Astronaut Instagrams first selfie from space

Astronaut Steven Swanson's now-famous Instagram post from outer space.
Oh boy, if you thought selfies are only a phenomenon that happens on terra firma, then Houston, we have a problem: selfies have infiltrated outer space!

Already a member of an elite group that has travelled into space, American astronaut Steven R. Swanson one-upped his pioneering peers by being the first person to post on Instagram while in orbit on Monday. Yes, we repeat, Swanson is credited for being the first astronaut residing in the International Space Station to take and post the first Instagram photo from outer space, and that photo, naturally, is a selfie. The photo was posted to the ISS Instagram account, which was created by Swanson and two Russian cosmonauts back in January. But this photo is actually the first to be shot and posted while in orbit.

The photo shows Swanson, whose first NASA space expedition took place in 2007, floating in the ISS panoramic control tower (called a cupola) with an awe-inspiring view of the Earth's surface behind him (no filter necessary, thank you very much). While most earthbound selfies can be seen as irritating, you have to admit that this is an exception to the rule, and a cool one at that.

Swanson accompanied the space selfie with the caption, "Back on ISS, life is good."

Expect more Instagram and other social media posts from ISS very soon (a second one has already been posted, see below), considering the fact that they can access to Wi-Fi while in space. Check out the ISS Instagram account here.


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EXCLUSIVE New study finds that e-cig vapor affects cells similarly to tobacco smoke

Electronic cigarettes have experienced a pretty sizable uptick in popularity over the past few years, partially due to the fact that they're sometimes touted as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes. But a newly-published study –one of the first to examine the biological effects of inhaling vaporized e-liquid– suggests that this might not be the case.

The study, which was recently published in Nature and presented at the American Association of Cancer Research's annual meeting this week, found that bronchial cells grown in a medium exposed to e-cig vapor showed "strikingly similar" gene mutations to those grown in a medium exposed to tobacco smoke.

Further research is needed to draw clear-cut conclusions, but these similarities may be an indicator that e-cig vapor could potentially increase a user's risk of cancer, despite the fact that e-liquid is completely tobacco free and doesn't require combustion to be consumed.

"They may be safer [than tobacco], but our preliminary studies suggest that they may not be benign," said study author Avrum Spira, a genomics and lung cancer researcher at Boston University.

The next step is to conduct further experiments on the genes altered by the e-cig vapor to discern their cancer-causing potential. "These studies will determine the impact of e-cig exposure on lung carcinogenicity and provide needed scientific guidance to the FDA regarding the physiologic effects of e-cigs," Spira added.

In spite of all the uncertainty surrounding their potential health effects, the FDA has taken its sweet time in regulating e-cigs, which have risen from relative obscurity to become a multi-billion dollar industry in just a few years time. Without any federal regulation, the e-cigarette market is basically the Wild West right now. There's little if any quality control, and marketers can peddle e-cigs  however they want — be it to kids, or as a smoking cessation method.

Proposed federal rules on how to regulate e-cigs are expected to come down soon, but considering what research has shown thus far, in the meantime it's probably a good idea to approach e-cigargette use with caution and not assume it's completely safe.

(Images © Marc Bruxelle via Shutterstock) 
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Project Ara coming together as Google releases first resources for developers

Google on Wednesday released the first Module Developer Kit (MDK) for Project Ara, the company's attempt at creating a highly customizable handset that consumers can easily build according to their smartphone requirements.

The 81-page document furnishes developers with everything they need to know for building the various components that will make up the handset, which is set to launch with 'skeletons' in three sizes (below).

The plan is to allow a user to build a unique device, choosing from a wide variety of modules to suit their habits and needs. Keen photographers, for example, can splash out on the best available camera module, while those who spend much of their time using cloud services could go for a smaller memory module and larger battery. In the MDK, there's even talk of a Pulse Oximeter Module as well as a Thermal Imager Module. As you can see, the possibilities are pretty much endless with an Ara device.

The kit includes guidelines for things such as module sizes to ensure the design of the handset remains relatively consistent, sleek and even. Super-strong magnets that can be turned on and off keep the modules in place, ensuring it won't fall apart if it slips out of your hand.

Google's Advanced Technology and Projects Group (ATAP), which is leading Project Ara, said the aim of the initial MDK was to "give the developer community an opportunity to provide feedback and input, and to help us ensure that the final MDK – anticipated at the end of 2014 – is elegant, flexible, and complete."

Formerly part of Motorola Mobility, Google held onto ATAP when it sold the mobile company to Lenovo in January.

Next up for the initiative is the first Project Ara Developers Conference in Mountain View on April 15 and 16. Developers are invited to go along and share their thoughts on the first MDK as the team moves ahead with its plans to build a brand new kind of smartphone.

Google says the modular handset could get a commercial release next year, possibly as early as the first quarter.
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Analyst’s product roadmap predicts two iPhone models in Apple’s near future

If you're excited to see what Apple has planned for us this year, then you'll be very interested in this roadmap, showing an analyst's prediction of what's to come from the firm during 2014. It's the work of KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo, and it does a good job of visualizing what we've been hearing about Apple's new hardware over the past months.

It shows the year split up into quarters, and if it's accurate, then we shouldn't expect anything until the second half of the year, and even then Apple may focus on its Mac computer range. Kuo speculates we could be introduced to a low cost iMac around June time, which would fit in with the timing of Apple's annual Worldwide Developer Conference event.

