Today is a big day for Facebook. The company is hosting its F8
developer conference in San Jose today and just before the event is scheduled
to start, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg dropped a bit of news: the company will
soon launch a new privacy feature that will allow users to see and delete the
data Facebook has collected from websites and apps that use its ads and
analytics tool.
With this, you can scrub at least some of your browsing history
from Facebook’s data store. Zuckerberg likens this feature to deleting cookies
from your browser history.
“Once we roll out this update, you’ll be able to see information
about the apps and websites you’ve interacted with, and you’ll be able to clear
this information from your account,” Zuckerberg explains. “You’ll even be able
to turn off having this information stored with your account.”
Facebook notes that when you delete information through this
feature, the company will remove all identifying data from your history but
will still provide aggregated analytics to developers.
The Facebook founder also stresses that his time before Congress
taught him that he didn’t have “clear enough answers to some of the questions
about data.” Unsurprisingly, he promises to make some changes there and notes
that the company is working on new and clearer controls.
The Clear History feature is currently in development and will
roll out in the coming months.
Are you on the hunt for a new AR strategy game? Then Domination:
Earth operates in your world military style! They are available on iOS and
Android, check in wherever you go on your phone or tablet to capture places and
pieces of land, seeking to create your very own empire.
It’s been compared to Geo caching on Steroids! Players have
to physically approach each item wherever it appears in the world to pick it up
which means you have to get out there travel, adventure and experience places
you’ve never been before.
For war games fans,Domination Earthshould be at the top of your
next download list. There are a multitude of tactics involved in game play –
capture lands to build military bases, collect construction resources and
recruit armies to gain dominance regionally. Territories can be defended by
initiating alliances with neighbours to combat foreign threats. You can even
build a missile launcher in your backyard to thwart invaders of your hometown.
One of the main aims is to attain as many resources as possible to send your
armies to the overseas base in order to advance your influence remotely, even
after you’ve left!
A key feature of the app is of course – their maps. Currently
there are 3 different styles available. Players can choose the look that best
suits them: Day, Night (default view) and Black for those looking for something
a bit darker. It is now possible to obtain directions to any resource via
Google Maps by tapping on the new “Compass” button.
The ‘Wars’ window enables you to track your enemies and issue
truce requests. A war can last 7 days after which the winner is determined by
Victory points! When the truce expires you are free to initiate a “rematch” and
attack the second player if they’re still not a member of your alliance. What
fun!
Domination Earth features a high-level construction system,
allowing players to build more than one structure on level 100+ lands and
manually select building locations, letting players “decorate” their land with
walls, guard towers etc – any way you like!
Like the real world around us Domination Earth is evolving all the
time! It has expanded its global reach language wise – now available in
English, Spanish, French, Russian, Italian and Czech! Watch this space for more
additions!
The developers behind Domination Earth are start-up Epic Dragon UK. It was
originally inspired by the “Swarm” social network which some of CEO Dan
Dragon’s friends and relatives were totally addicted to and kept checking in
wherever they went together.
He decided he was going to bring this to a whole new level and
transform the process of ‘checking in’ into a full-blown war game! It creates a personalized ‘travel log’, but also suggests places you would never normally
visit, in order to collect valuable resources. Finally Domination: Earth is a
special title I’ll be coming back over again in the future, and I suggest it
for anyone who thoroughly enjoys a challenging game.
ARE YOU TO READY TOP EXPLORE, GO FORTH AND ESTABLISH YOUR VERY OWN
EMPIRE WITH DOMINATION EARTH
Facebook is adding support for in-app purchases to its Instant
Games platform, the company announced during a session on gaming at its F8
developer conference this afternoon. The feature will allow game developers to
add another form of monetization beyond advertising to their games on select
platforms, but not on iOS.
Instead, support for
in-app purchases will be available to Instant Games on Android and on
Facebook.com on the web.
First launched in
2016, Facebook opened up Instant Games to all developers last month. The
platform allows developers to build mobile-friendly games using HTML5 that work
across both Facebook and Messenger. The idea is to give game developers access
to another sizable platform for their work, in addition to the existing app
stores run by Apple and Google.
