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 » Google Is Rolling Out Android 7.1.1
Google is rolling out Android 7.1.1 for Pixel and Nexus smartphones, including the Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, Pixel, Pixel XL, Nexus Player, Pixel C and General Mobile 4G (Android One). You can download it over-the-air when it becomes available "over the next several weeks" or flash it yourself. Engadget details some of the new features found … [Link]
Mashable » This NBA coach had an inspiring response to a question about winning championships
Gregg Popovich has five NBA Championship rings to his name, but the San Antonio Spurs head coach considers something else even more important than winning. Popovich, along with Harvard professor and civil-rights activist Dr. Cornel West, took questions about social issues from 250 high school students in San Antonio last month, per The Nation. One of those students asked if the … [Link]
Mashable » 'Westworld' was never trying to trick you
After the credits rolled on Westworld's blood-soaked Season 1 finale, HBO invited fans to react to what they'd just seen with a card that read: "What just happened? Ask a host now," before directing fans to the website DiscoverWestworld.com. For most of the season, DiscoverWestworld has been presented as a typical promotional website for a vacation destination run by Delos Incorporated, … [Link]
Mashable » A pizza shop patron is fighting back against the #PizzaGate trolls
One man has taken the fight against fake news into his own hands after his local pizza restaurant became embroiled in a dangerous conspiracy theory. On Dec. 4, police arrested 28-year-old, Edgar Maddison Welch of Salisbury, North Carolina, after he entered Comet Ping Pong restaurant in Washington D.C. armed with an assault rifle and fired a shot. Welch claimed he was … [Link]
Mashable » All of San Francisco tried to buy 'Hamilton' tickets and pretty much failed
Many people are pulling a Donald Trump and calling the hit Broadway musical Hamilton "rude." They struggled online for hours Monday to get tickets to the play before it comes to San Francisco next year. They mostly failed. SEE ALSO: Trump picks fight with 'Hamilton', people wonder why In what was an advance online ticketing event exclusively for American Express cardholders, … [Link]
Mashable » Uber's artificial intelligence ambitions just got bigger
All the big tech companies are making a play in artificial intelligence. You can now undoubtedly count Uber among them. Uber announced on Monday that it acquired AI startup Geometric Intelligence, which will form the core of its new AI Labs. "The formation of Uber AI Labs, to be directed by Geometric’s Founding CEO Gary Marcus, represents Uber’s commitment to advancing … [Link]
Slashdot » Google Preparing 'Invisible ReCAPTCHA' System For No User Interaction
An anonymous reader quotes a report from BleepingComputer: Google engineers are working on an improved version of the reCAPTCHA system that uses a computer algorithm to distinguish between automated bots and real humans, and requires no user interaction at all. Called "Invisible reCAPTCHA," and spotted by Windows IT Pro, the service is still under development, but the service is open … [Link]
Mashable » This week's 'Walking Dead' was ripped straight from the comics, and it was glorious
This post contains spoilers for The Walking Dead Season 7, episode 7, titled "Sing Me a Song." If you missed the episode or need a refresher, check out our recap. Okay, so I think a lot of us can admit it now – Negan is the damn worst. Sure, he's handsome. And yes, he's charismatic. But he sucks, and now … [Link]
Mashable » Microsoft has a new AI chatbot and it doesn't want to talk about Tay
Microsoft is experimenting with a new, tamer chatbot. Months after the company's first chatbot Tay went viral for all the wrong reasons, Microsoft quietly rolled out a new bot that looks to be far less controversial than its predecessor. SEE ALSO: Microsoft's CEO wants bots and AI in every home Named Zo, the latest chatbot appeared on chat app Kik and … [Link]
Mashable » This futuristic snowmobile will have you feeling the winter vibes
The 'Snoped' may be a prototype, but it is certainly making winter look a whole lot sexier. The design comes from a group in Michigan called 'Jruiter + Studio' and they appear to be doing everything but messing around with their innovations. Read more…More about Mashable Video, Snowmobile, Vehicles, Winter, and Winter Sports [Link]
Mashable » Snowy hill proves to be every car's worst nightmare
This might be the most slippery hill ever. Filming outside her office in Montreal, Québec, YouTube user Samantha Dean caught footage of multiple cars crashing into each other after losing control on a snowy hill. Even cars that try to stop at the top of the hill are met with an unfortunate sliding fate. Check out the multi-car pile-up above. … [Link]
Mashable » Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wins reader's poll for TIME's 'Person of the Year'
When it comes to popularity, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems way ahead of the U.S. President Barack Obama and even Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Modi topped the online reader’s poll for TIME's "Person of the Year," garnering 18 percent of the votes, the magazine revealed Monday. The magazine will announce its editorial choice for "Person of the Year" on Dec. … [Link]
Slashdot » Panasonic Announces 1,000,000:1 Contrast Ratio LCD Panel To Rival OLED
OLED panels have always been known to have higher contrast ratios than LCD panels, but that may be about to change with Panasonic's recently announced LCD IPS display. The display boasts a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, which is up to 600 times more contrast than some of the company's conventional LCD panels that tend to offer around 1800:1 ratios, and rivals … [Link]
Mashable » Dolly Parton's generosity continues with telethon for Tennessee fire victims
On top of Dolly Parton's pledge to donate $1,000 a month to families who lost their homes in a destructive wildfire near the Great Smoky Mountains last week, the country singer is now hosting a telethon. The event is set for Dec. 13 in Nashville, Dollywood spokesman Pete Owns confirmed to Mashable. SEE ALSO: Dolly Parton 'heartbroken' by raging wildfire that … [Link]
Mashable » 'P*ssy grabbing' threats are now a thing in Trump's America
In October, Donald J. Trump insisted his hot mic comments from 2005 were harmless "locker room talk." Now that Trump's the president-elect, however, some men have turned the implied violence of his "pussy grabbing" into a slur to publicly harass and intimidate women. SEE ALSO: Trump's America: What women, immigrants and people of color want you to know The disturbing trend … [Link]
