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Apples rumored augmented reality experience for Apple TV+ has arrived in the form of For All Mankind: Time Capsule. The standalone iOS app is built using Apples ARKit framework and even includes exclusive experiences for the latest iPad Pro, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max.

For All Mankind: Time Capsule takes place in the decade between the first and second season of the space drama that plays out on an alternative historical timeline. The app lets you interact with virtual objects from a box of items placed in the real world through the lens of your iPhone or iPad. The app uses sound and music to enhance the story. Through the experience, you see the world from the perspective of a teenage Danny Stevens, the son of astronauts Tracy and Gordo Stevens in the series.

AR presents a new and exciting opportunity to bring the world of For All Mankind literally into the homes of the audience in a way that hasnt been possible before, said Ron Moore, creatorand executive producer of For All Mankind. I was intrigued from the very beginning at the idea that we could use AR to immerse the audience in the alternate history aspect of the series,explaining and illustrating some of the historical events and technological advances that are implied in the show but which we never had a chance to fully present. Using this technologyallows the audience to immerse themselves into the series by interacting with objects, people and media in an impactful and meaningful way that will bring them even closer to world wevecreated.

An older Danny, played by Casey W. Johnson, takes on a more prominent role in season two. For All Mankind Time Capsule casts Johnson alongside Michael Dorman as Gordo Stevens, Cynthy Wu as Kelly Baldwin, and Krys Marshall who plays Danielle Poole and narrates the opening of the app.

For All Mankind fans will appreciate elements in the AR experience like social studies homework that echoes the alternate timeline in history in which the show takes place, and there is even a newscast anchored by the same anchor who appears in the FAM universe.

While Time Capsule is meant to add to the story in between seasons of For All Mankind, you dont have to be caught up on the Apple TV+ series to enjoy the AR app. For instance, as you progress through the timeline in the augmented reality app, you interact with an Apple II computer (which makes a cameo in season two) thats capable of a dreamed-up predecessor to email called d-mail for digital mail. Theres even a text adventure space game for the Apple II.

For All Mankind: Time Capsule is available today in the US on the App Store. The AR app will come to more regions soon. As mentioned, users with the latest iPad Pro, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max can experience additional content in the app that relies on LiDAR sensors only offered on these devices.

For All Mankind season two premieres on Apple TV+ on February 19. New episodes will be released weekly on Fridays. Read our spoiler-free review and interview with the cast and creators while you wait for the first episode!

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First Apple TV+ AR app launches with For All Mankind backstory through mixed reality - 9to5Mac

Six Days in Fallujah, the controversial shooter set during the Iraq War, is finally coming out, nearly 12 years after it was first announced. According to a news release from the games publisher, the tactical game will be based on true stories gathered from members of the military as well as Iraqi civilians who lived through the Second Battle of Fallujah in 2004.

Developing the title is Highwire Games, a company created by Jaime Griesemer, game designer for the Halo and Infamous franchises. Hes joined by Marty ODonnell, audio director and composer on Halo and Destiny, as well as by Bungies former design director, character, vehicle, and weapon artists. The team also includes Jared Noftle, co-founder of Airtight Games (Murdered: Soul Suspect, Dark Void).

Victura, a company founded by former Bungie vice president Peter Tamte, will publish the game. Tamte was also involved in the original version of Six Days in Fallujah.

Six Days in Fallujah was originally announced in 2009. At the time, it was in development as a third-person shooter at Atomic Games for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Windows PC, and Konami planned to publish it. Shortly after the games original announcement, however, multiple groups came forward to criticize the concept of the game. That backlash, which made the rounds of international media, eventually led to publisher Konami dropping out.

After seeing the reaction to the video game in the United States and hearing opinions sent through phone calls and e-mail, we decided several days ago not to sell it, a Konami spokesperson told Japanese newspaper Asahi at the time.

Atomic Games shuttered in 2011, after releasing the game Breach.

Highwire Games version of Six Days in Fallujah is coming to unspecified console and PC platforms in 2021. It will be a tactical first-person military shooter.

