Tesla’s Project Loveday invites you to create an ad for the car company – Digital Trends

Why it matters to you

Think you've got the mind of a great advertiser? Try it out with Tesla's new Project Loveday contest.

Want to do PR for Tesla? Heres your chance.

Before you get too excited, were not offering you a job at the car company. Rather, the company is holding a video contest that it has dubbed Project Loveday. In essence, its a way for Elon Musks futuristic car venture to source some of the best fan-made video advertisements out there. Its an interesting departure from Teslas normalmodus operandi, as the company does not advertise like others in its space. But hey, if you come up with the next great Tesla ad, you may just claim your 15 (or up to 90) seconds of fame.

Ten-year-old Bria Loveday sent us a letter and suggested we hold a video contest, Tesla explains on its website. We thought that was a great idea (thanks, Bria). Over the next couple of months we will collect videos from around the world as part of the Project Loveday video contest.

Entering the contest is easy simply shoot some footage, keep it at 90 seconds or less, then upload the video to YouTube and send the link (alongside your entry form) to Tesla. Then, the waiting game begins Tesla will announce its top candidates at some point after May 8, when the contest ends.

More:Tesla driver error caught on dashcam; autopilot needed help but didnt get it

So whos eligible? As per Project Lovedays terms and conditions, all entrants must be at least 18 years old or have the express permission of a parent or guardian. Other guidelines note that all entries must relate to Tesla, SolarCity, our products, or our mission to accelerate the worlds transition to sustainable energy. And while you want your video to be memorable, it needs to remain appropriate for all ages that is to say, your Tesla ad cannot contain violence, nudity, or inappropriate language or behavior.

Moreover, Tesla wants all text or voice-overs to be in English, and of course, you cant refer to other products or brands that arent Tesla-related.

Submissions are said to be judged on originality, creativity, relevance to Tesla and its mission, and finally, entertainment value.The top 10 submissions will be featured via Tesla social media, and the top three are promised additional promotion. But the lucky grand prize winner will get an invitation to a future Tesla product launch event, and will be introduced as the champion of Project Loveday.Tesla also says it will pay for reasonable travel expenses, as well as accommodations for the winner and a guest for two nights.

So if you think you may have a talent for advertising, heres your chance to show your chops.

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Tesla's Project Loveday invites you to create an ad for the car company - Digital Trends

Indian-Kiwis racially abused in road rage attacks – Newshub

An Auckland Indian man says he was assaulted, spat at and subjected to a racist tirade during a road rage incident.

It's the second case Newshub has been made aware of in just the past week and both were caught on camera.

It was 5pm on a weekday and Narindervir Singh started filming from inside his vehicle. The video was being streamed live onto Facebook.

Mr Singh says in the video: "I gave him a space ... that lady gave me the finger. He was driving that car [pointing to a white Holden] and now he's trying to threaten me, giving me bad names."

After Mr Singh informs the driver that he's uploading the video live, the situation escalates and Mr Singh is abused, sworn at and told to go back to his own country.

The abuser, who is seen in video wearing a grey Everlast t-shirt, was tail-gating according to Mr Singh, who says he simply pulled over to let him pass. The man also made derogatory remarks about Punjabi people.

As Mr Singh drove off, the abuser exposed himself.

"It really shocked me and after he [left], I was really shaken," Mr Singh told Newshub.

"I don't know what to do, it really hurts my heart ... The first thing in my mind was that he might hurt me with some weapon."

When Mr Singh left, he assumed it was all over. But when he parked on a nearby side street, he says the white Holden pulled up once again and the racist rant, including the n word, continued.

Bikramjit Singh suffered similar abuse last week as he left a Papatoetoe storage facility. A man who claimed Bikramjit was speeding yelled at him, saying: "Go back to your f*****g country - slow down! You know what the speed limit is here."

Bikramjit says he wasn't speeding, is a New Zealand citizen and has lived here for more than a decade.

"[It made me feel] so sad because New Zealand is so beautiful - there are lovely people here."

The man who hurled abuse in that case ended up apologising in an email, blaming two alcohol beverages he'd consumed earlier that day.

But those who work with migrants say such discrimination does appear to be increasing.

"We are seeing it much more openly which is a very serious concern," said Anu Kaloti from the Migrant Workers Association.

"I think societies are becoming more and more intolerant, especially since Trump was elected President of the US."

The message from the victims is clear - show respect.

"We should respect each and every culture," Narindervir said.

"Respect each other because we are all New Zealanders," Bikramjit said.

Both men have laid complaints with police.

Newshub.

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Indian-Kiwis racially abused in road rage attacks - Newshub

This VR Surgery Demo Had The Most Disgustingly Realistic Haptics I’ve Felt – UploadVR

Like many people, Im not great with needles. Just looking at them sends a shiver coursing through my body, and I find myself instinctively backing away. Once youve had your first injection, that thin, precise pinpoint of pain sticks in your mind and its hard to forget. It was with some bravery, then, that I picked up a syringe and used it in VR.

At MWC this week, UK-based Fundamental VR put me on the other side of the equation, as a doctor actually injecting a needle into a patient, and it was another kind of experience entirely.

Fundamental worked with Pacira Pharmaceutical to create FeelRealVR, a platform that offers surgery simulation with incredible haptic feedback. You might well have seen the peripheral used to do this before; the user holds a pen-shaped device thats attached to a robotic arm that will apply the correct amount of pressure relative to where the needle is trying to inject. Its a startlingly stubborn device; as I push against a bone it refuses to budge and I feel it scrape as I move it across the surface.

When I push the needle into the skin, however, it gives me just a moments resistance before slowly allowing me to sink it into an opened kneecap, with gruesomely convincing friction making me feel like I was really pushing it into someones body. It reminded me of when Id have an anaesthetic injection when having teeth taken out, with that slight pause to break the surface before it pushes in. It was bone-chillingly accurate.

The demo itself was a perfect example of what VR can do for the healthcare industry. The areas I needed to inject were highlighted and I had to make sure I didnt administer too much to the liquid inside the syringe. I couldnt imagine a better tool for training surgeons.

Fundamental VRs Richard Vincent told me the studio had reached this amazing level of realism by working closely with hospitals. A few institutions are even using its tech with more elaborate software, though it wasnt allowed to demo that at MWC.

The team is also working with Microsofts HoloLens for a mixed reality version of its software, and can create other scenarios by simulating a scalpel instead of a needle. FeelRealVR looks to be a versatile platform, then, and now that could be instrumental in training new generations of surgeons.

Tagged with: Fundamental VR, vr surgery

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This VR Surgery Demo Had The Most Disgustingly Realistic Haptics I've Felt - UploadVR

GDC 2017: Paranormal Activity VR Won’t Scare You The Same Way Twice, Learns Your Fears – UploadVR

Last year at GDC, I saw someone rip off their Vive headset and throw it across an entire demo booth. She was cowering in fear, on the verge of tears, ready to run out of the Moscone Convention Center. This year at GDC the responses werent as extreme because the demo was far more reserved, but the quality of the immersion and atmosphere still rang true.

Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul (aka Paranormal Activity VR) is a slow-paced first-person exploration survival horror game. As opposed to Resident Evil 7 [Review: 9/10] which asks you to unload shotgun shells and flame throwers on creepy monsters, Paranormal Activity isnt going to give you any guns or weapons. Instead, its going to slowly haunt you, scare you, and make you want to rip the headset off and run far, far away.

During my demo at GDC this year, I began in a situation quite similar to many horror movies or video games: completely surrounded by darkness. I looked down and noticed a flashlight in my hand, so I pressed one of the face buttons of the Oculus Touch controllers to click the light on. Once I inspected my surroundings a bit I could tell I was standing at the top of a staircase. After a few steps an invisible force ripped the flashlight from my hand, giving way to a bit of a jump on my part.

I tried to find the flashlight on the ground, but had no luck, so I just rounded the corner into a room that looked like an altar of some kind. There were creepy, bloody, demonic markings all over the ground with candles flickering. Past the altar was a pedestal with a book that outlined a ritual. I had to burn a specific piece of paper, then place coins in their corresponding locations. Thus began a mini scavenger hunt.

The piece of paper was easy to find, but the coins were scattered around the room. Once the animation was triggered, things started tofeel different around me, which seems odd to say since I couldnt actually feel the air and environment around me at all but in VR, your mind plays tricks on you. Those tricks are exactly what the developers are trying to toy with here.

A small girl emerges from a hole in the wall over in the corner, requiring me to literally get down on my hands and knees to crawl into the space and retrieve a flashlight. With a quick button press I flip it over to a UV light and notice a cryptic message scrawled on the ground. Then as I turn to look over my shoulder I notice a woman entering the room. Her skin is overly wrinkly and her voice is frantic. She threatens me with harsh words, then ascends the stairs back out of the room. Naturally, my demo attendee tells me that I should follow her. I dont want to.

