New York Times launches daily podcast show

NEW YORK — Best known for its print coverage, The New York Times is this week broadening into the realm of daily audio news by launching a brand new podcast.

“The Daily,” a 15-20 minute audio offering, will launch Wednesday and be available to listeners through the newspaper’s website and mobile apps.

The show will cover a range of topics from hard news to other topics “highlighting culturally relevant news of the day,” the newspaper said.

Host will be Michael Barbaro, who covered the 2016 US election and who will also share context, analysis and thoughts with Times readers by text message.

The move sees the newspaper try to hold its own in a competitive news market where demand for coverage spiked during and since last year’s election that ended in a shock victory for President Donald Trump.

Last week The Washington Post launched the podcast “Can He Do That?” to assess the Trump’s presidency, currently top in the US podcast charts. The Wall Street Journal also offers readers a variety of podcasts.

“Our readers have always turned to us first thing in the morning to help them understand the world,” said Dean Baquet, executive editor of the Times.

“Now, with our new audio report, we’re able to explain the news in a whole new way,” he added.

Last year the Times launched four new podcasts — “The Run-Up,” a politics show also hosted by Barbaro, “Modern Love,” “Still Processing” and “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know.”

source: interaksyon.com

#OscarsSoWhite to #OscarsLessWhite; diverse nominees stand out

LOS ANGELES | The Oscar nominations on Tuesday honored the largest ever crop of actors of color along with a diverse range of stories, a year after Hollywood was slammed for excluding minority talent.

The #OscarsSoWhite controversy last year was sparked when all 20 acting nominees were white for a second consecutive year. The hashtag highlighted a larger issue within the film industry, where talent and stories of diverse communities can be hard to get made or are not pushed for awards recognition.

This year, #OscarsLessWhite was trending on Twitter as each acting category featured actors of color: Denzel Washington and Viola Davis for “Fences,” Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris for “Moonlight,” and Octavia Spencer for “Hidden Figures.”

“Loving” star Ruth Negga, of Irish-Ethiopian descent, and “Lion” actor Dev Patel, who is British and of Indian descent, were also nominated.

“It shows that in front of and behind the camera, the stories are not homogenous, so I’m heartened that the faces and genres that’ll be in that (Oscar) room in 33 days’ time reflect a film industry that I work in, that isn’t a homogenous place,” “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins told Reuters.

Although whimsical musical romance “La La Land” led with a record-tying 14 nominations, “Moonlight,” about an impoverished black boy grappling with his sexuality landed eight nods.

The acting nods follow the success of “Hidden Figures,” about three black female mathematicians working for NASA in the 1960s. The film also landed a best picture Oscar nomination.

The film grossed $84 million at North American theaters and topped the box office for two weeks, dispelling industry notions about minority actors not drawing mass audiences.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, host of the annual Oscars, overhauled its membership last year, pledging to double membership of women and minorities by 2020 and stripping some older, non-active members of voting privileges.

Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs said the aim this year was to “reach out to great filmmakers from around the world” and make the Oscars a global event.

The initiative also led to the Academy breaking tradition by live-streaming the nominations announcement instead of broadcasting a handful of key categories on U.S. television.

“I know that we have reached more people instantly than we ever had,” Boone Isaacs told Reuters.

Three explorations of black stories made the documentary shortlist: Ava DuVernay’s “13th,” about U.S. criminal justice and slavery, ESPN’s “O.J.: Made in America” on the infamous trial of O.J. Simpson, and “I Am Not Your Negro,” about civil rights leaders through the eyes of late U.S. novelist James Baldwin.

“It’s an honor … to be nominated in a year that truly embraces and celebrates inclusion within our creative community,” DuVernay said in a statement.

source: interaksyon.com

After Note 7 report, Samsung may delay launch of new Galaxy S8

SEOUL — Samsung Electronics Co Ltd indicated on Monday that its latest flagship Galaxy S smartphone could be delayed as it pledged to enhance product safety following an investigation into the cause of fires in its premium Note 7 devices.

Wrapping up its months-long probe, the world’s top smartphone maker said faulty batteries from two suppliers were to blame for a product failure that wiped $5.3 billion (4.3 billion pounds) off its operating profit.

Samsung mobile chief Koh Dong-jin said procedures had been put in place to avoid a repeat of the fires as the South Korean firm prepares to launch the Galaxy S8, its first premium handset since the Note 7′s demise.

