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  • 8: Like Me in High School

    It's E3 week! Microsoft unveiled its 4K console (we're calling it 'Xb1x')while Nintendo stocked up on Switch games and Sony promised a bunch of new stuff for the PS4.

    This episode of Download is sponsored by:
    • Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy.
    • Mailroute: a secure, hosted email service for protection from viruses and spam. Get a 30 day trial and 10% off the lifetime of your account.
    • Guest Starring:

      Brianna Wu, Shahid Kamal Ahmad, and Cicero Holmes

      Links and Show Notes: Xbox One X is the final name of Project Scorpio - Polygon

      Microsoft's 4K console will be released on November 7 worldwide and carries a $499 price tag.

      The Xbox One will be backwards-compatible with original Xbox discs - The Verge

      Microsoft is reaching back to the original Xbox with an updated backwards compatibly program.

      Microsoft Won't Make a Profit Selling Xbox One X - Thurrott.com

      Microsoft has never made a profit selling Xbox consoles. And it looks like the Xbox One X won’t be an exception to that rule.

      At least five new games will hit Xbox’s Game Pass every month - Polygon

      The Xbox Game Pass — which gives gamers access to a steady flow of games through a monthly subscription — will deliver at least five new games a month, according to the company.

      Super Mario Odyssey comes to Switch this October - Polygon

      The new sandbox game raises many questions about Nintendo and whatever is going on with Mario's new hat.

      Apple makes major podcast updates - Six Colors

      New extensions to Apple’s podcast feed specification will allow podcasts to define individual seasons and explain whether an episode is a teaser, a full episode, or bonus content.

      Everything You May Have Missed In the Spider-Man E3 2017 Trailer - IGN

      The gameplay trailer for Marvel's Spider-Man for PS4 is packed with comic book references and lots of new web-slinging moves.

      Detroit: Become Human’s new trailer is about the android revolution - Polygon

      A trailer for Detroit: Become Human premiered during Sony’s E3 2017 press conference. The narrative-driven adventure game is the latest from David Cage’s studio Quantic Dream, known best for similar titles Heavy Rain and Beyond Two Souls.

      ANTHEM Official E3 Gameplay Trailer - YouTube Crackdown 3 is like the original, but layered with big, fun, chaotic ideas - The Verge

      Crackdown 3 — an open-world crimefighting game in which you can leap over small apartment buildings in a single bound — isn’t the most graphically gobsmacking game on the Xbox One, nor is it the most technically refined.

      Devolver Digital’s press conference was the best part of E3 that almost no one watched - Polygon

      No spoilers!

      Shahid Kamal Ahmad (@shahidkamal) - Twitter Remaster - Relay FM

      A show about playing games and making games.

      Brianna Wu (@Spacekatgal) - Twitter Brianna Wu for US Congress 2018 Cicero Holmes (@StubbyStan) - Twitter Spawn On Me Podcast

      Spawn On Me is the internet’s definitive video game podcast featuring and spotlighting gamers of color.

      1 hr 3 min
    • 7: Everything Is Great for Smash Mouth

      Apple's new connected speaker, the company's renewed focus on the iPad (and what it means for both the Mac and Windows), and its major step forward in bringing augmented-reality tech to developers.

      This episode of Download is sponsored by:
      • Hover: Transfer your domain and get 40% off an additional year.
      • Setapp, from Macpaw: Pay one monthly fee and get access to the best Mac software around
      • Guest Starring:

        Andy Ihnatko, Susie Ochs, and Michael Gartenberg

        Links and Show Notes: Three big questions about Apple's new iPad announcements - Six Colors What is the HomePod and what does it do Apple’s HomePod looks like a jack-of-all-trades, but master of none - The Verge Apple's HomePod Looks Beautiful But Doesn't Think Different | WIRED 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch 2017 iPad Pro FAQ: Everything you need to know! | iMore iOS 11: The MacStories Overview – MacStories Watch New Shimmer From Saturday Night Live - NBC.com Errata Security: How The Intercept Outed Reality Winner Reality Winner, N.S.A. Contractor Accused of Leak, Was Undone by Trail of Clues - The New York Times Breaking down Apple’s new augmented reality platform - The Verge Peter Jackson’s Augmented Reality Demo Debuts At Apple WWDC 2017 | Deadline
        1 hr
      • 6: Printers Are Bad

