On June 21, Netflix released its newest experiment, the so-called branching narrative episodes which come as a first attempt at interactive storytelling. The first standalone animated episode is named “Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale”. This will be followed by a new episode in a months time.

In the style of interactive storytelling, users will be able to choose the way the story goes as they will be asked to take decisions for their characters. This will have an effect on both the story line and the duration of the show.

Branching Narrative Episodes Let Users Chose The Plot

According to estimates, this first episode of the new experiment can last anywhere in between 18 to 39 minutes. Prompts for a decision will come, on estimate, every 2 up to 4 minutes. Users, especially the younger audience, will be asked to choose the desired path some dozens of times across an episode.

In “Puss in Boots” they can choose, for example, to become friends with bears, or see them as foes. They can also decide on kissing a queen or going for a simple handshake.

“The children’s programming space was a natural place for us to start since kids are eager to ‘play’ with their favorite characters and already inclined to tap, touch and swipe at screens,” states Carla Engelbrecht Fisher.

She is the Netflix Director of Innovation. Engelbrecht Fisher then continued by pointing out that children already ‘talk’ to the screen. But from now on, this will “answer” them, as the conservation will go “two-ways”.

The multiple choice variants is also a good reason for rewatching the story. Each new decision will take the little viewers on a new path, so many adventures lie ahead in the same experiment.

At least for now, the interactive episode will only work on smart TVs, game consoles, streaming media players, and iOS devices. Presently, the interactive gameplay will not be available on the Netflix website, on Android-powered devices, Apple TV, or Chromecast. On them, the episode will have a linear, 23-minutes long play.

For the moment, only two other branching narrative episodes have been announced. They are “Buddy Thunderstruck: The Maybe Pile” which should be out on July 14. Also, “Stretch Armstrong: The Breakout”, set to become available next year.

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The Solar Eclipse that will be taking place on August 21, 2017, generated and is likely to continue generating a lot of hype and excitement. As it will be the first such event in almost 100 years, a number of technologies have already sprung up to ensure the best possible view.

Now, a new tool, developed by Google in collaboration with UC Berkeley, will help anyone determine what the total solar eclipse will appear like from their location or any given one in the world. This new software is named the Eclipse Megamovie Simulator and is part of the large-scale Eclipse Megamovie Project.

This New Tool, the Simulator, Will Come Join A Variety of Others

The Project is looking to create a “megamovie” of the solar eclipse event. This will offer a view of the event from all over the world, in as many positions as possible. To do so, the project team is asking for help from volunteers. These will be collecting photos of the natural phenomenon, which will then be used in making the Eclipse movie.

The Eclipse Megamovie Simulator could prove to be a very useful addition for all those interested in giving a helping hand to the project. Or those just looking to make the most of the phenomenon. The Simulator will offer results based on the user’s zip code. Then, the program will produce a simulation of what you can expect to see in the respective location. It will also determine the best time in which the user can take a look.

Besides this new tool, the Solar Megamovie Project is also offering the Solar Eclipse Timer. This app can talk the user through the natural phenomenon so that they will know the exact location of the Sun throughout the event.

When combined, the Timer and Simulator should offer the best chance of making the most out of this event. The August 21 solar phenomenon will be the first total eclipse to be seen in the U.S. since 1918.

Still, specialists warn people not to look directly at the sun while this happens. They should protect their eyes by wearing special glasses or similar other variants.

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After several years of waiting, Studio MDHR revealed what will be the official launching date of “Cuphead”, its side-scroller video game inspired by 1930s cartoons and movies.

The game was initially unveiled back in 2014, and over the last three years, an official announcement as to its launch date was postponed several times. Fan posts also show that some believed that the project was still possibly stuck in development or even axed.

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But now, Studio MDHR released an official launch date for its quite expected game. This is set for September 29 and will be available on Windows 10 PCs, Xbox One, and also Steam. Reports seem to indicate that Cuphead will be exclusive to the Xbox One.

Some consider that this could explain as the developers did not mention an availability date on other consoles, for example on the Nintendo Switch or PS4. It remains to be seen if this potential exclusivity will be a timed or permanent one.

