Autoplaying videos on Firefox will soon be played on mute by default

Don’t you just hate it when a video just starts playing in the background on your browser and disturbs the peace? Well, Mozilla is doing its part to make sure you aren’t annoyed by the sounds of an autoplaying video. The upcoming Firefox 66 version will automatically mute any autoplaying video or audio clip, unless you actively click on the play button. You can also manually allow sites to autoplay videos—like YouTube, where it’s expected that people want videos to play as normally as possible. There will be a new icon that pops up in the URL bar when a site blocks an autoplaying video or audio clip.

What you must remember though is the videos will continue to play, you just won’t be able to hear them. So, you still need to keep an eye out for these bandwidth-hogging videos. Also, sites where users allow the browser to access their camera and microphone are exempted. These are typically used for audio and video conferences, so the exception makes sense. This feature is expected to roll out on March 19^th.

Source: TechCrunch

Warby Parker app on iOS will let you try on glasses using AR and face mapping

Warby Parker’s new update for its iOS app is the most sensible application of face-mapping tech in a while. Using Apple’s Face ID and augmented reality technology, customers can now try on glasses virtually. It shows up in a live 3D preview on your face thanks to AR. It uses Apple’s ARKit and True Depth features, so it’s currently limited to iPhone X, XR, and XS phones. And we don’t know if Android will be getting its own version.

Source: The Verge

Samsung Galaxy S10 will support Wi-Fi 6

This is what the new Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus are said to look like (AllAboutSamsung)

With the Galaxy S10 launch just a few weeks away, the leaks just keep coming. This time, we find out from regulatory filings from the company that three models of the new line will support the new Wi-Fi 6 standard. It’s not something that’s widely available just yet (you’d need a Wi-Fi 6 router to take advantage of it), but in a way, it is future-proofing the phones. As The Verge explains, the Wi-Fi 6 standard isn’t meant to offer drastic speed gains for individual devices. The standard is meant to boost performance in homes or on Wi-Fi networks where a lot of devices are connected.

Samsung is rumoured to be launching not just the usual Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus, but also a lower-cost Galaxy S10 that’s being called the S10E or S10 Lite. We’re going to find out more when Samsung launches the phones on February 20^th.

Google celebrates Lunar New Year with an AI experiment

Google wants to teach you about the ancient art of Chinese shadow puppets this Chinese New Year. Aside from the really cute Google Doodle, there's also Shadow Art AI experiment. It’s a web-based experiment that uses TensorFlow.js, which runs machine learning models right from the browser. It uses your device’s front-facing camera to teach you how to contort your hands into shadow puppets. Turning it into a bit of a game, you’re given 20 seconds to form each animal, with the goal of going through the full lunar cycle as quickly as possible. It’s available in 11 languages and is coming to Canada, the US, Europe, and throughout Asia tomorrow, February 5^th.