John Gordon Ross

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 » Extremely heartbroken voicemail to a closed gelato store is too perfect

Wednesday 4 January 23:48:05 UTC 2017

Pledged to give something up for 2017? Maybe your New Year's resolution was to give up alcohol, or perhaps, like this emotional woman, it was ice cream.  An unnamed customer left a "very, very upset" voicemail for Australia's artisanal gelato lords, Gelato Messina, on NYE — angry that their Fitzroy store ruined her New Year's Eve by closing early. And … [Link]

Slashdot » 'Forza Horizon 3' Update Accidentally Published Unencrypted Build of the Game

Wednesday 4 January 23:41:26 UTC 2017

An employee at Forza Horizon 3 developer Playground Games accidentally green-lighted the wrong update file for PC players, who found themselves downloading a whopping 53GB download that turned out to be an unencrypted future build (.37.2) of the entire game intended for developers. Motherboard reports: Naturally, players who'd managed to download it yesterday had a field day leaking the information … [Link]

Mashable » This is the sports debate show parody we needed

Wednesday 4 January 23:35:01 UTC 2017

You’ve surely seen them — sports talk shows rooted in hot takes and hyperbole, banking on controversy and sensationalism to bring in viewers and dollars.  Shows like ESPN's First Take and FOX Sports' Skip and Shannon: Undisputed front a sports broadcast media landscape dominated by this brand of bloviation, where analysts are often criticized for their insensitive and arrogant comments.  And finally … [Link]

Mashable » These top movie end credits are pure artistry

Wednesday 4 January 23:30:00 UTC 2017

Leaving our favorite films is never an easy task. We become so invested in their worlds that we just want to stay a tad bit longer.  The best storytellers find brilliant ways to not only help us cope with goodbyes, but also reflect the deeper intricacies of the stories we've just witnessed. Visit CineFix for more episodes and movie-related content. … [Link]

Mashable » Now you can experiment with makeup in augmented reality

Wednesday 4 January 23:24:04 UTC 2017

The 'YouCam Makeup' virtual studio allows users to try on cosmetics with this augmented reality interface. Read more…More about Mashable Video, Technology Tech, Real Time, Real Time Video, and Ces [Link]

Mashable » Ridiculous underwater drone will help you fish and film it in 4k

Wednesday 4 January 23:20:09 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — Is it actually fishing if you can see underwater? Drones are out in droves at CES this year, and as we start to accept them in our everyday lives we're seeing new and interesting ways for people to use them, even while fishing.  Although plenty of people have taken their aerial drones to the sky to help spot … [Link]

Slashdot » Over 1,800 MongoDB Databases Held For Ransom By Mysterious Attacker

Wednesday 4 January 23:20:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader writes: "An attacker going by the name of Harak1r1 is hijacking unprotected MongoDB databases, stealing and replacing their content, and asking for a 0.2 Bitcoin ($200) ransom to return the data," reports Bleeping Computer. According to John Matherly, Shodan founder, over 1,800 MongoDB databases have had their content replaced with a table called WARNING that contains the … [Link]

Mashable » You have to see LG's transparent TV from the future

Wednesday 4 January 23:17:01 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — If there's a single piece of tech at CES 2017 that feels like the future, LG Display has it. And it's not a trendy new category, like an electric car, or an underwater drone, or a fancy VR headset. It's a TV. And it's transparent. SEE ALSO: LG's new 4K TV is thinner than an iPhone Yep, you … [Link]

Mashable » Google launches Tilt Brush 'artist in residency' VR art initiative

Wednesday 4 January 23:10:52 UTC 2017

The landscape of cutting-edge art, usually limited to traditional multimedia, audio and visual hacks, is undergoing a major shift with the advent of virtual reality art tools like Oculus Medium and Quill.  Now, one of the earliest players in the space, Google's VR paint-meets-sculpting app Tilt Brush, has launched what it calls an "artist in residency" program to push VR art … [Link]

Mashable » Some people just don't understand the Jackie Evancho 'movement'

Wednesday 4 January 23:05:08 UTC 2017

If there's one thing we know about the president-elect, it's that he loves taking credit for things that likely have little to do with him. Donald Trump's latest self-proclaimed victory is the fact that Jackie Evancho's album sales have "skyrocketed" over the past month. But hold up — who the heck is Jackie Evancho??! And what does she have to do … [Link]

Mashable » This 'wallpaper' TV is thinner than your phone

Wednesday 4 January 23:04:25 UTC 2017

LG’s 'wallpaper OLED' lives up to the hype. The screen is thinner than an iPhone.  Read more…More about Mashable Video, Techonology, Technology, Sound Bar, and Lg Tv [Link]

Mashable » Echo Fox signs 7 players to build largest fighting game roster in esports

Wednesday 4 January 23:00:22 UTC 2017

The fighting game community just got a whole lot foxier — and we're not talking about more Fox mains in Melee. Echo Fox, the North American esports team owned by former NBA champion Rick Fox, signed seven fighting game players Wednesday, bringing its total up to nine — the largest fighting game community (FGC) roster in the esports world.  We welcome … [Link]

Mashable » New York Times gets smacked down in China — with a little help from Apple

Wednesday 4 January 22:53:06 UTC 2017

Apple has cut the cord to any China-based New York Times iPhone readers. The Times reported on Wednesday that Apple removed both the English and Chinese-language versions of the newspaper's apps from the iTunes  store on Dec. 23. Other news publications are still available for download. Apple told the NYT that Chinese authorities had flagged the app as a "violation of … [Link]

Slashdot » Samsung Claims Its New QLED TVs Are Better Than OLED TVs

Wednesday 4 January 22:40:00 UTC 2017

Samsung recently unveiled its latest flagship televisions at CES 2017, the QLED series. The company is challenging the notion that OLED TVs represent the pinnacle of picture quality in the living room. According to Samsung, the QLED TV represents its best achievement in image quality and viewing experience yet. The Verge reports: Of course Samsung would say that at an … [Link]

Mashable » Bernie Sanders blesses meme lovers with a poster-sized Trump tweet

Wednesday 4 January 22:38:22 UTC 2017

It’s the circle of life, guys: Bernie Sanders printed a Donald Trump tweet on a poster board and brought it to the Senate floor, so the internet is making weird memes out of it. Sanders used the big, big printout to remind the Senate — which is currently debating repealing the Affordable Care Act — that, before joining the presidential race, … [Link]

Mashable » Prominent climate-denying politician gets schooled by science, again

Wednesday 4 January 22:38:01 UTC 2017

For more than a year, Rep. Lamar Smith, the chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, has been hounding federal climate scientists about a landmark scientific study, published in 2015, whose results he didn't like.  Now comes proof from an independent group of scientists that affirms those findings. The original study, which the new data confirms, was published in … [Link]

Mashable » Honorary 6th grader Bernie Sanders put a Trump tweet on a giant poster and brought it to Senate

Wednesday 4 January 22:04:53 UTC 2017

Healthcare for millions of Americans is in jeopardy, and Senator Bernie Sanders is fighting back with one beautiful, foam core poster. Senator Sanders came to the Senate floor on Wednesday dragging a "yuge" poster featuring one of Trump's tweets, blown up. As the Senate debated about whether (or rather when) to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Sanders decided to hold Trump … [Link]

Mashable » NASA to explore a metal asteroid that could be the core of a doomed planet

Wednesday 4 January 22:02:10 UTC 2017

Two new missions selected by NASA Wednesday will help scientists understand the beginnings of our solar system.  The missions — called Lucy and Psyche and expected to launch in 2021 and 2023, respectively — will send robotic spacecraft to asteroids thought to be leftovers from the dawn of planet formation billions of years ago. SEE ALSO: The end of the world: … [Link]

Slashdot » Google's AlphaGo AI Secretively Won More Than 50 Straight Games Against World's Top Go Players

