Archives for September 2, 2019

The ISS’ spherical robot helper has returned to Earth

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The next-gen CIMON bot will be considerably smarter.

Humans are one step closer to having robot assistants in space. The IBM- and Airbus-made CIMON (Crew Interactive Mobile Companion) robot returned to Earth on August 27th after successful testing aboard the International Space Station. The spherical machine demonstrated both its AI skills (such as recognizing astronauts and offering instructions) as well as its ability to float through the ISS. Don’t think this is the end to the experiments, though — this is really just the start.

The partners have been working on a successor that should build on the lessons learned from the first-generation robot. The new CIMON will have a “more robust” computer, better mics, improved flight control and a more conversational system that recognizes speech, determines intent and includes a call history. It’s expected to reach the ISS in December for further tests.

The station is quickly becoming a hub for robotics for multiple countries. The US recently sent its Astrobee cube robot for tests, while Russia just sent the humanoid Fyodor robot into orbit. Multiple major space agencies see robot helpers as vital for a future when astronauts will spend longer periods away from Earth, and they each have different ideas as to how to alleviate burdens and let crews focus on their missions.

Emulator uses AI to offer the translations your games never had

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This includes languages that might never have been considered before.

Many classic video games are only available in one language, making it difficult to enjoy them as a non-speaker unless you have a fan translation. Now, though, you might just need the right software. Version 1.7.8 of the RetroArch emulator front end has introduced an AI Service feature that uses machine learning to translate game text into the language of your choice. It taps into services like Google’s to identify on-screen text and translate it into either an image if you don’t mind interruptions, or speech if you do. You could understand games that were previously unintelligible to you.

There are caveats beyond the gray area of emulators themselves. You’ll need to walk through a setup process to make AI translation work. Also, the translations will only be as good as Google and other services can provide. That’s not necessarily a deal breaker given the rough state of some official translations (just look at the unintentionally hilarious Zero Wing for an example), but it’s something to consider if you’re less than familiar with a given title’s plot. Even so, this could be very helpful — and might show developers how to bring classic games to wider audiences.

Sites stealing iPhone data reportedly targeted Uyghur Muslims

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The Chinese government is considered the likely culprit.

The websites stealing data from iPhones might have been used for particularly sinister purposes. TechCrunch sources claim the sites were part of a state-sponsored campaign, presumably from China, targeting the country’s Uyghur Muslim population. The pages would have let China swipe sensitive info like messages and passwords, not to mention track their locations. Apple quietly fixed the issue with iOS 12.1.4 in February, but it’s possible that thousands of Uyghurs’ phones were compromised before then.

It’s not certain if the sites also targeted Android users, although Forbes sources said Android and Windows users were also under the crosshairs. China has used a number of tactics to compromise phones and crack down on Uyghur Muslims. Border guards have reportedly been installing surveillance apps on the Android phones of tourists entering the Xinjiang region. They can’t do the same on iPhones due to tighter app installation controls, but they’ve reportedly scanned the devices at the border.

The sites also inadvertently infected non-Uyghurs who found the pages in Google search, according to one of the tipsters. That apparently led the FBI to ask Google to de-index sites and reduce the number of infections. Google has declined to comment beyond the publicly available research info, while the FBI would neither confirm nor deny that it had been investigating.

If China was targeting Uyghurs with the sites, it wouldn’t have been surprising. The country has been conducting far-reaching surveillance in a bid to silence dissent in Xinjiang, including the reported use of face recognition to monitor people on watch lists. Hostile websites would have just been one resource among many to keep track of local Muslims and punish those who dare fall out of line.

TiVo’s leaked Edge DVR touts Dolby HDR and Atmos audio

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Streaming will be just as important as cable with this set-top box.

