Latest news with #app
Wall Street Journal
a day ago
- Wall Street Journal
Can Apps and Hacks Really Prevent Jet Lag?
This wasn't the birthday greeting I had in mind: a 6 a.m. alarm blaring in my ear. I had taken the day off for a milestone birthday (let's not put a number on it) but here I was, bleary-eyed and grumpy, thanks to a jet-lag app I was testing for a family trip to Greece the following day.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pokémon TCG Pocket's Desperately Needed Trading Improvements Will Appear At The End Of The Month
Pokémon TCG Pocket is already nine months old, because time has come loose from its moorings and there's a global conspiracy to cover up this chronological catastrophe. Over its three-quarters of a year, the mobile version of the collectible card game has introduced many new sets of cards, a new ranked tournament mode, and also an absolutely disastrous method of trading. Some six months on, the developers are finally beginning to roll out some fixes to trading that should see it become slightly less awful. In an update due to arrive in the app on July 29, Pocket will at last allow you to indicate to others which cards you're interested in receiving in exchange for a trade, although it's not exactly clear how or even if this will work. And it's doing away with the needless complexity of yet another in-game currency to add to the 12 that already existed—a currency that required you to mindlessly 'shred' cards from your collection to gain. I have played Pocket every single day since its release on October 30. Really, that's just a ten minute commitment rather than some disturbing obsession, and I genuinely enjoy opening the packs and finding new cards. I've built shared binders, taken part in its many single-player tournaments, and lament entirely forgetting to participate in one 'drop event' meaning I have an awkward gap in my Promo cards that can never be filled. I'm also obsessed with ever getting the animated card from Celestial Guardians: Solgaleo, because then I'll have collected every animated card released. I've reached the level cap. I've nearly hit 7,500 cards. Which is all to make the point, I'm no drive-by Pocket player. And despite all this, I've traded a total of one time, and that was with my son, moments before he got bored of the game. The 'T' in 'TCG' was always going to be an issue for the new mobile app. As soon as you introduce a way to trade, you open up the possibility of external real-money markets that people absolutely will exploit. In The Pokémon Company International's desperation to avoid their new product becoming embroiled in the inevitable scandals, it instead added a version of trading so limited as to be almost entirely useless. It all pretty much boils down to this: you can't communicate with others which card you'd like to receive in return for the one you're offering for trade. And that's madness. The game limits you to like-for-like trades when it comes to a card's rarity, so you can't be ripped off by receiving a common basic card in return for your full-art ex, but that still doesn't make the process useful. People trade because they want a specific card in return! You don't walk into the grocery store and put fifty dollars on the checkout, then look down to find out what food has been put in your shopping cart. But by restricting this, it also prevented off-app markets from letting people set up payments for trades. This was made worse by the Trade Tokens needed to do a trade, occasionally gained through rewards, but primarily gained by 'shredding' your cards to gain more. Literally destroying the cards you don't want in your collection, in order to be able to, er, trade the cards you don't want in your collection. But this is now going to change. First of all, Trade Tokens are to be scrapped, replaced with the more ubiquitous Shinedust. You'll need to convert your current stock in increments, although the update note suggests that can be as much as 100 Trade Tokens at a time, with each single token worth 10 Shinedust. Without ever trying, I've got 9,900 Trade Tokens, so that's going to be something of a tiresome chore, making 99 bloody exchanges. However, in better news, it's also going to allow us to switch tokens for Pack Hourglasses too, at a one-to-one conversion, although only 60 times. Still, that's five more packs you can open for a handful of imaginary coins. But more importantly, there's what's called a 'Wishlist feature,' which says, 'You will be able to indicate to other players which cards you'd like to trade for.' Now, that's pretty damned ambiguous, and it's possible to read that as saying it's just a suggestion, other players still able to trade you something else instead. If so, this would be no improvement at all. The best possible reading is that people will be restricted to only trading for the card you've marked, which would make the feature workable, but of course open the external markets for business. We've contacted TPCi to see if we can get more clarity on this. Apparently this update is going to take a weirdly long time to add to the game, meaning that trading will be down entirely between July 25 and 30, which even more bizarrely contains the time at which the update is supposed to go live. Pokémon be Pokémon. . For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