Wednesday 4 January 22:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Quartz: When Google's artificial intelligence program AlphaGo made history by taking down Korea's Lee Sedol — one of the world's best Go players — in a landslide 4-1 victory in March, Chinese player Ke Jie was skeptical. He famously wrote on Weibo the next day, "Even if AlphaGo can defeat Lee Sedol, it … [Link]

Mashable » Record-setting 105-year-old French cyclist is your new inspirational sports hero

Wednesday 4 January 21:55:21 UTC 2017

Robert Marchand is a stone-cold savage at 105 years old. At an age when most are grateful just to walk to the bathroom, the French cyclist set a world record Wednesday by pedaling 14 miles in one hour.  But Marchand, it turns out, isn't just a cyclist. He is a true renaissance man. Wednesday's world record isn't simply an athletic accomplishment … [Link]

Mashable » One of the best 4K mirrorless cameras is now even better

Wednesday 4 January 21:45:00 UTC 2017

Today, 4K recording is a feature that's in almost every major camera and in most high-end smartphones. And while it feels like an eon ago, it was only back in 2014 when 4K video recording in a mirrorless camera was enough of a selling point to get people very, very excited for Panasonic's GH4. But even though 4K capture is commonplace … [Link]

Mashable » A toddler causes chaos in a CNN studio because that's what toddlers do

Wednesday 4 January 21:39:26 UTC 2017

Fame gets to your head in interesting ways, especially as a toddler. After a security cam footage caught a two year-old saving his twin brother from a dresser, hosts of CNN's New Day invited the family to retell their harrowing experience watching the horror—and subsequent heroic move—go viral.   While the Schoff family began the interview sitting in the hot … [Link]

Mashable » Andrew Garfield lives his best life, got high at Disneyland for his birthday

Wednesday 4 January 21:30:54 UTC 2017

Andrew Garfield may be a big deal in Hollywood, but he's a simple man with simple desires — like getting high with his friends at Disneyland on his 29th birthday. In a video interview with W magazine, Garfield describes celebrating with eight of his closest friends, and though he doesn't mention then-girlfriend Emma Stone by name, photos from the summer of … [Link]

Mashable » 6 issues with online payments that business owners need to deal with

Wednesday 4 January 21:30:51 UTC 2017

Despite the excitement and ongoing advancement in technology with mobile payments, wallets, international payment options and tighter security, there are still unique payment challenges with online payment platforms that will continue to impact businesses of all sizes around the world.  I've been in the payments world for years and seen most of the challenges that face both the business owner and … [Link]

Slashdot » Apple is Investing $1 Billion In SoftBank

Wednesday 4 January 21:28:41 UTC 2017

Apple said Wednesday it plans to invest $1 billion in SoftBank's new technology fund to help finance technologies it could use in the future. From a report: SoftBank has said it is investing at least $25 billion in the fund and has been in talks with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund for an investment that could go up to $45 … [Link]

Mashable » Need to take the edge off on Inauguration Day? Light a free joint in D.C.

Wednesday 4 January 21:25:52 UTC 2017

Stressed out about the upcoming inauguration of Donald Trump? Don't worry, some pro-marijuana advocates in Washington, D.C. have something for you to take the edge off — and its free.  The pro-cannabis organization DCMJ is holding a special event, The Inaugural #Trump420, on the West Side of DuPont Circle (RSVP on Facebook!). The fun begins at 8 a.m. with coffee and … [Link]

Mashable » The internet has very mixed reactions to Matt Lauer's choker revelation

Wednesday 4 January 21:25:44 UTC 2017

Fashion from the '90s has been making a comeback for quite some time, and the trend may have just reached its peak. Popular online retailer ASOS recently began selling some fierce chokers in their menswear section, and Today host Matt Lauer has decided to go public with his support. SEE ALSO: Madonna getting brutally honest about sexism is 100% inspiring “I … [Link]

Mashable » PewDiePie hates on rival channel which stars a 5-year-old

Wednesday 4 January 21:18:37 UTC 2017

PewDiePie is never one to shy away from calling people out in his videos. The subject of the Swedish gamer's latest rant? A 5-year-old who The Verge and USA Today recently deemed YouTube's biggest star.  In a video published Tuesday — titled "THE 5 YEAR OLD THAT WILL SURPASS PEWDIEPIE" — PewDiePie rails against the family channel titled "Ryan ToysReview." … [Link]

Mashable » Digital media is brutal, and Medium's Ev Williams just showed why

Wednesday 4 January 21:18:36 UTC 2017

There’s a growing number of people who believe that digital media's ad-supported model is broken. Add the co-founder/CEO of Medium, Ev Williams, to the top of that list, now. Williams, who's also the co-founder of Twitter, announced on Wednesday that Medium has laid off 50 people—about a third of its total staff—as the company looks to change how it makes money.  … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Brain shrinks less in older people who eat Mediterranean diet

Wednesday 4 January 21:15:06 UTC 2017

As we age, our brains shrink. A study of 401 people in their 70s suggests that a diet high in vegetables and olive oil is linked to slightly less shrinkage [Link]

New Scientist – News » Metal asteroid and Trojans selected for next NASA missions

Wednesday 4 January 21:15:04 UTC 2017

The US space agency will send probes to metallic asteroid Psyche and the mysterious Trojans that flank Jupiter in the 2020s [Link]

Slashdot » Amazon's Robot Workforce Grows By 50 Percent In Just One Year

Wednesday 4 January 21:10:00 UTC 2017

Amazon hires a lot of people. But the expansion of its army of orange-wheeled robots is more than keeping pace. An anonymous reader writes: E-commerce and cloud giant Amazon has revealed that it now has 45,000 robots across 20 fulfilment centres around the world. This is a 50 percent increase on the same time last year, when the company said … [Link]

Mashable » Tesla is one step closer to producing its Model 3

Wednesday 4 January 21:09:21 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — Tesla's enormous battery factory is now open for business. The company's Gigafactory, located in the Nevada desert outside of Reno, began producing its first batteries, Tesla announced.  The batteries produced there will help power Tesla's upcoming Model 3 and its energy storage products.  SEE ALSO: Faraday Future just unveiled a super fast Tesla competitor — here's what it … [Link]

Mashable » Toyota's new Concept-i car will learn your needs to make driving more fun

Wednesday 4 January 21:03:07 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — Driving is about to get a lot more personal. Toyota's new Concept-i UX car, which was unveiled on Wednesday at CES in Las Vegas, integrates everything from artificial intelligence to haptic feedback to create a new kind of relationship with the driver. This will be a car that not only protects you, but knows your needs and, perhaps, … [Link]

Mashable » Device will turn your fruit into cider that will get you drunk

Wednesday 4 January 21:00:53 UTC 2017

Wasting food is a terrible feeling. But thanks to Alchema, you can turn your leftover fruit into tasty, alcoholic beverages.  The countertop smart device allows you to choose from a variety of different recipes from its smartphone app to make mead, cider and even wine. Simply add the ingredients, wait for it all to ferment, pop it in the fridge … [Link]

Lifehacker » How to Create an Attractive, Customized Desktop HUD with Rainmeter

Wednesday 4 January 20:59:51 UTC 2017

Rainmeter is a powerful tool that lets you create a beautiful, information-rich heads-up display that keeps track of your system status, RSS feeds, and tons of other info. Here’s how to use it to make an awesome, Iron Man-like HUD for your Windows desktop.Read more… [Link]

Mashable » Hulu CEO confirms another major provider for live TV service, teases launch details

Wednesday 4 January 20:48:35 UTC 2017

Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins shared new details about the company's highly-anticipated new live TV service at CES on Wednesday.  It wasn't quite the full announcement the cord-cutting community has been waiting for, as it was missing definite launch dates and price points, but we do know live TV is coming "in the next few months" for under $40 monthly for two … [Link]

Mashable » Viceland's first scripted comedy series stars James Van Der Beek as Diplo

Wednesday 4 January 20:44:03 UTC 2017

James Van Der Beek is going from Dawson to Diplo. The actor, known for his iconic role on Dawson's Creek, is switching gears to play a fictional version of DJ-producer-musician Diplo in Viceland's first scripted comedy series called What Would Diplo Do?(WT) The six-episode series, which Van Der Beek also serves a showrunner for, is scheduled to premiere "later in 2017." … [Link]