        Andy Rubin unveiled his new phone (and company) this week at the Code Conference. Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court rules on our rights to the products we buy and Uber's latest bad news makes us wonder about the freedom to change jobs.

        This episode of Download is sponsored by:
        • TextExpander: Multiply your team’s productivity
        • Guest Starring:

          Christina Warren, Florence Ion, and Mikah Sargent

          Links and Show Notes: All the Essential Phone news - The Verge

          Andy Rubin, the creator of Android, is launching a new of smartphone, but will it live up the hype?

          Why Your Next iPhone Won't be Ceramic - Atomic Delights

          At its peak, Apple is manufacturing roughly 1 million iPhones per day. Ceramic wouldn't scale to that sort of production.

          Why These 'Revolutionary' Phones Failed So Hard - Gizmodo

          "Revolutionary" doesn't always mean "successful."

          Essential Home is an Amazon Echo competitor that puts privacy first - The Verge

          In addition to a phone, Essential is launching a Echo-like devices based on a brand-new OS that the company promises will integrate with just about everything on the market today.

          Lighthouse is an Andy Rubin-backed smart security camera that identifies people and pets - The Verge

          The "interactive assistant" that may really just be a smart camera.

          Exclusive: The Caavo streaming box is built on game-changing machine vision for TV - The Verge

          "Something huge is happening here."

          Supreme Court decision lifts ownership rights over patent law - Engadget

          The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that Lexmark can't sue companies that refill old printer cartridges and sell them at a discount.

          Kyle Wiens of iFixit - Twitter

          “The Lexmark decision is a big win for the rights of tinkerers and the just plain curious.”

          Our Fight Against The Keurig 2.0 Monopoly - Rogers Family Company

          Rogers Family Company fought back against Keurig's coffee pod DRM.

          A Year of Google Maps & Apple Maps - Justin O'Beirne

          Google has been hard at work on its Maps product. Apple, on the other hand...

          Uber Fires Former Google Engineer at Heart of Self-Driving Dispute - The New York Times

          Levandowski has been accused of stealing trade secrets when he left Google.

          Uber Fires Anthony Levandowski, But That Doesn't Save It From Google's Waymo - WIRED

          Levandowski may be gone, but Uber is still being sued by the software giant.

          How Noncompete Clauses Keep Workers Locked In - The New York Times

          Restrictions once limited to executives are now spreading across the labor landscape — making it tougher for Americans to get a raise.

          Flo Ion (@Ohthatflo) - Twitter Christina Warren (@film_girl) - Twitter Mikah Sargent (@mikahsargent) - Twitter
          59 min
        • 5: Art Gallery of Dongles

          Microsoft is back in the news with another updated device, the topic of on-campus daycare in Silicon Valley raises questions about work/life balance, and patent trolls have been dealt a big blow by the U.S. Supreme Court.

          Guest Starring:

          James Thomson and Lisa Schmeiser

          Links and Show Notes: Meet the new Surface Pro - Microsoft

          Microsoft's new Surface Pro doesn't stray far from the previous generation, but adds support for a better pen and LTE, and can be ordered in a fanless configuration with some processors.

          Microsoft's new Surface Pro has 13.5 hours of battery life and LTE option - The Verge

          It is available for pre-order now and ships on June 15.

          Microsoft has created a Surface USB-C dongle for ‘people who love dongles’ - The Verge

          The Surface packs a USB A port, but it can be added via dongle. Which is the most ironic thing to happen to USB ever.