The city of Fallujah was originally taken and held by the United States military during the early weeks of the 2003 Iraq War. In 2004 the city became a hot spot, drawing in fighters from around the country and beyond. Fighting there cost countless civilians and insurgents their lives. The fractious state eventually led to the death of several private military contractors from Blackwater USA, their bodies mutilated and dragged through the streets. The image of their corpses hung from a bridge were widely shared by the international press, helping to make the city a focal point of the occupation.

A siege of the city in April 2004, known as the First Battle of Fallujah, proved inconclusive. Coalition forces which included U.S., British, and Iraqi units redoubled their efforts in November of that year with Operation Phantom Fury. Also known as the Second Battle of Fallujah, official records indicate more than 13,000 ground troops faced off against approximately 4,000 dug-in insurgents.

Thousands more civilians were trapped in between. The result was some of the fiercest urban fighting for Western forces since the 1968 Battle of Hu in Vietnam and an estimated 800 civilian deaths, according to the International Red Cross.

The engagement is mired in conflict, not the least of which is the contested legality of the Iraq War itself. Firsthand accounts indicate that Coalition forces prevented military-aged males from leaving the city ahead of the Second Battle of Fallujah, thereby contributing to civilian deaths. Others maintain that white phosphorus munitions were used as offensive weapons in combination with high explosives, which could put Western forces at odds with the modern rules of war.

Sometimes the only way to understand whats true is to experience reality for yourself, said former Marine Sergeant Eddie Garcia, who was quoted in Thursdays news release. Garcia originally proposed the idea for Six Days in Fallujah in 2005. Not only did he participate in the battle, but was wounded during the fighting.

War is filled with uncertainty and tough choices that cant be understood by watching someone on a TV or movie screen make these choices for you, Garcia continued. Video games can help all of us understand real-world events in ways other media cant.

In a nod to Six Days in Fallujahs past controversies, developers issued the following statement in addition to their news release.

Throughout history, weve tried to understand our world through stories of events that happened to somebody else. Six Days in Fallujah asks that you solve real-life challenges from one of this centurys toughest battles for yourself.

We believe that trying to do something for ourselves can help us understand not just what happened, but why it happened the way it did. Video games can create insight and empathy in ways other media cannot.

More than 100 Marines, Soldiers, and Iraqi civilians have shared their stories with us, so you can participate in them through this unique, interactive medium. We hope that experiencing their extraordinary moments of truth will give each of us a new perspective into a conflict that has shaped so much of our century, as well as the people who have sacrificed so much because of it.

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Six Days in Fallujah, one of the most controversial games of the 2000s, returns - Polygon

Unsurprisingly, there was much less autonomous vehicle testing in California in 2020 compared to years prior. The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdowns forced many AVs off the road in the early part of the year. But companies licensed to operate AVs on public roads in California still logged nearly 2 million miles of testing, with two of the top operators, Waymo and Cruise, comprising the bulk of those miles thanks to what some safety drivers allege was a lax attitude toward safety.

Autonomous vehicles registered in California traveled approximately 1.99 million miles in autonomous mode on public roads in 2020, a decrease of about 800,000 miles from the previous year, according to the states Department of Motor Vehicles. These mileage figures were reported as part of the states annual disengagement reports, which all licensed operators are required to submit. In addition to the miles driven, the reports list the frequency at which human safety drivers were forced to take control of their autonomous vehicles (also known as a disengagement).

The disengagement reports are widely disparaged as being, at best, meaningless and, at worse, misleading. Companies have a lot of discretion about when to disengage, the testing environments arent uniform, and its difficult to make an apples-to-apples comparison between companies. Media outlets tend to overhype the numbers in service of a false race narrative in which certain companies are outpacing others in miles driven and disengagements.

But this year, the reports can still serve as a time capsule of a year upended by the coronavirus pandemic. Waymo, for example, generally considered to be the leading autonomous vehicle operator in the world, only drove 628,838 miles, a 56-percent decrease compared to the 1.45 million miles it drove in 2019. That decrease is notable considering Waymo was recently approved to begin accepting passengers in its vehicles in preparation for the inevitable launch of a robotaxi service in California.

Waymo only reported 21 disengagements over the course of the year, or a rate of 0.033 disengagements per 1,000 miles. Thats an improvement over the companys rate of 0.076 per 1,000 self-driven miles in 2019.

