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 » Obama meets kid who inspired million-dollar Humans of New York fundraiser
A young man who inspired an Indiegogo campaign that raised more than $1.2 million for a Brooklyn middle school got the chance to meet President Barack Obama this week. The campaign, launched by Humans of New York blogger Brandon Stanton and the school's principal, Nadia Lopez, will pay for yearly field trips to Harvard University, summer activities and a scholarship fund. … [Link]
Mashable » High There is a dating app for pot smokers
There really is a dating app for everyone. The Denver-based High There is a Tinder-style dating app for people who smoke weed. See also: 7 Super-Specific Dating Sites Only the Internet Could Spawn Like other dating apps, users create profiles and swipe through potential matches nearby. But High There is optimized to match people based on their preferences for consuming marijuana … [Link]
Mashable » Why I'm going to read Harper Lee's second book
I’m not an ethicist. I'm not a lawyer. I've never published a book, let alone one as important and canonized as To Kill a Mockingbird. And, from what I know of her life, I'm not even close to being as badass as Harper Lee. I am a published writer, though, with an MFA in poetry Yet despite my academic background in … [Link]
Mashable » Argentina's president is personally responding to Mia Farrow's critical tweets
Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner will send letters to actress Mia Farrow and tennis superstar Martina Navratilova in response to tweets the two celebrities posted about Kirchner's involvement in a government scandal. The tweets in question referred to the suspicious death of a federal prosecutor who was preparing to accuse Kirchner of covering up the 1994 bombing of a Jewish … [Link]
Slashdot » Verizon Dropping Data Rates, But Current Customers Have To Call
New submitter executioner writes with this news from Consumerist: In spite of Verizon Wireless' recent boasts that it's 'a leader, not a follower,' a new announcement from the nation's biggest wireless company shows that Big V is indeed following the competition down the path of charging customers less for their data plans. However, current Verizon subscribers will need to let … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Ultimate ‘Walking Dead’ Recap Before New Season Starts (Kind Of)
So maybe this is not an accurate recap of what has happened on The Walking Dead so far, but you would have to be a ‘woggle’ to not find it at least a little funny. We would warn you about SPOILERS here, but the truth is, this is not really aiming for a ‘headshot of accuracy, but more of ‘gut … [Link]
Mashable » Robot firefighter shows off sea legs and puts out shipboard flames
The U.S. Navy firefighting robot SAFFiR passed a major test, battling and beating a real fire on a real ship. Okay, this wasn’t exactly like a scene from Backdraft. The 5'10", 140-pound bipedal robot accomplished the task very, very slowly and with a good assist from the programmers at Virginia Tech not to mention a couple of handlers who were … [Link]
Slashdot » Programming Safety Into Self-Driving Cars
aarondubrow writes Automakers have presented a vision of the future where the driver can check his or her email, chat with friends or even sleep while shuttling between home and the office. However, to AI experts, it's not clear that this vision is a realistic one. In many areas, including driving, we'll go through a long period where humans act … [Link]
Mashable » Beyoncé drops sultry 'Fifty Shades of Grey' remix
Since Fifty Shades of Grey obviously wasn't steamy enough for moms everywhere, Beyoncé has added a sultry song to the film's soundtrack The singer dropped a remix to her 2003 hit song "Crazy in Love" on her YouTube channel Thursday. Snippets of the now super slowed-down and slightly sinister song have scored many of the Fifty Shades trailers Apparently, the … [Link]
New Scientist – News » The secret life of your home
Your home is your castle, but it also has power over you. It has its own ecosystem and can manipulate your mood and behaviour. Welcome to its wonders 
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Mashable » RadioShack files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
RadioShack filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Thursday The electronics chain filed its long-awaited bankruptcy papers Thursday evening; it aims to reorganize under Chapter 11. The retailer reported assets of $1.2 billion and debts of $1.3 billion as of Nov. 1, according to Reuters. General Wireless, a subsidiary of Standard General, RadioShack's largest shareholder and lender, has agreed to buy … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » New Ardoq Add-On Visualizes Swagger Documentation
Ardoq, a software documentation service startup, has announced the general availability of a new Swagger add-on for the Ardoq platform. The new Swagger add-on visualizes Swagger documentation so that it is easier to understand.
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ProgrammableWeb.com » Sony Augmented Reality API Added to SmartEyeglass SDK
App Developer Magazine recently covered a new feature Sony has added to the developer preview for SmartEyeglass, the Sony smart lenses currently in production.
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Mashable » If you like a procedural drama on NBC, it's probably been renewed
Taking a page from The CW's book, NBC handed out a mass of renewals on Thursday to five of its solidly performing dramas The lucky shows were: The Blacklist (Season 3), Chicago Fire (Season 4), Chicago P.D. (Season 3), Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (Season 17) and Grimm (Season 5) See also: NBC will begin live streaming — but not … [Link]
Mashable » B&W T7 Bluetooth speaker: Don't judge it by the weird design
Some product designs whack you across the face with their weirdness. A lot of them, like the Pontiac Aztek, prove too weird for most people to accept. But a few of them, like the Honda Element, succeed because of their weirdness. Bowers & Wilkins’ new $349 T7 Bluetooth speaker is definitely in the latter category. The T7 is such a … [Link]
Mashable » Pandora stock falls more than 20% after Q4 revenue miss
Pandora’s fourth quarter numbers got a poor reception Thursday as the company's stock price fell as much as 26% in after hours trading. The company missed its estimates and gave a weaker-than-expected forecast outlook for the current quarter The music streaming service reported revenues of $268.0 million versus analysts' estimate of $277 million. Earnings came in as expected, at $0.18 a … [Link]
Slashdot » What Happened To the Photography Industry In 2014?
Iddo Genuth writes 2013 was the worst year for the photography industry in decades — but what happened in 2014 and will the upcoming blitz of cameras (including the super resolution Canon 5D S with 50MP sensor to be announced tomorrow) change everything in 2015? The official numbers published by CIPA (the Camera & Imaging Products Association) are out and … [Link]
Mashable » Train plows through a fresh blanket of snow like it's nothin'
YouTuber and train enthusiast containerman2, whose real name is Darren, recorded what he calls an "EPIC CATCH!!!" on Tuesday. A winter storm left southern New Brunswick, Canada, with a significant amount snow — but luckily, Darren was armed with a camera to capture the first vehicle to sweep through the fresh blanket Confused lamb thinks it's a dog Toddler sums … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Bitcoin APIs Provide Cryptocurrency Startups Simplified Integration
Given the nature of Bitcoin’s blockchain transactions, developers have not had it easy in building innovative applications relating to the crypto-currency. However, according to Eric Rykwalder's recent article, the emergence of companies like Chain have created the necessary tools for developers to work with, as well as a strong foundation on which to build.
