Monthly Archives: June 2022

The EU extends its ‘Roam-like-at-home’ mobile service rule through 2032

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Back in 2017, the European Union took the shockingly rational step of largely eliminating roaming charges for its citizens travelling among member nations, dubbing it the "Roam-like-at-home" system. Operating across the 27 countries that make up the European Economic Area as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway — but not the UK because Brexit — Roam-like-at-home was set to expire at the end of June. On Thursday, however, the European Commission announced that it will be extending the system for another decade, through 2032.

The EC cites benefits to both consumers and telecom providers as part of its decision, with consumers enjoying "a better roaming experience, with the same quality of mobile service abroad as they have at home," as well as improved access to emergency services and increased transparency in charging rates so travellers in the EU won't find a massive bill waiting for them when they get home.

“Remember when we had to switch off mobile data when travelling in Europe — to avoid ending up with a massive roaming bill?" Thierry Breton, Commissioner for the Internal Market, said in Thursday's press statement. "Well this is history. And we intend to keep it this way for at least the next 10 years. Better speed, more transparency: we keep improving EU citizens' lives."

The extended rules strongly suggests that carriers "ensure that consumers have access to use 4G, or the more advanced 5G, networks, if these are available at the destination" and "automatically interrupt mobile services if the mobile services over non-terrestrial networks reach charges of €50 or another predefined limit." What's more, they require 112 to dial emergency services be made available across the entire economic area and, by June 2023, for carriers to notify travellers of that ability either by text or popup when they enter the EU.

Most importantly, the new rules will put a couple Euros back in consumers' pockets because the EU is run by rational adults who can negotiate with telecom carriers for better wholesale data and voice pricing without the entire process devolving into a constitutional crisis. Users can expect to pay 2 €/GB this year with that rate steadily dropping to 1 €/GB from 2027 on, 0.022 €/min for voice until 2025 when it will drop to 0.019 €/min, and each SMS from here on out will cost 0.004 € until 2025 when it nudges down to 0.003 €.

FDA asks COVID-19 vaccine makers to update boosters to target new Omicron variants

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The Food and Drug Administration has asked COVID-19 vaccine makers to update booster shots to tackle newer Omicron variants that are on the rise. It says the manufacturers should add a spike protein component to shots to target the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants in addition to the original strain.

An "overwhelming majority" of the FDA's advisory committee voted this week in favor of updating shots with an Omicron component, in the hopes of starting to use those modified boosters in the fall. The advisory is only for booster shots and not primary inoculations.

Vaccine makers are essentially playing whack-a-mole with the various strains of COVID-19. Pfizer and Moderna have created versions of their vaccines that target BA.1, the Omicron variant that caused a significant upswing in COVID-19 cases during the winter.

However, that strain isn't circulating in the US anymore, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Earlier this week, the CDC said BA.4 and BA.5 now account for over 52 percent of COVID-19 infections in the US. That figure is expected to rise in the coming weeks.

As CNBC notes, Pfizer and Moderna released clinical trial data this week showing that the current Omicron shots performed better against BA.1 than the original versions of their vaccines in terms of offering a stronger immune response. While the immune response against BA.4 and BA.5 was still said to be robust, the Omicron inoculations were less effective against those strains. It's unclear how long it will take vaccine makers to develop shots that take aim at BA.4 and BA.5.

"Vaccine manufacturers have already reported data from clinical trials with modified vaccines containing an Omicron BA.1 component and we have advised them that they should submit these data to the FDA for our evaluation prior to any potential authorization of a modified vaccine containing an Omicron BA.4/5 component," the FDA said. "Manufacturers will also be asked to begin clinical trials with modified vaccines containing an Omicron BA.4/5 component, as these data will be of use as the pandemic further evolves."

FDA asks COVID-19 vaccine makers to update boosters to target new Omicron variants

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The Food and Drug Administration has asked COVID-19 vaccine makers to update booster shots to tackle newer Omicron variants that are on the rise. It says the manufacturers should add a spike protein component to shots to target the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants in addition to the original strain.