TiVo is apparently renewing its efforts to serve cord-cutters. Zatz Not Funny has obtained snapshots of an Arris-made TiVo Edge DVR that would cater to both the streaming crowd and cable TV diehards in equal measure. It wouldn’t be as flamboyant as the oddly-shaped Bolt (you can finally stack things on top!), but it would be loaded with 4K, Dolby Atmos audio and Dolby Vision HDR to stream services like Netflix and Prime Video in maximum quality.

There would be a CableCARD-equipped version with six tuners and 2TB of space, but there would also be two OTA-focused models with different tuner and storage levels.

It’s not certain how close the Edge might be to reaching shelves, but the box shots in the leak hint the DVR is likely close to launch. Just how much it costs is another matter, although Bolt-like pricing (around $250 for an OTA model, plus service) is a possibility. The real challenge may be convincing people to buy one. Streaming services are continuing to grow, and a flood of new services from Disney, WarnerMedia and others have made it that less necessary to watch conventional TV.

Stocks to Watch: Ellington Financial LLC (NYSE:EFC)

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Stock market investors may be closely tracking recent trends. Many investors will keep an eye on where a certain stock has been when trying to project where it is headed. Tracking recent action for Ellington Financial LLC (NYSE:EFC), we have seen shares trading close to the 17.47 mark. Taking a wider look back, shares have seen a change of -0.8% over the last 12 weeks. Heading back to the start of the year, we can see that shares have changed 13.96%. Over the past month, shares have seen a change of 1.39%. Over the last week, the stock has moved -0.91%. Taking a look at some popular possible support and resistance levels, we note that the 52-week high is currently 18.46, and the 52-week low is presently 14.87. When a stock price is trading close to the 52-week high or 52-week low, investors may closely track activity to watch for a move through the level.

As investors gear up for the stretch run towards the end of the year, the focus will be on which way stock market momentum seems to be shifting. Investors may be taking note of various economic reports and keeping a close eye on global political news. There are many factors that can affect the price of a stock. Tracking the markets from different angles may help to put together the bigger investing picture. Investors may be wondering if they have missed the boat as stocks have cooled off a bit recently. It may be wise to remember that there are always plenty of market opportunities to take advantage of. Diving into the fray may not be necessary until all the boxes are ticked off on the investor’s checklist.

Shifting the focus to some earnings data, we have noted that the current quarter EPS consensus estimate for Ellington Financial LLC (NYSE:EFC) is 0.42. This EPS estimate consists of 1 Wall Street analysts taken into consideration by Zacks Research. For the previous reporting period, the company posted a quarterly EPS of 0.46. Sell-side analysts often provide their best researched estimates at what the company will report. These estimates hold a lot of weight on Wall Street and the investing community. Sometimes these analyst projections are spot on, and other times they are off. When a company reports actual earnings results, the surprise factor can cause a stock price to fluctuate. Investors will often pay added attention to a company that has beaten estimates by a large margin.

Looking at some analyst views on shares of Ellington Financial LLC (NYSE:EFC), we note that the consensus target price is resting at $19.25. This is the consensus target using estimates provided by the covering analysts polled. Sell-side analysts often produce target estimates for the companies that they track closely. Price target estimates can be calculated using various methods, and this may cause some analyst estimates to be drastically different than others. Many investors will track stock target prices, especially when analysts update the target price projections.

Investors might be paying attention to what Wall Street analysts think about shares of Ellington Financial LLC (NYSE:EFC). Taking a peek at the current consensus broker rating, we can see that the ABR is 1. This average rating is provided by Zacks Research. This simplified numeric scale spans the range of one to five which translates brokerage firm Buy/Sell/Hold recommendations into an average broker rating. A low number in the 1-2 range typically indicates a Buy, 3 indicates a Hold and 4-5 represents a consensus Sell rating. In terms of the number of analysts that have the stock rated as a Buy or Strong Buy, we can see that the number is currently 2.