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Mashable » Like a Snapchat virgin, Madonna premieres a music video on Snapchat
LOS ANGELES — Snapchat, known for its fleeting images and videos, surprisingly debuted a full-length music video from Madonna on Thursday. Madonna's "Living for Love" appears in Snapchat's newly launched Discover tab, a feature that has transformed the ephemeral messaging app into a more robust media platform that's primed to attract more music videos, trailers and even original series See … [Link]
Mashable » The next Google Glass will probably look nothing like the first one
Google Glass, once the darling of advanced wearable computing, is now an inadvertently funny cautionary tale about how not to develop a product — at least, not one so ambitious and controversial. See also: Whatever happens to Google Glass, it's been a boon to smart glasses That's the picture Nick Bilton paints in his New York Times overview of the project, … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Democratizing biotech research
The convergence of software and hardware, and the growing ubiquitousness of the Internet of Things is affecting industry across the board, and biotech labs are no exception. For this Radar Podcast episode, I chatted with DJ Kleinbaum, co-founder of Emerald … [Link]
Mashable » 2CELLOS: Two 20-somethings rocking out, making the cello cool
Welcome to Throwback Tunesday, where Mashable amplifies the echoes of music past. With genre trends and throwbacks, we synthesize music and nostalgia. Trying to describe 2CELLOS in just a few sentences is simply impossible. They're more than just a pair of pals playing some cello — they create a modern day mashup of boundary-breaking rock, pop and classical music. And, … [Link]
Mashable » Twitter beats revenue estimates for Q4, but user growth slows
Same story, different quarter. Twitter beat Wall Street estimates for revenue and earnings in the holiday quarter, but came in on the low end of expectations for user growth. See also: A year after IPO, Twitter is figuring out what it needs to be The social network had 288 million monthly active users in the quarter, compared to some analyst estimates … [Link]
Slashdot » Why Gmail Has Better Security Than Your Bank
Gizmodo gives some insight to a strange situation that many of us have — at least in the U.S. — when it comes to online security: Gmail, while free, offers two-factor authentication, while many banks don't use security tools that would make online financial transactions safer, contenting themselves with single-factor, weak password systems, or lackluster secondary screens. It's certainly true … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Alan Turing’s Code-breaking Sheets Found Stuffed In Wall
Secret documents from the work by Alan Turing’s team of codebreakers have been found stuffed into the walls and roof of a hut at Bletchley Park. It appears that after completing a day’s work, the team didn’t securely destroy the papers as was protocol, but instead used them to boost insulation in the far-from-luxurious facility. The papers were discovered in … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Why Are Eggs … Egg-Shaped? [Science Video]
What is the evolutionary advantage of having egg-shaped eggs? There’s a logic to it, but it’s ovoid! [SciShow] The post Why Are Eggs … Egg-Shaped? [Science Video] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]
Mashable » 'Fifty Shades' fans not permitted to bring props or 'weapons' to theaters
It’s not the same as bringing a Harry Potter wand to opening night of The Goblet of Fire. Fifty Shades of Grey fans will not be permitted to bring, shall we say, tributes to certain theaters once the film opens on Friday, Feb. 13; this includes ropes, whips, ties and more "While we welcome those guests who want to show their … [Link]
Slashdot » The Poem That Passed the Turing Test
merbs writes In 2011, the editors of one of the nation's oldest student-run literary journals selected a short poem called "For the Bristlecone Snag" for publication in its Fall issue. The poem seems environmentally themed, strikes an aggressive tone, and contains a few of the clunky turns of phrase overwhelmingly common to collegiate poetry. It's unremarkable, mostly, except for one … [Link]
Mashable » Google and Mattel send out toy-teasing press invite
Google and Mattel (yes, the toy company) are tinkering up something for your viewing pleasure On Thursday, Mattel sent out a mysterious invitation — as these sorts of things usually are — for an event on Feb. 13 in New York City. The invitation, below, alludes to the classic View-Master toy. See also: 10 best tech companies to work for in … [Link]
Mashable » Facebook updates celebrity-loving Mentions app
Facebook rolled out an update on Thursday to its celebrity-focused Mentions app, making it easier for high-profile users to interact with fans. In addition to sharing on Facebook, Mentions users can now add other people — including bandmates, teammates or colleagues — and hashtags to the "Mentions Feed," a feed of posts in the app, as well as directly share updates to … [Link]
Mashable » 'Big Bang Theory' tackles Internet haters in one of the season's best episodes
Sheldon and Leonard are no strangers to bullies and Internet feuds, but on Thursday's episode of The Big Bang Theory, they will find themselves face-to-face with an online hater who hits them right where it hurts — their work After the pair publishes a cutting-edge physics paper, they find themselves the target of a bully who knows just how to … [Link]
Mashable » Signs of life 12 miles under Earth hint at potential for life on other planets
Life teems all over our planet's exterior and even down into the lightless oceanic depths. But just how far underground might life be able to hack it? New research offers evidence of bacteria living as deep as 12 miles (19 kilometers) underground — quite possibly the deepest life has ever been glimpsed. Learning biology's terrestrial limits, though important in its own … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Five Geektastic Valentine’s Day T-Shirts
I’ve got plenty of geeky t-shirts, but none I’d wear at the office on Valentine’s Day. In that spirit, are are 5 geektastic t-shirts you can get to celebrate on February 14th! Please note that all these shirts come with free worldwide shipping until Feb. 9th. The Perfect Date 
Take This Heart 
Best Line Ever 
Heart of Ice 
A Special … [Link]
Slashdot » Facebook Brings React Native To Native Mobile Development
the_insult_dog writes Despite a lack of dev tools, samples, tutorials, documentation or even a blog post or press release, Facebook's announcement that it's bringing the popular React.js JavaScript library to iOS and Android native mobile development stirred up comments like "groundbreaking" and "game changing." In a series of videos from the recent React.js Conference 2015, Facebook engineers said they're rejecting … [Link]
Mashable » ISIS video raises speculation that Paris attacker's partner is among jihadis
Hayat Boumeddiene, the partner of a gunman who opened fire at a kosher market and killed a policewoman in Paris on Jan. 8, apparently crossed into Syria from Turkey that same day. Though her exact whereabouts are still unknown, new footage released by Islamic State (ISIS) militants has ignited speculation that she may be among the group's ranks. In the footage, … [Link]
Mashable » A requiem for RadioShack: 12 vintage commercials to remember the good times
This story was updated at 5:37 p.m. ET. In a sad turn for the long-struggling electronics retailer, RadioShack filed for bankruptcy on Thursday, just days after the New York Stock Exchange started proceedings to delist its stock. The retailer will sell up to 2,400 stores See also: 15 Hilarious Technology Ads From the 1980s So we're giving the Walkman haven the … [Link]
Mashable » Mummified monk isn't actually dead, says Buddhist expert
A mummified monk thought to be more than 200 years old is "not dead," but actually in a state of "very deep meditation," according to Buddhist monk and doctor to the Dalai Lama, Dr. Barry Kerzin. Kerzin claims that the monk is in a spiritual state called "tukdam," and is just one step from becoming a real-life Buddha, the Siberian Times … [Link]
Mashable » Conservationists are worried about the waste from cruise ships in Alaska
JUNEAU, Alaska — Towering cruise ships, sometimes four at a time, sit at port in Juneau at the peak of summer, delivering tourists important to the economy of this and other southeast Alaska communities. But some conservationists worry about what the ships could be leaving in Alaska waters and are fighting proposed new rules for the discharge of treated wastewater. The … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Playlyfe API Gamifies Apps and Websites
Playlyfe, an online gamification platform, offers the Playlyfe API to add gamification functionality to any app or website. Playlyfe believes that a gamified system can add value to any experience, whether the user is a business enterprise or a social media platform.
