Pokemon’s that Go bump in the night

We’ve already seen plenty of stories of Pokemon Go players winding up in their neighbours’ backyards in their efforts to catch ’em all, but now some enterprising criminals are using the game to lure players into dark alleys to rob them. Appropriately, the chosen tool to do so is called a Lure Module, which players can drop in a specific location and that make it more likely Pokemons will appear there for the next half hour. Of course, other enterprising folks — like retailers wanting to boost foot traffic — are using the Module for more noble ends. Pokemon Go is only available in select markets, but that hasn’t stopped players in unsupported regions from side-loading the Android app by downloading any of the numerous versions of the APK that are available online. We’d like to think South African users would be savvy enough to avoid seeking Pokemon in unsavoury locations, but then, we’re optimistic like that. Be careful out there, trainers.

Source: The Register

Github’s got Apollo 11’s source code

Building your own replica of a 1960’s space craft to head to the moon? Well, a former NASA intern named Chris Garry has just made your DIY project a whole lot easier by posting the entire Apollo Guidance Computer source code on GitHub. The code is full of the sorts of wry humour you’d expect from developers, including line 666 of the lunar landing code turning up a “numero mysterioso” and someone having snuck in a reference to the catchphrase “burn, baby, burn” by radio DJ Magnificent Montague. For a fuller rundown of the code’s jokes, head over to Quartz. While the code has limited practical applications today (aside from for your garage shuttle), it’s a great educational tool for the coding inclined.

Source: Engadget

Elon Musk’s masterplan, the sequel

It’s been a rough few weeks for Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company Tesla. A few weeks back the company had to contend with the first reported fatality after a Tesla driver using the autopilot mode — that can change lanes and control speed without the driver’s intervention — wound up driving under the trailer of a truck. Last month another Tesla got a little too cosy with a turnpike in Pennsylvania (though it’s not yet clear whether autopilot had any role to play there). Now CEO Elon Musk has tweeted that he hopes to publish what he calls his “Top Secret Tesla Masterplan, Part 2” this week. Hopefully it’ll shed some light on Musk’s plans for the company, while also easing investors concerns about Tesla’s proposal to buy alternative energy company SolarCity to bolster its efforts to provide sustainable energy for homes and businesses.

Source: VentureBeat

Mr Robot’s second season premieres on social media

The second season of Mr Robot is only due out later this week, but US TV network USA staged an inspired marketing stunt by airing the first 40 minutes of the first episode of the new season using social media during a Facebook Q&A about the show. About 25 minutes into the Q&A on Facebook Live the broadcast was “interrupted” and those watching were sent to various social media accounts to watch the new episode. The links were deleted in pretty short order, but that only made the hunt more interesting. If you’ve not seen Mr Robot — which concerns a renegade hacker and his personal demons, and Christian Slater’s best outing since True Romance — we probably can’t be friends any more. But don’t worry, you’ve got a few more days to fix that before the second season drops.