Daily Archives: February 6, 2017

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The tech worlds pushback against President Trumps policies is set to escalate if, as expected, he signs an executive order concerning H-1B visa holders.

By PUI-WING TAM

Microsoft intends to make sure the current version of Windows on your PC is always the newest version of its operating system.

By J. D. BIERSDORFER

A Syrian refugees 2015 picture with Germanys chancellor came to symbolize her decision to welcome migrants. But it has been used to falsely link him to terrorism.

By MELISSA EDDY

In a court filing, nearly 100 technology companies cited the tremendous impact of immigrants on the United States in opposing the Trump immigration ban.

By DAVID STREITFELD

Nearly 100 technology companies said that President Trumps temporary ban on all visitors from seven predominantly Muslim countries would violate both immigration law and the United States Constitution.

Tech companies say the H-1B program is needed to find highly skilled employees. But it has also been used to lower labor costs and cut jobs.

By DAISUKE WAKABAYASHI and NELSON D. SCHWARTZ

The San Francisco company produced the last-minute piece when its executives learned last week that advertising spots were still available.

By KATIE BENNER

The company has quickly become a player in the industry, as a new ad for Frank Oceans Blonde highlights, by attracting independent artists who like to collaborate.

By BEN SISARIO

Ajit Pai, the new head of the commission, has taken aim at the key components and consumer protections in President Obamas internet policies.

By CECILIA KANG

The tech industry was in an uproar over President Trumps immigration order, but Silicon Valleys most noted Trump supporter was unfazed. Hes applied for New Zealand citizenship.

By FARHAD MANJOO and MIKE ISAAC

The pop star said on Twitter that Giuseppe Zanotti has used her name in its designs without offering her payment or a collaboration in exchange.

By VALERIYA SAFRONOVA

The United States no longer has a strategic monopoly on a technology that is widely seen as the key factor in the next generation of warfare.

By JOHN MARKOFF and MATTHEW ROSENBERG

It may take an extra step or two to use your phone, but the devices optional security tools can help protect your personal information.

Ubers chief executive told employees he was leaving a presidential advisory council after intense criticism from customers and employees.

By JIM KERSTETTER

Email from Travis Kalanick, chief of Uber, announcing that he was stepping down from President Trumps economic advisory council.

The venture capital firm is run by Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of Jared Kushner, President Trumps son-in-law and adviser.

By KATIE BENNER

Public offerings by Google, Facebook and other technology companies created paths for a lucky few to become billionaires. Snaps offering looks to be no exception.

By KATIE BENNER and MICHAEL J. de la MERCED

Investors have long been generous with Amazon. But lower-than-expected quarterly revenue growth dropped the companys share price more than 4 percent.

By NICK WINGFIELD

Mr. Rosens legacy as an electrical engineer and inventor is the roughly 600 geostationary satellites that handle TV signals, GPS tracking information and other data.

By ZACH WICHTER

Disclosures showed strong growth in revenue and the number of daily users of Snapchat.

By THE NEW YORK TIMES

The tech worlds pushback against President Trumps policies is set to escalate if, as expected, he signs an executive order concerning H-1B visa holders.

By PUI-WING TAM

Microsoft intends to make sure the current version of Windows on your PC is always the newest version of its operating system.

By J. D. BIERSDORFER

A Syrian refugees 2015 picture with Germanys chancellor came to symbolize her decision to welcome migrants. But it has been used to falsely link him to terrorism.

By MELISSA EDDY

In a court filing, nearly 100 technology companies cited the tremendous impact of immigrants on the United States in opposing the Trump immigration ban.

By DAVID STREITFELD

Nearly 100 technology companies said that President Trumps temporary ban on all visitors from seven predominantly Muslim countries would violate both immigration law and the United States Constitution.

Tech companies say the H-1B program is needed to find highly skilled employees. But it has also been used to lower labor costs and cut jobs.

By DAISUKE WAKABAYASHI and NELSON D. SCHWARTZ

The San Francisco company produced the last-minute piece when its executives learned last week that advertising spots were still available.

By KATIE BENNER

The company has quickly become a player in the industry, as a new ad for Frank Oceans Blonde highlights, by attracting independent artists who like to collaborate.

