Anyone who works as a freelancer these days has to be at least a bit familiar with techie things. But it isn’t just that. When I was a kid and those vaguely SF puppet shows were on the television and all the other kids wanted to be Greg Gogetem or Steve Savetheuniverse, I wanted to be the guy in a white coat and glasses called Doc or Brains. Here are some technology-related feeds I find useful and/or entertaining.
Mashable » Comic-Con Bans Google Glass During Film Screenings
Comic-Con 2014 kicked off in San Diego on Thursday with a new rule for attendees: Google Glass is banned from all film screenings. The announcement was included in Comic-Con's official Convention Policies handbook. However, the blacklisted devices are called "Glasses" in the book, contrary to Google's pronunciation: Glass. This is the first time the wearable has been cited as a banned … [Link]
Mashable » Linkin Park's Joe Hahn Debuts Film About Mall Shooting at Comic-Con
Joe Hahn braved his first Comic-Con when he was 14 years old. Now 37, the Linkin Park beat maker is making his directorial film debut with Mall, a movie about a horrific shooting at a shopping mall. Mall will premiere at Comic-Con San Diego on Thursday night, and though it's his first feature film, Hahn has directed more than 30 music … [Link]
Mashable » Vint Cerf Warns Against Evil Superpowers Taking Over the Internet
The Father of the Internet wants to lay some wisdom and warnings on all of you. In a new video posted by Google, a cartoon version of Vint Cerf, who is widely recognized as one of the fathers of the Internet (along with Bob Kahn), explains the Internet address system and some of the near-term hurdles it faces. See also: … [Link]
Mashable » Like Its Peers, Pinterest Releases Mostly Male Employee Demographics
Silicon Valley's most promising tech companies are proving what everyone already suspected — that tech has a diversity problem Pinterest is the latest tech company to unveil its employee demographics, which look similar to other companies in the area: mostly white, mostly male. See also: 'You're Not A Princess' Ad Campaign Pushes Female Empowerment Pinterest reports that 92% of its workforce … [Link]
Slashdot » "Magic Helmet" For F-35 Ready For Delivery
Graculus writes with news that the so called "magic helmets" for the controversial F-35 are ready for action. This week, Lockheed Martin officially took delivery of a key part of the F-35 fighter's combat functionality—the pilot's helmet. The most expensive and complicated piece of headgear ever constructed, the F-35 Gen III Helmet Mounted Display System (HMDS) is one of the … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Today in APIs: Google Offers New Drive Security API
Google launches the Drive Audit API for increased cloud service security. The Koch brothers grow a network of libertarian hackers and coders. Plus: a new API for a Bitcoin index, and Putin signs a law that could block Facebook from Russia. Google Ups Game in Cloud Service Security with New API Google has announced an API as part of its … [Link]
Mashable » Josh Topolsky on Leaving The Verge and His Future at Bloomberg
News that Josh Topolsky would leave The Verge, the technology website he helped found in 2011, came as some surprise — even to Topolsky. "For me, this came out of the blue. I was not looking, not thinking about going anywhere and when I started talking to [Bloomberg Media CEO] Justin Smith about what he wanted to do at Bloomberg and … [Link]
Mashable » Mark Zuckerberg Is Now Richer Than the Google Guys
How’s your summer going? Probably not as good as Mark Zuckerberg's. The Facebook CEO and cofounder's wealth has spiked in recent months as the company's stock price continues to reach new highs. On Thursday, he reached another milestone: With a fortune worth $33.3 billion, he's now worth more than Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, according to Blooomberg's Billionaires Index. … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Mary Poppins Quits (Ft. Kristen Bell) [Video]
Mary Poppins (Kristen Bell) is working for minimum wage, and really needs a raise. The current minimum wage in the U.S. is $7.25 per hour. In Canada, where I live, people on minimum wage earn from $9.50 to $11 per hour, depending on their province of residence. [Funny or Die | Via Neatorama] [Link]
Mashable » 'American Ninja Warrior' Competitor Destroys Obstacle Course. Literally.
When we say Joe Moravsky destroyed American Ninja Warrior, we mean literally In a Hulk-like moment, Moravsky actually broke an obstacle called the "Rumbling Dice" during his run. He didn't let that stop him — he went on to finish the entire course with the fastest time of the night, qualifying him for the finals 
He's no "Mighty Kacy," but … [Link]
Slashdot » Laser Eye Surgery, Revisited 10 Years Later
gunner_von_diamond (3461783) happened upon Ask Slashdot: Experiences with Laser Eye Surgery from ten years ago, and asks: I was just reading a story on /. from 10 years ago about Lasik Eye Surgery. Personally, I've had Lasik done and loved every single part of the surgery. I went from wearing contacts/glasses every day to having 20/15 vision! In the older … [Link]
Mashable » 'Community' at Comic-Con: 'Where We're Going, We Don't Need Ratings'
SAN DIEGO — There was little to no new info on Community's upcoming new season on Yahoo, but the cast and creators had a pretty clear message during their panel at Comic-Con about their 11th-hour save from the TV graveyard: thank goodness. But it was a close call "About three hours before the deadline was up, we were told, 'Do we … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » New scalable solutions for data analysis with R
The R programming language is the most popular statistical software in use today by data scientists, according to the 2013 Rexer Analytics Data Miner survey. One of the main drawbacks of vanilla R is the inability to scale and handle … [Link]
Mashable » Sad Batman Is Back in Director's Batffleck Close-Up
Up until now, we've only had a full body shot of "sad Batman" to kick around the Internet, but Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice director Zach Snyder gives us our first up-close glimpse of actor Ben Affleck in the Batman cowl on Thursday. #75 pic.twitter.com/Caj2N8iTAb — ZackSnyder (@ZackSnyder) July 24, 2014 The image, dropped on Twitter to commemorate Batman's 75th … [Link]