Cuphead Also Came With A Brief New Trailer

Cuphead is developed by Studio MDHR and will be a platformer/shooter game. It is already considered very attractive from an art perspective as the game boast with a 1930s look. Its animations are seemingly hand-drawn and not few have pointed out their resemblance to Walt Disney’s classic 1930s creations.

The stylistic game was first announced at the E3 2014 but has since then suffered a number of delays. Now, besides announcing a release date, Cuphead’s developers also released a brief new trailer of their creation. This offers a few more details on its gameplay and also highlights some of the game’s combat and platforming.

Cuphead also became available for pre-order on Steam starting on June 11. A price range for the game has yet to be announced.

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T-Mobile announced earlier this week that it will be releasing its DIGITS service to all interested users later this month. Through it, subscribers will be able to use a single phone number across multiple devices, for example. It will also allow the use of multiple phone numbers on a single device.

DIGITS has been in beta testing since 2015 but is set to go live on May 31^st, according to this recent announcement.

DIGITS Should Help Expand the Powers of the Already Common Phone Number

One of the main features of the DIGITS service is its ability to ‘move’ a phone number across devices. Namely, thanks to it, subscribers will be able to utilize a single number on either a phone, tablet, wearable, or other such devices, without having to move their SIM card (when possible).

The service also works somewhat in reverse. It will also be able to accommodate multiple phone numbers on a single device without the need of using another SIM port. Thanks to this, users will be able to receive and send texts and phone calls from both their personal and professional numbers, for example.

According to Mike Sievert, the T-Mobile COO, DIGITS subscribers will also be able to port their own landline number to their account.

As part of its May 31 release, the service will come with a number of offers. For example, for a limited time only, both T-Mobile One and T-Mobile One Plus International users can get a DIGITS line for text and talk on their account for free. Interested subscribers can access the T-Mobile website, call their phone line, or visit a store for more information on this addition. Extra lines will cost $100.

DIGITS will come with an app, from which subscribers can access its services. Also, subscribers should first head to their T-Mobile App to unlock the service from the Usage and Plans section.

The DIGITS app will ensure compatibility with Android 5.0 devices upwards and iOS 9or later as well as on Mac or PCs via the Firefox and Chrome browsers.  Samsung Galaxy6 or later and LG G5 devices or later support the service natively.

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Amazon announced that its latest product, the Echo Look, is being followed by a companion app, which is already available for both Android and iOS.

Echo Look is the company’s take at a selfie, connected camera. Amazon had already offered details as to how the companion app will link and function with the Echo Look, but the full specs were only just released. The app was rolled out in the Google Play and Apple App Store over the weekend.

The Echo Look companion app should be as multifaceted as the camera itself. It will allow users to watch live previews from the Look camera, and to take pictures if they are satisfied with them. Also, they will be able to survey and compare outfits and to mark their favorite combinations while also comparing styles and other such elements.

These latter are available thanks to the app’s support of Style Check. This is another one of Amazon’s latest services, based on a combination of human fashion advice and machine learning. Their mix should help people decide on what to wear, and also get better and more accurate at in with time.

Style Check became available even before the release of the Echo Look or its companion app. The feature was launched on the main Amazon mobile app as well as its web page thanks to an “Outfit Compare” option.

The Echo Look Companion App Encourages It Users To Stop Discarding Photos

Echo Look’s companion app should come with a variety of tools set to help the user create their own personal lookbook. Accessible at any time, this will store favorite outfits or create new combinations. It will also be encouraging its users to save, and not discard their photos in the app.

Thanks to this, the Echo Look will have a real-world look at their closets and what they would like, or hate, to wear. Besides being useful to the users, this will also be helping Amazon as the company is revealing quite some fashion ambitions through its private label brands.

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As most of the technologies of its kind, Amazon’s Echo range of devices can “wake up” based on a particular set of words. In Alexa’s case, it is simply that, “Alexa”.

However, its voice recognition system can sometimes mistake fake words with the actual command. So, just recently, Amazon announced a new technology which should help combat these unintentional waking ups.