Mashable » Uber: Don't trust the government with your data, but trust us

Wednesday 4 January 20:37:08 UTC 2017

Uber sent its New York City users a scary email on Wednesday.  "The government wants to know where you're headed … on every ride," the subject line read.  The message prompted Uber users to email New York's Taxi and Limousine Commission with their objections to new rules that require ride services to share destination information with the city. Or as Uber … [Link]

Mashable » In news no one understands, Netflix just rolled out a feature like it's 1998

Wednesday 4 January 20:34:35 UTC 2017

Netflix has quite the nostalgic New Year's resolution for 2017. The lovable streaming service has decided to throw things back to its humble beginnings by showing its loyal DVD subscribers some love.  The company has created a new app — DVD Netflix — for the millions of old timers who still utilize the antiquated DVD-by-mail service, which was launched before the … [Link]

Mashable » N.Y. Jets wide receiver compares team's season to wearing a dirty diaper

Wednesday 4 January 20:34:21 UTC 2017

The New York Jets were not good in 2016. With the sixth worst offense in the NFL, a tense locker room environment and a 5-11 record, the Jets ended up at the bottom of the AFC East, a scenario wide receiver Brandon Marshall compared to wearing a dirty diaper. SEE ALSO: The Warriors are officially moving to San Francisco. Hopefully it … [Link]

Mashable » A devout Brazilian grandmother mistakenly prays to a 'Lord of the Rings' toy every day

Wednesday 4 January 20:31:34 UTC 2017

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the extended edition Blu-ray version of Return of the King. A viral Facebook post by a woman in Brazil tells the story of her discovery that her daughter's great-grandmother, attempting to pray to a Saint Anthony figurine, has instead been praying to a small toy Elrond, the elf lord … [Link]

Slashdot » Zuckerberg Could Run Facebook While Serving in Government Forever

Wednesday 4 January 20:30:00 UTC 2017

Reader randomErr writes: Closer look at SEC documents reveal that Zuckerberg only needs to own enough Facebook stock or have the board's approval to be allowed to serve in the government. This comes hours after, Facebook co-founder said his 2017 personal challenge is to meet and listen to people in all 50 states, hinting that he may have intentions of … [Link]

Popular Science » A stomach grown in a petri dish could help scientists understand our guts

Wednesday 4 January 20:26:33 UTC 2017

Health Digestion under a microscope Researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital created a working piece of human stomach in a lab, complete with acid and digestive-enzyme producing capabilities. [Link]

Mashable » Headphones are finally getting less dumb about music

Wednesday 4 January 20:26:31 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — The iPhone 7 has turbocharged the move to wireless headphones, but even without cords, we're still tethered to our phones in a very real way. Think about what you need to do to change up your music. Regardless of your cable situation, you need to pull out your phone, tap on your music app, navigate to another playlist … [Link]

Mashable » Get used to it: Trump's tweets are the news

Wednesday 4 January 20:21:25 UTC 2017

In just two days, Donald Trump took us all from @EmergencyKittens to North Korea's nuclear program.  Such is the news in 2017: The personal Twitter account that helped Trump control the election's narrative now drives the entire American news cycle. Meanwhile, Trump hasn't held a press conference since June (there's one now scheduled for January 11), effectively gutting any power journalists … [Link]

Mashable » No need to read 'The Book of Joy.' This kid's got you covered.

Wednesday 4 January 20:20:16 UTC 2017

We hope you kept the gift receipt for The Book of Joy because this kid's hooking us up with the SparkNotes version. Instagram user Sam Woulidge uploaded a precious video of her son, Seb, pretending to read the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu's latest self-help book. SEE ALSO: Baby Rhino discovers snow, pure joy "Reading" the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates' wisdom … [Link]

Mashable » Fancy teen wears suit to meet newborn niece because 'first impressions matter'

Wednesday 4 January 20:16:51 UTC 2017

Grant Kessler is going to do great at job interviews. The 18-year-old Ohioan recently met his new niece, Carter, who was born earlier this week in Columbus. And according to his sister, Grant really wanted to make a great first impression because he showed up to the hospital in a suit. SEE ALSO: Watch Joe Biden get dissed by a baby … [Link]

Mashable » Fixing Roadhog's hook in 'Overwatch' is a great start, but it's not enough

Wednesday 4 January 20:07:01 UTC 2017

This is one of those good news/bad news situations: Bad news for Roadhog fans, good news for all other Overwatch players. Roadhog's signature move — a grappling hook attack that pulls a single foe out of position and into his Scrap Gun's line of fire — is a little bit overpowered. Has been for some time. And now, at long last, … [Link]

Mashable » MashReads Podcast: How to set a New Year's reading resolution you'll actually accomplish

Wednesday 4 January 20:01:25 UTC 2017

If you're a book nerd, there's one goal that's always on your list of New Year's resolutions: Read more books. But with the hustle and bustle of daily life, the question remains of how to set a bookish standard you can actually accomplish. Luckily, we brought in a pro to give us some advice. SEE ALSO: 16 incredible quotes from 16 … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Physicists can’t agree on what the quantum world looks like

Wednesday 4 January 20:00:00 UTC 2017

A survey of 149 scientists shows that there’s a split over which interpretation is correct – and many don’t even care [Link]

Popular Science » NASA's new Psyche mission will take us to a metal asteroid for the first time

Wednesday 4 January 19:57:08 UTC 2017

Space It may be the naked core of an ancient planet Asteroids are some of the last remaining unexplored territories in the solar system. To help fill in some of the blanks, NASA just announced two new missions. [Link]

Mashable » Jury trial to decide whether the 'Star Trek' fan film boldly went too far

Wednesday 4 January 19:52:41 UTC 2017

LOS ANGELES — A trial by jury could decide whether a fan-made Star Trek film — meant to be a proof-of-concept for a higher quality, feature-length version — boldly went too far into the depths of copyright infringement. Paramount Pictures and CBS, which own all rights to the franchise's film and TV productions, months ago filed a copyright lawsuit against Axanar … [Link]

Mashable » Kylie Jenner konfirms the obvious: The Kardashian apps use ghostwriters

Wednesday 4 January 19:50:44 UTC 2017

Kylie Jenner has quit personally writing posts on her app after "a very personal post" that was too personal she didn't even write was published.  If that doesn't make sense to you, congratulations. Because it shouldn't. The post in question was about how she spices up her relationship with Tyga, including recommendations for everything from baking cookies to using sex toys. … [Link]

Mashable » Man who had his medical debt paid by John Oliver speaks out

Wednesday 4 January 19:48:14 UTC 2017

In June, comedian and Last Week Tonight host John Oliver purchased $14.9 million dollars worth of medical debt for just $60,000. It seemed almost too good to be a true — a simple, hilarious sketch designed to produce great ratings. But on reddit Tuesday, user EricHill submitted a letter he claimed he received from the comedy show, explaining that his debt … [Link]

Popular Science » What Isaac Newton would want for his 374th birthday

Wednesday 4 January 19:45:32 UTC 2017

DIY Newton was born on January 4th, 1643 (depending on the calendar you use) Sir Isaac Newton's work is fundamental to the foundation of physics. Celebrate the famed physicist by getting your loved ones (or yourself) a Newton-inspired gift. [Link]

Slashdot » Silicon Valley Veteran On Apple: Company Has Become Sloppy, Missed Updates, Delayed Refreshes

Wednesday 4 January 19:45:21 UTC 2017

Silicon Valley veteran Chuq Von Rospach's blog post, in which he has criticized Apple for the things it did last year, has received quite a few nods from developers, analysts and users alike. Von Rospach, who has previously worked at Apple, has lambasted at the company for, among other things, how it has handled the Mac Pro, a lineup that … [Link]

