The Morning After: Friday, May 5th 2017
BlackBerry and dirt bikes
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.
It's Friday, everyone. Rejoice. Google's offering voice assistants to your next DIY computing project, we review the new BlackBerry phone (yes, it is 2017), and test-ride an electric dirt bike. Vrmm vrmm.
Google turns Raspberry Pi into a dirt cheap Home competitor
Raspberry Pi has teamed up with Google to bring voice integration to the Pi with a clever combination of hardware and software. Packed with the same tech that powers Google Home, the companies have released a kit that transforms a regular Raspberry Pi 3 into your very own virtual assistant. The collaboration marks the first time that Google has produced something for hobbyists. The initiative is called "Artificial Intelligence Yourself" (AIY), and Google's project director said that he wants to create more hobbyist uses for Google software.
Uber faces criminal probe on 'greyball' software it used to evade authorities
Uber has to tell the feds how its "Greyball" software worked to hide cars from regulators checking to see if the ride-hailing company was operating in areas without permission. The Department of Justice has reportedly issued the ride-hailing firm a subpoena from a Northern California grand jury. Uber confirmed the questionable tool months earlier after it a New York Times report revealed the scheme.
Splitting up with Apple is a chipmaker's nightmare
Back in March, Imagination publicly announced that Apple was ditching it in favor of its own graphics silicon. Now, the chipmaker has revealed that it's going to take Apple to dispute resolution, maintaining that the iPhone maker used its IP without permission. It gets worse: Imagination is going to have to sell off MIPS and Ensigma, two parts of its business that aren't as profitable as PowerVR. Now, without iPhones to make chips for, the latter will now form the base of its business.
The Video Game Hall of Fame basically inducted your childhood this year
The National Museum of Play announced the four titles it's inducting into the World Video Game Hall of Fame this year, and they're all pinnacles in the industry: Donkey Kong, Halo: Combat Evolved, Pokémon Red and Blue and Street Fighter II. But if you think they were all shoe-ins compared to the competition, prepare to get your nerd hackles raised. The games that didn't make the cut this year include Final Fantasy VII, Myst, Portal, Resident Evil and Microsoft Windows Solitaire.
BlackBerry's early Android phones may have felt generic, but the KEYone is an impressive device that channels the style and functionality of classic models. Even better, the KEYone is a respectable performer with solid battery life. Throw in an excellent camera plus a satisfying keyboard and you've got the best Android-powered BlackBerry out there. (There's not much competition, mind.) Ultimately, the KEYone is a great choice for BlackBerry fans and keyboard nuts, but just about everyone else can look elsewhere.
The Alta Redshift MX brings electricity to the dirt track
Say hello to the Redshift MX. Alta Motors is electrifying the race track and if you can handle the $15,000 price tag, the results are tremendous. Roberto Baldwin took one for a ride and was surprised that he didn't miss the sheer noise of typical dirt bikes. The bike is meant to be the equivalent of a 250cc petroleum-powered engine. With 40 horsepower it's right on par with offerings from all the major bike makers. But then there's that electric torque. Read on.
17 real-life NBA franchises will field 2K eLeague squads
When the NBA's eSports league kicks off in 2018, it will have more participants than expected. Commissioner Adam Silver was expecting around a dozen participants, but 17 teams including both the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers are on the list. Now, we just have to practice and wait to hear how the draft process will work.
Take a look at Microsoft's remastered 'Phantom Dust HD' for Xbox One
Three years after it was originally announced, we're finally able to see the up-rezzed version of Microsoft's 2004 card battler. Producer Adam Isgreen brought 19 minutes of footage to an interview with Polygon, as well as information that Phantom Dust HD will run at 1080p on Xbox One and 4K on PC. What we don't know about so far is its pricing model, which will include some mix of free and paid DLC, and could see the game released via Games with Gold.
But wait, there's more...
'Titanfall Assault' RTS is the series' second attempt at a mobile game
'Zombies Chronicles' brings classic maps back to 'Call of Duty: Black Ops 3'
The last Ringling Bros. circus will be streamed on Facebook Live
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