Technology

Googling ‘March Madness’ still defaults to men’s games

Published

2 years ago

March 26, 2022

Googling ‘March Madness’ still defaults to men’s games

Candy Sixteen video games on this 12 months’s March Insanity tip off tonight and tomorrow — all thrilling video games (like reigning nationwide champions Stanford vs. Maryland) and one that’s going to be deeply irritating for me personally (Connecticut vs. Indiana — go Huskies).

You’d be forgiven for considering that the video games began yesterday, although. As of this writing, looking out “candy sixteen march insanity” pulls up a schedule field for the boys’s match, which did have that spherical begin yesterday. The ladies’s video games are relegated to a ribbon on the backside.

That is the primary 12 months that the ladies’s school basketball match is ready to use the high-profile March Insanity branding. The change got here after an uproar over the embarrassingly inequitable situations finally 12 months’s ladies’s video games and one other few months spent highlighting the various, some ways the NCAA has failed its feminine athletes. It ought to be a 12 months to proper among the wrongs of the previous iterations of the match and to place the ladies’s recreation on the equal footing it has deserved for a very long time.

However issues nonetheless aren’t caught up on Google. Once I looked for “March Insanity” in Google, the very first thing that got here up is a field with the schedule for the boys’s match. The sidebar on the best can be for the boys’s match. Scroll down, and there’s the outcomes ribbon for the ladies’s video games, however no actual hyperlinks to extra info. “School basketball championship” solely pulls up the boys’s video games, as properly.

Google spokesperson Ned Adriance stated in an announcement to The Verge that search takes issues like trending searches and recreation instances into consideration when it tries to know which groups or video games individuals are on the lookout for and that Google has made enhancements round March Insanity. “When individuals come to Search to seek out ladies’s sports activities data and primarily discover particulars for males’s groups, we all know that’s not an awesome expertise,” he stated.

A screenshot taken on March 25.

It’s a irritating expertise for sports activities reporter Claire Watkins, who writes the publication for Simply Girls’s Sports activities and in addition primarily sees males’s scores pop up in her search outcomes. The ribbon tacked on to the underside of the boys’s match field doesn’t embrace vital particulars or hyperlinks for ladies’s video games. If she needs the detailed info field for the ladies’s match, she has to particularly add on “ladies” for any March Insanity searches.

“I by no means need to kind ‘ladies’ on the finish of a search ever once more,” Watkins tweeted.

The identical factor occurs after I seek for different sports activities utilizing supposedly gender-neutral search phrases: Champions League (which has each males’s and girls’s iterations), US Soccer (which has a ladies’s and males’s workforce, and the ladies’s workforce is much extra profitable). For each, the boys’s schedule is up first. Watkins informed me that her searches for issues like “Notre Dame ACC” accurately determine that she’s on the lookout for details about basketball — however offers her outcomes for the boys’s workforce.

Adriance stated that it’s typically exhausting for Google Search to disentangle sports activities info for causes aside from gender (like when a number of sports activities groups have the identical title), and that typically, the ladies’s iteration of a sport comes up first (like on searches for gymnastics or seaside volleyball groups). Search additionally pulls up outcomes primarily based on the prevalence of a kind of content material on-line — so if there’s extra “related, well timed, and high-quality media” protection of a males’s sport, that may affect search outcomes. “That stated, in relation to our sports activities options, that is one thing we’re actively working to enhance,” he stated.

It’s irritating to see one thing like Google make the argument that they may not present ladies’s sports activities as a result of there won’t be as a lot info obtainable about them. Girls’s sports activities are nonetheless attempting to shake off many years of being undercut by organizations just like the NCAA and underinvested in by networks and media. It’s a option to observe behind that baseline de-prioritization relatively than take energetic steps to counteract it. Curiosity and viewership observe from TV networks’ and tech corporations’ decisions round what to advertise. When these teams correctly put money into and promote the ladies’s recreation, treating it as a product in its personal proper relatively than a second-class topic, people watch.

The best lie the @NCAA ever informed was that followers for @MarchMadnessWBB did not exist. Watch what occurs as they begin giving ladies equal promotion, airtime, and people NIL checks maintain pouring in. https://t.co/V9sdbqJobe
— Alexis Ohanian 7️⃣7️⃣6️⃣ (@alexisohanian) March 22, 2022

Google search does this properly with tennis — looking for a match generates a rating field with the choice to toggle between the boys’s and girls’s matchups, and it’s simple to seek out what you’re on the lookout for. Adriance didn’t say if that was a consideration for March Insanity.

