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iPHONE 8 AND iPHONE 8 PLUS: A POWERFUL UPGRADE FOR A PROPER PRICE

SPACEX: ROCKET FOR MOON, MARS AND NY-TOSHANGHAI IN 39 MINS

SPACE-TIME GRAVITATIONAL WAVE RESEARCHERS WON A NOBEL

36 LIZ WESTON: EQUIFAX JUST CHANGED THE REST OF YOUR LIFE

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IN APPALACHIA, A PUBLIC BROADBAND PROJECT HITS SNAGS 08 GOOGLE SPIKES FREE-ARTICLE REQUIREMENTS ON PUBLISHERS 26 MICROSOFT DIVES DEEPER INTO ‘MIXED REALITY’ WITH VR DEVICES 32 GOOGLE UNVEILS HOME SMART SPEAKERS TO COUNTER AMAZON, APPLE 54 GM TO OFFER 2 MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN NEXT 18 MONTHS 78 ROKU CUTS PRICE ON TOP STREAMING PLAYER TO COUNTER APPLE TV 84 NASA LANGLEY’S NEW COMPUTER LAB USHERS AGE OF COMPUTATION 90 BOX OFFICE TOP 20: ‘KINGSMAN’ SEQUEL TAKES NO. 1 BY A HAIR 118 BRINGING ‘BLADE RUNNER’ BACK TO LIFE AFTER 35 YEARS 128 AMAZON MUST PAY $295 MILLION IN BACK TAXES, EU SAYS 144 SENATE BILL TO CLEAR OBSTACLES TO SELF-DRIVING CARS ADVANCES 150 UBER CEO HOLDS ‘CONSTRUCTIVE’ TALKS WITH LONDON OFFICIALS 156 IN HURRICANES’ AFTERMATH, TECHNOLOGY EASES RETURN TO SCHOOL 170 EU TO SEEK HIGHER DIGITAL TAXES ON US GIANTS 178 DUBAI DREAMS OF FLYING TAXIS DARTING AMONG ITS SKYSCRAPERS 182

TOP 10 APPS 98 iTUNES REVIEW 102 TOP 10 SONGS 160 TOP 10 ALBUMS 162 TOP 10 MUSIC VIDEOS 164 TOP 10 TV SHOWS 166 TOP 10 BOOKS 168

IN APPALACHIA, A PUBLIC BROADBAND PROJECT HITS SNAGS

Kentucky’s plan to build one of the country’s largest publicly owned broadband networks was touted as a cornerstone of the effort to save the Appalachian economy by bringing highspeed internet to some of the poorest counties in America. It was supposed to take a year to finish, but three years later only a fraction of the 3,000 mile network of fiber optic cables known as Kentucky Wired has been built. Construction has been plagued by delays, forcing the state to pay $7 million in penalties to its private-sector partners with the potential of “tens of millions” more. State officials had been counting on public schools and libraries to help pay some of the bills but that plan has fallen through, and project officials plan to ask state lawmakers for millions of dollars in taxpayer money to make up the difference. 9

Now, some of the state’s most influential lawmakers want to pull the plug, and have asked project leaders how much that would cost. “This is the 21st century version of the big dig in Boston,” said Chris McDaniel, chairman of the state Senate’s budget-writing committee, referring to a project that took decades to complete and cost twice as much as planned. Launched with considerable fanfare in August 2015, Kentucky Wired was designed to touch all of Kentucky’s 120 counties to ensure even the most remote hollers of the Appalachian mountains would have access to highspeed internet — widely viewed as crucial to jumpstarting economic development. The undertaking requires a 3,000-mile network of fiber optic cables, 85 percent of them strung from existing telephone poles while the rest run underground. It was supposed to have been completed by the fall of 2016. Instead, crews have installed only 68 miles of tubing for the cables, nearly 13 miles of glass fiber and 6 miles of aerial fiber cables. “Kentucky Wired is pioneering the use of the public-private partnership model in a new sector, and therefore the model is subject to temporary setbacks,” said Nicholas Hann, senior managing director for Macquarie Capital, the Australian venture capital firm that has a contract to build and operate the network. “We have the utmost confidence that we can work through these challenges.” Part of the problem is getting permission to hang cables onto existing telephone poles. In many cases, project leaders have to 10

Image: Jeff Hunter

negotiate with private property owners who are often wary of granting an easement to the government. And they have to woo officials with local governments, some of whom already own and operate their own broadband networks. “You don’t expect a new entrant financed by the government to come along and compete with you,” said Billy Ray, superintendent of a city-owned utility with a broadband network in Glasgow, a town of about 15,000 people in western Kentucky. “We have some concerns about what is their ultimate goal.” Officials have leased more than 300 miles of existing fiber-optic cables to save money and time. But the project has still encountered 158 “supervening events” that delayed construction. The delays have caused losses for Macquarie Capital and its partners. Kentucky taxpayers are contractually obligated to cover some of those losses. The state has paid $7 million so far, with “tens of millions” more on the horizon, according to Phillip Brown, executive director of the Kentucky Communications Network Authority that is overseeing the project. While the project was mostly financed by $288 million in public bonds issued by Macquarie Capital, the contract requires Kentucky taxpayers to help companies pay down that debt. State officials had promised that government agencies and public schools would be the network’s first customers, using that money to help pay off the debt. But with the network not built, that money is not available. Brown said officials will likely ask the state legislature to cover those costs. McDaniel said he would not support that. 13

“These folks that came in there and participated from the private sector may have to take a haircut,” he said. Republican Rep. Phil Moffett went further, saying “the people that bought those bonds ought to sue us.” The network is one of the featured projects between former Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear and longtime Republican U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers. The two joined forces to form SOAR, a nonprofit organization designed to spur growth in Kentucky’s Appalachian region that has been devastated by the declining coal industry. Republicans who criticize the network often blame Beshear, who approved the project before he left office. But Rogers also played a 14

key role, securing a $23 million federal grant and declaring the project crucial to turning Appalachia into “silicon holler.” Republican Gov. Matt Bevin, a frequent critic of Beshear’s time in office, has promised to complete the network because it “will make a profound difference in the lives of many across the Commonwealth,” according to a spokesman. Beshear declined to comment for this story. Rogers said the state can’t afford not to finish the project. “The contract is complicated and costly, but more importantly, our businesses owners are begging for it in Eastern Kentucky to expand operations and new industry recruits often require it before committing to our state,” Rogers said.

SPACEX: ROCKET FOR MOON, MARS AND NY-TOSHANGHAI IN 39 MINS

SpaceX chief Elon Musk’s elaborate plan for a mega-rocket to carry astronauts to Mars may have some down-to-Earth applications. At a conference in Australia last Friday, Musk said if you build a ship capable of going to the moon and Mars, why not use it for high-speed transport here at home. He proposes using his still-in-the-design phase rocket for launching passengers from New York to Shanghai in 39 minutes flat. Los Angeles to New York, or Los Angeles to Honolulu in 25 minutes. London to Dubai in 29 minutes. “Most of what people consider to be long-distance trips would be completed in less than half an hour,” Musk said to applause and cheers at the International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide. 19

A seat should cost about the same as a full-fare economy plane ticket, he noted later via Instagram. Friday’s address was a follow-up to one he gave to the group last September in Mexico, where he unveiled his grand scheme for colonizing Mars. He described a slightly scaled-down 348-foottall (106-meter-tall) rocket and announced that the private space company aims to launch two cargo missions to Mars in 2022. “That’s not a typo,” he said, pausing, as charts appeared on a large screen. “Although it is aspirational.” Two more cargo missions would follow in 2024 to provide more construction materials, along with two crewed flights. The window for launching to Mars occurs every two years. For the approximately six-month, one-way trips to Mars, the SpaceX ships would have 40 cabins, ideally with two to three people per cabin for a grand total of about 100 passengers. Musk foresees this Mars city growing, and over time “making it really a nice place to be.” Scott Hubbard, an adjunct professor at Stanford University and a former director of NASA’s Ames Research Center, calls it “a bold transportation architecture with aspirational dates.” A demonstration of some sort in the 2020s will add to its credibility, he said in an email. And while more details are needed for life-support systems, “Kudos to Elon and SpaceX for keeping the focus on humans to Mars!” Former NASA chief technologist Bobby Braun, now dean of the college of engineering and applied science at the University of Colorado at Boulder, also sees Musk’s plan as a step in the 20

right direction, building on technologies SpaceX already has demonstrated, like reusable rockets. “While the timeline and capabilities are certainly ambitious, I’m bullish on U.S industry’s ability to carry out challenging and far-reaching goals,” Braun wrote in an email. “It’s great to see the private sector lead in this way, and I hope we see more of it.” NASA is charting its own path to what it calls the “Deep Space Gateway,” beginning with expeditions in the vicinity of the moon in the 2020s and eventually culminating at Mars. The space agency has handed much of its Earthorbiting work to private industry, including SpaceX, Orbital ATK and Boeing.

