It's not Tay's fault that it turned racist. It's ours.

Microsoft had to pull its fledgling chatbot, Tay, from Twitter on Thursday. The reason: In less that 24 hours, the AI had been morally corrupted to the point that it was freely responding to questions with religious, sexist and ethnic slurs. It spouted White Supremacist slogans, outlandish conspiracy theories and no small amount of praise for Hitler. Microsoft released a statement on how things went sideways so quickly, though that's done little to lessen the outrage from internet users. But I would argue that this rage is misplaced.

It isn't Tay's or Microsoft's fault that this experiment turned into a shit show. Granted, yeah, Microsoft probably should have foreseen the pitfalls of such a public trial, but can we really fault the company for not automatically assuming the absolute worst in people? I'd also argue that Tay is also beyond reproach in this matter. You wouldn't teach a toddler to curse and then act surprised when it told Gran-Gran to fuck off. Likewise, you can't blame an AI designed to parrot what it hears on the internet when it goes and says something awful.

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Google makes Nik photo-editing tools free to download Anybody can get Snapseed's sibling plug-ins now.

When Google snapped up Nik Software, it acquired not just Snapseed, but also the company's photo-editing plug-ins for Photoshop and Apple Aperture. Now, the company is making those plug-ins completely free to download. The Nik Collection, a suite of seven editing tools that used to cost $150, can mimic the look of classic photography, turn images into dramatic black-and-white photos, adjust colors with filters, tweak HDR images and more.

They can make editing a lot easier for photographers, but keep in mind that among the seven, only HDR Efex Pro can fully run as a standalone program. Also, it's very much possible that Google won't continue developing the suite. In its announcement post, the big G says it's making the collection free, because it's focusing on mobile photography apps, including Photos and Snapseed. If you already paid for the plug-ins earlier this year, though, you can expect a refund notice to hit your inbox soon.

Via: Lifehacker

Source: Nik Collection, (Google+)

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Google is putting more focus on mobile photo editing.

Google Nik, a photo editing suite for desktop, just went from $149 to…free.
The Internet giant announced the news in a blog post on Thursday. “We continue to focus our long-term investments in building incredible photo editing tools for mobile, including Google Photos and Snapseed,” the Nik team explained.
Google bought the German Nik back in 2012, the company behind the Snapseed mobile photo app.
Such a development could be surprising. But Google has trotted out similar, photo-friendly freebies in the past. During its annual I/O developer summit in 2015, Google debuted free unlimited storage space for images and videos up to certain resolution ceilings on the then-refashioned Google Photos (a revamped iteration of Picasa).

Thus, the move to make the desktop version of Nik software free is probably another sign that Google is focused more on growing its on-the-go photo editing toolset and less on elaborate, high-end professional photo editing computer software.
The move comes just as Adobe, owner of the popular Photoshop editing software, also puts more cash into wooing mobile app developers.

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The seven plug-in tools in the Nik suite can be integrated with software from other providers, including Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom as well as Apple Aperture. Those plug-ins cover retouching, color correction, photo filters, and image sharpening, among other facets.
Google added if customers already purchased the Nik collection in 2016, the company will issue a refund.

The Google Nik plugins can be added on Photoshop, Lightroom or Aperture. Google Nik Website

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Google’s $149 Nik Collection photo editing software is now available for free.....

Good news for amateur and professional photograph enthusiasts. Google has just made its Nik Collection photo editing software available completely free of charge.
That collection includes seven different desktop services that fell into Google’s lap after it acquired Nik Software back in 2012. That deal was largely about getting control of popular photo app Snapseed, a pretty powerful tool in itself, but Google later pulled the remaining Nik Software services together in an attractive $149 bundle. That’s now become free, and anyone who forked out to buy it this calendar can claim a refund.
What services are we talking about here. It’s certainly beyond the basics offered by apps like Instagram, as Google itself explained:

The Nik Collection is comprised of seven desktop plug-ins that provide a powerful range of photo editing capabilities — from filter applications that improve color correction, to retouching and creative effects, to image sharpening that brings out all the hidden details, to the ability to make adjustments to the color and tonality of images.