“The lessons of this incident are deeply reflected in our culture and process,” Koh told reporters at a press briefing. “Samsung Electronics will be working hard to regain consumer trust.”

Koh said the Galaxy S8 would not be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona beginning Feb. 27, the traditional forum for Galaxy S series launches. He did not comment on when the company planned to launch the handset, though analysts expect it to start selling by April.

Investors have said Samsung needs to reassure consumers that it is on top of the Note 7 problem and can be trusted to fix it.

Samsung’s reputation took a hammering after it announced a recall of fire-prone Note 7s, only for reports to emerge that replacement devices also caught fire. Images of melted Samsung devices spread on social media and airlines banned travellers from carrying them on flights.

The handset, Samsung’s answer to Apple Inc’s iPhones, was withdrawn from sale in October less than two months after its launch, in one of the biggest failures in tech history.

Samsung said later on Monday it has not decided whether to reuse parts in the recovered Note 7s or resell any recalled phones. A person familiar with the matter told Reuters reselling some Note 7s as refurbished phones was an option.

The firm said it has recovered 96 percent of the 3.06 million Note 7s sold to consumers.

Short circuits

Investigations by internal and independent experts ruled out problems with the Note 7′s hardware and software. Instead, they said the batteries, which came from two suppliers, featured different manufacturing defects or design flaws that caused them to short-circuit.

“The odds that two different suppliers had issue with the same phone is an extremely low likelihood and may signal we have reached an inflection point in smartphone battery technology,” said Patrick Moorhead, president of technology analyst and advisory firm Moor Insights & Strategy.

Samsung did not name the suppliers on Monday but previously identified them as affiliate Samsung SDI Co Ltd and China’s Amperex Technology Ltd. SDI said separately it would invest 150 billion won (103.8 million pounds) to improve product safety and expected to continue supplying batteries for Samsung phones. ATL declined to comment.

Samsung said it accepted responsibility and would not take legal action against suppliers. The company touted longer battery life and fast charging as major improvements when it launched the Note 7.

“The current situation is not largely different from that of the first recall, when Samsung pointed the finger at battery defects,” said Park Chul-wan, a former director of the Center for Advanced Batteries at the Korea Electronics Technology Institute.

Battery checks

Among other measures to boost safety, Samsung said it had implemented an eight-point battery check system to avoid any such problems going unnoticed again.

While Samsung’s mobile division is widely expected to have bounced back from the Note 7 failure during the fourth quarter, experts remained cautious about the outlook for sales of future flagship devices.

“Consumers will accept the results (of the probe) only if there are no problems with the S8,” said Park.

Moorhead, however, said he thought Samsung had done enough to convince consumers that it can prevent future issues.

Samsung Electronics shares ended up 2.3 percent in a flat wider market. Analysts said the rise was mainly due to a healthy outlook for makers of tech components such as memory chips but also boosted by hopes the firm will be able to put the Note 7 fiasco behind it.

The firm expects fourth-quarter operating profit to hit a more than three-year high when it reports earnings on Tuesday, driven by booming chip sales.

source: interaksyon.com

Trump signs executive order against Obamacare

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order aimed at limiting the "burden" of the Obamacare health law that the incoming US leader has vowed to repeal.

During the signing in the Oval Office, Trump's chief of staff Reince Priebus described the order as aimed at "minimizing the economic burden" of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, "pending repeal."

Doing away with Barack Obama's signature domestic achievement is a top priority for Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress and, since Trump's inauguration Friday, the White House.

In their view, Obamacare -- which aimed to ensure healthcare for the millions of Americans who are neither covered by public insurance, nor by their employers -- marked a costly drift toward socialized, European-style medical care.

Until lawmakers are able to repeal Obamacare, "it is imperative for the executive branch to... take all actions consistent with law to minimize the unwarranted economic and regulatory burdens of the Act, and prepare to afford the States more flexibility and control to create a more free and open healthcare market," the executive order said.

The order instructs the US health secretary and other departments and agencies to "exercise all authority and discretion available to them to waive, defer, grant exemptions from, or delay the implementation of any provision or requirement of the Act" that imposes a fiscal burden or other cost on a state, on consumers, on insurers or on a range of healthcare providers.

Trump has pledged to start undoing the divisive health law on his first day in office, while also declaring it inconceivable that poor Americans are locked out of coverage.

The president has said the law should be repealed and replaced "simultaneously," a stiff challenge given the complexity of America's vast health care system.