Fast forward to September, and things start to get very exciting. The analyst predicts we'll finally see a new iPhone model, boasting a large 4.7-inch display, an upgrade to the iPad Air and the iPad Mini, plus the debut of Apple's long-rumored iWatch. Kuo also states the watch will come in two different sizes, something we have seen hinted at before, presumably to make it more attractive to men and women. 

Moving into October, and another long-rumored product may be announced: an updated Apple TV. Now, this probably won't be the Apple television set, but it may be a slimmed down Apple TV set top box, ready to compete with new hardware such as Google's Chromecast. It is a little later than previously rumored though.

Kuo doesn't end here either, and right at the end of 2014, says he expects another iPhone to be released, this time with a massive 5.5-inch display. The iPhone roadmap fits in with other rumors we've heard recently, indicating the company was having production difficulties with the 5.5-inch iPhone, forcing it to stagger the release of it and the 4.7-inch device.

Remember, these are all predictions from an analyst, and may not come true. There's also the chance Apple will end up altering plans as the year progresses, so don't take any of this as absolute fact. However, if we really aren't expecting any new hardware from Apple until after summer, then we should expect another all-software WWDC show.
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Air Canada to start offering Wi-Fi on North American routes

Air Canada is the latest airline to roll out technology on its planes to ensure your boss will be able to contact you at any time.

The airline said Wednesday it's set to introduce an in-flight Wi-Fi service to its fleet of aircraft across North America, with installation starting next month. The aim is to equip 29 of its jets with the technology by the end of this year, with a targeted completion date slated for December 2015 for its 130 narrow-body aircraft.

Partnering with Gogo for the service, the carrier has been testing out Wi-Fi on a number of flights between Canada and the US for several months now, offering it for free till the end of June. After that, use of the service will incur a fee, with pricing promised to be "competitive with other in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity offerings."

While Gogo's service will start by utilizing slightly slower air-to-ground technology, the airline said the two companies will next year begin testing much faster satellite-based technology, bringing with it faster connection speeds similar to mobile broadband services on the ground.

"Air Canada continually seeks to enhance the travel experience and that is why we are pleased to be the first airline in Canada to offer in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity to customers flying over continental North America," Benjamin Smith, Air Canada's executive vice-president and chief commercial officer, said in a release.

He added, "In today's connected world, our customers want to access email, mobile device applications and the Internet wherever they are, both to increase their work productivity and expand their leisure options."

How important is in-flight Wi-Fi for you these days? Is it now a factor when it comes to booking a flight? Sound off in the comments below.
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Super Smash Bros. comes to 3DS this summer, Wii U this winter

Super Smash Bros. will be coming to 3DS this summer with a Wii U release to follow before the end of 2014, Nintendo confirmed during its latest, Smash Bros.-focused Nintendo Direct live stream. The two games share the same character roster, but they've each got platform-exclusive stages. No reason was given for the gap between releases.

The Nintendo Direct also revealed details of the game's online mode, which is a feature of both versions. It splits between two separate options: "For Fun" and "For Glory" modes. The former is for casual fighting game fans, parties, and the like, with no constraints placed on which stages you play on or which power-ups are available. The latter is more pro-focused, and it's meant to be tournament-friendly; all Pro Mode matches are restricted to the game's "Final Destination" arena, and items are disabled. Fun tracks all of your wins while Glory tracks both your wins and your losses.

Final Destination is a unique entity among the game's arenas. The map's backdrop can actually draw from any of the other maps in the game, but the layout of its platforms is always the same. It's meant to strike a balance between the aesthetic variety that you get from multiple arenas while maintaining a fixed layout to keep things fair in tournaments and other formal competition settings.

In addition to the platform-exclusive stages, the 3DS and Wii U releases also sport some differences in their core modes. On the Wii U side, the returning Adventure Mode serves as a tour through the game's roster and characters, with a light story to tie everything together. The 3DS release ditches Adventure Mode for the new Smash Run, a four-player competitive mode in which players race one another through a dungeon filled with AI-controlled enemies, collecting power-ups as they go. After five minutes, the action switches to a more traditional Smash Bros. battle, with players using their amassed power-ups to clobber one another senseless.

That covers the key bits of what was revealed during the Nintendo Direct stream. For more, head over to YouTube to watch the whole thing right now.
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Watch Dogs DLC includes more campaign and a new playable character

Ubisoft's upcoming open world hackfest Watch Dogs is going to have some add-on content in the form of a separate campaign featuring a new playable character, as GameStop's product listing for the game's Season Pass confirms. There aren't any details beyond the promise of "more missions, weapons, and exclusive content." The $19.99 pass shaves 30-percent off what the total cost of all the DLC would be if it were purchased a la carte.

The main story in Watch Dogs follows Aiden Pearce, an accomplished hacker with a shady past. When that past comes back to haunt him and tragedy ensues, Pearce sets out to find who wronged him and mete out a little vengeance. Ubisoft's been cagey about story details up until this point, but that's what we've gathered from our looks at the game so far. Along the way, you'll also hack your way across Chicago by peering into the private lives of average citizens, stopping (or committing) crimes, and bending the city's computer-controlled infrastructure to your will.

We reached out for comment on the DLC details and a Ubisoft spokesperson told us, "We'll have more information on the season pass in the coming weeks." Watch Dogs is out on May 27 for PlayStation and Xbox consoles, as well as Windows PCs.
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