Free software is always welcome since it can help democratize photography tools, but the news has some fans worried that it may be  a sign that these services will be discontinued soon. Google, of course, just killed off Picasa, which was once the center of its online photography ambition.
It’s a little too early to call the end of Nik Software, particularly when Google said that this price removal is one of its “long-term investments in building incredible photo editing tools.” Beyond Snapseed, which was made free and launched on Android after the Nik Software acquisition, its portfolio also includes Google Photos, its cloud storage service for mobile that just got a smart new feature to create albums automatically.

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Apple rolls out iOS 9.3: Latest software update adds Night Shift mode to help you sleep and fingerprint security for Notes Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3504246/Apple-rolls-iOS-9-3-Latest-software-update-adds-Night-Shift-mode-help-sleep-fingerprint-security.

Night Shift changes colour temperature of display when it's dark outside

Notes now have option of security through password or fingerprint 

iPads now support multi-user modes so they can be shared by students

Users can also extract full resolution photo from an unwanted Live Photo

Night Shift changes the colour temperature of the phone's display when it's dark outside. The later and darker it gets, the warmer the temperature. 

It uses the device's clock and location to determine when it's sunset, then it automatically shifts the colours in the display to the warmer end of the spectrum, reducing the amount of blue light.  

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Night Shift changes the colour temperature of the phone's display when it's dark outside. The later and darker it gets, the warmer the temperature. It uses the device's clock and location to determine when it's sunset, then it automatically shifts the colors in the display to the warmer end of the spectrum

The aim of this is to help users sleep. In the morning it returns the display to its regular settings.

Night Shift can be scheduled automatically, including across time zones, and filter hews and intensity levels can be customised.

Its icon has also been added to the Control Center, which can be accessed by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.

Another change is that Notes now has the option of adding a password or fingerprint to access to individual notes, to let users keep their private information more secure.

Notes can now also be sorted by date created, date modified or alphabetically.

An update to News means the articles in 'For You' are now better tailored to particular interests. 

There are also new features for the iPad to help teachers use them with their students.

'iOS 9.3 includes a preview of new features that will make it even easier for schools to put devices where they'll have the greatest impact, in the hands of students,' according to the Apple website. 

iPads now support multi-user modes which automatically sync data so no one device has to be assigned to any particular student.

Users can also now extract the full resolution photo from an unwanted Live Photo, which could save space on some devices. Until now, in order to save just the still image from the photo, users had to disable the Live photo portion. With iOS 9.3, they can have both

Until now, in order to save just the still image from the photo, users had to disable the live photo portion. 

This meant they had to pick either a Live photo or a still. With iOS 9.3, they can have both.

iOS 9.3 also expands Quick Actions, pressured touches on apps, to a lot more stock apps including Weather, Compass, App Store, iTunes Store and Health as well as Settings, which now has WiFi and Bluetooth shortcuts.

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Apple releases new iPhone SE for small-screen fans

Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP

Greg Joswiak, vice president of iOS, iPad and iPhone product marketing, unveils the new iPhone SE at Apple headquarters March 21, 2016.

By: Brandon Bailey Associated Press, Published on Mon Mar 21 2016

CUPERTINO, Calif.—Apple unveiled a small new iPhone, a new iPad tablet for business use and knocked $50 (U.S.) off its Apple Watch at a product event Monday. The announcements, which were largely expected, aim to keep up the company’s commercial momentum in the face of unexpected challenges.

The company could use a lift. Sales of its flagship iPhone are levelling off after surging last year to record levels that made Apple the world’s biggest company by stock market value. Many are wondering if Cook can come up with another big hit.

And on Tuesday, Apple lawyers will square off with authorities in federal court over the FBI’s demand for help unlocking a San Bernardino killer’s encrypted iPhone. The tech giant insists the government’s plan would compromise security for all iPhone users.

While Apple’s dispute with the government has commanded headlines for weeks, it warranted only a brief mention at the product event. “We did not expect to be in this position,” CEO Tim Cook told the gathering. “But we believe we have a responsibility to protect your data and to protect your privacy.”

