Here’s what’s on my mind.

Signs of Facebook’s silent testing of new features for its mobile app appear to be continuing apace, after some users noticed a rocket ship-shaped icon appearing at the bottom of their news feed.

(Image from iOS app via Wired)

The icon has been appearing from time to time at the bottom of the iOS app’s main news feed icon and displays a different type of feed made up of posts, articles, photos, and videos from sources users haven’t followed, like Facebook Pages or posts from news media organizations, for example.

A lot of the content that shows up in the rocket feed appears to be sourced locally, suggesting the feature may rely on live location information. Some posts have been spotted that are directly relevant to users’ interests, such as content from pages that are similar to those users have liked, so it’s possible the content stream is being selectively weighted by algorithms based on likes, friends, and groups.

(Image from Android app via Stan Schroeder/Mashable)

It’s unclear if the feature will ever get an official rollout to all mobile users – Facebook has a habit of trialing features just to see if they prove popular among a select few. Last month, the company began testing “Facebook Stories“, a Snapchat feature clone that lets users post a time-limited photo or video at the top of the Facebook app.

Discuss this article in our forums

Feral Interactive announced today that F1 2016 is coming to the Mac on April 6 and has been refined using Apple’s new graphics API, Metal.

F1 2016 is Codemasters’ official game for the 2016 FIA Formula One World Championship and features extensive online multiplayer game modes that allow players to compete against up to 21 rivals on any of the 21 Grand Prix circuits.

“It’s been three years since a new F1 game graced the Mac and a lot has happened since then,” said David Stephen, managing director of Feral. “F1 2016 is a massive step forward for the franchise, greatly improving upon the fastest and most thrilling on-track racing experience in gaming.”

At the heart of the game is an all-new career mode that Feral is calling the most immersive, in-depth mode ever featured in the franchise, and lets players pursue legendary status in the sport over up to ten back to back Formula One seasons.

The game includes the iconic Safety Car and Virtual Safety Car, the paddock, key figures from the world of F1 and all the drivers, teams and circuits. Players can also experience the height of the pre-race tension and feel the pressure of the all-important start with the introduction of the Formation Lap and manual starts.

The minimum system requirements for F1 2016 are a 2.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor running macOS 10.12.4, 8GB of RAM and a 2GB NVIDIA 680, AMD R9 280M, Intel Iris 540 or better. The recommended system requirements are a 3.3GHz Intel Core i7 processor running macOS 10.12.4, 16GB of RAM and a 4GB AMD R9 395X or better.

F1 2016 will be available through the Feral Store and Steam for $59.99 (£39.99) and available on the Mac App Store for $49.99 (£48.99). The game is also for pre-order on Feral’s official store.
Discuss this article in our forums

SoundCloud has added support for Google Chromecast in the latest update to its iOS app, almost two years after support for the feature arrived on the Android version.

After updating the SoundCloud app, users of the music streaming service will also be able to cast songs from SoundCloud Go+, the company’s paid subscription plan, to their TV and speakers.

Now users with a SoundCloud Go+ subscription can stream their complete catalog through Google Chromecast. We also enabled shared playback, so multiple users can control what’s playing. Finally, we upgraded both of the mobile apps and the receiver to provide a consistent and streamlined experience.

Whenever a song is played over Chromecast, SoundCloud offers up song and album suggestions for adding to the currently streamed track list.

A SoundCloud Go budget tier costs $4.99 per month, and includes access to over 120 million tracks, offline listening and no ads. SoundCloud+ costs $9.99, and includes access to a wider selection of 150 million songs and excludes previews from the library. Non-paying listeners can still listen to tracks with ads, but can’t download songs for offline listening.

The SoundCloud app is a free download for iPhone and iPad available from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Discuss this article in our forums

Shares in Imagination Technologies plunged by 65 percent on Monday, after Apple informed the British firm that it plans to stop using its graphics technology in Apple consumer devices in up to two years’ time.

Imagination said Apple had made the decision because the tech giant was developing its own independent graphics processing chips, which would reduce its reliance on the company.

The news delivers a major blow to Imagination Technologies, which traditionally provides the PowerVR graphics architecture found in Apple’s full range of iOS devices and receives a small royalty on every sale, which amounts to up to half of the British firm’s revenue.

In a press release posted on the company’s website, Imagination said it doubted that Apple could go it alone without violating Imagination’ patents, intellectual property and confidential information.

Apple has used Imagination’s technology and intellectual property for many years. It has formed the basis of Graphics Processor Units (“GPUs”) in Apple’s phones, tablets, iPods, TVs and watches. Apple has asserted that it has been working on a separate, independent graphics design in order to control its products and will be reducing its future reliance on Imagination’s technology.

Apple has not presented any evidence to substantiate its assertion that it will no longer require Imagination’s technology, without violating Imagination’s patents, intellectual property and confidential information. This evidence has been requested by Imagination but Apple has declined to provide it.

The firm said that Apple’s notification had triggered talks on alternative commercial arrangements for the current license and royalty agreement.

Apple has been a licensee and stakeholder in the company since at least 2008, and became a key investor in mid-2009 after raising its stake in the firm to 10 percent. Apple paid Imagination license fees and royalties totaling 60.7 million pounds for the year to end-April 2016 and is expected to pay about 65 million pounds for this year, Imagination said.

Late last year it was reported Apple was in “advanced talks” to acquire Imagination Tech after the British chip maker announced job cuts. Despite confirming the talks, Apple subsequently decided not to make a buyout offer, but several Imagination employees were recruited by Apple as part of its efforts to build an in-house graphics team.

Discuss this article in our forums