Mashable » CES' biggest event so far was everything people hate about tech

Wednesday 4 January 19:37:10 UTC 2017

The electric car revolution is missing a barf bag. Too bad. You're about to need one. On Tuesday night, Faraday Future—an aspirant Tesla competitor very much on the rise—debuted their FF 91 electric car at CES in Vegas. The car looks pretty amazing. But the presentation overflowed with enough meaningless tech jargon to fry your motherboard, or make you roll your … [Link]

Mashable » Trump adds 'Apprentice' villain Omarosa to White House staff

Wednesday 4 January 19:37:05 UTC 2017

It wasn't too long ago that a Donald Trump presidency appeared, to many, simply not possible. Now another seemingly impossible, or at least strange, event is also a reality: On Tuesday, 2000s reality TV villain Omarosa Manigault was said to be joining the White House staff of incoming President Trump, according to sources who spoke with the Associated Press. An official … [Link]

Popular Science » The global warming hiatus never actually happened

Wednesday 4 January 19:30:00 UTC 2017

Environment Yes, the oceans have been warming for the past 75 years We just can’t get a break. [Link]

New Scientist – News » Simple blood test can detect genetic diseases early in pregnancy

Wednesday 4 January 19:22:48 UTC 2017

Together, single-gene disorders are more common than Down’s syndrome. Now there’s a safe prenatal test that can help prospective parents decide what to do [Link]

New Scientist – News » A cure for ageing is near but you probably can’t afford it

Wednesday 4 January 19:22:47 UTC 2017

The race is on to develop anti-ageing treatments, but will they really work? And if they do, will only the rich be to defy the ravages of time? [Link]

New Scientist – News » Cosmic radio bursts tracked to home galaxy for first time

Wednesday 4 January 19:22:46 UTC 2017

One repeating example of a fast radio burst has finally been pinned down to a tiny and distant dwarf galaxy, narrowing down its precise origin [Link]

Mashable » The latest co-working spaces are girls-only

Wednesday 4 January 19:22:34 UTC 2017

It’s 11 a.m. on a recent Friday, and 29-year-old Audrey Gelman—public-relations powerhouse, former Hillary Clinton press aide, longtime friend of Lena Dunham’s—is sitting on a pink couch at the Wing, the co-working space and social club she co-founded this October in New York. A man walks through the elevator doors, and Gelman throws him a friendly wave. “That’s our AV guy,” … [Link]

Slashdot » Netflix Hasn't Forgotten About Its 4.3 Million DVD Subscribers

Wednesday 4 January 19:20:00 UTC 2017

Netflix hasn't forgotten about its DVD service, which millions of people still use. From a report on Quartz: The company is touting a new app that DVD customers can use to manage their Netflix queues, search for DVD and Blu-ray titles, and get movie recommendations. Those features for DVD subscribers vanished from the main Netflix app back in 2011, leaving … [Link]

Mashable » Your iPhone could soon make it easier for you to text during movies

Wednesday 4 January 19:13:11 UTC 2017

According to tweets posted by Australian leaker Sonny Dickson, Apple's Jan. 10 iOS 10.3 beta release might include a "Theater mode" for texting during movies. SEE ALSO: Apple might depend on a rival for the next iPhone's display The feature reportedly dims the display and mutes audio to make it easier to text in dark, quiet theaters. The potential introduction of … [Link]

Mashable » The world's largest flash drive holds 2 terabytes of data

Wednesday 4 January 19:10:44 UTC 2017

Have a ton of digital data you need stow away in your pocket? You're in luck — about two full terabytes worth of it, in fact.  Fresh off the CES news line comes word of Kingston Digital's latest offering, a massive (at least storage-wise) USB flash drive, the DataTraveler Ultimate Generation Terabyte (GT). With up to 2 TB of storage, Kingston … [Link]

Mashable » Amazon reportedly planning to launch its own brand of workout clothes

Wednesday 4 January 19:10:07 UTC 2017

Amazon is apparently getting into the yoga pants business. A series of recent job postings suggest that the online shopping giant plans to launch an athletic apparel line to join its existing roster of private-label clothing brands. SEE ALSO: Montana legislator says 'yoga pants should be illegal in public' The listings, which were posted in late December and first reported by … [Link]

Mashable » Food breathalyzer for your phone can tell which foods give you indigestion

Wednesday 4 January 19:09:03 UTC 2017

The 'AIRE' is a breathalyzer that lets you test the amount of gas you have in your stomach after eating certain foods. Yes, there is an app that goes with it… and no, it should not replace a real life doctor.   Read more…More about Mashable Video, Watercooler, Ces, Ces 2017, and Health [Link]

Mashable » Dazzling photo of stellar nursery cuts through cosmic dust to reveal baby stars

Wednesday 4 January 19:06:16 UTC 2017

A giant stellar nursery shows off its newborn stars in a new photo taken by a powerful telescope in the Southern Hemisphere.  The nursery — known formally as the Orion A molecular cloud — is actually the closest known "star factory" to Earth at 1,350 light-years away, according to the European Southern Observatory (ESO).  SEE ALSO: Now witness the beauty of … [Link]

Mashable » This digestive tracker can help you control your farts

Wednesday 4 January 18:58:57 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — Nothing can stop you in your tracks faster than a bad case of the tummy rumbles.  We've all had an unfortunate bout of indigestion but this new digestive tracker may be able to help find out what foods are more compatible with your body.  SEE ALSO: 10 tech trends that will rule CES 2017 The AIRE by … [Link]

Mashable » 'Hi From the Other Side' app brings together Trump and Clinton voters who want to talk

Wednesday 4 January 18:57:13 UTC 2017

Once upon a time, they were (Facebook) friends and neighbors. Post-election, however, many Donald Trump supporters and Hillary Clinton voters are looking at each other like they're self-righteous aliens from another planet. A new app called "Hi from the Other Side" hopes to bridge that divide. Started by 29-year-old Henry Tsai, a student at Harvard Business School, the app brings together … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Daily API RoundUp: Fan TV, Scales-Chord, Datomic, Rovi, Multichain, TripGo

Wednesday 4 January 18:56:12 UTC 2017

Every day, the ProgrammableWeb team is busy, updating its three primary directories for APIs, clients (language-specific libraries or SDKs for consuming or providing APIs), and source code samples. [Link]

Mashable » Panasonic's GF9 is the perfect mirrorless camera for selfie lovers

Wednesday 4 January 18:45:00 UTC 2017

The quest for the perfect selfie continues. We can all use our smartphones to take a good selfie, but taking a great selfie requires a little more work after the fact. You need to find the right app and then make the right tweaks before it's post-worthy. There are plenty of cameras out there that promise to take the best selfies, … [Link]

Slashdot » New HDMI 2.1 Spec Includes Support For Dynamic HDR, 8K Resolution

Wednesday 4 January 18:41:00 UTC 2017

The HDMI Licensing Group has unveiled the HDMI 2.1 spec, adding support for dynamic HDR, 8K60, and 4K120. From a report on TechHive: To take full advantage of the new HDMI spec, you'll need a new 48-gigabit-per-second cable. That cable will also work with older HDMI 1.3 (10.2Gbps) and HDMI 2.0a (16Gbps) ports, but those ports don't support the new … [Link]

Mashable » You can experience Obama's last speech live in 360 degrees

Wednesday 4 January 18:35:23 UTC 2017

Barack Obama's legacy as the social media and tech president will be cemented right through his final moments in office.  His farewell address will be broadcast in live 360 video thanks to a partnership between virtual reality media company VRScout and the White House.  SEE ALSO: President Obama's goodbye tour gets an official 'farewell address' Those who cannot attend the event … [Link]

Mashable » Lakers fan nets $95,000 by nailing amazing half-court shot

Wednesday 4 January 18:06:48 UTC 2017

Tuesday night was a great one for Lakers fan Jerald Acoba, who watched his team defeat the Memphis Grizzlies and — more impressively — sunk a half-court shot for $95,000. SEE ALSO: An NBA player autographed a fan's weed grinder It was the second time this season a fan has won big bucks by hitting the shot; a fan won $35,000 earlier … [Link]