Mashable » 12 things we learned about Mariah Carey from the premiere of 'Mariah's World'
The elusive chanteuse isn't so elusive anymore. Mariah Carey is kinda sorta pulling a Kardashian with a new docu-series "Mariah's World." The first of eight episodes premiered on E! Sunday night, and is basically an inside look at what it takes to be a full-time diva. In 40 minutes we learned more about Carey than we ever have. Here are the … [Link]
Mashable » When no one bought this mom's crafts, Twitter stepped up to help
Sometimes you just need a little help from the internet. Martyn Hett, a 28-year-old from Manchester, England, saved his mother's knitting business with a boost from the kind-hearted people of Twitter. SEE ALSO: Cute animals, musical numbers and tearjerkers abound in 2016's top viral ads On Nov. 26, Hett tweeted a devastating picture that his mother, Figen Murray, sent him from … [Link]
Mashable » Get thee to a TV and watch Russell Westbrook play NBA basketball
We tried to tell you a month ago. Hell, we tried to tell you 21 months ago. Now, however, the message applies more than ever: Get thee to a TV and watch Russell Westbrook play NBA basketball. SEE ALSO: Liberty University: A Christian institution sells its soul in search of sports success The NBA's supernova superstar started this season on a … [Link]
Popular Science » Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo glides back into the space race
Aviation The spacecraft nailed its first unpowered glide since a fatal accident in 2014 Virgin Galactic's glider glides to earth calmly in test. [Link]
Slashdot » Engineers Explain Why the Galaxy Note 7 Caught Fire
Engineers with manufacturing technology company Instrumental tore apart a Galaxy Note 7 to try and figure out what may have caused some devices to overheat and explode, causing Samsung to recall and eventually cancel all Galaxy Note 7 devices. In their damning new report, the engineers discovered the root of the problem appears to be that the battery is too … [Link]
Mashable » School district removes 'Huckleberry Finn' after complaint over racial slurs
To Kill a Mockingbird and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn have been temporarily removed from some Virginia schools for racial slurs — a decision some are condemning as censorship. Copies of the classic American novels have been lifted from the shelves of classrooms and libraries across a school district in Accomack County, Virginia, according to The Washington Post. While the books … [Link]
Mashable » Postmodern Jukebox puts a blues spin on 'Teenage Dirtbag'
Fans of the 2000 hit "Teenage Dirtbag" by Wheatus might enjoy Postmodern Jukebox's blues-y new cover. Instead of aiming for the original's high-pitched vocals, American Idol star Jax channeled Janis Joplin, and we're so glad she did. 
Singer lulls puppy to sleep with a capella Christmas tune 
A true hero compiled every HUA! on Chance the Rapper's mixtapes into one video … … [Link]
Mashable » These former Clinton staffers are looking to disrupt local politics with their new startup
As a handful of Hillary Clinton's Ohio campaign staffers watched the results come in on election night, they had the same thought as many other Americans: Time for a drink. The group made their way to the Local Cantina in Columbus for what was supposed to be a final goodbye between people who had spent 18 hours a day together for … [Link]
Mashable » The trolls who believe Bana, 7-year-old Syrian girl, isn’t real
The Twitter account of Bana Alabed, a 7-year-old Syrian girl, who in the past few months shared her experience of living in the besieged and war-torn city of Aleppo, has been targeted by trolls who claim she has fabricated her story. Tweeting in English with the help of her mother Fatemah, Bana offered a new, damning perspective on the daily life … [Link]
Slashdot » Millions In US Still Living Life In Internet Slow Lane
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Millions of Americans still have extremely slow Internet speeds, a new Federal Communications Commission report shows. While the FCC defines broadband as download speeds of 25Mbps, about 47.5 million home or business Internet connections provided speeds below that threshold. Out of 102.2 million residential and business Internet connections, 22.4 million offered … [Link]
Mashable » Bill Gates' favorite books of 2016 are the most Bill Gates books ever
You thought your favorite books were dorky*? Wait until you see Bill Gates' reading list. In a blog post on Monday, Microsoft founder and big time book nerd Bill Gates revealed his favorite books of 2016, and well, they are the most Bill Gates selections ever. Which is to say, they are intensely nerdy books that will help you better understand … [Link]
Mashable » Amazon just revolutionized the way you shop, again
Online retail giant Amazon is venturing into brick-and-mortar stores to fix the most annoying thing about shopping. Read more…More about Mashable Video, Retail, Online Retail, Apps, and Stores
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Mashable » Interview: Al Gore on commiserating with Hillary, fake news, and Trump's climate views
Imagine being a fly on this wall: Former vice president Al Gore commiserated with Hillary Clinton about her unexpected presidential election loss, he told Mashable in a recent interview. On the election, if there is anyone who can empathize with Clinton's predicament, it's Gore—the only other living person who earned more popular votes while also losing the Electoral College, and therefore, … [Link]
Slashdot » Dailymotion Hack Exposes Millions of Accounts
Millions of accounts associated with video sharing site Dailymotion, one of the biggest video platforms in the world, have been stolen. From a ZDNet report: A hacker extracted 85.2 million unique email addresses and usernames from the company's systems, but about one-in-five accounts — roughly 18.3 million– had associated passwords, which were scrambled with the bcrypt hashing function, making the … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Google Introduces App Maker, App Development Tool for Enterprises
Google has introduced App Maker, a enterprise application development tool. Google App Maker allows enterprises to build process automation, project management, and other applications without the need for extensive code writing. This new cloud-based enterprise application building tool includes built-in connections to G Suite and Google apps such as Maps, Contacts, and Groups.