By BEN SISARIO

Ajit Pai, the new head of the commission, has taken aim at the key components and consumer protections in President Obamas internet policies.

By CECILIA KANG

The tech industry was in an uproar over President Trumps immigration order, but Silicon Valleys most noted Trump supporter was unfazed. Hes applied for New Zealand citizenship.

By FARHAD MANJOO and MIKE ISAAC

The pop star said on Twitter that Giuseppe Zanotti has used her name in its designs without offering her payment or a collaboration in exchange.

By VALERIYA SAFRONOVA

The United States no longer has a strategic monopoly on a technology that is widely seen as the key factor in the next generation of warfare.

By JOHN MARKOFF and MATTHEW ROSENBERG

It may take an extra step or two to use your phone, but the devices optional security tools can help protect your personal information.

Ubers chief executive told employees he was leaving a presidential advisory council after intense criticism from customers and employees.

By JIM KERSTETTER

Email from Travis Kalanick, chief of Uber, announcing that he was stepping down from President Trumps economic advisory council.

The venture capital firm is run by Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of Jared Kushner, President Trumps son-in-law and adviser.

By KATIE BENNER

Public offerings by Google, Facebook and other technology companies created paths for a lucky few to become billionaires. Snaps offering looks to be no exception.

By KATIE BENNER and MICHAEL J. de la MERCED

Investors have long been generous with Amazon. But lower-than-expected quarterly revenue growth dropped the companys share price more than 4 percent.

By NICK WINGFIELD

Mr. Rosens legacy as an electrical engineer and inventor is the roughly 600 geostationary satellites that handle TV signals, GPS tracking information and other data.

By ZACH WICHTER

Disclosures showed strong growth in revenue and the number of daily users of Snapchat.

By THE NEW YORK TIMES

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Technology - The New York Times

Forbes

In This Year's Super Bowl Of Technology, Intel Led The Way With A Sky Full Of Drones Forbes While creatively, this year's crop of Super Bowl ads was lackluster, Super Bowl advertisers pushed the edge of the envelope technologically, trying out the newest technologieseither using or showcasing things like virtual reality and artificial ... Yes, those were drones in Lady Gaga's Super Bowl halftime showCBC.ca all 2,447 news articles »

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In This Year's Super Bowl Of Technology, Intel Led The Way With A Sky Full Of Drones - Forbes

Learning From Last Year: Technology Funding Outlooks For 2017 Forbes Do these signs point to another burst, another shock wave through technology similar to what happened in 2000? I don't think so. And what will the funding climate look like in 2017? I think it will be calmer and less risky. My thoughts are based on ...

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Learning From Last Year: Technology Funding Outlooks For 2017 - Forbes

Justin Kirk as Gideon Reeves in APB.

Fox

APB, which premieres Monday on Fox, tells the story of Gideon Reeves (Justin Kirk), a tech billionaire who takes over the 13th Precinct of the Chicago Police Department after seeing firsthand how ill-equipped the force is to fight crime. As part of his administration, Reeves gives the cops cool toys and technology, like protective body suits; stun guns with lethal and nonlethal settings; souped-up, bulletproof cars; and lots and lots of drones. In the real world, serious conversations are taking place about how law enforcement uses cutting-edge technology like Stingrays and predictive policing based on algorithms.

June Thomas is a Slate culture critic and editor of Outward, Slates LGBTQ section.

I spoke with co-showrunner Matt Nix, who also created the USA thriller Burn Notice, about the equipment Reeves hands to the cops, and the policy implications of privatizing policing.

June Thomas: In APB, an arrogant billionaire takes a job hes really not qualified for. I dont know if you expected the show to be quite so topical.

Mat Nix: Whatever do you mean!

It is based on reality, though, right?

Yeah, its inspired by a true story of a wealthy man in New Orleans who had been the victim of some burglaries. After battling with the city over police protection, he decided to fund a small police force within the police force that would patrol the center of town, and he made an app so you could report crimes. Its certainly not the same, but it did demonstrate that this was something that could really happen, and did really happenwhere someone decided to fund an upgrade to the police force.