BFR | Earth to Earth

Earlier Friday in Adelaide, Lockheed Martin presented its vision for a “Mars Base Camp” in partnership with NASA. Astronauts could be on their way in about a decade, the company said. This first mission would orbit the red planet, rather than land. Musk intends to finance his $10 billion Mars endeavor by using a rocket that’s smaller than the one outlined last year. Fewer engines would be needed: 31 versus the originally envisioned 42. Its lift capability would be 150 tons, more than NASA’s old moon rocket, the Saturn V. He wants one type of booster and spaceship that can replace the company’s current Falcon 9 rocket, the soon-to-fly Falcon Heavy rocket designed for heavier satellites, and the Dragon capsule presently used to deliver cargo to the International Space Station, and, as soon as next year, station astronauts. That way SpaceX can put all its resources toward this new system, Musk said. Revenue from launching satellites, and sending supplies and crews to the space station, could pay for the new rocket, he said. Musk said the same spaceship for moon and Mars trips — long and cylindrical with small shuttle-like wings — could fly to the space station. He said the mega-rocket could be used to establish a lunar settlement, with spaceships being refueled in Earth orbit versus creating a vital fuel depot at Mars. The mega-rocket doesn’t have a name but for now is called BFR. The B is for big; the R for rocket. As for the F, well, you get the idea. Online: SpaceX 24

Image: Brendan Smialowski

GOOGLE SPIKES FREE-ARTICLE REQUIREMENTS ON PUBLISHERS

Google is ending a decade-old policy that required publishers to provide some free stories to Google users —though it’s not clear how many readers will even notice, at least for the moment. Publishers had been required to provide at least three free stories a day under the search engine’s previous policy, called “first click free.” Now they have the power to choose how many free articles they want to offer readers via Google before charging a fee, Richard Gingras, vice president of news at Google Inc., wrote Monday in a company blog post . The goal is to help publishers build up digital subscriptions, an imperative for many media outlets that pay large sums for news production but are starved for advertising revenue. Google’s previous approach had let readers skirt paywall policies by typing a headline into Google and getting access to a story without having it count against a monthly free article limit, said Kinsey Wilson, an adviser to New York Times Co. CEO Mark Thompson. 27

IMPACT ON READERS Many online readers may not notice a change overnight unless they visit a particular site several times a month without subscribing. And not every publication blocks users from reading stories with a paywall. Newer digitalonly outfits tend not to. Newspaper companies that do cut off readers tend to do so after a certain monthly allotment of free stories. The Times offers 10 free articles, for example; the Boston Globe, two. Newspaper companies are trying to cope with steep declines in print-ad revenues as advertising has moved online. Google and social media companies like Facebook and Twitter are powerful drivers of traffic for publishers. But mandated freebie articles can complicate publishers’ attempts to bolster their paid-subscriber base. News Corp.’s Wall Street Journal had turned off “first click free” for its four main sections in January. It then lost half its Google traffic to articles, said spokesman Steve Severinghaus. Google would demote a publisher’s content if they didn’t use first click free, but now says that won’t happen anymore. Jason Kint, the head of the Digital Content Next media trade group, said he expects Google’s change will lead to news sites enabling more subscription models, making it harder down the road for web users to gorge themselves on stories from a particular outlet without paying for it.

TURNING TO SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscription revenue is increasingly important for newspaper publishers. Print-ad revenue continues to shrink, and Facebook and Google are gobbling up most digital ad revenue. Research firm eMarketer says the two companies will take in 63 percent of U.S. digital ad dollars this year. Facebook, too, is working on a way for news articles to charge readers for articles they share and read on the social network. News outlets have become more aggressive at challenging the Silicon Valley giants. In July, news outlets sought permission from Congress for the right to negotiate jointly with Google and Facebook, given the duo’s dominance in online advertising and online news traffic. In a statement Monday, News Corp. CEO Robert Thomson said Google’s change would be good for journalism if “properly introduced.” In months of testing with Google, reducing those free clicks from three to zero “generally improved” subscription rates, the New York Times’ Wilson said. But he added the Times continues to assess whether to actually reduce the number of free clicks now that it can. He said it was “not simply a mechanical decision” because the Times’ mission was in part to make sure its news was available to a wide audience and to set the news agenda. Google says it made the changes after feedback from and experiments with publishers. The company also says it wants to make subscribing to publications a more streamlined process and says it is working on ways to use its artificial intelligence capabilities to help publishers find new subscribers. 30

MICROSOFT DIVES DEEPER INTO ‘MIXED REALITY’ WITH VR DEVICES

Microsoft is counting on virtual reality headsets made by other companies to help establish personal computers running on its Windows 10 operating system as the best way to explore artificial worlds. The devices unveiled Tuesday include a Samsung headset called the HMD Odyssey. The headset requires a connection to a PC running on a Windows 10 update being released Oct. 17. That’s unlike Samsung’s less expensive Gear VR headset, which is designed to run on smartphones powered by Google’s Android operating system. Samsung’s HMD Odyssey will cost $500 and begin shipping early next month. The Gear VR sells for $40 to $130. PC makers Dell, HP, Acer and Lenovo also will be making VR headsets designed to work with Windows 10 machines. The prices for those headsets start at about $400. Microsoft also disclosed it’s buying a startup called AltspaceVR to develop technology for holding business meetings in VR. 33

The PC-driven headsets that Microsoft is embracing illuminate the dividing lines among some of the world’s most powerful technology companies as they all try to hook consumers and businesses on products and applications that blend the real world with digital versions of it. Both Apple and Google are focused on bringing a slightly different format called “augmented reality” to smartphones running on their software. Augmented reality, or AR, projects digital images into real-life scenes usually viewed through a camera lens. VR, on the other hand, completely immerses people into fake worlds, and usually requires wearing a headset that blocks out everything else. Microsoft Corp. is trying to develop technology that straddles both VR and AR, prompting the company to label its approach as “mixed reality.” It began its push into the area two years ago with an expensive headset called the HoloLens that so far has primarily been used inside companies. Now, Microsoft is trying to broaden its mixedreality strategy by working with PC makers to design and sell headsets that work with the upcoming Windows 10 update. The Redmond, Washington, company’s emphasis on its PC operating system isn’t surprising, given that its own attempts to expand into smartphones have flopped so far. Facebook, another company without its own smartphone operating system, also is betting on VR that works on standalones headsets build by its Oculus subsidiary. The Oculus headset also requires a connection to a high-powered PC. Oculus is expected to reveal the latest updates to its VR products at a conference next week. 34

Image: Ben Margot

SPACE-TIME GRAVITATIONAL WAVE RESEARCHERS WON A NOBEL

For decades astronomers tried to prove Albert Einstein right by doing what Einstein thought was impossible: detecting the faint ripples in the universe called gravitational waves. They failed repeatedly until two years ago when they finally spotted one. Then another. And another. And another. Three American scientists — including one who initially flunked out of MIT — won the Nobel Prize in physics Tuesday that launched a whole new way to observe the cosmos. Sweden’s Royal Academy of Sciences cited the combination of highly advanced theory and ingenious equipment design in awarding Rainer Weiss of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Barry Barish and Kip Thorne of the California Institute of Technology. “It’s a win for the human race as a whole. These gravitational waves will be powerful ways for the human race to explore the universe,” Thorne explain in a phone interview. 37

The trio were part of a team of more than 1,000 astronomers who first observed gravitational waves in September 2015. When the discovery was announced several months later, it was a sensation not only among scientists but the general public. These are waves that go through everything — including us — but carry information on them that astronomers could not get otherwise. “The best comparison is when Galileo discovered the telescope, which allowed us to see that Jupiter had moons. And all of a sudden, we discovered that the universe was much vaster than we used to think about,” Ariel Goobar of the Swedish academy said. Weiss said he hopes that eventually gravitational waves will help science learn about “the very moment when the universe came out of nothingness.” Gravitational waves were first theorized a century ago by Einstein, but he didn’t think technology would ever be able to detect the tiny wobbles, smaller than a piece of an atom. The waves are like “a storm in the fabric of spacetime that is produced when two black holes collide,” Thorne said. The first detection came from a crash 1.3 billion light-years away. A lightyear is about 5.88 trillion miles. The prize is “a win for Einstein, and a very big one,” Barish explain. The waves are detected by a laser device, called an interferometer, which must be both exquisitely precise and extremely stable in a project that cost $1.1 billion dollars. The first observation involved two of the devices 38

WHAT IS A GRAVITATIONAL WAVE? Gravitational waves are extremely faint ripples in the fabric of space and time that come from some of the most violent events in the universe. The four observations came from the merger of two black holes. The first one was 1.3 billion light-years away. These waves stretch in one dimension — like left and right — while compressing in another, such as up and down. Then they switch, Weiss explained. “They are ripples that stretch and squeeze space and everything that lives in space”.

