will multiply and peter out I predicted a year ago that Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds and Fortnite might be the only games that really prosper in the battle royale genre. I was right about how these games would multiply, but that “peter out” guess was wildly inaccurate. We saw the successful launches of battle royale titles like Call of Duty: Blackout (I was right about that one), Ring of Elysium, and Realm Royale. But rather than peter out, it only seems like this game mode is picking up fans. Red Dead Online has one, and Battlefield V will add it as an update in 2019.
Letter grade: B 1 2 3 View All Join the GamesBeat community! Enjoy access to special events, private newsletters and more.
VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Sapienz: Facebook's push to automate software testing | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/sapienz-facebooks-push-to-automate-software-testing"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Sapienz: Facebook’s push to automate software testing Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Sapienz Logo Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
Learn more.
It can take 15 years or more for research to transfer from academia to full industrial deployment. For the founders of Majicke, an automated software testing startup created out of University College London (UCL), it took not much over a year.
In September 2016, a trio of UCL researchers founded Majicke with the idea of building on decades of search-based software engineering (SBSE) research to create tools that automate the process of finding test cases.
Traditionally designed by humans, test cases are used to determine whether software will function correctly under different circumstances. Majicke’s core product was Sapienz, a tool that leverages SBSE to automatically generate test sequences and find crashes.
In January 2017, Facebook announced that it was acqui-hiring Majicke’s founders, Professor Mark Harman (scientific advisor), Ke Mao (CTO), and Yue Jia (CEO), alongside some of the company’s assets — while Majicke itself was wound down.
Above: Sapienz: Ke Mao (CTO), Mark Harman (scientific advisor), and Yue Jia (CEO) Today, Harman is an engineering manager at Facebook, where he is able to test the impact of his research on products used by billions of people — though he also maintains a part-time academic position at UCL. Mao and Jia are also now software engineers at Facebook.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! Facebook already uses artificially intelligent software across its suite of public-facing products to automate myriad processes, from detecting illegal content to assisting with translations.
Behind the scenes, the company has also been pushing to scale automated software testing and verification across its products in order to detect glitches long before they hit Google’s or Apple’s app stores.
Back in 2013, Facebook announced it was acquiring Monoidics, the London-based developer behind a static automated code verification tool called Infer Static Analyzer, which was designed to identify buggy mobile code early on and then demonstrate that the bug had been fixed. Around the same time, Harman and his team at UCL were doing research on generating test cases, a technique related to verification. “In testing, you try to find the presence of bugs so you can get rid of them, and in verification you prove the absence of bugs,” Harman said in a Q&A session held at Facebook’s London HQ.
The Monoidics acquisition, ultimately, was to be the genesis for Harman’s startup.
“We thought we should have a startup, too, if we were going to have an impact with this research,” Harman continued. “So we set up a startup called Majicke.” Breaking things Facebook has been known for its “ move fast and break things” mantra since it first launched on the web 14 years ago. But with the advent of native mobile phone apps, rolling out fixes for bugs isn’t quite so easy. If a bug is found on the web, an update can be rolled out immediately, but mobile apps require the user to physically update their app to get a fix, which makes it all the more important to find bugs well before the app ships.
Above: Infer at work A widely accepted principle in the software engineering realm is that the later a bug is caught, the more effort — and cost — goes into fixing it. This is where both Infer and Sapienz come into play.
Infer is actually complementary to Sapienz, and both teams still work from Facebook’s engineering hub in London. Together, the products let programmers build code without spending too much time testing for bugs.
Infer is what is known as a “static” analysis tool that is useful earlier in the development process, before the code is executed, while Sapienz is a dynamic analysis tool, which means it’s designed for an executable “runtime” environment. Infer basically pinpoints code that it think looks dodgy, while Sapienz confirms it by running the code and finding a crash.
“Sapienz’ job is to run the code in a realistic environment to see if it can cause a failure in practice,” Harman said. “If Sapienz finds a real problem, and Infer had a likely possible cause, then if we connect those two up we’ve got all the path between cause and effect.” Sapienz runs on a whole bunch of emulators rather than the live version of an app — remember, the goal is to catch bugs before they ship. Here you can see an example of various instances of Facebook’s apps being tested by Sapienz — basically creating test sequences to try to catch problems in the code.
Above: Examples of Facebook apps being tested in emulators.
The most common bug identified by Sapienz is what is known in the industry as a null pointer , in which a referenced object in a line of code is invalid.
The ultimate goal of Sapienz is, of course, to expedite crash fixes so the final version of an app update is as polished as possible. But it’s also about allowing developers to move faster on the actual writing of new code, and to work on things that are more interesting.
“They [developers] would much rather be creative and create new products than try to work out why this particular pointer here was referencing something it shouldn’t or was a null,” Harman said.
Deployed Sapienz was deployed for the first time in Facebook’s main Android app in September 2017. This represented a rapid rise in fortunes for Sapienz’ creators, in particular CTO Ke Mao, who worked as chief developer of the first incarnation of Sapienz while he was a PhD student.
“He was able to go from being a PhD student to joining Facebook and seeing the work in his PhD deployed … I mean, it was starting to be deployed even before he’d submitted his thesis,” Harman added. “There’s research that shows how long it takes for an idea to go from conception to practice — 15 to 17 years it can take to go from academic research to industrial deployment. This PhD student did it in 17 months, if not fewer.” In the months since its first deployment, Sapienz has been expanded to cover Facebook’s other Android apps, including those for Messenger, Instagram, and Workplace, as well as the main Facebook iOS app.
So what induces an esteemed computer engineering professor to join a company such as Facebook? Well, it all comes down to application at scale — the ability to see the impact of their work on more than 2 billion people.
“One of the things that attracts scholars to come work here [at Facebook] is that the biggest challenge in software engineering is scalability — how do you scale up the techniques you’re applying?,” Harman said. “In a university, you can work on fairly small-scale examples in laboratory conditions, but what you really want to be able to do is see ‘Can my ideas apply at very big scale?'” According to Harman, around 100,000 changes are made to Facebook’s various products each week, which affords a significant opportunity to test Sapienz at scale.
“That kind of scale, as an academic … we can’t find that in very many other places,” he added.
Fixer upper According to Harman, 75 percent of reported crashes end up getting fixed, which means that Sapienz — more often than not — is flagging genuine issues in the code.
“For an automated technique to have a fix rate of 75 percent is pretty impressive, because it’s very easy for an automated technique to generate all sorts of irrelevant noise for engineers,” he said.
As Facebook continues honing its bug-finding smarts, it’s simultaneously working on automated technology that will fix the code. “Our dream is a world in which we can automatically find faults in software and then automatically fix them, as well,” Harman added.
A few months back, Facebook unveiled SapFix , which is already in the early stages of deployment in the Facebook Android app. SapFix automatically generates fixes for specific bugs, though the final call on whether to accept the fix is made by a human engineer.
Underpinning this is a tool called Getafix , which provides fixes for bugs found by both Infer and Sapienz, and which learns from previous fixes conducted by engineers — so any recommendations it makes “are intuitive for engineers to review,” according to Facebook.
What we’re now seeing is a situation in which Infer and Sapienz are used to find and flag bugs and crashes, which will then trigger a patch generator via SapFix to fix the issues.
“This is very much bleeding edge, and it’s also a very current hot topic in the research community internationally,” Harman said. “We wanted to take all this technology, and the unique position we find ourselves in with both static and dynamic analysis, and see whether we can combine all these techniques to automatically fix some of the bugs we’re finding.” As noted, 75 percent of bugs reported by Sapienz are fixed, but only a small portion of those are currently being fixed by SapFix — and yes, most of those are null pointers.
“About half of those that SapFix tries to fix, they actually work out to be good fixes and are accepted once checked [by an engineer],” Harman added.
Redundant? To the casual observer, it may appear that we’re fast heading to a world in which developers will be redundant — or, at least, a significant chunk of them. But Harman doesn’t think that will be the case. For now, human developers still review the final code before it’s catapulted into the main codebase, and of course they have to generate the code in the first place.
“We wouldn’t let an automated technology loose on our codebase without having developer oversight,” Harman said.
But what about years into the future — does Harman every envisage a day when software engineers are sidelined? “Theoretically, you could get to that place, but I’m not sure practically whether we would want to do that,” he continued. “Psychologists have studied for a long time the difference between ‘generating’ and ‘checking’, and checking is usually an order of magnitude easier than generating.” A good analogy here would perhaps be that of a spell-check program on a computer. Though machines are getting better at generating meaningful text, for example in sports reporting , it’s not clear that they will ever be able to rival humans at generating prose and other creative works. But most people now use spell-checking systems to spot errors in their text, and desktop publishing has allowed anyone to produce professional-grade publications without complex equipment.
Could automated software testing and debugging have a similar impact and open up programming to more people? Harman thinks that could be one potential outcome in the future — “because coding becomes more exciting and creative, and less about the nitty gritty that puts a lot of people off,” he said.
In other words, programming becomes more about making than fixing.
Open-sourcing In 2015, Facebook announced it was open-sourcing Infer to improve its efficacy, something the company is also planning for both Sapienz and SapFix — though it hasn’t provided a timescale for either. We are probably looking at years rather than months, though.
“Ultimately, we can make this technology available to the whole community, and it can also have just as much impact on software in general as it does on Facebook here,” Harman said. “We can make the technology open source and the community can work on this, develop it, and apply it to their problems.” Facebook has a history of open-sourcing its technology , and the company is among the top contributors on GitHub. But it’s not purely an altruistic endeavor — open-sourcing also benefits Facebook, as the more projects Sapienz and SapFix are exposed to, the better the tools will become. The practice also plays an important role in attracting top technical talent to the company.
