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.
Slashdot » Want To Work Without Prying Eyes? Try Wearing a Body Sock
Nerval's Lobster writes The "Compubody Sock," which anyone with knitting skills can make at home, is a giant sock-hoodie-bag in which you place your laptop or tablet, along with your head and hands, giving you total privacy while freaking out anyone who happens to be sitting next to you. Designer Becky Stern told Forbes' Kashmir Hill that the Sock was … [Link]
The Joy of Tech » Instant Gratification!
Check out Liz Gannes new series I Want It, and I Want It Now — It’s Time for Instant Gratification over on Re/code. Nitrozac and I created some animated gifs for it! 
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Slashdot » Sony Tosses the Sony Reader On the Scrap Heap
Nate the greatest (2261802) writes Sony has decided to follow up closing its ebook stores in the U.S. and Europe by getting out of the consumer ebook reader market entirely. (Yes, Sony was still making ereaders.) The current model (the Sony Reader PRS-T3) will be sold until stock runs out, and Sony won't be releasing a new model. This is … [Link]
Mashable » Amtrak Leaves Station Without Passengers, Apologizes With Doritos
An Amtrak train traveled from New York City to Washington, D.C., on Saturday and accidentally left all 85 passengers behind at Penn Station. Passengers reported that they were told to switch platforms for the 3 p.m. train, which was passing through New York en route from Boston. See also: Selfie Pro Tip: Don't Stand Too Close to Trains "They literally sent … [Link]
Slashdot » "Secret Serum" Used To Treat Americans With Ebola
mrspoonsi (2955715) writes with news that the two Americans infected with Ebola in Liberia and transported to Atlanta for treatment were given an experimental drug, and their conditions appear to be improving. From the article: While some people do fight off the disease on their own, in the case of the two Americans, an experimental serum may have saved their … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Limited Gaming Can Boost Child Wellbeing
A new “study of studies” suggests that a small amount of video gaming can help children’s psychosocial adjustment. But it’s not an effect strong enough to outweigh other developmental factors. Dr Andrew Przbylski of Oxford University collated the results of several surveys covering around 5,000 British children aged 10 to 15. He filtered the results based on how long each … [Link]
Mashable » Straight Out of the '50s: Nine West Ridiculed for 'Husband Hunting' Campaign
For women looking to undermine the competition, Nine West has a solution: shoes just for "starter husband hunting" and the first day of kindergarten The company branded these latest collections as the perfect match for momentous life "shoe occasions" such as snagging a husband and sending junior off to his first day of school. Shoppers, though, could be forgiven for mistaking … [Link]
Mashable » Tiny Ants Might Be Helping Cool Earth's Climate
Ants may be some of Earth's most powerful biological climate brokers, a provocative new study claims. The average ant lives and dies in less than a year, but a long-term experiment tracking the insects' effects on soil suggests they cooled Earth's climate as their numbers grew. "Ants are changing the environment," said lead study author Ronald Dorn, a geologist at Arizona … [Link]
Mashable » The Ethical Considerations of Creating a Baby From 3 People's DNA
The UK parliament will soon consider making Britain the first country to allow three person IVF. The regulations are yet to be approved, but the government is currently backing moves to allow the creation of babies with DNA from three people in cases where the children are at risk of inheriting mitochondrial disease. Objections have been raised, however, and it’s important … [Link]
Slashdot » Barry Shein Founded the First Dialup ISP (Video)
Back in the dawn of prehistory, only universities, government agencies, and a few big corporations could get on the Internet. The rest of us either had computers connected to nothing (except maybe an electric outlet), Compuserve, Prodigy, AOL or another service or possibly to an online bulletin board service (BBS). And then, one day in 1989, Barry Shein hooked a … [Link]
Mashable » Google Removes 'Bomb Gaza' Apps From Play Store
Google removed at least two Android apps that simulate Israeli air strikes on Gaza from its Play Store Monday. The apps were pulled after angry users took to Twitter to criticize Google for allowing the apps in its Play Store. See also: 13 Anonymous Admissions From Israelis About Gaza on Whisper BombGaza, released on July 26, according to App Annie, tasked … [Link]
Mashable » Japan's Studio Ghibli Still Alive, For Now
Reports of the demise of legendary Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli have been greatly exaggerated The studio behind hits such as Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, Ponyo, My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away is not going anywhere. Claims that it might be on the way out appear to have stemmed from a recent interview with the company's co-founder, Toshio Suzuki Suzuki, … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Today in APIs: Evercam's API Brings New Control Over Surveillance Cameras and Data
Evercam looks to make control of surveillance cameras much more fine grained. Global Alliance for Genomics and Health launches new API for sharing genomics data. Plus: Ford holding auto app developer conference, and Yo! accuses Oi! of copyright infringement (really!).
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ProgrammableWeb.com » AudienceScience Launches New API to Help Grow Programmatic Ad Buying
AudienceScience, a venture-backed ad tech company, last week announced the launch of an API that will help the advertisers using its demand-side platform (DSP) more easily access ad inventory that can be purchased programmatically.
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ProgrammableWeb.com » AmigoCloud Offers API to Integrate 80+ GIS Formats via Real-Time Mobile
Code for America Accelerator participant AmigoCloud believes it will be a game changer in facilitating how maps are used by city authorities and utility companies, and in agriculture, transport and logistics, energy management, and emergency response sectors, among others. Co-founders Ragi Yaser Burhum and Victor Chernetsky told ProgrammableWeb about the new possibilities they are opening up with their REST API. … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » LateRooms.com Embraces 'API-First' Mantra
LateRooms.com, a leading U.K. hotel booking specialist, has adopted an “API-first” strategy when it comes to feature release and innovation. The company has partnered with Apigee to overhaul its approach to website and mobile app development. The newly embraced API-first strategy allows LateRooms.com to create new apps, instead of writing pages of code, with simple API configuration.