Which of the technologies on the show are really possible?

In the pilot, there are drones that are weaponized with Tasers. That has never been done by a police force, but its done in the military. Those things exist right now. Although they look futuristic, there are no technical obstacles to making a drone that has a loudspeaker on it and a mic and can fire a Taser. We have weapons that have lethal and nonlethal settingsthats one place where we took a certain amount of license, in the sense that theres not currently a Taser bullet that carries enough charge to do that.

In guiding the technology in the show, the kinds of liberties we took were the practical liberties of how long something might take. For example, in the third episode, Gideon uses a chair from the aerospace division of his company that reads biofeedback from pilots to monitor their stress levels. He repurposes the monitors into an interrogation chair, which allows them to passively monitor the stress levels of the suspect. Are there seats in rockets and aircraft that monitor the stress level of the pilots? Absolutely, thats something that exists. Can you rip all that out of a chair and install it in an interrogation chair in the space of a few hours? That might be difficult. But everything is basically possible based on contemporary technology, and the license we take is that we allow ourselves to do it a little bit more quickly. Then again, one of the conceits of the show is that hes not limited by money.

The truth is: The major obstacle to the use of police drones in the real city of Chicago is the Federal Aviation Administration. They wont let you fly drones in certain areas, so thats another thing where were allowing that, off screen, somehow, Gideon has made his way through that bureaucracy and made it possibleor hes just paying fines all the time!

Lets talk about those policy restrictions. In the pilot, I dont remember much discussion of warrants. When the drones are out chasing the bad guys, theyre also doing some very intrusive surveillance.

Its definitely something we address more deeply as the series goes on. Whatever you think of Donald Trump, one thing thats clear is that hes a guy who is really frustrated with the nature of government, red tape, and bureaucratic obstacles. He was partially elected on a platform of cutting through those things. In the real world, well see if hes successful, but in the world of the show, one of the things that we explore is the idea of this guy who has been running his own business and has been able to do pretty much whatever he wanted suddenly being forced to realize that just because something is technically possible, that doesnt make it right

Lets talk about the equipment the 13th Precinct hasbody armor, special guns, powerful cars. Ive heard police departments complain that they cant compete with the materiel that criminals have. Isnt it just as much of a nightmare that the bad guys will get their hands on the kind of technology that Reeves makes available?

With regard to weaponry, it was a priority for us to not portray this as a militarized police force. This is a civilian police force with enhanced equipment. Its not that they are getting more powerful guns. They are getting more capable guns. Theyre getting guns that can fire Taser rounds when necessary and lethal rounds when necessary. Frankly, we might want criminals to get their hands on those kinds of guns.

Im not terribly worried about criminals getting their hands on algorithms.

A lot of what were exploring is the capabilities of big data and networking. We do it in a TV-friendly, graphics-on-a-screen kind of way, but a lot of it is data analysis. In the second episode, one of the big innovations is that the police are going to set up a perimeter, and Adathe computer scientistsays, Why dont we figure out the optimal path for people to drive through this area so that we always have units at the mathematically closest point to possible targets rather than just setting up a big circle? Thats math.

There are certain areas, like drones, where the question of an arms race between the police and the criminals is real. The cops have bulletproof cars with powerful engines, they have this body armor, and they have these gunsbut most of the show is just about being smarter. Im not terribly worried about criminals getting their hands on algorithms.

One other thing that we explore really in every episode is the limitations of the technology. We realized very early on is that the recipe for a very boring show is: Theres a problem, Gideon gets a toy, and the toy fixes the problem.Technology by itself doesnt solve anything. Its how its deployed.

When CSI was big, there were anecdotal reports that juries came to expect CSI-like forensic evidence, and if they werent provided it, they werent willing to bring a conviction. Are you worried that APB might lead cities or individual citizens to demand the kind of equipment and algorithms that the cops at the 13th Precinct have?

Im not too worried that people will say, Why dont we have a billionaire?