“One of the appeals for me, as an academic coming to Facebook, was the fact that Facebook has a good track record of making its code for infrastructural work on software engineering available,” Harman added.
Automation and AI are infiltrating just about every facet of society, so it makes sense that we’re also seeing such advances in the software engineering sphere. A few months back, Alphabet’s investment arm, GV, led a $20 million investment in automated software-testing startup Mabl, while San Francisco-based Sauce Labs has also raised big bucks for automated app testing smarts.
It seems that this concerted effort is part of a joint push to get engineers to a point where they can spend more time on creative stuff, rather than being bogged down in the nitty gritty of null pointers.
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"Ninja wins the Why Is This OK In Video Games Award | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/ninja-wins-the-why-is-this-ok-in-video-games-award"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Ninja wins the Why Is This OK In Video Games Award Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Tyler “Ninja” Blevins is Twitch’s golden son. He plays Fortnite for audiences of tens of thousands of viewers. Ninja gained mainstream fame when he invited hip-hop artist Drake onto his channel, and he revealed that he makes $500,000 a month from viewers subscriptions. But while Ninja doesn’t hesitate to play games live with famous men, he refuses to invite women onto his channel.
“I don’t play with female gamers,” Ninja told Polygon.
“If I have one conversation with one female streamer where we’re playing with one another, and even if there’s a hint of flirting, that is going to be taken and going to be put on every single video and be clickbait forever.” And that’s why Ninja wins our Bad Award for Why Is This OK In Video Games? You can listen to us discuss the award in the clip above or as part of the Bad Awards podcast below.
Ninja says that he won’t livestream with women because it will cause problems for him in his private life. And I don’t get why this is a valid excuse. He has no problem with streaming with men. He continues to regularly have male gamers on his channel, who then get the benefit of his audience. But he discriminates against an entire gender because it makes his life easier.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! I find this especially frustrating because if a man in a similar position in other entertainment industries said the same thing, they would be ostracized. If a late-night host like Jimmy Kimmel said he would no longer invite women guests onto his show, he would lose his job. He could explain that it was to protect his marriage, and no one would care. He would lose sponsors and would likely face a backlash from his audience.
But Twitch continues to hold up Ninja as their big star, and huge companies continue to sponsor him. He’s not just getting away with his exclusionary behavior, he’s thriving. And I don’t know why this is OK in the business of video games and livestreaming.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
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"Netflix permanently pulls iTunes billing for new users | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/netflix-permanently-pulls-itunes-billing-for-new-users"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Netflix permanently pulls iTunes billing for new users Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Netflix CEO Reed Hastings gestures as he delivers his keynote speech during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, February 27, 2017.
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Netflix is further distancing itself from Apple’s iTunes tax bracket. Earlier this year, the streaming giant enabled iOS users in more than two dozen markets to bypass the iTunes payment method as part of an experiment. The company now tells VentureBeat that it has concluded the experiment and has incorporated the change globally.
“We no longer support iTunes as a method of payment for new members,” a Netflix spokesperson told VentureBeat. Existing members, however, can continue to use iTunes as a method of payment, the spokesperson added.
The company did not share exactly when it rolled out the change globally, but a support representative VentureBeat spoke with pegged the timeframe as late last month. Additionally, the support rep added that customers who are rejoining Netflix using an iOS device, after having canceled payment for at least one month, also won’t be able to use iTunes billing.
The move, which will allow Netflix to keep all proceeds from its new paying iPhone and iPad customers, underscores the tension between developers and the marquee distributors of mobile apps — Apple and Google.
Growing tension App developer have urged both companies to lower the tolls they levy on each transaction that goes through their respective app stores. Apple and Google charge 15 percent on each in-app subscription on their platforms. The two used to take a 30 percent cut, but in the past two years have slashed their ask.
New Netflix users with an iPhone or iPad will be required to sign up and pay by visiting the streaming service’s website. In the Android universe, Netflix stopped letting users pay through the Google Play store in May.
Netflix, which remains one of the top-grossing apps on Apple’s App Store, is not alone in trying to avoid Apple’s and Google’s fees. Music streaming service Spotify , news outlet Financial Times , Fortnite developer Epic Games, and Steam developer Valve have also brushed shoulders with the giants.
Epic Games, which first ditched Google Play altogether , launched its own game store for PC and Mac platforms with a 12 percent cut of revenue early this month. Days later, communication platform Discord announced that it was planning to charge only 10 percent on each sale to game developers on its recently launched store.
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"Mozilla: Ad on Firefox's new tab page was just another experiment | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/mozilla-ad-on-firefoxs-new-tab-page-was-just-another-experiment"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Mozilla: Ad on Firefox’s new tab page was just another experiment Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Some Firefox users yesterday started seeing an ad in the desktop version of the browser. It offers users a $20 Amazon gift card in return for booking your next hotel stay via Booking.com. We reached out to Mozilla, which confirmed the ad was a Firefox experiment and that no user data was being shared with its partners.
The ad appears at the bottom of Firefox’s new tab page on the desktop version with a “Find a Hotel” button that takes the user to a Booking.com page. The text reads: “Ready to schedule that next family reunion? Here’s a thank you from Firefox. Book your next hotel stay on Booking.com today and get a free $20 Amazon gift card. Happy Holidays from Firefox! (Restrictions apply).” A second version reads: “For the holidays, we got you a little something just for using Firefox! Book your next hotel stay on Booking.com today and get a free $20 Amazon gift card. Happy Holidays from Firefox! (Restrictions apply.)” Mozilla is always looking for new revenue streams and has placed ads on Firefox’s new tab page before. Most recently, Firefox 60 , which arrived in May, introduced sponsored stories powered by Pocket on the new tab page.
Mozilla says it’s not an ad The Pocket offer was announced and explained in advance.
The Booking.com ad, however, was something we had not heard of in advance, although Mozilla says it was actually the second such offer this month.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! “This snippet was an experiment to provide more value to Firefox users through offers provided by a partner,” a Mozilla spokesperson told VentureBeat. “It was not a paid placement or advertisement. We are continually looking for more ways to say thanks for using Firefox. In a similar vein, earlier this month we offered Firefox users a free opportunity to enjoy a live concert from Phosphorescent. In addition to adding value to Firefox users, these efforts are intended to support an open ecosystem. When users see such offers, no data is being shared with a partner until users have made the choice to enter a relationship. We hope that this strategy sets a positive example.” Mozilla’s argument that this is not an ad is understandable, even if it is false. The company wants to distance itself from the terms “paid placement” and “advertisement” because of the negative connotations associated with unwanted ads.
Ads can be useful — in fact, ads that benefit the user are what everyone should be striving for. But no matter how you spin them, they’re still ads.
Disabling Snippets Snippets are on by default in Firefox, but you can easily disable them. Navigate to about:preferences#home in Firefox (or click on the Firefox hamburger menu => Options => Home) and uncheck Snippets.
The description for Snippets provided in Firefox is quite vague: “Updates from Mozilla and Firefox.” The Mozilla wiki offers a more detailed explanation: The about:home snippet service is a simple, highly-cached content management service. It is intended to assemble and deliver content snippets to the about:home page in Firefox.
The content delivered is determined by details about the installation of Firefox requesting content — including mainly details about the browser’s build, locale, platform, and distribution channel, but not the person using the browser.
Mozilla uses Snippets to display tips about Firefox features or send a message to its users (for example, there’s one today that wishes you a Happy New Year). In this case, Mozilla decided to use the feature to test an ad.
Firefox 64 , which arrived earlier this month, introduced a Contextual Feature Recommender (CFR), limited to U.S. users. Snippets have been around longer than just this month, however, and do show up for users outside the U.S.
Mozilla did not say how many users saw the Booking.com ad or how long the experiment ran for (we questioned the above statement’s past tense verbiage). We will update this article if the company follows up with more information.
Update at 3:30 p.m. Pacific : “The Booking.com snippet ran for five days and ended on schedule on December 30th,” Mozilla PR’s Justin O’Kelly said in a statement. “About 25 percent of the U.S. audience who were using the latest edition of Firefox within the past five days were eligible to see it.” VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Get a lifetime of online privacy from VPN Unlimited for under $30 | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/get-a-lifetime-of-online-privacy-from-vpn-unlimited-for-under-30"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Sponsored Get a lifetime of online privacy from VPN Unlimited for under $30 Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn If you’re still browsing the web without the protection of a Virtual Private Network (VPN), you may as well be handing out your log-in passwords on a commuter train.
Hackers are becoming increasingly adept at infiltrating your Internet connection with just a few lines of code from across the globe, and a VPN is your first and most important line of defense against these cyber intrusions.
But not all VPNs are created equal.
VPN Unlimited is an award-winning service that allows you to browse without restrictions on all of your devices at once, and right now a lifetime subscription is available for over 90 percent off at just $28 with code VPNSAVE30 at checkout.
Unlike most VPNs that offer security at the expense of browsing speed, VPN Unlimited won’t slow your connection down while it secures your network and safeguards your information. Every bit of your data is dead-encrypted, and you’ll enjoy full bandwidth capacity at all times, regardless of the device you’re using.
VPN Unlimited also offers unrestricted access to over 400 servers in over 70 locations around the world — meaning you’ll never have to worry about finding a fast and secure connection even when you’re away from home.
This service even lets you bypass those obnoxious content filters when you travel overseas, so you’ll be able to keep up with your favorite content on popular streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. And when you travel to highly-restricted Internet areas like China, the UAE, or Russia, VPN Unlimited utilizes a special obfuscation feature to get you past the firewalls, all while ensuring that your information stays hidden from prying eyes.