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New Scientist – News » Virgin Galactic takes first solo glide flight since 2014 crash
The commercial space flight company sent its space plane, VSS Unity, for its first untethered test flight in two years, a step towards space tourism [Link]
Mashable » Singer lulls puppy to sleep with a capella Christmas tune
No matter how cute your puppy is, sometimes making him sleep is the only way to get yourself a little peace and quiet. YouTuber Rachel Smith found the perfect way to get her adorable dog to do just that – by singing a soulful, a capella rendition of "Christmas Time is Here." Rachel, can we please get a full version of … [Link]
Mashable » Get into Dan Stevens' head in FX's 'Legion' trailer
If you hadn't figured it out from The Guest, Dan Stevens is about as far from Downton Abbey as can be. Stevens stars in FX's upcoming sci-fi drama Legion, and it's densely packed with action, effects and mind-bending visuals — the opposite, in every way, from his most famous TV role. SEE ALSO: FX's 'Legion' will connect to the X-Men movies … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Ancient leftovers show the real Paleo diet was a veggie feast
Early humans seem to have eaten a wide variety of vegetables and nuts, alongside delicacies such as elephant brain and fish [Link]
New Scientist – News » Are caesareans really making us evolve to have bigger babies?
C-sections mean that babies whose heads are too big or whose mothers’ pelvises are too narrow, are able to survive – a fact that might be changing our species [Link]
Mashable » Here's a missing 'Westworld' scene we wrote to fill in the show's biggest plot hole
This piece contains spoilers for Westworld, up to and including episode 10. Westworld's first season came to a close, tying together several loops, loose ends and unanswered questions. Viewers finally learned that William and the Man in Black are in fact the same person, which has been theorized since episode 2. However, having seen William's transformation from hero to psychopath, we … [Link]
Mashable » The first photo from a new Earth-gazing satellite is insanely detailed
A brand new satellite orbiting hundreds of miles above Earth's surface has just opened its eyes. DigitalGlobe released the first public photo taken by the company's Earth-gazing WorldView-4 satellite, and it's a beauty. The new image, taken on Nov. 26 and unveiled last week, shows Tokyo, Japan's Yoyogi National Gymnasium, one of the sites of the 1964 Olympics. SEE ALSO: The … [Link]
Slashdot » Interns At Tech Companies Are Better Paid Than Most American Workers
According to a survey conducted by Jesse Collins, a senior at Purdue University and former Yelp intern, interns at tech companies make much more money on an annualized basis than workers in the vast majority of other occupations. From a report on Quartz: About 300 of the nearly 600 people who responded to the survey said they had received internship … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » How Connect IQ Brings OAuth to Wearables
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Mashable » The Panthers benched style icon Cam Newton because of this outfit
If there was ever a way to get scolded for fashion choices, Cam Newton would surely figure out how. The Carolina Panthers quarterback — whose fancy post-game attire defines him as much as his MVP-calibre skills on the field — was benched for the first play of Carolina's loss to Seattle on Sunday after violating the Panthers' dress code. SEE ALSO: The … [Link]
Mashable » Burgers and burritos come together because goodness exists in the world
From sushi donuts to Swedish Fish Oreos to the mufgel, 2016 has been the year of food mashups. And now joining the ranks is the Burgrito, a burger and burrito mashup, with its own restaurant headed to Brooklyn. SEE ALSO: This ramen joint is an introverted foodie's paradise The Burgrito is a stomach-busting concoction stuffed with tomato, bacon, lettuce, American cheese, … [Link]
Mashable » Meet the woman who found a way to keep the homeless warm and employed
Veronika Scott founded 'The Empowerment Plan' after a college class asked her to create something that would help her community. She designed a coat that transforms into a sleeping bag, specifically to keep the homeless warm at night. Read more…More about Mashable Video, Philanthropy, Detroit, The Empowerment Plan, and Real Time Video
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Slashdot » Many CEOs Believe Technology Will Make People Largely Irrelevant
An anonymous reader shares a report on BetaNews:Although artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and other emerging technologies may reshape the world as we know it, a new global study has revealed that the many CEOs now value technology over people when it comes to the future of their businesses. The study was conducted by the Los Angeles-based management consultant firm Korn … [Link]
Mashable » 'The Last Guardian' is a half-broken puppy-rearing simulator
The Last Guardian is clearly a metaphor for the painfully adorable hellscape that your life becomes when you raise a puppy. I have a puppy. He's able to be alone now for long stretches of time without killing himself, but there was a six-month period in his life when it was all I could do to keep him alive, clean, and … [Link]
Mashable » So, that happened: Al Gore meets with Donald and Ivanka Trump on climate
Former vice president Al Gore met with President-elect Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka on Monday, to discuss climate change. The president-elect is a well-known climate change doubter—and now, the only climate change-denying global leader—who's taken a stance on climate issues in direct opposition to that of Gore and the world's scientists, who believe global warming is primarily human-caused, and warrants … [Link]
Mashable » Couple emphasizes consent in clever 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' remix
Frank Loesser's 1944 Christmas song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" tends to creep listeners out with its sexually charged call-and-response lyrics, and a distinct lack of consent from the song's female perspective. With this in mind, a Minnesota couple reworked the lyrics of the winter classic to emphasize sexual consent in a fresh, funny way. SEE ALSO: Meet the female Instagram artists … [Link]
Mashable » Study: Hackers can get your credit card info in 6 seconds just by guessing it
In troubling news, a paper from researchers at Newcastle University in the UK claims that Visa's credit-card payment system can be compromised online in "as little as six seconds." The security flaw was possibly the point of entry for the cyber-attack on the UK's Tesco Bank that lost £2.5 million. This isn't some high-level hacking going on here either — all it … [Link]
Mashable » Mom impresses her son with impromptu car rap
Most kids are mortified when parents crank up the car stereo volume and sing their hearts out. Not the case with this mom, though. This really cute mom recorded herself rapping to Da Brat's "Funkdafied" and sent it to her son with a message: "21 Savage who??" He tweeted the clip where it received a slew of comments praising her beat-dropping … [Link]
Mashable » Uber can now track you after a ride and some people are creeped out