Image: Xxxxx

WHAT IS SPACE-TIME? Space-time is the mind-bending, fourdimensional way astronomers see the universe. It melds the one-way march of time with the more familiar three dimensions of space. Einstein’s general relativity says that gravity is caused by heavy objects bending space-time. And when massive but compact objects like black holes or neutron stars collide, their immense gravity causes space-time to stretch or compress. When two black holes collide you get “a storm in the fabric of space-time ... vortices of twisting space fighting with each other,” Thorne said. Ironically, Einstein would have been quite surprised because even though he theorized about gravitational waves, he didn’t think humans would ever have the technology to spot them. And he didn’t believe black holes existed, Weiss said.

Image: Xxxxx

about 1,900 miles (3,000 kilometers) apart — in Hanford, Washington, and Livingston, Louisiana. They came about 7 milliseconds apart, consistent with the speed of light. A new detector in Italy went online and helped in the discovery of the fourth wave. With the technology that the three developed “we may even see entirely new objects that we haven’t even imagined yet,” said Patrick Sutton, an astronomer at Cardiff University in Wales. The German-born Weiss, who initially spearheaded the research effort, was awarded half of the 9-million-kronor ($1.1 million) prize amount. Thorne, a theorist, and Barish, the project’s first director, will split the other half. For decades, the scientists pushed for money to start the massive LIGO project, getting their first National Science Foundation grant in 1992. The first version of the detector went through six long runs looking for gravitational waves, but didn’t find them because it wasn’t technologically precise enough, Barish said. And computer programs needed to solve Einstein’s equations weren’t quite right and “the quest was foundering,” said Thorne, who peeled away from the detector work to form another collaboration to get better computing for detection. Two decades after construction “we finally struck gold,” Barish said. Weiss also overcame failure. After flunking out of MIT, he didn’t have anything to do so he offered himself as an electronics technician to a lab at MIT and learned how to solder and deal with people. He returned to school, got his 42

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Unlike other types of waves that go through the universe such as electromagnetic waves, gravitational waves go through matter — stars, planets, us — untouched. So it’s an entirely new type of astronomy, with experts comparing it to Galileo’s observations of the solar system. There’s information in gravitational waves that cannot be found elsewhere. The first gravitational wave detected was in the form of an audible chirp that some call the music of the cosmos. University of Florida’s Clifford Will said it offers a new way of observing the cosmos beyond light and particles.

bachelor’s and doctorate at MIT and ended up as a professor there. “There was a person who thought I was OK. I wasn’t a complete dope,” Weiss said. “I got some confidence out of that.” In a moment of poetry aimed at making the distant and infinitesimal phenomenon understandable to non-experts, the academy announcement said gravitational waves “are always created when a mass accelerates, like when an ice-skater pirouettes or a pair of black holes rotate around each other.” Professor Alberto Vecchio, from the University of Birmingham’s Institute of Gravitational Wave Astronomy, said this discovery will produce results for decades to come. “They have taken me, as well as hundreds of my colleagues, through such an intellectually rewarding and recently adrenaline-packed journey that we could not have even remotely imagined,” he said. “The best part is that this is just the beginning of a new roller-coaster exploration of the universe.” 46

For the past 25 years, the Nobel physics prize has been shared among multiple winners. Last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prize went to three British-born researchers who applied the mathematical discipline of topology to help understand the workings of exotic matter such as superconductors and superfluids. The 2017 Nobel prizes kicked off Monday with the medicine prize being awarded to three Americans studying circadian rhythms â&#x20AC;&#x201D; better known as body clocks: Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young. The chemistry prize will be announced Wednesday, the Nobel literature prize on Thursday and the peace prize on Friday. The economics prize, which is not technically a Nobel, will be awarded on Monday.

HOW IS THIS “HEARING” THE COSMOS? Scientists mostly use the word “hear” when describing gravitational waves, and the data does, in fact, arrive in audio form. The researchers can don headphones and listen to the detectors’ output if they want. But Weiss said it is not quite like sound waves.

WHAT’S NEXT? Scientists are waiting to detect crashes of neutron stars, which many thought would be the first collision to be heard. Other types of gravitational detectors are being built including one in India. The European Space Agency is planning a multibillion-dollar probe to be launched in about 17 years that would look for gravitational waves from space. With better technology, Weiss hopes astronomers will learn more about nuclear physics, states of matter, how heavy elements are made and detect information from “the very moment when the universe came out of nothingness.” “We expect surprises,” Weiss said. “There has to be surprises.”

GOOGLE UNVEILS HOME SMART SPEAKERS TO COUNTER AMAZON, APPLE

Google is introducing different sizes of its internet-connected speaker to compete against similar devices from Amazon and Apple. The Google Home Mini unveiled Wednesday is a button-sized speaker covered in fabric. It includes the same features featured in a cylindrical speaker that Google rolled out last year in response to Amazonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Echo . The Mini will cost almost $50, roughly the small price as Amazonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smaller speaker, the Echo Dot. The standard Google Home speaker costs almost $130. Last week, Amazon announced the next generation of its Echo speaker, coming out in time for the holiday shopping season, will cost just $100, a price that Google decided not to match. 55

The Google Home Max is a rectangular speaker with superior acoustics for playing music, mimicking Apple’s HomePod. Like Apple with the HomePod, Google is promising that its Max speaker will learn your musical tastes so it can become a digital DJ that automatically selects tunes that you’ll enjoy. But the Max speaker will work with a wider range of music-streaming services than the HomePod, which is designed to be a companion to Apple Music. Google is selling the Home Max for almost $400, about $50 more than the HomePod. Both speakers are due to hit stores in December. Google’s voice-activated digital assistant will serve as the brains for all the speakers, just as Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri run their competing devices. All three technology companies are trying to establish their assistants as prescient concierges that understand people’s needs and desires to help them better manage their homes and lives. Google is counting on the knowledge that it has accumulated through its dominant search engine to make its assistant far more intelligent than either Alexa or Siri, giving it an edge over its rivals over time.

Another year means another iPhone (or in this year’s case three) and the reviews have started to roll in for two of Apple’s latest offerings – the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus. Those thinking about upgrading may feel that their decision is overshadowed by the looming release of the iPhone X but trust us when we say that the iPhone 8 (or Plus) is a powerful upgrade for less of the price. So, exactly how does this generation compare to those that came before it? In general, the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus both provide us with a good dose of change from the likes of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 7, particularly when it comes to things like enhanced performance and a glimpse at the augmented reality features that are set to change the smartphone game.

AN UNRIVALED PERFORMANCE Performance-wise, both the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are equipped with a six-core A11 bionic chip which Apple says has brought some major improvements from the previous iPhone 7. The devices feature two performance cores and four efficiency cores, and certain CPU tests that have recently been carried out suggest that both not only significantly outperform the A10 but beat the A10X Fusion that is found in the iPad Pro. This means that your iPhone 8 or 8 Plus will perform to the standard of the latest 13-inch MacBook Pro – at least! When it comes to day-to-day use, there is little change from the iPhone 7, but for the 4.7-inch device, battery life has finally improved. Users can now expect their iPhone 8 to last just over 26 hours, and that’s without turning off push notifications or avoiding YouTube videos. This is a huge difference from the 14-hour battery life that the iPhone 7 initially boasted. Similarly, when the battery is dead, the iPhone 8 will charge much faster using a USB-C charging with Power Delivery. Of course, the newest big feature for Apple is wireless charging and although this is something that a number of their main rivals have supported for years, it’s good that they’re finally on board.

Images: Sarah Tew/CNET

EXACTLY HOW FRAGILE IS THE ALL-GLASS DESIGN? The entry-level price for the iPhone 8 with 64 GB of storage costs Apple $247.51 to make. This is compared with the $237.94 it cost to make the entry-level 32 GB iPhone 7. Recently, IHS has attributed this price hike to three of the new phone’s components: the camera, memory, and processing. This means that apart from the increase in base storage, the most expensive parts of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are the screen and mechanical enclosures. Bearing this in mind, then, we can begin to wonder just how fragile this all-glass design is. The all-glass design provides us with the ability to charge our phones wirelessly but is this a big price to pay if the device is going to shatter on impact completely? Early drop tests have proven that the iPhone 8 is indeed more fragile than its predecessors, but if you do drop your iPhone, you should be thankful that it’s not a Samsung Galaxy Note 8. At the launch, Apple explained that the iPhone 8 and iPhone X have better glass than any models, but this is something you’re bound to curse if it does accidentally slip out of your hands. 66

iPhone 8 Plus vs 7 Plus DROP Test!