Safeguard your privacy and sensitive information with a lifetime subscription to VPN Unlimited. Usually priced at $39.99, this award-winning service is available for just $28 for a limited time — over 90 percent off MSRP when you enter code VPNSAVE30 at checkout.
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VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"GamesBeat Summit 2019 speakers: China expert Lisa Cosmas Hanson and communities pros Amy Jo Kim and Raph Koster | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/gamesbeat-summit-2019-speakers-china-expert-lisa-cosmas-hanson-and-communities-pros-amy-jo-kim-and-raph-koster"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages VB Event GamesBeat Summit 2019 speakers: China expert Lisa Cosmas Hanson and communities pros Amy Jo Kim and Raph Koster Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Lisa Cosmas Hanson (left) of Niko Partners moderates a panel on China's global expansion in games. Panelists include Jazy Zhang (formerly of Giant Interactive); James Zhang, CEO of Concept Art House; and Jim Ying, senior adviser for CV Capital.
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If you haven’t signed up for GamesBeat Summit 2019, now is a good time to do it in the holiday lull, when prices are low. Our newest speakers are Lisa Cosmas Hanson, Amy Jo Kim, and Raph Koster.
Our 10th annual GamesBeat event will take place in Los Angeles at the Two Bit Circus , a “micro-amusement park” that’s like an arcade meets Ready Player One in the Arts District. And now, we’re ready to name our next three speakers for the event taking place April 23 and April 24.
Register now and get early bird pricing for GamesBeat 2019. Early bird tickets are just $595 for both days for a limited time only. For those looking for deal making, consider a VIP access pass for an additional $395 that includes access to a luxury VIP lounge, private meeting rooms, VIP lunch with yours truly, and more. And, as always, we have special pricing for a limited number of indie developers at $299.
The next batch of our many speakers are: Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! Lisa Cosmas Hanson , managing partner and founder of Niko Partners Amy Jo Kim , founder of Game Thinking Raph Koster , author of Postmortems and veteran game designer Our previously announced speakers include: Chris DeWolfe, the CEO of Jam City Mike Sepso , an executive at esports organization New York Excelsior and chairman of Electronic Sports Group (ESG) Tommy Tallarico, head of Intellivision Entertainment, a legendary video game musician, and founder of Video Games Live Jen MacLean , executive director of the International Game Developers Association Kevin Chou , chairman of Gen.G esports organization Brock Pierce , blockchain entrepreneur and investor Owen Mahoney , CEO of Nexon Ryan Wyatt, head of YouTube Gaming and virtual reality Scott Rupp , MTGx head, investor Above: Two Bit Circus is a micro-amusement park in downtown LA.
These new speakers will broaden out our content reach to include workplace issues in games, blockchain and cryptocurrency impacts on games, and the perspective of an Overwatch esports team owner.
Our theme this year is Building Gaming Communities.
Our speakers and guests will talk about the best practices for building sustainable and positive communities in games.
Strong communities can help boost the staying power and hit status of games, as loyal fans keep coming back over and over and spread word-of-mouth goodness about games in an authentic way. But it’s no secret that communities can be a double-edged sword, especially when it comes to topics like hazing, harassment, and rebellions against monetization tactics.
Game companies have to walk tightropes, and our hope is that GamesBeat Summit will point the way to the best strategies for building thriving communities.
GamesBeat Summit is the destination summit for networking, inspiration, and industry insight. With the right people in the room to make great deals happen, our flagship industry event attracts the hottest game developers and publishers, as well as industry CEOs, executives, marketers, and venture capitalists.
Amy Jo Kim, founder of Game Thinking Above: Amy Jo Kim, game designer and startup coach, at GamesBeat Summit 2016.
Named by Fortune as one of the top 10 influential women in games, Amy Jo Kim is a world-renowned social game designer, community architect, and startup coach. Her design credits include Rock Band, The Sims, eBay, Ultima Online, Netflix, Covet Fashion, nytimes.com, Happify, Pley, and numerous startups.
Through her coaching practice, Amy Jo helps entrepreneurs & innovators 10X their product/market fit and drive long-term engagement. She holds a doctorate in Behavioral Neuroscience (along with a BA in Experimental Psychology) and teaches Game Thinking at Stanford University. Her highly-anticipated new book, Game Thinking, was published in May 2018. I had a great time on stage with her at the Samsung Developers Conference in 2017, where we talked about how game designers should listen to super fans, not super haters.
Raph Koster Above: Raph Koster at GDC Online in 2012.
Raph Koster is a veteran game designer who has been professionally credited in almost every area of the game industry. He’s been the lead designer and director of massive titles such as Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies ; a venture-backed entrepreneur heading his own studio; and he’s contributed design work, writing, art, soundtrack music, and programming to many more titles ranging from Facebook games to single-player games for handheld consoles. I’ve heard Koster give lots of talks over the years and he’s always insightful and full of observations about game communities, and so he is a great choice for our theme.
Koster is widely recognized as one of the world’s top thinkers about game design, and is an in-demand speaker at conferences all over the world. His book A Theory of Fun for Game Design is one of the undisputed classics in the games field and was recently revised for a 10th anniversary edition. In 2012, he was named an Online Game Legend at the Game Developers Conference Online. And in 2018, he published the book Postmortems.
Visit his blog at www.raphkoster.com.
Lisa Cosmas Hanson, managing partner of Niko Partners Above: Lisa Cosmas Hanson is managing partner at Niko Partners.
Lisa Cosmas Hanson is the managing partner and founder of Niko Partners , a provider of market intelligence on the Asian games market. She founded Niko Partners in 2002 and has spent the subsequent years analyzing the Asian PC, console, and mobile games markets to benefit Niko’s clients: global leaders in game publishing, game services, hardware, investments, trade associations and government agencies.
She has been a Forbes Contributor, and has built her 25-year career in the roles of Asian and specifically Chinese market research analyst, Asian and Chinese market entry consultant, Japanese equities analyst, and US-Japan economic policy analyst.
Cosmas Hanson has made numerous presentations to audiences large and small in North America, Asia and Europe regarding the games industry in China and Southeast Asia. She has appeared on stage at GamesBeat events multiple times.
She is also frequently interviewed by major news organizations, in print, online, and on live TV news, including The Economist, The Washington Post, CNBC Asia, Bloomberg TV, CCTV, Forbes, The New York Times, Reuters, Bloomberg/Business Week, VentureBeat and many more. Cosmas Hanson earned an master’s degree in international economic policy from The American University and a bachelor’s degree in political science and international affairs from UCLA.
In her volunteer hours, Lisa spends time with youth programs to help empower students to be stewards of the environment through education, activism, and building Green Team programs in local schools in Silicon Valley. She believes in “peace through intercultural understanding,” and strives to do her part to exchange cross cultural information with global citizens.
What to expect We’re honored to have these speakers. They’ll be speaking in fireside chats on our business stage, and we’ll also figure out if they can contribute to our consumer-focused talks in a second hall.
We’ll ask them the straight questions that will prompt good debates, lessons learned, and news for the elite gaming audience.
At a lot of company-run events, we only hear happy talk. But we think that bringing the leaders of the industry together from different sectors helps refine the best thinking, and you often get wisdom from lessons that are hard learned. These kinds of talks and the chance for networking across sectors and industries is what will make our event unique in the crowded conference space.
Our event is going to be an intimate affair. And our location this year fits right with our theme. Two Bit Circus is a 40,000-square-foot playground for all ages, with entertainment that includes escape rooms, virtual reality experiences, a VIP loft, live interactive games, a robot bartender show, and modern versions of carnival games. Our attendees will be able to hear business talks in the Club 101 auditorium and consumer-focused talks in a second hall.
We’ll be taking full advantage of the environment by integrating contests and team play for all to participate in.
We’re still forming our topics around growing communities. The discussions will likely focus on the rise of virtual reality and augmented reality communities; exclusive and high-end game communities; esports communities; divided communities; massively multiplayer online worlds; the convergence of sci-fi, tech, and games; game jams; the future of game technology; monetization; the rise of influencers; and the oncoming changes from blockchain and cryptocurrency.
This is our 10th year of GamesBeat events, and this year promises to be the best one yet. Stay tuned as we announce more great speakers to our first-rate lineup.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
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"Gain access to over 2,000 documentaries with CuriosityStream | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/gain-access-to-over-2000-documentaries-with-curiositystream"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Sponsored Gain access to over 2,000 documentaries with CuriosityStream Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
Popular streaming sites like Netflix and Hulu have an incredible amount of content. With a single click, you can dial up most of your favorite shows and movies without having to deal with an increasingly antiquated cable connection — making it easy to binge-watch content any time, any place.
But when it comes to documentaries, these streaming services are surprisingly limited. They have a handful of popular titles but lack the trove of educational and fascinating documentary content that the curious mind demands.
CuriosityStream remedies this issue by offering a massive library of over 2,000 documentaries and series, and right now a two-year subscription is available for 25 percent off at just $29.99.
Brought to you by Discovery Communications founder and media visionary John Hendricks, this innovative service acts as the perfect combination of quality and quantity when it comes to both top-rated and lesser-known documentary features.
Each title on this service has been hand-picked by a dedicated team of professionals who know exactly what makes a great documentary stand out, and there are new titles being added on a regular basis.
CuriosityStream comes loaded with rich material that features interviews with renowned scientists and thinkers such as Stephen Hawking and David Attenborough and features unrivaled storytelling and visuals that demystify an almost endless number of topics under the umbrellas of science and nature to history and technology and beyond.