          Apple’s New Campus: An Exclusive Look Inside the Mothership - WIRED

          Apple Park will hold 12,000 employees in a scenic setting just minutes from its current headquarters in Cupertino, CA.

          Apple's new $5 billion Apple Park campus has a 100,000-square-foot gym and no daycare - Quartz

          The 175-acre campus is complete with a gym, cafeteria, theatre and parking, but lacks a childcare center.

          The secret to Patagonia’s success? Keeping moms and onsite child care and paid parental leave - Quartz

          Patagonia’s campus feature childcare, which has helped the company retain employees who have children.

          Apple names Denise Young Smith as VP of diversity and inclusion - TechCrunch

          Smith previously served as head of worldwide human resources at Apple for three years, and has been involved in diversity programs at Apple for years. In her new role, Smith will report directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook.

          Mossberg: The Disappearing Computer - The Verge

          Writing weekly on technology since 1991, Mossberg's swan song is a column about the future of tech changing from gadgets on our desks and in our pockets to being part of the world around us.

          Supreme Court Ends Texas’ Grip On Patent Cases - Electronic Frontier Foundation

          In TC Heartland v. Kraft Foods, the court ruled that patent owners can sue corporate defendants only in districts where the defendant is incorporated or has committed acts of infringement and has a regular and established place of business.

          Why it matters that patent trolls won’t be able to force their cases in Texas - Recode

          In 1999, 14 patent cases were filed in the Eastern District of Texas. By 2015, that number grew to more than 2,500.

          Cloudflare Increases Bounty to Kill Patent Troll Blackbird - Fortune.com

          In response to a claim filed last month by a so-called patent troll, Cloudflare responded with a counter-attack including a $50,000 public bounty for help to destroy the troll's patents.

          Long Live the MP3 - Six Colors

          One of the companies who held patents covering some uses of the MP3 format has terminated its licensing program because its patents have run out. They are claiming the format is dead, but the truth is that MP3 may experience a renaissance.

          OpenDyslexic - Free, OpenSource Dyslexia Typeface

          OpenDyslexic is a new open source font created to increase readability for readers with dyslexia.

          Moom 3.2.8 released - Many Tricks

          Many Tricks updated its Moom application to work around a patent owner's complaint.

          Lisa Schmeiser (@lschmeiser) - Twitter James Thomson (@jamesthomson) - Twitter
          59 min
        • 4: Twenty Oars in the Water

          This week, Google held its annual developer conference. It brought a bunch of news about Assistant, Home and Photos, and plenty of AI! Meanwhile, the WannaCry attack exploits old software to bring PCs around the world to a grinding halt.

          This episode of Download is sponsored by:
          • Hover: Domain names for your ideas. Get 10% off your first purchase.
          • Guest Starring:

            Russell Ivanovic and Devindra Hardawar

            Links and Show Notes: Material Podcast - Relay FM

            Russell's Google and Android podcast on Relay FM. This week's episode was all about Google I/O.

            slashfilmcast

            Devindra's podcast about movies and filmmaking.

            500 million people using Google Photos, and three new ways to share - Google

            Google's blog post on the upcoming Photos updates.

            The big picture - The Verge

            Google Photos just hit 500 million monthly users, and the company has lots of features coming this year to the service.

            Google Lens offers a clear view of the company’s future - Engadget

            Baked into Google Assistant, Lens uses computer vision and AI to make sense of your photos, videos and the real world. It's basically Google search for everything outside of screens.

            Your Google Assistant is getting better across devices - Google

            Google's blog post on updates coming to Assistant.

            The machine is learning - The Verge

            With Google Assistant, the company is slowly putting the blocks together for something big. This year, the iPhone becomes part of the story, too.

            The 6 big updates coming to Google Home - The Verge

            Google's Echo competitor is learning some new tricks, without expanding into new hardware form factors like the Amazon's product.