Mashable » Prolific Pacific storms set to punch California with blockbuster rain, snow

Wednesday 4 January 18:04:40 UTC 2017

A series of powerful storms are dumping potentially damaging amounts of rain and snow in California. By tapping into subtropical moisture like a needle tapping into a vein, the storm systems are transporting huge amounts of water vapor, which is being converted to low elevation downpours and mountain snow. While forecast uncertainties remain, it's possible that some areas will receive up … [Link]

Mashable » LG's new robot helpers are cute and friendly AF

Wednesday 4 January 18:04:37 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — LG just announced a new line of robot helpers that are pretty damn cute. The Korean company showcased two Hub Robots, an Airport Guide Robot and an airport cleaning robot at CES Wednesday. Sort of like a robot butler, the Hub Robot can control your Wi-Fi connected appliances, so it can preheat your oven and tell you when … [Link]

Mashable » This levitating speaker will take your music to new heights

Wednesday 4 January 18:02:27 UTC 2017

The 'Mars' sound system features a UFO-like speaker that floats three inches above its subwoofer based using magnets.  The speaker can also be operated while detached and is water resistant for up to 30 minutes. Read more…More about Ces, Ces 2017, Music, Real Time, and Real Time Video [Link]

Slashdot » New California Law Finally Makes Ransomware Illegal

Wednesday 4 January 18:02:00 UTC 2017

Reader Trailrunner7 writes: It was nice to see the calendar turn over to 2017, for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that on Jan. 1 a new law went into effect in California that outlaws the use of ransomware. The idea of needing a new law to make a form of hacking illegal may seem counterintuitive, … [Link]

Mashable » 'Honey, I Blew Up the Kid' recut as Godzilla will terrify your babysitter

Wednesday 4 January 18:00:00 UTC 2017

There’s nothing quite like babies acting like big babies. But this recut trailer takes it literally. You may need to hire two babysitters for this. Subscribe to CineFix for more videos. Read more…More about Mashable Video, Rick Moranis, Godzilla, Recut Trailer, and I Blew Up The Kid [Link]

New Scientist – News » Battle to see all data behind drug trial tragedy must go on

Wednesday 4 January 17:53:30 UTC 2017

A year after a volunteer died during a test of an experimental painkiller, full details remain beyond wider scrutiny. That must change, says James Randerson [Link]

New Scientist – News » DeepMind’s AlphaGo is secretly beating human players online

Wednesday 4 January 17:53:29 UTC 2017

Under the pseudonym 'Master', Google DeepMind’s Go-playing AI has been taking on more top players at an online version of the Chinese game – and beating them [Link]

New Scientist – News » Computer vision algorithms pick out petty crime in CCTV footage

Wednesday 4 January 17:53:28 UTC 2017

Technology that recognises fighting and bag-snatching could be used to catch petty criminals in the act or help police combat "digital evidence overload" [Link]

Mashable » Get ready to see more captions on Facebook videos

Wednesday 4 January 17:53:09 UTC 2017

Facebook is trying to make creating and watching videos even easier. The social network is introducing an automatic captioning feature for videos on Facebook Pages, TechCrunch reported Wednesday. SEE ALSO: Facebook Messenger now has its own Snapchat-like camera, too Facebook said the feature has in fact been rolling out to all U.S. English Facebook Pages since October. Not every Page and … [Link]

Mashable » Cat owner learns the hard way to read those Amazon descriptions carefully

Wednesday 4 January 17:43:06 UTC 2017

Redditor cewallace9 just wanted to order a nice cat tree for her beloved feline friend. Instead, she ordered a tree for dolls. Or ants. Cewallace9 failed to notice the phrases "dolls houses" and "miniature" in the item's Amazon description and thought she was getting an under-$20 deal on a full-size scratching post. SEE ALSO: Amazon Alexa helpfully tries to give porn … [Link]

Mashable » Wendy's Twitter account still has (fresh, never frozen) beef with the world

Wednesday 4 January 17:40:12 UTC 2017

Hell hath no fury like the Wendy's Twitter account scorned. The fast food chain recently dropped jaws after Twitter users discovered the 🔥  comebacks it was sending to unsatisfied customers on the platform. On Wednesday, Wendy's (fresh, never frozen) beef with Twitter users continued, escalating after the account posted what appeared to an infamous Pepe the Frog meme, re-designed to resemble … [Link]

Mashable » 'Billy on the Street' says goodbye to 'Bones'

Wednesday 4 January 17:30:23 UTC 2017

"'Bones' is ending…after 11 years," Billy Eichner explains sadly to New York pedestrians in this Billy on the Street segment titled "A Farewell to Bones."  SEE ALSO: Billy Eichner gets answers to age-old question: Do gay people care about John Oliver? How do us regular citizens feel about the end of Bones? Sadder than you'd expect, really. New York is, … [Link]

Slashdot » Android Was 2016's Most Vulnerable Product, Oracle the

Wednesday 4 January 17:23:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader writes: According to CVE Details, a website that aggregates historical data on security bugs that have received a CVE identifier, during 2016, security researchers have discovered and reported 523 security bugs in Google's Android OS, winner by far of this "award." The rest of the top 10 is made up by Debian (319 bugs), Ubuntu (278 bugs), … [Link]

Mashable » This Mannequin Challenge expertly shows the need for a Parkinson's cure

Wednesday 4 January 17:20:05 UTC 2017

The Mannequin Challenge may be getting stale in terms of meme culture, but one Australia-based nonprofit just made one of the most powerful challenge videos you need to see. Parkinson's New South Wales, an organization that brings support and resources to people living with Parkinson's disease, made a poignant Mannequin Challenge video featuring several people with hand tremors — a common … [Link]

Mashable » Diego Luna shares touching story of why representation in film matters

Wednesday 4 January 17:09:41 UTC 2017

Diversity in Hollywood is as important as it is rare — and a personal story from one San Diego-based Tumblr user makes that abundantly clear. The 27-year-old, who goes by "Perls," recently shared her experience watching Captain Cassian Andor in Rogue One with her father — and how he felt to see himself, a Mexican man with an accent, represented in … [Link]

Popular Science » What do we know about dinosaur eggs?

Wednesday 4 January 17:02:29 UTC 2017

Animals These fossils can reveal a lot about how dinosaurs lived Dinosaur eggs can shed light on dinosaur evolution, behavior and even how they went extinct. [Link]

Mashable » Super cute little Elmo robot wants to teach kids to code

Wednesday 4 January 16:54:45 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — Elmo's coming to Sesame Street with a brand new set of wheels.  On Tuesday, WowWee showed off ELMOJI, its upcoming robotic collaboration with Sesame Workshop. It's a teeny robot version of your favorite Sesame Street character, and its goal is to teach kids to code. SEE ALSO: Creating opportunity and excitement for STEM careers ELMOJI works alongside an … [Link]

Mashable » LG's new 4K TV is thinner than an iPhone

Wednesday 4 January 16:51:31 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — LG's line of high-end televisions has a new king. The LG W7, just announced at CES, is a 77-inch 4K TV that's thinner than an iPhone. The OLED set will also be available in a 65-inch model, and it's light: the 77-inch version weighs 27 pounds while the 65-inch weighs just 17 pounds.  SEE ALSO: LG has a … [Link]

Mashable » LG's new HDR Blu-ray player is the perfect buddy for your new 4K TV

Wednesday 4 January 16:45:00 UTC 2017

There’s nothing worse than a video format war, and yet that's exactly what happens every time. As history has shown, one video format eventually wins. VHS beat Betamax. DVDs overtook VHS. Blu-rays succeeded DVDs by defeating HD-DVD. This time around, TV makers and content providers are pushing HDR (High Dynamic Range) videos, which display a wider range of colors with increased … [Link]

Slashdot » Amazon Doubles Deliveries in 2016 For Third-Party Sellers

Wednesday 4 January 16:43:00 UTC 2017

Amazon.com shipped 50 percent more items this holiday season than last for third-party vendors and doubled the amount for 2016 overall, the retail giant said on Wednesday. From a report on Reuters: Amazon, the world's largest online retailer, has said the 2016 holiday was its best-ever shopping season. However, high spending on warehouses and video production are expected to drag … [Link]