Alexa Should Soon Stop Responding to Fake Wake Words

Amazon released a statement about this latest Alexa improvement on its Amazon developer blog. Posted by Ted Karczewski, the Alexa Voice Service Content Marketing Manager, on May 15, it introduced the Cloud-Based Wake Word Verification. This new feature should reportedly help improve Alexa’s wake word skills across all AVS products.

It will try to do so as the option will improve the assistant’s hearing accuracy. More exactly, it should be better equipped in identifying and classifying Alexa-like sounding words. This new identification process should then lead to a reduced number of unintentional waking ups. It will do so as it will rely on the device’s confirmation that the word is, in fact, Alexa.

Karczewski said “With this update, the wake word engine on the device handles the initial detection of ‘Alexa’ and then a secondary cloud-based check verifies the utterance.”

He then explained that, if fake wake words are detected, the verification process will once again kick in. It will redirect the device and make it close its audio stream instead of waking up. Also, it will make it turn off its LED indicator.

At the moment, third-party Alexa-enabled devices only have a single verification check process. Following this update, they will now be able to double-check by tapping into Amazon’s servers. As they send the respective audio, the main server will help establish if the device heard right.

Also, Amazon configured this new option so that Alexa’s response time will not drag out. The double check shouldn’t even be noticed in terms of response rates, according to the developer.

Presently, only the ecobee4 smart thermostat will come with the Cloud-Based Wake Word Verification.  This double check against fake words will not be immediately available to all Alexa-based third-party devices. But once they do, it will come in the form of an update.

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This week came with big news from and about Owlchemy Labs. Google announced that it was successful in acquiring the famed Virtual Reality developer, news later confirmed by the studio itself. Both companies released statements on the matter on their respective blog pages.

Owlchemy Labs, the Developer of More Than One Award-Wining Games

Founded back in 2007, the Owlchemy Labs studio became famous thanks to its products and for having quite a personality. Both its Job Simulator game and the Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality went to receive their share of awards, as Google pointed out in its post. The internet giant company also stated that the studio contributed to the development of VR.

They did so by “setting a high bar” and redefining engagement in virtual reality. Google also expressed some of its plans revolving around this new acquisition.

“Together [with Owlchemy Labs], we’ll be working to create engaging, immersive games and developing new interaction models across many different platforms […]. There is so much more to build and learn, so stay tuned!”

In its release, Owlchemy Labs said that its team is “positively thrilled” to reveal the acquisition. They presented this as a chance for building ‘awesome’ new things and moving forward, ‘stronger than ever’. Owlchemy’s team also went to reassure its supporters about the faith of its ongoing projects.

More exactly, the studio developers will continue focusing and working on its hand interactions technique. They will also pursue the studio’s mission of ensuring a high-quality user experience. Just as Google, Owlchemy Labs sees the great potential and high accessibility of VR as a computing platform. At the same time, it also stressed the significant amount of work that still needs to be done in the area.

The company said that it shares “an incredible overlap in vision” with Google and that it is free to pursue any interesting problem or raw creation and spirit. As it will continue working in this still “early days of VR”, Owlchemy Labs seems set to maintain its “highly polished”, unique character and sense of humor.

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Back in November 2016, Facebook released a new feature on its Messenger app. To the delight of some and maybe the annoyance of others, US-based users could start playing games from within a chat.

Now, the social media giant announced that it will make this option, called Instant Games, globally available. Also, it will be releasing some new features, teased during the F8 conference.

Instant Games Will Readily Come With 50 Titles

Instant Games for Messenger will face its global release with 50 titles which should please everyone. Its activities will number quite a variety of games, from 8 Ball Pool to Pac-Man, to Words With Friends from Zynga.

With this new feature, Facebook will be basically sidestepping app stores as its titles don’t have to be downloaded. Instead, they will be HTML5 “instant” activities from directly within Messenger. These games can be used both in a direct and a group chat.

Facebook presented the Instant Games as both a conversation starter and a pastime as you’re waiting for a reply. During its F8 conference, the social media company said that the option was used some 1.5 billion times in just 90 days.