The new phone — the iPhone SE — is an upgrade to the older, four-inch iPhone 5S, released in 2013. It’s aimed at consumers who haven’t sprung for the bigger-screen iPhone 6 models that Apple introduced over the last two years. The new phone comes with features like Apple Pay and the company’s fastest processor, which have previously been offered only on versions of the iPhone 6.

Apple also unveiled a smaller model of the iPad Pro, which the company introduced last year with several features — like a detachable keyboard and stylus — designed for business users. The Apple Watch got a price cut, and will now start at $299 (U.S.), down from $349 (U.S.); it will also come with new wristbands made of woven nylon. Apple launched the smartwatch to great fanfare last year, although it has yet to win a big following.

The iPhone SE might not see the kind of blockbuster demand that Apple enjoyed with its large-screen iPhone 6 and 6S models, according to several financial analysts, but it could help Apple boost overall sales. It might also draw some additional users into the market for Apple’s online services, including Apple Music, Apple Pay and the highly profitable mobile App Store.

While shoppers bought a record 74.8 million iPhones in the final three months of 2015, Apple has signalled demand in the current three-month period will fall short of the 61 million iPhones sold in the January-March quarter last year.

The iPhone SE will sell for $399 (U.S.) with no cellular contract, significantly lower than larger iPhone models, which list at $549 (U.S.) or more. The smaller phone may appeal to some shoppers, especially in overseas markets, who want a premium phone at lower cost. It could also draw interest from owners of older iPhone 5 models who find the larger models unwieldy.

Analysts generally expect Apple to release a more dramatically revamped iPhone 7 in the fall.

The proliferation of iPhone and iPad models may seem contrary to Apple’s traditional focus — espoused by late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs — on producing fewer products that it believes are superior to competitors’ offerings. Its rival Samsung, by contrast, is known for selling a multitude of phones and tablets at various sizes and prices.

But Apple has gradually expanded its family of devices in recent years to reach consumers in different market categories, which also helps the company sell more online goods and services, said Gartner tech analyst Brian Blau.

“Tim Cook has said he thinks there’s a lot of life left in the iPhone product line, despite the media and investor community pressuring Apple over the potential decline in premium iPhone sales,” Blau said. “I think it’s exactly these types of things that he has in mind.

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Small is the new big as Apple announces 4-inch iPhone SE

Apple is to launch a new smaller iPhone called the iPhone SE that will also be the company’s “most affordable” model.

The technology giant said that most users’ first iPhone was often one of their older, 4-inch sized devices, and led to the creation of the SE, which is the same size as 2013′s iPhone 5s.

Greg Joswiak, vice president of iOS, announces the new iPhone SE in California (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)

Apple chief Tim Cook said: “The iPhone is the most loved smartphone in the world, and today we are welcoming a new member to the family.”
Despite its smaller size and cheaper price – beginning at $399 (£277) – the SE will come with up-to-date specifications including a 12-megapixel camera and the ability to record video in 4K – four times that of HD.

The iPhone SE looks more like the iPhone 5 than the 6 (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)

It has been suggested the move to introduce a four-inch phone for the first time since 2013 is an attempt to further break into the emerging markets in India and China.
Pre-orders for the new iPhone will begin on March 24, with the device going on sale on March 31 in the UK.

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Facebook Messenger: There's ANOTHER hidden game inside the chat app - here's how to play it

If you're not much of a chess player , then Facebook Messenger has another hidden game you can play with your mates.
This time it's a basketball-themed game no doubt inspired by the current March Madness tournament taking place in the US.
In order to play it, you'll need to make sure you've got the latest version of Facebook Messenger installed on your iPhone or Android smartphone.
All you have to do to play it is send the emoji of a basketball to your friend inside a conversation, then tap on it.

Facebook Messenger's Secret Basketball Game

A basketball and a hoop will pop up, and your challenge is get the ball through the hoop as many times as possible by flicking it with with your finger.
If you manage to sink the shot, you'll be rewarded with some happy emojis. If you lose, you'll get some sad ones instead.
You can compete with other player to get the highest number of consecutive shots on target.
And if you decide that you'd rather just go back to playing chess - then here's how to play that instead .