LONDON — Uber has introduced a new feature that allows the app to gather users' location data for up to 5 minutes after a ride has ended. SEE ALSO: UberEats has surge pricing now Prior to this latest update, Uber only collected location information during a passenger's trip and only while the app was running in the foreground. No data … [Link]
Mashable » Best esports plays of the week: Nov. 28 to Dec. 4
At the top level of competitive gaming, the best of the best give it their all to win big. On their way to victory, professional esports players will inevitably make some jaw-dropping plays… or epic fails. Each week, Mashable rounds up the most mind-blowing highlights in esports for your enjoyment. Over the past week, multiple major tournaments wrapped up for Counter-Strike: … [Link]
Slashdot » Most DVR Owners Are Recording Live Sports, Survey Says
A new survey by Thuurz Sports, a company that works with TV providers to increase the size of sports viewing audiences, finds that 84.1 percent of DVR owners record live sports, many of them as a "backup" for when they might miss the end (or the beginning) or the game, and a majority (58 percent) to skip the ads. From … [Link]
Popular Science » Climate change could quadruple severe rainstorms in just decades
Environment Harder wetter faster stronger Climate scientists predict that the frequency and intensity of summer rainstorms will increase over the next 80 years. [Link]
Mashable » US author tweets that London is 'all Islamic', gets immediately shut down
LONDON — As we learned from Donald Trump's replies that time he tweeted about Brexit, British people have a limited tolerance for Americans spreading misinformation about life in the UK. SEE ALSO: British PM: Fox News expert 'a complete idiot' for calling Birmingham 'totally Muslim' This time around, American author Janie Johnson was in Twitter's firing line. Johnson's website describes her … [Link]
Mashable » Sextacles: How Snapchat's new Spectacles are being used in the sack
When Snap CEO Evan Spiegel described Spectacles—his company's first piece of hardware, a pair of video-shooting sunglasses—in a September Wall Street Journal story, he called them a "toy." There's more than one type of a toy in this world, however, and there's one Spectacles use case we're not yet seeing, at least not publicly: Spectacles as a sex toy. Of course, … [Link]
Mashable » This adorable new photo of Saint West will help you through the Kim Kardashian drought
A year ago today, the world was truly blessed by the birth of Saint West. In honor of Saint's birthday, Kim Kardashian West's bestie, Jonathan Cheban, shared new personal photos of the one-year-old and his mom on Kim's app. They are devastatingly adorable, as Saint is a true Kardashian who is incapable of taking a bad photo. SEE ALSO: When … [Link]
Mashable » 'Pizzagate' — The deranged conspiracy theory that jumped from hashtag to IRL violence
On Sunday afternoon, an armed man walked into pizzeria Comet Ping Pong in Washington, D.C., firing his weapon at least once and causing a whole lot of havoc. SEE ALSO: Reddit's Trump trolls are freaking out—and they're right The reason for his actions? He was there to "self-investigate" an online conspiracy theory now handily known to those online as "Pizzagate," one … [Link]
Popular Science » Can virtual reality help us empathize with whales? See for yourself.
Animals Adrian Grenier teams up with the Lonely Whale Foundation to create a 4D experience Popular Science and XPRIZE are teaming up to explore and explain technologies that make us say "The Future Is Now" in a video series called Future First. [Link]
New Scientist – News » Spikes in search engine data predict when drugs will be recalled
An algorithm can predict drug recalls on the basis of internet searches made using Microsoft’s Bing, and might help identify faulty batches [Link]
Slashdot » Apple Says It Is Working On Self-Driving Cars
For the first time, Apple has said that it is indeed working on technology to develop self-driving cars. The company confirmed late last week its previously secret initiative in a statement to the U.S. highway regulator. From a report on The Guardian: "The company is investing heavily in the study of machine learning and automation, and is excited about the … [Link]
Mashable » Mariah Carey-starring Christmas special headed to YouTube Red
All we wanted for Christmas was a Mariah Carey Christmas special. And, thanks to YouTube, it's happening. The Google-owned video platform announced Monday that Carey will star alongside YouTuber Rudy Mancuso in a new holiday special titled The Keys of Christmas. It will debut on YouTube Red on Dec. 19. SEE ALSO: Liza Koshy's ready for her holiday party with YouTube … [Link]
Mashable » Jimmy Kimmel will host 2017 Oscars
Is Jimmy Kimmel the new Neil Patrick Harris? After a second stint hosting the Emmys in September, Kimmel will barely have time to dust off his host hat before he hosts the 2017 Academy Awards (which, like Jimmy Kimmel Live!, air on ABC). SEE ALSO: The 10 most controversial movies ever made Yes, I am hosting the Oscars. This is not … [Link]
Mashable » How yelldesign is changing the short-form content game with paper and scissors
Four years ago, Melbourne resident Matt Willis crashed his bike. He didn’t know that the next two months in hospital would transform his life. During his time off work, the design consultant discovered the Vine app and began producing stop motion videos, bringing to life ordinary household items in seamless six-second clips. Eight months into his Vine career, Willis was … [Link]
New Scientist – News » North Dakota oil pipeline may still be built despite army block
Indigenous people and environmentalists have won the latest battle in a long stand-off with companies over an oil pipeline going under a lake and through sacred sites [Link]
Popular Science » Will a cryogenically-frozen corpse ever come back to life?
Health Is there any reason to freeze your body after death? Will we ever be able to bring cryogenically frozen corpses back to life? A cryobiologist explains… [Link]
Mashable » A true hero compiled every HUA! on Chance the Rapper's mixtapes into one video … HUA HA HA
When he's not rapping or singing on the track, Chance the Rapper is usually making some sort of noise. Most of the time, you're guaranteed to hear him exclaim "IGH!" a few times on one of his three mixtapes, but there's a lot more than that if you listen closely. Hero Zach Ace compiled every "ugh," "pwuah," "ruh," and "nyah" … [Link]
Slashdot » Google's DeepMind is Opening Up Its Flagship Platform To AI Researchers Outside the Company
Artificial intelligence (AI) researchers around the world will soon be able to use DeepMind's "flagship" platform to develop innovative computer systems that can learn and think for themselves. From a report on BusinessInsider: DeepMind, which was acquired by Google for $400 million in 2014, announced on Monday that it is open-sourcing its "Lab" from this week onwards so that others … [Link]
Mashable » Justin Bieber will go on his first stadium tour in 2017
Justin Bieber, who is not a big fan of people screaming while he performs, is currently plotting his first ever stadium tour. Bieber will hit the road again in North America following his rocky Purpose tour at the end of the summer in 2017, which should give him some time to hang out poolside and not Instagram before he returns to … [Link]
Popular Science » Why is it snowing in Hawaii?