Image: Sarah Tew/CNET

iPhone 8 Plus vs Galaxy Note 8 Drop Test!

WHAT EXACTLY IS THE BIG DEAL WITH iOS 11? Compared to last year’s iOS 10, some may say that not a great deal has changed with iOS 11 on the iPhone as the majority of new features are now confined to the iPad. Firstly, there is the new control center that gives you the power to customize the shortcut menu with the tools and controls that you use the most. Now, swiping from the bottom lets you remove four of the default icons (Camera, Timer, Flashlight, and Calculator) and determine what goes there instead. Some features that you decide may be specific to you, such as adding the Apple TV Remote there so you can easily switch between your Netflix shows or the brand new Do Not Disturb While Driving tool that frees you from the distraction of any incoming notifications. This isn’t everything, though. Now by holding the Camera icon, you can choose from specific options such as take a selfie, record video or take a portrait photo, with the flashlight you can adjust the brightness, and in Wallet, you can choose which of your cards you want to use. There’s even a hidden ‘Quick Start’ feature that lets you set up your new phone a lot quicker than going through the usual process.

Top 11 iOS 11 Features - What’s New Review

Image: Jason Cipriani/CNET

iPhone 8 unboxing and fast set up with iOS 11â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Quick Start

A BRIEF GLIMPSE AT AUGMENTED REALITY Over the past decade or so, Apple has changed the way that we interact with our mobile devices, so perhaps the feature that we’d all been waiting for at the most recent launch was augmented reality. Blurring the line between the real world and the virtual world, Apple first launched their own AR technology at the World Wide Developers Conference earlier this year. Using the tech to add virtual objects to real-world situations, Apple demonstrated the endless possibilities of AR and how it could soon become readily available to consumers. In the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, then, the upgraded cameras allow for better AR processing meaning that users both young and old can have fun with some new apps such as Google Translate, Night Sky, and Quiver.

TOUCH ID IS A PROVEN SECURITY MEASURE; FACE ID IS NOT. What we must not forget to mention is the newest of Apple’s security features, Face ID, and how they did not do much in their keynote presentation to show its reliability. This facial recognition software allows users to get into their phone via a 3D Face scan and has come against some criticism. Although it has been explained that Apple’s engineering team “worked hard to make sure Face ID can’t easily be spoofed by things like photographs,” by testing the security with realistic models, there is yet to be any real evidence to prove that it’s more secure. By choosing the iPhone 8 or 8 Plus, you’ll forego this feature and stick 74

Image: TechCrunch

with the proven entity that is Touch ID although the iPhone X launch in November will be the first time that anyone has seen Face ID work in practice. This, alongside the trade-off for a physical home button, is a factor that requires some careful consideration. All in all, both the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are an upgrade from their respective predecessors, although they do seem a little like an ‘S’ upgrade in disguise. If you base your opinion on the specification bumps that we’ve highlighted, you might think it’s a good idea to wait for the upcoming iPhone X, but if the price is something you’re concerned about, then the premium one may not be for you.

by Benjamin Kerry & Gavin Lenaghan

Image: Sarah Tew/CNET

GM TO OFFER 2 MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN NEXT 18 MONTHS

Even though gasoline-powered SUVs are what people are buying now, General Motors is betting that electric vehicles will be all the rage in the not-too-distant future. The Detroit automaker is promising two new EVs loosely based on the Chevrolet Bolt in the next 1 Â˝ years and more than 20 electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by 2023. The company sees its entire model lineup running on electricity in the future, whether the source is a big battery or a tank full of hydrogen. 78

“We are far along in our plan to lead the way into that future world,” product development chief Mark Reuss said Monday at a news conference at the GM technical center north of Detroit. The event was billed as a “sneak peek” into GM’s electric future. The company also pledged to start producing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for commercial or military use in 2020. And it promised an increase in the number of electric fast-charging stations in the U.S., which now total 1,100 from companies and governments, taking a shot at electric competitor Tesla Inc. by saying the system would not be “walled off” from electric vehicles made by other manufacturers. Tesla has 951 fast-charging stations globally that can only be used by Tesla owners. The news helped push GM’s stock up 4.4 percent to a record closing price of $42.16 on Monday, besting the old high of $40.99 set on Dec. 20, 2013. The hastily called event was short on specifics, and it came just a day before the CEO of Ford Motor Co., GM’s prime competitor, was to announce its business plan that likely will include electric and autonomous vehicles as priorities. The two new GM electrics in the immediate future likely will be SUVs or a sportier car designed to compete with Tesla’s upcoming Model 3 sedan, Reuss said. The Model 3, which is now in the early stages of production, will go hood-to-hood with the Bolt, starting around $35,000 (excluding a $7,500 federal tax credit) with a range of over 200 miles. The Bolt starts at $37,495 excluding the credit. 81

Behind Reuss and other executives were nine vehicles covered with tarps that the company said were among the 20 to be unveiled by 2023. GM pulled away the tarps on three of them, clay models of low-slung Buick and Cadillac SUVs and a futuristic version of the Bolt that looked like half of an airport control tower glued to the top of a car body. The rest remained covered. The company wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allow photographs of the vehicles, and it wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say if any of the vehicles it showed were the ones coming in the next 18 months. 82

Reuss said the new vehicles that aren’t built on the Bolt platform will have GM’s next-generation electric architecture, which he said will be more efficient with longer range than the Bolt’s 238 miles. Through August, GM has sold 11,670 Bolts, which is less than 1 percent of GM’s total U.S. sales so far this year. Reuss promised that the new vehicles will be profitable as people become more accustomed to the advancing technology. “We can’t just flip a switch and make the world go all-electric,” he said. 83

ROKU CUTS PRICE ON TOP STREAMING PLAYER TO COUNTER APPLE TV

Emboldened by a successful IPO, Roku is reducing the price on the next generation of its best video streaming player in an attempt to fend off competitive threats from Apple and Amazon. The latest Roku Ultra player announced Monday will sell for $100. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a 23 percent decrease from the Roku Ultra released last year, a device that had been selling for $130 until a recent clearance sale. Roku is also upgrading an array of other streaming devices, priced from $29 to $70, less than week after completing an initial public offering of stock that raised $219 million for the Los Gatos, California, company. In vote of confidence, Rokuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stock has already nearly doubled from its IPO price of $14. 85

ROKU VS. APPLE Even with that strong start on Wall Street, Roku still only has a market value of $2.5 billion, making it a relative David battling two Goliaths in Apple ($800 billion market value) and Amazon ($462 billion). Roku also still hasn’t turned a profit. But the price cut on the Roku Ultra could make it tougher for Apple to win over video streaming fans with its just released player featuring supersharp “4K” video — a step up from standard high definition. The new Apple TV player costs almost $180, up from almost $150 for an earlier model without 4K. The Roku Ultra also plays 4K video and offers more streaming channels than Apple TV, but it isn’t compatible with Apple’s own video store or Apple’s music subscription service. Apple is counting on those services to justify its higher priced Apple TV for the tens of millions of consumers hooked on its iPhones, iPads and Mac computers.

ROKU VS. THE REST The Roku Ultra is still more expensive than the next generation of Amazon’s Fire TV streaming player. Amazon last week announced that the latest Fire TV model with 4K video will sell for $70, down from $100 previously. Meanwhile, computer chip maker Nvidia is trying to make its own splash with a Shield streaming player that it rolled out two years ago. The next generation of the Shield player comes equipped with Google’s digital assistant to find and navigate through video with voice commands while also providing on-screen answers to many questions. It also sells for almost $180. Apple’s digital assistant, Siri, can be used to control its streaming player while Amazon’s assistant, Alexa, works with Fire TV. Although it is much smaller than its rivals, Roku is the leading seller of video streaming players in the U.S. with a 37 percent share of the market, according to the research firm Park Associates. Amazon has been gaining ground with a 24 percent share, up from 16 percent last year. Apple’s share stands at 15 percent, which also trails Google’s Chromecast streaming device at 18 percent. There’s still ample room for growth. Park Associates estimates that two-thirds of U.S. households still don’t have a video streaming player.