Mashable » Kylie Jenner misprinted her own birthday in 2017 calendar

Wednesday 4 January 16:39:44 UTC 2017

Aug. 10 may seem like any normal day to some, but to those with lip kits and dogs named Norman, it's a very important day of celebrating the birth of teen queen Kylie Jenner.  The mogul's latest product is a 2017 calendar filled with photographs of the makeup maven shot by Terry Richardson. Penciled in throughout the pages are notable dates, … [Link]

Mashable » LG's fancy smart fridge has Alexa and Amazon Fresh built right in

Wednesday 4 January 16:31:41 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — Alexa integration is everywhere at CES 2017. The latest gadget to integrate with Amazon's digital assistant? LG's new Smart InstaView refrigerator. The smart fridge integrates with various Amazon services including Amazon Fresh, Alexa and Music. But why would anyone want to control their smart lights and music from their fridge?  SEE ALSO: Lenovo takes on Amazon Echo with … [Link]

Mashable » Watch 'Honey, I Blew up the Kid' trailer reimagined as a Godzilla movie

Wednesday 4 January 16:30:00 UTC 2017

Kids are great … until they get blown up into a hyperactive-giant-Godzilla-sized creature. Still want kids? Hope you're ready for this mess. But hey, at least they're still cute. Visit CineFix for more more episodes and movie-related content. Visit Mashable Watercooler for more videos. Mascot simply cannot stay on his feet during ice rink commercial shoot Animal shelter commercial almost cuter than … [Link]

Mashable » A brand new BlackBerry is coming, and yes, it has a keyboard

Wednesday 4 January 16:26:59 UTC 2017

BlackBerry’s back — again.   In a CES news release, Chinese tech giant TCL's mobile branch, TCL Communications Technology (TCT) announced it's planning on reinvigorating the classic smartphone brand for 2017.  SEE ALSO: CES 2017 is all about improving how you see the world TCL obtained a global smartphone software and brand licensing agreement in December, so this move shouldn't come … [Link]

Mashable » Millennials, there's some good and bad news about your gender pay gap

Wednesday 4 January 16:19:24 UTC 2017

LONDON — The gender pay gap for UK millennials now stands at 5 percent; halving the gap experienced by the previous generation, new research suggests. SEE ALSO: Why women in the UK just walked out of work But, while that might sound like good news, the research — shared with Mashable — also shows that this progress is set to be … [Link]

Mashable » Take a tour of the biggest greenhouse in the world

Wednesday 4 January 16:17:48 UTC 2017

The Eden Project is a massive greenhouse built into a crater in Cornwall, UK. Constructed in 1998, turning wasted land into an architectural marvel and popular attraction. Read more…More about Mashable Video, Real Time Video, Museums, Travel Tourism, and Travel Destinations [Link]

Slashdot » AT&T Plans 5G Network Trial for DirecTV Customers

Wednesday 4 January 16:03:00 UTC 2017

AT&T said it plans to test its high-speed wireless 5G network, which reached speeds of 14 gigabits per second in lab trials, for customers of its online streaming television service, DirecTV Now, in Austin, Texas. From a report on Fortune: The U.S. wireless carrier, which plans to conduct the trial in the first half of 2017, has also teamed up … [Link]

Mashable » F.C. Copenhagen creates new esports organization

Wednesday 4 January 16:01:12 UTC 2017

Danish soccer club F.C. Copenhagen and entertainment company Nordisk Film have joined forces to create the newest premier esports organization, 'NORTH.' NORTH has already signed the former Team Dignitas CS:GO roster, and is looking to add other teams and players to its lineup.  Read more…More about Mashable Video, Sports, Soccer, Counter Strike, and Gaming [Link]

Mashable » Alibaba just launched its first major effort to crack down on counterfeit goods

Wednesday 4 January 15:58:19 UTC 2017

Amazon’s chief rival, Alibaba, is on the tech giant's playing field in one new category.  The Chinese e-commerce is lashing out against counterfeit sellers on its platform — a problem Amazon has faced for a long time.  Alibaba on Wednesday sued two fake Swarovski watch sellers on its Taobao e-commerce platform for "contract" and "goodwill" violations. The company claimed 1.4 million … [Link]

Mashable » Chance the Rapper and Lorde will play Governors Ball this year

Wednesday 4 January 15:44:34 UTC 2017

After teasing a potential collaboration, Chance the Rapper and Childish Gambino will both be playing Governors Ball this year.  Tool will play their first New York City gig in 11 years at the festival in early June. Lorde is slated to perform shortly after stopping by Coachella, meaning that the eagerly anticipated followup to 2013's Pure Heroine could be imminent. Wu … [Link]

Mashable » The wearable that helps pregnant women track contractions in real time

Wednesday 4 January 15:34:27 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — The idea for Bloomlife's pregnancy wearable was born around the same that CEO Eric Dy and his co-founder, COO Julien Penders, were taking their first steps toward parenthood. "My co-founder's wife got pregnant, all of my friends were getting pregnant, I was trying to have a baby, and we all sort of saw this huge transition that people … [Link]

Mashable » Donald Trump trusts WikiLeaks more than the CIA or FBI

Wednesday 4 January 15:27:21 UTC 2017

It’s hard to believe that Donald Trump still has the ability to surprise us, but here we are. The president-elect sent a pair of breakfast-time tweets that, while not exactly praising WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, surely paints him in a positive light and continues Trump's efforts in antagonizing and undermining U.S. intelligence agencies. SEE ALSO: Cyber security experts shut down Trump … [Link]

Slashdot » Silicon Valley Veteran On Apple: Company Has Become Sloppy, Missed Updates, Delayed Refreshes By Long

Wednesday 4 January 15:22:00 UTC 2017

Silicon Valley veteran Chuq Von Rospach's blog post, in which he has criticized Apple for the things it did last year, has received quite a few nods from developers, analysts and users alike. Von Rospach, who has previously worked at Apple, has lambasted at the company for, among other things, how it has handled the Mac Pro, a lineup that … [Link]

Mashable » Mascot simply cannot stay on his feet during ice rink commercial shoot

Wednesday 4 January 15:06:47 UTC 2017

When shooting a commercial on ice, it's probably best to be on skates. White Bear Mitsubishi, a car dealership in White Bear Lake, MN, shot a commercial in an ice rink with their venerable bear mascot. Unfortunately for the actors (but fortunately for the internet), the shot kept getting interrupted by the bear losing his balance and falling on the … [Link]

Mashable » CES 2017 is all about improving how you see the world

Wednesday 4 January 15:00:13 UTC 2017

CES is, to a degree, all about appearances. As the first major tech event of the year, it's an opportunity for companies to show off their latest and greatest — so looks matter.  SEE ALSO: How to keep up with CES if you're stuck at home On day one of CES 2017, the fixation on looks took on an even greater … [Link]

Mashable » New avocado restaurant in Amsterdam makes your basic dreams come true

Wednesday 4 January 14:55:46 UTC 2017

Dying to shed that "basic" label but can't give up your avocado toast obsession? The latest restaurant news from Amsterdam may be able to wean you from your basic brunch.  The Avocado Show, an eatery dedicated to the alligator pear (as it's sometimes called), is set to open in Amsterdam in 2017, reports Metro.  SEE ALSO: The 100 best food pairings … [Link]

Mashable » Ashley Tisdale and Vanessa Hudgens break the status quo with adorable duet

Wednesday 4 January 14:55:44 UTC 2017

How is it possible that High School Musical alumni and IRL best friends Ashley Tisdale and Vanessa Hudgens have never sung a duet? Tisdale decided to remedy that by bringing Hudgens in for her online series "Music Sessions," where they sang "Ex's & Oh's" by Elle King. SEE ALSO: Vanessa Hudgens' 'Grease: Live' solo performance gave everyone chills "We did … [Link]