Environment The island chain isn't immune to winter storms Headlines might make it sound like huge snow dumps on Hawaii are a rare and unusual occurrence, but they're just playing into your assumptions about how the cold stuff… [Link]
Mashable » 'Game of Thrones' star Alfie Allen promises more dragons and torture in Season 7
LONDON — In the desperate scavenge for crumbs of information about Game of Thrones Season 7, any line — no matter how brief or throwaway — will do. During a recent appearance at Malta India Fan Con 2016, actor Alfie Allen (a.k.a. everyone's favourite slowly-redeeming-himself Ironborn, Theon Greyjoy) took questions from Thrones fans. SEE ALSO: Here's your first sweet glimpse of … [Link]
Mashable » Oculus Touch finally makes the Rift a complete VR experience
Imagine trying to climb a mountain without using your hands. That's what it's been like using an Oculus Rift since the category-defining virtual reality headset landed in March. The Touch controllers, available Dec. 6, change all of that. SEE ALSO: Here’s how a VR kitchen could transform holiday shopping Oculus Touch at last gives Rift users a way to interact with … [Link]
Popular Science » The Amazon Go store will replace checkout lines with advanced sensors
Technology A completely frictionless (and perhaps somewhat dystopian) shopping experience. The Amazon Go brick-and-mortar store uses technology to make an effortless shopping experience and probably employ fewer people. [Link]
Slashdot » Netflix Keeping Bandwidth Usage Low By Encoding Its Video With VP9 and H.264/AVC Codecs
Netflix announced last week that it is getting offline video downloads support. The company has since shared that it is using VP9 video compression codec to ensure that the file sizes don't weigh a lot. An anonymous reader shares an article on Slashgear (edited): For streaming content, Netflix largely relies on H.264/AVC to reduce the bandwidth, but for downloading content, … [Link]
Popular Science » ExoMars rover will attempt Mars landing in 2021, despite recent lander crash
Space If at first you don't succeeed… During a meeting last week, ESA's member states agreed to cough up $464 million to try to land the ExoMars rover on the red planet in 2021. [Link]
Mashable » This mesmerizing sculpture is actually a reimagined chandelier
This hypnotizing chandelier design by 'Harvey & John' was inspired by the murmuration of starlings. Read more…More about Mashable Video, Birds, Starling, Sculpture, and Home Decor
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Mashable » IBM predicted Amazon Go back in 2006
Amazon's splashy video for Amazon Go — an all-seeing, all-knowing store where customers can grab items, toss 'em in a bag or pocket and just walk out without ever waiting in line — has obvious appeal. So obvious, in fact, that another tech company proposed the exact same concept more than 10 years ago. SEE ALSO: Amazon's new app will … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Weeping rock mystery down to microbe builders and barnacle chefs
It's a first: barnacles provide food for the bacteria, which in turn dig out shelters for the barnacles, creating curious tear shapes on Australian rocks [Link]
Popular Science » Could underwater farming feed the world?
Environment Ocean-bound entrepreneur envisions ecological restoration and economic revival. American entrepreneur Bren Smith says he can feed the world with an area roughly the size of Washington State. And he wouldn’t need one inch of farmland to do it. [Link]
Mashable » 'Harry Potter' eyeshadow is here, just in time for the Yule Ball
Makeup company Storybook Cosmetics recently released their awesome line of makeup brushes inspired by Harry Potter characters' wands – and now, there's the perfect makeup to go with it. The company, run by identical triplets Erin, Mandy and Missy Maynard, just announced their line of eyeshadow inspired by characters from Harry Potter and other magical stories, called the Witchcraft & Wizardry Palette. … [Link]
Mashable » Samsung cut it too close with safety margins on the Note7's design, report says
More than two months after the launch of ill-fated Note7, we still don't know what caused the batteries in some of the devices to overheat and, in some cases, explode. A new report by Instrumental, a company that helps tech companies fix manufacturing issues, suggests that the reason behind the Note7 issues was Samsung pushing the boundaries of the design a … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Why baby flatfish grow into the wonkiest animals in the world
These fish have a travelling eye and swim on their sides in what is the most extreme example of vertebrate asymmetry – now we know how they develop this useful trait [Link]
Mashable » Only Beyoncé and Drake could beat the Weeknd's 'Starboy' debut
Time to pop the champagne, party monsterThe Weeknd's Starboy is No. 1 on the charts with the third-highest debut all year. According to Billboard, the only artists to outdo his premiere this year were two of his collaborators — Beyoncé with Lemonade and Drake with Views. SEE ALSO: The Weeknd and Bella Hadid's Victoria's Secret encounter was everything Starboy, which was … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Sherlock Holmes shows memories have a common fingerprint
People remember and recount scenes from a TV show using the same patterns of brain activity, suggesting an evolutionary mechanism for acquiring knowledge [Link]
Slashdot » New Google Trusted Contacts Service Shares User Location In Real Time
Reader Trailrunner7 writes: Google has spent a lot of time and money on security over the last few years, developing new technologies and systems to protect users' devices. One of the newer technologies the company has come up with is designed to provide security for users themselves rather than their laptops or phones. On Monday Google launched a new app … [Link]
Mashable » Genius inventor plays his heart out on a 'shotgun guitar'
Shotguns are meant for shooting and guitars are meant for playing, but you've never been able to do both at the same time — until now. Rev. Peyton of Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band did the unthinkable and conceived the idea to combine the two to create a "Guitgun." It's exactly what you would think it would be, and that's … [Link]
Mashable » War veteran 'bored to death' by retirement starts first day at new job
LONDON — Pensioner Joe Bartley stole the internet's heart when his advert seeking employment went viral last week. The 89-year-old, suffering from loneliness after the death of his wife Cassie two years ago, wanted to find a part-time job to save him "from dying of boredom." Offers of work poured in for the former serviceman, who has now officially started a … [Link]