An "overwhelming majority" of the FDA's advisory committee voted this week in favor of updating shots with an Omicron component, in the hopes of starting to use those modified boosters in the fall. The advisory is only for booster shots and not primary inoculations.

Vaccine makers are essentially playing whack-a-mole with the various strains of COVID-19. Pfizer and Moderna have created versions of their vaccines that target BA.1, the Omicron variant that caused a significant upswing in COVID-19 cases during the winter.

However, that strain isn't circulating in the US anymore, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Earlier this week, the CDC said BA.4 and BA.5 now account for over 52 percent of COVID-19 infections in the US. That figure is expected to rise in the coming weeks.

As CNBC notes, Pfizer and Moderna released clinical trial data this week showing that the current Omicron shots performed better against BA.1 than the original versions of their vaccines in terms of offering a stronger immune response. While the immune response against BA.4 and BA.5 was still said to be robust, the Omicron inoculations were less effective against those strains. It's unclear how long it will take vaccine makers to develop shots that take aim at BA.4 and BA.5.

"Vaccine manufacturers have already reported data from clinical trials with modified vaccines containing an Omicron BA.1 component and we have advised them that they should submit these data to the FDA for our evaluation prior to any potential authorization of a modified vaccine containing an Omicron BA.4/5 component," the FDA said. "Manufacturers will also be asked to begin clinical trials with modified vaccines containing an Omicron BA.4/5 component, as these data will be of use as the pandemic further evolves."

Niantic’s Campfire social AR app rolls out for ‘Pokémon Go’ players

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With Pokémon Go, Niantic became the poster child for the power of mobile augmented reality (AR) apps. Since then, the company has struggled to recapture that glory. Yesterday's round of layoffs and canceled projects cemented how difficult things are for Niantic, driven by the pandemic that has made it tough for people to get outside and gather in groups. But it turns out there's another way for Niantic to double down on its AR lead: By making it easier for its existing players to communicate with each other.

Today, the company has begun rolling out Campfire, a social app that will let Niantic's users chat with their friends, join groups of like-minded mobile wanders, and arrange major events like Pokémon Go's raids. Up until now, Poké-addicts have used Discord and other messagings apps to arrange their gatherings. But, likely seeing a missed opportunity, Niantic has developed its own social platform, one that'll be accessible across all of its titles (including Ingress, its first major release).

Campfire is about more than just messaging, though. It also gives players a broader glimpse at everything the company's games have to offer. In Pokémon Go, for example, it can show you that there's a Venusaur hanging out on the other side of town, a far wider view than you'd typically get in the game's main app. You can also light a flare on specific events, which alerts other local players that you'd like some help tackling it. And, as you'd expect, Campfire also makes it easier to coordinate your friends, like quickly being able to DM your friends if there's a Snorlax you want to take on.

Even if you don't have Campfire, though, you'll still see some benefits within the company's apps. That expanded map view will be integrated within Pokémon Go, for one. That's useful for all players, while also being enticing glimpse at what they can access if they sign up for Campfire.

According to Ivan Zhou, Niantic's head of product, the company is still focused on bringing people together in the real world, rather than using Campfire to power remote events. The app's Communities feature is also a big step forward, since it'll let users create groups around any sort of topic. Zhou was already surprised to see groups pop up for niche local topics. There's also room for Campfire to grow as a location-first social network, rather than using location as an afterthought (like Facebook's Groups).

Users in the U.S. will get access to Campfire over the coming days, the company says, while international access for Pokémon Go will light up throughout the summer. There aren't any specific launch dates yet, but the company says it will announce future updates on its social channels.

Niantic’s Campfire social AR app rolls out for ‘Pokémon Go’ players

Posted on by

With Pokémon Go, Niantic became the poster child for the power of mobile augmented reality (AR) apps. Since then, the company has struggled to recapture that glory. Yesterday's round of layoffs and canceled projects cemented how difficult things are for Niantic, driven by the pandemic that has made it tough for people to get outside and gather in groups. But it turns out there's another way for Niantic to double down on its AR lead: By making it easier for its existing players to communicate with each other.