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Slashdot » Robotic Suit Gives Shipyard Workers Super Strength
An anonymous reader writes Ship-builders Daewoo have been testing robotic exoskeletons in South Korean shipyards that provide the wearer with super-human strength. From the article: "The exoskeleton fits anyone between 160 and 185 centimetres tall. Workers do not feel the weight of its 28-kilogram frame of carbon, aluminium alloy and steel, as the suit supports itself and is engineered to … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Day Nathan Fillion Said “NO” to Justin Bieber [Video]
A while ago at a HALO release party, Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk were busy playing the game when Justin Bieber arrived and asked Nathan to stop playing because he needed the whole room to himself. Naturally, Nathan behing the awesome nerd that he his totally turned him down. Be sure to jump ahead to 28:32 in the video below … [Link]
Mashable » Bionic Fingers Could Lend a Helping Hand With Daily Tasks
A new robotic device could make simple, everyday tasks — such as peeling a banana or unscrewing the cap from a water bottle — even easier. Developed by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the "supernumerary robotic fingers" device is a wrist-mounted robot equipped with two long digits. A specially designed algorithm controls the digits, enabling them to move in … [Link]
Mashable » Spectacular 'Mothership' Thunderstorm Wins National Geographic Photo Contest
While all thunderstorms command attention, some of the most rare and stunning storms of all spin up during the height of tornado season across the Great Plains. Technically known as low precipitation supercells, these storms are known to storm chasers as "motherships." These storms have a persistent, rotating updraft and they can spawn tornadoes and drop large hail as well as … [Link]
Slashdot » Comcast Gives 6 Months Free Internet To Poor and Unpaid Bill Amnesty
An anonymous reader writes with news about a controversial Comcast program designed to give internet access to the poor that just got a little better. After complaints about a program that offers cheap Internet service to poor people, Comcast today announced it will provide "up to six months" of free Internet to new subscribers and an "amnesty" program for families … [Link]
Mashable » Syracuse Is Your New No. 1 Party School
Syracuse University has claimed the title of nation's top party school. The No. 1 ranking was revealed Monday by The Princeton Review based on a nationwide survey of 130,000 students. See also: The Problem With College Rankings Syracuse's student newspaper ranked second best among the 379 colleges surveyed, and its sports scene, rated third best, likely helped the party mood. … [Link]
Mashable » NASA Finds 'Impossible' Engine May Be Usable For Space Flight
It’s really starting to look as if an "impossible" space propulsion technology actually works. Researchers at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston have found that a microwave thruster system that requires no propellant does indeed generate a small amount of thrust, Wired UK reported on July 31. If the technology pans out, it could make spaceflight far cheaper and speedier, potentially … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Men vs Cosplay: 2015 Heroes vs Villains Calendar Project
Sure, we’ve all seen plenty of female oriented cosplay calendar projects online in the past few years, but I’ve rarely seen a male-focused one. The Men vs Cosplay: 2015 Heroes vs Villains calendar is a kickstarter project that looks to celebrate “the talented male costumers of the cosplay community.” The project has already been successfully funded, but there are stretch … [Link]
Mashable » The Internet's Nightmare Scenario Could Be Playing Out on Your Smartphone
There is no shortage of scaremongers who believe that the future of the Internet — and by some extension, humanity — relies on keeping the Internet an even, open and neutral platform for the flow of information It can be tough to tell whether the concern is legitimate. After all, the grim picture of an Internet that more closely resembles cable … [Link]
Mashable » Every Marvel Easter Egg Explained in 12 Minutes
If you tried to count the number of hidden references in one Marvel movie, you'd run out of hands. MTV's Josh Horowitz explains most of the Easter eggs Marvel fans may have missed over the years. From Iron Man to Captain America, these summer blockbusters are a wealth of references only diehard fans would know. See also: See Your Favorite Marvel … [Link]
Mashable » Xiaomi Surpasses Samsung to Become Top Phone Maker in China
Samsung is no longer the top phone manufacturer in China, thanks to a company that is still relatively unknown in the United States. Xiaomi distributed around 15 million phones in early 2014 while Samsung came up short at 13.2 million, according to research firm Canalys See also: What the Cellphone Unlocking Law Means for You The report notes that the number … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Caught on tape: cameras turn video into sound
Researchers were able to listen in on a person talking through soundproof glass by filming vibrations in objects due to sound waves 
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Slashdot » Tesla's Already Shopping For More Office Space
cartechboy writes Remember four years ago when Tesla's new headquarters in Palo Alto, California seemed like a big risk? Yeah, time flies and now the Silicon Valley startup is already running out of room. Apparently the electric-car maker is already looking for 200,000-300,000 square feet of office space in the lower Peninsula market. Part of the motivation is that the … [Link]
Mashable » Nicki Minaj's 'Anaconda' Teaser Taps Sir Mix-a-Lot's 'Baby Got Back'
Nicki Minaj is a motherf*cking monster on a rampage After reaching No. 1 on iTunes with her "Bang Bang" collaboration with Jessie J and Ariana Grande, the firecracker rapper uncaged a powerful "Flawless" remix with Beyoncé See also: 35 Emotional Lollapalooza Performance Photos Minaj kept the momentum up with a teaser of her upcoming "Anaconda" video on Sunday night. The Instagram … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » MARIO vs. POKEMON: The Game Boy Movie [WTF Video]
Warning: language. Mario VS Pokemon, a tribute to the Game Boy console celebrating 25 years of dark green/light green game play. [Lee Hardcastle | Via] [Link]
New Scientist – News » Einstein's perfect theory: General relativity rebooted
From the first images of a black hole to exploring time before the big bang, we're in a new golden age for general relativity, says cosmologist Pedro Ferreira (full text available to subscribers) 
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Mashable » You've Been Throwing Paper Airplanes Wrong Your Whole Life
David Rees is a man on a mission — a mission to find out how to properly throw a paper airplane This may not seem like a life-saving quest, and that's because it's not. But it is incredibly fun See also: 14 YouTube Tutorials for Science Experiments On Going Deep With David Rees, the curious host goes on a quest … [Link]
Slashdot » Linux Kernel Shuffling Zombie Juror Aka 3.16 Released
sfcrazy writes Linus Torvalds has announced the release of Linux kernel 3.16 codenamed "Shuffling Zombie Juror", which brings many notable improvements. Linus said, "So while 3.16 looked a bit iffy for a while, things cleared up nicely, and there was no reason to do extra release candidates like I feared just a couple of weeks ago." It also means that … [Link]
Mashable » Inside the 'Terror Tunnels' in Gaza
This week, the Israeli Defense Forces announced it was close to destroying the last tunnel in Gaza — one of Israel's stated objectives for its weeks-long offensive. #Israel close to destroying last tunnel, says @LTCPeterLerner. Has not been completed, contrary to reports. — Alexander Marquardt (@MarquardtA) August 4, 2014 Israel has long maintained that the network of tunnels dug by Palestinian … [Link]
Mashable » Is That Andy Warhol on My Park Bench?