After a few steps up the stairs I can feel my muscles tensing up, palms sweating, and teeth clenching. A jump scare is coming; I know it is. And sure enough, as I round a corner on the stairs the woman emerges once again to nearly make me drop the controllers. Even when you know theyre coming, jump scares in VR can still startle you to the bone.

After my demo, Alex Barder and Russell Naftalat VRWerx explained to me some of the design ideas that went into the games creation. First and foremost, they wanted to focus on crafting a large, explorable game space (a multi-level house with several floors, an attic, and a basement) that could combine together for a 10+ hour narrative. That sets it up as one of, if not the, longest purely VR titles to date if the length estimate holds true.

A big part of the design is also how theyve crafted a randomized system to startle players as they explore the house. When I enter a bedroom, a lamp might fall off a table and shatter, but for someone else that might not happen at all. For them, a book might fly off of a shelf an hour later in the game that I never get to see. This makes sure that it feels like a more organic and intimate experience for each player.

Paranormal Activity VR is set to release in Early Access for the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive very soon on March 14th, with a full launch on both platforms, plus SonysPlayStation VR (PSVR) shortly after. Pricing is still up in the air, but theyve assured that it will feel like a fair price.

And if you love getting your horror fix, check out this list of other upcoming horror games to keep an eye on thisyear!

Tagged with: GDC, paranormal activity, vrwerx

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GDC 2017: Paranormal Activity VR Won't Scare You The Same Way Twice, Learns Your Fears - UploadVR

From AI to Anxiety Relief, The Brain Needs a Body – Big Think

The goal of transcending flesh is an old fetish. Yogis meditated and fasted for eons in order to rise above our meat casing, performing painful ablutions and inventing kriyas, intense breathing exercises that are physiologically indistinct from intentional hyperventilation. The goal of many religions, from some forms of Tibetan Buddhism to numerous strains of Christianity and Islam, is all about letting the spirit soar free.

While language changes, pretensions remain. Today we talk about uploading consciousness to an as of yet discovered virtual cloud. Artificial intelligence is only moments away, so the story goes, with experts weighing in on the ethical consequences of creating machines void of emotional response systems. In this view consciousness, itself a loaded and mismanaged term, is nothing more than an algorithm waiting to be deciphered. Upon cracking the code, immortality awaits.

Of course others are more grounded. The goal of extending life to 150 years includes the body by default, though the mind is still championed above all else. Yet we seem to age in opposing directions by design. At forty-one little has changed in how I think about myself, yet my body is decaying: a post-knee surgery creek here, a perpetual tight shoulder there. It certainly feels like a slowly approaching transition, even if that, like much of life, is an illusion.

The brain has rightfully been placed as the seat of consciousness. It is certainly the weigh station where all perceptions pass through. Yet in discussion of becoming robots an essential facet of life is missed: consciousness is not only produced by your brain, it is also your nervous systems response to the environment. In this sense it might be better to think of your entire body as your brain.

Thats an argument cognitive scientist Guy Claxton is making. History might belong to Hippocratic holism and Cartesian dualism, but in the past few decades scientists have become serious neurological fanboys. Breakthrough technologies made non-invasive means of measuring blood flow available, reshaping how we think about metacognition. No longer do we only know that we think, we can now witness how our brain responds to every single thought and emotion, then string together the threads in the fabric of cognition.

When we believe a separate mind (or spirit) exists apart from our body, Claxton writes, we make worse decisions regarding our body. He points to a study at the University of Cologne in which two groups read texts, one in support of dualism, the other expressing mind and body as part of the same being.

Not only did the dualists report less engagement and interest in healthy behaviours and attitudes than the physicalists, they were actually more likely to choose the chips than the salad when they went off for lunch.

Which is effectively how we always act. Dualism supports everything from suicidal terrorism to environmental destructionif you believe another spirit world better than this one awaits, why care about what we do to the planet and its resources? We were put here to lord over this domain anyway.

Historian Yuval Noah Harari finds this phenomenon apparent in everything from religion to economics. In Homo Deus, he argues that as we transformed from animals struggling to survive to animals that thrive our main pursuit became pleasure. Impatient creatures we are, we swerve manically between stress and boredom in the perpetual quest for gratification, taking out whatever stands in our way.

Case in point: Today the headlines proclaim that the Dow Jones passed 21,000 for the first time in history. Immediately speculators started wondering what does 30,000 look like? The myth of perpetual progress creates an impossible load for the planet to handle. Harari believes the incessant anxiety of unfettered growth is digging us a certain grave. Because we train our eyes on the markets algorithms, however, were blinded to the destruction our surroundings. Then someone says that climate change is merely an engineering problem and we think, Sure, why not? Just more numbers on a screen to be managed.

This disembodiment from our environment comes with a heavy toll. Harari cites the Buddha, who taught that the pursuit of pleasure is the root of suffering. Upon achieving a goal we dont pause to revel in satisfaction. Instead we immediately crave more, dopamine monkeys chasing grapes.

Claxton finds a partial solution in yoga and meditation, which help in the development of embodied cognition. (Harari meditates two hours every day, and performs one sixty-day Vipassana retreat each year.) The relationship between our body and mind is critical for self-understanding. That we ever separated them is likely an aberration of biological development, as Paul Bloom points out. Cognitive software updates might be constant, but upgrading physiological hardware takes quite some time, and so the feeling of dualism is likely to persist.

Matthew Crawford believes the disembodied culture fostered since the Industrial Revolution diminishes personal autonomy. He left a lucrative career at a D.C. think tank to work as a motorcycle mechanic, resulting in one of the best books on this subject Ive read. He finds manual work more intellectually engaging than sitting behind a computer selling political agendas. The fact that education is mostly focused on technology is unfortunate, as it promotes disassociation from the world we live in.

The disappearance of tools from our common education is the first step toward a wider ignorance of the world of artifacts we inhabit.

Weve made some strides of late, however, at least with our own bodies if not tools. While physicality has generally been removed from our daily workload, the exercise industry continues to expand. Six days a week I move bodies in yoga and fitness classes. People inherently recognize theyre not only toning and stretching their muscles and fascia. Emotional catharsis and mental focus keeps studios and gyms crowded. If emotional intelligence has been a catchphrase over the last decade, a renaissance in physical intelligence is occurring.

Thats important. Rewarding careers that push numbers from bank account to bank account instead of those responsible for building the buildings those computers sit inside is an indication of how disembodied weve become as a culture. Championing sedentary behavior in the quest of prosperous algorithms is a modern tragedy we dont pay enough attention to. More than our personal well-being is at stake. We need our bodies as much as our brains, a lesson we need to learn before atrophy is complete.

--

Derek's next book,Whole Motion: Training Your Brain and Body For Optimal Health, will be published on 7/4/17 by Carrel/Skyhorse Publishing. He is based in Los Angeles. Stay in touch onFacebookandTwitter.

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From AI to Anxiety Relief, The Brain Needs a Body - Big Think

This student-made dating app will find you a match based on the hot celeb photos you upload – The Verge

Tinder built its app empire on the idea that dating is superficial, so now, multiple students at the New Jersey Institute of Technology are leaning into that idea. They have developed a new dating app called FaceDate that relies on a facial recognition algorithm to generate potential matches.

When setting up an account, users upload photos of people they find attractive. The app will then suggest people who match their preferences. There probably isnt a George Clooney in the mix, but maybe theres someone with peppered hair or kind eyes. Who knows!

The app definitely sounds slightly off-putting, but Ive thought about this idea before. Im sure you could identify my type if you aggregated my Tinder swipes. I like to imagine I equally swipe right on anyone and in my mind, I dont exclude people who look a certain way or have a certain feature but Im sure an algorithm could find a pattern to my swipes. An app like FaceDate might streamline online dating by filtering out people youre less likely to swipe right on, and in the future, tailored matches would make more sense as a focus, particularly in big cities with thousands of users.

The FaceDate team hopes to bring the Android-based app to iOS this year and to roll their app out to their fellow students in the coming months.

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This student-made dating app will find you a match based on the hot celeb photos you upload - The Verge

Julian Brandt: ‘The more you reveal, the more targets people have to aim at’ – Deutsche Welle

"I don't like talking about my strengths. I'd rather talk about my weaknesses because I have the feeling that when I talk about my strengths I'm praising myself and that's not a role I'm fond of."

Julian Brandt's grin hides the truth of the training session he has just arrived from. His shirt is oversized but smart, and his baseball cap seemingly a permanent fit.

Instantly, he creates an atmosphere of familiarity, and is refreshingly open for someone who prefers the sporting spotlight to the glare of the interview lights. The 20-year-old Brandt has no Facebook page, idolized Diego when he was growing up and admits that Leverkusen's dip in form this season is the strangest he has experienced yet. In the context of modern football, there's undoubtedly an element of the abnormal about the youngster.

