Jan 24
This year is already proving to be challenging for Microsoft’s Bing. It appears as of Wednesday that the search engine is no longer accessible in China, even despite the company’s commitment to censoring its search results.
Jan 24
Jan 24
These days microtransactions have gotten to the point where it is expected to be seen in pretty much every game. Some games make it a pay-to-win model, where you can buy items in game that will bolster your character and make them more powerful, while others adopt a more cosmetic approach where in-game purchases only affect the way your character looks.
Thankfully Mortal Kombat 11’s microtransactions won’t be pay-to-win, according to a recent interview NetherRealms’ Ed Boon did with YouTuber Angry Joe. Boon spoke about the game where he was asked about the game’s microtransactions, and while he could not go into detail, he was quoted as saying, “We can’t get into specifics of it yet, but you won’t be angry.”
This was echoed once again in an interview with GameSpot where he told the publication, “Well, I guess you know, we absolutely divorced gameplay from any kind of advantages you could get. We really wanted to have it so you can’t buy your way to a better character. And honestly, for this game, we’re veering away from [that], we’re not gonna have loot boxes or anything like that.”
We expect more details will be revealed soon enough in the future, and hopefully they will be fair. Mortal Kombat 11 is currently set for a release on the 23rd of April, 2019 where it will be playable on the PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, although the beta will be exclusive to the PS4 and Xbox One.
Ed Boon Says Mortal Kombat 11’s Microtransactions Won’t Make Us Angry , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
Jan 24
When is a wall not a wall?
Jan 24
The freezing waters underneath Antarctic ice shelves and the underside of the ice itself are of great interest to scientists… but who wants to go down there? Leave it to the robots. They won’t complain! And indeed, a pair of autonomous subs have been nosing around the ice for a full year now, producing data unlike any other expedition ever has.
The mission began way back in 2017, with a grant from the late Paul Allen. With climate change affecting sea ice around the world, precise measurements and study of these frozen climes is more important than ever. And fortunately, robotic exploration technology had reached a point where long-term missions under and around ice shelves were possible.
The project would use a proven autonomous seagoing vehicle called the Seaglider, which has been around for some time but had been redesigned to perform long-term operations in these dark, sealed-over environments. ne of the craft’s co-creators, UW’s Chris Lee, said of the mission at the time: “This is a high-risk, proof-of-concept test of using robotic technology in a very risky marine environment.”
The risks seem to have paid off, as an update on the project shows. The modified craft have traveled hundreds of miles during a year straight of autonomous operation.
It’s not easy to stick around for a long time on the Antarctic coast for a lot of reasons. But leaving robots behind to work while you go relax elsewhere for a month or two is definitely doable.
“This is the first time we’ve been able to maintain a persistent presence over the span of an entire year,” Lee said in a UW news release today. “Gliders were able to navigate at will to survey the cavity interior… This is the first time any of the modern, long-endurance platforms have made sustained measurements under an ice shelf.”
You can see the paths of the robotic platforms below as they scout around near the edge of the ice and then dive under in trips of increasing length and complexity:
They navigate in the dark by monitoring their position with regard to a pair of underwater acoustic beacons fixed in place by cables. The blue dots are floats that go along with the natural currents to travel long distances on little or no power. Both are equipped with sensors to monitor the shape of the ice above, the temperature of the water, and other interesting data points.
It isn’t the first robotic expedition under the ice shelves by a long shot, but it’s definitely the longest term and potentially the most fruitful. The Seagliders are smaller, lighter, and better equipped for long-term missions. One went 87 miles in a single trip!
The mission continues, and two of the three initial Seagliders are still operational and ready to continue their work.
Jan 24
This year is already proving to be challenging for Microsoft’s Bing. It appears as of Wednesday that the search engine is no longer accessible in China, even despite the company’s commitment to censoring its search results.
Jan 24
Laptops come in a variety of sizes, with some being larger and more powerful, while others focus more on being portable and mobile. If you’re shopping for the latter, then you might be interested to learn that Acer has announced new 11.6-inch Chromebooks that can double up as tablets too.
This comes in the form of the Chromebook Spin 511 and the Spin 311. Both models will feature a hybrid design with a hinge that allows the display to be flipped to the other side. The main differences are that the Chromebook Spin 511 will be powered by a 7th gen AMD A-Series A4-9120SC processor and will feature Radeon graphics, while the Chromebook Spin 311 will be powered by an Intel Celeron N4000 or N4100 processor.
The Chromebook 311 will have an option to use an AMD chipset, but users will need to forsake the hybrid design and will instead have to opt for the more traditional clamshell form factor. Acer claims that the laptop will feature a water-resistant keyboard and moisture-resistant trackpad, so if you accidentally spill your drink on it, it should be fine.
The Chromebooks have also compliant with US MIL-STD 810G which means that it will be rugged and should be able to withstand a drop or two, so if you’re looking for a somewhat affordable laptop that can withstand the rigors of being brought everywhere, then perhaps these could be worth checking out.
Acer Unveils New 11.6-inch Chromebook Laptops , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
Jan 24
D’Antonio also doubted whether the decision to postpone the State of the Union was actually Trump’s.
Jan 24
The freezing waters underneath Antarctic ice shelves and the underside of the ice itself are of great interest to scientists… but who wants to go down there? Leave it to the robots. They won’t complain! And indeed, a pair of autonomous subs have been nosing around the ice for a full year now, producing data unlike any other expedition ever has.
The mission began way back in 2017, with a grant from the late Paul Allen. With climate change affecting sea ice around the world, precise measurements and study of these frozen climes is more important than ever. And fortunately, robotic exploration technology had reached a point where long-term missions under and around ice shelves were possible.
The project would use a proven autonomous seagoing vehicle called the Seaglider, which has been around for some time but had been redesigned to perform long-term operations in these dark, sealed-over environments. ne of the craft’s co-creators, UW’s Chris Lee, said of the mission at the time: “This is a high-risk, proof-of-concept test of using robotic technology in a very risky marine environment.”
The risks seem to have paid off, as an update on the project shows. The modified craft have traveled hundreds of miles during a year straight of autonomous operation.
It’s not easy to stick around for a long time on the Antarctic coast for a lot of reasons. But leaving robots behind to work while you go relax elsewhere for a month or two is definitely doable.
“This is the first time we’ve been able to maintain a persistent presence over the span of an entire year,” Lee said in a UW news release today. “Gliders were able to navigate at will to survey the cavity interior… This is the first time any of the modern, long-endurance platforms have made sustained measurements under an ice shelf.”
You can see the paths of the robotic platforms below as they scout around near the edge of the ice and then dive under in trips of increasing length and complexity:
They navigate in the dark by monitoring their position with regard to a pair of underwater acoustic beacons fixed in place by cables. The blue dots are floats that go along with the natural currents to travel long distances on little or no power. Both are equipped with sensors to monitor the shape of the ice above, the temperature of the water, and other interesting data points.
It isn’t the first robotic expedition under the ice shelves by a long shot, but it’s definitely the longest term and potentially the most fruitful. The Seagliders are smaller, lighter, and better equipped for long-term missions. One went 87 miles in a single trip!
The mission continues, and two of the three initial Seagliders are still operational and ready to continue their work.
Jan 24
It’s a big day for Olympus, having announced no less than five new products going on sale soon. But that isn’t all that it has. It even has word on things that are yet to come. Capitalizing on the attention it’s Micro Four Thirds cameras are getting, Olympus has revealed two new lenses that are coming within the next year … Continue reading
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