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Mashable » Britain has spent £10 million on policing Julian Assange
LONDON — Monitoring the Ecuadorian embassy in London where Julian Assange is staying has been a costly exercise for the British taxpayer. To date, £10 million ($15 million) has been spent to ensure the WikiLeaks founder doesn't put a foot on British soil See also: Julian Assange at SXSW: All Talk but Nothing to Say In a request filed under the … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Human-in-the-loop machine learning
What do you call a practice that most data scientists have heard of, few have tried, and even fewer know how to do well? It turns out, no one is quite certain what to call it. In our latest free … [Link]
Mashable » TransAsia pilots hailed as heroes after narrowly avoiding buildings
Stories of survival and heroism have emerged in the aftermath of the TransAsia Airways crash on Wednesday that left at least 32 people dead and 11 missing. Fifteen people survived after the turbojet carrying 58 people crashed Wednesday into a river in Taipei, Taiwan, shortly after taking off. The city's mayor has hailed the two pilots as heroes for their attempts … [Link]
Mashable » Netflix picks up period musical drama from Baz Luhrmann
Baz Luhrmann, king of sprawling epics and lavish productions, is scaling it back a bit for TV Netflix on Thursday announced it has picked up 13 episodes of musical drama, titled The Get Down, from the Moulin Rouge! director, set to debut in 2016 See also: Amazon and Netflix made big Sundance plays and lost. Here's why The story follows … [Link]
Mashable » 8 historic women who pioneered the Civil Rights Movement
When director Ava DuVernay decided to helm the Martin Luther King, Jr. biopic Selma, she noticed something missing from the script "When I first came on board the project, the women were not there at all," she told Melissa Harris-Perry in an MSNBC interview See also: 7 black female directors earning incredible Hollywood reviews In order to be more accurate, DuVernay … [Link]
Slashdot » Craters Pop As NASA's Dawn Probe Approaches Ceres
astroengine writes New features on Ceres' icy surface are popping into view as NASA's Dawn spacecraft slowly spirals in on its final celestial target in the asteroid belt. Due to arrive in a stable Ceres orbit in March, the ion drive-propelled spacecraft is now less than 90,000 miles (145,000 kilometers) from its ultimate goal. Once arrived at Ceres, NASA will … [Link]
Mashable » A mighty pack of 300 manatees keeps taking over a Florida wildlife park
Call your families and tell them you love them because the manatees have started their revolution. On Feb. 3, more than 300 manatees, or sea cows, stormed a spring at the Crystal Rivers National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. In an attempt to escape cool temperatures, the rotund mammals moved into the warmer shallow water, which had to be closed off to … [Link]
Mashable » Confused lamb thinks it's a dog
We are all influenced by our surroundings, even our animal friends. YouTuber Jemma Mackenzie has four beautiful collies, but, she is the proud owner of five dogs — in spirit Her orphaned lamb, named "Pet," loves hanging out with the family dogs and has even slept with the eldest dog, Dice, since Pet was just a little lamb '50 Shades … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Prismatic's Interest Graph API Boosts Content Discoverability
Prismatic has released an API that provides publishers with access to its interest graph. The API is in alpha status and has only one function. If you're a content producer on the Web, you'll want to see about tagging your articles, columns and posts with the interest graph API so they show up in Prismatic's database.
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Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Honest Game Trailer: Hearthstone [Video]
Because Warcraft and collectible card games weren’t nerdy enough on their own, Blizzard presents Hearthstone. [Smosh Games] The post Honest Game Trailer: Hearthstone [Video] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]
New Scientist – News » Melting ice spells volcanic trouble
Emerging links between climate change and shifts in the Earth's crust suggest the world faces an upsurge in volcanic activity 
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Mashable » Far-right group Pegida announce first rally in UK
LONDON — An "anti-Islamisation" group which has staged rallies across Germany and in Austria has said it's planning to hold a march in Newcastle on Feb. 28. See also: Anti-Semitism in Britain hits record high Pegida, which is also known as Patriotic Europeans Against Islamisation of the West, held a series of events in Germany towards the end of last year. … [Link]
Mashable » 11 musicians cover Beck's Grammy-nominated 'Morning Phase' album
Eleven musicians are using YouTube to pay tribute to Beck, whose Morning Phase will vie for Album of the Year against albums from Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith and Pharrell at Sunday's Grammys Each artist covered a song from the album, experimenting with Beck's melodies and harmonies with vocals, guitars, strings, a cappella and more. See also: You can watch the … [Link]
Mashable » Apple working on a web TV service, report says
Apple is working on a web-based TV service along the same lines of Dish's Internet-only Sling TV. That's according to a report from Re/code. Sling TV offers a relatively cheap subscription package for people who have eschewed cable — the so-called cord-cutters. It offers a small number of channels instead of the expensive multi-channel lineup offered by Comcast, Time Warner et … [Link]
Slashdot » Apple Said To Be Working On a Pay TV Service
walterbyrd writes Apple is in talks with TV programmers to put together its own over-the-top pay TV service, Recode says. According to the site's industry sources, Apple's proposed service would comprise of bundles of programming, secured through deals with content providers and sold direct to consumers, rather than a full TV lineup. Apple has reportedly already shown demonstrations of the … [Link]
Mashable » Vanessa Bayer seduces strangers in 'Fifty Shades' inspired video for Audi
You're not the only one with a Fifty Shades of Grey fantasy, but maybe keep it to yourself. Or agree on a safety word. Comedian and Saturday Night Live cast member Vanessa Bayer stars in an online video for Audi, inspired by the infamous elevator scene in Fifty Shades of Grey. See also: Watch John Oliver's passionate audition for '50 … [Link]
Mashable » Microsoft: Coming to a smartphone near you
On Saturday morning I rolled over in bed, reached for my iPhone and quickly realized it wasn't some twisted dream. It had really happened. I was a Microsoft smartphone user For years, as I spent more and more time on my smartphone, I ran into Microsoft less and less. I relied on Evernote and the default Notes application on iOS for … [Link]
Mashable » A talented Jack Russell Terrier puts your dog to shame
Move over, Air Bud. Jesse the Jack Russell Terrier has more tricks up his sleeve than David Blaine. From riding a scooter to playing the piano, this talented little terrier can do more than 35 amazing maneuvers that make you wonder just what can't he do. See also: The 75 Absolutely Cutest Animals on Instagram Jesse's owner, Heather Brook, says … [Link]
Slashdot » Ask Slashdot: What Tools To Clean Up a Large C/C++ Project?