You’ll be able to stream this HD content on your desktop, mobile, and tablet devices, and discover new favorites and titles thanks to an intuitive recommendation tool that hand-picks what it thinks you’ll enjoy watching next. This subscription also grants you immediate access to all new content the moment it’s uploaded.
Uncover a massive trove of over 2,000 exciting and engaging documentary titles with a two-year subscription to CuriosityStream for just $29.99 — 25 percent off its usual price for a limited time.
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"Fear of a Netflix planet gripped entertainment world in 2018 | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/fear-of-a-netflix-planet-gripped-entertainment-world-in-2018"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Analysis Fear of a Netflix planet gripped entertainment world in 2018 Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn The Netflix logo is shown in this illustration photograph in Encinitas, California October 14, 2014.
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Netflix is a juggernaut.
Netflix is a disaster.
Up or down, the streaming service dominated conversations about the future of entertainment in 2018 as rivals tried to match it and Hollywood agonized about its impact on content.
Like that of many tech giants, Netflix’s stock went on a roller coaster ride, starting the year at $209.99 per share, soaring over the summer to $411, then plunging to $255.57 yesterday. Investors couldn’t make up their minds whether the company had become totally dominant or its massive spending on content meant that its business model was (wait for the obvious … ) a house of cards.
Whichever turns out to be right, the company’s influence can be seen everywhere.
Netflix reportedly spent $8 billion on original content in 2018, making it one of the largest producers in the world, with an overall content budget estimated to reach up to $13 billion.
VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! In the third quarter, the company reported 137 million subscribers globally. What’s more, its streaming service is available in almost every country, meaning that when a Netflix original show premieres it can immediately target an audience almost no other service can reach.
That has left tech and entertainment companies scrambling to catch up.
Netflix is seen as a motivation for the merger between Disney and Fox, which will have a combined estimated content budget of $22 billion. Disney is slated to launch its own streaming service in 2019, where it will feature its Marvel and Star Wars content as they disappear from Netflix.
Comcast is also acquiring London satellite broadcaster Sky, for a combined content budget of $21 billion.
And, of course, Apple is now betting big on original content in anticipation of its own possible streaming service.
But matching Netflix, no matter the content library, will continue to be a challenge, as Amazon has learned. Despite having some buzzworthy shows, Amazon video continues to offer a weak selection and frustrating user interface that make it unappealing.
Netflix retains a huge advantage in terms of both design across platforms and the data it has gathered from all those hours of viewing, which it uses to design new content and recommend more videos.
All this makes 2019 an intriguing year as the industry watches to see whether any of these efforts makes a dent in Netflix’s growth — and whether Netflix can keep up the pace to justify its debt spending on content.
For viewers, the year promises an embarrassment of choices. Whether that proves to be a good thing economically or creatively remains to be seen.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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"Facebook's worst self-inflicted wounds of 2018 | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/facebooks-worst-self-inflicted-wounds-of-2018"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Analysis Facebook’s worst self-inflicted wounds of 2018 Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Mark Zuckerberg testifies in front of the Senate Judiciary and Commerce Committees.
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In January, Mark Zuckerberg decided that his resolution for 2018 would be to ‘fix’ Facebook, in the belief that “we’ll end 2018 on a much better trajectory.” “The world feels anxious and divided, and Facebook has a lot of work to do — whether it’s protecting our community from abuse and hate, defending against interference by nation states, or making sure that time spent on Facebook is time well spent,” Zuckerberg wrote at the time.
“We won’t prevent all mistakes or abuse, but we currently make too many errors enforcing our policies and preventing misuse of our tools.” As the end of 2018 draws near, it’s safe to say Zuckerberg’s ‘much better trajectory’ has remained elusive. Facebook’s stock price has fallen from $181.42 per share at the beginning of this year to $134.52 at market close on Wednesday. It has managed to anger governments across the world due to negligence in protecting user data, poorly implemented ad products, and failure to stop bad actors in various markets from at best using sketchy growth tactics to get more clicks on their websites and at worst inciting genocide.
While not all of Facebook’s crises have been self-inflicted, some of the worst have been exacerbated by the company’s failure to quickly take responsibility for mistakes. Here are some of the most egregious examples over the past year.
Zuckerberg and Sandberg’s decision to keep quiet in the days following Cambridge Analytica Facebook’s year got off to a bad start when by March it was facing bombshell reports from the Guardian’s Observer and the New York Times about how the company had failed to stop data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica from improperly using the personal data of nearly 86 million users for ad targeting. Cambridge Analytica, for anyone who missed it, had gotten the data from a researcher who created a personality quiz app called thisisyourdigitallife before Facebook restricted the amount of data app developers could gather, starting in 2014.
Before the Observer’s story was published, Facebook sent a letter to the publication threatening to sue, according to lead reporter Carole Cadwalladr. Then Facebook tried to get ahead of the story by announcing that it was suspending Cambridge Analytica, though the company’s first statement — issued by its general counsel, not Zuckerberg — tried to emphasize that things had changed by focusing on the fact that Facebook had already limited the amount of user information developers could access several years ago. The problem was that Facebook had let the genie out of the bottle by giving apps access to that data in the first place. Cambridge Analytica proved that bad actors could misuse such data for years to come, and Facebook needed to not just apologize for what it had done in the past but do a better job of monitoring developers in the present.
Zuckerberg didn’t speak with media outlets until four days after the incident, and Sandberg didn’t do interviews until nearly three weeks after, only adding to the feeling that the company had something to hide.
It’s hard to overstate just how much the Cambridge Analytica saga set the tone for the rest of Facebook’s year — the scandal even resulted in Zuckerberg testifying in front of Congress for the first time ever. If Facebook had been more honest in the days following revelations about Cambridge Analytica and admitted it needed to do a better job vetting apps, perhaps the calls for blood would have been lessened.
Zuckerberg’s comments on Recode Decode that he didn’t think Holocaust deniers were ‘intentionally getting it wrong’ Following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Zuckerberg continued to do more interviews and host more conference calls with reporters in an attempt to win back some goodwill. This PR offensive included a visit to Kara Swisher’s Recode Decode podcast in July. The stop came amidst calls for Facebook to suspend conspiracy theorist site Infowars (more on that in a bit). In response to questions from Swisher about what should and shouldn’t be allowed on the platform, Zuckerberg argued that the company has a responsibility to give people a voice, even if he or other users find their views abhorrent. Unprompted, he brought up the example of Holocaust deniers.
“I’m Jewish, and there’s a set of people who deny that the Holocaust happened,” Zuckerberg told Swisher. “I find that deeply offensive. But at the end of the day, I don’t believe that our platform should take that down because I think there are things that different people get wrong. I don’t think that they’re intentionally getting it wrong, but I think — It’s hard to impugn intent and to understand the intent. I just think, as abhorrent as some of those examples are, I think the reality is also that I get things wrong when I speak publicly.” Critics thought Zuckerberg’s comments let Holocaust deniers off the hook. The Anti-Defamation League chastised Zuckerberg, noting that “Holocaust denial is a willful, deliberate, and longstanding deception tactic by anti-Semites that is incontrovertibly hateful, hurtful, and threatening to Jews.” Zuckerberg later clarified that “I absolutely didn’t intend to defend the intent of people who deny that.” Zuckerberg’s answer was reflective of Facebook’s continuous failures to respond to a changing landscape. For many people, tech companies’ pledges to allow users to express distasteful views as long as they’re not directly encouraging violence is now seen less as free speech protection and more as a callous or profit-motivated move.
Waffling over whether to kick Alex Jones off the platform Over the summer, Facebook and other websites faced increased pressure to kick Infowars’ Alex Jones off their respective sites. In July, a reporter asked Facebook during one if its routine meetings with journalists why Infowars was allowed to remain on Facebook, if it was indeed peddling fake news. The company’s head of News Feed, John Hegeman, tried to soften the issue by saying that Infowars simply had a “different point of view.” But Jones didn’t just have a different point of view — he spread a vicious and dangerous conspiracy theory that a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Connecticut six years ago was a hoax.
Facebook did hit Jones’ personal page with a 30-day suspension later that month for violating policies against promoting hateful content — but the company failed to suspend Infowars and Jones’ public pages, both of which have been guilty of similar violations. Facebook finally suspended both Jones and the Infowars’ page from its site on August 6, but only after Apple and Spotify removed episodes of Jones’ podcast from their platforms. Zuckerberg later told the New Yorker that it was Apple’s ban that prompted Facebook to permanently ban Jones and Infowars, as the episode convinced them that “we should move on what we know violates the policy.” Here, Facebook missed a crucial opportunity to regain goodwill by showing that it was willing to be a first mover in banning a high-profile, repeat rule-breaker like Jones.
Botching enforcement of the ‘paid for by’ label in its political ad archives Facebook needed to prove in 2018 that it could successfully stop foreign actors from trying to sway voters by posing as U.S. residents. So it started requiring U.S. political advertisers to verify their location and identity and dumped all U.S.
political ads into an archive that users could browse if they wanted to see who was running ads and who was paying for them. Advertisers themselves were responsible for filling out the public “paid for by label.” But, as a Vice News investigation found, Facebook didn’t do a good job of ensuring advertisers were being truthful in their submissions. In a test, Vice was approved to run ads paid for by Mike Pence, ISIS, and all 50 U.S. senators.