Today, the company has begun rolling out Campfire, a social app that will let Niantic's users chat with their friends, join groups of like-minded mobile wanders, and arrange major events like Pokémon Go's raids. Up until now, Poké-addicts have used Discord and other messagings apps to arrange their gatherings. But, likely seeing a missed opportunity, Niantic has developed its own social platform, one that'll be accessible across all of its titles (including Ingress, its first major release).

Campfire is about more than just messaging, though. It also gives players a broader glimpse at everything the company's games have to offer. In Pokémon Go, for example, it can show you that there's a Venusaur hanging out on the other side of town, a far wider view than you'd typically get in the game's main app. You can also light a flare on specific events, which alerts other local players that you'd like some help tackling it. And, as you'd expect, Campfire also makes it easier to coordinate your friends, like quickly being able to DM your friends if there's a Snorlax you want to take on.

Even if you don't have Campfire, though, you'll still see some benefits within the company's apps. That expanded map view will be integrated within Pokémon Go, for one. That's useful for all players, while also being enticing glimpse at what they can access if they sign up for Campfire.

According to Ivan Zhou, Niantic's head of product, the company is still focused on bringing people together in the real world, rather than using Campfire to power remote events. The app's Communities feature is also a big step forward, since it'll let users create groups around any sort of topic. Zhou was already surprised to see groups pop up for niche local topics. There's also room for Campfire to grow as a location-first social network, rather than using location as an afterthought (like Facebook's Groups).

Users in the U.S. will get access to Campfire over the coming days, the company says, while international access for Pokémon Go will light up throughout the summer. There aren't any specific launch dates yet, but the company says it will announce future updates on its social channels.

Twitch will make it easier for creators to bring guests onto streams

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Twitch has announced a new feature for creators who want to include other streamers and even viewers on their broadcasts. Up to five guests can join a stream through Guest Star, which works on both desktop and mobile. If a viewer wants to take part in the discussion or ask a question, they can raise a virtual hand and the creator or a moderator may invite them on. This seems to work in a similar fashion to Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces.

While the feature is akin to Clubhouse, Twitter Spaces, Spotify Live, Discord Stage Channels et al, Twitch can set itself apart from those services. Guest Star supports live video as well as audio — this is Twitch, after all.

The platform says Guest Star is easy for both newcomers and experienced streamers to use and it works with software like OBS and Twitch Studio. However, streamers won't need to use a third-party app to host a broadcast with other participants.

Until now, bringing guests on to a broadcast has required a bit of a workaround if creators don't want to simply stream a Zoom, Skype or Discord call. If they prefer to use custom layouts, overlays and branding, it's possible to include remote video feeds from Skype or a web app. Guest Star should streamline things.

Streamers and their moderators can swiftly remove guests at any time and for any reason. Guests will need a Twitch account, which means they can be reported for violating the platform's rules. There are some measures in place to help weed out bad actors before they become a guest. Creators and moderators will be able to look at factors like the age of an account, if it's in good standing and if the user has verified it with a phone number.

Guest Star seems to build on features like Squad Stream, which allows viewers to watch four livestreams simultaneously on the Twitch app or website and jump between those creators' chats. The new feature is about bringing people together on the same channel. Creators might use Guest Star for podcasts, call-in advice streams and even game shows.

While Twitch is most commonly associated with gaming, talk-style content has long been on the rise on the platform. Just Chatting has been the most popular category since the third quarter of 2020, according to data from Streamlabs and Stream Hatchet. 

Twitch says that, in the first five months of 2022 (compared with the same period in 2020), hours watched in the Just Chatting category grew 151 percent, while revenue for streamers who create that type of content rose by 169 percent. It suggested Guest Star may encourage more creators to try their hand at talk-focused content.

