TLDR 2020-07-10

The first public betas of iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and tvOS 14 are now available. People interested in signing up for Apple's public beta testing program can do so via the Apple website. The new iOS features support for widgets on the home screen, picture-in-picture, App Library, and more. Testers should expect performance and stability issues when running the beta. The full version should be released in the fall.

Google has confirmed that it is working on a new Nest smart speaker. The new speaker can stand vertically and looks like a cross between the Nest Mini and the larger Google Home Max. A 12-second teaser video is available in the article.

FamilyMart in Japan is using robots to aid its in-store assistants to stack shelves during social distancing. The humanoid robots feature haptic sensors, stereo cameras, and binaural microphones. They are teleoperated by humans who control them using a virtual reality headset and haptic gloves. Japan has attempted other telepresence projects previously. One project involved staffing a restaurant with robots operated by people with physical disabilities.

Live Link Face is an iPhone app from Epic Games that uses the front-facing 3D sensors in the phone to do live motion capture for facial animations. It uses tools from Apple's ARKit framework and the iPhone's TrueDepth sensor array. While the iPhone's sensors are not as accurate as the equipment used by major studios, Live Link Face makes motion capture more accessible for indie game developers, filmmakers, and other creators.

Continuous Machine Learning is a library for implementing continuous integration and delivery in machine learning projects. It can be used to automate model training and evaluation, monitoring changing datasets, and more.

map33.js is a JavaScript library for building 3D maps. Users can enter a location position and it will generate a 3D map of the area. A live demo is linked in the repository.

Uber, in partnership with Thames Clippers, will soon offer boat journeys in London. Passengers will receive a QR code boarding pass once they book their trip through the Uber app. The boats will continue to operate on their current set routes, and customers will be able to use existing payment methods to pay for their journeys. The city of London has explored other transport options due to the pandemic. It has invested in its cycling infrastructure and fast-tracked its e-scooter rental trials.

Dogecoin is a cryptocurrency based on an old internet meme. Day traders on TikTok recently started encouraging people to buy the cryptocurrency, causing it to quickly rise in value. The official Dogecoin Twitter account warned people to be careful about their investment choices and to be mindful of people's intentions when telling them to invest in a particular asset. Dogecoin has no cap on its supply, unlike Bitcoin, a feature that practically guarantees inflation.