Rabu, 03 Juli 2019

Attention Correction Feature in iOS 13 Beta Enables Appearance of Eye Contact During FaceTime Calls - Mac Rumors

A new feature in the latest iOS 13 beta makes users appear as if they're looking directly at the camera to make eye contact during FaceTime calls, when actually they're looking away from the camera at the image of the other person on their screen.


The FaceTime Correction Feature as demoed by Will Simon (@Wsig)

The new "FaceTime Attention Correction" feature, first spotted by Mike Rundle on Twitter, can be turned on and off in the FaceTime section of the Settings app, although it only appears to work on iPhone XS and XS Max devices in the third iOS 13 beta sent out to developers on Tuesday.

Why the feature is limited to these devices right now remains unknown. It clearly relies on some form of image manipulation to achieve its results, so maybe the software algorithms require the more advanced processing power of Apple's latest devices.

Rundle predicted in 2017 that FaceTime attention correction would be introduced by Apple in "years to come," but its apparent inclusion in iOS 13, due to be released this fall, has surprised and impressed him.

For more details on the many features coming to iPhones with iOS 13, be sure to check out our comprehensive MacRumors roundup.

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https://www.macrumors.com/2019/07/03/ios-13-beta-has-facetime-attention-correction/

2019-07-03 11:30:00Z
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‘Stranger Things’ arrives in ‘Fortnite’ with upside down portals - Engadget

Fortnite is no stranger to big-budget entertainment collaborations. It's already welcomed Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and Hawkeye as part of its Endgame mode and let players stealthily assassinate their rivals via its recent John Wick partnership.

For a while now, Epic Games has teased the introduction of something a little more paranormal as part of a tie-in with Netflix's Stranger Things. With Season 3 of the smash TV series only a day away, the Fortnite world has become a touch more threatening, with dark portals appearing in the games' popular Mega Mall area.

If you head to Mega Mall's....er, Mall, you'll find Gates -- complete with floating spores -- attached to the walls of various stores. Unlike the TV show, they don't take you into the Upside Down, at least at the moment, but instead transport you to another part of the mall itself.

Although the Gates have only appeared today, Fortnite has hosted a Scoops Ahoy store for nearly two months. Scoops Ahoy is the name of the ice cream parlor inside Starcourt Mall that Steve Harrington and new character Robin work at in the third season of the TV show. Starcourt Mall will open in summer 1985, which is the year in which the new season is set.

In a further nod to the series, small consumable ice creams are dotted around Mega Mall, granting +5 health for every one eaten.

Although Epic Games has yet to confirm the crossover, it's likely that the portals and ice creams won't be the only Stranger Things elements you'll see in game. If the Avengers: Endgame and John Wick limited-time modes were anything to go by, we'll likely see an Upside Down-themed world and various in-game emotes and skins hit the store.

We demand a Hopper skin and his iconic Season Two shuffle, just sayin'.

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https://www.engadget.com/2019/07/03/fortnite-stranger-things-crossover-mega-mall/

2019-07-03 09:55:43Z
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Microsoft Confirms Windows 10 Update Block For Apple Mac Users - Forbes

Microsoft has confirmed by way of a Windows Support advisory that Apple Mac users have been blocked from updating to Windows 10 version 1903.

According to the Windows Latest site the support page in question has been made difficult to find, courtesy of Microsoft blocking web crawlers from indexing the document. Whether this was deliberate or an error is currently unclear. What is clear though, is that users of older Mac devices will likely find that the Windows 10 May 2019 update will fail to install.

Older, in this instance, is being defined as Mac devices prior to 2012. However, Microsoft also admits that users of newer Mac devices could also find themselves facing the same Windows 10 update block if they are using outdated Boot Camp software.

Here's what Microsoft has to say on the matter: "If you are trying to update to the May 2019 Feature Update for Windows 10 (Windows 10, version 1903), you may experience an update compatibility hold and receive the message, "Mac HAL Driver - machaldriver.sys: Your PC has a driver or service that isn't ready for this version of Windows 10."

Apparently the error is being caused by a "compatibility hold" that has been put in place for devices with a "MacHALDriver.sys dated September 24, 2011 01:57:09 or older in Windows\system32\drivers."

Microsoft offers a workaround, of sorts, to the block. "Updating your Apple Boot Camp Windows Support Software drivers may allow you to update to Windows 10, version 1903," it states, adding, "you may be able to check for updated Windows support software, in macOS, choose Apple menu > App Store, then install all available updates."

While Microsoft says it is working on a resolution to the problem and gives an estimated delivery of this as "late July," there may be other options worth a try. Lifehacker suggests, "If you're not on macOS Mojave, it might be time to try giving that a shot. Or, if you're daring, you can even try jumping up to macOS Catalina." It also suggests using Microsoft's Media Creation Tool to build a new .ISO and install a clean Boot Camp version of Windows 10 version 1902 instead. This latter suggestion advising that it "might cause more issues," such as bricking the install altogether.

For those of a technical persuasion who like rolling their sleeves up and getting dirty, Lifehacker has one final suggestion: overwrite the old Mac HAL Driver with a new one obtained from an unofficial mirror source such as referenced in the Overclockers forum here.

It should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway, that any of these workarounds are carried out with a risk of something going wrong and losing data as a result. If you really cannot wait until the end of the month for the Windows 10 May Update then make sure you have made full backups before proceeding.

