Sep 30
Sep 30
Dropbox started out as a cloud storage service where people could share documents and other files online with each other. However, over the years, the company has evolved from being a mere cloud storage service to being something more like a collaborative space, where people could have deeper interactions with shared files.
In fact, the company will be taking it one step further with the launch of Dropbox Spaces, a new initiative by the company in a bid to offer up more tools for collaboration. One of the changes Dropbox has made comes in the form of allowing users to turn any folder into a “Space”. All users need to do is giving it a description and they’ll be able to pin files and folders to it, create to-do lists, and more.
According to Dropbox, “With Spaces, folders are no longer just places to store your work. They’re the home base for collaborative projects. Put content in motion by writing overview descriptions, to-dos, and key milestones right on the folder.” In addition to the new Spaces, Dropbox will also introduce image searches where the platform will be smart enough to recognize images, so that you can search for things like “clothes” instead of specific files.
These new features should already be rolling out to users (although image search seems to be only available for Dropbox Professional users for now), so do keep an eye out for it if you’re an avid Dropbox user.
Dropbox Spaces Turns Shared Folders Into Collaborative Spaces , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
Sep 30
As some of you might be aware, a couple of years ago, Google announced their plans to implement DNS over TLS in Chrome. In case you’re hearing about this for the first time, this will essentially prevent spying and spoofing and will help protect users while they surf the web, assuming they use Chrome.
It sounds like a good thing, but it also seems that Congress and US lawmakers aren’t too thrilled with the idea. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, the House Judiciary Committee is said to be investigating Google’s plans for the feature, while the Department of Justice is said to have received complaints about the implementation of the feature.
Apparently with Google implementing encrypted DNS, the government is worried that it would give Google an unfair advantage over others as it would mean that they could potentially deny access to users’ data, namely to internet service providers who will not be able to learn as much about how their customers use the internet.
That being said, Google isn’t alone in trying to implement this feature. Mozilla also has plans to do the same with its Firefox browser, and according to Mozilla’s Marshall Erwin, he believes that the complaints have surfaced namely because ISPs want to continue to track their users’ data.
Congress Isn’t Happy With Google’s Plan To Encrypt DNS , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
Sep 30
Earlier this year, it was reported that some Nintendo Switch owners were reporting that they were experiencing “drifting” with their Joy-Con controls. This led to a lawsuit over the problem. It was then recently revealed that there are some Nintendo Switch Lite owners who started experiencing the same issues.
Now it looks like the Switch Lite has since been added to the class-action lawsuit that was previously filed by Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith. According to the lawsuit, it alleged that Nintendo did not address the problem with the controllers which then found its way to the Switch Lite.
The lawsuit is even going as far as accusing Nintendo of fraud, warranty law violations, and misrepresentation, breaching implied warranties, and unjust enrichment. It has been pointed out by the folks at Gizmodo that this issue could be a bigger problem for Switch Lite owners than Switch owners.
This is because Switch owners can either buy new Joy-Con controls or send them in for repair, whereas Switch Lite owners will have to send their entire console in for repair, meaning that they will not be able to play their games during that period of time. Nintendo has yet to officially respond to the lawsuit, but hopefully the company will have a solution for the problem.
Nintendo Switch Lite Added To Lawsuit Over Controller Drift , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
Sep 30
Google Assistant is Google’s digital assistant software that can typically be found on its Android smartphones, although in the past few years, we’ve seen it expanded to smart speakers. It even made its way to Chromebook devices made by Google, such as the Pixelbook and Pixel Slate, and the good news is that Google has expanded on its availability.
Google has announced the availability of the latest version of Chrome OS where it has been updated to version 77. In the latest update of Chrome OS, Google has expanded on the availability of Google Assistant to more Chromebook devices. According to Google, “You can set up Google Assistant on most Chromebooks. Say “Hey Google” or click the Assistant logo from the Launcher to ask a question, set a reminder, play music, control smart home devices, and more.”