NASA LANGLEY’S NEW COMPUTER LAB USHERS AGE OF COMPUTATION

Back when “human computers” like Katherine Johnson calculated orbital trajectories and flight times for Mercury and Apollo astronauts by hand, some people still considered actual computers mere works in progress. That’s why in 1962 a dubious John Glenn famously asked that Johnson run the numbers for his historic orbital flight to back up a NASA computer. Now, NASA Langley Research Center is officially opening the Katherine G. Johnson Computational Research Facility — a $23 Image: David C. Bowman

million consolidated computer center with so much firepower it’ll be used on brain-busters like running entry, descent and landing simulations for the 2020 Mars rover, performing computational fluid dynamics tests to simulate wind tunnels, and developing and modeling new polymers before ever trying them out in a lab. “Across the board, everybody’s getting into (information technology) — the ability to simulate before you make or test,” said Erik Weiser, deputy director for center operations, on Sept. 19. “This will be a very powerful tool for us.” Naming the building for Johnson was “very appropriate, since she was one of the original human computers,” said Loretta Kelemen, director of center operations. Conceived in 2011 as part of the Hampton center’s revitalization plan to grow smaller but smarter, the facility first broke ground in 2014. It consolidates four of Langley’s data centers and 30 servers into one energy-efficient space. The ribbon-cutting was set for Sept. 22, with 99-year-old Johnson, Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Sen. Mark Warner, “Hidden Figures” author and Hampton native Margot Lee Shetterly, local politicians and other dignitaries set to attend. Just inside the entrance is celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz’s portrait of Johnson, whose story was told in the book and movie “Hidden Figures,” taken at Fort Monroe last year. The entrance leads to a large openconcept office space with 84 cubicles set in long rows. The ceiling is an open architecture of joists, ductwork and pendant lights. 92

The cubicles are still bare, except for a handful already occupied by beta testers who have been helping project manager Matt Hinson kick the tires to identify any issues. Their desks are personalized with paraphernalia such as a Yorkie-size model of an Imperial walker from “Star Wars,” TARDIS time machines from “Doctor Who,” ETs, Darth Vaders, glass skulls and posters proclaiming “Zombie Research Facility” and “Mars Explorers Wanted.” Along the walls are private offices, team-up rooms, large and small conference rooms, a small break room and media center. There’s a restricted IT security office where experts can run forensics and protect NASA data from cyberattack. Back in the restricted server room are about 100 racks, or black lockers, ready for computer servers that will run so hot it’ll take three big tanks packing 750 tons of coolant to keep them happy. Next month, NASA will start filling up those racks into two divisions — for low-density computing, or more basic computer work, and high-density supercomputers for midrange computing. The idea is that, after those supercomputers develop their simulation codes, they’ll be sent to the big supercomputer at NASA Ames Research Center to run even more sophisticated code. Like other new construction under Langley’s revitalization plan, this facility was built above the 500-year flood plain, said Weiser. Old buildings no longer needed are being demolished and returned to a natural state.

Image: David C. Bowman

A few critical buildings, though, are still in the flood plain and can’t be moved or demolished, such as the compressor station that produces the air needed for the wind tunnels. Those buildings are being hardened against floods that scientists say will only get worse with climate change. Two other at-risk facilities are the 20-foot vertical spin tunnel and 16-foot transonic dynamics tunnel located next door at Langley Air Force Base, said Weiser. The vertical spin tunnel lies along the Back River, said Kelemen, and “floods almost every time we have a rain event.” Langley hopes to build a new vertical spin tunnel on higher ground one day if it can get the funding. As the new computational research facility springs to life, though, it likely signals a slow death for other wind tunnels as they become obsolete. “It’s hard,” said Weiser. “Folks have spent their entire careers in the wind tunnels, so it’s hard to let go — and we won’t until we’re ready. Once we’re ready, the researchers understand.” Still, he said, “there will always be a place for testing — be it wind tunnels, be it materials testing, entry, descent and landing. We’ll use the vertical wind tunnel that we’re trying to build to simulate things like that. . We’re going to try to drive to a place where we can answer more complex questions with computers that you may miss with a regular test. Or you use them in conjunction to get more complete answers.” 96

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Movies &

TV Shows

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Trailer

The Beguiled When an injured Union soldier finds himself on the run from the Civil War he seeks refuge at an all-female Southern boarding school. Despite helping him with his wounded leg, soon sexual tensions lead to dangerous rivalries, jealousy and betrayal.

FIVE FACTS: 1. Sophia Coppola won the prize of Best Director at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival for this film, marking the first time in 50 years that a woman won the award and only the second time overall. 2. The interior scenes were filmed in New Orleans at the home of actress Jennifer Coolidge.

by Sofia Coppola Genre: Drama Released: 2017 Price: $14.99

3. During rehearsals, a civil war reenactor instructed Nicole Kidman in the medical procedures of the time.

28 Ratings

4. Kirsten Dunst refused to lose weight for her part in the movie, having already been through an intense diet for her film Woodshock (2017). 5. Coppola shot the film in 1.66: 1 aspect ratio to make it feel claustrophobic.

Rotten Tomatoes

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‘If You Could Have Anything’

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Spider-Man: Homecoming High-school student Peter Parker tries to balance his ordinary life in Queens with his superhero alter-ego Spider-Man but must eventually confront a new villain prowling the skies of New York City.

FIVE FACTS: 1. At nineteen, Tom Holland is the youngest actor to be cast as Peter Parker. 2. This is the first Spider-Man film where Spider-Man has the iconic web wings from the comics. 3. Mark Hamill wanted to play Vulture if Michael Keaton turned the part down. Gary Oldman was also considered for the role. 4. This is the first feature film for the Disney Channel star Zendaya. 5. This is the second time Robert Downey Jr. makes a credited appearance in a Marvel Cinematic Universe film without receiving top billing.

by Jon Watts Genre: Action & Adventure Released: 2017 Price: $19.99

686 Ratings

Rotten Tomatoes

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Trailer

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SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING Movie Clip - Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the Spider-Man?

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“Younger Now”

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Music

Younger Now Miley Cyrus Miley’s latest musical offering marks her next phase from the Disney darling she grew up as to the rebel-hippie persona we’ve experienced over the past few years. Younger Now returns Miley to her Tennessee roots, a blend of country and pop whereby she manages to seize her inner child, as well as ours.

FIVE FACTS: Genre: Pop Released: Sep 29, 2017 11 Songs Price: $9.99

1. Miley was born with the name Destiny Hope Cyrus but legally changed her name in 2008.

1229 Ratings

2. Her controversial VMA’s performance generated 360,000 tweets per minute. 3. Her godmother is Dolly Parton. 4. She has a tattoo of Roman numerals VIIXCI which is the date her parents met. 5. In 2015, she launched The Happy Hippie Foundation which helps homeless, LGBT youth and other vulnerable populations.

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“See You Again in the Live Lounge”

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Now (Deluxe) Shania Twain On her first studio album in 15 years, Shania has considered an experience of personal upheaval to create something that is as intimate and passionate as anything she’s ever recorded. Triumph reigns in the track ‘Swinging With My Eyes Closed’, there’s the solemn ‘Who’s Gonna Be Your Girl’ and ‘You Can’t Buy Me Love’ which recalls the soulful sound of Amy Winehouse.

FIVE FACTS: 1. Shania started penning her own songs when she was ten years old. 2. Her birth name is Eileen Regina Edwards but her step-father, Jerry Twain, adopted her when she was four years old. The record label Mercury asked her to change her last name, but instead, she became Shania Twain. 3. Her song ‘Honey, I’m Home’ was used to wake up members of the Space Shuttle Atlantis crew in 2001. 4. Her Come on Over album from 1997 is the best-selling country album ever despite it never topping Billboard’s Top 200 Albums Chart. 5. In 1999, Shania Twain became the first Canadian to win the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year Award.

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Genre: Country Released: Sep 29, 2017 16 Songs Price: $14.99

495 Ratings

“Life’s About To Get Good”

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“Life’s About To Get Good” on AGT - America’s Got Talent 2017

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BOX OFFICE TOP 20: ‘KINGSMAN’ SEQUEL TAKES NO. 1 BY A HAIR

In a Monday box office twist, “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” landed in the top spot after Sunday estimates had pegged the film for third place behind “It” and the new Tom Cruise sequel “American Made.” The race was tight between the three films nonetheless. In its second week in first place, the “Kingsman” sequel took in $16.93 million, just over $30,000 more than “It,” which added $16.9 million to its total. In third place was Cruise’s “American Made,” which debuted to $16.8 million over the weekend. The “Flatliners” remake also opened this weekend to less lively results. The film opened in fifth place with $6.6 million. 118

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The top 20 movies at U.S. and Canadian theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as compiled Monday by comScore:

“Kingsman: The Golden Circle,” 20th Century Fox, $16,935,565, 4,038 locations, $4,194 average, $66,637,153, 2 weeks.

“It,” Warner Bros., $16,902,442, 3,917 locations, $4,315 average, $290,775,232, 4 weeks.

“American Made,” Universal, $16,776,390, 3,024 locations, $5,548 average, $16,776,390, 1 week.

“The Lego Ninjago Movie,” Warner Bros., $11,644,237, 4,047 locations, $2,877 average, $35,200,302, 2 weeks.

“Flatliners,” Sony, $6,574,326, 2,552 locations, $2,576 average, $6,574,326, 1 week.