Like a child called to the front of the class to recite the correct answers, Brandt eventually does speak aboutsome of his strengths.

"I have relatively solid speed for someone of my height. I feel pretty comfortable when it comes to ball control. Sure there are a few more, but they're definitely accompanied by a few weaknesses."

Even here, Brandt cannot resist shirking the opportunity to heap even a teaspoon of praise on himself. He admits he doesn't win the ball back enough and he wants to score more headed goals, but it's his mind that he seeks the real improvement.

"I don't know if it's a weakness, but it has become somewhat of a seasonal goal for me. In situational play, I need to try and shoot more, which is tough for me at the moment because I have so many things going through my head - I want to dribble more or play another pass. This is a flaw of mine and something I have to change."

A lot of football is gut feeling, but a lot of it is also mental. I think a lot comes from your mind and if you can get things in there, then it's easier physically or mentally," Brandt adds.

His mind seems to be one of the clearest in the game, largely due to his relationship with his father and his almost complete abstinence from social media (he's only on Instagram).

One of Julian Brandt's two goals in the Bundesliga this season in Leverkusen's 3-2 defeat to RB Leipzig on Matchday 11

"Facebook is not really my thing. I try to stay off social media. You post something; you set up a competition It's not me," Brandt says before citing teammateStefan Kiessling's decision to remove his page after receiving endless abuse following his phantom goal against Hoffenheim in 2013.

"My dad said to me: 'The more you reveal the more targets people have to aim at. It's better to play well on the pitch and keep a low profile off it because my private life doesn't concern them.' And in a way, he's right."

His father Jrgen has played more than just the paternal role. From being Julian Brandt's coach when he was a child to being his advisor now, Brandt senior has never been too far away.

"A lot changes in professional football. I was at the academy [in Wolfsburg] at 15 and had to put my childhood to one side. You have to grow up fast. You become a more public figure, you have to put value in things and be an example. And so, relatively quickly, you find yourself in a position where people start to label you arrogant or boastful," Brandt juniorsays.

"The most important thing my father said to me was, 'You don't need to be everyone's best friend. Being polite and having a positive charisma is enough.' He connects that with being down-to-earth. Of course, driving fast cars is fun but you should always remember where you come from and never lose your grip on reality."

And the Bundesliga star seems to havean exceptional understanding of his.

"It's not easy because every time you walk down the street and everyone says how great a player you are, how great a person you are It's not easy to stay normal, because you start to believe them. It isn't necessarily true, but you believe it and if in that moment you don't have good support around you and the money arrives, it's not an easy situation, especially if you're a young player."

Brandt is a youngster both on paper and on the pitch, but in person he appears to be beyond his years - and the car analogy is once again appropriate.

"No player is arrogant just because they drive a fast car, because anyone would do that if they had a lot of money. Not boasting about it, that's the difference."

Posting online and then not performing on the pitch is something Brandt considers "fatal."

"I know myself. I'm not the type to mess around on Facebook for 24 hours, who uploads photos and two days later thinks, crap, I have to upload another one to make sure my fans are happy. I don't even think about crap like that," Brandt says without a hint of impoliteness.

"I like taking on players. It's part of me," Brandt says coolly as if his abilities in one-on-one situations are not oozing with quality beyond his years. "I don't really think. I look at the opponent and try and put him off balance and then get past them," he says, dropping his shoulder as he describes the move.

"The manager knows he doesn't need to say much to me. I can be left to play. I don't need many words," Brandt says.

Head coach Roger Schmidt appreciates what Julian Brandt brings to Bayer Leverkusen's game

Brandt will make his 30th appearance of the season when Leverkusen face Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 23. He has managed only three goals and six assists, a relative low yield for a player who thrilled towards the end of last season with a spate of form that helped deliver Leverkusen a top-four finish.

"I take it as recognition. To feed my own ego would be the wrong thing to do," he says humbly of the many headlines about his future - ones sent to him by his friends, he doesn't seek them out himself.

"You can take the step [abroad], but I don't think you have to. Those that back themselves to do it have nothing in their way. I don't think it's a bad thing to try and find your feet abroad. Julian [Draxler] and Leroy [San] are the best examples of that right now. They are both young players and have huge futures ahead of them," Brandt says.

Whether the club will can continue to offer Champions League football next season will likely affect the future of many of Leverkusen's key players. And Brandt, who is younger than both Draxler and San, is among them.

"I think the allure of being world famous is normal. It would be a lie to say it wasn't alluring, but where and when you never know. Football moves so quickly, and as quickly as things develop positively, they can also go south and see you slip into a place where you're forgotten."

He pauses for a notably long time as he considers his answer, before responding, with a knowing smile.

"It's tough to say. I'm happy here and what happens next, we will see."

Perhaps he knows more than he's letting on. It has long been clear Brandt's talent beckons him to greater things, but his best kept secret is his down-to-earth character.

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Julian Brandt: 'The more you reveal, the more targets people have to aim at' - Deutsche Welle

Filestack launches a new API and changes the game for file uploading – Network World

Once upon a time, the sign of credibility -- indeed, the mark of coming of age for a young man in my home country of New Zealand -- was buying his first car and being able to do an oil change on it himself. A rite of passage was for a father to teach his son how to perform routine maintenance on his vehicle, a skill passed down many generations.

Fast-forward to today, however, and it is decidedly rare to find anyone who does their own oil changes. The fact of the matter is that it is a relatively messy and time-consuming task and one which isn't a particularly good use of time -- these days the thought seems to be, "Why do my own oil change when I can pay someone to do it and enjoy a long brunch with the time I save?"

We have entered the age of abstraction when more and more menial (and, often, not so menial) tasks get handed off to a third-party service provider.

And so it is in the technology space, where developer tools seem to rise on a daily basis to perform some application requirement that a developer could have built themselves, but which is seen as a non-core requirement. Companies like SendGrid and Twilio have grown rapidly by offering, respectively, email capability and communications that can be "embedded" within an application.

Twilio has built a significant business, and taken its company public, based on this idea of abstracting one particular part of an application requirement. And in doing so, it has build massive specific knowledge about the communications area. Developers can leverage this knowledge without having to learn all the minutiae themselves.

Another area that developer tools are looking to is that of file uploading. Most applications have some sort of requirement for file uploading -- from the obvious candidates, file sharing and sync tools, to simple use cases such as uploading a profile pic. File uploading is one of these areas where developers might be looking for a third-party solution.

And when they do, Filestack is there to help them.

Filestack is a developer service for file uploading of user-generated content. It allows software developers to integrate more than 25 social networks and cloud drives with just a few lines of code. End users can upload content from websites and mobile apps like Facebook, Instagram and Dropbox, or wherever that content is stored. Filestack enables developers to upload and store large files, transform and manipulate images and other file types, and deliver that content across any type of desktop or mobile device. The service boasts of some 50,000 worldwide developers using its platform.

When one considers that user-generated content -- in particular images -- is exploding globally, the existence of a solution like Filestack makes sense. Indeed, Kleiner Perkins, the creator of the legendary Internet Trends report, estimates that there are now over 3 billion photos shared per day across the five most popular social media sites. Add to that the estimated 18 billion video views per day across Facebook and Snapchat alone, and you have an enormous number of files that need to be accessed, transformed and delivered.

Filestack is today releasing its redesigned embeddable file picker that itself has been built on top of a new JavaScript library. The rewrite means that Filestack can offer additional capabilities -- namely, accelerated uploads for large files, resumable uploads optimized for spotty mobile connections, enhanced image recognition services powered by Google Vision, and a new unlimited upload plan for high-volume customers.

"Nearly every app built today incorporates some form of user-generated content," said Pat Matthews, CEO of Filestack. "But there are challenges with this. Files are getting bigger. Users are storing files across many different social networks, clouds and devices. Everyone wants access and upload capabilities across any device, even on slow internet connections. These are ubiquitous challenges for all developers. We solve these file management challenges and help developers focus on what drives competitive advantage for whatever they're building."

The new file picker has been redesigned to increase ease of use for both developers integrating the file picker into their app and end users using it to upload content.

End users can transform images on the fly by cropping, resizing and applying Instagram-like filters. Developers can programmatically manipulate and manage images, including new advanced image recognition powered by Google Vision machine learning, which lets developers programmatically tag images based on content and detect explicit content.

The Filestack back end has been redesigned to accelerate uploads of high-resolution images and videos.

To accelerate file uploads, Filestack first divides the file up into chunks and uploads them in parallel, speeding up the upload and reducing any risk of timeouts. Second, it automatically retries failed uploads (an increasingly prevalent situation, especially given the spottiness of many users' internet connections). Third, it accelerates file uploads by optionally sending the file to the closest AWS data center worldwide, without passing through any other infrastructure, thus reducing the distance files need to travel before they can be viewed on other devices.

While fast file uploading is valuable, it really need to be matched with fast load times upon viewing.