An art project is trying to get some attention for classic masterpieces outside of a museum. Art Everywhere US, a cross-country art project, launched Monday in cities across the United States, taking renowned artworks and plastering them in public spaces on billboards, buses, benches and more. The concept was inspired by Richard Reed, who founded Art Everywhere, "a very very big … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » OReilly purchases Pearsons stake in Safari
I’m pleased to share some exciting news. On Friday, August 1st, O’Reilly purchased Pearson Education’s 50% ownership share of our Safari Books Online joint venture, and Safari is now a wholly owned subsidiary of O’Reilly Media, Inc. O’Reilly believes strongly … [Link]
Slashdot » Planes Can Be Hacked Via Inflight Wi-fi, Says Researcher
wired_parrot writes In a presentation to be shown Thursday at the Black Hat conference, cybersecurity consultant Ruben Santamarta is expected to outline how planes can be hacked via inflight wi-fi. Representatives of in-flight communication systems confirmed his findings but downplayed the risks, noting that physical access to the hardware would still be needed and only the communication system would be … [Link]
Mashable » Chase Between a 150-Pound Tortoise and Police Car Just Doesn't Seem Fair
Slow and steady does not win the race. This time. A 150-pound giant tortoise named Dirk managed to escape his home in Alhambra, California, last Saturday. The brave brute's need for speed almost landed him in a police chase, according to the Alhambra Police Department, which wrote on their Facebook page that they "almost had a pursuit." See also: The 75 … [Link]
Mashable » Human Perception: What You Miss When Gray Looks Like Black
Black is black, and white is white, but it's what lay between determines much about what we see. Writing about a trip into the heart of the Rockies, cameras in hand, H.E. Clark came to a nuanced conclusion regarding gradations of color and the image before us. "Although the picture would be called black and white," Clark wrote, "I learned it … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Flip the birds: Migration began in the north not south
American songbirds migrate to escape harsh northern winters, rather than to enjoy rich northern summers as many biologists thought 
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Mashable » P.F. Chang's Says 33 Restaurants in U.S. Hit by Security Breach
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — P.F. Chang's is providing more details on its ongoing investigation into a security breach, saying data may have been stolen from certain credit and debit cards used at 33 of its restaurants in the United States. P.F. Chang's confirmed in June that data from credit and debit cards used at its restaurants was stolen, but didn't specify the … [Link]
Mashable » Why the All-In Oakland A's Should Be Your New Favorite MLB Team This Fall
This is for the gamblers, the risk-takers, the ones who live for today and say screw tomorrow, the ones who forsake the future's comfortable could-be to seize what's right here, right now, to look opportunity in the eye and vow they'll wring it dry or not live to see the sunrise. If you've ever thrown caution to the wind and taken … [Link]
Slashdot » Japan To Launch a Military Space Force In 2019
Taco Cowboy writes Japan is planning to launch a military space force by 2019. The Mainichi Shimbun is reporting that Japan plans to create a "space force" within its existing Self Defence Force, hoping to have it operational by 2019. Japan would provide the US military with information obtained by the force as part of the joint bid to strengthen … [Link]
Mashable » James Brady, Anti-Gun Advocate Who Inspired the 'Brady Bill,' Dies at 73
Former White House Press Secretary James Brady, who was wounded by a would-be assassin's bullet in 1981 and went on to campaign against gun violence, died on Monday. He was 73. "We are heartbroken to share the news that our beloved Jim 'Bear' Brady has passed away after a series of health issues," his family said in a statement, adding they … [Link]
Mashable » Google Catches Sex Offender With Gmail Scan, But Raises Privacy Concerns
It’s common knowledge that Google scans your Gmail content to better target you with ads. But when the company recently turned over a Gmail user to authorities for possessing child pornography, it also shined a spotlight on the question of how much privacy you can have on the service John Henry Skillern, 41, has been charged with possessing child pornography after … [Link]
Mashable » Taylor Swift Singing to Cancer Patient Will Put You in Web of Emotions
Six-year-old Jordan Lee Nickerson, who has leukemia, had a much-needed weekend full of smiles after a lifetime of medical woes. First, Spider-Man visited him at Boston Children's Hospital. Then, his favorite singer Taylor Swift surprised him with a visit. The pop star and the boy bonded over Spider-Man before they jumped into an adorable sing-a-long of "We Are Never Ever Getting … [Link]
Slashdot » Book Review: Introduction To Cyber-Warfare: A Multidisciplinary Approach
benrothke writes Cyberwarfare is a controversial topic. At the 2014 Infosec World Conference, Marcus Ranum gave a talk on Cyberwar: Putting Civilian Infrastructure on the Front Lines, Again. Whether it was the topic or just Marcus being Marcus, about a third of the participants left within the first 15 minutes. They should have stayed, as Ranum, agree with him or … [Link]
Mashable » Apple Hires Nike's Former Head of Social Media — But Why?
