Month: July 2016

Hackers have made it relatively simple to see what monsters are lurking nearby in Pokémon Go. (credit: Github / PokemonGoMap)

One of Pokémon Go's defining characteristics is that you never quite know the precise location of nearby Pokémon, since the game only gives an imprecise "radar" with general distances. A group of hackers has set out to change that situation, exploiting Pokémon Go's server responses to create an easy-to-use map that reveals those hidden Pokémon in your immediate area.

The hack is the result of efforts by the PokemonGoDev subreddit, which is working to reverse engineer an API using the data sent and received by the Pokémon Go servers. So far, the group has managed to parse the basic server responses sent by the game, which can be acquired through an SSL tunnel and deciphered using relatively basic protocol buffers.

From there, a little bit of Python scripting work can convert the usually hidden data on nearby Pokémon locations into an easy-to-use Google Maps picture of your augmented reality surroundings. There are step-by-step installation instructions for anyone with even a basic understanding of a command line, as well as recent attempts at a self-contained desktop app and Web-based app for those who want a one-step Poké-mapping solution.

(credit: Getty Images | Jonathan Nackstrand)

CenturyLink next week will begin charging data overage fees very similar to the ones that Comcast has implemented.

Like Comcast, CenturyLink is charging the fees in part of its territory as a "trial" designed to gauge customer response before a wider rollout. The fees are also $10 for every 50GB of additional data, the same as Comcast.

While Comcast is limiting monthly overage charges to $200, CenturyLink's overage fees will not exceed $50 per month. But CenturyLink hasn't announced any option for residential customers to purchase unlimited data, and even paying the overage fees doesn't guarantee that customers can use the Internet as much as they like. Customers who don't reduce their usage or switch to a pricier package that allows more data usage could be disconnected entirely, CenturyLink says.

Enlarge (credit: Lee Hutchinson)

Back in May, networking OEM Ubiquiti announced its new Ubiquiti Labs division and that division’s first product: a home mesh Wi-Fi system called Amplifi. With Amplifi, Ubiquiti intends to stretch its reach out of SMB/enterprise "lite" networking and into home territory—and not just the homes of crazies like me, either. Amplifi is targeted at the plug-and-play crowd for whom a single, central Wi-Fi base station doesn’t quite cut the mustard. It’s a market squarely occupied by Eero, Luma, and a few other players—home mesh Wi-Fi, where you throw down a few devices and every nook and cranny of your home gets solid coverage (in theory, at least).

Ubiquiti sent Ars a preproduction Amplifi unit last week, and I’ve spent the weekend getting some initial impressions. This isn’t going to be an exhaustive review, since I’ve only had a few days with the system, but my impressions so far are generally positive.

The quick takeaway

The Amplifi system isn't something I’d buy for myself, but it is something I’d happily buy for my parents, who have a large home thanks to Houston’s absurdly cheap housing market and struggle to get solid Wi-Fi coverage throughout. Amplifi doesn’t support several features that I depend on (especially WPA2 Enterprise for 802.1X), but setup is painless, reasonably quick, and the handoff between the various mesh components works seamlessly. It's also a competent router with an actual firewall (the device runs BusyBox and uses iptables under the hood). And, if you already have a router you're happy with, it can function as a pure Wi-Fi access point and mesh network.

(credit: Shawn Campbell)

Twitter confirmed it will allow all of its users to apply for "verified account" status on the same day that it permanently booted an outspoken conservative from its site amid claims of abusive tweets.

Up to now, the coveted blue tick badge was the preserve of celebrities, journalists, and high-profile users—some of whom run the risk of parody or fake accounts in their name.

However, while the online form to request verification on Twitter is now available to anyone, the micro-blogging site said that only accounts “determined to be of public interest” will receive the badge of honour.

The site Hyperloop One is using to test its sled. (credit: Hyperloop One)

In a new lawsuit filed Tuesday, the remaining executives at startup Hyperloop One accused four former employees, including former co-founder and CTO Brogan BamBrogan, of a slew of breaches of duty to the company. The suit comes just a week after those four former employees sued Hyperloop One, accusing the remaining executives—including co-founder Shervin Pishevar—of mismanaging the company, mistreating the engineers, and even placing a “hangman’s noose” on BamBrogan’s desk.

The Los Angeles-based Hyperloop One had enjoyed some real success in prior months. The startup is trying to build a Hyperloop—a train-like method of transportation imagined by Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk that would use a low-pressure tube and magnetism to propel pods of cargo or humans at 700mph. In May, the company successfully tested the propeller mechanism for its test track in North Las Vegas.

But rifts within the company were apparently already growing. The cross-complaint from Hyperloop One is just as incendiary and intrigue-filled as the original complaint, with accusations of screaming, sexist comments, and poor performance. Hyperloop One is demanding $250 million in damages from the four former employees.