Slashdot » Western US States Using Up Ground Water At an Alarming Rate
sciencehabit (1205606) writes A new study shows that ground water in the Colorado basin is being depleted six times faster than surface water. The groundwater losses, which take thousands of years to be recharged naturally, point to the unsustainability of exploding population centers and water-intensive agriculture in the basin, which includes most of Arizona and parts of Colorado, California, Nevada, … [Link]
Mashable » UN Made Clear It Was Sheltering Kids But School in Gaza Still Got Hit
At least 16 people seeking shelter were killed when a United Nations-run school in Gaza were hit on Thursday See also: 'Am I Going to Die, Daddy?' The Child in Gaza Asked Initial reports suggested that Israeli tank shells hit the compound in the Gaza Strip. But the Israeli military suggested Hamas rockets may have been to blame, although it offered … [Link]
Mashable » Google's $1 Billion Acquisition of Twitch Reportedly a Go
As previously rumored, Google is reportedly going to acquire Twitch for $1 billion. The newest report comes from Dean Takahashi at GamesBeat, citing "sources familiar with the matter." Although the terms of the deal — and the timing of the announcement aren't known, Takahashi says the deal is a lock. See also: Everything You Need to Know About YouTube Buying Twitch … [Link]
Mashable » Pandora Projects Lower Earnings and Investors Freak Out
Pandora’s latest earnings report didn't strike quite the right note with investors The Internet radio service posted earnings of $0.04 a share on revenue of $218.9 million in the June quarter, beating Wall Street estimates on both counts. However, the company projected that earnings in the upcoming quarter would be between $0.05 and $0.08, coming in below many analyst estimates. See … [Link]
Slashdot » Chromebooks Are Outselling iPads In Schools
Nate the greatest (2261802) writes Apple thrilled investors earlier this week when they revealed that they had sold 13 million iPads to schools and claimed 85% of the educational tablet market, but that wasn't the whole story. It turns out that Apple has only sold 5 million iPads to schools since February 2013, or an average of less than a … [Link]
Mashable » Jeff Bridges and Lois Lowry Give Us 'The Giver' at Comic-Con
The Giver comes out in just a couple of weeks, and The Weinstein Co. used Comic-Con on Thursday as a final springboard for what has already been a rich and abiding online and social campaign for the film based on Lois Lowry's young-adult sci-fi novel. Weinstein brought Jeff Bridges to Comic-Con, where the Tron: Legacy star has been before; and Lowry, … [Link]
Mashable » Amazon Investors Are Starting to Get Impatient
Amazon is known for quick delivery, but for investors waiting for a profit, it's been a long haul. They are starting to get impatient. The ecommerce giant posted revenue of $19.3 billion in the second quarter of 2014 but lost $126 million, or $0.27 per share. Analysts had expected the $19.3 billion of income but projected a far smaller loss of … [Link]
Mashable » 10 Weird Things That Happened During Obama's Trip to L.A.
The POTUS loves a good scandal — the kind you can watch on primetime TV, that is. President Barack Obama's fundraising tour for Democratic candidates this week included a trip to Los Angeles. The President is a friend to many Hollywood A-listers — so it's no surprise that the chief executive would make an appearance with some well-known celebrities in his … [Link]
Mashable » The Friends That Play Together, Stay Together
Swiss photographers Ursula Sprecher and Andi Cortellini have released a series of pictures — and a corresponding book — titled Hobby Buddies, which examine people who are pursuing a common cause or shared ideas They staged scenes that are both humorous and heartfelt, including groups like a diving club, astronomers, a scout troop and a children's chess club. See also: 12 … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Build Your Own LEGO Batman Tumbler This Fall! [PICS]
Arriving in September, you, too, can build your own Batman Tumbler out of LEGOs! After assembly, it will measure 15 inches high and 9 inches tall AND have a detailed cockpit. Batman and Ledger-as-Joker minifigs will also be included in the $200 kit. 
[via Gizmodo] [Link]
Slashdot » A Warm-Feeling Wooden Keyboard (Video)
Plastic, plastic everywhere! Except on most surfaces of the Keyboardio ergonomic keyboard, which started as a 'scratch his itch' project by Jesse Vincent. According to his blurb on the Keyboardio site, Jesse 'has spent the last 20 years writing software like Request Tracker, K-9 Mail, and Perl. He types… a lot. He tried all the keyboards before finally making his … [Link]
Mashable » A Creative Dad Just Made Water Balloon Fights Way More Efficient
Water balloon fights are fun. Filling up water balloons? Not so much. Inventor Josh Malone, along with his kids, developed a much faster way to replace the time-consuming process of filling water balloons. Malone's device, which can fill 100 balloons in a minute, attaches to the hose directly for one-time use. He calls it "Bunch O Balloons" and launched a Kickstarter … [Link]
Mashable » A Way to Monitor Your Sleep Without Wearing a Tracker
Gadgets that monitor your sleeping habits aren't new, but a new prototype by the startup Hello tracks your snoozing patterns and the environment around you — and you don't have to wear anything while you're in bed. A small sensor-filled ball called the Sense is picking up huge traction on Kickstarter. In less than 48 hours, it has brought in … [Link]
Slashdot » ScummVM 1.7.0 Released
jones_supa (887896) writes It's been a while since a new ScummVM release, but version 1.7.0 is now here with many exciting features. New games supported are The Neverhood, Mortville Manor, Voyeur, Return to Ringworld and Chivalry is Not Dead. The Roland MT-32 emulator has been updated, there is an OpenGL backend, the GUI has seen improvements, AGOS engine is enhanced, … [Link]
Mashable » My Neighbor's Using Water in a Drought! Quick, Someone Yell at Him!