Apple, perhaps the biggest brand to lack a presence on Twitter and Facebook, has hired the former social media chief at Nike and Burberry. Musa Tariq confirmed on Twitter that he is now Apple's digital marketing director First day of school. Hope the other kids like me! — Musa Tariq (@MusaTariq) August 4, 2014 Tariq's Twitter profile page also includes a … [Link]
New Scientist – News » A globetrotting, water-saving tour of sewage gardens
Would you dine in an artificial wetland laced with human waste? In The Wastewater Gardener, Marc Nelson makes an inspiring case for a new ecology of water 
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Mashable » Samsung Galaxy Alpha Said to Imitate Part of iPhone Design
Photos claiming to depict the latest Samsung Galaxy smartphone appeared on Chinese social media site Weibo. The photos show a decidedly grooved metal design — an iPhone trademark on generations 5 and later — not shared by past Galaxy models See also: Samsung Galaxy S5 Is the Upgrade You Can Skip The leaked images are unverified, and Samsung has so far … [Link]
Mashable » Japan Braces for Typhoon Halong as Hawaii Eyes 2 Other Storms
Weather forecasters in the U.S. and Japan will be busy this week, with five named tropical cyclones spinning in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and three of them headed for close encounters with highly populated areas in Japan and Hawaii. Typhoon Halong, which peaked at a monstrous Category Five intensity during the weekend, becoming one of the most intense — if … [Link]
Slashdot » Satya Nadella At Six Months: Grading Microsoft's New CEO
snydeq writes The future emerging for Microsoft under Nadella is a mixed bag of hope and turmoil, writes Woody Leonhard in his review of Nadella's first fix months at the helm of Microsoft. "When Nadella took over, Microsoft was mired in the aftermath of a lengthy and ultimately unpopular reign by longtime CEO — and Microsoft majority shareholder — Steve … [Link]
Mashable » Friendly Seal Spends an Hour Chillaxing With Surfer Bros
Surf's up, seals When something unknown touches your leg in the ocean, the worst possible scenario comes to mind. But when a gentle nudge grazed Andrew Flounders' foot while surfing in Northumberland, United Kingdom, it was just a playful seal that wanted to join in on the fun. See also: Even Seals Like Getting Their Bellies Rubbed 
Mathew Stanley captured … [Link]
Mashable » 'School of Rock' Is Being Turned Into a TV Show for Nickelodeon
Are you ready to rock? Nickelodeon certainly is. The network has teamed up with Paramount Television to bring the studio's 2003 film School of Rock to TV. See also: 10 New Summer Series to Keep Your TV Addiction Alive Nick has ordered 13 episodes of the live-action musical-comedy, which originally stared Jack Black as Dewey Finn, a down-on-his-luck rocker who pretends … [Link]
Mashable » Do Not Feed the Vine Trolls
Trolls gonna troll. And apparently, Vine is the new playing field The video-sharing network has recently become overrun with people on the Internet doing what they do best: being people on the Internet See also: The Beginner's Guide to Vine Elliott gives his take on the phenomenon in the newest episode of Mashable Minute Last week, we told you about … [Link]
Slashdot » Spain's Link Tax Taxes Journalist's Patience
rsmiller510 writes Spain's new tax on linking to Spanish newspaper articles is ill defined and short sighted and ends up protecting a dying industry, while undermining a vibrant one. In another case of disrupted industries turning to lawmakers to solve their problems, this one makes no sense at all, especially given the state of the Spanish economy and the fact … [Link]
Mashable » 53 GIFs to Celebrate Barack Obama's 53rd Birthday
Happy birthday, Barack Obama! President Obama is turning 53 on Monday, which means that world leaders are frantically scrambling to find him a last-minute gift. (We hear he likes Janelle Monae concerts and horse heads.) See also: 10 Weird Things That Happened During Obama's Trip to L.A. But don't worry, Mr. President. We didn't forget. We compiled 53 GIFs to celebrate … [Link]
Mashable » 35 Emotional Lollapalooza Performance Photos
Another Lollapalooza music festival has come and gone, and now we're left with stunning images of the thrilling performances to relive the wild weekend. The melodic festivities brought us surprise guest appearances from Rihanna during Eminem's set and R. Kelly during Chance the Rapper's show. Meanwhile, headliners Eminem, Outkast, Kings of Leon, Skrillex, Calvin Harris and Arctic Monkeys closed out each … [Link]
Mashable » Megan Fox to 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Haters: 'F*ck Off'
The new reboot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has been surrounded by controversy from the very beginning. To start, of course, there were those who didn't feel like a reboot was really necessary, but then the project started dealing with public minefields regarding Michael Bay’s involvement, alien origins, misleading quotes identifying William Fichter as Shredder, snoutless Turtles, and more. Fans have … [Link]
Mashable » 14 Digital Tools for Authors and Illustrators
Putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard, more realistically) is the traditional starting point for writing a short story, memoir, essay, comic or novel — but in today's digital world, there are a slew of unique tools that can make your illustrations and stories come to life in ways that go far beyond the paperback. See also: 9 Innovative Methods … [Link]
Mashable » 28 Extreme Edits That Will Make You Do a Double Take
Since the advent of programs like Photoshop and mobile editing apps, we have been seeing a large number of digitally altered photographs. These images, whether created for humor or for art, have taken over the Web — in heartwarming stories, creative experiments and the like. Last week, we partnered with Hewlett-Packard to bring you our latest Mashable Photo Challenge, centered around … [Link]
Mashable » NFL Makes a Play With Microsoft Surface Tablets on the Field
There’s a new player suiting up for the NFL season — one with the potential to affect almost every play It's the Microsoft Surface, which made its on-field debut during the preseason game between the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants on Sunday. See also: 7 Things You Didn’t Know About Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 The Surface tablets will make it … [Link]