Mashable » The disastrous phone calls we all want to avoid
Answering the phone when an unknown caller is on the line – or worse, a number you don’t recognize – is like talking on speakerphone in a public place. It’s just not something you do. More than 1 out of every 7 calls in the U.S. is a fraud or scam, according to DU Caller, a new smartphone privacy app. … [Link]
Mashable » 'Luke Cage' second season on its way from Netflix
Christmas just got a little sweeter. Netflix revealed Sunday via Twitter that Marvel's Luke Cage is definitely coming back for a second season…we just don't know when. SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about Netflix downloads The 13-episode first season of Luke Cage follows the bulletproof hero of the Harlem streets as he learns more about his past and his … [Link]
Slashdot » Amazon Unveils 'Self-driving' Brick-and-Mortar Convenience Store
Amazon announced Monday it has built a convenience store in downtown Seattle that deploys a gaggle of technologies similar to those used in self-driving cars to allow shoppers to come in, grab items and walk out without going through a register (Editor's note: the link could be paywalled; alternate source). From a report on Seattle Times: The 1,800 square-foot store, … [Link]
Mashable » Amazon just teased the future of in-store shopping
Amazon wants to help you shop with just your smartphone. Right. They've already done that. But in addition to revolutionizing online shopping, the tech giant is making moves in brick and mortar. SEE ALSO: Amazon just unveiled its most impressive tech yet, and it's an actual truck On Monday, the tech giant unveiled Amazon Go, its new initiative for in-store shopping. … [Link]
Mashable » Everything you wanted to know about 'Rogue One' but were afraid to ask
To understand 'Rogue One' takes exactly one minute. I'm not being metaphorical; all you really need to do to get what this film is about is watch (or, more likely, rewatch) the first minute of the most popular space movie in history. Ready? Let's do it, 1977 style. To save time, skip the Princess Leia paragraph. Focus on the first two: … [Link]
Mashable » Here are the books longlisted for the 2017 PEN Literary Awards
Looking for a book suggestion? PEN America's got you covered. Starting this week PEN America is kicking off its literary award season by announcing the longlist for the 2017 PEN Literary Awards. SEE ALSO: Listen here: 10 great podcasts for book lovers Each year PEN uses its Literary Awards program to honor the best and brightest in fiction, science writing, essays, … [Link]
Mashable » 'I saw my fear': How psychedelic therapy is making a comeback
After learning in 2010 that she had Stage 1 ovarian cancer, Dinah Bazer felt optimistic. Her doctors had just removed the grapefruit-sized tumor bulging from her belly and started her on a course of chemotherapy. "I thought, when the chemo is over, we'll celebrate," Bazer, who is now 69, recalled. "But it was the exact opposite." Bazer's cancer was in … [Link]
Slashdot » Opera Developer Comes With Address Bar Speculative Prerenderer Feature
Earlier this month, Opera announced a new interesting feature with Opera 43 developer that predicts the website you're about to go to. The company explains: There are two ways we can predict what page the user will soon load. When the current page tells us so, and when we can determine from the users actions that they are about to … [Link]
Mashable » 'Lemonade,' Lin-Manuel and other things Tumblr loved in 2016
It was a year of change on every level, including in online trends. Tumblr released its top trends of 2016, which show major love for The 100, Lemonade and the very real imagined love of Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers in Captain America. SEE ALSO: YouTubers in shock over President-Elect Trump: 'It is painful and scary' So strong is the love … [Link]
Slashdot » Embedding Isn't Copyright Infringement, Says Italian Court
The appeal court of Rome has overturned one of the 152 website blocks another court imposed last month, and ruled that embedding does not constitute a copyright infringement. From an ArsTechnica report: The order against the Italian site Kisstube is annulled, but the other websites remain blocked. Kisstube is a YouTube channel, which also exists as a standalone website that … [Link]
Mashable » Turning human remains into coffee cups
Here’s an alternative to burying or cremating the dead. How about making a coffee cup out of your loved ones remains? Justin Crowe of Chronicle Cremation Designs is mixing ashes into his bespoke dinnerware, making items that will live on beyond death. Read more…More about Mashable Video, Coffee, Design, Cremation, and Ceramics [Link]
Mashable » Here's your first sweet glimpse of 'Game of Thrones' Season 7
Warning: Contains spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 6. LONDON — Game of Thrones Season 7 may still be half a year away, but it's officially time to start getting excited. Why? Because we can now feast our eyes on the first actual footage from the new season. All two seconds worth of it. SEE ALSO: Maisie Williams says 'nothing will … [Link]
Mashable » Yes, you should care about Italy's referendum
Another country, another referendum, another resignation. After the Brexit vote in the UK, it was Italy's turn to go to the polls in a highly divisive referendum about Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's proposed constitutional reforms. SEE ALSO: The Brexit plan is there is no Brexit plan, says leaked memo As predicted by the polls, Italians overwhelmingly rejected those changes leading to … [Link]
Mashable » Google's new app will help loved ones find you in an emergency
When something goes wrong, one of the first things you think about is getting in touch with the people you care about. But if there's been a natural disaster, an accident or some other emergency, that may be a lot easier said than done. Google's latest app, called Trusted Contacts, aims to fix that. The app allows friends and family members … [Link]
Mashable » Touching things in VR with your real hands is a total game changer
The first thing you instinctively want to do after strapping on a VR headset and diving into a virtual world is to reach out and touch what you see. Unfortunately, this is not a reality on today's most popular VR headsets. Well, official support isn't. Instead, VR headsets either rely on traditional gamepads like the Xbox One controller (Oculus Rift), custom … [Link]