Mashable » Animal shelter commercial almost cuter than the animals themselves

Wednesday 4 January 14:40:27 UTC 2017

There is only thing potentially more adorable than baby kittens on this planet — the kind humans who take care of them. Furkids Animal Rescues and Shelters, no-kill shelters in Georgia, recently released a "Kitty Kommercial" (their spelling, not ours) encouraging people to come pick up kittens and cats from their shelter. It's actually a genuinely funny commercial (surprise!), full … [Link]

Slashdot » Piracy 'Warnings' Fail To Boost Box Office Revenues, Research Says

Wednesday 4 January 14:40:00 UTC 2017

A new academic study shows that graduated response policies against file-sharers fail to boost box office revenues. From a TorrentFreak report: The empirical research, which looked at the effects in various countries including the United States, suggests that these anti-piracy measures are not as effective as the movie studios had hoped. […] Thus far there has been very little research … [Link]

Mashable » Faraday Future just unveiled a super fast Tesla competitor — here's what it looks like

Wednesday 4 January 14:12:48 UTC 2017

The FF 91 could be the fastest electric car ever made, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 2.39 seconds. Faraday Future claim it's a "new species" of car that is smarter, faster and more connected than anything else on the road. Read more…More about Electric Car, Electric Cars, Tesla, Standalone Featured, and Real Time Video [Link]

Slashdot » Google Really, Really Wants To Bring India's Small Businesses Online

Wednesday 4 January 14:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader shares a report: Millions more Indians are now coming online, but India's small businesses — including everything from decades-old mom and pop stores to neighborhood bakeries — are lagging behind. Google wants to change that. At an event in New Delhi today, Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced a brand new program called Digital Unlocked aimed at helping … [Link]

Mashable » Artist finds brilliant way to mess with facial recognition technology

Wednesday 4 January 13:29:04 UTC 2017

Facial recognition technology is booming both for commercial and security purposes, from Amazon scanning faces in its grocery store to police using the software on 117 million Americans. SEE ALSO: 11 technologies to watch in 2017 But a Berlin-based artist has found a way to confuse these computer vision algorithms with a concept that borrows from the camouflage techniques used by … [Link]

Slashdot » HP Made a Laptop Slightly Thicker To Add 3 Hours of Battery Life

Wednesday 4 January 13:00:00 UTC 2017

When a technology company like Apple releases a new product, chances are it's going to be thinner than its predecessor — even if may be slightly worse off for it. HP is taking a different approach with its new 15.6-inch Spectre x360 laptop, which was recently announced at CES. The machine is slightly thicker than its predecessor, and HP claims … [Link]

Popular Science » Yes, it's possible to charge a phone using train tracks

Wednesday 4 January 12:48:27 UTC 2017

DIY But please, please don’t try it But please, please don’t try it. Read on. [Link]

Mashable » We guarantee you'll play this oddly hypnotic sound over and over again

Wednesday 4 January 12:39:17 UTC 2017

Winter isn't all bad, you know. Sure, it's cold, and icy, and miserable and stuff. But there is one hidden perk: in what other season can you listen to the delightfully melodic sound of ice shattering on a frozen pond? SEE ALSO: This frozen lighthouse looks like a fairytale castle "I'm an Australian living in the UK and have never … [Link]

Mashable » There's more to this photo of a horse boarding a London bus than meets the eye

Wednesday 4 January 12:33:57 UTC 2017

LONDON — Horses have a funny habit of turning up in strange places. There was that time a man cantered into Tesco on one in Ireland a few months back, and that memorable occasion when a horse was photographed on a tram. SEE ALSO: Angry goat goes on rampage at local store, terrorises shoppers Still, it's not often the four-legged beasts … [Link]

Mashable » A new kind of router turns your Wi-Fi network into a fortress

Wednesday 4 January 12:30:00 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — Smart devices have a problem. Most of their magic requires that they connect to the internet, but the internet can be a dangerous place. Malware is everywhere, and when it infects connected gadgets, it can be a problem for everybody.  But a new class of device is rising to combat this trend, and it's on full display at … [Link]

Mashable » Eye makeup looks inspired by famous paintings will blow your mind

Wednesday 4 January 12:28:30 UTC 2017

LONDON — Some works of art are so impressive, the very idea of trying to emulate them is intimidating.  SEE ALSO: Unicorn eyeliner is 2016's latest mythical beauty trend But a London-based aspiring makeup artist has done a pretty incredible job of paying tribute to some of her favourite paintings. Stefania Atupe created an eye makeup look inspired by Vincent Van … [Link]

Mashable » French newspaper has a radical idea after polls failed to predict Trump

Wednesday 4 January 12:23:15 UTC 2017

One of the biggest shocks of 2016 was the failure of opinion polls to predict the Brexit referendum results and the victory of Donald Trump at the U.S. elections.  SEE ALSO: How the 'L.A. Times' poll was the only one to predict a Trump win For this reason, one of France's most popular newspapers has taken a radical stance: stop commissioning … [Link]

Mashable » Olympian chases down bullies, saves teenage girls from being molested

Wednesday 4 January 12:05:30 UTC 2017

An Olympian is being hailed for coming to the rescue of two hapless teenagers in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan.  Krishna Poonia, who represented India in the Beijing and London Olympics, sighted two young girls being harassed by a bunch of men on motorbikes in the district town of Churu, and took them to the task.  SEE ALSO: Bangalore's 'Night … [Link]

Mashable » India looks at Google for help with cybersecurity

Wednesday 4 January 11:46:03 UTC 2017

With India increasingly embarking the digital age, the government has grown worried about all the threats the country faces online. With no hesitance, it is looking at Google for help.  SEE ALSO: Google plans to get India's 51 million SMBs online with 'Digital Unlocked' India’s outspoken IT, Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today requested Sundar Pichai to make Google … [Link]

Mashable » Smart pet collar is like an iPhone for your dog

Wednesday 4 January 11:29:38 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — It's nearly impossible not to be connected. Naturally, so are our pets. The KYON pet tracker is designed to help you communicate and send messages to and from your family pet. The multipurpose collar allows you to track your pet using GPS technology, communicate with others using an LED display on the outside of the collar, and monitor, … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Woman hit by lightning loses synaesthesia – but then it returns

Wednesday 4 January 11:14:34 UTC 2017

Medication, meningitis and being struck by lightning have all affected one woman’s synaesthesia, but remarkably it soon returned in exactly the same form [Link]

Mashable » Snake emerging from woman's car mid-drive is the stuff of nightmares

Wednesday 4 January 10:58:44 UTC 2017

The internet has no doubt done a lot of wonderful things, but convincing the world that Australia is a safe place to live is definitely not one of them. SEE ALSO: Highly venomous snake makes like tinsel and chills on a Christmas tree It's only been a day since that horrendous footage emerged of a giant snake casually devouring another … [Link]

Mashable » Someone made VR shoes and it's as weird as it sounds

Wednesday 4 January 10:40:29 UTC 2017

When you think of accessories to use in virtual reality, shoes are probably not what comes to mind. But that hasn't stopped one company from creating a set of sensor-enabled kicks from VR. Part controller, part accessory, the Taclim shoes (created by Cerevo, the same company behind the app-enabled snowboard bindings) allow you to use your feet to interact with what … [Link]

Mashable » Harrowing video warns teens of danger of speaking to strangers online

Wednesday 4 January 10:39:58 UTC 2017

Kayleigh Haywood was only 15 when she was raped and killed by the neighbour of a man she met online.  SEE ALSO: Posting pictures of your kids on Facebook? Think twice. Now a harrowing video released by Leicester police with the support of Haywood's family re-construct the last two weeks of her life with the purpose of educating and warning teenagers … [Link]

Mashable » James Corden remembers George Michael's Carpool Karaoke in moving speech

Wednesday 4 January 10:19:05 UTC 2017

We already knew that George Michael had a special connection to Carpool Karaoke, but the extent to which he influenced and affected James Corden's life really hits home in the clip above. During 2017's first episode of The Late Late Show, Corden opened up about the time he spent with the singer, and the 2011 car journey sketch that directly … [Link]