Mashable » John Oliver on Native Advertising: It's Gross, But This Is Our Fault
Few phrases strike fear into the hearts of media analysts and deposit dollars into the accounts of digital media companies like native advertising. As users move away from early digital advertising products like banner ads, native advertising has emerged as an effective — and lucrative — way for websites to bring in revenue See also: 'Vanity Fair' Is Latest to Roll … [Link]
Mashable » Coral Miles Away From 2010 BP Oil Spill Still Shows Damage
Four years after a BP oil rig exploded and flooded the Gulf of Mexico with an estimated 170 million gallons of oil, scientists have discovered further evidence of coral communities affected by this environmental disaster. Scientists at Pennsylvania State University, in State College, Pennsylvania, found coral communities that show signs of damage from 2010's Deepwater Horizon oil spill more than 12 … [Link]
Mashable » Travelers: Prepare to Pay Even More for That Flight
The formerly troubled airline industry has rebounded to record profits, but don't expect that to bring down the price of your next roundtrip ticket. The average round trip airfare ticket within the United States, including taxes, reached $509.15 in the first six months of this year, up nearly $14 from the same period last year. Domestic airfare continues to outpace inflation, … [Link]
Slashdot » Interviews: Ask James Cameron About The Deepsea Challenge 3D Movie
Starting at 5:15 am local time on March 26, 2012, James Cameron piloted the Deepsea Challenger to the east depression of the Challenger Deep, the deepest part of the Mariana Trench. He spent three hours exploring the sea floor. Later analysis of the specimens Cameron collected during this and other dives in the submersible revealed many life forms, with at … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Messaging app lets you leave secrets on street corners
Traces is an app that lets you leave augmented reality messages for friends at specific locations and certain times 
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Mashable » Flexibility Pays Off for Small Businesses and Their Employees
The business world has long had a love-hate relationship with flexible work arrangements. Nearly 80% of workers claim they want more access to flexible work options and would use them if there were no negative career consequences, according to a report compiled by the Georgetown University Law Center. Employees report that flexible work options — such as job sharing, part-time work, flex schedules, … [Link]
Mashable » The Beginner’s Guide to Snapchat
Snapchat, one of the hottest mobile messaging apps, has become a convenient and fun way to send photos and videos to friends and family without eating up your phone's memory. Launched in 2011, Snapchat allows users to add captions, drawings and filters to their photos and videos (also known as "snaps"). Unlike other messaging apps, you can view snaps for a … [Link]
Mashable » One Tiny Fawn Just Wants to Be Loved
There's nothing cute about a human crybaby, but this animal crybaby is a totally different story. A group of tree trimmers stumbled upon a whimpering fawn in need of some serious TLC. After cutting him free from a mess of thorny branches, they cradled him in their arms to calm him down. But when they tried to return him to … [Link]
Slashdot » Ask Slashdot: What To Do About the Sorry State of FOSS Documentation?
First time accepted submitter TWX writes I've been out of computers as a serious home-hobby for many years and in returning I'm aghast at the state of documentation for Open Source projects. The software itself has changed significantly in the last decade, but the documentation has failed to keep pace; most of what I'm finding applies to versions long since … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Comet-mapping Rosetta spacecraft prepares for duty
With comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko two days away, European Space Agency researchers must tackle unprecedented challenges for the mission to succeed 
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Mashable » Saturn Photobombs the Moon in Dramatic Celestial Moment
Saturn peeked out from behind the moon on Monday as our lunar friend eclipsed the giant ringed planet. The iconic rings of Saturn were visible as it danced around the bright-white moon. This type of event is called an occultation — something that happens when a larger body covers up a distant object See also: 16 Astronomical Events in 2014 and … [Link]
Mashable » Venn Diagram Google Doodle Will Overlap Your Heart and Mind
The Google Doodle on Monday paid tribute to John Venn, the eponymous creator of the Venn Diagram, in celebration of his 180th birthday The interactive doodle lets users click different images in two categories. The two category bubbles then overlap and produce a common theme between the two images (yes, that's how a Venn Diagram works, people.) You can try it … [Link]
Mashable » 50% of Americans Have Gone to Work Hungover
Take a close look at your coworkers right now. Any of them wearing sunglasses indoors and drinking a vitamin water? There's a good chance they're hungover Hitting the bottle hard during Thursday happy hour can easily lead to a bleary-eyed workday. But the fear of an alcohol-induced headache on the job still doesn't stop many people from partying According to Blowfish, … [Link]
Mashable » 'BioShock' on iOS Will Leave No Spooky Moment Behind
The haunting original BioShock is being ported to iOS devices later this summer, 2K Games announced Monday. The last-gen favorite received a touchscreen revamp to bring its first-person shooter controls to mobile. Fans can explore the sunken world of Rapture from the original game, with no bit of the story excluded for mobile. Screenshots seem to indicate the game did lose … [Link]
Slashdot » Japan To Launch a Military Space Force In 2019
Taco Cowboy writes Japan is planning to launch a military space force by 2019. The Mainichi Shimbun is reporting that Japan plans to create a "space force" within its existing Self Defence Force, hoping to have it operational by 2019. Japan would provide the US military with information obtained by the force as part of the joint bid to strengthen … [Link]
Mashable » Is 'Follow Your Passion' Realistic Career Advice?