Mashable » A pack of lions attacked a buffalo, and the internet is taking sides
LONDON — Sometimes in Planet Earth II's more intense scenes of animal interaction you know exactly who to root for — let's be real, nobody was cheering for the snakes in that intense chase scene with the baby iguana during the "Islands" episode. However, the show's most profound moments often come when the audience can't quite choose who they want … [Link]
Slashdot » EU Threatens Twitter And Facebook With Possible 'Hate Speech' Laws
An anonymous reader quotes Gizmodo: On Sunday, the European Commission warned Facebook, Twitter, Google, YouTube and Microsoft that if the companies do not address their hate speech problems, the EU will enact legislation that will force them to do so. In May, those five companies voluntarily signed a code of conduct to fight illegal hate speech on their platforms within … [Link]
Mashable » Fox instantly regrets attempting to pounce on vole hiding in snow
LONDON — Hunting for small creatures must be a tall order at the best of times. But it becomes vastly more complex when they're concealed beneath a huge blanket of snow. Foxes that stalk the prairies in North America during wintertime know this only too well. During a segment of Planet Earth II the trials of one particular fox — who … [Link]
Mashable » An armed vigilante decided to investigate 'Pizzagate,' is quickly arrested
Police in Washington, D.C. have arrested a man armed with an assault rifle who claimed he was investigating "#Pizzagate," the fictitious conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton running a child sex ring inside a restaurant. SEE ALSO: War between Reddit CEO and The_Donald rages on Metropolitan Police received a phone call about a man with a weapon who had entered Comet Ping … [Link]
Mashable » Pair arrested for trying to spend the night in Ikea
Two friends who tried to hide in an Ikea outlet overnight to livestream the experience were busted by security guards. Over the weekend, a Beijing man named Xiao Zhao and his unidentified female friend decided to duck into a large closet in Ikea just after closing time, the Beijing Evening News reported. SEE ALSO: Guy masterfully trolls IKEA by posting fake … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » #Ebook Deal/Day: Database Reliability Engineering – $21.49 (Save 50%) Use code DEAL
Get "Database Reliability Engineering" today using code DEAL and save 50%!This sale ends at 2:00 AM 2016-12-06 (PDT, GMT-8:00). [Link]
Mashable » Jennifer Lawrence reveals how her butt almost killed a man
It's not every day you hear a Hollywood actress talking about butt scratching. But not every actress is Jennifer Lawrence. During a recent appearance on The Graham Norton Show alongside her Passengers co-star Chris Pratt, J-Law told an unusual tale about scratching her bottom on ancestral Hawaiian rocks while filming The Hunger Games — that almost led to the death … [Link]
Mashable » Chris Pratt reveals hilarious story about his broke days as a waiter
If you've ever worked in restaurants, you know that waiting tables can be tough work. SEE ALSO: Watch Chris Pratt attempt a card trick that only 'works 50% of the time' However, a fringe benefit of the job is the possibility of free food — a scrap from a kind chef, or, if you're really hungry/desperate/dismissive of standard hygiene procedures, … [Link]
Mashable » Google Allo gets Hindi language support
Google just opened its AI-driven app Allo to hundreds of millions of new users. Google said Monday Allo is getting support for Hindi, one of India’s widest spoken languages. The assistant, which a user can trigger using the keyword "@google", now understands as well as responds in Hindi language. SEE ALSO: Google launches Allo, its AI-centric messaging app The company … [Link]
Mashable » Microsoft's Home Hub aims to turn the PC into an Amazon Echo
It has been rumored for some time that Microsoft wants to join the smart home speaker space with a device called Home Hub. A new report has a lot more details, and while it still sounds like a competitor to Amazon's smart speaker Echo and Google Home, it's different in one key detail: it's software, not hardware. SEE ALSO: The LingLong … [Link]
Slashdot » BMW Traps A Car Thief By Remotely Locking His Doors
An anonymous reader quotes CNET: Seattle police caught an alleged car thief by enlisting the help of car maker BMW to both track and then remotely lock the luckless criminal in the very car he was trying to steal… Turns out if you're inside a stolen car, it's perhaps not the best time to take a nap. "A car thief … [Link]
Mashable » Amazon brings Launchpad to India
For its latest trick in India, Amazon aims to help startups in the country sell, market, and deliver their products and gain more visibility. Amazon announced Monday it is bringing its global startup program Launchpad to India. The India Launchpad portal is live with products from over 400 startups, of whom 25 are India-based. The company has also partnered with Nasscom, … [Link]
Mashable » Kid gets apology letter from thief after drunken reindeer display theft
This Grinch may have stole Christmas, but at least they were somewhat apologetic about it. 9-year-old Chiara Velardi from Sydney, Australia, woke up to find her much loved light-up reindeer stolen from her front lawn, reported 7 News. It turned out a carload of thieves had stopped by the house and nicked the display, which was all caught on CCTV camera. … [Link]
Mashable » 'Westworld' finale leaves us with 'chaos' for Season 2
This post contains spoilers for Westworld Season 1, Episode 10, titled "The Bicameral Mind." Read the recap for episode 9 here. Westworld’s finale was a near-perfect end point to a fantastic season of sci-fi television, not to mention a tantalizing platform from which Season 2 will launch. The Man in Black was William all along; Dolores was "Wyatt," incited to … [Link]
Mashable » Airbnb scams tripled in 2016, earning a consumer watchdog warning
Where people go, scammers follow, so it's no surprise to find the sharing economy being targeted. Australia's consumer watchdog issued a notice Monday, warning holiday-goers that scams relating to accommodation booking sites such as Airbnb are on the rise. In fact, complaints about sharing economy cheats to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) Scamwatch have tripled since 2015. In 2016, … [Link]
The Joy of Tech » JoT #2358: Facebook's Pay to Play
If you want to get something posted around there, you have to grease Zuck's palm! [Link]
Mashable » Video of guy punching a kangaroo in the face has quite a story behind it