Facebook has had
in-app purchases on its roadmap for Instant Games for some time, and began
testing the feature with select developers around six months ago.
Similar to the app
stores, the revenue share model for Instant Games is 70/30 on Facebook.com.
However, on mobile, the games will follow the in-app billing terms from each
platform, the company notes. That means purchases made in games running on
Android devices; the 30 percent revenue share will apply after the standard
mobile platform revenue share – aka Google’s own 70/30 cut.
That’s not ideal, of
course. And all the hands in the pie may lead to game developers pricing their
in-app purchases higher, as a result.
Facebook seems to
acknowledge this concern in its blog post announcement, saying: “Our primary
goal is to build [in-app purchases] in a way so that our developer partners can
sustain and grow, and we’ll continue to evaluate rev/share with that goal in
mind.”
Facebook wouldn’t
confirm if or when support for in-app purchases is coming to iOS.
In addition to helping
developers generate revenue outside of using ads in their games, in-app
purchases in games could prove beneficial to Facebook as well. The company’s
payment revenue has dwindled over the years, with things like Messenger
payments never really seeing significant attention. Plus, Facebook made it
possible for third-parties like PayPal to operate over Messenger, which signaled
its disinterest in the payments space in general.
In-app purchases in
games turn things around, a bit.
The submission process
for in-app purchases will open up to developers on May 7, allowing them to
implement the monetization features on Android and the web. In the meantime,
Facebook is offering documentation about the feature here.
Some people, when they look up at the sky and see a cloud, think
“dog” or “fluffy.” And some people think “it’s a waning cumulus with a feathered
edge suggesting a pressure system from the north ending in an updraft, which
would probably cause turbulence. Also looks a bit like a dog.” Clearly one ofthosepeople
created these complex, beautiful renderings of weather data.
The idea
behind this project at ETH Zürich, led by Markus Gross, is that different
visualizations of detailed weather data may be highly useful in different
fields. He and his colleagues have been working on a huge set of such data and
finding ways of accurately representing it with an eye to empowering
meteorologists from the TV station to the research lab.
“The
scientific value of our visualisation lies in the fact that we make something
visible that was impossible to see with the existing tools,” explained
undergraduate researcher Noël Rimensberger in an ETHZ news release.
Representing weather “in a relatively simple, comprehensible way” is its own
reward, really.
The data
in question are all from the evening of April 26, 2013, the date chosen for a
large-scale meteorology project in which multiple institutions collaborated.
The team created different ways to visualize different bodies of data.
For
instance, if you were looking down on a whole county, what’s the use of seeing
every little ripple of a cloud system? What you need is larger trends and ways
of picking out important data points, such as areas likely to develop
precipitation, or where the beginnings of movement suggest a cold front moving
in.
On the
other hand, such macro data has no place when you’re looking at the formation
of clouds over a single locality, or why a storm seems to have struck with
unnatural fierceness there.
And again,
what if you’re a small aircraft pilot? A little rain and clouds you might not
mind, but what if you want to see patterns of turbulence in the country and how
they move as the day wears on? Or if you’re investigating what led to a crash
at a particular location and time?
These
visualizations show how a large set of data can be interpreted and displayed in
many ways and to many purposes.
TobiasGünther, Rimensberger’s supervisor on the project, pointed out that the
algorithms they used to interpret the reams of data and create these
simulations are far too slow at present, but they’re working on improving them.
Still, some could be used if time isn’t of the essence.
You can
find a link to download the full paper, created for an ETH Zürich visualization
contest, at the university’s website.
Nature,one of the most prestigious
scientific journals in the world, has just announce plans to create a Machine
Intelligence imprint, and researchers are not happy. The field has been doing
fine with open-access journals — why clog it up with the paid-access model
everyone has been trying to escape for decades? Over two thousand have signed a
statement saying they won’t publish in it.
Academic
publishing is a tumult right now, with open-access journals and proponents
thereof battling with the old-guard prestige of the likes of Science and Nature
— along with the fees from jealous keepers such as Elsevier and Springer.
Meanwhile sites like Sci-Hub have worked to liberate the data held by paid
journals, illegally of course, and become indispensable in the process.