Obamacare added more than 20 million people onto insurance rolls, lowering the percentage of Americans without coverage from 16 percent in 2010 to 8.9 percent last year.

Republicans are pledging a repeal of Obamacare -- which has been blamed for sharply rising insurance premiums -- and rapid votes on a replacement bill in order to prevent gaps in coverage and reassure a restless insurance industry.

Only one third of the US population is covered by public insurance -- either Medicare, for those over age 65, or Medicaid for the poorest Americans.

Half of all Americans are insured through their employers, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, while about seven percent are covered through the so-called individual market, which serves those who are self-employed or are employees without coverage through work.

Obama's solution rested largely on requiring that everyone be insured, and providing federal subsidies to those who cannot afford coverage.

Republicans deemed the first requirement too coercive, and the latter too costly.

source: interaksyon.com

Netflix adds 7 million subscribers in global expansion

SAN FRANCISCO, Caifornia – Netflix added a record seven million subscribers over the past quarter as part of its global expansion drive, fueling a surge in revenue and profit for the streaming television giant.

California-based Netflix said in its quarterly report Wednesday it ended the year with nearly 94 million subscribers, adding five million outside the United States in the last three months of the year.

“This was the largest quarter of net additions in our history and was driven by strong acquisition trends in both our US and international segments,” Netflix said in its quarterly update.

That growth helped push net profit up 55 percent in the fourth quarter to $66.7 million, while revenues were up 36 percent from a year earlier to $2.5 billion.

The stronger-than-expected results lifted Netflix shares more than eight percent in after-hours trade.

Decade of streaming
“This quarter marks the 10-year anniversary of our launch of streaming,” said Netflix.

“The next decade will be even more amazing and tumultuous as internet TV supplants linear TV, and as we strive to remain a leader.”

Netflix added nearly 20 million new customers globally in the full year after announcing last January its plan to expand to some 190 countries to become a “global television network.”

“We are learning rapidly how best to match content with audience tastes around the world,” said the company’s quarterly letter to shareholders.

“It is clear to us that high quality content travels well across borders.”

Netflix said itexpects to see strong growth ahead even as it faces more competitors such as Amazon, which is also expanding globally.

The letter said Netflix expects 5.2 million new customers globally, including 3.7 million outside the US in the first quarter.

“We will seek to steadily increase revenue and operating margin as we balance growth and profitability,” the statement said.

“We are in no rush to push margins up too quickly, as we want to ensure we are investing aggressively enough to continue to lead internet TV around the world.”

The expansion drive has meant that nearly half — 47 percent — of Netflix users are now outside the United States, a proportion expected to increase as it adds more customers.

Counting on content
Known for its broad array of on-demand content and original productions such as “House of Cards” and “Marco Polo,” Netflix said it continues to invest in new content.

Conlumino analyst Neil Saunders said that content was a strong driver of Nexflix’s success, with subscriber ranks climbing despite a recent price increase.

“Netflix is now producing world-leading TV that spans a whole range of tastes from cult shows like ‘Stranger Things,’ to historical dramas like ‘The Crown,’ to light entertainment like ‘Fuller House,’ he said in emailed comment.

“Our own data show the value for money perception of Netflix has actually increased since the price rise.”

Conlumino was encouraged by the pipeline of shows in the works at Netflix, including international productions created with local talent and themes.

International growth remains a money-losing operation as Netflix invests in winning audiences around the world, but the analyst saw the strategy as necessary to counterbalance inevitable slowing at home.

“Overall, we believe Netflix is headed firmly in the right direction,” Saunders said.

source: interaksyon.com

Microsoft buys Canadian AI startup Maluuba

SAN FRANCISCO, California — Microsoft announced Friday a deal to buy Maluuba, a Montreal startup focused on making machines able to think the way people do.

Bringing on board Maluuba co-founders Kaheer Suleman and Sam Pasupalak, along with their team from the startup, was intended to accelerate Microsoft’s “ability to develop software so computers can read, write and converse naturally,” the company said.

Microsoft did not disclose financial terms of the acquisition.

“Maluuba’s vision is to advance toward a more general artificial intelligence by creating literate machines that can think, reason and communicate like humans — a vision exactly in line with ours,” Microsoft artificial intelligence and research group executive vice president Harry Shum said in a blog post.

“I’m incredibly excited about the scenarios that this acquisition could make possible in conversational AI.”