            Google Home is getting proactive assistance and visual responses - Engadget

            The smart speaker will soon be able to offer proactive notifications, including traffic alerts and calendar events.

            Google’s second generation TPU chips takes machine learning processing to a new level - TechCrunch

            Google is building custom chips to speed up machine learning.

            Google’s AI Chief On Teaching Computers To Learn–And The Challenges Ahead - Fast Company

            TensorFlow Lite, a new offshoot of Google’s open-source TensorFlow software for creating machine-learning applications, runs directly on Android devices.

            Sorting 2 Tons of Lego, The software Side - Jacques Mattheij

            TensorFlow-powered brick sorting.

            Star Trek: Discovery - First Look Trailer - YouTube

            Before Kirk, Spock and the Enterprise there was Discovery. Now, one of the most iconic and influential global franchises returns to television with Star Trek: Discovery. The CBS All Access Original Series arrives this Fall.

            Star Trek: Discovery | Official Site | Trailer and Cast Info - CBS.com

            Star Trek, one of the most iconic and influential global television franchises, returns 50 years after it first premiered.

            Seth MacFarlane Is Headed to Space with 'The Orville' on Fox - Space.com

            Think "Galaxy Quest" meets "Family Guy," and you're on the right track.

            Android O Features and APIs - Android Developers

            Android O introduces a variety of new features and capabilities for users and developers. This document highlights what's new for developers.

            Android Go is streamlined for cheap phones

            According to Google, "Android Go is designed with features relevant for people who have limited data connectivity and speak multiple languages."

            WannaCry ransomware attack - Wikipedia

            The WannaCry ransomware attack is a worldwide cyberattack targeting computers running Microsoft Windows by encrypting data and demanding ransom payments in Bitcoin.

            Hospitals Across England Infected With Ransomware, Leaving Patients Without Care - Gizmodo

            England’s healthcare system fell victim to a massive cyberattack last week.

            The WannaCry Ransomware 'Kill Switch' That Saved Untold PCs From Harm - WIRED

            A malware analysis expert who calls himself MalwareTech rushed to examine the so-called WannaCry strain, he stumbled on a way to stop it from locking computers and slow its spread. All it took was ten bucks, and a little luck.

            Microsoft patches Windows XP to fight attacks - Engadget

            Support for the OS ended three years ago but yesterday's infection spurred the 'unusual' step.

            Russell Ivanovic (@rustyshelf) - Twitter Devindra Hardawar (@Devindra) - Twitter
            59 min
          • 3: The S Stands for 'Sandbox'

            It's another week, and Amazon has another Echo for preorder. Microsoft's Build keynote brings changes to Windows 10, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is considering a ban on electronics larger than phones on flights across the Atlantic.

            This episode of Download is sponsored by:
            • TextExpander: Multiply your team’s productivity
            • Guest Starring:

              Dan Moren and Melissa Riofrio

              Links and Show Notes: Introducing Echo Show - Amazon

              The $229 device ships June 28 and is available for pre-order now.

              With New Echo Speakers, Amazon Lets You Ask Alexa to Phone Mom - The New York Times

              Amazon's newest "ambient computing" device comes with built-in video conferencing, and the other Echo products have gained voice and text-based chat with an update rolling out this week.

              Harman Kardon Invoke featuring Cortana - Windows Experience Blog

              Harman Kardon's getting in the voice-in-a-can business, but has chosen to build atop Microsoft's Cortana service.

              Amazon acquired patents, employees from Biba, reportedly plans new video chat service - TechCrunch

              The purchase that may have led to the Echo Show's video chat system.

              Microsoft Build's biggest reveals: Windows 10 Fall Update, Story Remix, Cortana hardware, and more - PCWorld

              Busy Microsoft is busy.

              Microsoft's Story Remix uses machine learning and mixed reality to make your movies awesome - PCWorld

              Microsoft's new movie editor brings AI, 3D images and a bunch of templates to your home movies.