At first, Guest Star will only be available to a small number of hand-picked streamers who already create talk content so that Twitch can get some feedback before a broader rollout. Twitch plans to make the feature available to all creators this fall.

Twitch will make it easier for creators to bring guests onto streams

Posted on by

Twitch has announced a new feature for creators who want to include other streamers and even viewers on their broadcasts. Up to five guests can join a stream through Guest Star, which works on both desktop and mobile. If a viewer wants to take part in the discussion or ask a question, they can raise a virtual hand and the creator or a moderator may invite them on. This seems to work in a similar fashion to Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces.

While the feature is akin to Clubhouse, Twitter Spaces, Spotify Live, Discord Stage Channels et al, Twitch can set itself apart from those services. Guest Star supports live video as well as audio — this is Twitch, after all.

The platform says Guest Star is easy for both newcomers and experienced streamers to use and it works with software like OBS and Twitch Studio. However, streamers won't need to use a third-party app to host a broadcast with other participants.

Until now, bringing guests on to a broadcast has required a bit of a workaround if creators don't want to simply stream a Zoom, Skype or Discord call. If they prefer to use custom layouts, overlays and branding, it's possible to include remote video feeds from Skype or a web app. Guest Star should streamline things.

Streamers and their moderators can swiftly remove guests at any time and for any reason. Guests will need a Twitch account, which means they can be reported for violating the platform's rules. There are some measures in place to help weed out bad actors before they become a guest. Creators and moderators will be able to look at factors like the age of an account, if it's in good standing and if the user has verified it with a phone number.

Guest Star seems to build on features like Squad Stream, which allows viewers to watch four livestreams simultaneously on the Twitch app or website and jump between those creators' chats. The new feature is about bringing people together on the same channel. Creators might use Guest Star for podcasts, call-in advice streams and even game shows.

While Twitch is most commonly associated with gaming, talk-style content has long been on the rise on the platform. Just Chatting has been the most popular category since the third quarter of 2020, according to data from Streamlabs and Stream Hatchet. 

Twitch says that, in the first five months of 2022 (compared with the same period in 2020), hours watched in the Just Chatting category grew 151 percent, while revenue for streamers who create that type of content rose by 169 percent. It suggested Guest Star may encourage more creators to try their hand at talk-focused content.

At first, Guest Star will only be available to a small number of hand-picked streamers who already create talk content so that Twitch can get some feedback before a broader rollout. Twitch plans to make the feature available to all creators this fall.

The Arch Bench demonstrates how ranged arch structures work and carry a heavy load

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The Arch Bench Shinya Oguchi

Benches are common in public spaces like playgrounds, airports, and malls. They are a convenient place to sit while waiting for someone or rest after walking. Benches also serve a decorative purpose, adding a style to the surroundings or a room. They come in different types like a garden bench, indoor bench, storage bench, or planter bench. We have seen a lot of well-designed pieces and have a few favorites like those minimalist yet elegant and come with designs that will make you think. The Arch Bench here is an ideal example of that.

Designer: Shinya Oguchi

The Arch Bench Shinya Oguchi

Benches are ubiquitous like chairs, but they can be more useful as they can sit more than three people. Industrial designer Shinya Oguchi revisited “what makes a bench a bench”. He experimented on different widths of the bench, using paper mock-ups. He found a solution for a new structure for a bench that would also look beautiful like a sculpture: the arch shape. This then resulted in a new furniture concept called The Arch Bench.

The Arch Bench’s design seems impossible to ordinary eyes, but making this a sturdy item is the arch structure. Arches generally work by transferring and distributing the weight through the arch to a supporting foundation. As a result, they can support mass placed on top of them. Used in this conceptual piece, the structural strength of the arches has allowed the bench to carry a heavy load and offer more support to the seat.

From afar, The Arch Bench appears like an arcade with two arches in the middle and one half-arch on each side. The converged points below serve as the legs, giving more support to the structure. There are a total of five divided parts screwed by short bolts, firmly holding the bench together.