Filestack offers file compression and resizing natively. Files are then served via a distributed content delivery network (CDN) with some 28 globally spaced points of presence. Filestack suggests that page load times can be reduced by up to 50% by using its distributed architecture.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that file uploading and manipulation is a pretty stock standard requirement that any developer should be able to build on the back of their public cloud of choice.

The reality, however, is that much like application monitoring, email functionality and communications, building higher-value features in this area is a specialist task. While it may go against the grain for some developers to abstract tasks to a third party, for those looking to maximize their agility, tools such as Filestack provide a valuable option.

This article is published as part of the IDG Contributor Network. Want to Join?

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Filestack launches a new API and changes the game for file uploading - Network World

How To File Your Social Security Appeal Online – WFMYNews2.com

moneytips.com , KSDK 8:44 PM. EST March 01, 2017

Was your Social Security claim denied by the Social Security Administration (SSA)? It is your right to appeal the decision, and now you have an even easier method of doing so. As of December 10, 2016, the SSA allows you to file an appeal online for both medical and non-medical issues to dispute adverse actions or denials of a claim. (Non-medical appeals cover issues such as disputes over Medicare premium rates and cases of overpayment.)

The online appeals process extends to recipients living outside the US. Prior to the online process, appeal options were limited and often impractical for those in other countries.

The SSA online appeal site walks you through the appeal process in a user-friendly fashion. The initial menu allows you to choose between medical decisions or non-medical decisions, as well as allowing you to resume a medical appeal that you had already started.

Before you begin the online appeal process, make sure that you have the necessary supporting documents (forms, medical reports, written statements, and legal documents) to process your appeal. Further information on required documents may be found on the SSA website.

Generally, supporting documents may be uploaded through the website, so make sure you have all of your documents in a suitable electronic form for uploading. However, SSA only accepts original or certified copies of some documents; those will need to be mailed into the SSA (or brought into the SSA office if you prefer but in that case why bother with an online appeal?).

SSA estimates that medical appeals should take from 40 to 60 minutes assuming a suitable Internet connection. Non-medical appeals should take less time, approximately 25 minutes.

The online site for non-medical appeals saves answers automatically as you proceed through the process, but you cannot exit the application and come back to complete it later. The medical appeal site also saves answers automatically, but it does allow you to take a break and return to an appeal that has been saved in progress.

The SSA will contact you if there are any questions or updates regarding your appeal. If you have a personal appointed representative for your SSA claim, make sure that his or her contact information is also included with your submitted information.

You can check the status of your appeal from the submissions page at any time. A simple click of a button will direct you to My Social Security, where you can log in to your personal page (or create one if you do not already have one established).

Keep in mind that the same time limits apply to online submissions as they do to other methods. Generally, you have sixty days from the date of receipt of the letter that informs you about the decision. The SSA assumes that you received the letter within five days of the date on the letter. If you received it later than five days beyond the letter date, keep that limitation in mind.

For any other questions regarding the general appeal process, refer to the Social Security Publication "Your Right To Question The Decision Made On Your Claim".

You still have the traditional options of appealing by phone or in person at your nearest Social Security Administration office, if you prefer. We hope you don't have to dispute a Social Security claim at all, but if you do, at least you have choices on the method to use.

Read our article on what you need to get the Social Security benefits you deserve to learn more about the four levels of appeal and the supporting documents you need to submit for your case to be re-evaluated.

This article was provided by our partners at moneytips.com.

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7 Challenges Snapchat’s Parent Company Has to Overcome Before It Can Be Wall Street’s ‘New Facebook’ – Adweek

Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, today is expectedto begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange, whereitsreportedly beingvalued at$24 billion, or $17 per share. The mobile-focused player, founded by CEO Evan Spiegel in 2011, is a classic challenger brand, taking on digital behemoths that came before itas well as traditional media companies.

Its initial public offering will be closely watchedin light of how successful social-media forerunner Facebook turned out to be on Wall Streetcompared withTwitter, which has struggled among investors due to lagging user growth. Whether Snap is the new Facebook or the new Twitteror something completelydifferentwill almost certainlybe more than just a footnote when the next chapters ofdigital mediahistoryarewritten.

We asked marketing execs to weigh in on what Snaps biggest challenges will be after the IPO. Here areseven themesthat stood out:

Its no small task that the company is competing with Google, Facebook and Instagram for ad dollars, but it seems to be off to an auspiciousstartfor instance, the rumored $200 million ad commitment from an unnamed holding company reported last week by the New York Post. Snapchat will bring in $1 billion in ad sales this year, per a report from eMarketer in September 2016.

At the same time, as Adweek reported earlier this week,challenges exist aroundbuilding bespoke content for the mobile apps vertical videos product called Snap Ads as well as its sponsored lenses and geofilters. Those ad products, which are often costly to create, as well as increased competition from Instagram have likely hampered Snapchats sales in the last three to fivemonthsand could continue to do so when it comes to nailing down major deals. The level of success achieved byitsads API,which became widely available in October, will be worth keeping an eye on in the weeks ahead.

Its first task is to convince advertisers that its the right platform to translate user activity to brand engagement, said Guillaume Lelait, U.S. managing director at Fetch.

Sean Zepps, associate director of digital strategy at creative agency Deep Focus, part of Engine Group, suggested that the biggest challenge for Snap maybe investors weighing the company not on its own terms but against the success of Facebook. Its a similar problem Twitter has battled since going public in November 2013.

Whether its their lack of understanding of the app and its young audience or the constant comparison theyll make to the more mature platforms who are borrowing from them left and right, Im preparing myself for an ongoing Spiegel vs. investor battle, Zepps said.

One thing is unusually obvious: For Snap to avoid Twitters current situation on Wall Street, Snapchats user base must continue to expand.

And theres reason for optimism on that front. The apps U.S. audience will grow to 70.4 million by the end of 2017, according toeMarketer.That represents an increase of 14.2 percent from 2016. American adults between 45 and 54 years old are one of the biggest areas of growth, currently making up 6.4 percent of SnapchatsU.S.patrons, according toeMarketer, whose previous projections saw that demo come inat only 4.2 percent.

Meanwhile, because big brands love international scale, Snapchat, which has 158 global daily users, will also have to continue to build its audience in other countries.

Its going to feel some pressure to grow the user base at a more aggressive pace once they have investors at the table, Zepps said. Sadly, the legacy of Twitter lives on in the mind of most technology investors that saw Twitters growth stall. Snap Inc. is going to have to constantly remind them that they didnt mistakenly back a flashy young social-media company, especially with such a lofty evaluation.

Richard McDonald, president of Epsilon Agency, added, Snapchat might be able to find a healthy revenue stream if they can figure out how to grow their audience and monetize effectively without alienating their users. If they cant figure this out, they might very well become the next Twitter.

John Sampogna, co-CEO at interactive shop Wondersauce, pointed to a recent studythat more than 60 percent of Snapchat users skip ads. He suggestedthat stat might represent a bigger problem for the app down the road, since its probably going to have to serve up more video ads to drive revenue and satisfy investors while risking turning off userswhich could hurt brands performances.

Now that [Spiegel]is about to be beholden to someone other than himself, something will have to give, and that pressure may begin to erode the high engagement that the platform sees among younger consumers, Sampogna said.

Mark Read, global CEO at WPP-owned Wunderman, largely concurred. Just like Facebook in its early days, there are bound to be some false starts before they work out how to bring brands onto the platform without disrupting the consumer experience, he said.

ThoughRead was optimistic about its longer-term prospects with users, stating that while the younger audience is even more fickle, all the evidence points to Snapchat as being the media and social destination of choice.

Manyof Snaps challenges are interwoven into competing with digital video giants andTV networksfor ad dollars. Thats been the case for a while. But now, whenit comes to streaming video, getting consumers to watch something has seemingly never been so cutthroat, with Netflix, Hulu, Google-owned YouTube and others increasingly offering content via their over-the-top (OTT) systems.

Just Tuesday,YouTube revealed its $35-per-month subscription service that directly challenges cable television. Whats more, in mid-February,Facebook announcedthat it will debut a video app for television set-top boxes. Of course, both of those platforms already hadrivalries withSnapchat over uploaded mobile videos. In 2017, YouTube and Facebookwhich have more developedad sales teams and superiorscaleare clearly diversifying their video offerings. As one more exampleto that end, few would question thatFacebook-owned Instagram is coming of age as its own video-advertising dynamo.

Snapchat, meanwhile, has been busy ramping up on TV-like programming, inking deals for its media program, called Discover, in the pastyear or so with the NFL, MTV, Food Network, Turner Broadcasting, NBC, ESPN and CNN. Nick Cicero, CEO of startup creative studio Delmondo, suggested that the app needs to do even more to keep up in an environment where television-esque content is available via variouschannels on smartphones.