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“Battle Of The Sexes,” Fox Searchlight, $3,417,342, 1,213 locations, $2,817 average, $4,090,500, 2 weeks.

“American Assassin,” Lionsgate, $3,315,644, 3,020 locations, $1,098 average, $31,864,225, 3 weeks.

“Home Again,” Open Road, $1,726,563, 2,370 locations, $729 average, $25,152,128, 4 weeks.

“Til Death Do Us Part,” Novus Content, $1,521,803, 562 locations, $2,708 average, $1,521,803, 1 week.

10.

“mother!” Paramount, $1,449,378, 1,840 locations, $788 average, $16,310,224, 3 weeks.

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11.

“Victoria & Abdul,” Focus Features, $1,092,204, 77 locations, $14,184 average, $1,312,549, 2 weeks.

12.

“A Question Of Faith,” Pure Flix, $1,025,489, 661 locations, $1,551 average, $1,025,489, 1 week.

13.

“Stronger,” Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions, $922,923, 645 locations, $1,431 average, $3,165,000, 2 weeks.

14.

“Friend Request,” Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures, $728,064, 2,081 locations, $350 average, $3,411,022, 2 weeks.

15.

“Hitman’s Bodyguard, The,” Lionsgate, $679,375, 1,119 locations, $607 average, $74,624,503, 7 weeks.

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16.

“Judwaa 2,” Fox International Productions, $638,045, 192 locations, $3,323 average, $638,045, 1 week.

17.

“Wind River,” The Weinstein Company, $597,048, 892 locations, $669 average, $32,786,407, 9 weeks.

18.

“Spider-Man: Homecoming,” Sony, $588,932, 679 locations, $867 average, $332,707,249, 13 weeks.

19.

“Leap!” The Weinstein Company, $483,227, 730 locations, $662 average, $20,910,437, 6 weeks.

20.

“Brad’s Status,” Annapurna Pictures , $400,522, 453 locations, $884 average, $1,766,066, 3 weeks.

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by 21st Century Fox; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

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BRINGING ‘BLADE RUNNER’ BACK TO LIFE AFTER 35 YEARS

It was dawn on the set of “Blade Runner 2049” and Harrison Ford and director Denis Villeneuve were swimming back to the shore together after an all-night shoot in a million-gallon water tank. It was cold in the water. It was cold outside. And it was just one night out of a dozen that they’d be spending their sleeping hours soaking wet to try to execute a set piece that even Ridley Scott thought too ambitious. “What we are doing now is insane,” Ford told Villeneuve. “It’s insane.” He might as well have been talking about the whole project, which is, by one metric, a $150 million art house sequel to a 35-year-old sci-fi film that flopped on release. In 1982, Ridley Scott’s neonoir dystopian mind-bender based on Philip K. Dick’s story “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” made a mere $27.6 million on a $28 million budget. For comparison, the year’s top film, “E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial” made $359.2 million. 129

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During the troubled production, Ford and Scott famously disagreed on even the nature of Ford’s character Rick Deckard and whether or not he was a “Replicant” (aka an android), and neither liked the theatrical release which included a tacked on happy ending and a forced voiceover narration. Then came all those other versions. Seven are said to exist, five are still available. Both Ford and Villeneuve like “The Final Cut,” from 2007, best.

this year. “Not just grunge and gloom and rain and dark, but a real story.”

And yet “Blade Runner” not only survived those rocky origins but transcended them to become a widely regarded sci-fi classic.

With Ridley Scott’s blessing, the promise of total creative freedom, Ford set to reprise his role and Ryan Gosling on board to co-star as a new LAPD officer, Villeneuve agreed to do it and set off on the “mad” task of making a worthy sequel to “Blade Runner.” He had legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins at his side from “day zero” helping to craft the look and feel of the film from the storyboard stage on.

Still, the prospect for a sequel seemed dubious at best, especially when one of the primary rights holders nixed any attempt to start a franchise, fearful that someone might attempt to remake “Blade Runner.” It took the late producer Bud Yorkin and his wife Cynthia Sikes 12 years to persuade him otherwise. “I had this notion that there was an answer for a relevant sequel,” Ridley Scott told the AP earlier

Scott worked for nearly two years on the story with Hampton Fancher and Michael Green with the intention to direct, but instead diverted his attentions to “Alien: Covenant.” The producers from Alcon Entertainment then approached Denis Villeneuve, who they’d worked with on “Prisoners,” and who would later gain an Oscar nomination for “Arrival.”

What exactly that story is, though, the producers and filmmakers hope will remain a secret until general audiences are able to see it for

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themselves — one of those “everything is a spoiler” films that they believe is best seen with uninformed eyes. Shooting took place in Budapest (for space and financial reasons), so gone are the Los Angeles landmarks that helped define the original — the Bradbury Building, the Ennis House, Union Station and so on — and in its place are brutalist Soviet-era structures and massive sets that even Ford marveled at to represent what Los Angeles might look like in 2049. And then of course there was that gigantic water tank that took two months to build. “It was by far the biggest technical challenge of my life and at the same time, I had fun like a kid. I will say we went through it and it went very well,” Villeneuve said. “Both of my main actors were gentlemen. They were troopers. Never complained. Harrison was always the first one in the water. To see that man, that legend who is no spring chicken being out at 4 a.m. in the water with a big smile? It warms everybody’s heart.” Ford said he knew on set that he was making something special. “We were there, we saw what was going on and thought that it was going to be good,” Ford said. “It’s just epic.” The completed film, he added, will “knock your socks off.” Early reviews mostly agree. The film currently boasts a “Fresh” 96 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and is tracking for a debut in the $40 million range — which could rise with good word of mouth. It’s no secret to say that Alcon, which co-financed with Sony, needs the film to be a hit. 132

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The company has virtual reality tie-ins planned and knows that there is a whole universe to be mined in the “Blade Runner” mythology, including prequels and off-world adventures. “Sometime in the next 35 years we’ll probably do something,” Alcon co-CEO Andrew Kosove said with a smirk. “It’s tricky. We do have business decisions to think about, but this is a unique circumstance. It’s not Marvel. It’s not DC. There’s got to be a real reason to do it, otherwise it won’t work commercially anyway.”

Villeneuve, for his part, is at peace with the film. “I’m not saying the movie is perfect, but I’m saying that there is something there that is part of my initial dream. How the world will react I have no idea,” he said. “I always make movies like they are my last ones. You never know what will come next. I gave it everything for better or worse. It verges on insanity to do that but I’m calm and you know why I’m calm? Harrison Ford loved the film. And Ridley Scott, too. For me, to know that both fathers gave their blessing, I feel OK.”

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LIZ WESTON: EQUIFAX JUST CHANGED THE REST OF YOUR LIFE

Adding freezes to your credit reports is an appropriate response to the massive Equifax database breach that exposed the private information of 143 million Americans. Don’t make the mistake of thinking those freezes will keep you safe, however. Credit freezes lock down your credit reports in a way that should prevent “new account fraud,” or bogus accounts being opened in your name. But there are so many other ways the bad guys can use the information they stole, which included Social Security numbers, birthdates, addresses and some driver’s license numbers. Others include: —Stealing your tax refund and preventing you from filing returns by submitting fake ones —Using your information to get health care, which can result not only in medical collections on your credit reports but a stranger’s health information getting mixed in with your records 137

—Giving your identification to the police when they get arrested, creating criminal records that could land you in jail or prevent you from getting a job —Filing for bankruptcy in your name or transferring deeds of property you own You can’t prevent any of these bad things from happening. The best you can do is remain as vigilant as you can and try to clear up the messes as they happen. If you feel helpless, there’s a good reason for that: You are.

THEFT AND RUIN, DONE IN YOUR NAME “Equifax just signed you up for a lifetime game of Whack-A-Mole,” says Leslie Beck, a certified financial planner in Rutherford, New Jersey. Beck’s husband, Mark, is an investment consultant who’s been the repeated victim of identity theft after his wallet was stolen in 1999. Shutting down bogus credit accounts — freezes weren’t available back then — was just the start. One thief used Mark Beck’s name to commit insurance fraud by staging phony car accidents. Another was arrested for public urination, creating an outstanding warrant in Mark Beck’s name that could have cost him his job. The last incident was in 2007, but the Becks say they’re still on high alert. “I never feel safe anymore,” Mark Beck says. The Becks’ world is our world now. We need to scan every piece of mail and junk mail, looking for unfamiliar names that could indicate someone is trying to take over our accounts. We need to obsessively check our bank 138

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statements, credit card bills and credit reports for unauthorized activity. We need to hold our breath every time we apply for a job or get stopped by a cop, lest someone else’s misdeeds derail our lives. We need to pay the price, in other words, because a private company couldn’t be bothered to invest adequately in the security that might have protected us.