Cruise, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors and Waymos main rival, is also prepping to launch a similar service in the state. And interestingly enough, its mileage number remained more or less the same last year as compared to 2019. The company reported driving 770,049 miles, a 7-percent decrease over 2019. It logged 26 disengagements during the year for a rate of 0.033 per 1,000 miles, improving on its 2019 rate of 0.082.

The total miles driven by Waymo and Cruise, 1.39 million, is 70 percent of the total autonomous miles driven in California in 2020. Both companies briefly grounded their vehicles in the early months of the pandemic, but Cruise was back on the road by late April, using deliveries to local food banks as a pretext. Waymo followed suit, resuming limited operations in June delivering packages for two Bay Area nonprofits. Over the summer, as COVID-19 cases in California were peaking, both companies resumed regular operations. Only when the air quality became very poor during the summers historic wildfires did Waymo and Cruise pull their vehicles from the road and only briefly.

This was a worrisome decision for many of the companies backup drivers. Waymo and Cruise contract the labor of thousands of operational staff in the Bay Area, including backup drivers, mechanics, cleaners, and fleet managers. Backup drivers, in particular, play a crucial role: they monitor the driving operations of the self-driving car and occasionally take control when something goes wrong.

Some backup drivers were glad to be back at work. But others raised concerns about being stuck in a vehicle for hours a day with another person without the ability to socially distance. They chafed at being asked to come back to work while the salaried employees in the engineering and software divisions of these companies got to continue to work from home.

Waymo and Cruise both insist that safety, including the safety of their contract workers, is a top concern. But several drivers have accused the companies of exploiting loopholes to get cars back on the road in defiance of local public health orders. Cruise, in particular, was criticized for deploying non-delivery vehicles despite public health orders banning regular autonomous vehicle testing. Cruise said the extra vehicles were needed for R&D support for the delivery operation.

Waymo and Cruise werent alone in racking up big mileage numbers during the pandemic. Pony.ai, a self-driving startup based in Silicon Valley and Guangzhou, China, reported driving 225,496 miles in autonomous mode. And Zoox, an autonomous vehicle company recently acquired by Amazon, drove 102,521 miles.

Apple, which has been working on its own secretive car project for years, reported driving 18,805 miles, more than doubling its mileage in 2019. The tech giant also reported 130 disengagements, up from 64 the previous year.

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Waymo and Cruise dominated AV testing in California in the first year of the pandemic - The Verge

Tesla has issued a UK recall for two of its luxury cars over faults with a media control unit that can lead to critical problems such as failing indicators and cameras, unresponsive touchscreens, and a host of other issues.

A Tesla spokesperson couldnt confirm to us exactly how many UK owners of Model S and Model X cars were affected, although customers who need work carried out should receive a letter within a week.

This UK recall follows on from Tesla being ordered to carry out a recall in the United States in January. Tesla was instructed by the US road safety regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to recall around 158,000 Model S and Model X cars for the same underlying fault.

Keep reading to find out which cars are affected and whether they are still safe to drive.

Only cars with a good reliability record can be rated as Which? Best Buys see our expert pick of the best cars for 2021

This latest recall centres around two of Teslas EV models:

To find out whether your car is included in this latest recall, you can use this Tesla recall search tool. Youll need your cars Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to hand.

Cars built on or after March 2018 are fitted with improved 64GB multimedia cards (eMMC) , so are not subject to this recall. Other unaffected cars include Model S and X models that have already received a repair under the brands 8GB eMMC Warranty Adjustment Program.

What are Tesla cars like to drive and how do they measure up against other electric cars in our tough tests? See our Tesla car reviews to find out.

Tesla has identified an issue with its 8GB embedded multimedia card (eMMC) within the media control unit (MCU), which can malfunction due to accumulated wear.

The MCU controls the Tesla models large central touchscreen, which is used to operate the vast majority of ancillary features in a Tesla. Owners may experience a blank and unresponsive infotainment display which does not recover, even after following Teslas screen restart procedure.

Affected cars may also display an error message warning that a memory storage device has degraded, instructing owners to contact Tesla Service.

In addition, the malfunction can also cause the following problems if the vehicle running system software older than version 2020.48.12. Tesla estimates this could affect around 12% of vehicles recalled:

To avoid these further faults, Tesla is advising all owners to update their cars software to the latest version available. Further instructions on how to complete a software update are available on Teslas support page.