              Microsoft's next mobile strategy is to make iOS and Android better - The Verge

              In a world of Android and iPhone users, Microsoft is positioning Windows to play better with others with tools like cross-platofrm clipboard syncing and Timeline, a new way to view recently-opened apps and projects.

              Introducing Windows 10 S - Microsoft

              Microsoft says this version of Windows 10 is "streamlined for security and superior performance."

              Google’s “Fuchsia” smartphone OS dumps Linux, has a wild new UI - Ars Technica

              Built on a new kernel and sporting a new user interface, Google's third operating system brings more questions than answers at this point.

              U.S. may soon expand electronics ban to all European flights - MarketWatch

              The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is reportedly considering a ban on electronics larger than a smartphone on transatlantic flights.

              Will U.S. ban laptops on flights from Europe? Feds meet with airlines about it - LA Times

              Government officials are meeting with airline representatives about expanding restrictions imposed in March by the U.S. and Britain to ban electronic devices in passenger cabins of flights from eight Middle Eastern and African countries.

              The Caledonian Gambit - Dan Moren
              57 min
            • 2: Television Is Technology

              Microsoft's new Surface Laptop and Windows 10 S, the future of TV and cord-cutting as seen by streaming services and cable companies, Facebook hiring thousands of people to detect disturbing content, and recent quarterly earnings from three tech giants.

              Guest Starring:

              Lisa Schmeiser and Carolina Milanesi

              Links and Show Notes: Windows 10 S: What You Need to Know About Microsoft's New Lightweight OS - Gizmodo

              In short, this version of Windows will only run apps from the Windows Store. Microsoft says this allows the OS to run leaner, be faster at login and give users greater battery life. For those who need more, the full version of Windows can be unlocked for $49.

              Microsoft unveils $999 Surface Laptop running Windows 10 S - The Verge

              Starting at $999, the Surface Laptop is a notebook in the traditional form factor; no screens are popping of here. It's designed to run Windows 10 S, and the company is pitching it hard to college students, a crowd where products like the MacBook Air have enjoyed great popularity.

              Apple Can’t Ignore Microsoft’s Slick, New Laptop - Bloomberg

              A behind-the-scenes look at the two-year design process that went into the new Microsoft Surface Laptop.

              Microsoft's Windows 10 S event in 7 minutes - YouTube

              The Verge chopped down Microsoft's keynote, highlighting the most important segments.

              The Incomparable - Smart, funny pop culture podcasts

              The Incomparable is a network of podcasts full of smart, funny people who love talking about TV, movies, books, comics, games, sports, and other aspects of popular culture.

              Twitter still thinks it’s a TV platform - Recode

              Twitter is building a streaming video service featuring content from nearly a dozen partners, including Bloomberg, Live Nation, BuzzFeed, Vox Media and the WNBA.

              Hulu's Live TV Service Is Now Available in Beta - Gizmodo

              The new service combines live TV and Hulu's ever-growing library of content. ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, ESPN, CNN and more are present in the beta.

              Another half-million Americans cut the cord last quarter - Recode

              With its subscriber base continuing to shrink, cable networks may be continue to warm to skinny bundles like those offered by Hulu and YouTube.

              WGA Strike: Peak TV, Labor Strife Led to Tension in Hollywood - Variety

              The Writers Guild of America negotiations show just how much has changed in the business of TV.

              Facebook will hire 3,000 moderators to tackle livestreamed violence - Engadget

              After a series of crimes were live-streamed on the social network, Facebook's team to review and remove content is getting a boost in headcount.

              Cloud Produces Sunny Earnings at Amazon, Microsoft and Alphabet - The New York Times

              Microsoft’s Azure cloud hosting business grew by 93 percent from the year-earlier quarter. And the cloud version of its productivity software Office 365, sold to companies as an online service, grew by 45 percent.