The company tried to defend itself by saying that it can’t catch everyone who is trying to game the system. That’s true. But Facebook had to have known by now that self-disclosure has serious drawbacks and that this feature had the potential to be heavily gamed. Plus, Facebook should know the true identity of its advertisers — so why is disclosure left up to them in the first place? Not being forthcoming about its relationship with public relations firm Definers In November, the New York Times published an in-depth report looking at how Facebook and its top executives had struggled to contain the backlash from the platform’s role in the 2016 U.S. presidential election , as well as other scandals that called into question how well it is safeguarding the site.
One of the biggest sticking points raised by the article was Facebook’s relationship with a Washington, D.C.-based public relations firm called Definers.
The firm essentially served as Facebook’s attack dog, using a conservative news site to push out articles criticizing competitors like Google and Apple. Definers also encouraged reporters to look into the financial connections between organizations critical of Facebook and financier George Soros — implying that these groups weren’t as much of a grassroots effort as they made themselves out to be. Because Soros has been the subject of anti-Semitic attacks, some critics viewed Facebook and Definers bringing up the Soros connection as itself anti-Semitic.
Almost immediately after the Times’ story was published, Facebook announced it was severing ties with Definers. The following day, Zuckerberg said he hadn’t known about the company’s relationship with Definers until the Times’ story was published, leading reporters to ask exactly who at Facebook did know about any work with Definers. Facebook’s top brass refused to directly answer the question until the day before Thanksgiving, when outgoing communications chief Elliot Schrage took responsibility for hiring Definers, with Sandberg acknowledging that she “also received a small number of emails where Definers was referenced.” The episode had all the markings of a classic Facebook PR bungle — waiting to announce policy changes until after a critical story is published, feigning innocence about how ruthless the company can be with competitors and critics, refusing to respond to specific questions for days in the hopes that everyone will forget about the story, and finally providing an answer the day before a holiday when many people aren’t checking the news.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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The AI Impact Tour Join us for an evening full of networking and insights at VentureBeat's AI Impact Tour, coming to San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles! VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"CathWorks Names Paul Kapsner as Vice-President of Sales | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/cathworks-names-paul-kapsner-as-vice-president-of-sales"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Press Release CathWorks Names Paul Kapsner as Vice-President of Sales Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Provides Experienced Commercial Leadership For CathWorks FFRangio ™ U.S. Launch KFAR-SABA, Israel & ALISO VIEJO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–December 28, 2018– CathWorks announced that Paul Kapsner has been named as Global Vice President of Sales. His appointment coincides with recent United States FDA clearance of the company’s CathWorks FFRangio ™ System. His initial focus will be on accelerating the clinical and commercial organization in the United States.
Paul joins CathWorks with 27 years of commercial sales and marketing leadership experience in market-leading medical device companies. That experience includes deep engagement in the coronary diagnostic market. He earned a B.S. in Engineering from The United States Military Academy-West Point and an M.B.A. from Oklahoma City University.
Jim Corbett, CathWorks CEO, said of Paul’s appointment, “I have worked with Paul previously and am confident in his ability to develop and lead our commercial sales and customer support organization. CathWorks FFRangio System represents a tremendous opportunity for interventional cardiologists, their hospitals, and patients to improve the quality of care and lower costs in the treatment of multi-vessel coronary artery disease. Paul understands how to develop a team to provide the clinical and technical support our customers need. We could not be more excited to have Paul on board.” Mr. Kapsner added, “I know from experience how much interventional cardiologists will benefit from having a non-invasive, intraprocedural platform to provide objective FFRangio guidance. We look forward to equipping health systems with an objective resource to aid in PCI decision-making.” The CathWorks FFRangio System quickly and precisely delivers the objective FFR guidance needed to optimize PCI therapy decisions for every patient. It is non-invasive and performed intra-procedurally during coronary angiography without adding additional clinical risk or per-procedure costs. The company received U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance for the CathWorks FFRangio Coronary Vascular Physiologic Simulation Software on December 19, 2018.
About CathWorks CathWorks is a medical technology company focused on applying its advanced computational science platform to optimize PCI therapy decisions and elevate coronary angiography from visual assessment to an objective FFRangio based decision-making tool for physicians. FFR-guided PCI decision-making is proven to provide significant clinical benefits for patients with coronary artery disease and economic benefits for patients and payers. The company’s focus is specifically on bringing the CathWorks FFRangio System to market to provide quick, precise, and objective intraprocedural FFRangio guidance that is practical for every case.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181227005338/en/ Jim Corbett, CEO +1 949.395.1214 [email protected] VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact.
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VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Blockchain wins the John McAfee Award for Destroying Time and Wealth | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/blockchain-bad-award"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Blockchain wins the John McAfee Award for Destroying Time and Wealth Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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Blockchain gaming is one of those technologies that no one is excited about except for a handful of startups … and maybe GamesBeat lead writer Dean Takahashi.
Blockchain, of course, is the innovation that powers cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. When it comes to gaming, however, a number of companies are promising that it will — well, I don’t know. Mostly, it just sounds like people are trying to make new platforms to do a lot of stuff that Steam already handles, like ownership of digital items.
This is why blockchain gaming has won the John McAfee Award for Destroying Time and Wealth. This is one of the accolades we handed out as part of The Bad Awards for our GamesBeat Rewind 2018 You can listen to us discuss this award in the video above, or check it out as part of our entire Bad Awards category in the podcast below: John McAfee John McAfee ran the company that created the McAfee antivirus software, and now he doesn’t. Instead, he now spends his time like any bizarre billionaire: evading police questioning regarding an alleged murder in Belize , running for president of the United States , and investing in cryptocurrencies.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! In December 2017, McAfee grew frustrated with people doubting the long-term viability of cryptocurrencies.
“Bitcoin now at $16,600,” he tweeted.
“Those of you in the old school who believe this is a bubble simply have not understood the new mathematics of the blockchain, or you did not care enough to try. Bubbles are mathematically impossible in this new paradigm. So are corrections and all else.” Ignoring that it would be very bad for literally anything if pricing corrections were impossible, that tweet did not age well. Since then, Bitcoin has lost 75 percent of its value. It is now trading at $4,000.
Blockchain gaming is nothing As someone who write about games and the business of games, I get a lot of pitches about blockchain gaming. I started ignoring those emails months ago. And the reason for that is because the technology is almost entirely meaningless at this point. A lot of companies are trying to make it happen, and that’s fine. But not a single one of those startups has made a compelling argument to consumers, game developers, or publishers.
That doesn’t mean these businesses are short on hypotheticals. They all have big ideas about the potential for the blockchain. It could decentralize ownership of digital items, and that is an interesting idea. Developers could also potentially use blockchain tech to run tamper-resistant online worlds without requiring servers. Instead, games would run on local machines, and then the blockchain would keep track of any changes.
I think these ideas have potential. So now, why aren’t these startups building products to prove that this is filling a need? I think it’s likely because that need doesn’t exist — at least not in a way that is consistent with the amount of noise companies are trying to make about it.
So I’m going to continue ignoring blockchain gaming. I’ll start paying attention again if anyone makes a product that people actually care about.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
Discover our Briefings.
Join the GamesBeat community! Enjoy access to special events, private newsletters and more.
VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"Atari CEO interview -- 2019 will bring more | VentureBeat | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/atari-ceo-interview-2019-will-bring-more-mobile-games-blockchain-and-a-new-console"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Atari CEO interview — 2019 will bring more mobile games, blockchain, and a new console Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn RollerCoaster Tycoon has helped Atari make a comeback.
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Atari CEO Frederic Chesnais recently told us how Rollercoaster Tycoon Touch helped bring back Atari, which, when Chesnais took it over in 2013, had $34 million in debut and a paltry $1 million in revenue.
Now, Atari reports that it has no debt, and it recently closed 2018 with good revenue growth (27 percent for the last six months) and strong operating income (up 87 percent in the last six months).
I talked with Chesnais about what he foresees in the year ahead. Atari plans to get back into the hardware business with the 2019 launch of the Atari VCS home console.
And Atari is making games again — from original titles like Days of Doom to classic remakes, such as Tempest 4000.
Chesnais said Atari is in better shape than it has been in the past because of the success of its Rollercoaster Tycoon simulation games, including Rollercoaster Tycoon Classic, which launched in 2017. And the company has organized itself into four divisions: Atari Games, Atari Casino, Atari VCS (the console division), and Atari Partners.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! Atari has $9.3 million in cash, the copmany reported. It has $3 million in preorders for the Atari VCS, and it recently sold off Alone in the Dark and Act of War to THQ Nordic. The company also recently entered into a blockchain partnership with Animoca Brands , which will partner on blockchain versions of RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch and Goon Squad.
Here’s an edited transcript of our interview.
Above: Atari CEO Fred Chesnais.
GamesBeat: You had some earnings news to talk about.
Fred Chesnais: Right, for the six months ending at the end of September. Just a few words about the numbers and what they show. The numbers are very simple. Revenue has grown 27 percent, at a profit margin of 20 percent of revenue. We’re profitable. It’s almost a doubling of income from operations. We’re generating cash. I think, no matter how the markets react, the numbers are pretty good.
What they show is a couple of key messages. Our biggest division, Atari Games, is still the bulk of our business. It takes time to reboot a company. Two years from bankruptcy, two years to redeem the debt. Now, we’re really rebooting. The games are still the core of the company, and they show very good performance. That’s the first message. We have a strong Atari Games division, covering both games and licensing. That’s software and the exploitation of software.
Our second business unit, online casino, is getting started. I think sometimes people don’t understand what we’re doing there, but for the moment, it’s licensing our properties for real-money casino games. These types of businesses, which are regulated, take a bit more time, but once you’re in business and have good games rolling — we’re applying for casino licenses online. We’re not doing anything physical. But even so, that takes time to build. We’re in a pretty good spot right now. I’d expect that second business unit to start delivering next year.