This is coming no matter what. The question isnt Is this going to be portrayed in television? or Are people going to get used to the idea of police using drones? The answer to that, whether APB is on the air or not, is absolutely yes, The question is not whether its going to be portrayed on TV but how its going to be portrayed, and are we doing that responsibly. Are we presenting these things as easy answers? Are we presenting civil rightsquestions of due processas bureaucratic red tape to be brushed aside by people who know better? Or are we presenting those as real issues to be grappled with and balanced and dealt with? In the confines of a show that has a lot of action, where people crack wisewere not a documentarythat is something we try to be very conscious of and make sure that whenever we show these things that are coming, we acknowledge that theres another side to it. We always remind the audience that technology is only as good as the people behind it.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

This article is part of Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter.

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How the New Fox Show APB Approaches Police Technology - Slate Magazine

Science Daily

Prosthetic arm technology detects spinal nerve signals Science Daily To control the prosthetic, the patient has to think like they are controlling a phantom arm and imagine some simple manoeuvres, such as pinching two fingers together. The sensor technology interprets the electrical signals sent from spinal motor ... and more »

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Prosthetic arm technology detects spinal nerve signals - Science Daily

'Be the player' technology. (photo credit:INTEL)

As New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons fans gritted their teeth on Sunday night during the first Super Bowl to end in overtime, they could connect closer than ever to their favorite teams through an innovative Israeli technology.

While watching the game on their TV screens, fans were able to Be the Player experiencing first-downs and fumbles from the players point of view through Intels 360 Replay, developed in Israel. At the game in Houston, 38 cameras were installed throughout the stadium, generating immersive experiences for viewers without requiring players to wear devices on their facemasks or jerseys.

This technology is absolutely changing the game, said Intels sports group general manager James Carwana, in a video press release prior to the Super Bowl. Fans are going to be able to watch the game not just from the sidelines, but from the center of the field. Its an incredible medium that creates amazing new sports experiences.

Be the Player is based on the free-D feature developed by the Israeli company Replay Technologies, which was acquired by Intel last March.

The 38 individual 5K cameras devices with a resolution of 5,000 pixels were installed all around the stadium, streaming live to an Intel server on site, explained Jeff Hopper, Intels general manager for immersive experiences, also in the video. The data are then processed in real-time to produce the Be the Player clips.

Think of it as a big cloud of data of everything that goes on the field, and that youre able to go into that cloud of data and see from any angle what you want to see, Hopper said.

By digitizing the entire arena, the Intel technology creates a three-dimensional voxel or cube instead of a two-dimensional pixel, according to Carwana.

The system produces 15- to 30-second replays aired during live broadcasts that each require about 1 terabyte of data and are available from about a minute to a minute-and-a-half from the moment they occur on the field, according to Intel. The result is a virtual reality service that FOX Sports, which broadcast the game, described as a video game-like experience.

We tasked Intel to push their amazing Intel 360 Replay technology to the limit of what it could do, using their array of cameras circling the stadium to synthesize a players view on the field, Michael Davies, FOX Sports senior vice president of field and technical operations said in a statement in mid-January. The cameras, backed up by a huge bank of Intel computing power, allow a moment to be recreated in 3D space, so that a virtual camera can be placed at the players eye line not unlike how limitless camera views can be created in video games.

Ahead of the Super Bowl, Intel published a commercial featuring Patriots quarterback Tom Brady with the tagline: Intel 360 Replay makes anything look epic literally anything. The ad showed Brady and his dog waking up, after which the quarterback performed a series of mundane activities like yawning, brushing his teeth, flipping pancakes and eating all from a variety of very detailed perspectives.

Wait till you see it in the game, the ad concludes, with a final glimpse of Brady on his way to the toilet, magazine in hand. The 360 Replay technology was initially showcased at the 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend, creating a seamless 3-D video rendering of the court using 28 ultra high-definition cameras positioned around the arena and connected to Intel servers, the company said at the time. The system enabled broadcasters to give fans a 360-degree view of key plays, such as slam-dunks, blocks and steals.

Sports for decades has been delivered to fans in the same way youve got one broadcast going out and it goes to millions and millions and millions of people, Carwana said. Its a beautiful production, but its not my production. Theres an opportunity now to personalize the experience of a sport.

