Why did ABC shelve this ‘Black-ish’ episode?

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It’s hard to imagine that there’s anything ABC wouldn’t allow on critical darling Black-ish after several successful seasons, but a new story in Variety reports that a February episode was shelved due to “creative differences” between the network and show runner Kenya Barris. 

SEE ALSO: Where are the mainstream TV shows about American Indians?

The episode was reportedly shot in November and scheduled to air at the end of February, with a story that follows Dre (Anthony Anderson) as he improvises a bedtime story for his infant son DeVonte while a thunderstorm keeps the whole house awake. At one point, an argument breaks out between Dre and his son (Marcus Scribner) about athletes kneeling during the national anthem. Read more…

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Sony’s augmented reality air hockey is better than the real deal

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In the future, all your air hockey games could be in augmented reality.

Now, thanks to Sony, we have an idea of just how cool that could be. The company was demoing a new augmented reality air hockey concept at SXSW, and it was impressively fun.

SEE ALSO: Augmented reality dinosaurs are here thanks to ‘Jurassic World Alive’

Officially called “A(i)R Hockey,” the concept combined Sony’s light projection tech and haptic sensors to create a next-level air hockey game. 

The game, which supports up to four players at once, starts out with a regular air hockey puck that players bat around into each other’s goals. Soon, virtual pucks are projected onto the table and added to the mix. The paddles are equipped with haptic sensors that vibrate each time you touch a puck. Read more…

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At SXSW, Sony’s putting people in digital hamster balls

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Ever wonder how much fun it would be to roll around in a hamster ball?

It’s hell.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ review: The Android phones to beat

At SXSW, my colleague Karissa Bell and I got to experience this fun activity at Sony’s Wow Studio activation thanks to the power of cameras, projections, and a Microsoft Kinect sensor (RIP).

We weren’t actually inside of any giant see-through balls, but it sure felt that way.

In one of the “Interactive Cube” installation’s demos called “Roving Rover,” two players compete head-to-head to roll through a lunar-like terrain to reach the end.

Projectors cast a see-through ball onto a transparent screen behind both players and the lunar terrain onto a wall in front of them. Read more…

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Amazon updates Alexa so you don’t have to say ‘Alexa’ repeatedly

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Amazon’s Alexa smart home assistant just got a little bit smarter and a little bit easier to talk to.

Alexa-enabled devices have been updated to allow users follow up with a second question for Alexa without needing to say “Alexa” again, CNET reported Friday, allowing for a more natural conversation.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Alexa’s creepy, spontaneous laugh is weirding people out

The new feature is called Follow-Up Mode, and it has to be enabled by users before it can be used.

Devices like the Echo and Echo Dot will give users five seconds to hit it with a follow-up question after it answers your first one, lighting up blue to indicate that it’s still listening. The mode won’t listen to just anything that’s said though, but will instead look out for things that it thinks it’s being asked. Read more…

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Let’s talk about that new ‘Jessica Jones’ character

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Warning: This post contains spoilers for Jessica Jones Season 2.

Marvel’s Jessica Jones has been a revelation for women ever since it premiered in 2015. Not only did it present us with a deeply flawed and traumatized protagonist, it dealt with her history and insecurities head-on.

In Season 2, we still have a host of varied, complicated women; from Carrie Ann Moss’s struggling Jeri Hogarth to Rachael Taylor’s unraveling Trish to our newest character, played by Janet McTeer. It’s a pivotal role with DEEP complexity and physicality, the likes of which is rare for women in action shows – especially women of a certain age. Read more…

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Scientists found a new type of water in diamonds, holy crap

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Scientists have found a new type of water known as Ice-VII from diamonds deep in the Earth’s crust. This type of ice is about 1.5 times as dense as what we’re used to (Ice I), with a different atomic composition similar to what’s most commonly found on ice moons orbiting Jupiter or Saturn.

SEE ALSO: Finding alien life won’t cause chaos and panic, according to scientists

As the name implies, there are several types of ice that distinguish our common variety of frozen water from Ice-VII, each more dense than the last. Ice-VII has been compressed, with oxygen atoms in a cubic structure as opposed to the hexagonal structure of Ice-I. The necessary pressure to create it can be found on Earth, but our planet is mostly too warm to form Ice-VII, let alone keep it stable.  Read more…

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Facebook to publishers: The News Feed algorithm isn’t why you’re failing

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It’s been a rocky year in Facebook and publisher relations, but the social network has a new — very blunt — message for struggling publishers: it’s probably your fault. 

Speaking at a panel at South by Southwest, Facebook’s head of news products, Alex Hardiman, had some strong words for critics who say the company’s recent News Feed algorithm change is hurting publishers. 

SEE ALSO: Facebook’s new slogan: ‘If you think we’re not good for your business, leave’

In response to a question about digital publisher Little Things, whose CEO blamed Facebook’s News Feed algorithm after the company shut down, Hardiman said “there’s a reason certain publishers don’t do well on Facebook.” Read more…

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Khloé Kardashian looks A LOT like Elvis Presley

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The Kardashian-Jenner family has ruled Twitter for the past few months, from news of Kylie’s secret pregnancy to Paris Hilton dressing up as Kim to promote Kanye West’s new Yeezy releases. And most recently, people are noticing that Khloé Kardashian looks a lot like Elvis Presley. 

SEE ALSO: All of the Kardashian/Jenner family baby names, ranked

Yes, the Elvis Presley, King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and American legend.

On Thursday, @ThatDudeMCFLY responded to a colorized photo of Elvis in army garb, pointing out that he looked a lot like the youngest Kardashian sister. 

Elvis look like Khloe Kardashianhttps://t.co/m19zfPuuF2

— OXTAIL GAWD (@ThatDudeMCFLY) March 9, 2018 Read more…

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Elon Musk says his Boring Company tunnels are for cyclists and pedestrians

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Elon Musk’s Boring Company is set to revolution the face of … cycling?

In a series of Friday afternoon tweets, the totally not-a-Bond-villain CEO made clear that his proposed system of underground tunnels will not in fact be focused on whisking cars around. Instead, he insisted, they’ll be mainly for pedestrians and cyclists. 

SEE ALSO: Has Elon Musk finally … cracked?

This is a change from the initial proposal, which depicted Teslas being shuttled around underground.

“Adjusting The Boring Company plan,” he tweeted, “all tunnels & Hyperloop will prioritize pedestrians & cyclists over cars.” Read more…

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Tomi Adeyemi: “‘Children of Blood and Bone’ is an allegory for the modern black experience”

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If you count the seconds as Tomi Adeyemi opens her gold package — one (pause), two (pause), three (pause) — you’ll notice that it takes her a full 30 seconds before she’s able to speak.

As she rips at the sparkling paper, digging for the prize inside, Adeyemi whimpers and laughs and cries, but it takes a full half minute before she’s able to muster words.

SEE ALSO: ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ is for all the girls who feel like they’re too much for this world

When she’s finally able to talk, Adeyemi’s speech comes out as a stunned gasp.

“It’s really beautiful,” she says, sniffling. “And it’s real.”

In her hands, for the first time ever, is a book, HER book, Children of Blood and Bone. And it feels like magic. Read more…

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