Tech giants Apple, Samsung, Google and Microsoft are all vying to develop the most sophisticated connected assistant — working to give software the ability to understand what people say and even anticipate desires or needs.

Amazon virtual assistant Alexa was a star at the Consumer Electronics Show gadget gala last week in Las Vegas.

Amazon and Alexa face fierce competition.

At CES, computer chipmaker Nvidia said it would use Google Assistant for its interactive streaming devices. Microsoft’s Cortana will power a voice-assistant speaker for kids and families being introduced by Mattel, and will also be in Renault-Nissan’s connected car hub.

Samsung’s smart refrigerator, which acts as a connected hub — with a voice activation system unveiled at CES — uses the South Korean giant’s Tizen operating system.

Many smart devices for the home also integrate with Apple Home Kit, which uses the iPhone maker’s artificial intelligence and voice assistant Siri.

At CES, Chinese giant Baidu showcased its own virtual assistant “Little Fish” which will debut in China this year.

source: interaksyon.com

Canada's oil sands must be phased out - Trudeau

OTTAWA, Canada -- Canada must "phase out" Alberta's oil sands and end the country's dependence on hydrocarbons, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday.

"We can't shut down the oil sands tomorrow. We need to phase them out," he said. "We need to manage the transition off our dependence on fossil fuels."

He was responding to a question at a town hall event about his decision in late November to authorize an increase in the capacity of two oil pipelines in the country's west.

Upgrading them will increase Canada's export capacity by nearly a million barrels a day.

"You can't make a choice between what's good for the environment and what's good for the economy," he said about reconciling the fight against climate change with economic growth.

Canada is the world's sixth-largest oil producer.

However, Trudeau is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to meet the requirements of the United Nations Paris Agreement on climate change, which Canada has ratified.

The prime minister last year announced a national carbon tax effective in 2018.

It was supported by the province of Alberta, where the country's petroleum industry is concentrated.

But the prime minister's latest remarks on oil sands have prompted a furious response from the conservative opposition.

"If Mr. Trudeau wants to shut down Alberta's oil sands, and my hometown, let him be warned: He'll have to go through me and four million Albertans first," said Brian Jean, leader of Canada's hardline conservative Wildrose Party, who formerly represented Fort McMurray, Alberta's oil capital, in Parliament.

Environmental activists are highly critical of projects involving oil sands because of their economic and environmental costs. Oil locked in the subsoil of the boreal forest must be extracted by a long, polluting and energy-intensive process.

The oil is profitable only when global prices are high. Two major oil companies, Shell and Statoil, pulled out of the Canadian oil sands late last year.

source: interaksyon.com

Yahoo to be named Altaba, Mayer to leave board after Verizon deal

Yahoo Inc said Monday that it would rename itself Altaba Inc and Chief Executive Officer Marissa Mayer would step down from the board after the closing of its deal with Verizon Communications Inc.

Yahoo has a deal to sell its core internet business, which includes its digital advertising, email and media assets, to Verizon for $4.83 billion.

The terms of that deal could be amended - or the transaction may even be called off - after Yahoo last year disclosed two separate data breaches; one involving some 500 million customer accounts and the second involving over a billion.

Verizon executives have said that while they see a strong strategic fit with Yahoo, they are still investigating the data breaches.

Five other Yahoo directors would also resign after the deal closes, Yahoo said in a regulatory filing on Monday.

The remaining directors will govern Altaba, a holding company whose primary assets will be a 15 percent stake in Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and 35.5 percent stake in Yahoo Japan.

The new company also named Eric Brandt chairman of the board, effective Jan. 9.

source: interaksyon.com

CES 2017 | The future of car tech: getting to know you

LAS VEGAS — The car of the future doesn’t just want to drive you. It wants to know you.

The automotive technology showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show over the past week was in part about self-driving vehicles, but also about personalizing the driving experience.

Artificial intelligence and facial recognition will allow vehicles to let you in (if it’s your car), and adjust the seating, lighting, music or other elements of the environment for you, automatically.

“The idea is to be more than a machine, to be a partner, make you happy,” said Toyota’s Amanda McCoy, who explained some of the innovations of the Japanese automaker’s Concept-i vehicle at the Las Vegas tech show.

The manufacturers want the car to hold a conversation, help you make a shopping list and determine where and how you want to travel.

In a demonstration, the Toyota vehicle started a conversation and suggested potential destinations for the driver. Its camera detected that the driver was in an upbeat mood and thus suggested “the happier route.”