The third area, of course, is the console. These numbers do not include any numbers for the console. The money we’ve raised, we’ve just kept that on the balance sheet, and we’ve kept working on the product. These numbers don’t include any impact of the Indiegogo campaign or anything else related to the console. The console will start hitting in the next fiscal year and in subsequent years.
Above: Atari’s Lunar Battle.
GamesBeat: Was Atari VCS contributor Rob Wyatt still working on it? I know he was going to, and then, he had a skydiving accident and broke his leg a while ago.
Chesnais: We have a very solid team diving into the project. I haven’t checked on Rob because I’ve been working on casino games. Michael Arzt, the head of Atari VCS, is really in charge of that one.
In a nutshell, though, we have very strong numbers. Games is doing well as the core of the business. Casino is starting to grow. The console, we haven’t announced any significant updates. The team will be working on something after CES to provide an update. CES is not contributing anything to the [profit and loss] at the moment. We hope it will be a strong pocket of growth for us.
GamesBeat: You have this deal with Animoca to do blockchain-based games.
Chesnais: Right. That was announced two days ago. I just gave an interview on that one to explain what we’re trying to do. Let me try to summarize it. I think blockchain is here to stay. It’s here to stay in many businesses — finance, identity, and also in gaming. In gaming, it’s going to have a significant impact not only through games like CryptoKitties, but it’s also going to have an impact on developers. Everyone will create assets in the industry, and, with blockchain, you’ll be able to tag and identify and trace every asset.
Let’s say I create a one-minute song track or an environment or an animation or a character, an avatar. With blockchain, you’ll be able to tag that asset, identify it, and trace it. Especially with things like music, animation, or characters, if it’s used along the way by one game or two games, if it’s sold five or 10 or a million times, we’ll be able to trace it. As far as protecting creations, it’s going to be very interesting. That’s one of the applications of blockchain.
Inside games, we’ll see that as networks grow, we’ll have more opportunities to play with things we’ve never before understood. What we’re doing with Animoca, we’re creating a game using blockchain not only to have fun and try to make money but also to try to understand and find new ways of how blockchain will impact our business and how we can use it to have more fun — and also more protection. It’s about those two uses of blockchain.
I’m happy to work with Animoca. For the moment, what we have in mind is something like, you create a coaster, you blend it with another coaster, and then, you can share it or swap it or sell it and build your collection of coasters. That’s one of the applications we’re working on. But the broader picture behind this — how can we use blockchain in our business? Let’s start with a simple game, but everybody knows we’re going to find something that’s both fun and more useful for the future. That’s why we’re doing it.
Blockchain is here to stay. It’s the revolution for the next 20 years. Peer-to-peer decentralized ledgers, that’s going to affect a lot of industries. We don’t want to be the last one to wake up. We want to be among the first to work on it and think about how this can affect our organization.
Above: Atari’s Goon Squad will become a blockchain game.
GamesBeat: Are there any other things in 2019 that are becoming more clear to you, as we come to the end of this year? Chesnais: For our casino business, in the U.S., we’re only doing licensing of our properties to Scientific Games. We’re not an operator. In Europe, our second area, where it’s legal — France is a monopoly, so there’s no way we can operate there — for the last two years we’ve licensed our properties, but we’re going through the process of going direct in Europe and establishing operations to sell or export three types of games: scratch games, slot machines, and lotteries.
Our third area for that business — since we’re not going to Asia, not even for licensing — is Africa, which is very promising. Lots of things have changed. There are not many competitors. We’re in the process of acquiring the regulatory licenses to operate online casinos in East and West Africa. Here, we’re going to go direct. That’s my goal for next year, especially with lotteries on the phone, in key countries. For smaller countries, we’re working on licenses right now. It’s working quite well. I should be able to tell you more around GDC.
I know the numbers. I know what people are doing. I know most of the operators in the area. The numbers I’m seeing — we’ve not made any cash for the moment, but we’ve met the test in Europe. We know how the games are doing. We’re planning to over-deliver in 2019. It’s a very interesting business, but people don’t necessarily understand it in the U.S.
GamesBeat: Do you have anything on your radar for CES? Chesnais: We’ll have the team there, but we go to CES basically through our licensees — like the ones doing the Atari Pong table. They’ll have a big booth present. Most of our licensees are there. But we’re not doing anything direct for the moment. We’ll see in 2020.
Above: The Atari VCS home console is coming in 2019.
GamesBeat: As far as the games market overall, does anything stand out to you as an interesting opportunity or something to worry about? Chesnais: Again, because we’re rebooting, we’re doing our own games. Our simulation games have an audience that’s very stable. It’s growing. They’re loyal. We’re not subject to changes like the big waves of Fortnite versus Call of Duty versus Battlefield. To me, what’s going on right now — it’s more important for us to remain in the casual field and try not to get into racing or bigger games.
We could do it. We could raise the money to do another game. For the moment, our strategy is still that we have a lot of things to do in simulation and strategy games. We know how to do these games. When I see what’s going on in other categories, I feel like we should keep investing in what we know the best. Of course, I keep an eye on what’s going on elsewhere, but strategy, simulation, and casual are where we’re strong. We don’t want to add a new core area. We’re going to stay with what we do best.
What I’m seeing in many areas is very volatile. This is almost the only industry, along with the movies, where you can have a new entrant becoming the king in, what, maybe two years? That’s pretty cool.
Above: Tempest 4000 is part of the Atari comeback plan.
GamesBeat: The Chinese government apparently started approving mobile games again. The agencies are starting to greenlight things that have been held up for months. Overnight, you have a better picture for mobile games.
Chesnais: On November 30, we released our own game, Rollercoaster Tycoon, in China. We made it to number 47 in the app stores over there. I can send you the screenshots from AppAnnie. That’s really an achievement for us. We don’t trumpet things like this too much because you can never be sure about your approvals. We’re just going to keep working.
I feel like we got approved in part because it’s Rollercoaster Tycoon. It’s a simulation game. It has no message whatsoever other than, “Build something funny and have fun.” We’re working through a Shanghai-based studio. They’re big fans of the brand, and they were instrumental in pushing the game in China.
GamesBeat: Do you foresee doing a lot more in China over time? Chesnais: I’m keeping my fingers crossed — but yes. We have two other simulation games — a transportation game and a city-building game — and our Chinese partner is looking into it. We hope to be able to have Chinese versions of those submitted to the Chinese authorities. They’re fun, casual, easy to play games. So far, we’ve had success with Rollercoaster Tycoon, and we look forward to more.
It’s more than just translation, just swapping Chinese for English. Our studio there has put in a lot of effort to create a Chinese version of the game. We’ve changed up a lot of assets to create a Chinese game made by Chinese people using the core game mechanics of Rollercoaster Tycoon. We’re also launching a Korean version. That’s being finalized for the end of January.
The future is promising. We’ll keep working. We’ve got our heads down on the VCS. There’s always a lot to do in these challenging and volatile times.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
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"Activision Blizzard plans to fire its chief financial officer; Netflix may hire him (updated) | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/activision-blizzard-plans-to-fire-its-chief-financial-officer"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Activision Blizzard plans to fire its chief financial officer; Netflix may hire him (updated) Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Call of Duty: Black Ops 4's Blackout mode.
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Activision Blizzard fell nearly 1 percent in after-hours trading today as the company filed a regulatory announcement saying that it plans to fire Spencer Neumann, the company’s chief financial officer. Activision Blizzard, the parent company whose divisions make the popular Overwatch and Call of Duty video games, did not specify the reason for the expected firing.
Such moves are rare, but they tend to affect stock prices, as any change in a company’s financial leadership is often cause for concern among investors.
The company said the firing for cause is “unrelated to the Company’s financial reporting or disclosure controls and procedures.” The filing also said that “Neumann has been placed on a paid leave of absence from the company pending an opportunity for him to demonstrate why cause does not exist to terminate his employment or why termination of his employment is not otherwise justified.” During the past year, Activision Blizzard’s shares have fallen 26 percent. But it is still valued at $35.5 billion. Neumann joined Activision Blizzard in 2017, after serving at Disney. Dennis Durkin, the company’s chief corporate officer, will take on the CFO duties for now.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! CNBC reported that Neumann, 48, received $9.47 million in total compensation in Activision Blizzard’s most recent fiscal year. We have asked the company for comment.
[Updated: 12/31/18 10:56 p.m.: Reuters reported that Netflix plans to hire Neumann as CFO].
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
Discover our Briefings.
Join the GamesBeat community! Enjoy access to special events, private newsletters and more.
VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"23 games for your new iPhone | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/23-iphone-games-to-try-out-on-your-new-devices"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages Feature 23 games for your new iPhone Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Command & Conquer: Rivals.
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If you got a new iPhone over the holidays, one of the best ways to enjoy it and show it off is to play games. I’ve been checking out new iPhone devices — the iPhone XS Max and the iPhone XR — during the past couple of months, and thought I would share a list of games to play on them.
These games are one reason why mobile gaming has become a $63.2 billion industry worldwide, according to market researcher Newzoo.
This week is when people get their new devices and are most likely to load new apps and games onto them. Or they may use their gift cards to purchase paid games. It’s the last major push of the year for the part of the gaming industry that plays games on mobile devices.
Here’s a list of my suggestions for mobile games to try out. Many of these games are also available on Android, but I haven’t tried them on that platform.