Faced with one of the state's worst droughts on record, some Californians have taken extreme measures to force their neighbors to use less water: publicly shaming them on social media, using the hashtag #DroughtShaming The trend does not have the backing of water authorities, however. State officials told Mashable they would much rather residents anonymously report each other to their local … [Link]
Mashable » New App or New Ad? Instagram Teases Us With Bolt
What exactly does Facebook have up its sleeve? An ad for a new app called Bolt mysteriously appeared on Instagram on Wednesday. Android users reported seeing a new banner-style app-install ad on on the service, according to TechCrunch, which featured a "one tap photo messaging" app called Bolt. See also: 11 Creepiest Things You Can Do on Instagram The ad included … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Glove and Boots’ Job Interview Tips [Video]
Watch as Fafa and Mario explain a few things you should do for that next job interview! [Glove and Boots] [Link]
New Scientist – News » Icy moon explorer gets an Alaska road test
Camped on a glacier, Lisa Grossman meets a robot that could pierce the ice of Jupiter's moon Europa and check its hidden ocean for signs of life 
[Link]
Mashable » DreamWorks Kicks Off Comic-Con With 'Penguins' and Benedict Cumberbatch
DreamWorks Animation kicked off Comic-Con 2014 with an exclusive look at Home, an even longer (and laughs-heavy) look at The Penguins of Madagascar and of course, Benedict Cumberbatch's first appearance in Hall H. "I am here because I am frightened of (DreamWorks Animation CEO) Jeffrey Katzenberg," quipped panel moderator Craig Ferguson, among the first of many big laughs The Late Late … [Link]
Mashable » The Insider's Guide to Comic-Con
Holy sculpted chest plate, Batman — it's here Comic-Con 2014 is officially upon us. But are you ready? See also: 18 Pieces of Sage Wisdom From Batman Take a look at our insider's guide up top. And don't forget to subscribe to Mashable on YouTube for more videos like this BONUS: 5 Biggest Moments in Comic-Con History Have something to … [Link]
Mashable » 'The Coalition Has Fallen Apart': Ukraine's Prime Minister Resigns
DONETSK, Ukraine — Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk tendered his resignation abruptly on Thursday after two parties abandoned the ruling coalition in parliament, a move that would allow President Petro Poroshenko to call early parliamentary elections. Addressing lawmakers inside Kiev’s Verkhovna Rada, Yatsenyuk said he was relinquishing his post because parliament could no longer do its work and pass necessary laws. … [Link]
Slashdot » Comcast Carrying 1Tbit/s of IPv6 Internet Traffic
New submitter Tim the Gecko (745081) writes Comcast has announced 1Tb/s of Internet facing, native IPv6 traffic, with more than 30% deployment to customers. With Facebook, Google/YouTube, and Wikipedia up to speed, it looks we are past the "chicken and egg" stage. IPv6 adoption by other carriers is looking better too with AT&T at 20% of their network IPv6 enabled, … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Dark Horse to Publish ‘Fight Club’ Sequel as Miniseries
When I first heard there was going to a sequel to Fight Club, I was immediately against it, assuming it was going to be in film form. But then I learned it was going to be in comic book form, and I felt less nervous about it. And it’s even going to be written by Chuck Palahniuk himself! 
Dark Horse … [Link]
New Scientist – News » California's Katrina? The great delta dilemma
Drought is not the only threat to California's water supply – the state's single biggest source of water is a catastrophe waiting to happen (full text available to subscribers) 
[Link]
New Scientist – News » Art by algorithm: Computer evolves new artworks
A computer algorithm that modifies images by mimicking the rules of natural selection can work with people to evolve novel works of art 
[Link]
Mashable » Turbo the Tiny, Two-Legged Chihuahua Uses a Wheelchair Made From Toys
Turbo the teensy, two-legged chihuahua has a new set of wheels thanks to some creative engineering. Staff at the Downtown Veterinarian in Indianapolis, Indiana built the disabled puppy a make-shift wheelchair using parts of a deconstructed toy helicopter and a toy welding kit See also: 10 Dogs That Will Break Your Heart, Then Make You Smile Turbo came into the practice's … [Link]
Mashable » Norman Reedus of 'Walking Dead' Talks Comic-Con, 'GoT' and Emmy Snubs
Zombies on the set of The Walking Dead come alive in the most flattering way when the cameras aren't filming them. Norman Reedus, who stars as the popular crossbow-toting Daryl Dixon, has on a few occasions caught them mimicking his behaviors "After the scenes, I’ll walk over to them and be like, ‘What were you doing over there?’ And they'll say, … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Wiping out species can push people into slavery
A new analysis suggests that the decline of wildlife fuels social unrest and slavery, but giving local people control over their local wildlife could help 
[Link]
New Scientist – News » Feathersaurus: plant-eating dinos had plumage too
New fossils suggest it was not just bird-like dinosaurs that had elaborate feathers – the other major dinosaur group had them too 
[Link]
Slashdot » Social Security Administration Joins Other Agencies With $300M "IT Boondoggle"
alphadogg (971356) writes with news that the SSA has joined the long list of federal agencies with giant failed IT projects. From the article: "Six years ago the Social Security Administration embarked on an aggressive plan to replace outdated computer systems overwhelmed by a growing flood of disability claims. Nearly $300 million later, the new system is nowhere near ready … [Link]
Mashable » Iraq Now Censoring Websites Critical of Government
As the terrorist group known as the Islamic State began its march through Iraq, the government tried to answer both on the ground and online, blocking large social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. But now, Iraq seems to be taking advantage of the turmoil to censor websites critical of the central governmentAl Jazeera and Al Arabiya have been blocked … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Verizon To Match Upload Speeds With Downloads
Verizon is to upgrade all of its FiOS customers to increase their upload speeds to match their download speeds. There’ll be no extra charge, though some users will have to wait. Right back to the days when nerdier folk showed off about knowing what the A in ADSL stood for, most broadband users have come to expect much faster download … [Link]
Mashable » Kristen Bell Sings for a Minimum Wage Increase as Mary Poppins
It seems not even the magic of Mary Poppins can solve living below the poverty line. In this political Funny or Die parody, Kristen Bell channels the legendary Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins. She's not here to sing about spoonfuls of sugar, but rather for an increase the federal minimum wage. And we can all probably agree that Poppins deserves a … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Winklevoss twins launch API for their Bitcoin price index
Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, tech investors who rose to prominence through their battle with former Harvard classmate and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, are placing huge bets on the virtual currency Bitcoin and this week revealed their latest Bitcoin endeavor: an open API for their Bitcoin pricing index.
[Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » IG Opens API with IG Labs Initiative
IG, a world leader in CFD, financial spread betting, and forex, has opened up its web API to the public through the IG Labs initiative. Access to the API will allow developers to integrate IG’s internal functions with existing systems or build trading applications.
[Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Apps Alliance and Intuit Release App Privacy Tool
This article is a company-provided press release and ProgrammableWeb cannot vouch for the accuracy of the statements within. If you have questions regarding the information below, please contact the company that issued the press release.
[Link]
Slashdot » Black Holes Not Black After All, Theorize Physicists
KentuckyFC (1144503) writes Black holes are singularities in spacetime formed by stars that have collapsed at the end of their lives. But while black holes are one of the best known ideas in cosmology, physicists have never been entirely comfortable with the idea that regions of the universe can become infinitely dense. Indeed, they only accept this because they can't … [Link]
Mashable » Creating a Fake Person Shows How Digital Anonymity Is Nearly Impossible
On April 8, 2013, I received an envelope in the mail from a nonexistent return address in Toledo, Ohio. Inside was a blank thank-you note and an Ohio state driver’s license. The ID belonged to a 28-year-old man called Aaron Brown — 6 feet tall and 160 pounds with a round face, scruffy brown hair, a thin beard and green eyes. … [Link]
Slashdot » Mac OS X Yosemite Beta Opens
New submitter David Hames (3763525) writes Would you like to test drive the newest release of the Macintosh operating system? Apple is opening up the beta for Mac OS X Yosemite starting Thursday to the first million people who sign up. Beta users won't be able to access such promised Yosemite features such as the ability to make or receive … [Link]
Mashable » Start a Prank War in Cartoon Network's Latest iOS Game
Cartoon Network has just unleashed another iOS game based on its popular anything-but-regular animated show, Regular Show. The new game is none other than The Great Prank War. As shown in the trailer below, The Great Prank War begins with East Pines manager Gene wanting to win the prank war and take over the Regular Show protagonists' park after he takes possession of … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Untried death cocktails causing botched executions
Arizona death row inmate Joseph Wood took almost 2 hours to die – why is a drug combination is being experimented with in the death chamber? 
[Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Worst. Vacay. Ever. [Rhett & Link Music Video]
Yep, it’s that time of the year again. A new video by the always awesome Rhett & Link. “Rub Some Bacon on It” is still my favorite song from them though. [Rhett & Link] [Link]
Mashable » 'Extant' Episode 3 Recap: The Secret's Out
If episode 3 is any indication, Extant is emerging as a series that deftly juggles out-of-this-world sci-fi spookiness alongside relatable human problems While viewers see Molly Woods (Halle Berry) grapple with visions of her dead former lover Marcus Dawkins (Sergio Harford), searing stomach pains and crop circle-esque rings popping up from under her skin, we are also privy to the challenges … [Link]
Mashable » Jimmy Kimmel Proves No One Understands Smartwatches
So what do you think of Apple's new smartwatch? Oh, haven't seen it? Of course not — it hasn't been released yet. But people on Hollywood Boulevard are blissfully unaware of that factJimmy Kimmel and his team (as per usual) pranked pedestrians by trying to pass off a $20 Casio watch as the new Apple iTime. And they loved it. … [Link]
Slashdot » Sony Agrees To $17.75m Settlement For 2011 PSN Attack
mrspoonsi (2955715) writes with word that Sony has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit brought by PSN users affected by the 2011 breach. From the article: Sony has finally agreed to a preliminary settlement of $15m, which may be able to appease most of the customers that suffered from this attack. The PlayStation Network users that did not partake … [Link]
Mashable » European Regulators Chide Google Over 'Right to be Forgotten'
European regulators are not happy with the way Google has handled the controversial "right to be forgotten" ruling. In May, the European Court of Justice ruled that citizens had a right to ask search engines to have links to outdated, irrelevant or misleading information about them removed. Since then, Google has complied with the ruling creating a web form to request … [Link]
Mashable » The 50 Best Swimming Cities in the U.S.
Get your goggles bathing suit, it's time to go for a dip in America's top swim cities According to a new study commissioned by USA Swimming and Speedo, the following cities are the most swim-friendly in the United States See also: Top 10 Water Parks for a Wet Hot American Summer The scoring was based upon the percentage of active swimmers … [Link]
New Scientist – News » As sanctions deepen, just how crucial is Russian gas?