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https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2019/07/03/microsoft-confirms-windows-10-update-block-for-apple-mac-users/

2019-07-03 09:53:57Z
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iOS 13 will fix the FaceTime eye contact problem - The Verge

iOS 13’s third developer beta includes a new feature that makes it look like you’re staring directly at your front-facing camera during FaceTime calls, even when looking away at the person on your screen. The feature, which was spotted by Mike Rundle on Twitter, only appears to be working on the iPhone XS and XS Max with this version of the beta, and can be toggled on and off from within FaceTime’s settings.

Normally, video calls tend to make it look like both participants are peering off to one side or the other, since they’re looking at the person on their display, rather than directly into the front-facing camera. However, the new “FaceTime Attention Correction” feature appears to use some kind of image manipulation to correct this, and results in realistic-looking fake eye contact between the FaceTime users. Coincidentally, Rundle himself theorized back in 2017 that Apple would one day do this, although not so soon.

It’s not clear exactly how Apple is achieving this effect, which devices it will eventually work with, or whether it will support group calls. We’re also curious to know whether it works when there are multiple people in the frame, for those times when you group your entire family round a device to FaceTime a distant relative. The feature should arrive in the public-facing beta next week.

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https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/3/20680681/ios-13-beta-3-facetime-attention-correction-eye-contact

2019-07-03 08:22:07Z
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Google Chrome Is Simplifying Web Payments - Thurrott.com

Google is introducing a change to the way your payment methods are handled by its Chrome browser. The new changes are meant to simplify web payments for everyone.

The main change here is that Google now lets you access your Google Account payment methods right from Chrome without having to have Chrome syncing enabled. That means if you haven’t turned on Chrome syncing for your Google Account, you will now be able to access the cards you have saved onto your Google Account. The feature only works for sites where Google Pay is accepted, though.

Like before, you will still be asked for a card’s CVC before you can actually grab the card’s details from your Google Account. For those wanting to add a new card, Google Pay will send them a confirmation email to add the new card to their Google Account.

None of this changes the way your payment methods were saved in the past, though — so you will continue to be able to store payment methods locally on your current device, without storing it on Google Pay, or without syncing it with your other devices. The new Google Pay integration is simply making things much easier for those with Google Pay.

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https://www.thurrott.com/google/209706/google-chrome-is-simplifying-web-payments

2019-07-03 08:20:53Z
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Chrome auto-fills your credit card details even without syncing browsers - Engadget

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coldsnowstorm via Getty Images

In a way, Chrome can enable your impulse buying habits by automatically filling out your payment details when you shop online. You used to have to sync your browser to access those details on all your devices, though -- until now, that is. So long as you're logged into a Google account when you first type out your payment details on Chrome, you'll be able to access those details across devices (and anywhere Google Pay is accepted) even if you don't switch on the browser's sync feature.

When you're given the option to use a credit card saved to your Google account, it will only ask for your card's CVC to confirm. Of course, it will only work if you also sign in to your account on the other device you're using. You can also delete the cards under Payments & Subscriptions in your Google Account page if you'd rather not risk your CC details... or if you don't want to make it too easy to buy things wherever you go.

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Source: Chromium Blog
In this article: chrome, gear, google, internet
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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https://www.engadget.com/2019/07/03/chrome-cc-auto-fill-without-sync/

2019-07-03 06:13:30Z
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Report: Samsung in 'Final Stages' of Fixing Galaxy Fold After Pre-Launch Disaster - Gizmodo

Photo: Kelvin Chan (AP)

Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that South Korean hardware giant Samsung has finally figured out how to keep its $2,000 Galaxy Fold bendable smartphones from going haywire as soon as they land in the hands of users, and though it is in the “final stages” of the redesign it still doesn’t know when sales will resume.

Samsung indefinitely delayed the Galaxy Fold launch in April after early reviews found the device had serious problems including screens that continually flickered or worse and hinge bulges—though admittedly it seemed that many of these issues were caused by reviewers peeling off a protective film on the screen that apparently looked removable, but absolutely should not have been removed. (Gizmodo found no such problems with our review unit, finding it had other serious flaws and trade-offs but was still an exciting debut of new technology.)

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Bloomberg’s sources say that Samsung has now readied a fix for these problems, including by stretching the protective film across the entire screen and into “the outer bezels so it would be impossible to peel off by hand.” It has also re-engineered the hinge so that it pushes “slightly upward from the screen (it’s now flush with the display)” so that the film stretches further when the phone opens. That last part does seem to suggest that the issues with the protective film weren’t solely limited to unsuspecting users ripping it right off the device. Bloomberg wrote:

That tension makes the film feel harder and more a natural part of the device rather than a detachable accessory, they added. The consequent protrusion, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, may help reduce the chance of a crease developing in the middle of the screen over time, one of the people said.

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Note that reports as early as May described similar presumptive solutions to the Galaxy Fold’s woes as well as claimed a rollout was imminent, so perhaps take this news with a grain of salt. However, Bloomberg’s sources were slightly more cautious, saying that while Samsung will soon begin shipping some parts including displays and batteries to Vietnam, the revamped device is “unlikely” to make an appearance at an “Unpack” event in early August which is widely believed to be the Galaxy Note 10's launch.

Samsung Electronics CEO DJ Koh recently admitted to reporters the botched Galaxy Fold rollout as “embarrassing” and he had “pushed it through before it was ready.” Huawei’s foldable Mate X, which Samsung was apparently trying to beat out the door, has hit its own delays and may not be out until September

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[Bloomberg]

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https://gizmodo.com/report-samsung-in-final-stages-of-fixing-galaxy-fold-a-1836064327

2019-07-03 04:00:00Z
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