CONGRESS, FORBID THE USE OF SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS There’s one thing Congress can and should do to mitigate the damage. It’s not making freezes free, although that would be nice. It typically costs $3 to $10 at each of the three bureaus to freeze your report, plus $2 to $10 to lift the freeze temporarily if you want new credit — or a job, or insurance, or an apartment, or cell service, or any of the other reasons companies have to check your report. The idea that you have to pay to protect your own information, which was gathered and bartered without your consent, is outrageous. Congress also is not requiring the bureaus to offer free credit monitoring for life — although that, too, would help, since that can alert you to bogus credit accounts and help you clear up the damage. What Congress should do is to forbid private companies and government agencies, except for Social Security, from using Social Security numbers as an all-purpose identifier. We wouldn’t be so vulnerable to so many frauds if those digits were limited to their original purpose of earning and receiving retirement and disability benefits. 141

The cost of switching away from Social Security numbers would be huge. The good news: Much of that expense would be borne by the companies that have been profiting from using our data in the first place.

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW —Get your credit reports from the three major bureaus and look for accounts you don’t recognize. Here’s how to use AnnualCreditReport.com; you can check each bureau once a year. —Sign up for a free credit report service that you can access more frequently. It will alert you to new accounts, changes in your score or new negative items. —Freeze your credit reports as soon as possible with each of the three major credit bureaus to prevent scammers from opening new accounts. If a freeze is inconvenient or unavailable, set fraud alerts on your reports. —Stay vigilant. As long as your Social Security number is the key to your identity, you’ll need to be on guard. That’s our life now, thanks to Equifax. Liz Weston is a columnist at NerdWallet , a certified financial planner and author of “Your Credit Score.” Email: lweston@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @lizweston.

RELATED LINKS: NerdWallet: Get a free credit report NerdWallet: How to use AnnualCreditReport.com NerdWallet: How to freeze your credit, and why you should NerdWallet: The difference between credit freezes and fraud alerts 142

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AMAZON MUST PAY $295 MILLION IN BACK TAXES, EU SAYS

Amazon has to pay $295 million in back taxes to Luxembourg, the European Union ordered Wednesday, in its latest attempt to tighten the screws on multinationals it says are avoiding taxes through sweetheart deals with individual EU states. Margrethe Vestager, the EU official in charge of antitrust issues, also took Ireland to court for failing to collect a massive 13 billion euros ($15.3 billion) in back taxes from Apple Inc. She argued that, like in Amazonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s case, the company had profited from a deal with the country that had allowed it to avoid paying most of the taxes the EU felt were due. 145

The EU has taken aim at such past deals, which member states had used to lure foreign companies in search of a place to establish their EU headquarters. The practice led to EU states competing with each other and multinationals playing them off one another. EU states are now trying to harmonize their tax rules, but Wednesday’s and previous rulings seek to redress years of tax avoidance. Vestager said that U.S. online retailer Amazon had unfairly profited from special low tax conditions since 2003 in tiny Luxembourg, where its European headquarters are based. As a result, almost three quarters of Amazon’s profits in the EU were not taxed, she said. “In other words, Amazon was allowed to pay four times less tax than other local companies subject to the same national tax rules,” she said. The issue is not so much that the companies got tax breaks but that they were available only to them. Amazon said it believed it had not received any special treatment from Luxembourg and would consider appealing. “We paid tax in full accordance with both Luxembourg and international tax law.” EU states like Luxembourg and Ireland that have deals with multinationals are put in difficult positions with such rulings. They don’t want to scare away the companies by hiking their tax bills but also want to fall in line with the EU’s efforts to create an even playing field — as well as show taxpayers that big foreign companies are paying their fair share. The issue of corporate tax avoidance became a hot topic in the EU 146

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after the financial crisis, when governments had to raise taxes and slash spending to get public finances back into shape. Luxembourg said it might appeal Wednesday’s ruling, but stressed it is “strongly committed to tax transparency and the fight against harmful tax avoidance.” Analysts say that beyond claiming the sums of money owed, the EU’s move is meant to create a public awareness of the issue of tax avoidance by multinationals, in effect shaming individual EU states and the companies while the bloc works on harmonizing its tax rules. “Corporations are sensitive to being positioned as tax avoiders,” said Louise Gracia, a professor at the Warwick Business School who researches tax issues. The EU investigation was made particularly awkward by the fact that the current European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, was Luxembourg’s prime and finance minister at the time the tax system for Amazon was set up. “We try to investigate behavior from member states. It is not a criminal investigation trying to incriminate different persons in the positions that they hold,” Vestager said. Vestager had already ordered Ireland to claw back up to 13 billion euros from Apple last year, but said Wednesday that Ireland hadn’t recovered any money so far. Ireland, which is appealing last year’s decision, reacted angrily, saying it “is extremely disappointing that the Commission has taken action at this time.” It said it was busy working on the deal and had made “significant progress.” 148

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SENATE BILL TO CLEAR OBSTACLES TO SELF-DRIVING CARS ADVANCES

Legislation that could help usher in a new era of self-driving cars advanced in Congress on Wednesday after the billâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sponsors agreed to compromises to address some concerns of safety advocates. The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved the bill by a voice vote, a sign of broad, bipartisan support. It would allow automakers to apply for exemptions to current federal auto safety standards in order to sell up to 15,000 selfdriving cars and light trucks per manufacturer in the first year after passage. Up to 40,000 per manufacturer could be sold in the second year, and 80,000 each year thereafter. Action by the full Senate is still needed and differences with a similar bill passed by the House would have to be worked out before the measure could become law. 151

The bill initially would have allowed manufacturers to sell up to 100,000 self-driving vehicles a year, but that number was reduced in last-minute negotiations. In another change, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would evaluate the safety performance of the vehicles before increasing the number of vehicles manufacturers can sell. Supporters of the bill, which was sought by the auto industry, say it would be a boon to safety since an estimated 94 percent of crashes involve human error. They say it would also help the disabled. The bill “is primarily about saving lives,” but it will also increase U.S. international competitiveness and create jobs, said Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan. Safety advocates said the bill has been significantly improved, but they still have serious concerns. Joan Claybrook, a NHTSA administrator under President Jimmy Carter, said the bill is one of the “biggest assaults” ever on the landmark 1966 law that empowered the federal government to set auto safety standards because it permits such large and unprecedented number of exemptions to those standards. Automakers are “making guinea pigs out of their car buyers,” she said. Under the bill, the NHTSA would have 180 days after an application in which to grant or deny the exemption. Manufacturers must show that they can provide an equivalent of safety. Safety advocates say six months isn’t enough time for an agency that is undermanned and lacks expertise in self-driving technology to effectively make such determinations. 152

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The bill is broad enough to permit exemptions to standards that protect occupants in a crash, like air bags, safety advocates said. There are no federal safety standards for many of the technologies at the heart of self-driving cars, like software and sensors, and there is no sign that the Trump administration would create such standards. Administration and auto and technology industry officials suggest that new regulations would be unable to keep up with rapid developments in technology and would slow deployment of self-driving cars. The bill pre-empts state and local governments from enacting their own safety standards in the absence of federal standards. Industry officials have complained that being forced to comply with a patchwork of state safety laws would be unmanageable. But another compromise made to the bill allows states to continue their traditional roles of licensing vehicles and regulating auto insurance even if their actions affect the design of vehicles. Wrongful death lawsuits against manufacturers would also be allowed in states that permit them. Automakers have experienced the largest number of recalls for safety defects in the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history in recent years. General Motors, for example, was found to have buried evidence of an ignition switch defect that ultimately caused the recall of 2.6 million small cars worldwide. The switches played a role in at least 124 deaths and 275 injuries. Also, about 70 million defective Takata air bag inflators are being recalled in the U.S. The inflators are responsible for up to 19 deaths worldwide and more than 180 injures. 155

UBER CEO HOLDS ‘CONSTRUCTIVE’ TALKS WITH LONDON OFFICIALS

The new CEO of Uber met with London transport officials on Tuesday, just days after they refused to renew the cab-hailing app’s license to operate. Dara Khosrowshahi met with Transport for London’s Commissioner Mike Brown. Uber wants to keep operating in the capital, and has appealed the decision that it is not a fit and proper operator. In a statement issued Tuesday, Uber said its CEO had “a constructive meeting” with London’s transport commissioner and that it hoped to have further discussions over the coming weeks. 156

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Transport officials also used the word “constructive,” to describe the meeting but added that the session was centered on “what needs happen to ensure a thriving taxi and private hire market in London where everyone operates to the same high standards.” It said further steps on this process would be offered later. London transport officials have objected to Uber’s approach to reporting serious criminal offenses and its use of technology, which authorities say has helped the company to evade law enforcement officials. Khosrowshahi has apologized for past mistakes. Uber, with some 40,000 drivers and 3.5 million customers in London, says it is challenging the decision with the understanding that things have gone wrong and must change.