Gas exports to Europe are regarded as a key Russian trump card amid anger over its role in Ukraine. Just how reliant are we, wonders Jon Excell 
[Link]
Mashable » Location, Location, Location: Why Place Matters for a Small Business
Permits. Contracts. Licensing. Zoning. As if starting your own business and projecting sales weren't hard enough already, setting up shop in major cities also calls for an abundance of paperwork and bureaucratic hurdles, often unforeseen and potentially detrimental. In this next episode of Setting Up Shop, Azalina Eusope of Azalina's (@AzalinaMalaysia) and Stephen Roginson of Batch Brewing Co. (@BatchBrewing) discuss … [Link]
Mashable » Google Chromecast Turns 1, Hits 400 Million 'Casts' Milestone
Google’s media streaming gadget Chromecast launched one year ago Thursday, and to celebrate its big birthday, the company announced an impressive stat: It has streamed more than 400 million casts and Google has sold "millions" of the devices. The Chromecast, a dongle which "casts" (or streams) online videos from your tablet, smartphone or computer to HDTVs, has added hundreds of apps … [Link]
Slashdot » GOG.com Announces Linux Support
For years, Good Old Games has made a business out of selling classic PC game titles completely free of DRM. Today they announced that their platform now supports Linux. They said, We've put much time and effort into this project and now we've found ourselves with over 50 titles, classic and new, prepared for distribution, site infrastructure ready, support team … [Link]
Mashable » Snoopy's Latest Playground Is 'We Heart It'
Snoopy is branching out on social media and taking his sister, Belle, with him. The iconic Peanuts character is joining an expanding list of brands on the small but growing social network We Heart It. We Heart It, which reports 30 million members and recently added ads, is something of the social media lovechild between Instagram and Pinterest. It has the … [Link]
Mashable » Chief Happiness Officers Could End Up Making Employees Miserable
Happiness isn’t something you find, or work toward — it’s something you buy and have delivered. Or at least that’s the premise of one of the newest jobs over in the C-suite. Now, alongside the CEO, CFO and their ilk, we have the CHO, or chief happiness officer. As the name clearly suggests, the CHO is responsible for the contentment of … [Link]
Mashable » Why Killing the Check-In Was the Wrong Move for Foursquare
The Foursquare check-in officially is no more. The newly revamped Foursquare is now a Yelp-like local discovery app, while check-ins have been relegated to Swarm But the transition to Swarm, which first launched in May, has not been an easy one for Foursquare's base. See also: Swarm, Foursquare's Other Half, Takes Over the Check-In For his part, Foursquare CEO Dennis Crowley … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Signals from OSCON 2014
Experts and advocates from across the open source world assembled in Portland, Ore. this week for OSCON 2014. Below you’ll find a handful of keynotes and interviews from the event that we found particularly notable. How tiny satellites and fresh … [Link]
Slashdot » For Half, Degrees In Computing, Math, Or Stats Lead To Other Jobs
dcblogs (1096431) writes The Census Bureau reports that only 26% of people with any type of four-year STEM degree are working in a STEM field. For those with a degree specifically in computer, math or statistics, the figure is 49%, nearly the same for engineering degrees. What happens to the other STEM trained workers? The largest numbers are managers at … [Link]
Mashable » Humans Mimic Facial Expressions From Certain Robots
Without thinking, humans tend to mimic the facial expressions of others. When other individuals smile, people smile and feel warmth. When others frown, people frown and share their sadness. This empathetic response is so strong that people might even instinctively copy the facial expressions of creepy robots, a new study suggests. Researchers observed how students interacted with a robot made to … [Link]
Mashable » Finally, a Movie That Panders to '90s Kids
Get ready to kick your nostalgia into overdrive There are no shortage of '80s and '90s toy-themed movies like The Lego Movie and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles hitting theaters, but this parody trailer from The Wil Wheaton Project tops them all. As Wil Wheaton commented on YouTube, "We at the Wil Wheaton Project believe it's finally time for the most … [Link]
Mashable » GM Expects to Pay at Least $400 Million to Ignition Switch Victims
General Motors has finally given an estimate for how much it plans to pay victims of its faulty ignition switch GM revealed in its second quarter earnings report Thursday that it expects to pay at least $400 million for a compensation program for the defective ignition switch that resulted in dozens of crashes and 13 deaths. See also: GM Issues 60th … [Link]
New Scientist – News » This brand-new kingfisher is critically endangered
A survey of birds has identified 361 new species that had previously been confused with known species, a quarter of which are considered threatened 
[Link]
Mashable » 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Bares All in First Official Trailer
The trailer for the hotly anticipated film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey has dropped and — no surprise here — it's a steamy one. We get a first look as innocent college student Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) gets involved in a sadistic love affair with bad boy billionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan). And then, the moment we've all been … [Link]
Mashable » How to Reclaim Your Goals When the Path to Success Gets Foggy
I want to have an extraordinary career — and really make an impact inside my company, and out in the world. But there are so many little things that need to get done every day. It’s so hard to stay focused on the big picture. Sound like you? If so, I can relate. In running my own business, I know how … [Link]
Slashdot » Empathy For Virtual Characters Studied With FMRI Brain Imaging
vrml (3027321) writes "A novel brain imaging study published by the prestigious Neuroimage journal sheds light on different reactions that players' brains display when they meet a virtual character in a game world. While their head was inside a fMRI machine, participants played an interactive virtual experience in which they had to survive a serious fire emergency in a building … [Link]
Mashable » How Many Yelp Reviews Say 'YOLO'? Its New Trends Tool Shows You
Kale and Zumba have fallen in and out of favor over the years, and Yelp's new tool might be able to help you pinpoint when and where. The premise of Yelp Trends, which debuted on Thursday, is simple: It tracks the popularity of search topics over a 10-year span, honoring the company's 10-year anniversary. See also: How to Spot a Fake … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » 13-Year-Old Boy Writes to George R.R. Martin: I Want to Die a Gruesome Death in “Game of Thrones”
George R.R. Martin is currently holding a crowdfunding campaign to help a wolf sanctuary and he’s offering awesome prizes, including the chance to be killed in GOT. Unfortunately, this specific “reward” is already gone, but there are plenty of other ones still available (Just 1 day left!) After hearing about this, a 13-year-old boy wrote a letter to the author … [Link]
New Scientist – News » The new Google? Baidu's big plans to bust out of China
China's biggest search engine is pushing at the boundaries of artificial intelligence – and self-driving bikes are just the beginning 