This question originally appeared on Quora. What are some examples of bad, outdated or counterproductive career advice? What types of advice no longer apply to today's job market, or could have an adverse effect on productivity in the long-term? Answer by Colin Shillingford, creative entrepreneur. I spotted a great video lecture on 99U that happens to touch on the topic: Cal … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Twitter bots grow up and take on the world
Automated Twitter accounts are now keeping tabs on politicians, watching for earthquakes and even composing poetry 
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Mashable » Didn't Enjoy Your Hotel Stay? That'll Be $500, Please
UPDATE: Aug. 4, 12:30 p.m. ET: The Union Street Guest House posted to its Facebook wall on Monday, saying that the $500 fine for negative reviews was a joke. Post by Union Street Guest House. Several commenters pointed to a Yelp review left in November 2013 from a guest who said the hotel emailed him trying to collect. The Yelp reviewer … [Link]
Slashdot » Extracting Audio From Visual Information
rtoz writes Researchers at MIT, Microsoft, and Adobe have developed an algorithm that can reconstruct an audio signal by analyzing minute vibrations of objects depicted in video. In one set of experiments, they were able to recover intelligible speech from the vibrations of a potato-chip bag (video) photographed from 15 feet away through soundproof glass. 
Read more of this story … [Link]
Mashable » Reports: Square in Talks to Acquire Food Delivery Startup Caviar
Square could soon be entering the food delivery market with the acquisition of Caviar, a startup that delivers high-end meals. Last month, TechCrunch reported that a deal valued around $100 million was in the works. Over the past few days, the New York Times and Re/code have also reported that a deal is in the works. See also: GrubHub's Second Course: … [Link]
Mashable » Nigeria Confirms Second Ebola Case
LAGOS, Nigeria — Nigerian authorities say they have confirmed a second case of Ebola in Africa's most populous country, an alarming development after a man who flew by plane to the country died of Ebola. Nigerian Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu said Monday that the second person with Ebola is a doctor who had helped treat Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian-American man who … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Leopards can be good neighbours in Mumbai
Mumbai residents really can coexist with the secretive big cats – they just need to understand their ways, says ecologist Vidya Athreya 
[Link]
Mashable » Puma Pounces on Twitter's 'Flock to Unlock'
Puma is taking advantage of an ad enhancement option from Twitter called Flock to Unlock that challenges fans to retweet in order to "unlock" new content from a brand In this case, the content is new TV ads that won't actually hit TV until two days later. The campaign, kicking off Aug. 4, will feature tweets from Puma-sponsored athletes Usain Bolt, … [Link]
Slashdot » Animal Behaviour Specialists Map Out the Social Networks of Cows
KentuckyFC writes In a classic The Far Side cartoon by Gary Larson, a group of cows stand on two legs chatting by the side of a road when a lookout shouts "car". The cows immediately drop to a four-legged stance as the car passes by and return to their usual position and continue chatting when it has gone. Now a … [Link]
Mashable » 'I'll Give You the Sun': First Look at One of Fall's Most Anticipated YA Books
For three years, young adult author Jandy Nelson wrote in a pitch black room with the curtains drawn and ear plugs in. The only light in the room came from the soft glow of her screen, appearing like a portal into the world of her upcoming novel, I'll Give You the Sun Following the success of her debut book, The Sky … [Link]
Mashable » Woman Forced Off US Airways Flight After Screaming at Crew
A woman was forcibly removed from a US Airways flight about to take off from Philadelphia Sunday after yelling and cursing at crew. A video of the altercation was posted on YouTube by Mike Irving. See also: Know Before You Go: All the Airline Fees by Carrier "She was yelling on the plane, swearing a bunch," Irving said on reddit. "People … [Link]
Slashdot » How Facebook Sold You Krill Oil
An anonymous reader writes with this look at how Facebook tries to make and sell "thumbstopper" ads compelling enough to get people to stop scrolling through their news feeds. With its trove of knowledge about the likes, histories and social connections of its 1.3 billion users worldwide, Facebook executives argue, it can help advertisers reach exactly the right audience and … [Link]
Mashable » Second American With Ebola Coming to the U.S.