Tesla says its not aware of any accidents or injuries caused by this fault, and that it has no effect on a cars drivability the way it accelerates, brakes and turns, for example.

However, in guidance thats of limited use to owners, Tesla suggests owners with a malfunctioning reversing camera perform a shoulder check and use your rear-view and side mirrors to safely operate your vehicle in reverse.

It also says that you should take appropriate action to ensure windshield visibility should you experience a fault with your de-fogging controls.

Worryingly, Teslas advice concerning the loss of indicator illumination is limited to urging owners to use extra caution when turning.

Looking for an electric car? See which models made our expert round-up of the best electric cars.

Firstly, ensure your Tesla is running the latest software to limit the potential for this fault to cause issues with your reversing camera or indicators.

Tesla is writing to registered owners to arrange appointments for remedial work carried out. This involves upgrading the 8GB eMMC to the 64GB unit found in newer models a process the brand claims will take around 75 minutes for Model S cars and 90 minutes in the Model X.

It is advising owners only to contact their service centre themselves if they are specifically experiencing the issues outlined above.

If youve previously had to pay for a repair to replace your Teslas MCU due to the specific condition outlined in this recall, youll be entitled to a refund. This includes if youve paid to upgrade your infotainment system, rather than simply repairing it, though only if the fault was attributable to the eMMC malfunctioning due to accumulated wear.

Tesla will provide more details on eligibility as it contacts affected owners.

Even if you dont own a Tesla, your car may still be affected by a separate ongoing recall. You can use the GOV.UK vehicle recall tool to check the status of your car. You can also enlist the help of our guide on your rights following a recall.

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Tesla recalls Model S and Model X cars in the UK Which? News - Which?

If you are looking to improve your home media setup and want a streaming stick or dongle, then youll no doubt be aware of the Chromecast series of devices, but which is right for you? Lets simplify with our easy-to-follow Chromecast Buyers Guide for 2021.

Despite sharing the same name and having much of the same core features, not all Chromecast devices have been created equally. Much of that is owed to the various release cycles, but because of this, you might be confused as to which is right for you. And with a staggered pricing model, making the right decision is pretty important.

The Chromecast has been a truly pivotal product for Google. It was arguably the first successful product from the firm. While Android TV is undoubtedly the future of the Chromecast completing an arc with the original Nexus Q only one in the current lineup is powered by the OS at the moment.

The fight for your living room is an important one, but its a role the Chromecast fills very nicely. So lets run through all of the differences so that you are clear about the strengths and weaknesses of each streaming dongle in this extended Chromecast Buyers Guide for early 2021.

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Firstly, we need to assess what you want from your home entertainment setup. Are you looking for a complete home control system where all of your services live and are accessible by everyone in your home? Or are you happy to have a more freeform approach to watching and listening to all kinds of internet video, radio, and audio in general?

Its important to try and refine or at least have an idea what you want to do ahead of time. A piece of Chromecast hardware might not even be the right fit for specific scenarios. Do you want to stream at UHD? Are you going to be the sole user or will there be multiple people accessing the device? Is gaming a major component in a streamer to you?

Youll need to think about each of these, as while there is some crossover between each Chromecast within our buyers guide, some are better than others in specific scenarios.

There are currently three distinct Chromecast models in the Google lineup, but the Google Store only officially lists two. However, the Chromecast Ultra is sold in a bundle as part of the Google Stadia Premiere Edition which confuses matters further for potential buyers out there.

If you have no interest in streaming at resolutions higher than 1080p, then the entry-level Chromecast will be a great companion. 4K UHD streaming is only possible on either the Chromecast Ultra or the Chromecast with Google TV.

Beyond screen or video streaming resolution, the big differentiator between the older Chromecast, Chromecast Ultra, and Chromecast with Google TV devices is an interactive UI. One of the biggest selling points of the older generations is simplicity. Just plug in and then connect when you want to watch TV shows, movies, and YouTube videos or listen to music, radio, and podcasts.

Google TV is bundled in with the newest Chromecast. This changes the entire product as a result but the core usability is still retained should you prefer that. If you have ever seen or used Android TV, then Google TV will be fairly familiar.