[Link]
Mashable » Jimmy Fallon and Robin Wright Turn and Face the Music
Jimmy Fallon and Robin Wright boast many talents, including improv dancing. The Tonight Show host and House of Cards star practiced their spontaneous line delivery, followed by unexpected dance breaks, ranging in musical stylings from Lil John's "Turn Down for What" to traditional line dancing. At least we know that if either of their respective shows get cancelled, they'll have … [Link]
Mashable » What's Cool and New at Comic-Con's Preview Night: A Look Inside
Comic-Con’s buzzy, newsy movie panels really get cranking on Thursday, starting with a morning session for DreamWorks Animation and Paramount Pictures in the afternoon. But Wednesday night had its own special place in the Comic-Con universe. Preview Night is all about roaming the more than 600,000 square feet of the main floor at San Diego's Convention Center in search of freebies, … [Link]
Mashable » Rebel Commander Backpedals After Admitting Fighters Had Missile System in Ukraine
DONETSK, Ukraine — In an interview with Reuters on Wednesday, Alexander Khodakovsky, commander of the Russian-backed Vostok Battalion, admitted that rebels possessed a BUK missile system — the same system Kiev and Western intelligence agencies say downed Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in eastern Ukraine “I knew that a BUK came from Luhansk. At the time I was told that a BUK … [Link]
New Scientist – News » When art changes the rules for science
A new exhibition, Automatic Art, explores how art that was built on logical and mathematical rules ended up giving science new ways of seeing the world 
[Link]
Mashable » How Apple Is Forging Deeper Connections Between Desktop and Mobile
In our latest Ask a Dev video, iOS engineer John McIntosh discusses how Continuity will work in iOS 8 and Yosemite Continuity is one of the biggest new features that Apple announced at this year's WWDC, and it gives a look into their entire product vision. For Mac OS fans, it’s reassuring to see Apple focus on integrating the desktop … [Link]
Slashdot » Dutch Court Says Government Can Receive Bulk Data from NSA
jfruh (300774) writes Dutch law makes it illegal for the Dutch intelligence services to conduct mass data interception programs. But, according to a court in the Hague, it's perfectly all right for the Dutch government to request that data from the U.S.'s National Security Agency, and doing so doesn't violate any treaties or international law. 
Read more of this story … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Amazon Deal of the Day: 68% Off Anker 2nd Gen Astro E3 10000mAh Dual-Port Ultra Compact External Battery Portable USB Charger Power Bank – $25.99
For today’s edition of Deal of the Day, Amazon has the Anker 2nd Gen Astro E3 10000mAh Dual-Port Ultra Compact External Battery Portable USB Charger Power Bank for just $25.99. That’s 68% off on the charger’s regular list price of $79.99. This one has nearly 4,000 reviews, averaging 4.5 stars on 5! At that price, this “power bank” is a … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Beautiful Game of Thrones Bookend [Pic]
From Thinkgeek: There are over 4000 pages in George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire so far. That represents a significant investment of both your time and bookshelf space. Don’t those books deserve to have their own, dedicated bookend? Give them this fitting Iron Throne. Almost 4 lbs., this hand-painted collectible is ready to prop up these books, the … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » HBO Unites with Bad Robot for ‘Westworld’ Remake Starring Anthony Hopkins
In 1973, Michael Crichton (yes, THAT Michael Crichton) wrote and directed a film called Westworld, about malfunctioning robots at an amusement park — “Westworld” — for adults. 
It may sound silly, but it was a commentary on artificial intelligence and sin. It also starred such classic actors as Yul Brynner and James Brolin (father of actor Josh Brolin). And now, … [Link]
Mashable » Facebook Stock Hits New High, Doubling Its IPO Price
What a difference two years make Facebook stock topped $76 a share in early trading Thursday, a new all-time high for the company and more than double its IPO price of $38 in May 2012. The company now has a market cap of $193 billion. See also: 7 Charts With All You Need to Know About Facebook's Blowout Q2 Earnings The … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » In search of a model for modeling intelligence
Editor’s note: this post is part of our Intelligence Matters investigation. In my last post, we saw that AI means a lot of things to a lot of people. These dueling definitions each have a deep history — ok fine, … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Nerve implant retrains your brain to stop tinnitus
Tinnitus is a chronic ringing in the ears that can be debilitating. Now, an implant that stimulates a nerve in the neck could eliminate the sounds for good 
[Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Podcast: Design for how the world should work
Editor’s note: this podcast episode is the first in our new bi-weekly O’Reilly Radar Podcast series. You can subscribe through iTunes, SoundCloud, or directly through our podcast’s RSS feed. As the Internet is increasingly embedded into our physical world, it’s … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Four short links: 24 July 2014
Neglected Machine Learning Ideas — Perhaps my list is a “send me review articles and book suggestions” cry for help, but perhaps it is useful to others as an overview of neat things. First Crowdfunded Book on Booker Shortlist — … [Link]
Mashable » There's No Photobomb Like a Queen of England Photobomb
Here’s a selfie photobomb to rule them all — no, really. The Queen of England is in it. Hockey players Jayde Taylor and Anna Flanagan captured one of the most regal selfies of all time, featuring the one and only Queen Elizabeth. Better yet, the Queen is actually smiling — a rarity for Her Majesty. See also: 14 Extreme Selfies That … [Link]
Slashdot » FCC Reminds ISPs That They Can Be Fined For Lacking Transparency
An anonymous reader writes The FCC issued a notice on Wednesday reminding ISPs that, according to the still-intact transparency rule of the 2010 Open Internet Order, they are required to be transparent about their services. "The FCC's transparency rule requires that consumers get the information they need to make informed choices about the broadband services they purchase." Applicable scenarios include … [Link]
Mashable » Square, IFTTT Hope They've Found the Recipe for Small Business Success
Square is diving into recipes, but probably not the kind you're thinking. The mobile payments company announced Thursday that it has integrated with IFTTT, a service that automates your tasks with a few manual directions. See also: 11 Top IFTTT Recipes to Activate Now IFTTT, which stands for "If This, Then That," allows users to create "recipes" — a series of … [Link]
Bad Science » Teaching science with bad science: resources for teachers
People often wring their hands over how to make science “relevant” to the public, or to young people. For me, this is an open goal: we are constantly barraged with health claims in popular culture, and evidence based medicine is the science of how we know what does good, and what does harm. Every popular claim is an […] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Why Flexible Smartphones are Totally Worth Waiting For [Comic]
[Source: Noitego (CC) | Via Dueling Analogs] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » FXX to Air Every ‘Simpsons’ Episode EVER…In Just a 2-Week Span!