              Alphabet beat profit estimates for its first-quarter earnings but lost more money on its ‘Other Bets’ - Recode

              Google parent company Alphabet beat Wall Street estimates for first-quarter earnings, but it continued to lose more money on its experimental division that includes its self-driving car business and its life sciences group.

              6 key takeaways from Apple’s Q2 2017 earnings call - Macworld

              It as business-as-usual in Cupertino this time around, but Apple blames iPhone rumors for slightly suppressed sales.

              Apple’s AirPods: a Hit With 98% Customer Satisfaction - Tech.pinions

              98% of AirPod owners said they were very satisfied or satisfied. Remarkably, 82% said they were very satisfied. The overall customer satisfaction level of 98% sets the record for the highest level of satisfaction for a new product from Apple.

              The tragic twilight of Bill Mantlo Lisa Schmeiser (@lschmeiser) - Twitter So What, Who Cares? - Newsletter by Lisa Schmeiser Carolina Milanesi (@caro_milanesi) - Twitter Tech.pinions – Perspective, Insight, Analysis – Perspective. Insight. Analysis. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) - IMDb "Guardians of the Galaxy": The tragic twilight of the comic book mastermind who created Rocket Raccoon - Quartz
              1 hr 3 min
            • 1: Wardrobe Philosophy

              This week's panel discusses the Amazon Echo Look and the future of online retail, our value as consumers when companies resell our data, and what went wrong with that Internet-connected juice dispenser.

              Guest Starring:

              Serenity Caldwell and Lisa Schmeiser

              Links and Show Notes:

              You can submit topics for Download on Twitter. Just use the hashtag #downloadstories and we'll see them. You can follow the show there at @_downloadfm.

              Amazon Echo Look: Hands-Free Camera and Style Assistant

              Amazon's new Echo Look can take full-length photos (and even 160-degree video) of your outfit. Alexa can make recommendations based on your daily look and store a log of past outfits for you to reference in the future.

              Echo Look Amazon Alexa Closet Styling Tool - Refinery29

              Alexandra Ilyashov on the new Amazon Echo Look, Amazon's move in fashion and the security and privacy implications of putting a camera in the bedroom.

              Josie and the Pussycats (2001) - IMDb The Great Retail Apocalypse of 2017 - The Atlantic

              Shops and malls are closing down, but Amazon isn't the only place to lay blame.

              Clueless (1995) - IMDb People are freaked out that Unroll.me sold email data to Uber - Business Insider

              The email decluttering service is scraping user's Inboxes for data valuable to companies like Uber. Unroll.me has seen an incredible backlash, despite their Terms of Service outlining the practice.

              Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Wikipedia

              Yes, this did come up while talking about free online services.

              Amazon Forms Team to Focus on Driverless Technology - WSJ

              Amazon has a dozen or so employees looking at what others are doing with driverless-vehicle tech, but doesn't have plans to build a fleet of self-driving vehicles, sources say.

              Amazon Forms Team to Focus on Driverless Technology - Campfire

              Currently, Amazon is dependent on others to deliver packages to its millions of customers, but autonomous vehicles could change that in the future.

              Silicon Valley’s $400 Juicer May Be Feeling the Squeeze - Bloomberg

              Juicero's beautiful — and expensive — machine for squeezing the company's custom bags of fruits and vegetables into juice can be replaced with a pair of human hands.

              A Note from Juicero’s New CEO - Medium

              Jeff Dunn is looking to help solve America's nutrition and obesity challenges ... with a $400 machine with custom juice packs.

              Lisa Schmeiser (@lschmeiser) - Twitter So What, Who Cares? - Newsletter by Lisa Schmeiser Serenity Caldwell (@settern) - Twitter Ren Caldwell (@settern) - Instagram
              1 hr

            About Download

            From the publisher's feed

            From products and companies to services and trends, Download’s weekly panel of experts analyzed the biggest topics in tech … and a few you may have missed. Hosted by Jason Snell and Stephen Hackett.

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