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IN HURRICANESâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; AFTERMATH, TECHNOLOGY EASES RETURN TO SCHOOL

Smartphone exchanges, social media, messaging apps and websites rendered students and their teachers at once disconnected and connected in the aftermath of hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Now, as the hardest-hit schools reopen, advocates of technology that has been growing ever more present in American classrooms say it will only become more important in aiding students scattered by the storms. This recovery, administrators say, has potential to demonstrate how much instruction can carry on outside school walls amid future natural disasters and other disruptions. 171

“Oh, it was wonderful,” said Gay Foust, who said emailed and texted materials from Houston teacher Kristen McClintock helped Foust’s daughter, who has autism, cope with the disruption of having to stay at a friend’s home when their house flooded during Harvey. “We’re not in Miss McClintock’s classroom, we’re not in school, and yet she was able to reach out and check on all of her students and offer any kind of help, assistance,” Gay Foust said. Florida’s Orange County Public Schools distributed about 75,000 laptops to middle and high school students and teachers earlier this year. The idea even in fair weather is to personalize learning and boost engagement and achievement by providing students with unlimited access to their textbooks and other materials, schedules and assignments. As schools prepared to reopen after Hurricane Irma, district officials were eager to assess how the devices fared in the students’ care after advising them through social media to charge and then unplug them and seal them in plastic bags. Many teachers posted assignments before school was canceled that gave students a chance to get ahead, and college-bound students could continue preparing for the SATs. “This is really our chance to make sure all of our systems are working the way we want them to,” said Mariel Milano, director for digital curriculum. One benefit when disasters strike is there are fewer textbooks to get soggy or wash away in a flood. But Hurricane Maria offered a reminder that even technology has its limitations. Authorities predict schools in Puerto Rico could be without the electricity necessary to power 172

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electronics for many of the U.S. territory’s 350,000 students for months. The Orange County district, like others, has strict rules against penalizing students who lack access to electricity or the internet outside of school, even in the best of weather, Milano said. In Florida, where all 2.8 million students missed school for at least two days because of Irma, Gov. Rick Scott last month said the state’s existing virtual public school would provide remote access and materials to those who are still displaced, as well as digital replacements for resources brick-and-mortar buildings may have lost. With the hardest-hit districts only beginning to reopen, it’s unknown how many students will enroll. In the Houston area, too, many of the 1.4 million students affected by Harvey may find themselves taking virtual field trips and conducting online science experiments using technology adopted by many schools in response to budget cuts. While schools were still closed in the CypressFairbanks Independent School District, it posted a three-page list of educational websites for students at every grade level to access as constructive time-fillers. “So much of what they have been doing for years is all online, and they’re just used to doing it that way,” said Nicole Ray, a district spokeswoman. The disasters, which could leave buildings shuttered or drive away teachers, are also seen as openings to expand “virtual teaching” — services that have teachers provide instruction remotely by video conference. 174

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Orange County has been looking into using the videoconferencing program Safari Montage Live to let students unable to make it back to town right away join their classrooms remotely. The program is being piloted now for a class being “co-taught” by two teachers in different buildings. “We want schools to be successful when students return,” Milano said. “We want connectivity to be happening in every classroom and we want there to be that seamless uninterrupted period of learning.” 176

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EU TO SEEK HIGHER DIGITAL TAXES ON US GIANTS

There’s a groundswell of support in the European Union to make sure that digital U.S. giants pay more taxes on their lucrative business in Europe, French President Emmanuel Macron said last week. He said he already counted 19 of 28 nations in support of plans for continent-wide fiscal rules on taxing major internet companies. Ireland disagreed with the proposal and said many Nordic countries had joined it in opposition. The issue came to a head last year when the EU ordered Ireland to collect a record 13 billion euros ($15.3 billion) in taxes from Apple Inc., arguing that it had profited from a system allowing it to escape almost all taxes the EU felt were due. “Today the market is dysfunctional. It is not normal that companies make excessive profits and pay nothing in taxes,” Macron said, painting 179

a situation where the giants of industry were able to profit in Europe and small startups suffered because of it. The plan for a tax system that should hit U.S. tech companies harder will be coming up at EU ministerial meetings later this fall and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said he was convinced a deal would emerge. The view is that digital multinationals can play member states against each other to get the best tax deal, leaving them with huge profits and extremely low taxes. “We are in a tough situation because of the competition between European nations on this. It is a schizophrenic situation and not common sense,” said Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel. “Within a short timeframe, it profits them, but it is a short-term vision. If we need a future strategy, we need to look at more harmonization,” he said. Prime Minister Leo Varadkar of Ireland, which is contesting the Apple decision in court, said more taxes were not the answer for the digital challenges facing the continent. “If you want Europe to become a digital leader, the solution is not more taxes and more regulation. It is actually the opposite,” Varadkar said. “People bemoan the fact that there is no European Google, no European Facebook, that there is no European LinkedIn,” Varadkar said. “If you want those things in Europe and you want those type of companies to come to generate in Europe, it is not through heavy taxes and high regulation.” 180

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DUBAI DREAMS OF FLYING TAXIS DARTING AMONG ITS SKYSCRAPERS

With a whirling buzz from 18 rotors, the pilotless helicopter gently lifted off the ground and soared up into the afternoon sky, the spire of the world’s tallest building visible behind it. The recent unmanned flight by the Germanmade electric Volocopter represents the latest step in Dubai’s pursuit of flying taxis, which would not seem out of place among the Gulf city’s already futuristic skyline — imagine “Blade Runner,” with less rain. Dubai already has invested in another model of a flying, autonomous taxi, and is working to design regulations for their use. Putting more passengers in the air could free its already clogged highways and burnish the city’s cuttingedge image of itself. 182

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“It’s public transportation for everybody, so you can use, you can order it, you can pay for the trip and the trip is not much more expensive than with a car,” said Alexander Zosel, Volocopter’s cofounder. “If you build roads, you build bridges, it’s a huge amount and it’s always much more cheaper to have a system where you don’t need that infrastructure.” Driving in Dubai already makes one yearn for the open skies. Rush hour on Sheikh Zayed Road, a dozen-lane artery running down the length of the city, alternates between dense gridlock and sports-car slalom. Over 1.5 million Dubai-registered vehicles ply its roads, not counting those crowding in from the United Arab Emirates’ six other sheikhdoms. The Volocopter’s designers envision the electric, battery-powered two-seat helicopters taking off and landing from pads set up across the city. The prototype used in Dubai has a maximum flying time of 30 minutes at 50 kph (31 mph), with a maximum airspeed of 100 kph (62 mph). Batteries charged in climate-controlled areas near the pads would be swapped in as needed.

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RTA and Volocopter operate Autonomous Air Taxi (AAT) in Dubai

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“I believe (the) urban air taxi will contribute an interesting addition to the existing transportation modes,” Volocopter CEO Florian Reuter said. “There are certain routes that are just extremely beneficial if you can go to the third dimension.” In practice, however, there’s a long way to go. Convincing white-knuckled flyers to get into a buzzing, pilotless helicopter is just the beginning. Unpiloted passenger flights represent a new frontier for regulators. Dubai’s Road and Transportation Authority, which has invested an undisclosed sum in Volocopter, says it will work the next five years to come up with laws and develop safety procedures. That’s a longer time frame than initially offered by Dubai. Mattar al-Tayer, the head of the RTA, told a conference in February that the Chinese-made EHang 184, a Volocopter competitor, would be regularly flying through the city’s skies by July, though that deadline came and went. The RTA did not respond to a request for comment. Still, Dubai remains at the front of the pack when it comes to embracing new technology. Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, says he wants 25 percent of all passenger trips in the city to be done by driverless vehicles by 2030. The city has a deal in place with Los Angeles-based Hyperloop One to study the potential for building a hyperloop line between it and Abu Dhabi, the Emirati capital. That technology has levitating pods powered by electricity and magnetism hurtle through low-friction pipes at a top speed of 1,220 kph (760 mph). 187

RTA flies into action with Volocopter to launch Autonomous Aerial Taxis in Dubai

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For now, the Volocopter’s brief flights in Dubai drew VIP crowds and film crews making advertisements. But its executives say after rules are in place, they will be ready for mass production. Already, Volocopter has drawn the interest of automobile manufacturer Daimler AG, which was part of a consortium that put up $30 million in capital for Volocopter. Even Airbus, a major airplane manufacturer, is looking at building its own flying taxis. “We’ve proven that it works,” Zosel said. “At the end of this five years, Dubai will be ready.”

Online: Volocopter Dubai’s Road and Transportation Authority 189

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