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ow to Play Basketball in Facebook Messenger, By David Murphy

We'll give Facebook credit; it's very creative with the Easter Eggs it packs into Facebook Messenger. If you're not really a chess fanatic, or even very good at the game, then you probably felt a bit bummed about Facebook's recent inclusion of a little chess mini-game into Messenger. Thankfully, that wasn't Facebook's first and only foray into Messenger-based mini-games.
Now, it's been revealed that Facebook has also snuck a little basketball game into its messaging app—perfectly timed for the start of all the March Madness craziness. To access it, all you have to do it send a basketball emoji to one of your friends (or a group of people you're talking to). And once you've done that, just tap the basketball to start the game.
The game isn't NBA Jam—sadly—but it is a fun little way to compete against your friends. Just flick your finger on your screen to get the ball in the hoop. That's it. Miss, and you'll get a random "way to go" emoji as a reaction to your poor shooting skills. Make the bucket, and you'll be rewarded with a happier and/or more-encouraging emoji. You'll need the encouragement, too, as the game doesn't stay easy for very long. Make more shots, and the basketball rim will start moving around. Make even more, and it'll move even faster.
Facebook hasn't commented about the mini-game, nor has it offered up any suggestion as to future mini-games it might launch within Messenger. We're also assuming that you have to have the most recent version of Messenger installed to play the game. Some of this writer's friends have reported issues getting it to work, but they also haven't updated their app recently. Do that, lest you find yourself just tapping on a tiny basketball icon for no reason.
Once you get tired of playing basketball, you can try typing "@fbchess" into your chat with a friend (no quotes) to engage them in some Messenger-based chess. Or, if you're done with gaming for the day, you could just send @dailycute back and forth, too.

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Facebook Messenger has a hidden basketball game

Just send the basketball emoji on iOS or Android.

Nick Summers , @nisummers

s

March Madness is upon us, bringing dunks and layups galore as 68 college teams vie fr the national championship. It's easy to get swept up in the hype, but if you're anything like me a trip to the court only ends in disappointment, rather than any spectacular recreation of a trick shot or buzzer beater. Instead, we recommend checking out Messenger Madness, a hidden game built into Facebook's chat app. Just send a basketball emoji to some friends and you can face off in a swipe-based shooting contest.

At first it's easy enough.

March Madness is upon us, bringing dunks and layups galore as 68 college teams vie for the national championship. It's easy to get swept up in the hype, but if you're anything like me a trip to the court only ends in disappointment, rather than any spectacular recreation of a trick shot or buzzer beater. Instead, we recommend checking out Messenger Madness, a hidden game built into Facebook's chat app. Just send a basketball emoji to some friends and you can face off in a swipe-based shooting contest.

At first it's easy enough. The ball moves after each throw, creating increasingly difficult angles for your digits to contend with. The aim is to nail consecutive baskets and build up a high score that's insurmountable for your Facebook friends. The problem is that the basket moves from side to side once your score breaches 10, making perfect shots nigh on impossible. But what would be the fun without a little challenge?

March Madness is upon us, bringing dunks and layups galore as 68 college teams vie for the national championship. It's easy to get swept up in the hype, but if you're anything like me a trip to the court only ends in disappointment, rather than any spectacular recreation of a trick shot or buzzer beater. Instead, we recommend checking out Messenger Madness, a hidden game built into Facebook's chat app. Just send a basketball emoji to some friends and you can face off in a swipe-based shooting contest.

At first it's easy enough. The ball moves after each throw, creating increasingly difficult angles for your digits to contend with. The aim is to nail consecutive baskets and build up a high score that's insurmountable for your Facebook friends. The problem is that the basket moves from side to side once your score breaches 10, making perfect shots nigh on impossible. But what would be the fun without a little challenge?

The ball moves after each throw, creating increasingly difficult angles for your digits to contend with. The aim is to nail consecutive baskets and build up a high score that's insurmountable for your Facebook friends. The problem is that the basket moves from side to side once your score breaches 10, making perfect shots nigh on impossible. But what would be the fun without a little challenge?

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