The concept car will also keep a driver alert to potential perils on the road, with sound and light signals. Moving to autonomous mode, it allows the seats to recline.

Swiss-based group Rinspeed showed a prototype electric car called Oasis with a miniature garden inside.

The vehicle with an “intelligent rolling chassis” can also operate in autonomous mode, converting its windshield into a screen for videoconferencing.

“The interior of the car in the future will be redefined entirely, to meet different needs,” said Rinspeed chief executive Frank Rinderknecht.

Rinderknecht said the company has no plans to produce an entire vehicle but use elements of the company’s technology, which could be available in a few years.

Other technologies shown in Las Vegas could turn the car into a payments platform. Honda, for example, said it was working with Visa to allow motorists to pay directly from the vehicle for parking or refueling, for example.

Several automakers at CES unveiled plans to move forward on autonomous driving technology. But they also showcased ways to incorporate virtual and augmented reality, use voice systems and other technology to personalize the experience.

Digital assistant on board

One part of that experience is the “digital assistant” which is making inroads in connected homes.

Ford announced it would incorporate voice-controlled Amazon’s Alexa onboard while Renault-Nissan and BMW announced plans to use Microsoft Cortana.

Hyundai is installing sensors in its seating which evaluate posture and in seatbelts to monitor respiration. This could allow an intelligent car to know if a driver is having a heart attack or falling asleep at the wheel.

The South Korean giant is experimenting with a number of ways to deal with different scenarios: it may use blue lights or cold air to wake up a groggy driver, or change the enviroment to calm a stressful one.

“If we can see the mood (of the driver), we can probably do something with this information and modify the environment,” said Hyundai’s David Mitropoulos-Rundus.

Even if a car is autonomous, Mitropoulos-Rundus said there will be times when a driver will need to assume control, and the automaker want a system to “re-engage him in emergency situation.”

source: interaksyon.com

CES 2017 | Razer unveils concept laptop for multi-monitor immersive gaming

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Razer revealed a multi-monitor laptop computer concept that sets a new standard for immersive entertainment and multipurpose portable computing at the ongoing Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Dubbed “Project Valerie,” the system is the world’s first portable laptop with three built-in monitors. Each 17.3-inch 4K IGZO display is equipped with Nvidia G-Sync technology that is capable of producing the smoothest possible framerates and expansive 180 degree Nvidia Surround View gaming. Creative professionals can look forward to 100 percent Adobe RGB color accuracy and the greatest amount of screen real estate ever assembled in a single computer.

Project Valerie uses an automatic deployment mechanism designed by Razer. Each display mechanically slides out of the side of the main screen and adjusts into place, making it easy for users to deploy. With integrated multi-monitor support, users will no longer have to deal with the cable clutter from traditional desktop setups. The result is a clean gaming and working environment that’s just as easy to maintain.

“The complexities of a traditional multi-monitor setup are a thing of the past with Project Valerie,” says Razer co-founder and CEO Min-Liang Tan. “Equally important, the power of a desktop computer and graphics capabilities of three top-end monitors are included in the system. There is no shortcoming in the way of performance in the face of its amazing portability and features.”

Project Valerie adds to the professional capabilities of the new 17-inch Razer Blade Pro. The system was conceived with enthusiasts and power users in mind who want multitasking capabilities and desktop performance on the go. Packed with more screens than previously possible in a notebook, Razer’s Project Valerie is capable of handling virtually any PC task, anytime, anywhere.

The proposed system retains the iconic Razer design, while at the same time accommodating triple-monitors. A unibody CNC aluminum chassis measures just 1.5-inches thick and weighs less than 12 pounds. An included compact AC adapter is much smaller than similarly powered systems, furthering complementing Project Valerie’s mobility.

Project Valerie retains the remarkable thermal management system for which Razer’s line of laptops is known. A custom-designed fan and dynamic heat exchangers pair with a vapor chamber to maximize heat dissipation.

Project Valerie is the second Razer notebook to utilize Razer’s Ultra-Low-Profile Mechanical switches. Each switch features a true actuation and reset point. Key presses are registered with 65 grams of force, mimicking the feel of full-size mechanical keyboards. The keyboard, trackpad, extended monitors are also Powered by Razer Chroma, which unlocks a virtually endless array of dazzling lighting effects that can be customized by the user or synced to in-game events.