An anonymous reader writes I find myself in the uncomfortable position of having to 'cleanup' a relatively large C/C++ project. We are talking ~200 files, 11MB of source code, 220K lines of code… A superficial glance shows that they are a lot of functions that seems to be doing the same things, a lot of 'unused' stuff, and a lot … [Link]
Mashable » Hands on with Apple's new Photos app for OS X Yosemite
Apple released a developer preview of its new Photos app for OS X Yosemite on Thursday. The app is part of the new OS X 10.10.3 beta now available to members of Apple's Developer Program. First previewed at WWDC 2014, Photos is a replacement for both iPhoto and Aperture. See also: OS X Yosemite Review: An Equal Partner for iOS 8 … [Link]
Mashable » How indie game developers can adapt for Facebook
Colin Creitz, an engineering manager at Facebook, knows the ins and outs of putting indie game entertainment software on Facebook. As a former indie game developer himself, Creitz knows first-hand what challenges game developers can face when going up against much larger games studios. See also: Ask a Dev: What's New in iOS 8 For Web? In the newest episode … [Link]
New Scientist – News » First stars get 150 million years younger overnight
The Planck space telescope's newest map shows that the first stars formed later than previously believed, extending an era known as the cosmic dark ages 
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Mashable » John Kerry: 'President Putin can make the choices that can end this war'
The United State is increasing its aid to Ukraine, Secretary of State John Kerry said, noting the "grave escalation" of fighting in the country's east. Kerry arrived in Kiev on Thursday to meet with Ukrainian officials to discuss the role the U.S. will play as the conflict between the Ukrainian military and Russian-backed rebels flares See also: The 'tough as nails' … [Link]
Mashable » Sony Pictures co-chair Amy Pascal is stepping down in wake of hack
LOS ANGELES — Sony Pictures Entertainment announced on Thursday that Amy Pascal, longtime studio co-chairman who was one of many executives to have embarrassing emails leaked in the massive hack in November, is stepping down. In what's become a cliché in the script of an ousted Hollywood studio executives, Pascal will launch a production venture at the studio, keeping her deep … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Earth's historical wonders as seen from space
A stunning series of snaps captured from the International Space Station focuses in on UNESCO World Heritage Sites 
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New Scientist – News » Today on New Scientist
All the latest on newscientist.com: the algorithms that run our lives, why female abortions are rising in India, dark energy and more 
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O'Reilly News and Commentary » A bigger and different way of looking at the IoT
Tim O’Reilly has recently focused on the connection between humans and the Internet of Things (IoT). It’s a topic he’s written about and talked about, and its also at the heart of our explorations into interaction design and connected devices … [Link]
Mashable » Chinese budget airline mulls flights that are standing room only
The Chinese budget carrier Spring Airlines wants to introduce standing seats on planes. The Shanghai-based airline would offer the standing seats at cheaper prices, ostensibly making air travel more affordable for those willing to sacrifice even more comfort. They resemble the seats you "stand at" on a rollercoaster — a bit like a bar stool — since you're more upright than … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Kony Opens Up Marketplace to Developers
Kony extended the scope of its efforts to help developers not only build software, but also to access and share everything from reusable components to entire applications.
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Mashable » Anthem hack: Everything you need to know
Anthem, the second-largest health insurer in the United States, said it was hacked late Wednesday, and that hackers stole as many as 80 million personal records. The company, formerly known as WellPoint, described the incident as a "very sophisticated external cyber attack," according to a statement from CEO Joseph Swedish. See also: Hackers infiltrate health insurer Anthem, stealing customer details Here's … [Link]
Mashable » '50 Shades of Grey' Lego trailer is better than the real thing
Everything is better as Lego, particularly the trailer for the controversial 50 Shades of Grey. Recreating everything from the scandalous human trailer down to Christian Grey's razor-cut dimples, this Lego reimagining raises hopes that, even if the movie isn't good, the inevitable Lego set will be crazy sexy fun 50 Shades of Grey hits theaters Feb. 13 
'Lego Jurassic World' … [Link]
Slashdot » Washington May Count CS As Foreign Language For College Admission
theodp writes On Wednesday, Washington State held a public hearing on House Bill 1445, which proposes a study "to allow two years of computer sciences to count as two years of world languages for the purposes of admission into a four-year institution of higher education." Among the questions posed by the House Higher Education Committee to a UW rep at … [Link]
Mashable » New iPhone game uses your heartbeat as the controller
Your heartbeat just got gamified A Dutch startup released a new iPhone game Thursday that relies on users' heartbeats to control the gameplay. Skip a Beat takes advantage of the iPhone's flash to detect users' heart rates — much like the app Cardiio or the sensor built into the Galaxy S5. Before each level, users hold their finger over the iPhone's … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Silly Cat [Comic]
[Source: Pie Comic] The post Silly Cat [Comic] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]
New Scientist – News » Meet – and hear – the world's first bilingual chimps
Recordings of Dutch chimps that were moved to a Scottish zoo reveal for the first time that chimps can learn foreign words 
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Mashable » Determined cat will do whatever it takes to chill out in the snow
If you need someone to help you shovel your sidewalk, consider hiring this cat. While you're whining about the bleak, seemingly endless onslaught of winter, Rudiger just wants to have a fun snow day. The determined kitty uses his paws to clear away 4 feet of snow to get outside and play, which seems like a lot of effort to … [Link]
Mashable » Swatch is working on a smartwatch you'll never need to charge
Swatch Group AG is planning to launch a smartwatch in the next two to three months, which could pit the Swiss timepiece against the Apple Watch. Swatch is gearing up to launch a smartwatch that will work with Android and Windows smartphones, according to a Bloomberg report. The device will be able to perform most of the same actions as the … [Link]
Slashdot » Smartphone Attachment Can Test For HIV In 15 Minutes
stephendavion writes A team of researchers from Columbia University have developed a device that can be plugged into a smartphone and used to quickly test for HIV and syphilis. The mobile device tests for three infectious disease markers in just 15 minutes by using a finger-prick of blood, and draws all the power it needs from the smartphone, Science Daily … [Link]
Mashable » Pope Francis to address U.S. Congress in September
Pope Francis will become the first pope to address a joint meeting of Congress when he visits Washington, D.C. in September, Speaker John Boehner announced on Thursday. The pope will visit the Capitol on Sept. 24, Boehner tweeted in announcing the addition to the Holy Father's already busy stateside itinerary. BREAKING → Pope Francis will visit @USCapitol on 9/24 & become … [Link]
Slashdot » Some Hackers Unknowingly Gathering Intel For the NSA
itwbennett writes As reported Wednesday by the news website The Intercept, the U.S. National Security Agency and its intelligence partners are sifting through data stolen by state-sponsored and freelance hackers on a regular basis in search of valuable information. A page from an internal wiki used by the intelligence agencies of the U.S., Canada and the U.K, which was last … [Link]
Mashable » GIFs now finally work in TweetDeck
GIFs have come to TweetDeck. Twitter announced on Thursday that users can now view GIFs in TweetDeck, though the upgrade only seems available when using the browser client, not in the app. See also: The 50 best GIFs of 2014 We're excited to announce you can now view GIFs in TweetDeckpic.twitter.com/fcSkZoDydI — TweetDeck (@TweetDeck) February 5, 2015 Until now, GIFs uploaded … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Technology driving rise in abortions of girls in India
Modernisation is not helping rebalance India's sex ratio. In fact, with 6 million fewer girls born between 2001 and 2011, it is making it worse 
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New Scientist – News » Dark force could keep Milky Way's neighbours away
Dark energy is thought to work on the scale of the entire universe – but if it is active on galaxies, it could explain why the Milky Way has so few satellites 
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Mashable » Cleared storm drain turns into an unexpected water slide
Thankfully, everyone in this video ended up okay. A video from YouTuber Patricia Pink shows a terrifying series of events in which four men and a child are attempting to unclog a large storm drain. See also: Mattress Saves Cyclist Struck by Vehicle The boy begins to jump on the branches that are clogging the large drain in an attempt … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » ESPN vs. Uber: Whose API Strategy is Best for Your Business?