Seen that viral video of man punching a kangaroo in Australia over the weekend? Turns out there's quite the saga behind it. It's all very intense. The video was first shared on the Facebook page of user Steven Stubenraugh, where it's since received 3.8 million views at the time of writing. The video shows a man running toward a kangaroo, which … [Link]
Slashdot » Tech Billionaires Award Top Scientists $25 Million In 'Breakthrough' Prizes
Tonight at NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, Morgan Freeman emceed a glamorous, Oscars-style celebration that recognizes scientific achievements with money from tech billionaires. An anonymous reader writes: Donors for the Breakthrough Prize included Google's Sergey Brin, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, Alibaba founder Jack Ma and his wife Cathy Zhang, and billionaire venture capitalist Yuri … [Link]
Mashable » Spidering lightning and red skies are the ominous weather 2016 deserves
If you're superstitious about the awfulness of 2016 (see Bowie, Prince, Cohen and Trump), one Australian state's end-of-days weather over the weekend will only seem appropriate. Saturday evening brought a spectacular clash of red sunset skies and spidering lightning to southeast Queensland, but also some danger: A teenager was hit by lightning and a number of homes were damaged, ABC reported. … [Link]
Mashable » That time Jaden Smith hid a Nike ad in his music video
Aspiring actor-singer-fashion model Jaden Smith is back again, this time with a full-length music video. But all it takes is about a minute to realize that the camera seems to be in love with Jaden's brand spanking new, impossible for most to get Nike Mag self-lacing sneakers, the ones inspired by Back to the Future. And while few will ever … [Link]
Mashable » The Veronicas singer defends LGBTQ education after 13-year-old's tragic death
Adolescence can be a tough time. It can be an even tougher time when who you are becomes the subject of ridicule and bullying. At a rally on Saturday in Brisbane, one half of Australian music duo The Veronicas, Jess Origliasso posted a touching Instagram tribute to Tyrone Unsworth, a gay 13-year-old who tragically died by suicide after being bullied at … [Link]
Mashable » Negan shows his softer side on 'The Walking Dead' (and it's still awful)
This post contains spoilers for The Walking Dead Season 7, episode 7, titled "Sing Me a Song." To refresh your memory of where we left off, check out our recap of episode 6. While Rick's away, the mice will play — and by play, we mean embark on various ill-conceived suicide missions to try and get revenge on Negan. Carl … [Link]
Mashable » Tom Cruise brings his spy action chops to 'The Mummy' in new trailer
On Sunday, following up on the mini tease delivered last week, Universal Pictures released the full-length trailer for the latest Tom Cruise film event, The Mummy. If the earlier teaser left you with any doubts that this reboot of the ancient movie franchise was any good, Cruise does his best to dispel all fears. Although it's a departure from his … [Link]
Mashable » How to make sure your laptop isn't one of thousands left with the TSA this holiday season
With Thanksgiving just past us and Christmas still to come, we're right in the heart of the holiday travel season, so it's a good time to remind you to stop leaving your laptop at TSA airport checkpoints. SEE ALSO: James Corden isn't the TSA officer you want if you're carrying Fantastic Beasts in your suitcase This was underscored last week when … [Link]
Slashdot » Ask Slashdot: Have You Read 'The Art of Computer Programming'?
In 1962, 24-year-old Donald Knuth began writing The Art of Computer Programming, publishing three volumes by 1973, with volume 4 arriving in 2005. (Volume 4A appeared in 2011, with new paperback fascicles planned for every two years, and fascicle 6, "Satisfiability," arriving last December). "You should definitely send me a resume if you can read the whole thing," Bill Gates … [Link]
Mashable » Followers await news after Syrian girl's Twitter account deleted
Twitter followers are concerned following the disappearance of the account of Bana al-Abed, a seven-year-old who has shared her experiences of living in the war zone of Aleppo, Syria on the social media platform. No explanation was given to her followers prior to the Twitter account deletion. SEE ALSO: Syrian girl thanks J.K. Rowling for her 'Harry Potter' books It's been … [Link]
Mashable » Virtual reality aims to transport lonely patients out of the hospital bed
Virtual reality may be struggling to crossover into the gaming mainstream, but doctors are excited about the role it could play in medical treatment and therapy. In 2016, VR let clinicians step into a cancer cell, and now an immersive experience named Joy is being tested for its ability to alleviate loneliness among long-stay hospital patients. SEE ALSO: 'The Martian VR … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Breakthrough Prize hands out $25 million for ‘Oscars’ of science
The prize, founded and funded by Silicon Valley billionaires, aims to ape the film industry and make scientists into celebrities with a televised ceremony [Link]
Mashable » Politician picks fight with 'The Simpsons' meme page, gets roasted
Politicians often find themselves derided by the public, but in Australia, memes from The Simpsons are used to criticise them. That's what Facebook page The Simpsons against the Liberals has been doing for sometime now, mocking the conservative Liberal party — as well as other parties including Labor, The Greens and One Nation — with references from the hit TV show. … [Link]
Mashable » 'Biggest new coal mine' in the world gets an 'Honest Advert' skewering
While the rest of the world slowly warms up to renewable energy and alternate power sources, it is so refreshing that one country continues to break away from its progressive counterparts. Six years since its proposal to the Queensland state government in Australia, Adani's Carmichael Coal Mine and Rail Project has made a significant step toward complete approval. It's set … [Link]
Slashdot » Does Windows 10's Data Collection Trade Privacy For Microsoft's Security?
jader3rd shares an article from PC World arguing that Windows 10's data collection "trades your privacy for Microsoft's security." [Anonymized] usage data lets Microsoft beef up threat protection, says Rob Lefferts, Microsoft's director of program management for Windows Enterprise and Security. The information collected is used to improve various components in Windows Defender… For example, Windows Defender Application Guard for … [Link]
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