In case you haven’t heard the announcement, the FXX Network, the sister network to FX, is slated to air every, single episode of The Simpsons, starting August 21. What makes this an even bigger deal is FXX will air ALL 552 episodes spanning 25 seasons — including The Simpsons Movie – in just two weeks. So, to reiterate: 14 days. … [Link]
Slashdot » Internet Explorer Vulnerabilities Increase 100%
An anonymous reader writes Bromium Labs analyzed public vulnerabilities and exploits from the first six months of 2014. The research determined that Internet Explorer vulnerabilities have increased more than 100 percent since 2013, surpassing Java and Flash vulnerabilities. Web browsers have always been a favorite avenue of attack, but we are now seeing that hackers are not only getting better … [Link]
Mashable » Google Autocomplete Proves Summer Is Melting Our Brains
Google has a lot of important feelings about summer. The autocomplete tool, while never once having made a strange suggestion in the past, for some reason gives pretty weird fill-in recommendations when it comes to everyone's favorite season. See also: 20 Searches Made Ridiculous by Google Autocomplete Mind you, this isn't necessarily Google's fault either. The tool generates suggestions based on … [Link]
Mashable » 12 Sandsational Accessories for the Best Beach Day
The beach is the ultimate summertime destination But even the top dog needs a little spicing up sometimes. If you don't want to lay on the sand turning into a lobster or swim in murky water, you can bring your own fun to the sandy paradise. See also: 11 YA Books With Happy Endings to Read on the Beach This Summer … [Link]
Mashable » How to Use the Internet for Foreplay
Calling all couples: The Internet is your new best friend when it comes to foreplay From secret Pinterest boards to sexy subreddits, there are plenty of sites that can dole out useful relationship tips. If you're uncomfortable talking about foreplay, these sites will help break the ice Here are six ways to use the Internet for all your NSFW needs See … [Link]
Mashable » 12 Quotes to Motivate Your Creativity
Sometimes you need a little motivation to get you goingDIY inspiration isn't just a Pinterest thing While you're gathering supplies for your next project, take some time for a little advice from some of the world's favorite authors, filmmakers, artists and musicians. Before you know it, you'll be bursting with creativity. See also: 15 Quotes to Inspire You to Do Something … [Link]
Mashable » 10 Things You Didn't Know You Agreed to via Terms of Service
The terms of service, also known as the document you're supposed to read before signing up for a site or platform, is a treasure trove of legal guidelines, rules and permissions that few people really care about. But there are a few things you're agreeing to, hidden within the jargon, that might change the way you use the web. Some permissions, … [Link]
Slashdot » How the Internet of Things Could Aid Disaster Response
jfruh writes While the Internet has made communications easier, that ease had made us very dependent on the Internet for communications — and, when disaster strikes, power and infrastructure outages tend to shut down those communications networks when we need them most. But now researchers are examining how the so-called "Internet of Things" — the proliferating array of Internet-communicating devices … [Link]
Mashable » European Central Bank Hit by Data Theft, 20,000 Emails Stolen
BERLIN — The European Central Bank said Thursday that email addresses and other contact information have been stolen from a database that serves its public website, though it stressed that no internal systems or market-sensitive data were compromised. The security breach involved a database serving part of the website that gathers registrations for ECB conferences and other events, the Frankfurt-based central … [Link]
Mashable » Live Updates: Algeria Flight With 116 People Is Lost Over Mali
Last Update: 11:30 a.m. ET An Algerian passenger plane with 116 people on board is presumed to have crashed in northwest Africa on Thursday after disappearing from radar, in what would be the third airline disaster in a week. Air Algerie Flight 5017 was en route from Ouagadougou, the capital of the west African nation of Burkina Faso, to Algiers, and … [Link]
Slashdot » Ebola Outbreak Continues To Expand
symbolset writes in with the latest about an ebola outbreak spreading across West Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) continues to monitor the evolution of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea. The current epidemic trend of EVD outbreak in Sierra Leone and Liberia remains serious, with 67 new cases and 19 deaths reported July … [Link]
Mashable » 15 Jaw-Dropping Waterfalls Worth Chasing
Planet Earth has countless jaw-dropping landscapes, but of all its stunning scenery, waterfalls are the most impressive. There's something oddly mesmerizing about watching water plunge off the top of a waterfall. Its hypnotic, infinite flow of beauty can trap even the most seasoned nature-gazer. See also: 15 Gorgeous Vacation Spots Proving Heaven Is a Place on Earth Unfortunately, not all of … [Link]
Mashable » New Google Maps for Android and iOS Takes a Jab at Foursquare
Google has announced a new version of Google Maps for Android and iOS devices, adding a new Explore function that lets you find interesting spots near your location. Located in the bottom right corner of the app, the Explore button gives you an overview of what's nearby. It's not only location-sensitive — the feature also pays attention to the context, meaning … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » OpenStack creates a structure for managing change without a benevolent dictator
When does a software project grow to the point where one must explicitly think about governance? The term “governance” is stiff and gawky, but doing it well can carry a project through many a storm. Over the past couple years, … [Link]
Mashable » FAA Lifts Ban on Flights to Israel
The Federal Aviation Administration lifted its ban Wednesday on U.S. flights in and out of Israel, which the agency had imposed out of concern for the risk of planes being hit by Hamas rockets. The decision was effective at 11:45 p.m. EDT. "Before making this decision, the FAA worked with its U.S. government counterparts to assess the security situation in Israel … [Link]
Mashable » Artist Creates Stunning Art Using Old Books as His Canvas
