Game of Thrones: Season 6 Premiere Date Set
The wait is over! Well, the wait for the date, at least.
At the TCA (Television Critics Association) press tour today, HBO announced that Game of Thrones: Season 6 will debut on Sunday, April 24th. As was expected by analyzing HBO's winter/spring schedule (which has Vinyl, Girls and Togetherness airing on Sundays starting in February, later than HBO's usual January premieres), this is the latest any Game of Thrones season has premiered in a calendar year.
That same night, April 24th, Game of Thrones' return will be followed by the season premieres of both Silicon Valley and Veep.
Apple Buys Startup Company That Uses AI to Read Facial Expressions
The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple has bought a start-up called Emotient that has developed AI capable of reading emotions through facial expressions.
According to Wired, By using deep neural networks made to resemble the networks of neurons in our brains, programs like Emotient's are able to scan a vast amount of data and learn things like which facial expression or tone of voice corresponds to a particular emotion.
The applications for such technology are huge. Up until their purchase by Apple, Emotient offered their services for consumer research, videotaping people and reading every frame for key performance indicators like attention, level of engagement, and just whether or not they looked happy with the product. How Apple intends to use the tech, however, is currently unknown.
Best Fallout 4 Mods of the Week
Last time we looked at Fallout 4 mods, we got our hands on the BFG 9000, lots of custom Pip-Boys, and some cool ways to improve our settlements.
This week, we decided to check out some even handier ways to improve our Fallout 4 experience, including a jetpack, tons of new grenades, and a way to speed up animations for the Power Armor.
For all things Fallout 4 on PC, don't forget to check out our previous list of best Fallout 4 mods and our wiki guide to installing Fallout 4 mods.
Volkswagen May Need to Buy Back 115,000 U.S. Cars After Diesel-Emission Scandal
Following the events of Volkswagen's emission scandal that involved installing software to cheat emissions standards, the automaker is now taking the necessary steps to rectify the situation. Steps that will cost the company a lot of money.
One of those steps, according to Reuters (citing German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung), may include buying back close to 115,000 of its own vehicles that currently reside within the U.S. The decision to do so hasn't been confirmed by VW brand chief Herbert Diess, though he hopes to come to an agreement with U.S. regulators very soon.
What Were the Best-Selling Comics of 2015?
The Star Wars franchise wasn't just responsible for the highest grossing movie of 2015, it also dominated the comic book industry in a big way last year. This week Diamond Comics released their final sales figures for 2015, with Star Wars #1 clinching the top spot by a wide margin.
Star Wars #1 sold just shy of a million copies in 2015, clocking in at an estimated 985,976 copies sold. It was followed by Secret Wars #1, which sold an estimated 527,678 copies. As expected, The Dark Knight III: The Master Race #1 was the top-selling comic for DC, moving an estimated 440,234 copies. Both Bravest Warriors: Tales From Holo John #1 and Orphan Black #1 also cracked the top ten, proving just how much of a sales boost publishers can get by partnering with Loot Crate.
Animated Pokemon Stickers Come to LINE
The Pokemon Company has released a set of new animated LINE stickers based on its beloved creature-collecting franchise.
A total of 24 "cute and fun" Pokemon stickers are now available on the mobile app, featuring fan favorites like Pikachu, Lucario and Eevee. The full collection is available for $2 USD on the LINE Store. Here's a look at a few of the stickers included in the set:
Making a Murderer Subject Steven Avery Getting Investigation Discovery Special
Netflix's new true crime series Making a Murderer has caught the public's attention, and the light is going to continue to shine on subject Steven Avery. Investigation Discovery announced on January 8th at the Television Critics Association winter press tour that the network is working on a new special about Avery.
An Avery-focused special edition of ID's Front Page series, hosted by journalist Keith Morrison, will air in late January, announced Henry Schleiff, group president of Investigation Discovery, American Heroes Channel and Destination America.
“We feel compelled to address what we believe are some critical details missing from the Netflix production ... in an attempt to provide critical, crucial evidence and testimonies that answer many of the questions surrounding Steven Avery," Henry Schleiff said at ID's TCA presentation.
The Most Insanely Dangerous, Awesome Drone Ever
There is so much to see at the consumer electronics show in Las Vegas that it can be hard to know where to begin. If you're looking for a little bit of excitement, you'd do well to stop and check out the Ehang personal drone.
It's large enough to carry one passenger to a predetermined destination. Simply punch your coordinates into the accompanying smartphone app, climb in, and let the miracle of modern technology whisk you away on a chair of pure science.
If you're sick and tired of boring drones that don't do much more than take photos, the Ehang drone might be for you. However, there are a few caveats. As thrilling as it might be to fly effortlessly over the tops of the homes of all your haters, the company behind the drone is still working out some of the kinks.
See The Simpsons Miami Vice / GTA-Style Couch Gag
The Simpsons is getting another extremely elaborate couch gag, with an extended homage to 1980s action shows like Miami Vice -- and by extension, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
The gag runs almost two minutes in total, with a very different art style and lots of cameo appearances from characters like Ned Flanders, Sideshow Bob, Lenny, and Carl. It will air with the episode "Teenage Mutant Milk-Caused Hurdles" this Sunday.
The couch gag in the opening credits began as a simple and quick throwaway joke, but in recent years has developed into some much lengthier homages. The famous sequence has been used to give nods to The Hobbit and Guillermo Del Toro, and to set the tone for the show's Futurama crossover. Be sure to check out our Top 25 Couch Gags as we decide where this latest one fits.
Apple Patent Reveals Potential Plans to Add Two Rear-Facing Cameras to the iPhone
Apple's next iPhone could have an improved camera on the back, if a recently published patent is anything to go by.
The patent, discovered by Patently Apple, describes a dual camera system, with the main benefit being the ability to zoom in while taking pictures without seeing a noticeable drop in resolution. That in itself would be a welcome addition to the "iPhone 7," but the patent also includes examples of other uses, such as taking video and still photos simultaneously.