If Snap wants to become more like TV, he said, theyre going to need to roll out more YouTube-like features to build true audiences around that content like notifications, meaningful subscriptions Theyre also going to have to keep pumping in unique and original content for Snap from partners if they dont want to rely on celebrities and influencers to drive daily video consumption.

Google and Facebook are under greater and greater scrutiny when it comes to their ad metrics, and the pair of digital giants have recently responded by agreeing to an audit by the Media Ratings Council. On Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal reported that advertisers were now demanding Snapchat to do the same, and marketers speaking with Adweek essentially echoed such sentiment.

As they are looking to court advertisers, explained Cicero, their platform remains a black box as they havent opened their analytics up like their competitors Facebook and YouTube. So brands will be hesitant to invest on a platform with an understanding of the returns.

Jason Beckerman, CEO at social marketing company Unified, said he believes that Snaps existing partnerships with metrics companies like Nielsen, Millward Brown, Moat and Integral Ad Science will help steer it through the stormy data conditions affecting the current digital landscape.

Snapchat has set itself up well to avoid major metrics issues post-IPO, he said. Companies like Nielsen and Millward Brown are already set up with Snapchat and [it is]poised to easily add more partners to this roster over time.

Spiegel calls Snap a camera company, which some industry playerssay points to an ambition to combine devices like Spectacles with his app to drive sales. Spectacles are souped-up sunglasses that record video via an integrated camera from the wearers eye-level perspective. Users can then upload 10-second video clips to the Snapchat platform via a smartphone synced through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. The devices cost $140 apiece.

The potential for hardware sales aside, theres probably a long-game strategy by Spiegel and his engineers to monetize how Spectacles and Snapchat can work together for marketers. Its extremelyearly for the sunglasses, but its not hard to imagine custom packaging of Spectacles content and Snapchat ads in the offing at some point down the road. Brands like Sour Patch Kids and Mountain Dew have been testing the devices for months. And branded SpectaclesRay-Ban would seem like a possible candidatecould also conceivably emerge.

I think [Spectacles] are an interesting preview of whats to come, said Rye Clifton, director of experience, GSD&M. Ill admit I felt too old for Specs when I tried wearing them for a week, but they do change the way you approach photographywhats worth capturing and how you remember it.

Andwhat about the next generation?

It was really interesting to watch my three-year-old play with them, then to play back his perspective on the world, Clifton described. Thats where the gold is.

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Paul’s Challenge – CBN UK (press release) (blog)

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule to the Israel of God. Galatians 6:14-16

I read this verse recently while browsing on social media, and I was hit with an immediate challenge. It is something which I must admit, is one of those things that is far easier to say (or type) then actually do. To only boast in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Not my own strength, my own skills, my good deeds, my fantastic organisational contribution to an event or my cooking skills, but only in that amazing act of love which paved a way for a relationship with Father God.

Even as Christians, I think we sometimes struggle with pride (we are only Human after all!), and social media makes that struggle even harder. Simply loading Facebook or Instagram, often floods your mind with posts from people that are trying to grab your attention and people who are sharing every small success, in the hope that your opinion of them might improve.

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Paul's Challenge - CBN UK (press release) (blog)

Augmented Empire Mixes X-COM With Mass Effect – UploadVR – UploadVR

Strategy gamers have to keep on their toes. You need a keen tactical mind to prevail in RPGs like XCOM and the original Fallouts, thinking two steps ahead of the enemy at all times, or suffering the consequences. Thats why its important to play lots of them, to keep your mind sharp and your wits about you. If youve been playing VR for the past year, then, your brain might need a little warming up.

Fortunately, Augmented Empire is just what the doctor ordered.

This is the latest VR effort from Esper developer Coatsink, and an Oculus Studios title thats exclusive to Gear VR. The team has been busy porting their past titles and Boneloafs Gang Beasts [Review: 7/10] to the Oculus Rift recently, but teased to us last year that its working on bigger and better things. I went to visit the Sunderland-based studio earlier this month and, based on what I saw, bigger and better is the right terminology.

In more ways than one, Augmented Empire is a vision of the future. In terms of story, the games set in a seedy, neo-noir city named New Savanna, located on a man-made island in the North Atlantic. Its streets are divided into three tiers, and where you live depends on how valuable its government rates you. High class citizens live life up in the fancy districts, while the lower class scrambles around in grimy alleyways and rainy sidewalks. Coatsink CEO Tom Beardsmore describes it as Hunger Games-esque, or like an episode of Black Mirror, and the links between 1984 and other Orwellian media arent hard to spot either.

Youre not just playing as one character here, but two. Your first protagonist is a mysterious figure that enjoys a cozy office space. But heres the really interesting bit; Augmented Empire lives up to its name by simulating futuristic mixed reality within VR. The second character, a female protagonist, appears in an augmented diorama, which is where youll embrace the games strategy elements. Its sort of like pulling a HoloLens from the future over your eyes.

My demo of the game on display at GDC this week focuses on the tactical side of things. I play an early mission that introduces me to the basics, but anyone thats played the most recent two XCOM games will find this like slipping on a pair of comfy slippers, with the caveat that the slippers might break your ankle if you make even the slightest foot wrong.

A group of militant-like enemies has picked a fight with me, and the first order of business is a golden rule to any SPRG: find cover. The maps split into tiles that are highlighted in blue, looking very XCOM-ish. Moving around is as simple as looking at a tile thats within my movement limit and tapping on the Gear VRs touchpad to move there (gamepad support will be integrated too). Once Im firmly rooted behind some barriers, I look at an enemy and tap to attack, but I dont see the usual percentage meter above him, telling me how likely I am to hit. Curious.

Instead of that tried and true system, Empire is going with something a little riskier. As I select attack, a slider comes up and rapidly makes its way from left to right on a meter. To successfully land my shots, I have to tap once when the slider is over a dark blue section of the meter. If it tap in a smaller light blue section next to it, Ill score a critical hit. If I tap either side those sections, Ill miss.

Just how large those blue sections are depends on how good of an angle and distance you are from the enemy. Its still essential to flank and find good vantage points, as it will give you a much bigger opportunity to land a successful attack. This same system is also used to give you the chance to dodge incoming fire.

Im immensely interested to see how SRPG fans react to this tweak on the established formula. Beardsmore says it came about after talking with Oculus about finding ways to keep the player engaged in every second of the action and not just watching your attacks. Based on my time, I think its a good alternative, though I do wonder if players will be able to find their rhythm and game the system so to speak, making it too easy.

That might be the case, but the punishing side of the SRPG genre is still alive and well when it comes to stats. In a second battle, in which I recruit someone to help fight with me, Im nearly wiped out with my back against the wall and the enemy pressing the attack. Each of their hits carves out chunks of my health, and its only thanks to the second characters rifle that Im able to hold them off.

Coatsink says there will be six characters in your team, and youll be able to take three out on missions at a time. Recruitment is a big aspect, Beardsmore says, shifting towards the non-combat side of the game. While Empires battles may be influenced by XCOM, the developer likens its character interactions and side-missions to an RPG favorite: Mass Effect 2.

The thing I loved about Mass Effect 2 was those missions where you were finding your team, he says. They were just glorious with how each one was different and displayed a different aspect of the game. The team is taking that on board here. Youll be able to choose your dialogue lines with characters, and your choices will affect the games ending, while missions can be tackled in an order of your choosing.

Coatsink also wants to replicate the presentation of Biowares epic here, with fully voiced characters that will have their own stories and varied missions. How were going to load that onto Gear VR at the moment were not sure because its a big package, Beardsmore explains, reassuring that the team is looking into ways to do it.

In fact, its an ambitious game for mobile VR all round; wouldnt the Oculus Rift have been a safer bet? Gear VR is many people heres favorite VR platform, because the limitations allow you to build real quality within them, Beardsmore says, adding that he believes that Augmented Empire will be viewed as a great game regardless of platform, and says there arent any plans for a Rift port yet.

Overall Coatsink is aiming to offer around nine hours of gameplay here, and theres a lot left to see. The first-person element will play a big role too, but Coatsink is keeping tight-lipped on what it might entail.

We really want to keep pushing the boat out and keep trying new things while also appeasing our own creative desires to build these kind of games, Beardsmore concludes. If youve been calling out for this type of content, then I suggest you keep an eye on Augmented Empire.

Tagged with: Augmented Empire, Coatsink, GDC, gear vr, Strategy RPG

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COLUMN: LinkedIn is the new Facebook – Indiana Daily Student

For years, LinkedIn has rightfully prided itself on being the worlds largest professional network and continues to increase its appeal to the college student demographic every day.

With new professionals joining at the accelerating rate of more than two new members per second according to LinkedIns website, its no surprise that students and recent college graduates are flocking to LinkedIn. LinkedIn provides a superior professional outlet for young people to communicate compared to other social networking sites.

In fact, in an About Us press release, LinkedIn says this group of students and grads is its fastest-growing demographic and makes up 40 million of its users.