Even your local library can be a great place for art supplies. Artist Mike Stilkey reclaims the book covers of dozens of old books that otherwise would have been thrown out. Using ink, colored pencil and paint to create his whimsical works of art, Stilkey asserts that painting on book covers came to him more naturally than painting on a canvas … [Link]
Mashable » 'I'm on Vacation' Is Your New Anti-Work Summer Anthem
Please do not kill these two bros' vacation vibe. YouTubers Rhett & Link have a new song called "I'm On Vacation," and it's the perfect summer anthem for anyone desperate to leave the 9 to 5 grind behind. See also: Photographer Brings Spam Emails to Life Just make sure you have enough PTO before you do. Have something to add … [Link]
Mashable » Winter Is Coming to Russia: Putin Abolishes 'Daylight Saving' Time Shift
Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken the first steps in claiming "Winterfell" as Russia's nickname, after he signed a law on Tuesday that places the country under a permanent wintertime, starting October 26. Under the new law, "seasonal changing of clocks is not being carried out," the Kremlin announcement said, according to Agence France-Presse. "Russians will turn their clocks back one … [Link]
Slashdot » The Psychology of Phishing
An anonymous reader writes Phishing emails are without a doubt one of the biggest security issues consumers and businesses face today. Cybercriminals understand that we are a generation of clickers and they use this to their advantage. They will take the time to create sophisticated phishing emails because they understand that today users can tell-apart spam annoyances from useful email, … [Link]
Mashable » Philips Hue Lights React to 'Sharknado 2' for Bloody Cool Effects
Ian Ziering looks serious. His character's worrisome scowl appears permanent, a consequence of living through probably the most absurdly hellish scenario in B-movie history: a tornado that hoovers up thousands of hungry sharks from the ocean, only to rain them down onto Los Angeles to feast on hapless residents. Sharknado was a social media sensation (as well as a ratings … [Link]
Mashable » World's Largest Flying Water Insect Can Cover an Adult Human Face
Warning: Don't read this right before going to bed. The largest flying aquatic insect on record was discovered in China's Sichuan province. The specimen was delivered to the Insect Museum of West China and determined to be a larger version of the dobsonfly. See also: 14 Creepy Medieval Beasts That Look Nothing Like Real Animals The creature has a wingspan … [Link]
Mashable » U.N. Chief 'Alarmed' by Disappearance of Rockets Found at U.N.-Run School in Gaza
UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. secretary-general on Wednesday said he was "alarmed" to hear that rockets were placed in a U.N.-run school in Gaza, and now "have gone missing." He also demanded a full review of such incidents. A spokesperson for Ban Ki-moon expressed the U.N. chief's "outrage and regret" at the placement of weapons at a site run by the … [Link]
Slashdot » Dropbox Head Responds To Snowden Claims About Privacy
First time accepted submitter Carly Page writes When asked for its response to Edward Snowden's claims that "Dropbox is hostile to privacy", Dropbox told The INQUIRER that users concerned about privacy should add their own encryption. The firm warned however that if users do, not all of the service's features will work. Head of Product at Dropbox for Business Ilya … [Link]
Mashable » The Methane-Sniffing Supercomputer That's Looking for Aliens
Biologically speaking, methane's kind of a big deal. When it comes to finding life on other planets, it's an even bigger deal Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed an absorption spectrum (i.e. supercomputer) that's able to detect methane, via light absorption on other planets, at temperatures of up to 2,228 degrees Fahrenheit — more than 2,000 times more … [Link]
Mashable » Obama Meets Apollo 11 Astronauts to Mark Moon Landing's 45th Anniversary
To celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission, U.S. President Barack Obama met with members of the crew on Tuesday, including Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, Michael Collins and Carol Armstrong, the widow of Neil Armstrong On July 20, 1969, Armstrong and Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moonSpending about two hours and 31 … [Link]
Slashdot » Verizon's Offer: Let Us Track You, Get Free Stuff
mpicpp points out a new program from Verizon that is perfect if you don't mind being tracked. Are you comfortable having your location and Web browsing tracked for marketing purposes? If so, Verizon's got a deal for you. The wireless giant announced a new program this week called 'Smart Rewards' that offers customers credit card-style perks like discounts for shopping, … [Link]
Mashable » The 10 Most Disturbing Things About 'Kim Kardashian: Hollywood'
My name is Max Kardashian, and I am so much more famous than you. Well, at least in Kim Kardashian's mobile game. If the game achieves its projected yearly earnings, Kim Kardashian will make 85 million dollars in profits, a sum that would cost you more than $48,500 of real money to purchase as in-game money. See also: We Played 'Kim … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Give forests to local people to preserve them
The best way to protect forests, and the carbon they contain that could otherwise cause global warming, is to hand them over to local communities 
[Link]
Mashable » Photographer Brings Spam Emails to Life
One person's spam email is another person's art. When those pesky emails began piling up in photojournalist Christina De Middel's inbox, she did something that most would consider unthinkable — she read them See also: Photographer Documents Customers Snoozing at Ikea What she found were some incredible stories of open heart surgeries, a young girl asking for her hand in marriage … [Link]
Mashable » Commonwealth Games Gets Awkward With the Queen and a Baton
SYDNEY — The 20th Commonwealth Games kicked off with an opening ceremony in Glasgow, Scotland, on Thursday morning. And if Rod Stewart's appearance wasn't awkward enough — see, below — it got worse See also: Australia and Scotland Compete for Ugliest Uniform at Commonwealth Games I never thought I'd be able to stand in the Celtic Board Room in front … [Link]
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