This article was prepared by a guest contributor to ProgrammableWeb. The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of ProgrammableWeb or its editorial staff.
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Mashable » What's the deal with Microsoft's new web browser?
In order to expand its reach beyond Windows users who are too lazy to download another browser, Microsoft recently created Spartan as a way to stand up against the likes of Chrome and Safari. In Mashable'a newest episode of Ask A Dev, web developer Brady Higginbotham explains why Microsoft may have a shot at regaining some web surfers, thanks to … [Link]
Mashable » Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue to feature a plus-sized model (in an ad)
A plus-sized swimsuit model has cracked the pages of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue — but not in the magazine's photo spreads. Instead, Ashley Graham will appear in a one-page ad for SwimsuitsForAll, an 8-year-old company that specializes in plus-sized swimwear. Graham, who has appeared in ads for Levi's, Lane Bryant and Bloomingdale's, among others, is shown walking by a pool as … [Link]
Mashable » U.S. drone strike kills al-Qaeda cleric in Yemen
An American drone strike has killed a senior leader of al-Qaeda's branch in Yemen, according to a statement published via Twitter on Thursday by the militant Islamist organization. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (commonly referred to as AQAP) said Harith bin Ghazi al-Nadhari was killed by a drone strike on his vehicle in Yemen's Shabwa province, along with three other people, … [Link]
Slashdot » The Algorithm That 'Sees' Beauty In Photographic Portraits
KentuckyFC (1144503) writes "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But what if the beholder is a machine? Scientists from Yahoo Labs in Barcelona have trained a machine learning algorithm to pick out beautiful photographic portraits from a collection of not-so-beautiful ones. They began with a set of 10,000 portraits that have been rated by humans and then allowed … [Link]
Mashable » Twitter's Q4 earnings preview: What to expect
The executive team at Twitter has clearly had enough Around this time last year, Twitter put out its first earnings report as a public company. And it got hammered. Wall Street sent the stock down more than 20% after hours on concerns about slowing user growth. Analysts and investors began criticizing CEO Dick Costolo. It was just a mess. See also: … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Tapstream Eases Marketing Measurement with Key Analytics
An important part of the product development lifecycle is measurement, evaluating the results of the labor and effort on a product, and validating one’s assumptions and assertions. The analytics process and products allow you to track the metrics that are most crucial to evaluating the performance of your business, providing an ongoing check of the effectiveness of your customer acquisition … [Link]
Slashdot » Greg KH Favors Rolling Release Distros
jones_supa writes In an interesting Google+ post, the lieutenant Linux developer Greg Kroah-Hartman mentions him fully moving to rolling-release Linux distributions: 'Finally retired my last 'traditional' Linux distro box yesterday, it's all 'rolling-release' Linux systems for me. Feels good. And to preempt the ask, it's Arch Linux almost everywhere (laptop, workstation, cloud servers), CoreOS (cloud server), and Gentoo for the … [Link]
Mashable » Fill your frame with rich red hues for our photo challenge
For this week's Mashable Photo Challenge, we want you to fill your frame with red. You can dominate your photo with rich red hues or simply use the color in smaller ways to add an energetic twist to your shot Jonathan Suarez, a photographer from New Jersey who has mastered the art of high contrast and color accenting, will be our … [Link]
Mashable » Snowboarder survives avalanche and captures it all on GoPro
Snowboarder and mountain rescue volunteer Sorin Radu was caught in an avalanche on Feb. 3 while snowboarding down Papusa Mountain in Gorj, Romania He caught the entire experience on a GoPro that was attached to his helmet. Radu was unharmed. Determined cat will do whatever it takes to chill out in the snow Jimmy Fallon does his Neil Young impression … [Link]
Mashable » #MugabeMeme turns Robert Mugabe into a Beyoncé dancer
Another day, another meme. This time, it's the turn of new African Union chair and every human rights organisation's least favourite Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe. See also: Is Robert Mugabe fit for African Union leadership? Mugabe fell down steps off of a raised podium upon his return to Zimbabwe from Ethiopia on Wednesday. His security team quickly attempted to force photographers … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Mini earthquakes reveal lubricant for tectonic plates
A 10-kilometre layer of "lubricant" helps huge continental plates to glide around, as revealed by dynamite explosions 
[Link]
Mashable » Apple adapts its heartwarming holiday ad for China
Apple's U.S. holiday ad "The Song" has been retold for the Chinese market The ad, timed for the Lunar New Year on Feb. 22, features the same plot as the original version: A young woman stumbles upon an old recording, learns the song and plays the new version for her grandmother See also: Super Bowl 2015 commercials: Watch them all, … [Link]
Slashdot » Twitter CEO: "We Suck" At Dealing With Trolls, Vows To Kick Them Out
AmiMoJo writes "We suck at dealing with abuse and trolls on the platform, and we've sucked at it for years," wrote Twitter CEO Dick Costolo in a leaked internal post. "We lose core user after core user by not addressing simple trolling issues that they face every day." Gamergate is only the latest and loudest example of harassment. Robin Williams' … [Link]
Mashable » Telecom giant BT to purchase UK's largest mobile network
LONDON — BT is set to dominate the UK mobile market after finalising a deal Thursday worth £12 billion ($18.3 billion) EE has the most mobile subscribers in the UK market. The deal means BT will be able to offer bundles of mobile, landline, broadband and TV services, known as "quad play" packages, to its customers. It also allows the company … [Link]
Mashable » 4th and goal: Sports viewership scores with strong online moves
Television is just one way to consume sports if you're a sports fanatic in 2015. Cable and broadcast now sit within an expanding technological ecosystem; they're parts of a whole range of viewing options. Every team's die-hard followers can now use their mobile and desktop devices to watch, re-watch, and reconsider every play, every game, all season long That's certainly a … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » 4 things that happened in PHP while you werent looking
I think most programmers have come into contact with PHP at some point, editing a WordPress plugin or getting PHPMyAdmin running on a server. We think we know what PHP is, but the language has been very quietly growing up … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Network structure and dynamics in online social systems
I rarely work with social network data, but Im familiar with the standard problems confronting data scientists who work in this area. These include questions pertaining to network structure, viral content, and the dynamics of information cascades. At last years … [Link]
Slashdot » US Health Insurer Anthem Suffers Massive Data Breach
An anonymous reader writes Anthem, the second-largest health insurer in the United States, has suffered a data breach that may turn out to be the largest health care breach to date, as the compromised database holds records of some 80 million individuals. Not much is known about how the attack was discovered, how it unfolded and who might be behind … [Link]
Mashable » Wind! Bubbles! Fog! 4D cinema comes to the UK