The Arch Bench Shinya Oguchi

So the bench can carry the load of three persons, but is it comfortable enough to use? It probably is because of the gentle curves on the seat compared to those with flat seats. According to the designer, the seats are curved in response to the arch structure, inviting people to rest and sit on the bench, even for a while.

The Arch Bench is a minimalist piece of furniture with thin lines and a lightweight appearance. It uses a very thin sheet of metal known for its lightness and durability. The metal sheet is cut and curved to produce the ranged arch structures. The bench comes with a white matte finish that looks like a sheet of paper.

The Arch Bench Shinya Oguchi

The Arch Bench is one beautiful sculpture-like piece of furniture that takes advantage of the arch shape and a super thin but strong medium. Its minimalist design shows that balance and proportion in furniture design are essential. Everyday items with a streamlined style like this bench give a sense of calm, order, and strength in this stressful world.

The Arch Bench Shinya Oguchi

The Arch Bench Shinya Oguchi

The post The Arch Bench demonstrates how ranged arch structures work and carry a heavy load first appeared on Yanko Design.

Apple plans to let you pay for gas using CarPlay

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Apple has a big update to CarPlay slated for sometime later this year, but in the meantime, the tech giant has begun working with partners to support a new feature that will let users pay for gas directly inside the company's infotainment platform. 

While the ability to purchase fuel using CarPlay was first revealed during developer sessions at WWDC earlier this month, it didn't get a ton of attention until recently when energy company HF Sinclair announced plans to implement the feature at its gas stations in the U.S. 

HF Sinclair told Reuters that more specific details will be released in the coming months, but the basic idea is that instead of needing to swipe your credit card at the pump, users will be able to buy gas via an app in CarPlay. However, there will be some initial setup, as you'll need to download the app and enter your payment info first. Once everything is set up, you'll be able to select a specific pump from your navigation screen and refuel without needing to pull out your wallet. 

Ahead of a major update to CarPlay, Apple's push to support buying gas digitally comes amidst larger efforts to integrate more third-party services as the company looks to expand the role of its automotive platform. In a statement given to Reuters, Asymco analyst Horace Dedie said given the reach of CarPlay, this strategy could have an even greater impact than Apple's long-rumored efforts to design its own EV. 

“Forget about Apple Car - Apple CarPlay is a bigger deal,” Dediu said. “It’s very likely to scale to millions and millions of cars, if not hundreds of millions.” However, with Google also eying a number of upgrades to Android Auto, it appears the competition among in-car infotainment systems is just beginning to heat up. 

Apple plans to let you pay for gas using CarPlay

Posted on by

Apple has a big update to CarPlay slated for sometime later this year, but in the meantime, the tech giant has begun working with partners to support a new feature that will let users pay for gas directly inside the company's infotainment platform. 

While the ability to purchase fuel using CarPlay was first revealed during developer sessions at WWDC earlier this month, it didn't get a ton of attention until recently when energy company HF Sinclair announced plans to implement the feature at its gas stations in the U.S. 

HF Sinclair told Reuters that more specific details will be released in the coming months, but the basic idea is that instead of needing to swipe your credit card at the pump, users will be able to buy gas via an app in CarPlay. However, there will be some initial setup, as you'll need to download the app and enter your payment info first. Once everything is set up, you'll be able to select a specific pump from your navigation screen and refuel without needing to pull out your wallet. 

Ahead of a major update to CarPlay, Apple's push to support buying gas digitally comes amidst larger efforts to integrate more third-party services as the company looks to expand the role of its automotive platform. In a statement given to Reuters, Asymco analyst Horace Dedie said given the reach of CarPlay, this strategy could have an even greater impact than Apple's long-rumored efforts to design its own EV. 

“Forget about Apple Car - Apple CarPlay is a bigger deal,” Dediu said. “It’s very likely to scale to millions and millions of cars, if not hundreds of millions.” However, with Google also eying a number of upgrades to Android Auto, it appears the competition among in-car infotainment systems is just beginning to heat up.