Its a brand-new UI developed especially for the new Chromecast that is designed to surface new video content and based heavily upon recommendations. The system still uses streaming apps, but the main interface gives you recommendations and shows, plus Trending content from, in some cases, competing services such as Disney+, Netflix, Amazon Prime video, and more.

You can also sideload or download applications on the Chromecast with Google TV. It uses an Android-based system so the possibilities are quite expansive. There is a reasonably paltry 4 GB of onboard storage but you can expand that with a USB-C hub. If you are insistent on adding more applications, then wed highly recommend doing so. It also allows you to add extra peripherals like keyboards, mice, and gamepads. This is not possible on the standard or Ultra models.

To put it in simple terms, the original Chromecast dongles do not come with a dedicated remote. You have to use your smartphone to connect to your device and then Cast the media. The Chromecast takes over the streaming process, while you can pause/play and skip from your smartphone. Its all relatively simple and makes it easy if you have multiple people accessing your TV set.

A remote is provided with the Chromecast with Google TV for the very first time, which is one criticism that has been leveled at the product lineup since first being unveiled. You can still use your phone as a supplementary control method, but a dedicated remote does enhance the experience especially when navigating the interface.

While all Chromecast devices have Bluetooth connectivity, the Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra only use the wireless connection method during the setup process. The new Chromecast with Google TV allows you to connect just about any Bluetooth device. That includes gamepads, wireless keyboards, mice, and even speakers.

The Stadia controller can be synced with the Chromecast Ultra, and if you are happy to sideload the Stadia Android app on the Chromecast with Google TV, it will work just fine. Unfortunately, the original Chromecast will not work with the Stadia controller or any Bluetooth devices.

All Chromecast hardware can also be controlled using your voice with the Google Assistant. Voice commands can be used to play/pause, skip, and rewind content. This does become a two-step process for the Chromecast with Google TV though, as youll need to specify the device name when shouting commands i.e., Hey Google, play cat videos from YouTube on Google TV.

Because the Chromecast Ultra is technically discontinued and can only be bought directly from Google as part of the Stadia Premiere Edition, it skews the pricing ever so slightly but does net you three months of Stadia Pro usually priced at $9.99 or 8.99 for free.

The basic 1080p-only Chromecast has a good $30 entry-point and is ideal for turning an older TV into a basic smart TV set. If you only watch some YouTube or maybe a little Netflix every now and again, its the best bet. If you consume a ton of online media from multiple services, the Chromecast with Google TV is among the very best streamers available as you can tailor it just how you want. It comes in under some of the competition at $59.99.

For gamers, at the moment, youll need to look at the Stadia Premiere Edition to game natively on your TV. Otherwise, youll have to sideload the Stadia Android app on the Chromecast with Google TV, which itself is a frustrating task. That said, it does work fairly well and lets you use third-party Bluetooth gamepads alongside the Stadia controller. You wont be able to game at 4K though with this sideloaded app, even if you have a UHD TV.

If you are a gamer who is interested in playing Stadia on your TV, at least for the moment, the Chromecast Ultra and Stadia Premiere Edition is an anomaly. Until a dedicated Stadia app for Android TV arrives, it is the only streaming dongle that natively supports the cloud gaming platform. Google has confirmed that the option will arrive before the end of 2021 though.

You can get comparable Android TV set-top boxes that, with the upcoming update, will resemble the Google TV UI and experience. One of the most popular alternatives is the Nvidia Shield TV, which includes some exclusive GeForce features and can even be used as an emulation box for your favorite classic consoles. You can achieve something similar with the Chromecast with Google TV, but a lack of CPU grunt might limit your options for playing certain 3D console emulators.

For just basic streaming of video from your phone to a TV, the entry-level Chromecast is superb for 1080p videos. There is no remote to lose, anyone can connect with the added benefits of a Guest Mode making it easy for friends and family members to stream their own content. Plus its simple with no real room for issues.

If you want a remote and more features moving forward, then the $59.99 Chromecast with Google TV is a no-brainer. The added expansion functionality turns it into a powerful little piece of streaming kit for your home, and it should supersede the Chromecast Ultra by some margin over time.

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