LONDON — If you've ever thought the high street cinema experience could be improved with a bubble machine, you're in luck. 4D cinema has just arrived in the UK, at the Cineworld multiplex in glamorous Milton Keynes, and it's brought wind, fog, lightning and vibrations with it. See also: If cute little kids starred in the 2015 Oscar picks 4D … [Link]
Mashable » 2,600 tons of chemical weapons to be destroyed in Colorado
The U.S. will be destroying its largest remaining stockpile of chemical artillery shells. The Pueblo Chemical Depot in southern Colorado plans to neutralize 2,600 tons of mustard agent starting in March. A Chemical Weapons Convention deadline was set in 1997 to destroy the weapons by 2012. The U.S., Russia, Libya and Iraq have all missed the deadline. The cost of … [Link]
Mashable » Jordan launches airstrikes on ISIS after king vows revenge
Jordanian fighter jets have carried out new air strikes against Islamic State militants, a day after the country's king vowed to wage a "harsh" war against the extremist group that controls parts of neighboring Syria and Iraq. The army statement, released on Thursday, did not say which country was targeted. Jordan is part of a U.S.-led military coalition that has bombed … [Link]
Slashdot » Mississippi – the Nation's Leader In Vaccination Rates
HughPickens.com writes The NYT reports that Mississippi — which ranks as one of the worst states for smoking, obesity and physical inactivity — seldom is viewed as a leader on health issues. But it is one of two states that permit neither religious nor philosophical exemptions to its vaccination program. Only children with medical conditions that would be exacerbated by … [Link]
Mashable » Hackers infiltrate health insurer Anthem, stealing customer details
Anthem, the second-largest health insurer in the U.S., said hackers infiltrated its computer network, with as many as 80 million personal data records stolen. President and CEO Joseph R. Swedish called the it a "very sophisticated" attack in which hackers stole a host of personal information for customers and employees, including CEO Joseph Swedish. See also: Hacker's List allows you to … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Insanely Cool RC Millennium Falcon Quadcopter [Videos]
Youtuber Olivier C made this really cool RC Millennium Falcon Quadcopter that, thanks to the LED lights located at the back of the vessel, looks almost like the real thing when it flies in the dark [Olivier C] The post Insanely Cool RC Millennium Falcon Quadcopter [Videos] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Amazon Deal of the Day: 50% Off (And More!) on Select Family & Party Games from Hasbro
For today’s edition of Deal of the Day, Amazon offers 50% off (and more!) on select family and party games from Hasbro. There are a lot of really popular titles in there such as Scrabble, Monopoly, Sorry, Trouble, and a lot more, so be sure to check ‘em all out! [50% Off (And More!) on Select Family & Party Games … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Game of Thrones Actors: Where You’ve Seen Them Before
You’ve seen them in Game of Thrones, but the actors featured in the series have also played in many other movies and TV series over the years. Here is a rather extensive list of where these people have also played in the past. Please note that if you’re reading this from the front page of the site, I’ve included the … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Funko Makes ‘Orphan Black’ Toys For All The Clones Out There
Orphan Black is wickedly underrated show that deserves more attention and seems to slowly be getting it. One step in the right direction is the fact that Funko is now making some slick Orphan Black toys. As you know with most Funko pieces, they are very stylized, but you can still easily tell who everyone is, and the quality is … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Travelling Away From the Sun at the Speed of Light [Video]
This “enlightening” video will show you how long it takes for a photon of light to travel from the sun toward the outside of our solar system. Since the video is 43 minutes long, don’t hesitate to skip ahead to the important parts marked by the “next celestial object” counter. In our terrestrial view of things, the speed of light … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Jimmy Fallon Goes Full ‘Fresh Prince’ For Opening
What can you really say about this other than it is awesome to the max! Nothing. [The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon] The post Jimmy Fallon Goes Full ‘Fresh Prince’ For Opening appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News. [Link]
Mashable » 24 modern valentines for the person who still loves you in sweatpants
Movies and Hallmark would like us to believe that Valentine's Day is filled with dozens of red roses and fancy black-tie dinners The truth is that most of us would rather use the holiday as an excuse to eat extra chocolate and watch sappy movies in sweats. (Bonus points if you get laid, too!) See also: 10 Translated Text Messages From … [Link]
Mashable » Merkel, Hollande and Kerry head to Ukraine to stop 'a war on Europe's edge'
The leaders of France and Germany were carrying a new peace initiative to the Ukrainian and Russian capitals Thursday, amid a flurry of high-level diplomacy to end what French President Francois Hollande called a war on Europe's edge. See also: Grim scenes as civilians flee eastern Ukraine Hollande said he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel would travel to Kiev on Thursday … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Robot firefighter puts out its first blaze
Designed for putting out flames in the cramped quarters of a ship, the SAFFiR robot has had its first successful test 
[Link]
Mashable » Paris bans action movie filming under new post-terror rules
PARIS — Fearing that actors could be mistaken for police — and chase scenes confused for the real thing — Paris is sharply restricting filming of action movies in the city that been the stage for some of film's most memorable high-octane sequences. Filming outside scenes with police, army or security services was quietly banned after the attacks in the French … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Doc-watcher spots when physicians stop listening
As screen use becomes ever more ubiquitous in healthcare, doctors may have a hard time focusing on patients during consultations. Lab-in-a-Box aims to help 
[Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Four short links: 5 February 2015
The Home and the Mobile Supply Chain (Benedict Evans) — the small hardware startup, and the cool new gizmos from drones to wearables, are possible because of the low price of components built at the scale required for Apple and … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » #Video Deal/Day: Learning Data Modeling – $49.98 (Save 50%) Use code DEAL
Get "Learning Data Modeling" today using code DEAL and save 50%!This sale ends at 2:00 AM 2015-02-06 (PDT, GMT-8:00). [Link]
Mashable » Speedriders make it look easy in mesmerizing new video
Speedriding — a combination of paragliding and skiing — is an adrenaline-infused experience, but a recent video of two speedriders gently ski-flying over the snow slopes of Val-d'Isere, France, is actually quite relaxing Accompanied by a chill tune by Darius, the video, uploaded on YouTube by Oneflight Aweek on Jan. 26, shows the two riders traversing a beautiful slope before … [Link]
Mashable » New live music and events platform caters to people with disabilities
About 15% of the global population lives with some form of disability. That means more than one billion people have limited access to appropriate health care and other services, and up to 190 million adults have significant difficulties functioning. But there's another issue not often talked about: people with disabilities want to have fun, just like everybody else. Unfortunately, the … [Link]
Mashable » The UK should do more to combat ISIS, MPs say