While that may seem like a lot, it only makes up a small portion of the ever-increasing 465 million users that make up the member population.

For those who arent familiar with the website, LinkedIn is a professional network that works somewhat similarly to Facebook.

The creators of this brilliant tool definitely seemed to have college students in mind when they decided to make it free to register.

That means at no cost to them, any student has the ability to easily connect with other students, business professionals and companies.

These connections, similar to Facebook friends, can easily navigate to a users profile and view his or her skills, work history, education, volunteer work, publications and more.

Not only does LinkedIn match users with these possible connections based on profile, but the website can also match you with jobs based on your qualifications and job search history.

Once matched with a job, some businesses even let you apply directly from a LinkedIn account. This option makes it easy and fast to apply for a position in a matter of seconds.

If you arent quite ready to apply or your rsum still needs some fine-tuning, LinkedIn has cleverly added in a save feature so you can save the job to your account and go back later to find it.

Arguably one of the best features of the job tool is customizing your job search. If you go to job preferences on the jobs page, you can customize the locations you are looking for, what experience you have, certain job levels, what size you want the company to be and you can even opt to turn on the recruiter option and according to LinkedIn let your next job find you.

Also similarly to Facebook, you can update your status, post photos or upload articles to your news feed for your connections to see, comment on, like or share.

Unlike the memes, family photos, or updates in relationship status that you might see on a Facebook newsfeed, LinkedIn users generally tend to use this feature to post important breaking news, updates on job openings, relevant articles, tips on interviewing and rsum-building or professional accomplishments.

LinkedIn has all the bases covered and has catered to virtually any need that a college student, graduate or professional might have.

With its increasing technology and updates as a networking tool to students and recent graduates, LinkedIn is sure to become an even more valuable asset to young professionals in the future.

kkmeier@umail.iu.edu

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COLUMN: LinkedIn is the new Facebook - Indiana Daily Student

GDC 2017: The Mage’s Tale Dungeon Crawler RPG Hands-on – UploadVR

As a big fan of RPGs, The Bards Tale is dear to me. It was a game I would play on the Apple IIe in study hall back in the day when teachers thought any kid using a computer was learning something; little did they know all I was learning about was where I could find a lucrative quest and get a stiff ale on the tough streets of Skara Brae.

While not fully 3D, early dungeon crawlers like The Bards Tale used a clever pseudo-3D, tile-based sprite system which was a good facsimile of 3D rendering. It was effective at the time, but it didnt really matter since all I saw in my minds eye as I played was my party of stalwart adventurers traipsing through sewers, castles and towers slaying miserable kobolds and giant, fire-breathing dragons. The vision I had of walking down the wet, stone walls of Bards Tales dungeons were as real to me as walking down the hallways of my high school, even though they were just primitive computer graphics.

Now nearly 30 years later, we have a powerful new platform that can put you right into those dungeons without having to use any additional imagination. VR dungeon crawling is what the 12-year old boy still inside me has wanted for years, so I was giddy when I finally had a chance to play inXiles The Mages Tale set in the sewers, catacombs and tunnels beneath Skara Brae. And you know the lore is going to be true as inXile studio head Brian Fargo was also one of the designers behind The Bards Tale all those many years ago.

The events of The Mages Tale take place between 1988s Bards Tale 3 and Bards Tale 4, acting as a bridge and lead-in to the upcoming game. The evil wizard Gaufroi is holding Alguin, your mentor in the magical arts, and its up to you to find and rescue him.

My playthrough started with me descending into the depths atop a humongous hand, peering up at an even more colossal statue, which gave a dramatic sense of scale as I looked up, down and all around at the fantastic world in which I was now a player.

Im used to teleportation-style locomotion in VR games, so it was easy to hop off the hand and into the dungeon proper using the thumbstick on the Oculus Touch, but I was also happy to find out you could use a more direct style of locomotion. With the other thumbstick you can hop forward, backward, left and right, and it really felt like moving through the old 10-foot by 10-foot tile-based Bards Tale games back in the day, only I could look around and pivot my body with the other stick. It was all very intuitive, I picked it up within seconds and the tiny hops turned out to be the movement style I preferred.

Keeping with the design of the previous games, The Mages Tale features both combat and plenty of environmental puzzles. Some you have to solve to progress through the levels, but others you can completely skip, although youll be missing out on precious treasure and experience if you do.

As youre a mage, your primary assets are your spells, mostly based around the elements of fire, wind, ice and electricity. Many of the puzzles also require the use of your elemental arcanery, so you might burn down a wooden wall with a fireball or zap an energy crystal with a lightning bolt so it becomes charged and opens a door elsewhere in the level.

Combat itself is very intuitive, and you can bring up a mystic shield (I assume this is Ybarras Mystic Shield, but I neglected to ask) to block incoming projectiles while hurling fireballs, lightning bolts and ice javelins at your foes. Aim is handled by looking at the opponent you wish to target, pulling the trigger on the right Touch controller and flicking your wrist. I personally like chucking my fireballs granny-style to demoralize the incoming goblin hordes to the fullest. And while I only played through the first level today, I did fight a massive giant boss at the end of the level, so I imagine there will be more of those types of encounters in the full game.

As you progress through The Mages Tale, youll find a variety of components and spell recipes that you can toss into the mouth of your astral amphibian buddy (I call him Astromordius J. Frog), who will teleport back to your alchemy lab for you to use later. Step up to the cauldron, drop in a few components and stir to make new spells.

It wouldnt be a Bards Tale-style game if it took itself too seriously, and one of the spells I ended up crafting combined fire, bounce, triple shot and a bottle simply labeled party to create an elastic tri-blast that exploded into confetti when it hit my intended target, complete with accompanying party horn noises. All in all there are 30 different ingredients you can find in the game, so that adds up to a lot of different combinations and enhancements to the original four base elements.

Like any good role-playing game, you level up as you gain experience, and while the leveling system is pretty basic, you can pick to improve aspects such as your health, shield power and magic recharge rate as you progress. You can even reach behind your back and pull out your spell book to see which upgrades youve acquired, each marked with a sexy red wax signet seal.

inXile and old-school Interplay have never been afraid to reference their other games or tie together game worlds, and The Mages Tale is no exception. While exploring just the first level I spotted a skull on the ground that spouted several of Mortes best lines from Planescape: Torment. I also ran across a magic mouth upon a wall during one of the puzzles, found Roscoes Energy Emporium and stumbled upon a group of 99 berserkers behind a secret door. Although I didnt personally hear it during my demo, Brian Fargo also told me that there are some places where you can hear a faint drone of Charlie Mops Beer Song coming from the tavern above. Speaking of songs, the game also features several authentic Gaelic melodies performed by artists such as the MacKenzie Sisters and Peigi Barker, the voice of young Merida in Brave.

All in all I was very happy with what I played today, and although I just spent 30 or so minutes under Skara Brae, the full experience should be about 10 hours long spread out over 10 cavernous levels. I cant wait to jump in for more! Luckily that wont be long as The Mages Tale should be out sometime this summer for Oculus Rift with Touch, and on other platforms sometime in the future.

Tagged with: action rpg, GDC, oculus touch, the mage's tale

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GDC 2017: From Other Suns is a Procedurally Generated Multiplayer Starship Simulator – UploadVR

From Other Suns, a brand new VR title by Gunfire Games, draws heavy inspiration from several existing concepts and combines them all together, effortlessly, into a fresh and shinypackage. Its got the ship and crew management of games like Star Trek: Bridge Crew and FTL, its got the cooperative first-person shooter elements of games like Onward and Borderlands, with tons of loot to gather and gear to acquire, and its got the crazy ragtag crew antics of something like Guardians of the Galaxy you can watch the trailer below to catch all of the vibes.

Even though its designed primarily as a three-player cooperative multiplayer game,the first time I played From Other Suns at GDC 2017 this week I was on my own. The other two demo stations were occupied by players also playing alone so Id be rolling solo for my first mission. It was like my own private trial by galactic fire, as it were.

Everything began aboard my starship as the onsite Gunfire Games developer walked me through the controls and movement systems. On my wrists are a couple of buttons I can press with my opposite hand to pull up things like the options window or a map screen. The Oculus Touch controller face buttons toggle an inventory and an equipment display.

The default, more comfortable, movement system was a bit unique. You start by pressing forward on the left analog stick and then as you move around you watch your avatar from a third-person perspective.

Once you let go of the analog stick, you immediately teleport back into your body as youre standing still. It feels almost like an out of body experience, but is a good option for those sensitive to motion sickness. It seemed to be a decent stop-gap solution, but I cant imagine someone playing the entire game this way. Its just wonky and feels like an inferior way of experiencing it.

For me, I preferred the full locomotion movement. It worked very similarly to Onward, allowing me to freely move around the world with fewissues.

Once I got that down, it was time for my mission briefing. I headed to the bridge and looked down at my star map. After I selected a space station that was in trouble, my commander informed me that robots had overtaken the vessel and killed everyone on board. Because of course they did.