Similar to Razer’s newest systems, Project Valerie equipped with Nvida GeForce GTX 1080 exceeds the minimum hardware requirements of HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, making it one of the most immersive, mobile VR-ready devices for enthusiasts and developers.

“Multi-monitor desktop set-ups are becoming more necessary for professionals, creators, and gamers,” says Tan. “For the first time, we’ve engineered a solution that users can take with them. Project Valerie promises all of the functionality of three screens and none of the hassle.”

source: interaksyon.com

CES 2017 | Tech show looks beyond ‘smart,’ to new ‘realities’

SAN FRANCISCO — The mega-extravaganza of the tech world in Las Vegas is showcasing an array of new devices that get smarts from computer chips, sensors and artificial intelligence, but go further by opening doors to augmented or virtual realities.

The Consumer Electronics Show, which begins with a series of media events Tuesday will offer trade professionals a look at new robotics, connected cars and a dizzying assortment of gizmos from connected sneakers to drones.

This year’s show will see results of a boost in computing power from artificial intelligence, which can help power things like autonomous cars, and deliver new experiences such as augmented or virtual reality.

“Virtual reality is changing the game for a variety of industries including health care, agriculture, manufacturing and business,” said Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Technology Association that organizes the annual show, in a Reddit chat.

“Doctors are using VR to enhance traditional therapies, architects use VR to design stronger buildings and travel agencies are using it to simplify vacation planning.”

CES will celebrate its 50th anniversary at the gathering, and organizers promised it would have the largest showcase of VR technology ever.

One CES panel discussion will examine how virtual reality is transforming television, movies and even news with immersive forms of video.

A host of virtual reality experiences will entice attendees at the trade-only show.

Cars will feature virtual reality displays to provide a better sense of the environment around them, while similar technologies will be showcased for smart glasses, medicine and beauty makeovers.

Enhancing reality

Robin Raskin, who heads the Living in Digital Times center of the show, said augmented reality is catching on with try-and-see beauty apps, in-store virtual mirrors and toys.

Augmented reality, she said, “lets us look at the real world and add valuable, entertaining and immersive information to it.”

Analyst Jack Gold at J. Gold Associates said that despite the potential benefits of virtual and augmented reality in business or industry, “gaming is where it is going to take off first,” because that’s where people are spending money.

“The issue is not whether it has the potential to transform things, but whether you can put it into a space where consumers can afford it and give enough additional information so people are able to use it,” Gold said.

CES is among the world’s biggest trade shows, and last year drew 177,000 attendees over exhibit space of 2.47 million square feet (230,000 square meters). This year, 150 countries will be represented.

It will include big industry names such as Sony, LG and Samsung in electronics, with the perennial battle to have the sleekest most gorgeous television screen.

Meanwhile, in attendance will be more than 600 startups from 33 countries, including first-time participants — the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Ukraine.

Auto-industry titans including Ford and BMW are increasingly using CES to show off technology packed into vehicles for efficiency, safety, entertainment and navigation.

Race for autonomy

The show will feature demonstrations of autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles, including one from Japan’s Honda said to be equipped with an artificial intelligence “emotion engine” that aims to better understand its occupants.

Electric car startup Faraday Future, one of several manufacturers taking on Tesla, is expected to unveil its first production car a year after showing a prototype.

Renault-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn has promised to discuss “a major technological breakthrough in the realization of a zero-emission, zero-fatality world for everyone,” according to a statement from CES organizers.

Humanoid robots

The show is also expected to feature advances in robotics, with more human-like robots and the public debut of “Professor Einstein” from Hanson Robotics.

Getting a boost from artificial intelligence, some new robots at the show will keep an eye on the kids, play chess or help with homework.

Gold said he expects to see a large number of drones looking for a slice of a surging market.

“This is really the year of the drone, and everybody is trying to get into this market,” he said.

But he added that the strongest potential for drones may be with businesses, with uses including aerial photography.

On the smartphone front, South Korea’s LG will show a range of new “mid-range” handsets and China’s Huawei has a smartphone event scheduled. TCL, the Chinese firm which owns the Alcatel brand, will unveil new BlackBerry handsets following its deal for the troubled Canadian brand.

The show floor will see a host of new and improved connected home technologies that manage everything from light bulbs to refrigerators.

“We’re pretty close on things like the smart home, where we’re going to get up one day and everybody is going to speak to their refrigerators,” said NPD analyst Stephen Baker.