LONDON — The UK is not doing enough to combat the Islamic State (ISIS), MPs say. The cross-party Defence Select Committee says the country's role in fighting extremists is "strikingly modest" and should be stepped up. However, they added that they were not in favour of deploying combat forces. See also: A win for ISIS: Unparalleled brutality seizes the media spotlight … [Link]
Mashable » Inside the women's guide to life under ISIS
LONDON —The Western model for women has failed, according to a manifesto that gives an insight into what daily life is like for women living with Islamic State extremists See also: I was a prisoner of the Islamic State The document Women of the Islamic State, published in Arabic, and now translated into English by London-based counter-terrorism think tank Quilliam, began … [Link]
Mashable » 22 emo songs that helped you through your high-school breakup
Everything was awful and nobody understood Times were tough for the millions of teenagers that gravitated towards emo music, which took over in the early to mid-2000s. Despite the genre's depressing tendencies, it helped many dark-hearts through those rough times, like your first high school breakup See also: Look Back on the 'Emo Era' With the Bands That Created It Maybe … [Link]
Mashable » When to use Twitter Group DM
Twitter has finally rolled out Group DM, its promised feature that allows you to direct message more than one person. The company says it will complement the public aspects of the platform, giving users "more options for how and with whom you communicate on Twitter." But do people really want this new option? How are people going to use group chats? … [Link]
Mashable » Unsuspecting McDonald's patrons pay for burgers with high fives and awkward hugs
McDonald’s on Feb. 2 kicked off its Super Bowl-televised Pay With Lovin' campaign, in which the franchise sold burgers for the steep prices of high-fives, selfies and family hugs. "Lovin' Leaders," or store campaign managers, have been quick to document the tender moments across McDonald's, from selfies-with-cashiers galore to Instagram videos ending in store-wide applause. And yet, among the genuinely sweet … [Link]
Mashable » Samsung's compact NX500 mirrorless camera records 4K video for $800
Samsung’s top-of-the-line $1,500 NX1 mirrorless camera beast is getting downsized, sorta. Available in mid-March, the $799 NX500 shares much of the same DNA as the NX1, but in the NX300's smaller size. The NX500 doesn't skimp on the specs. It has the NX1's 28-megapixel BSI (backside-illuminated) APS-C image sensor with 9 frames per second (fps) continuous shooting, 4K (4,096 x 2,160 … [Link]
Mashable » Brian Williams misremembers a lifetime of historic events
NBC News anchor Brian Williams may misremember how his brush with death in Iraq truly went down, but the Internet will never let him forget. For years Williams had told the story of how a soldier rescued him after his helicopter was downed by RPG fire during the Iraq War in 2003. Turns out, it was all a lie. Williams finally … [Link]
Slashdot » The Strangest Moon In the Solar System
StartsWithABang writes Moons in our Solar System — at least the ones that formed along with the planets — all revolve counterclockwise around their planetary parents, with roughly uniform surfaces orbiting in the same plane as their other moons and rings. Yet one of Saturn's moon's, Iapetus, is unique, with a giant equatorial ridge, an orbital plane that doesn't line … [Link]
Mashable » Anti-Semitism in Britain hits record high
LONDON —The number of anti-Semitic incidents in Britain hit a record high in 2014, with more than double the number in 2013, according to new figures from the Community Security Trust. See also: Anti-Semitism Flares as Gaza Conflict Continues The organization said Thursday it recorded 1,168 incidents across the country in 2014 — up from 535 cases documented in 2013 — … [Link]
Mashable » Treadmill desk makes you smarter, says study
If you've been bugging your boss for a treadmill desk — because you know, of course, that sitting is killing us — here's a vital piece of information to add to your arsenal. It isn't just an investment in your health, but an investment in your brainpower. People who use the walking workstations see a significant boost in memory recall, even … [Link]
Mashable » Shark vs. whale: Mother Nature's ultimate title fight
A pod of killer whales has taken on a great white shark in "the title fight of all title fights." Crew on a charter boat spotted the intense meal time preparations, while taking a group of divers on a shark cage tour near Neptune Islands, off South Australia, on Monday See also: Someone loved Left Shark enough to get a tattoo … [Link]
Mashable » Olympus' latest mirrorless camera can stitch together huge 40-megapixel pics
Olympus’s high-end OM-D mirrorless cameras are some of the best in category. The E-M5, the first one in the family, just got a successor. Everyone, meet the E-M5 Mark II. The weatherproof E-M5 Mark II doesn't stray too far from the original's design. Its signature electronic viewfinder "hump" is as tall as before (compared to the squatter hump on the E-M1 … [Link]
Mashable » 'Mayday, mayday, engine flameout': Details of TransAsia flight's final moments emerge
A pilot onboard the TransAsia Airways flight that careened into the Keelung River killing dozens in Taipei Wednesday said "mayday, mayday, engine flameout" moments before the plane banked sharply and crashed. See also: More than 20 dead after TransAsia flight clips bridge in Taiwan The communication was revealed by an aviation official Thursday, who declined to comment on a possible cause … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Living with the algorithms that run our lives
Most of us don't understand the software that hones internet searches and our newsfeeds, but we don't need to in order to come to terms with them 
[Link]
Slashdot » Using Machine Learning To Find a Better Job
An anonymous reader writes Artificial intelligence is gaining popularity in startups, with efforts ranging from virtual assistants to deep-learning approaches to business. An MIT Media Lab spinout called Beansprock is using natural language processing and machine learning to scour job listings for good matches for engineers and developers. The software breaks down users' skills and maps them to its understanding … [Link]
Mashable » The 'tough as nails' medics on Ukraine's bloody front lines
Ukrainian medics transport a wounded soldier to a helicopter to be moved to a nearby military hospital on Feb. 4, 2015.Image: Evgeny Feldman/MashableARTEMIVSK, Ukraine — When Natalia Nazar got the call that she was needed at Donetsk Airport to tend to Ukrainian soldiers wounded in battle last month, she raced to the heart of the hottest fight this nine-month-long war … [Link]
Mashable » On the scene of Jimmy Fallon's big 'Saved by the Bell' reunion
LOS ANGELES — It wasn't until close to the start of taping that the audience seated inside NBCUniversal's Studio 1 were clued in that the episode of the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon they were about to witness had "a surprise" in store Nothing less would be expected from Fallon, who is in the middle of hosting a week of … [Link]
Slashdot » You Can Now Clone Samsung's Gear VR and Test Your Virtual Reality Apps
An anonymous reader writes While Samsung's Gear VR headset launched in early December in the U.S., folks abroad didn't have any official means of buying the headset to test their in-development applications. Only recently has Gear VR begun making its way to countries around the world, and it's doing so slowly. For developers who don't want to wait (or DIYers … [Link]
Mashable » Killer PSA compares tanning beds to death beds
Your skin is a pasty shade of winter white and you’re planning a sunny, sandy vacation for Spring Break. Hit the tanning salon for that all-important base coat? Go ahead, it’s your funeral. Mollie’s Fund, a nonprofit cancer awareness foundation, and ad agency FCB’s health-minded division, Area 23, are launching what they’ve called “a tanning intervention” aimed at millennials and … [Link]
Mashable » Australian government wants to quickly push through strict metadata laws