ATLANTA — A second American missionary stricken with Ebola is expected to fly Tuesday to the U.S. for treatment, following a colleague who was admitted over the weekend to Emory University Hospital's infectious disease unit. A Liberian official confirmed to the Associated Press plans for Nancy Writebol to depart with a medical evacuation team. The official, Information Minister Lewis Brown, said … [Link]
Mashable » 'Terrorist' Driving Bulldozer Kills 1 in Israel Bus Attack
An attacker rammed the front end of a massive construction bulldozer into an Israeli bus on Monday, overturning the vehicle before he was shot and killed by a police officer, authorities said. See also: 'My Saddest Photo Yet': Astronaut Sees Israel and Gaza Rocket Fire From Space At least one person died, and there were several injuries, including passengers and pedestrians … [Link]
Mashable » 14 Tiny Houses That Make Simple Living Stylish
These small houses will really make you question whether you need all that space. The recent tiny house movement appeals to people because it is an economical, but also sustainable and minimal way to live. Many people choose to take their home into their own hands and build these tiny dwellings themselves. See also: 20 Dream Backyards to Make You Green … [Link]
Mashable » The Major Element Missing From 'Guardians of the Galaxy'
Editor’s note: Every week Mashable presents "Let’s Talk About," a look back at the the weekend’s new releases. If you haven’t seen the movie, be warned: This is a SPOILER MINEFIELD. This week: Let's talk about Guardians of the Galaxy … Guardians of the Galaxy had it all: irresistible characters, iconic soundtrack, candy-colored palate and gaudy box office to match: Marvel's … [Link]
Mashable » Ferry Capsizes in Bangladesh With Hundreds on Board
LOUHAJONG, Bangladesh — A passenger ferry carrying hundreds of people capsized Monday in central Bangladesh, killing at least two people and probably many more as horrified villagers watched from the shore, authorities said. It was unclear exactly how many people were on board the M.V. Pinak because ferry operators in Bangladesh rarely maintain passenger lists. Local media said there were about … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Amazon Deal of the Day: Save BIG (Up to 70%) on PNY Flash Drives
For today’s edition of Deal of the Day, Amazon offers up to 70% off on PNY flash drives. Get the 16GB version for just $7.69 or the 32GB version for $12.99. [Save BIG (Up to 70%) on PNY Flash Drives] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Beautiful Knitted Characters from Pop Culture [Pics]
Etsy user cakeyvoice makes beautiful amigurumi inspiring herself from characters from pop culture and sells them on Etsy. Unfortunately, it seems that she hasn’t made anything in a while, but the characters listed in the “sold” section are absolutely beautiful! 
[Source: Cakeyvoice | Via] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Way to a Man’s Heart [Comic]
[Source: Extra Fabulous Comics] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Dad Builds Interactive Apollo Spacecraft in Son’s Bedroom [Video]
Now that is one awesome dad. Over the last four months, in scraps of time between other roles, I built a spaceship for my younger son’s room. It has a control panel full of interesting displays and whiz-bang space sounds. A joystick controls lights and sounds for the engine and thrusters. The payload bay has a motorized hatch and contains … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Dragon Ball Z – The Fall of Men : OFFICIAL TEASER [Fan Film]
This looks amazing. This is the first teaser of the upcoming fan movie “The Fall of Men“, a live action short-movie based upon Dragon Ball Z, created by Akira Toriyama. [The Fall of Men | BlackSmokeFilms | Via GT] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » A Medieval LEGO Castle That Transforms Into a Walking Robot [Video]
Youtuber Mahj made this apparently simple medieval LEGO castle, but underneath, it hides a mechanism that transforms the structure into a walking robot! Check it out! [Mahj | Via NA] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » MUST WATCH: The Evolution of Video Games – Acapella Edition [Video]
The Evolution of Video Games – Acapella Edition. A journey through our fondest gaming memories, old to new. Game Index and TimeCodes: 1. Pac Man 1980 – 00:43 2. Super Mario Bros 1985 – 00:58 3. Legend of Zelda 1986 – 01:38 4. Dragon Warrior 1986 – 02:26 5. Tetris 1989 – 03:10 6. Ninja Turtles 1989 – 03:36 7. … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Run this DNA Sample Through the Database [Comic]
[Source: Pandyland] [Link]
Mashable » 18 People With a Terrible Case of the Mondays
We know, we know — Monday sucks. It doesn't matter how many hours of sleep you got, the abrasive buzz of your alarm clock always comes too soon on Monday morning. Unfortunately, there isn't enough coffee in the world to fix the fact that it's Monday, and time to go back to weekly grind. See also: 23 Kids Having a Worse … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Four short links: 4 August 2014
EtherCalc — open source web-based spreadsheet. Dynamics of Correlated Novelties (Nature) — paper on “the adjacent possible”. Here we propose a simple mathematical model that mimics the process of exploring a physical, biological, or conceptual space that enlarges whenever a … [Link]
Mashable » Photographer Profiles the Generation Moving Back in With Parents After College
The boomeranging Millennials: It's the generation that just keeps coming back. Photographer Damon Casarez was sleeping on his parents couch after moving back home because he was struggling to keep up with student loan debt. With feelings of sympathy toward those young adults going through similar financial conflicts, his photo series "Boomerang Kids" was born. See also: 7 Hot Majors That … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Robotic suit gives shipyard workers super strength
Workers building the world's biggest ships could soon don robotic exoskeletons to lug around 100-kilogram hunks of metal as if they're nothing 
[Link]
Slashdot » NFL Players To Use Tablet Computers During Games
An anonymous reader writes A $400 million partnership between the NFL and Microsoft that replaces the old method of studying opponents from the sidelines using printed black-and-white photos with tablet computers is just one of the hi-tech upgrades to the NFL this year. From the article: "The referees are also going wireless so they can talk with each other without … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Hacking The IOT: Auto Industry Lacks Security
When security researchers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek studied the technical configuration of 20 new car models, they found a recurring high security risk design flaw.
[Link]
Mashable » 'Halt and Catch Fire' Finale Recap: Will You Still Need Me When It's '84?
