Hyperloop One video teases project launch in Dubai

Early enthusiasm around the Hyperloop idea from Elon Musk has waned in terms of public conversation, but several companies are still working hard to make the next-gen, high-speed transportation option a reality. 

SEE ALSO: Hyperloop CEO shows off augmented reality window concept

To date, we've mostly seen concept drawings and prototype capsules, but now a new video, released on Sunday, delivers a more tangible vision of what the Hyperloop One system might be like when it's finally completed and in operation. 

Mixing real world footage with concept imagery, the video offers a tantalizing vision of what might be the one of the first Hyperloop systems to launch

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Google brings RCS, the next-gen upgrade to SMS, to Android phones on Sprint

As promised earlier this year, Google is bringing RCS – Rich Communications Service, an upgrade to the SMS standard – to Android devices. Its first carrier partner on the initiative is Sprint, which is rolling out RCS messaging to its customers with Android devices, starting today. Once enabled, RCS will offer Android users an enhanced messaging experience over SMS, with features like better group chats, high-resolution photo sharing, read receipts and typing indicators.

Google announced its plans to move in this direction when it acquired RCS provider Jibe Mobile back in September 2015. The Jibe cloud platform will power the new service on Sprint, says Google.

Sprint subscribers will have their standard SMS experience upgraded through Google’s redesigned Messenger app on their Android devices, provided they are on Android KitKat or higher, and have set Messenger as their default SMS application.

Those using select LG and Nexus phones from Sprint will be automatically upgraded to RCS through an app update, while others can manually update their devices by downloading the Messenger app from the Play Store.

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Facebook Messenger is testing “Instant Games” like this one from King

Facebook Messenger is preparing to launch a new “Instant Games” platform that will let people  play lightweight games against friends. Candy Crush maker King.com is already testing one of these Instant Games called “Shuffle Cats Mini” in New Zealand, TechCrunch has discovered. And other studios including Big Viking also appear to be prepping for the Instant Games launch.

Facebook has been largely shut out of the native mobile gaming world by Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. But by building games into Messenger by using it as a portal to mobile web apps, Facebook could create a new platform that drives Messenger engagement. Users could come to Messenger to play Instant Games, challenge friends via Facebook Messages, and potentially earn Facebook a cut of in-game purchases. Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Earlier today, The Information reported that Facebook is building the Instant Games platform for asynchronous games that you can take turns playing with friends, not necessarily at the same time. Instant Games expands on the success of the chess, basketball, and soccer mini-games Facebook itself built for Messenger earlier this year by allowing third-party developers to build them too. Facebook plans to release a development kit or tool later this month, though developers haven’t been told if they’ll be able to charge for in-game purchases.

The First Instant Games

The Information wrote that Facebook is already privately testing Instant Games, though it didn’t name any studios. TechCrunch has discovered casual gaming giant King.com already has a Facebook Page for its Shuffle Cats Mini game that it refers to as “a slick card-flicking Instant Game from King”.

The Page is actively allowing users in certain regions like New Zealand to play, but those in the US get an error message when they try to load it on mobile. Shuffle Cats Mini seems to partially load on the web, revealing a game where you fling cards at targets in a little shooting gallery, but you can’t finish a game or share your score to compete with friends — which would mirror how Messenger’s basketball and soccer games worked.

the source