The Australian government has renewed its push to get the controversial data retention bill through parliament as soon as possible, despite pleas from privacy advocates and security experts for the government to substantially rewrite the proposed laws. On Thursday morning, Prime Minister Tony Abbott outlined instances where metadata retention had assisted the government in stopping terror-related incidents from occurring and the … [Link]
Mashable » Twitter sucks at dealing with trolls and CEO says it's all his fault
Dick Costolo knows Twitter has a problem with abuse and trolls and says it's entirely his fault. That's according to a memo the CEO reportedly sent to employees earlier this week in which he accepts responsibility for the problems and promises changes are on the way See also: Twitter is making it easier to report harassment and block users The Verge … [Link]
Mashable » Google buys Launchpad Toys as it seeks more kid-friendly products
Google is buying the kids app-maker Launchpad Toys, the startup announced Wednesday. LaunchPad Toys makes a handful of popular mobile apps for children including an augmented reality app called TeleStory and an animation storytelling tool called Toontastic The San Francisco-based startup was founded in 2010 and took part in Y-Combinator in 2011. It is backed by high-profile investors including Twitter co-founder … [Link]
Mashable » Netflix is heading to Asia with a launch set for Japan
Netflix is expanding into Japan towards the end of 2015, marking the first time that the Internet video service will be available in Asia. The move announced late Wednesday marks another step toward reaching Netflix's goal to stream video on Internet-connected TVs, phones, tablets and computer throughout the world. See also: What's coming to Netflix in February and what's disappearing Netflix … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Mushroom kills with cookie cutter trick
Lego-like proteins from carnivorous mushrooms can pierce deadly holes in cells – a feat that may help tackle our own autoimmune and bacterial diseases 
[Link]
Mashable » Twitter reportedly strikes deal for tweets in Google search results
Thanks to a deal recently struck between Twitter and Google, those tweets will have a larger audience than ever before. According to Bloomberg, Twitter has reached a deal with Google that will make its 140-character updates from users — all 284 million of them — instantly searchable. So that disgruntled tweet about NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams and his false Iraq war … [Link]
Mashable » Report: Apple making a Beats-powered streaming service to rival Spotify
Apple has plans to leverage Beats to build a Spotify competitor, according to 9to5Mac. The paid streaming music service will use Beats' content and technology but get a new name and a fresh Apple design, say 9to5Mac's anonymous Apple sources. The service's target price will be $7.99 per month. In contrast, Spotify Premium comes in at $9.99 a month; Google Play … [Link]
Slashdot » ARM's Cortex-A72 and Mali-T880 GPU Announced For 2016 Flagship Smartphones
MojoKid writes ARM's Cortex-A57 is just now starting to break stride with design wins and full-ramp production in new mobile products. However, ARM is releasing a wealth of information on its successor: the Cortex-A72. ARM is targeting a core clock of 2.5GHz for the Cortex-A72 and it will be built using a 14nm/16nm FinFET+ process. Using the Cortex-A15 (NVIDIA Tegra … [Link]
Mashable » Twitter 'reenactment' of Emmett Till's death prompts backlash
A Belgian educational startup has come under fire for posting a timeline of the events surrounding Emmett Till's 1955 murder that some Twitter users deemed insensitive. As a supposed tribute to Black History Month, a company called Hstry tweeted a play-by-play of the events leading up to the 14-year old Till's murder and the trial that followed, in which his killers … [Link]
Mashable » UFC stars Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz both fail drug tests
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has not one, but two huge problems following the latest event, UFC 183, held in Las Vegas on Jan. 31. Both headliners — former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz, who lost to Silva in a unanimous decision — were busted for substance abuse: Silva for steroids and Diaz for marijuana Silva failed a … [Link]
Mashable » The jawdropping footage only a dashcam could capture
Wednesday's crash of a TransAsia flight in Taipei brought to light the growing phenomenon of driving using dashcams, after two separate drivers captured the horrifying scene unfold in front of their windshields. As dashcam use spreads, videos of the split second moments captured from behind the windshield have become common. The result — some jaw-dropping clips that give us unprecedented … [Link]
Mashable » The Russian theory: The mystery of the Sony hackers continues
Months after the destructive hack against Sony Pictures, the mystery of who did it seems solved — at least if you believe the FBI, the NSA or the White House For the U.S. government, there's little doubt. North Korea did it. But many cybersecurity experts were still skeptical when the FBI finally pointed the finger to the regime of Kim Jong-un, … [Link]
Mashable » Twitter launches new advertising tool for small businesses
Twitter is making it easier than ever for small businesses to advertise on its platform. The company introduced quick promote Wednesday, a new advertising feature that allows businesses to promote tweets directly from their analytics dashboard. See also: Twitter tests 'Instant Timelines' — with tweets from users you don't follow Promoted tweets, which are normal tweets advertisers pay Twitter to share … [Link]
Slashdot » Photosynthesizing Sea Slugs Steal Genes From Algae
An anonymous reader writes For decades, scientists have puzzled over how a certain sea slug acquires the ability to photosynthesize after ingesting algae. An advanced imaging technique now confirms that the slugs are literally stealing genes from the algae. It's considered the first example of horizontal gene transfer in a multicellular organism. 
Read more of this story at Slashdot. 
[Link]
Mashable » Largest indoor bike park in U.S. being built in old Kentucky mine
A new underground bike park called Mega Cavern is being built in an abandoned limestone mine in Louisville, Kentucky. The owners say it will be the largest indoor course in the U.S., at 320,000 square feet. Co-owner Tom Tyler said that he and the other owners started out using the mine as a dumping site for dirt and rock in … [Link]
Slashdot » JavaScript, PHP Top Most Popular Languages, With Apple's Swift Rising Fast
Nerval's Lobster writes Developers assume that Swift, Apple's newish programming language for iOS and Mac OS X apps, will become extremely popular over the next few years. According to new data from RedMonk, a tech-industry analyst firm, Swift could reach that apex of popularity sooner rather than later. While the usual stalwarts—including JavaScript, Java, PHP, Python, C#, C++, and Ruby—top … [Link]
Mashable » Thanks to this Kickstarter, figure skating rivals may get their own museum
There are things Kickstarter might not be right for — like funding a major motion picture — and then there are things Kickstarter is absolutely perfect for — like funding the creation of a Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan museum in the hallway of a two-bedroom apartment. The museum, a brainchild of New York comedians and roommates Viviana Olen and Matt … [Link]
Slashdot » DOT Warns of Dystopian Future For Transportation
An anonymous reader writes The U.S. Department of Transportation has issued a 300-page PDF outlining the grim future of transportation infrastructure in North America over the next thirty years, and inviting debate on the issue. The report presents a vision of 2045 with LA-style traffic jams in Nebraska, trains too full to pick up any more passengers and airports underwater … [Link]
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