Cranking Up The Retro

Cranking Up The Retro
Number	3606
Broadcast Date	AUGUST 29, 2019
Episode Length	29:48
Hosts	Tom Merritt, Sarah Lane, Roger Chang
Guests	Nicole Lee

Wednesday, Nicole Lee posted her thoughts on the $149 handheld game system, Playdate. A quirky homage to old school handheld gaming consoles.

Guest

• Nicole Lee
  • Engadget

Quick Hits

• Apple Invites Media to September 10 Event at Apple Park: 'By Innovation Only'

Apple sent out invitations to an event on September 10 at 10 AM at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino. The invite showed a five-colored version of its logo with the text, "By innovation only."

• Microsoft's HoloLens 2 may go on sale in September

Microsoft executive vice president Harry Shum told the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai that the HoloLens 2 will go on sale in September. Preorders are available now for $3500. Hololens 2 has a larger field of view and improved eye and hand tracking.

Top Stories

• Huawei plans high-end phone launch under cloud of Google ban

A source tells Reuters that Huawei plans to launch its Mate 30 line of phones on September 18 in Munich. Google told Reuters that under current US trade rules, the Mate 30 would not be able to include Google apps and services, like the Google Play Store. The US Department of Commerce has received more than 130 applications from companies to ease such restrictions against supplying Huawei but none have yet been approved. Google has not commented on whether it has applied. Huawei can use the open-source version of Android which does not include Google's services. Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reports it has sources saying US prosecutors are investigating Huawei for allegations of intellectual property theft from individuals and companies.

• Apple gives third-party repair shops more access to authorized parts

Apple announced the Independent Repair Provider Program to let repair shops in the US get authorized parts and tools, training, diagnostics, and other resources without having to become an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Shops can apply for free and must meet certain criteria like having Apple certified technicians. Certification is also free.

• Google to pay security researchers who find Android apps and Chrome extensions misusing user data

Google will now pay researchers who find “verifiably and unambiguous evidence” of data abuse using its platforms. Google will pay a bug bounty if someone identifies “situations where user data is being used or sold unexpectedly, or repurposed in an illegitimate way without user consent." Also the app or Chrome extension will be removed or API access removed depending on the nature of the abuse. There's no reward table but a single report could get $50,000 in bounties apparently. Instagram recently added misuse of data to its bug bounty program as well.

• MIT’s thread-like robot can slip through blood vessels in your brain

Engineers at MIT published a paper in Science robotics describing their robotic thread that can wind its way through brain blood vessels to deliver clot-reducing drugs to treat strokes or aneurysms. The nickel-titanium thread has a rubbery paste embedded with magnetic particles and covered with a hydrogel. The hydrogel helps prevent it from damaging blood vessels and makes it possible to enter blood vessels in the brain that were previously too risky. The magnetic particles let it be controlled by magnets. This would let surgeons perform from outside the operating room, something important because fluoroscopes used to let surgeons see in such procedures expose the surgeons to radiation. The robotic thread is not yet ready for clinical use but it has been demonstrated on a life-size replica of the brain's major blood vessels.

• Inside Plex’s Quest to Become a One-Stop Shop for Digital Media

Plex announced that later this year, it will add an on-demand library of movies and TV series from Warner Brothers available to US Plex users for free with ads. The content will be available whether you pay for Plex Premium or not. Plex plans to add content from other partners as well.

Discussion

• Playdate's tiny hand-held with a crank is big on charm

Mailbag

Not in our Discord? You're missing out. For instance earlier this month jnamadan posted

For all the places I seem to go now where Apple Pay is accepted, it seems somewhat appropriate to get the Apple Card for 2% back (and possibly 3% if the Uber deal with other merchants ever happens)
Easy to get. Will kick the tires on it

Gadgetvirtuoso also chimed in on the thread

I didn't really need another credit card either but the perks are decent enough.
Its impressive to apply, be approved and be able to use the card for lunch that same day. That unto itself is going to change things for banks if they're not paying attention.

And then Biocow added some expertise!

Some banks can already do that actually, (have a new card put right into your apple/google wallet) but it will become more common moving forward.
Its a nice feature even for debit cards. Lose your card? Call and get a new one. While you wait 3 to 5 days for it to arrive in the mail you can use it from your phone.

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Links

• This episode on dailytechnewsshow.com
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Preceded by: "Siri-ous Changes at Apple"

Cranking Up The Retro

Followed by: "Don't Leave the Nest"