I made my way back to the chamber with the teleportation pad and inspected the guns on the wall. My starting pistol was good, but not great. Each of the guns had different fire rates, magazine sizes, and damage output. One functioned like an energy rifle, another shot lighting bolts, and then another was sort of like a short range shotgun. Plenty of diversity with options for every situation.

Once my loadout was set I stepped onto the pad and beamed down onto the ship. The developers told me that in the real game, maps like this would be procedurally generated from tilesets. This means that no two mission will ever be the same due to randomization, but it wont be as lifeless as a truly randomized area.

Knowing that killer robots were on the loose, I was much more cautious than when freely roaming my own starship. I slowly edged around corners, poked my head out from cover to sneak a look, and made sure to stay mobile.

Eventually I encountered my first enemy, a robotic adversary that resembled the droids from the Star Wars prequels a bit. He was flanked by two similar robots, so I started by poking out from around the corner, gunning for headshots with my pistol. Soon, I swapped to the automatic rifle and peppered the chest of the closest one until it dropped. Once they got too close I switched to the shotgun and blasted their heads off. It felt extremely satisfying, especially with full locomotion.

Upon death, the robotsdropped a few glowing items. One was a shield, which I could hold in one hand and squeeze the trigger to activate if it got hit too many times itd break and need to recharge. The second glowing item was green and I found out it was a syringe, which I could stab myself with to heal. Stocking up on those saved me a few times later in the mission.

When I came came back to the booth at a later time I was able to hop into a multiplayer session with UploadVRs own Senior Editor, Ian Hamilton. While exploring the starship I quickly realized that I could hear him just fine over voice chat, but he couldnt hear me. It was just a minor hardware issue. I decided to use this to my advantage.

While this was technically a cooperative multiplayer game, the folks at Gunfire didnt want to cut any corners. This is a hardcore game about manning a starship and trying to survive. Friendly fire happens. I learned this by opening fire on Ian as he was still trying to find his way around the ship; I could even hear the booth attendees talking to him over the microphone.

One thing led to another and I killed him in cold blood before the mission even started. I didnt need him slowing me down, but he just respawned and joined me anyway.

While we were down there, team dynamics started to emerge. Whoever had the shield could walk in front, drawing fire and keeping enemies busy, while someone else headed up the rear taking aim with more powerful and precise weapons.

The inclusion of thrown weapons like EMP blasts to stun robots or grenades to blow apart large groups would be a welcomed addition if the developers decided to add them. Later on, large robots with rocket launcher weapons could demolish a fully charged shield in a single blow, making it clear this wouldnt be an easy game when it finally releases.

During our time with the game, Gunfire also mentioned a suite of features that werent available in the demo we tried. For starters, while aboard your ship, you can actually engage other ships in combat. Gameplay during these moments would consist of sending crew members to repair parts of the ship and actively rerouting power to shields or guns during a fight.

Ultimately, even though I was more successful and actually beat the mission on my own before joining forces with Ian, playing as a team was rewarding and exciting. Perhaps with a more competent partner things wouldnt have broken down so quickly.

I ended up killing him again out of pure spite before the demo was over. It didnt make me feel any better.

From Other Suns is in development by Gunfire Games as an Oculus Rift with Touch exclusive, currently slated for Fall 2017. Even though its being built with three player co-op in mind, its still playable in single player as well.

Tagged with: borderlands, from other suns, ftl, GDC, gunfire games, star trek

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GDC 2017: Arktika.1 Shows Off Deep Story and Amazing VR Visuals – UploadVR

Im cold. I can see the flurries of snow outside and the thin coat of ice on my hummers windshield and I feel cold. This wouldnt be all that notable except for the fact that a moment ago I was feelingquite warm inside the busy Oculus demo hall at GDC 2017. But Ive been transported somewhere else since then, transported to the freezing, incredible world of Arktika.1.

Ifirst had the chance to preview Artika.1 an exciting new collaboration between Oculus Studios and the 4A Games (Metro: Last Light) atOculus Connect 3 last year. The brief demo Isaw there was enough to convince methat this was a game to watch in 2017. The extended GDC experience that 4A brought to GDC, however, has convinced me that Arktika.1 is the game to look out for this year. It really is that good.

As soon as the new demo began I knew that this time around the studio was focusing on showing off the deep narrative and thoughtfully constructed world of Arktika.1 rather than the more combat heavy slice from OC3. The first 5 minutes or so of the preview I was simply sitting in a heavily armored car.

I was being driven through the frozen landscape by an NPC whos narration provided story hints at every turn. I wont spoil them for those looking forward to the game but generally Arktika.1 takes place in the midst of a second ice age. You are a mercenary hired by the last remaining humans in Russia to protect them from marauders, banditsand something even worse. Heres the official synopsis from 4A:

Nearly a century in the future in the aftermath of a silent apocalypse the planet has entered a new ice age. Only the equatorial regions remain habitable, yet pockets of humanity still manage to survive in small numbers all over the planet. These small regions of civilization sit on resource-rich, highly desirable territories to the north and south. As a mercenary hired by Citadel Security, your job is to protect one of the last colonies in the wastelands of old Russia from violent raiders, marauders, and horrifying creatures. Be the savior. Give humanity a second chance.

Getting past a guard with a pass card

When my car finally broke through the blizzard I saw on the horizon where exactly the name Arktika.1 comes from: a massive, heavily secured compound. The last refuge for a dying human race.

As I drove up to the survivor citys gates I was struck by how beautiful this game is. 4A is building Arktika.1 using its proprietary engine and it is able to produce the most striking visuals Ive ever seen in a VR game. A good portion of that too is owed to the art design. Much like the Metro series before it, Arktika.1s story oozes out of every carefully crafted assetyoull come across in its richly developed environments. Theres more detail inevery frame of Arktika.1 than youll probably even take the time to notice. That commitment to world-building through design, coupled with the amazing visual fidelity, makes this a game that sticks in your mind long after the headset comes off.

A snowy battle at the airfield

In addition to amazing visuals, 4A is also doing some interesting mechanical things that are exciting to see from a bleeding-edge VR title. For example, during my car ride I could interact with certain elements inside the vehicle. I could role the window down at will by pressing a button. I did so and immediately the sound changed. I could hear the engine and the wind more clearly than before. The voice of my companion also got more difficult to hear but when I closed the window again the sound reset and the noises inside the car got much crisper. Little touches like this make a good VR experience a great one and Arktika.1is packed to the frozen gills with them.

Apart from the world-building moments, the GDC demo also took me through a completely new combat mission as well. Things began similarly to the OC3 demo. I went to the armory and picked out my weapons. After that, however, I was taken into a simulated training room to honemy skills against digital opponents. From there, I was taken to a nearby airfield that had fallen to the icey cold and notorious bandits. My job was to eliminate them. Im good at my job.

Arktika.1s combat is all about cover. You need to use it well in order to survive. The levels are designed creatively enough that your cover points always feel interesting and strategic rather than frustrating or overly simplistic. The guns themselves are interesting as well, with enough variable ammo types and firing options to keep you experimenting for hours. 4A also showed us a secret gun hidden behind a hotkey in the demo.

Picking a weapon and the mod-gun (left)

This new weapon is modablewith different options for the chamber, barrel and ammunition. Swapping these around created a completely different weapon for each configuration. Mods like this seem to be a staple of what 4A is building here and they are a very welcome addition to the world of VR shooters, where loadouts are often pre-determined and limited.

Between the deliciously ambient world, the pulse-pounding combat and the innovative VR mechanics, its safe to say for me at least that Arkitka.1 is the game to look forward to in 2017 on any platform. Its currently set to release in Q3. Until then, stay warm out there.

Tagged with: 4A Games, arktika.1, GDC, preview

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Top 5 Transhumanist Technologies With Major Implications – The Merkle

Transhumanism is one of those technologies that boggles most peoples minds. Do not be mistaken in thinking this has anything to do with being transgender, as transhumanists seek to improve their human capacities beyond what is assumed to be possible. They do so by using top-of-the-line technologies, rather than gadgets or other electronics. Most of these technologies go by unnoticed, which is why we have compiled a brief list below.

Some people may have heard of this technology before. Cryonics is a high-fidelity preservation of the human body after death. The primary reason why anyone would enter a cryogenic sleep is to anticipate a potential future revival. This technology has been widely available for some time, albeit it is rather on the expensive side. Through cryonics, it is feasible to stop cells from decaying. Moreover, the process requires no electricity to do so.

Tampering with the human bodys genes sounds rather risky, but significant advancements have been made in recent years. Gene therapy effectively replaces bad genes with good ones, which allows us to manipulate our genetic code. Scientists have discovered a way to remove genes coding for specific metabolic proteins, ensuring the host remains slim and fit at all times.