Personally, I feel it will be enjoyable to only swap issues round and have March Insanity pull up ladies’s sports activities solely and drive individuals to kind in “males’s” if that’s the match they need to discover. However I’ll accept simply not having to kind in “ladies’s.” Once I seek for basketball this month, the video games I’m keen on shouldn’t want that qualifier.

Technology

Marvel is bringing the Russo Bros. back to direct the next two Avengers films

Published

6 hours ago

July 28, 2024

Press Room

Marvel is bringing the Russo Bros. back to direct the next two Avengers films

During Marvel’s Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con, the studio announced that the Russo brothers have signed on to direct Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars — the former of which will see Robert Downey Jr, return to the MCU as Doctor Doom. Doomsday is due out in May 2026, while Secret Wars will follow in May 2027.

Doctor Doom showing up just as the Fantastic Four are about to arrive makes it seem like Marvel’s been cooking up a plan to send its beleaguered Multiverse Saga off with a bang — one that’s probably going to be orchestrated by a guy who looks just like Iron Man.

Technology

Ready or not: Self-driving robo rides are rolling into reality

Published

7 hours ago

July 27, 2024

Press Room

Ready or not: Self-driving robo rides are rolling into reality

The Motor City is revving up its innovation engines once again.

This time, it’s about cutting-edge autonomous vehicles (AVs) designed to serve those who need them most.

May Mobility, a leader in AV technology and deployment, has just launched its 14th deployment in the heart of Detroit. But what sets this program apart? Let’s break it down.

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Autonomous vehicle. (May Mobility)

The Accessibili-D program

Launched on June 20 in partnership with the City of Detroit’s Office of Mobility Innovation (OMI) and the Michigan Mobility Collaborative (MMC), the Accessibili-D service is a free autonomous shuttle program aimed at improving life for Detroiters aged 62 and older or those living with disabilities.

The program offers free rides for eligible residents using three autonomous vehicles, including two that are wheelchair-accessible. With 68 stops across 11 square miles of downtown Detroit, the service operates six days a week and connects people to health care, shopping, employment and recreational activities.

Map of autonomous ride service in Detroit. (May Mobility)

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The tech behind the wheels

May Mobility’s AVs aren’t your average self-driving cars. They’re equipped with some seriously smart tech. At the heart of their operation is the Multi-Policy Decision Making (MPDM) system. This advanced technology provides a 360-degree view using lidar, radar and cameras, simulating thousands of scenarios every second. This allows the vehicles to adapt to unexpected situations for safe and efficient navigation.

The company didn’t just roll these vehicles onto Detroit streets without preparation. They underwent extensive testing, including the University of Michigan’s Mcity Safety Assessment Program and the American Center for Mobility’s comprehensive evaluation process. These tests included simulations of real urban scenarios to ensure the vehicles were ready for the complexities of city driving.

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Wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle. (May Mobility)

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Why Detroit? Why now?

Detroit has always been at the forefront of automotive innovation, and this program continues that legacy. But it’s more than just showcasing new tech — it’s about addressing real community needs. Edwin Olson, CEO and co-founder of May Mobility, explains:

“Many Detroiters have trouble getting around due to the costs of owning a car or mobility challenges arising from age or disabilities. We’re excited to show how autonomous technology can help in Detroit, where we will be launching our largest service area to date.”

Autonomous vehicle. (May Mobility)

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A collaborative effort

The Accessibili-D program is the result of extensive collaboration. It began with a $2.4 million contract approved by the Detroit City Council. May Mobility partnered with Toyota to provide access to Toyota Sienna Autono-MaaS vehicles, and the service is powered by Via, the global leader in TransitTech. Extensive community outreach was conducted to educate future riders and identify key locations for stops.

Autonomous vehicle. (May Mobility)

Looking to the future

This pilot program, set to run through 2026, is just the beginning. Based on rider feedback, there are already plans to expand the service zone with additional stops and vehicles. Tim Slusser, chief of the Office of Mobility Innovation at the City of Detroit, had this to say:

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“We’re thrilled to launch the ‘Accessibili-D’ autonomous shuttle service, a vital step toward enhancing mobility for our older residents and those with disabilities. This free, innovative service will provide safe and efficient transportation, greatly improving access to essential services for residents who have faced difficulty navigating their needs in the city.”