The
statement comes from Tom Dietterich at OregonStateUniversity, founding
president of the International Machine Learning Society.
“Machine
learning has been at the forefront of the movement for free and open access to
research… We see no role for closed access or author-fee publication in the
future of machine learning research and believe the adoption of this new
journal as an outlet of record for the machine learning community would be a
retrograde step,” it reads.
The
statement cites past opposition in the community to paid journals and the fact
that all the major ones in existence charge nothing as well “The following list
of researchers,” it continues, “hereby state that they will not submit to,
review, or edit for this new journal.”
There are
nearly 2,300 signatures from all over the world. Students, professors,
researchers, architects, and engineers people the list; there are
representatives of many major companies in the field: Google, Intel, Amazon,
Microsoft, IBM; many of the world’s most august learning institutions can be
found on it as well.
It’s not
that machine learning is fundamentally incompatible with paid access, Diettrich
told me in an email; rather, the field has grown to prominence so recently that
free and open-access journals have just been the better option from the start.
“Our
research community has been fortunate to develop an expectation of free and
open access to published research, but many other areas of science and
mathematics are moving in the same direction,” he wrote.
I asked if
he thought Nature’s interest manifesting in this way indicated a healthy field.
“It is a sign that Nature Publishing Group believes they can make money in this
relatively young area of research,” he answered.
But the
pledge seems like a widely supported one, he concluded: “My impression is that
we have excellent representation from all of the major research labs in
universities and companies.”
Nature may
still draw papers because of its clout, but it looks like at least a
significant number of researchers in this area will give it the cold shoulder.
Are you among their number? Feel free to add your name to the list.
For those who enjoy viewing various
types of artwork.
Loupe has a wonderful
collection of artwork that you can stream endlessly on your Apple TV and
include Apple Music. From Elegant Objects to Tranquil Impressions to Urban
Landscapes, you are sure to find a collection you enjoy. The app includes
original artworks, reproductions, and limited edition prints and is best viewed
in full-screen mode.
Why we love it
Loupe lets you
appreciate different types of artwork from your living room with an endless
display.
For those who…
·You enjoy viewing art
·You would like paintings and prints as your Apple TV backdrop
Not for those who…
·You do not enjoy viewing art
·You prefer your own photos as your Apple TV backdrop
For those who want to level up their TV
home shopping habits.
There is no bigger TV
shopping company than QVC and its Apple TV app does not disappoint. Watch live
video while looking at product images and prices, and even make purchases.
Why we love it
It’s quick to easy to
look at and order products, particularly for an item that’s currently on air.
It even helps you select the product type that’s right for you with its range
of images, sizes and colors. Moroever, it lets you purchase items in a jiffy
with Speed Buy.
For those who…
·QVC is your home shopping channel of choice.
·You want the convenience of ordering items you like right
through your TV.
Not for those who…
·You are partial to another home shopping channel.
·You don’t like home shopping at all.
For those who enjoy watching HSN and
buying stuff featured on it
You know HSN the
shopping channel. Now meet HSN the shopping app for Apple TV. Never miss out on
the latest programs featuring your favorite hosts and celebrity guests with the
built-in guide. And never miss out on exciting stuff by shopping popular brands
and buying their products.
Why we love it
Featuring HSN and HSN2
Live, the app is sure to show you something you’ll love, be it from a past,
current, or upcoming event; there’s a handy program guide to help you stay on
top of your online shopping. The app also offers detailed product descriptions
with images and even live presentations, so it’s easier to decide whether to
place an order for that piece of furniture, jewelry or whatnot you’ve been
eyeing.
For those who…
·You can’t get enough of HSN.
·You want to shop a variety of brands from HSN’s shows, both old
and new.
Not for those who…
·You don’t find the shows and brands featured on HSN to your
liking,
·You don’t like online shopping in general.
For Amazon Prime subscribers looking
for a new way to shop, shop, shop.
Browse, Search, get
product details, read reviews, and see immersive product images and videos for
millions of products available from Amazon.com and other merchants. Prime
membership is required to make a purchase on your TV.