Carolina Milanesi of the consultancy Creative Strategies said 2016 “has seen material progress” in some new technologies that will result in products hitting the marketplace, even though not all will be hits.

“In some cases, it’s because the consumers weren’t really asking for it,” she said.

source: interaksyon.com

Retire or fight back? UFC stars offer advice to Ronda Rousey

LAS VEGAS — Ronda Rousey is taking time off to ponder her future after her 48-second loss in her comeback fight at UFC 207.

Amanda Nunes thinks Rousey must retire.

Jon Jones believes Rousey should fight again.

The UFC's biggest names offered strong opinions about Rousey's future Saturday, a day after Nunes punched Rousey into submission in less than a minute. Rousey (12-2), once the most dominant fighter in the sport, has now lost two straight boutss 13 months apart, looking unprepared and overmatched against both Holly Holm and Nunes.

After Nunes easily defended the bantamweight belt once held by Rousey, the champion encouraged Rousey to move on.

"That's it for her," Nunes said Friday night. "For sure, she's going to retire. She can't take it anymore. If she wants the rematch, I'm going to do the same thing, because she can't take my punches."


Other major figures in mixed martial arts disagree.

Jones was arguably the most feared fighter in the sport before failing a drug test last summer. The suspended former light heavyweight champion took to Twitter on Saturday to encourage Rousey.

"My advice to Ronda would be to pick yourself up and try again," Jones wrote. "I think it's important for Ronda to show her fans how great she truly is by displaying her courage and giving it another try."

Rousey declined to promote her comeback bout, and she refused to discuss her loss with fans or reporters after making a guaranteed $3 million along with undisclosed millions in bonuses and pay-per-view revenue from the UFC's year-end show. She issued a statement to ESPN on Saturday.

"Returning to not just fighting, but winning, was my entire focus this past year," Rousey wrote. "However, sometimes — even when you prepare and give everything you have and want something so badly — it doesn't work how you planned. I take pride in seeing how far the women's division has come in the UFC and commend all the other women who have been part of making this possible, including Amanda.

"I need to take some time to reflect and think about the future. Thank you for believing in me and understanding."

Nunes acknowledged feeling sorry for Rousey after landing 27 punches on the former champion in just 48 seconds. Nunes believes the cumulative stress of Rousey's first loss, her acting career and numerous outside-the-cage responsibilities combined to "pressure her too much."

Nunes spoke directly to a bloodied Rousey in the cage after the loss.

"I told her, 'You did a lot for this sport,'" Nunes said. "'Thank you so much. Now, take some time to rest and maybe do something else.' Why should she keep doing this? She's a millionaire already. Why would she want to keep doing this? She'll hurt herself."

But Jones sees a ferocious competitor in Rousey behind the acting jobs and modeling gigs.

"What she does next will truly determine her legacy," Jones wrote. "I really hope she chooses to be ... unbroken. Her story doesn't have to be over here. I also still believe she beats 90 (percent) of the division. Lots of ass kicking still to be done, lots of money to be made."

Jones also joined Nunes and innumerable MMA figures in questioning the effectiveness of Rousey's coaching.

Edmond Tarverdyan, Rousey's coach, was widely criticized for his uneven, unusual coaching methods even before Rousey's career faltered. Even Rousey's mother, AnnMaria De Mars, has ripped Tarverdyan, but Rousey has remained fiercely loyal to her longtime guru.

Jones is based at the Albuquerque gym of respected trainer Greg Jackson, the mastermind behind several UFC champions. Rousey's striking has long been a weak spot for the Olympic judo medalist, and she was utterly unable to cope with Nunes' punching ability, showing little growth in the past year from the weaknesses exposed by Holm.

"Maybe she just needs to complement her coach with an MMA family," Jones wrote. "Maybe she should join one of the bigger MMA teams. ... Being around other bad asses and constantly sharing your spotlight could be good for you (in) so many ways. They can improve on your humility."

Rousey turns 30 years old in February, with several years of her ostensible athletic prime before her. While she has circled several major acting jobs after playing three supporting roles in recent years, she doesn't appear to have any major film commitments.

But Rousey took several months off after her first defeat, and she seems likely to be deliberate again. De Mars, who cradled Rousey as the fighter left the T-Mobile Arena cage, took to her blog Saturday to offer support.

"She cares DEEPLY about winning to an extent that I don't believe the average person can wrap his/her head around," De Mars wrote. "I am very proud of my daughter."

source: philstar.com