One of the best things about this new option is that the games will not have ads or come with in-game purchases. Over the next few weeks, Instant Games will start being rolled out globally in both an Android and iOS version.

Also, the feature will come with some new powers. In a seemingly frequently requested option, it will soon support turn-by-turn games. Initially, the games only came with a single-mode and score leaderboards.

With the turn-by-turn option, the games will become even more of a social feature than before. Words With Friends by Zynga was one of the first to come with this feature as it also allows a simultaneous chat. More games are expected to turn to such a play mode.

Facebook is also testing a dedicated Games tab. Set in Messenger, this will be curated to offer top games, but more details on its function are still to come.

As announced during the F8, Facebook will now encourage developers to create game bots. These latter will be able to communicate with the playing users. As they do so, they will announce new levels or tease with future rewards.

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Earlier this week, Apple presented its latest initiative. Named “Today at Apple”, this will be a new educational program which will target various areas. Through it, the company will try to offer access to more in-depth courses on anything from programming to art.

The “Today at Apple” Educational Program Will Take Off In May

Apple issued a press release on the “Today at Apple” on April 25^th. In it, the apple company offered some details on the initiative, for example, the fact that it will begin in May. The program will be taking place in-store, in all the 495 worldwide Mac shops.

The educational program will also be free. However, anyone interested will have to book a place in advance.

According to Apple, the goal of its latest initiative is to help broaden the public’s access to education. Angela Ahrendts, the Apple senior vice president, referred the company stores as a sort of “modern-day town squares”.

With “Today at Apple’: “We’re creating a modern-day town square, where everyone is welcome in a space where the best of Apple comes together to connect with one another, discover a new passion, or take their skill to the next level.”

Apple already hosted a series of other educational sessions. But these were aimed at simply learning to use the company devices and apps. Now, with the “Today at Apple”, the company is looking to expand its courses with more than 60 programs. These will deal with more diverse and advances topics.

Apple’s stores will be looking to attract youth and creatives, as it will specifically focus on some topics. For example, it will offer advanced sessions in photography, design, music, or art.

In-store programs will offer both entry-level courses and extended “How To” sessions. The program will also take trips outside the shop with features such as the “Sketch Walks” or the “Photo Walks”. Previously pilot courses in just two locations, these will now be generally available.

Most of the sessions will be held by Apple staff called “Creative Pros”. However, some will reportedly be hosted by local artists. An expanded lineup of the courses, as well as further details, will probably come in late May with the introduction of the educational program.

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April 19^th saw the release of the public preview of the Microsoft To-Do. Introduced as a sort of ‘successor’ to Wunderlist, it was nonetheless presented as a smarter, more simple and intuitive task management application.

Microsoft offered details on its new app through a release on its official blog as well as via a video demo. This was released by Ori Artman, the Microsoft To-Do general manager. He stated that this new app should offer an easy method of organizing and planning your day.

To-Do was developed by the same team that created Wunderlist. However, this new app should offer a smarter, more ‘intuitive’ and ‘personal’ way of organizing the everyday schedule. To-Do will be powered and integrate the Office 365 Suite coupled with an intelligent algorithm.

Starting With April 19^th, To-Do Is Available For Public Preview

Microsoft made its latest app available for public preview earlier this week. This means that interested users will be able to test the app’s powers as this will come with a web, Android phone, Windows 10 devices, and iPhone versions.

To-Do will come with the staple features for a list. Users will be able to keep track of deadlines by setting reminders, notes, or due dates. They can also personalize their lists as the app will come with a themes collection.

One of To-Do’s more interesting options will come via the “Intelligent Suggestions”. In its blog, Microsoft presented this as an easy way to manage lists, as these can be ‘just as hard to follows as they were to complete’.

As such, the app will come with two options. Each morning, the My Day list will start out clean. From there, users can either chose what they fill it with or turn to the Intelligent Suggestions. As they tap on its symbol, the lightbulb button, they will receive ideas as to how to organize their day. They will see due or upcoming lists, or recently passed ones, and either can be added to day’s list.

Artman also stated that “We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on what you think would make To-Do even better. You can talk to us via our in-app contact form, on UserVoice, Twitter or Facebook.”

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