Why we love it
Amazon Prime
subscribers will definitely love this app because of its ease of use. Still, we
wish Amazon Video had arrived instead.
For those who…
·Are Amazon Prime subscribers
·Love to shop a lot
·Like an immersive shopping experience
Not for those who…
·Don’t have a Prime membership
·Like to avoid Amazon
·Rather use Apple TV for entertainment purposes
For those who love buying unique things
that can’t be found at the mall
Fancy is all about
finding cool things you don’t see every day. These unique items look amazing on
the big screen. With just a couple of clicks you can be a proud owner of some
“fancy” items.
Why we love it
Fancy lets you come
across new and amazing stuff. With its collections of unique things curated by
a global community of users just like you, there’s bound to be something to
catch your, well, fancy. What’s more, you can buy all of the thing you like
right through the app, making social-oriented shopping on your Apple TV a
breeze.
For those who…
·You love shopping for all sorts for stuff
·You want to stumble on new things you won’t otherwise find out
about
Not for those who…
·You’d rather shop at the mall
·You’re averse to anything that’s social-oriented or
crowd-curated
For those who want to shop designer
brands at insider prices.
Gilt is the world’s
largest flash deal service, and it works great on Apple TV. Special sales start
every day at noon EST, allowing members to check out heavily discounted luxury
and designer brands. Products on sale are available for purchase from your Siri
Remote.
Why we love it
Who doesn’t love a
good sale? With Gilt for Apple TV, you can take advantage of flash deals on
popular designer brands available at up to 70 percent off their retail
counterparts.
For those who…
·You love designer deals.
·You enjoy the thrill of flash sales.
·You like the exclusivity of members-only services.
Not for those who…
·You don’t care much about designer brands.
·You want more variety of products than what’s offered by Gilt.
For those want to buy secondhand
furniture without having to go far.
This app is so named
because it offers a trove of otherwise hidden local treasures for your home.
Home furnishings and used furniture available nearby are easy to find with just
a few clicks and swipes.
Why we love it
This app indeed opens
up a treasure trove of used furnishings. And the neat thing is that these
things are readily available from sellers nearby, so you can easily shop around
you for stuff with which to decorate and improve your home.
For those who…
·You want to shop for used furnishings.
·You want to buy secondhand furniture right within your
community.
Not for those who…
·You prefer buying brand new furniture, fittings and accessories.
·You don’t mind having to source secondhand furniture from faraway
locations.
For those who want the latest trends
from one of the most famous clothing companies in the world.
Don’t like what you
see in your closet? Take a look at your Apple TV instead. Mango MNG offers
high-quality fashion looks from all Mango brands — including Mango, Mango Man,
Mango Kids, and Violeta by Mango — available to purchase with a click of your
remote.
Why we love it
Mango MNG is not just
a shopping app that lets you easily purchase the trendiest clothes. It also
boasts campaigns, lookbooks, and fashion films to immerse yourself in.
For those who…
·You love anything and everything Mango.
·You want to know what’s hot (or cool) to wear and be able to buy
it right away.
Not for those who…
·You’d rather shop for stuff from other clothing design companies.
·You don’t mind being behind that latest trends in fashion.
For those who want to decorate their
homes with stylish hard-to-find furniture.
Never mind the IKEA
catalog. Find high-quality furniture while sitting on your couch with Chairish.
With the app, modern and vintage choices are available with a click of the
button.
Why we love it
Finding stuff to
decorate your home with shouldn’t be a chore. And with Chairish, it sure isn’t.
For those who…
·You’re looking to decorate your home.
·You want home decor and furniture that are hard-to-find as well
as high-quality.
Not for those who…
·You’re fine with how your home looks at the moment.
·You’d rather shop for furniture at IKEA.
For those looking for new yoga clothing
on Apple TV.
Yoga Apparel Shopping
is a good place to start when shopping for yoga apparel on Apple TV. The app
has a limited, but nice selection of options for everyone in the house. You can
fill your cart and checkout right within the app.
Why we love it
Are you looking for a
new shirt for your next yoga session? Check out Yoga Apparel Shopping for Apple
TV.