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Israeli technology let Super Bowl fans see plays at face mask level - Jerusalem Post Israel News

Japanese automakers Toyota and Suzuki, which began discussing a partnership in October, said Monday they would work together in ecological and safety technology a rapidly growing area in the industry.

Toyota Motor Corp., the maker of the Camry sedan, Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury models, and Suzuki Motor Corp., which specializes in tiny cars, announced the decision following approval by the company boards and signed a memorandum of agreement, both sides said.

Another area for possible collaboration is information technology as well as supplying each other with products and components. The next step would be to come up with specific cooperation projects, they said.

Suzuki does not have a hybrid, electric car or fuel cell vehicle in its lineup. Self-driving cars are also a growing focus in the industry.

Toyota President Akio Toyoda praised Suzukis pioneer spirit.

I am truly thankful for having been given this opportunity to work together with a company such as Suzuki, which overflows with the spirit of challenge. Toyota looks forward to learning much, he said in a statement.

Developing futuristic technology is costly, and the automakers can hope to reduce costs by working together. Toyota and Suzuki have encouraged others to join the partnership.

We now stand at the starting point for building a concrete cooperative relationship. I want to give this effort our fullest and to aim at producing results that will lead Toyota to conclude that it was the right thing for Toyota to have decided to work together with Suzuki, said Suzuki Chairman Osamu Suzuki.

Suzuki said the company had courted Toyota on such a partnership for years.

Toyota leads the world in selling gas-electric hybrids, headed by the Prius, and it is also working on fuel cells and electric vehicles.

Emissions regulations are tightening around the world, amid growing concerns about the environment and global warming.

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Toyota, Suzuki to work together in green, safety technology - The Japan Times

Marek Reichman is the architect of Aston Martins modern-day form language, the basis for what is arguably the worlds most beautiful car brand. The 104-year-old company has a legacy for vehicles that have sinuous bodies and enduring cool, and has long been a particular point of British pride. Look no further than the romance of James Bonds original DB5 in the 1964 film Goldfinger. When Aston Martin celebrated its centenary in 2013, thousands gathered on the green lawns of Kensington Gardens in central London to fawn at 550 historical and posh cars including elegant coachbuilt Zagatos and the iconic Bond car collection, in total worth well over a $1 billion dollars.

It might be surprising then that a company so steeped in its heritage would be enthusiastic about how technology is impacting its design plans for its second century.

I sat down with Reichman, design director and chief creative officer, in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, to talk about how new technology has made car design a more exciting gig in the last few years. Reichman joined Aston Martin in 2005 after serving as a designer at Ford Motor Company. He also had a hand in the Rolls-Royce Phantom and the Range Rover MKIII in past designer roles. Aston Martin has introduced the V12 Vanquish Volante, a DBX Concept, and the Vulcan under his watch.

Tall and lean, with spiky red hair, Reichman has the enthusiasm of an earnest professor he also teaches car design at the Royal College of Art. Reichman spends between much of his time in Gaydon in northern England, where Aston Martin is based, and in many ways represents the way Aston Martin is hedging its fine pedigree with edgy advances into sports cars of the future.

Its lineup of new products starts with the DB11, which is now on the streets and its next feat, a highly technical collaboration with Red Bull, AM-RB 001. This is the car that sets the tone for the next century in terms of technology and our competitive nature. The one thing weve never been recognized for in the past is being the outright fastest, Reichman said.

How do you make technology tasteful in a beautiful car? What do you put inside?

If theres anything Aston Martin lacked in the past people might argue that its technology. Now, we might add that we have the best technology in the world. Its Daimler-based electrical architecture. Its your Intel chip. It's the connectivity. Its the driver control units. It's the safety units in the cars. It's how the car talks to the outside world. Its how you become autonomous and thats embedded in our cars.

Technology allows you more freedom.

Technology allows you more freedom. Its not constrained. In the past you were constrained with a screen because you had to put 12 buttons inside of the the car, and initially there was no screen. But now these devices will be so much more with voice recognition, recognizing retina, noticing your movements, and gesture control. All of those things are giving design more freedom in terms of beauty of the object. We make beautiful cars and its allowing the cars to have more beauty, to be unconstrained by technology.