1. Command & Conquer: Rivals Above: Command & Conquer: Rivals Publisher: Electronic Arts Mobile Price: Free to play Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! I’ve been playing this game a lot during the holidays. I like the explosions, the competition with a real person, and the wide variety of strategies and tactics you can use to beat your enemy to a nuclear launch.
2. Slither.io Publisher: Lowtech Studios Price: Free to play My kid turned me on to this addictive title, where you start as a little worm and eat your way into something huge. You play against other humans, and if you run into their worm bodies, you explode and lose. Your finger will never leave the screen.
3. Florence Publisher: Annapurna Interactive Price: $3 It’s a love story with some very creative graphics.
4. Pokémon Go Above: Pokémon Go trainer battles can now take place at level 10 and up.
Publisher: Niantic Price: Free to play Everyone has played this. But it has become a lot more engaging with the addition of friends, Trainer Battles, weather effects, and new creatures. And it’s still the best way to get some exercise while playing a game.
5. Star Trek Fleet Command Publisher: Scopely Price: Free to play There’s a lot of depth in the creation of your starships, training your crew, and fighting rivals in real-time multiplayer arenas.
6. Ingress Prime Above: Ingress Prime features The Enlightened (green team) and The Resistance (blue).
Publisher: Niantic Price: Free to play The developers of the original Ingress from 2012 rebooted their location-based mobile game with a lot of improvements, including augmented reality, better graphics, and well-developed plotlines that pit one group of players, who want to preserve humanity, against those who want to enhance humanity with AI and other technologies.
7. Reigns: Game of Thrones Publisher: Devolver Digital Price: $2 You can sit on the Iron Throne and make decisions — swiping left or right — that will help your faction navigate the politics of Westeros.
8. HQ Trivia Publisher: HQ/Intermedia Labs Price: Free to play The game may be a bit beyond its peak, but it’s still entertaining to try to compete against others and win cash. If you answer 12 questions correctly, you get to split the cash prize with the winners.
9. PUBG Mobile Above: The Royale Pass in PUBG Mobile.
Publisher: Bluehole/Tencent Mobile International Price: Free to play The battle royale game where 100 players parachute onto an island, and only one can survive.
10. I Love Hue Publisher: Zut Games Price: Free to play You try to match colors and get the perfect gradient in this game.
11. Merge! Dragons Publisher: Gram Games Price: Free to play You can merge your dragon eggs, trees, treasures, and other items to create brand-new things.
12. Mindmate Publisher: Mindmate Price: Free An app that promotes a healthy brain through memory tests, workouts, and food.
13. Game of Thrones: Conquest Above: Dragons start as eggs and you can raise them to adults in Game of Thrones: Conquest.
Publisher: Warner Bros Price: Free to play If you combined Game of War: Fire Age with Game of Thrones, you would get something like this. You can join alliances and figure out how to take over the Seven Kingdoms.
Dragons have finally arrived in the game.
14. Drivetime Above: Drivetime offers voice-based social trivia games.
Publisher: Drivetime Price: Free You can play games while you drive. And it’s safe because you can control the trivia game with your voice. The game pits you against another human player in a multiplayer match.
15. Fortnite Publisher: Epic Games Price: Free to play This is a beautifully animated battle royale game that just about every human on Earth has heard about. You fight in a shootout with 100 players, and only one person or one squad survives.
16. Brawl Stars Publisher: Supercell Price: Free to play You can battle with friends or solo in brawl matches that last less than three minutes.
17. Empires & Puzzles: RPG Quest Publisher: Small Giant Games Price: Free to play This match-3 role-playing game is the first game from Small Giant Games, and it’s a big hit. You can solve puzzles, collect hero cards, fight player-vs.-player battles, and explore worlds.
18. Choices: Stories You Play Publisher: Pixelberry Studios Free to play From the folks who brought us High School Stories, you have to make big life choices in this game, like whether to choose love, romance, fantasy, or magic.
19. CSR 2 Publisher: Zynga/Natural Motion Price: Free to play The graphics look cool in this street drag racing game. You can also create a 3D augmented reality image that shows your coolest car, parked in your driveway.
20. Dawn of Titans Publisher: Zynga/Natural Motion Price: Free to play Dawn of Titans is a real-time strategy game that pushed the envelope on mobile graphics. It debuted in 2016, and I’ve enjoyed playing it over the years, particularly whenever I want to see cool graphics of an army on a battlefield taking on a giant titan.
21. Clash Royale Above: The Clash Royale League world finals are headed to Japan.
Publisher: Supercell Price: Free to play It’s another aging game, but I’ve spent considerable time with this real-time strategy game since it debuted in 2016. It’s like a combination of a tower defense and multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, with only two lanes where you can send your attackers down. But it’s very addictive and involves a lot of strategic thinking. It has also become a major esport.
22. Donut County Publisher: Annapurna Interactive Price: $5 This game has a goofy story and goofy gameplay. You control a donut hole, which you move under objects. You swallow them, and with each new swallow, the hole gets larger.
23. Jurassic World: Alive Above: Jurassic World Alive Publisher: Ludia Price: Free to play You can find dinosaurs in your neighborhood or workplace with this location-based game that takes advantage of Google Maps technology. It also features augmented reality imagery of the beasts that once ruled the Earth.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
Discover our Briefings.
Join the GamesBeat community! Enjoy access to special events, private newsletters and more.
VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"2018 was the year of outraged fans discovering their power | VentureBeat | VentureBeat"
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"https://venturebeat.com/business/2018-was-the-year-of-outraged-fans-discovering-their-power"
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"Artificial Intelligence View All AI, ML and Deep Learning Auto ML Data Labelling Synthetic Data Conversational AI NLP Text-to-Speech Security View All Data Security and Privacy Network Security and Privacy Software Security Computer Hardware Security Cloud and Data Storage Security Data Infrastructure View All Data Science Data Management Data Storage and Cloud Big Data and Analytics Data Networks Automation View All Industrial Automation Business Process Automation Development Automation Robotic Process Automation Test Automation Enterprise Analytics View All Business Intelligence Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Statistical Analysis Predictive Analysis More Data Decision Makers Virtual Communication Team Collaboration UCaaS Virtual Reality Collaboration Virtual Employee Experience Programming & Development Product Development Application Development Test Management Development Languages 2018 was the year of outraged fans discovering their power Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the brightest minds of the gaming industry? Consider getting a custom GamesBeat sponsorship.
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It’s a tradition now at GamesBeat to try to look back and sum up the year as a single defining trend. This started out as a fun exercise to spot similar elements across multiple games — like the year of the bow in 2012.
More recently, however, this trend is shifting to reflect the wider culture of gaming. We named 2016 the year of the loot box.
And 2017 was the year of gamer-rage opportunists.
Now, it’s time to figure out 2018, and a lot of trends are worthy of consideration here. Developer unionization is picking up momentum. Affordable cloud infrastructure is making it more viable for big companies to leave or challenge Steam. Fortnite — you could definitely argue it was the year of Fortnite. But while those are all important, ongoing stories that are changing the industry, we went with a continuation of last year’s trend instead.
You can listen to us pick our trend in the video above or listen to it as part of our podcast below: 2018 was the year of outraged fans using their power The reason 2017 was the year of the gamer-rage opportunists is because that’s when the business of making money from angering gaming fans came into its own. In the perverse entertainment industry on YouTube, creators capitalized on YouTube’s algorithm rewarding popularity. And creating content that gives gamers a reason to get mad at publishers, feminists, and SJWs is a reliable way to earn that popularity.
Event GamesBeat at the Game Awards We invite you to join us in LA for GamesBeat at the Game Awards event this December 7. Reserve your spot now as space is limited! This has led to a large group of creators on YouTube jumping from one controversy to the next. If they find a topic that reliably gets views, they stick with it until their audience grows old. Then, they move on to the next one. If the next controversy doesn’t exist, YouTube creators manufacture one.
You can find dozens of videos trying (successfully) to bait gamers into believing that a class of media elites called the excellent platformer Cuphead racist. And in August, many of the same creators attempted to convince people that SJWs were freaking out about jokes in Doom Eternal.
In both of those cases, the controversies that the YouTube creators were reacting to did not exist. A couple of people talked about Cuphead’s art having an origin in racist cartoons. For Doom Eternal, all it took was one or two tweets that no one would have noticed until the opportunists jumped on it to fuel their business of outrage.
And if 2017 was the year that gamer-rage opportunists grew into a mature business, then 2018 was the year that gamers realized how to wield their outrage as a tool to get what they want.
The mob is at the door Last year, Star Wars: Battlefront II was going to launch with some pay-to-win microtransactions in the form of loot boxes. The fan reaction to this was so loud and so hot that it drew the attention of government regulators around the world. And more importantly than government regulators, it drew the attention of Star Wars brand owner The Walt Disney Company. In response, Electronic Arts made a last-minute decision to pull all loot boxes from Battlefront II.
This was a win for gaming fans. They worked collectively to force a massive corporation to change an unpopular business practice, and it worked. But every fan community realized that if they can get loud enough to scare Disney, they can get loud enough to scare anyone. And since then, we’ve seen that scenario play out again and again.
Sometimes, that outrage works to change things for the better. Bethesda sold a $200 collector’s edition of Fallout 76 without telling customers it was switching the canvas bag in the ad with a cheap nylon replacement. Fans shouted about that, and Bethesda caved in and is now in the process of getting canvas bags out to people.
The mob is indiscriminate But for these gaming mobs, the point isn’t to ensure that the guy spending $200 on Fallout 76 gets the right bag. As with the YouTube opportunists, the outrage is the point. These mobs are outraged first, and then, they look for reasons to justify that outrage.