Autonomous vehicle. (May Mobility)

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May Mobility: Beyond Detroit

While this Detroit deployment is making news, it’s noteworthy that May Mobility is no newcomer to the AV scene. They’ve successfully deployed in 14 cities across the U.S. and Japan, including Ann Arbor, Michigan; Grand Rapids, Minnesota; Miami; Arlington, Texas; and Sun City, Arizona.

Their mission is to develop AV technology and deploy AVs to transit agencies, cities and businesses across the U.S., offering rides for free or at costs comparable to public transportation.

Autonomous vehicle. (May Mobility)

Kurt’s key takeaways

The Accessibili-D program is a step towards a more inclusive and accessible city. By focusing on those who often face the greatest mobility challenges, May Mobility and the City of Detroit are demonstrating how innovation can be harnessed to address real societal needs. As we watch this program unfold, it will be fascinating to see its impact on the lives of Detroit residents and its potential as a model for other cities. Could this be the future of urban transit? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure — Detroit is once again at the forefront of automotive innovation, proving that the Motor City is still very much in the driver’s seat when it comes to shaping the future of transportation.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Futurama’s new season struggles to make NFTs and AI funny

Published

14 hours ago

July 27, 2024

Press Room

Futurama’s new season struggles to make NFTs and AI funny

It only takes a few minutes before Futurama’s new season starts explaining non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, a concept most people probably haven’t thought about for more than a year.

Despite being set in the far future, Futurama has always been comfortable commenting on modern life. There have been episodes about smartphones and 3D printers that use sci-fi nonsense to complicate the concepts in a way that makes them funny. That has largely continued to be true over many years (and cancellations). But in its Hulu revival last year, the show really started to mess up the balance, and its topical jokes began to overshadow the sci-fi gags. The upcoming 12th season struggles even more to find a Futurama-style twist on absurd ripped-from-the-headlines storylines about NFTs and AI. It makes for an uneven season that often feels like it’s missing what originally made the show so special.

The NFTs are the most egregious example, and they also happen to be featured heavily in the debut episode, which makes for a terrible first impression. The convoluted plot involves Bender selling a CryptoPunks-style collection to make a quick buck, which somehow leads him on a quest to discover his origins in Mexico. Meanwhile, the rest of the Planet Express crew attempts a heist to liberate Bender’s NFT collection from an art museum, only to be thwarted by the complexities of the blockchain and digital ledgers.

The problem is that these aren’t some sort of quirky Futurama take on NFTs — they’re just regular NFTs as we know them now, terrible art connected to a digital receipt. The episode spends an annoyingly large part of its runtime explaining the concept — which, to be fair, is hard to do succinctly — without offering much by the way of jokes or commentary. It just assumes NFTs in and of themselves are enough to make people laugh.

More than a decade ago, when we all thought Futurama was really over for good, executive producer and head writer David X. Cohen explained to me how the show was able to successfully translate modern problems into its retrofuturistic world. “We always like it when the real world gives us ideas for episodes,” he said. “Setting the show 1,000 years in the future does not mean you’re not going to comment on society today, it just makes it one step removed.” As the NFT episode proves, it’s that “one step removed” part that’s so important. Without it, the episode is a bunch of dull jokes that are also painfully dated.

I’ve seen the first six episodes of the season (there will be 10 in total), and things fare slightly better later on. There’s a Squid Game spoof that explores Fry’s childhood through some kind of bizarre time travel and a fast-fashion episode that turns Cara Delevingne into Frankenstein’s monster and the professor into a style icon. I wouldn’t say these are examples of Futurama at its best — the jokes are hit or miss, and most are lacking the heart that keeps the show grounded. But they at least understand Futurama’s original premise: using this weirdo future as a lens to exaggerate modern issues.

This is less true in the most unoriginal episode of the bunch, when the show turns an AI chatbot into Leela’s jealous friend. It’s just about every AI movie trope rolled into 20 minutes of animation. It’s also pretty weird to tackle AI as a new thing at all given Futurama is swarming with sentient robots.

Maybe there’s more heart and wit in the later episodes, as Hulu does promise the season will explore “the next chapter in Fry and Leela’s fateful, time-twisted romance.” But from what I’ve seen, the balance is too far askew. There’s too much focus on being topical and not enough on the oddball humor, long-running characters, and warmth that has made it all work so well before. Like the rest of the world, Futurama should’ve left NFTs in the past.

Futurama season 12 starts streaming on Hulu on July 29th.