No one quite knows how the introduction of autonomous cars will unfold. You kind of have to plan for every scenario. How do you do that?

The whole idea of autonomy doesnt mean it has to look it from the outside of the car. Potentially it will look different on the inside of the car, because youll have more free time in the inside of the car. Maybe its more like an airline lounge or your living room, but for us the object is something of desire. Customers want desirability even if its autonomous or a drone. Thats part of the ingredients to feed a designer. What a designer is really good at is finding an application for technology or finding the technology to get the idea into production. For example, designers will google hyper bendable material, and find that theres one funky college in Princeton that makes nanostructures. Designers will find a way to make something happen, the more you give them an impossible task, the better the solutions.

I think the car industry is incredibly innovative. Silicon Valley might argue, but when they think about developing cars they are hiring car people. Other than airplanes that are made in smaller numbers, there isnt a more complex product that exists. The car is so complex, when you add connectivity and software and hardware, it becomes a hyper computer that can do so many different things. Youve got to make it repeatedly with quality and its got to save your life. If you launch something and your software isnt fully developed you destroy your business.

Do you have a relationship with different tech companies?

One of the reasons we partnered with Red Bull Technologies and were now doing a car together, is that they have material science technology, aerodynamics and Adrian Newey is probably the worlds greatest aerodynamics engineer stroke designer. Hes won more F1 championships than anyone else. Through material science, its through big data and how it drives and how it feels. Its connectivity. We have a huge relationship with Dow on the chemical side of things. Dow is important because they make materials, they make chemicals, they make bonding solutions. Making something lighter and stiffer means you can be more efficient. Daimler, the reason they have 5 percent shareholding in Aston Martin, is that we have an open door to their future technologies. Daimler, just in terms of electric and architecture that sits in DB11 is probably 2 billion euros worth of investment. They have engines, future technology, autonomous technology, and camera technology. And Bosch engineering who are software developers. Its not heavy engineering in terms of mechanical parts, but its really important in terms of stability and activity and electrification and electric propulsion. Because were small and independent it means you can pick and choose as well.

Is it getting more difficult to focus on form when so much of design is about integrating technology?

No, because the form has to support the function. No other Aston Martin has done it. Aluminum became the choice over steel, and they responded by making a thinner steel structure. And then carbon fiber and composites came in the game. Everything becomes lighter, easier to produce. Technology moves on and the cost base moves down. Carbon fiber composites will do the same. All the costs are coming down. The first autonomous cars used four camera units and they were hundreds of thousands of dollars. They are about $800 now and once they come down to $200 mark, you can have all those cameras in any car. As technology improves and becomes much more mainstream, you always find a way to make it more cost efficient. Thats why the industry is so exciting right now. Who would have thought the car industry would be interested in Silicon Valley right now, but because of Google, because of Apple, because of Microsoft, because of Uber thats happening. Change is great to inspire great design.

Do you have to go to Silicon Valley to get that inspiration?

The UK used to have only one region the old automotive world and that was the Midlands. But now we have north of England, the south, and different technology and different supply bases. The UK is renowned for hi fidelity and some of the best high-end micro chips. The Formula One and aerospace industries are feeding into our world. Marine technology has been building carbon fiber boats long before F1 technology.

Should an Aston Martin be autonomous?

Are you designing with autonomy in mind?

We are not testing. How much do we employ it? Should an Aston Martin be autonomous? We have to design and innovate for a future were not quite sure of. Well be a fast adopter, but we're not going to innovate in that way. Our innovation is in car control and driver control in terms of feeling and feedback. Its about making sports car more effective, efficient, capable, comfortable. Well be a fast follower with something like an autonomous car, something that has 360 adaptive radar. The core of what we are is to make handbuilt luxury sports cars that are highly competitive. You dont necessarily want a sports car to be autonomous. It might someday be important, but right now its more about the language of design, the technology thats there and with DB11, its a grand touring sports cars. Its about the driver being alert and being relaxed and comfort on a longer journey. The more relaxed and comfortable you are the more you can enjoy the journey.

Photography by Julia LaPalme / for The Verge

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Aston Martin's architect on how to make technology beautiful - The Verge