Anti-aging therapy is heavily influenced by gene therapy as well and it is believed scientists will eventually reach the longevity escape velocity soon. As a result, humans may become subject to indefinite lifespans. Whether or not that is a positive development, remains to be seen, though.

Introducing cyber enhancements to the human body remains a very risky business to this very day. Implants and other electronics can address a lot of problems our bodies are faced with. Cybernetics are designed in such a way they will be invisible to the casual observer, as they reside beneath the hosts skin. Most current bio modifications are all external, as we have covered in a previous article. Cybernetic systems will improve our everyday experience and even boost the economy as humans will be able to do more work in less time.

While a lot of people are concerned over what the future will bring in terms of robotics, self-replicating robots may be the least of our concerns right now. Replacing manual labor with robots doing the task for us seems like a no-brainer, albeit it will cause some job losses. Self-replicating robots, on the other hand, would be quite beneficial. For example, they can turn uninhabitable areas into living spaces, clean up waste generated by us humans, or even pave the way for human colonization of space.

As creepy as this concept may sound at first, mind uploading or nonbiological intelligence can be quite valuable to our society. Implementing cognitive processing on anything that is not human would be a massive breakthrough. The general public is not too keen of this concept, even though our minds are by far our greatest assets. Synthetic brains are not impossible to achieve by any means, although a lot of research is required before this can become a reality.

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A Facebook-Style Shift in How Science Is Shared – New York Times


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A Facebook-Style Shift in How Science Is Shared
New York Times
That is what Ijad Madisch, who founded the social network ResearchGate with three partners in 2008, had in mind when he ditched his budding scientific research career in Massachusetts to return home to Germany to build his start-up in Berlin's fast ...

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How to file your social security appeal online – KARE

moneytips.com , KSDK 8:35 AM. CST February 27, 2017

Was your Social Security claim denied by the Social Security Administration (SSA)? It is your right to appeal the decision, and now you have an even easier method of doing so. As of December 10, 2016, the SSA allows you to file an appeal online for both medical and non-medical issues to dispute adverse actions or denials of a claim. (Non-medical appeals cover issues such as disputes over Medicare premium rates and cases of overpayment.)

The online appeals process extends to recipients living outside the US. Prior to the online process, appeal options were limited and often impractical for those in other countries.

The SSA online appeal site walks you through the appeal process in a user-friendly fashion. The initial menu allows you to choose between medical decisions or non-medical decisions, as well as allowing you to resume a medical appeal that you had already started.

Before you begin the online appeal process, make sure that you have the necessary supporting documents (forms, medical reports, written statements, and legal documents) to process your appeal. Further information on required documents may be found on the SSA website.

Generally, supporting documents may be uploaded through the website, so make sure you have all of your documents in a suitable electronic form for uploading. However, SSA only accepts original or certified copies of some documents; those will need to be mailed into the SSA (or brought into the SSA office if you prefer but in that case why bother with an online appeal?).

SSA estimates that medical appeals should take from 40 to 60 minutes assuming a suitable Internet connection. Non-medical appeals should take less time, approximately 25 minutes.

The online site for non-medical appeals saves answers automatically as you proceed through the process, but you cannot exit the application and come back to complete it later. The medical appeal site also saves answers automatically, but it does allow you to take a break and return to an appeal that has been saved in progress.

The SSA will contact you if there are any questions or updates regarding your appeal. If you have a personal appointed representative for your SSA claim, make sure that his or her contact information is also included with your submitted information.

You can check the status of your appeal from the submissions page at any time. A simple click of a button will direct you to My Social Security, where you can log in to your personal page (or create one if you do not already have one established).

Keep in mind that the same time limits apply to online submissions as they do to other methods. Generally, you have sixty days from the date of receipt of the letter that informs you about the decision. The SSA assumes that you received the letter within five days of the date on the letter. If you received it later than five days beyond the letter date, keep that limitation in mind.

For any other questions regarding the general appeal process, refer to the Social Security Publication "Your Right To Question The Decision Made On Your Claim".

You still have the traditional options of appealing by phone or in person at your nearest Social Security Administration office, if you prefer. We hope you don't have to dispute a Social Security claim at all, but if you do, at least you have choices on the method to use.

Read our article on what you need to get the Social Security benefits you deserve to learn more about the four levels of appeal and the supporting documents you need to submit for your case to be re-evaluated.

This article was provided by our partners at moneytips.com.

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( 2017 KSDK)

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How Serverless Computing is Changing the Cloud – Datamation

Technology never stands still, both in invention and execution. One of the newest trends is also one of the most misleading because of the term: Serverless computing. The term suggests that no back-end servers are used when that is not at all the case. It just means servers are no longer your concern.

The first wave of the move away from servers is well underway with the move from on-premises hardware in company data centers toward renting compute capacity from Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) vendors like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure.

The promise was straightforward and simple: developers can rent capacity as needed and shut it down when they are done. They can "spin up" a virtual server on AWS or Azure in just a few minutes, with the defined amount of CPU cores, memory, storage, and necessary software, as opposed to waiting weeks to order a server and install it in the company data center.

This has helped speed up development, reduce headaches, and save some money. This took a lot of the load off the IT department, but developers still had the task of setting up the virtual server on AWS/Azure/whatever provider, and they may not always know the best way to configure the server.

Enter serverless computing, the next step in the move to IaaS. With serverless computing, rather than allocating virtual machines and deploying code to them, the development team just uploads its code, called functions because they perform a single function, and lets the PaaS vendor figure out how to best deploy and run those functions.

The benefits are huge, says Torsten Volk, managing research Director with Enterprise Management Associates, an IT consultancy. "Coders dont have to worry about scalability and high availability, you only pay for the time your code runs, instead of reserving EC2 resources for an ongoing time period, and setup is almost instant. Create code and give it a try," he said.

Jim Sherhart, product marketing manager for AWS at Amazon, says there are four major benefits to going serverless: 1) There are no servers to provision or manage. You just bring your code. 2) Automatic scaling. Amazon's Lambda serverless service scales your application by running code in response to each trigger 3) Availability is taken care of by Lambda. 4) You only pay for what you use. You dont pay when your code isnt executing.

Peter Horadan, CTO and executive vice president of engineering at tax software firm Avalara, said the cost savings are a big deal. "People overprovision for machinery on AWS. In serverless, that's 100% gone. You dont preallocate any resources to run your function. You upload it and say when this event happens, run my function. If it happens once a day, it runs it once a day and that's all you pay for," he said

Getting completely out of the business of preallocating resources has yielded ten-fold to 100-fold savings in costs, he said. "And you get out of the hard work of thinking about what resources do you need. They have auto scaling systems. You just dont think about it you just upload your code and don't have to think about how to scale it," said Horadan.

"In many ways, serverless is a natural evolution of PaaS. Serverless offers a fully managed platform that frees developers from the need to worry about servers and allow developers to focus on the application and not the machines running it. Serverless enables developers to build applications quicker and easier as well as takes care of a lot of the operational and management work," said Yochay Kiriaty, principle program manager for Azure Functions at Microsoft.

But there are a few downsides. It's a different way of coding and not all runtimes are available on AWS. There is not yet a well-integrated means for easy debugging, and security needs to be evaluated, said Volk.

Horadan said serverless is great for a simple task like processing a Web page or an image. That's a simple function. The whole idea behind serverless is it's a discrete piece of software functionality that does something fairly small in response to an event.

That means it can't handle anything complex. "For today, it's for simple tasks only. It really works well with small tasks. A large program with lots of functions linked together is more difficult to use, but those are problems people are figuring out with tooling," he said.

Craig Lowery, research director at Gartner, said in a research paper that function Platform-as-a-Service (fPaaS), which is where serverless computing fits, is still nascent and lacking in complete tooling and best practices for streamlined, repeatable and successful software development activities.

"Although current fPaaS implementations are lacking, the value of the model has been clearly demonstrated, maps naturally to microservice software architecture, and is on a trajectory of growth and increased adoption," he added. Gartner projects that by 2020, organizations making the most effective use of public cloud infrastructure as a service (IaaS) will use a combination of VMs, containers and fPaaS.

With that in mind, Microsoft's Kiriaty said the beauty of serverless is that it really is for any developer. "We created Azure Functions with that in mind, supporting popular developer languages including F#, PowerShell, PHP, Python, CMD, BAT and Bash. Its not about who shouldnt use serverless but instead considering the right use cases for the task at hand," he said.

His competitor at Amazon agrees. "Serverless architectures are suitable for a range of applications. There is no single use case or industry where customers would not see the benefits it offers," said Sherhart.

In the near future, Horadan thinks improved tooling will be the next big step forward for serverless. "Today you can only upload small pieces of functionality. If one calls another you have to wire them together. In a traditional program, the compiler would do it. And there's also the issue of which versions of the function are being called. So it's really tooling, and it's a solvable problem. I expect to see a lot of these problems get solved over time," he said.

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