Investors may be combing through all the latest company earnings reports. They may be trying to figure out which companies look like they are going to be strong over the next few quarters. Earnings reports have the ability to cause dramatic stock price swings. Many investors will stay away from making any big trades around earnings announcements. When the dust settles, it may be much easier to determine whether a stock is worth buying or if it should be sold. Keeping a close eye on historical earnings results can provide some good insight. Companies that consistently produce solid earnings may be worth looking into further, especially if the investor is on the fence about getting into the name.

Stocks to watch: Popular, Inc. (NASDAQ:BPOP)

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Checking up on some historical performance on shares of Popular, Inc. (NASDAQ:BPOP), we can see that the stock price performance for the last week is 3.04%. If we scroll back to the full year reading, shares have performed 4.28%. Investors may be trying to figure out if it is a good time to get into a certain stock, or whether to exit a position that has been a loser. Whatever the case, outperforming the market is on the minds of many dedicated equity investors. Heading back further over the previous month, the stock has performed -5.62%. For the last quarter, shares have performed -0.19%. Going back to the beginning of the calendar year, company shares are 11.33%.

When it comes to setting up a winning stock portfolio, many investors will select a wide variety of securities in order to minimize risk. This may include choosing a mix of small cap, large cap, value, and growth stocks. Many investors will also include foreign stocks in the portfolio as well. Once the portfolio is set up, investors may realize that they need to rebalance from time to time. Investors may find it extremely helpful to stay up to date and know exactly what holdings they have. When hard earned investing dollars are at stake, individuals may be best served to monitor the portfolio closely at all times. Putting in the extra time and effort to acquire stock market knowledge may help the investor become better prepared for the long haul.

Focusing on some other company information, we can see that Popular, Inc. (NASDAQ:BPOP) has a beta of 1.23. Beta indicates the tendency of a stock’s returns to respond to market swings. A beta of 1 indicates that the stock price moves with the market. A beta under 1 indicates that the stock is less volatile than the market in theory. A beta value over one would indicate the opposite. In terms of volatility, shares have been noted at 2.15% for the week, and 2.37% for the past month. Investors often keep a close eye on any irregular stock volume. Traders and technical analysts have the ability to use volume to help measure the strength of a particular move. Investors may also view volume levels when the stock price is nearing significant support or resistance levels, in order to confirm a breakout in either direction.

We can now shift our focus to some alternate company data on shares of Popular, Inc. (NASDAQ:BPOP). The stock has a current ATR of 1.39. When applying indicators for technical analysis, traders and investors may choose to examine the ATR or average true range. The ATR measures the volatility of a stock on a day-to-day basis. The average true range is typically based on 14 periods and may be calculated daily, weekly, monthly, or intraday. The ATR is not considered a directional indicator, but it may reflect the strength of a particular move. As we move into the second half of the year, investors may be looking to jumpstart their portfolios. Many equity investors may be wondering if the stock markets will find renewed energy and continue higher, or if a major correction is on the horizon.

Shares of Popular, Inc. (NASDAQ:BPOP) have been recently spotted trading -10.88% off of the 52-week high price. On the other end, company shares have been noted 18.88% away from the low price over the last 52-weeks. Switching over to some distances from popular moving averages, we see that the stock has been recorded -1.95% away from the 200 day moving average. Moving closer, we can see that shares have been trading -0.18% off of the 20-day moving average. Investors may be closely following the current stock price in relation to moving averages. This may assist with figuring out if a breakout or reversal could be in the cards. Knowing when to ride the surge rather than stay on the sidelines, can be a difficult decision even for veteran investors.

When it comes to setting up a winning stock portfolio, many investors will select a wide variety of securities in order to minimize risk. This may include choosing a mix of small cap, large cap, value, and growth stocks. Many investors will also include foreign stocks in the portfolio as well. Once the portfolio is set up, investors may realize that they need to rebalance from time to time. Investors may find it extremely helpful to stay up to date and know exactly what holdings they have. When hard earned investing dollars are at stake, individuals may be best served to monitor the portfolio closely at all times. Putting in the extra time and effort to acquire stock market knowledge may help the investor become better prepared for the long haul.