Note that the company says “most Chromebooks”, suggesting that maybe not all Chromebooks might be eligible to take advantage of it. In addition to Google Assistant, the update will introduce features such as Virtual Desks, which basically creates a separate virtual desktop to help users separate their apps and windows.
There are also new media notifications where users will be able to better manage their media and audio controls all from one place. The update should already be available and will be pushed out slowly across Chromebooks over the coming days.
Google Assistant Starts Rolling Out To More Chromebooks , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
Sep 30
Image credit – Peter Means/Virginia Tech
As realistic as some robots can look, it can be obvious that they are still robots namely due to their movements which can come across looking unnatural. This is because unlike humans, robots do not possess the muscles nor the thought processes needed to move more naturally, but researchers at Virginia Tech are hoping to change that.
The researchers are looking to develop a series of algorithms which when combined with sensors, will help robots move with gaits that are more natural-looking and similar to real animals. The idea is that the algorithms will mimic how vertebrates move and balance themselves, which is through oscillating neurons in the spinal cord.
The end result is a robot dog who can walk and run in a way that comes off looking more natural. That being said, while initial tests have proven to be positive, the researchers caution that it will probably be a while before we see any real-world applications.
According to one of the researchers, Kaveh Hamed, he is constantly asking himself, “Are the algorithms we’re using actually bio-inspired? Are they actually acting like dogs? We are trying to do the math. But it must be bio-inspired. We must look at animals and then correct our algorithms — to see how they react to this scenario and how our control algorithms react.”
Researchers Use Algorithm To Help Robot Dogs Move More Naturally , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
Sep 30
These days it’s hard to find a gadget that does not come with a built-in digital assistant. Even our smart TVs and home appliances are coming with them built into its system, which is why it doesn’t really come as a surprise to learn that Sony could be looking to introduce its own digital assistant to its PlayStation console.
This is according to a recent patent discovered by Daniel Ahmad and shared on Twitter where it seems that Sony is considering its own digital assistant. This is based on a patent filing where based on the details, Sony could be considering calling it the “PlayStation Assist”. However, given that this is a console-related assistant, it won’t be like your normal digital assistants that will tell you the weather or set reminders.
Instead, it seems that this is a digital assistant that will help players in their games. According to the filing’s description, “For example, when a player gets stuck on a part of a gaming application, the player can request help through a query to a back-end game assist server. The query may be of any format, or a combination of formats, including audio, text, video, etc. The game assist server is configured to match the query to modelled responses based on a current game context from which the query was presented.”
That being said, this is only a patent and there’s no guarantee that it will become a reality. However, with the PS5 looming, perhaps we could see Sony introduce a digital assistant to the console to help set it apart from the competition.
Sony’s PlayStation Could Be Getting Its Own Digital Assistant , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
Sep 30
SpaceX recently bagged two successful hops of its single-engine Starship prototype and, for Elon Musk, that’s more than enough to hop onto the next thing on its list. In contrast to the small jumps that Starhopper made, SpaceX’s ambitions go beyond the Moon and Mars. Delivering on its promised update, Musk revealed to the public SpaceX’s vision of how to … Continue reading
Sep 30
Google is expected to launch a new Pixel-branded Chromebook in just a few weeks and those vying for that device will have a shiny new Chrome OS release waiting for them. Of course, all Chromebook owners will be able to enjoy the new stable release of Chrome OS 77, though some might have features unavailable to older devices. With the … Continue reading
Sep 30
Deadly Sins, Amazon Hardware, and Impeachment Talk: Best Gizmodo Stories of the Week
Posted in: Today's ChiliWell, this was one hell of a week for American politics. If you’re tired of seeing the word “impeachment” plastered in headlines all over your newsfeed, too bad because here it is again! In case you haven’t been keeping up—hey, no shame, there’s been a lot to keep up with after all—we explained why that whistleblower…
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