“So, what’s next?” A clean-shaven Gordon sits at the head of a Cardiff Electric conference table, staring at a group of employees that he now presumably leads. The small team reads out loud reviews of the Cardiff Electric PC entrant, The Giant — reviews that dub the computer a “strong contender” in the “no frills” computer market. SEE ALSO: 'Halt and … [Link]
New Scientist – News » World's poor need grid power, not just solar panels
Small-is-beautiful electricity can't power a way out of poverty; big energy is either dirty or uneconomic. Time for some new ideas, says Fred Pearce 
[Link]
Slashdot » Putin Government Moves To Take Control of Russia's largest space company Energia
schwit1 writes Vitaly Lopota, the president of Russia's largest space company Energia, was suspended Friday by the company's board of directors. From the article: "The move appears to be part of an effort by Russia's government to obtain majority control over Energia, of which it owns a 38-percent share. The directors elected Igor Komarov as its new chairman of the … [Link]
Mashable » A Cat Exercise Wheel Has Raised a Quarter of a Million Dollars On Kickstarter
A lot of indoor cat owners must be feeling guilty about depriving their kitties of exercise, because a Kickstarter campaign raising funds for a cat exercise wheel has raised over $250,000 One Fast Cat is a product that lets cats run on a stationary wheel. Creator Sean Farley based the concept of the cat wheel on his theory that being … [Link]
Mashable » 'Leftovers' Episode 6 Recap: Good Girl Gone 'Black Swan'
Sunday night's installment of HBO's The Leftovers, dubbed “Guest,” should have been titled Black Swan 2: Nora Durst. Minus the dark, deliciously campy spin on Swan Lake, Episode 6 recalls Natalie Portman’s bravura performance as a straight-laced, type-A ballerina who descends into madness amid pressure to succeed, to achieve artistic perfection, to keep it together as her world falls apart. SEE … [Link]
The Joy of Tech » Life in the Intergalactic Zoo!
We’re off for BC Day, so enjoy this retro. But remember… it's all in your head!Click here to visit the comic. [Link]
Mashable » Hamster That Never Leaves Home and Wastes Time on Facebook Is Just Like Us
This is either a cute animal video, or a dark short film about a hamster stuck in a rut. The video, below, shows a hamster living in a tiny house, bingeing on snacks, wasting time on Facebook and unsuccessfully trying out online dating. He is also apparently a fan of Vans. An explicit song from hip-hop group Atmosphere also plays in … [Link]
Mashable » This App Helps You Say Goodbye to Boring Convos With the Push of a Button
Ever wish someone would call during a boring meeting or awkward conversation so you'd have an excuse to hightail it out of there? A new app promises to do just that. This Is Your Out is an app paired with a physical button that, when pressed, will call you with a valid excuse to get you out of an uncomfortable … [Link]
Mashable » Viral Video Recap: Morgan Freeman on Helium, Adult Toddlers and More
Cats, Morgan Freeman and toddler etiquette: This week's viral video recap is the perfect recipe for Internet fun Lucky cats Cole and Marmalade received the greatest gift ever from their human servant, Chris: a box castle. Complete with a cat nap dungeon, a catnip round table and even a cat eye of Sauron, their castle is a feline's dream home. … [Link]
Slashdot » Google Spots Explicit Images of a Child In Man's Email, Tips Off Police
mrspoonsi writes with this story about a tip sent to police by Google after scanning a users email. A Houston man has been arrested after Google sent a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children saying the man had explicit images of a child in his email, according to Houston police. The man was a registered sex … [Link]
Mashable » 6 Ways to Make Networking Less Awkward
Your palms are sweating, you’re nervous and you’ve forgotten all your industry-related research. It might sound like you’re anxious about interviewing for your dream job, but for many, attending a networking event can be even more stressful than a high-level interview. If you struggle at networking events, know that you’re far from alone Difficulty with networking runs the gamut, from entry-level … [Link]
Mashable » Discuss Native Advertising and Video Strategy With Experts in Our Mashies Twitter Chat
This fall, Mashable will be hosting its second annual Mashies awards to recognize the very best in digital marketing and advertising As we gear up for the 2014 Mashies, a group of this year's judges will be participating in a Twitter chat to answer some of the most pressing questions in the field of digital marketing. Our first Twitter chat delved … [Link]
Mashable » Drone Beat: Smuggling Contraband into Prison, a Love Letter from Martha Stewart and More
The U.S. government uses them to bomb alleged terrorists in far-away places. Tech companies like Amazon, Google and Facebook are all toying with the idea of using them, and now they're a photographer's secret weapon. Drones are a big part of our lives, whether we see them or not. Drone Beat collects the best and most important stories every week. Drone … [Link]
Mashable » Multimedia Marketing 101: How to Navigate the Branded App-ocalypse
The advertising model that we've known for the last 100 years or so may be on its way out. That model went something like this: You try to complete some task — read the paper, watch a TV show, drive home from work — and the ad will interrupt what you're doing That framework has been uprooted by the digital-media revolution. … [Link]
Mashable » Small Talk Is Now a Relic of the Past
Small talk is tough. No one really cares to discuss how hot/cold it is outside, but partygoers have got to do what's necessary to break that awkward ice. But something is changing at parties 'round the world. Boring, but absolutely necessary, small talk is going extinct thanks to smartphones See also: 20 Things Your Most Annoying Friends Do on Facebook This … [Link]
Slashdot » San Francisco Airport Testing Beacon System For Blind Travelers
An anonymous reader points out this pilot program in San Francisco to help blind passengers better navigate the airport. San Francisco Airport is testing out location-aware beacons to help visually-impaired people navigate around one of its newest terminals, a program it could roll out to the rest of the airport if successful. An early version of the system was shown … [Link]
Mashable » Elon Musk Says Artificial Intelligence Could Be 'More Dangerous Than Nukes'
When Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, comments on the future, ears in the tech space perk up. But a weekend mini-rant from the futurist drew the attention of even some non-techies and revealed that he's more worried about an artificial intelligence (A.I.) apocalypse than he's let on in recent months Posting his thoughts to Twitter on Saturday, after … [Link]
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