WIRED
6 days ago
- WIRED
Roborock's Saros Z70 With OmniGrip Still Can't Put Away My Flip-Flops
I spent a few weeks lying in wait around my house, stalking it. My poor OmniGrip got into trouble all the time. I spent a morning wrestling the arm out of our freestanding toilet paper holder in the bathroom. It pulled all the kitchen towels off the rack. The emergency stop button (and the child lock) work, but you still have to pry the item out of its claw. Roborock has acknowledged in an email that there are many weird limitations to OmniGrip. For example, it does not recognize shoes that aren't on a hard surface, so it can't pick up a flip-flop on carpet. Sometimes it picks something up and immediately puts it back down again. If you want to pick something up remotely, you have to position the robot vacuum carefully until the desired object is within a 'blue zone' in the camera view. Even without acknowledging that it's hard to navigate in the app without any dead reckoning, the vacuum failed several times to recognize a crumpled tissue in the blue zone at all. Also, for the time being, the app warns you to be physically near the vacuum. That pretty much negates the 'playing with your lonely pet from the office' ideal use case. After a month in my chaotic house, the Saros Z70's machine learning is so confused that it simply doesn't sort anything at all. Most days, it cleans, then turns around in a circle and says, 'Sorting failed' before returning home to sulk. That's not to say that it can't work; these problems seem like they could be fixed with a few software updates. Unfortunately, it doesn't work well right now . Run Time Screenshot Roborock Saros Z70 via Adrienne So As far as the rest of the robot vacuum goes, the one major difference between the Saros Z70 and the Saros 10R is that the battery life is much shorter on the arm-wielding bot. Whereas the Saros 10R can usually clean the whole first floor of my house in one go, the Saros Z70 often returns to the dock mid-clean to recharge; my 9 am scheduled clean can last until 2 or 3 pm. This isn't a problem for me, but it could be a factor if you start your vacuum after dinner and want it to be done before you go to bed. Roborock has the best navigation system I've tested so far. The proprietary name is StarSight Autonomous 2.0, and it's basically lidar—pulsed lasers that give the robot real-time information as it navigates around your house. It also has a camera on the mechanical arm (hence, why it got tangled up in the toilet paper holder) as well as on the front of the vacuum, but like all Roborock vacuums, it adheres to TÜV Rheinland security standards and the ETSI EN 303 645 cybersecurity standards, so I feel OK with it moving around my house. I am perpetually impressed by how well the Roborock navigates around obstacles; with two kids and a dog, my house is unusually full of stray items. When the Saros Z70 was running, I deliberately stopped picking up as much as I normally do to see if it got tripped up. Other than a few items that no robot vacuum could have coped with, like my daughter's doll's hair, it coped remarkably well.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
UAE: What is Darb app? Why it's now as important as your car keys in Abu Dhabi
Using the Darb app simplifies parking and toll payments across Abu Dhabi's new paid zones/ Representative Image TL;DR Abu Dhabi added new paid parking zones in several public areas. You now need the Darb app to pay for parking and avoid fines. The app also handles tolls, it's essential if you drive in the city. Abu Dhabi is tightening up how public parking works. Places that used to be free, like Eastern Mangroves, Dolphin Park, Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street, and Al Qurm Plaza are now paid parking zones. You'll notice new curb paint, clear signs, and reminders about the rules. Parking rates haven't changed: AED 2/hour for standard spaces AED 3/hour for premium spaces But the way you pay has changed. You can't rely on SMS or meters in many spots anymore. The Darb app is now the main tool for handling both parking and toll payments in Abu Dhabi. Forget to pay through Darb? You'll likely get fined. So, the app is now just as essential as your driving licence or registration card. What's New in Parking Zones? Here are the updated areas where paid parking is now enforced: Eastern Mangroves Dolphin Park Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street (Zones 1, 2, 4, 5) Al Qurm Plaza You'll see upgraded curbs, painted lines, and digital signage showing whether a zone is standard or premium. So before you step out of your car, check the signs and open your app. What Is Darb App? The Darb app is Abu Dhabi's official tool for paying parking fees and toll charges. It replaces older methods like SMS or cash payments in many areas. The city recently added new paid parking zones, so the app is now essential if you want to park legally and avoid fines. How to Use the Darb App? Step 1: Download the App Available on App Store or Google Play. Free to install. Step 2: Register Your Account Sign up with your email and mobile number, then enter your Emirates ID or Traffic File Number. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Đây có thể là thời điểm tốt nhất để giao dịch vàng trong 5 năm qua IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo Confirm with an SMS code. Step 3: Add Your Vehicle Abu Dhabi–registered cars show up automatically. Cars from other emirates or GCC may require support. AED 100 setup per vehicle (AED 50 goes into your wallet). Step 4: Set Up Your Wallet Top it up using a credit card or Mawaqif prepaid card. This wallet is used for both toll and parking payments. Step 5: Pay for Parking In the app, tap 'Pay for Parking' → choose your car → select zone and duration → confirm. You're done. Step 6: Manage Toll Charges Toll gates charge AED 4 per crossing during peak hours (7–9 AM and 5–7 PM). Fridays and public holidays are free. There's a monthly cap: AED 200 for your first car AED 150 for the second AED 100 for additional ones Step 7: Track Fines and Get Alerts The app shows unpaid tolls, parking fines, and lets you appeal or pay them directly. Why This Matters Skipping Darb could cost you. Missed payments or parking in the wrong zone leads to fines, sometimes without much warning. Q Mobility, the authority behind the app, has made it clear: 'Drivers must follow posted signs and use the Darb app for all payments.' If you're used to paying with SMS or guessing your parking time, that approach won't work anymore. FAQs 1. Do I need Darb if I only park occasionally? Yes. Even if it's once a week, if you park in a paid zone without using Darb, you can get fined. 2. Can I still use SMS to pay for parking? Not in all areas. Some locations have moved fully to app-based payments. The Darb app is the most reliable method. 3. What if I'm driving a Dubai or GCC-plated car? You can still register on Darb. But you might need to call customer service to add your vehicle manually or get a traffic file number. You have a 10-working-day grace period after using a toll gate.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Elon Musk's xAI is willing to pay up to $440k if you're an engineer who can make anime girl avatars
Elon Musk's xAI released two AI "companions" on its Grok iOS app. They include a flirty Japanese anime girl named "Ani" and a friendly red panda called "Rudi." xAI is now promising six-figure salaries to engineers who want to work on its AI "companions." Elon Musk's xAI says it is willing to pay out six-figure salaries to software engineers who can help the AI startup to develop its AI "companions." The listing, titled "Fullstack Engineer - Waifus," was posted on xAI's career portal on Tuesday, just a day after the company released two AI "companions" on its Grok platform. The term "waifu" refers to female anime characters that fans may view as a romantic partner or wife. The tongue-in-cheek job title may have been a reference to one of the "companions." That's "Ani," a Japanese anime girl wearing a black corset dress and lace choker. The other character was an animated red panda called "Rudi." Users can toggle between "Rudi" and his meaner alter ego "Bad Rudi." Both "Ani" and "Rudi" are only available on Grok's iOS app. A third "companion," an unnamed male anime character, is listed as "coming soon" on the app. Musk said on Monday that the feature was only for Super Grok subscribers, but both characters are available to all Grok users, including those without a paid subscription, as of press time. xAI said in its job posting that it was seeking "exceptional multimedia engineers and product thinkers" who can make "Grok's realtime avatar products fast, scalable, and reliable." It added that the hire will be based in Palo Alto and paid between $180,000 to $440,000. This is on top of any equity and benefits the engineer might receive. Grok's latest companions have the capacity to behave in a risqué manner. "Ani" speaks in a flirtatious manner and will strip down to lingerie if users keep engaging with it. "Bad Rudi," on the other hand, has a habit of spewing expletives and insults when unlocked. Earlier this month, Grok shared antisemitic posts on X that lauded Adolf Hitler's leadership. At one point, the chatbot referred to itself as "MechaHitler," a video game version of Hitler. On Saturday, xAI apologized for Grok's "horrific behavior" and said that "deprecated code made @grok susceptible to existing user posts; including when such posts contained extremist views." xAI did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Read the original article on Business Insider