Diablo Immortal is one of the best example of this. At BlizzCon in November, Blizzard announced Diablo Immortal as its next mobile game. This upset fans of the series who wanted more news about a PC sequel or a remaster of an earlier PC game. But in the wake of that disappointment, the Diablo fandom manufactured multiple false justifications for their outrage.
Fans first claimed that Blizzard wasn’t involved in making the game , but it is.
Then, some people claimed that it is a reskin of a Chinese Diablo clone , but it isn’t. I talked about that in this story where I point out that it does look similar to loot games from developer Netease.
But those similarities come down to Netease aping Diablo’s style as well as Diablo Immortal using a similar on-screen button layout. Blizzard and Netease are using that button layout because they know it works.
The people in these mobs throw out justifications for why Diablo Immortal isn’t just disappointing, it is a scam. Or it is unethical. Or it’s a slap in the face to real fans.
One person with a small following on Reddit could make a post like “this game looks like a reskin.” And the mob will take that idea, strip it of its nuance, and amplify it.
It’s almost like the people who make up these mobs realize that they are overreacting. That if they are just freaking out because they don’t want a product a company announced, that is kind of embarrassing. But the mob senses that doubt, and it is capable of throwing out endless ad hoc theories for why their anger is righteous.
So how is that different than one or two people with a few followers calling out the jokes in the Doom Eternal trailer? Well, those people weren’t part of a mob. Those views weren’t amplified by people looking to be outraged by Doom Eternal. In fact, those tweets only found a wider audience when YouTube reactionaries used them to fuel their own mobs.
And that’s the point here. You can say whatever you want about a game. You can call Doom Eternal “problematic,” and you can call Diablo Immortal a “reskin.” That isn’t the issue. What I’m trying to emphasize here is that gaming fans need to recognize what happens to those throwaway half-baked criticisms when they happen inside of a mob.
The mob is dangerous But who cares? People get mad at businesses and the people at those companies all the time. Is this really any different than an annoying group of vegans demanding that Five Guys Burger and Fries serve a non-meat option? I think it is different, and we’ve seen evidence of that throughout this past year. The gaming community has the power to frighten the executives at major corporations, and fans are finding out that those companies are often more than willing to sacrifice some of their workers to quench the mob’s thirst for punishment.
In July, Guild Wars developer ArenaNet fired two of its workers for not putting up with disrespectful fans. Then in September, Riot Games fired two employees for calling out fans who were upset about an official League of Legends event that excluded men.
What’s dangerous here is that people see that gaming mobs work. And people can also see how easy it is to get gamers angry (it’s even a good business). So, reactionaries are using this to go after low-level marginalized people at major corporations.
In the ArenaNet case, Guild Wars 2 narrative designer Jessica Price told someone on Twitter that she knows how to do her job. At worst, she was dismissive of someone who was dismissive of her abilities. I wouldn’t even qualify what she said as “rude.” But a mob formed to make ArenaNet punish her, and the developer decided that was a price it was willing to pay.
The mob is demoralizing While the threat of a large crowd of angry gamers is real and immediate for many people in gaming, the effects could run deeper. Look at Marvel’s Spider-Man from Insomniac Games. The studio faced backlash for not including the Spider-Man suit from the Sam Raimi films in the game. That disappointment turned into fans accusing the studio of lying and ignoring the fans.
And then, Insomniac revealed that it was adding the Raimi Suit in the days just before Christmas.
This was likely something that the studio worked on for a very long time. The design and approval process is something that can take months. You could probably find the suit listed among many others on a whiteboard in the studio’s office before the game came out.
But many people who made up the crowd of Insomniac harassers likely assumed that they made this happen. This group was never massive. They were just whining on Twitter, and yet they think that they were enable to enact change just like Battlefront II. And when I talk to people familiar with the studio, it’s clear that the Raimi-suit whining affected them. But worse than that is people assuming that they added the suit just because of the angry fans.
If you worked at Insomniac, you could imagine how this would make you feel. You worked for months to make this thing happen, and instead of getting credit for that labor, people assume you just did this to cave to fans.
Mobs have become so common that even when something probably wasn’t the result of fan outrage — and I don’t think the Raimi whiners were even a mob — people just assume that developers only do something because of loud fan pressure. This creates more incentive for people to repeat this outrage when they want something, and that’s demoralizing for the people working in games.
And hey, you can argue that this is part of the job. I don’t disagree. It is part of the job, but game developers are usually very talented. And there are industries that would gladly pay them well to work reasonable hours with zero risk of ever having to deal with fans hounding you on Twitter about a skin. This is something that developers think about a lot. They are even beginning to acknowledge it publicly.
Some, like Destiny director Luke Smith, are trying to recognize how they contributed to this “passion.” I think it’s kind of reaping what we sow. Expectations of ongoing support or games as service or whatnot — they bring out passion.
Passion that may be rooted in something even more primal — confronting how we spend our time (arguably humans most precious resource).
— Luke Smith (@thislukesmith) December 20, 2018 But it’s possible that this defining trend is going to scare people away from making games. That’s only going to hurt ourselves in the end. And sure, we can say, “if it’s too hot, get out of the kitchen.” And many people are doing exactly that. I would argue that driving certain unwanted people out of the industry is the real point of many of these mobs. But I’m suggesting a possible alternative where gamers try to reflect and come to terms with the responsibility of the power that they hold when they act collective again the people who make games.
Updated December 31 at 2:45 p.m. with more links regarding the reaction to Diablo Immortal. Also fleshed out Diablo Immortal and Spider-Man reactions with more details.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
Discover our Briefings.
Join the GamesBeat community! Enjoy access to special events, private newsletters and more.
VentureBeat Homepage Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on RSS Press Releases Contact Us Advertise Share a News Tip Contribute to DataDecisionMakers Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2023 VentureBeat.
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"This AI teaches robots how to walk | VentureBeat"
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Artificially intelligent (AI) systems have imbued robots with the ability to grasp and manipulate objects with humanlike dexterity , and now, researchers say they’ve developed an algorithm through which machines might learn to walk on their own. In a preprint paper published on Arxiv.org (“ Learning to Walk via Deep Reinforcement Learning “), scientists from the University of California, Berkeley and Google Brain, one of Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) research divisions, describe an AI system that “taught” a quadrupedal robot to traverse terrain both familiar and unfamiliar.
“Deep reinforcement learning can be used to automate the acquisition of controllers for a range of robotic tasks, enabling end-to-end learning of policies that map sensory inputs to low-level actions,” the paper’s authors explain. “If we can learn locomotion gaits from scratch directly in the real world, we can in principle acquire controllers that are ideally adapted to each robot and even to individual terrains, potentially achieving better agility, energy efficiency, and robustness.” The design challenge was twofold. Reinforcement learning — an AI training technique that uses rewards or punishments to drive agents toward goals — requires lots of data, in some cases tens of thousands of samples, to achieve good results. And fine-tuning a robotic system’s hyperparameters — i.e., the parameters that determine its structure — usually necessitates multiple training runs, which can damage legged robots over time.
“Deep reinforcement learning has been used extensively to learn locomotion policies in simulation, and even transfer them to real-world robots, but this inevitably incurs some loss of performance due to discrepancies in the simulation, and requires extensive manual modeling,” the paper’s authors point out. “Using such algorithms … in the real world has proven challenging.” VB Event The AI Impact Tour Connect with the enterprise AI community at VentureBeat’s AI Impact Tour coming to a city near you! Above: The Minitaur robot taught to traverse unfamiliar terrain with the researchers’ AI system.
In pursuit of a method that would, in the researchers’ words, “[make it] feasible for a system to learn locomotion skills” without simulated training, they tapped a framework of reinforcement learning (RL) known as “maximum entropy RL.” Maximum entropy RL optimizes learning policies to maximize both the expected return and expected entropy, or the measure of randomness in the data being processed. In RL, AI agents continuously search for an optimal path of actions — that is to say, a trajectory of states and actions — by sampling actions from policies and receiving rewards. Maximum entropy RL incentivizes policies to explore more widely; a parameter — say, temperature — determines the relative importance of entropy against the reward, and therefore its randomness.
It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows — at least not at first. Because the trade-off between entropy and the reward is directly affected by the scale of the reward function, which in turn affects the learning rate, the scaling factor normally has to be tuned per environment. The researchers’ solution was to automate the temperature and reward scale adjustment, in part by alternating between two phases: a data collection phase and an optimization phase.
The results spoke for themselves. In experiments in OpenAI’s Gym, an open source simulated environment for training and testing AI agents, the authors’ model achieved “practically identical” or better performance compared to the baseline across four continuous locomotion tasks (HalfCheetah, Ant, Walker, and Minitaur).
And in a second, real-world test, the researchers applied their model to a four-legged Minitaur, a robot with eight actuators, motor encoders that measure motor angles, and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that measures orientation and angular velocity.
They developed a pipeline consisting of (1) a computer workstation that updated the neural networks, downloaded data from the Minitaur, and uploaded the latest policy; and (2) an Nvidia Jetson TX2 onboard the robot that executed said policy, collected data, and uploaded the data to the workstation via Ethernet. After 160,000 steps over two hours with an algorithm that rewarded forward velocity and penalized “large angular accelerations” and pitch angles, they successfully trained the Minitaur to walk on flat terrain, over obstacles like wooden blocks, and up slopes and steps — none of which were present at training time.
“To our knowledge, this experiment is the first example of a deep reinforcement learning algorithm learning underactuated quadrupedal locomotion directly in the real world without any simulation or pretraining,” the researchers wrote.
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