Mashable » Device lulls you to sleep with relaxing scents

Wednesday 4 January 10:13:18 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — Sleep is a precious commodity that every human needs, and a new device promises to help you get it through the power of smell.  Sensorwake has already reached headlines with its quirky alarm clock that releases scents to wake you up, but now the company is trying to do the exact opposite. Oria, unveiled at the Consumer Electronics … [Link]

Slashdot » Scientists Turn Memory Chips Into Processors To Speed Up Computing Tasks

Wednesday 4 January 10:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Science Daily: A team of international scientists have found a way to make memory chips perform computing tasks, which is traditionally done by computer processors like those made by Intel and Qualcomm. This means data could now be processed in the same spot where it is stored, leading to much faster and thinner … [Link]

Mashable » Samsung releases heartwarming video to promote its service vans in India

Wednesday 4 January 9:40:23 UTC 2017

Indians love to be tugged at their heartstrings. Or so they say.  And the latest television commercial launched by tech giant Samsung has left a lump in the throat of many. Through this video, Samsung — which has been under fire of late because of mishaps surrounding its Galaxy Note7 smartphone — stresses on the need to build long-lasting relationships … [Link]

New Scientist – News » There are five times more urban foxes in England than we thought

Wednesday 4 January 8:57:59 UTC 2017

There may now be some 150,000 foxes living in English cities, up from 33,000 in the 1990s. That’s one fox for every 300 urban residents [Link]

Mashable » Hackers target India's defense, intelligence personnel via WhatsApp

Wednesday 4 January 7:50:57 UTC 2017

Indian security forces have been alerted by central intelligence agencies that a WhatsApp virus is threatening to hack into their personal information and banking data.  Two malicious files circulating on the messaging platform falsely bears the names of elite organisations like NDA and NIA, the Press Trust of India reported.  SEE ALSO: WhatsApp group administrators not liable for content: Indian court … [Link]

Mashable » App-connected hairbrush will teach you to brush your hair better

Wednesday 4 January 7:44:21 UTC 2017

You could be brushing your hair all wrong — at least according to L'Oreal's new smart hairbrush. Called the Kératase Hair Coach, the brush uses an array of sensors and an app to "coach" users into brushing their hair more efficiently. The Wi-Fi enabled hairbrush is powered by Withings, and connects to your phone so you can track data it collects. … [Link]

Mashable » Google plans to get India's 51 million SMBs online with 'Digital Unlocked'

Wednesday 4 January 7:14:12 UTC 2017

Google just took a major step in its years-long efforts to get more businesses in India to come online and grow on the web.  Google CEO Sundar Pichai today announced Digital Unlocked, an initiative through which the company will facilitate training and certification to assist India's 51 million small and medium businesses — bakeries, apparel stores, grocery shops, what have you … [Link]

Slashdot » Intel's New Mini PCs Have New Chips, an Updated Design, and Thunderbolt 3

Wednesday 4 January 7:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: In the last four or five years, Intel's "Next Unit of Computing" (NUC) hardware has evolved from interesting experiments to pace cars for the rest of the mini desktop business. Mini PCs represent one of the few segments of the desktop computing business that actually has growth left in it, and … [Link]

Mashable » Millions of cows to be tagged with unique 12-digit numbers in India

Wednesday 4 January 6:17:09 UTC 2017

After its people, India now wants its cows and buffaloes to have a unique numerical identity. The government has rolled out an extensive project, wherein 100,000 technicians have set out to tag 88 million cattle with a 12-digit unique identification number, the Economic Times reported.   SEE ALSO: Inside India's plan to substitute cash with its citizen's fingerprints It will work … [Link]

The Joy of Tech » JoT #2368: Your phone is snooping on you!

Wednesday 4 January 5:16:18 UTC 2017

You’re on a party line with advertisers! [Link]

Mashable » Redditors share portraits of their dogs posing majestically for the camera

Wednesday 4 January 5:10:30 UTC 2017

Our canine companions are meant to be our best friends, and yet they are increasingly dominating in an array of disparate, un-dog like fields; killing it as skateboarders, surfers and even distinctly amoral (yet undeniably cute) thieves. SEE ALSO: Watch a firefighter save a dog's life by giving it CPR Case in point: A recent trend on the "Aww" subreddit has … [Link]

Mashable » Lego Boost is robot building for the rest of us

Wednesday 4 January 5:01:00 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — Vernie considers me with his icy blue yes, an orange eyebrow slightly cocked. Then, suddenly, he races forward and asks me my name. I shout it into the nearby tablet and we commence bonding. Okay, we don’t so much bond as I command and Vernie, a new Lego robot, responds.  SEE ALSO: This 'Terminator 2' action figure would … [Link]

Mashable » Australia's oldest living prime minister really knows how to chug a beer

Wednesday 4 January 4:55:15 UTC 2017

Australians are known for their love of beer. But they love it even more when the country's political leaders are chugging one down. Take the country's oldest living former prime minister, Bob Hawke.  Hawke, now 87, finished off a glass of beer just before midday on Wednesday during a cricket match between Australia and Pakistan.  SEE ALSO: This little home … [Link]

Mashable » Snoop Dogg gives best bud Willie Nelson the perfect Christmas sweater

Wednesday 4 January 4:43:54 UTC 2017

Normally, a colorful Christmas sweater wouldn't be considered the coolest gift. Unless it's from Snoop Dogg, and you happen to be country legend Willie Nelson.  Obviously, the two men have one special interest in common: making great music.  SEE ALSO: Snoop Dogg's 2016 recap is a thing of beauty Oh yeah, and smoking that sticky icky.  Thank you @SnoopDogg for the … [Link]

Mashable » A teen just bought a newspaper, because why not

Wednesday 4 January 4:01:20 UTC 2017

They say millennials don't read newspapers, but one just bought a small-town weekly. A 19-year-old purchased the Central Delta Argus-Sun, a weekly newspaper serving a small county east of Little Rock, Arkansas, for an undisclosed amount.   The paper, based in Brinkley, is one year older than its new owner, Hayden Taylor, who admittedly has zero experience in the news industry … [Link]

Slashdot » Scientists Identify New Organ In Humans

Wednesday 4 January 3:30:00 UTC 2017

Scientists have classified a new organ called the mesentery, which connects a person's small and large intestines to the abdominal wall and anchors them in place, according to the Mayo Clinic. Until recently, it was thought of a number of distinct membranes by most scientists. It was none other than Leonardo da Vinci who identified the membranes as a single … [Link]

Mashable » Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds' moving relationship shown in new trailer

Wednesday 4 January 3:11:44 UTC 2017

You’ll remember the late, great Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds for their talents on screen, but their personal relationship was just as moving. That's something that comes to light in a new HBO documentary on the mother and daughter pair, and a new trailer for it has appeared on People Tuesday. SEE ALSO: HBO moves up premiere of Carrie Fisher and … [Link]

Mashable » Samsung's quantum dots promise TVs with 'perfect color'

Wednesday 4 January 3:09:25 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — Shifting focus from curved, bendable and even giant 8K TVs, Samsung has turned its attention to dots — quantum dots, to be precise. Its new line of QLED TVs, unveiled Tuesday at CES in Las Vegas, use quantum dot material (nano-particle-sized silicon) to create brighter screens — up to 2,000 nits — with what Samsung calls “perfect color,” … [Link]

Mashable » Researchers bid farewell to 'Granny,' the world's oldest known orca

Wednesday 4 January 2:49:52 UTC 2017

At an estimated age of 105 years old, the orca known to researchers as "Granny" is presumed to be dead. Labelled J2, she was a member of the Puget Sound orcas which are located in Washington State in  the U.S., a small and closely monitored group of the species. SEE ALSO: Drone captures badass killer whales killing a shark like it's … [Link]

Mashable » Record high spent on political ads despite Donald Trump

Wednesday 4 January 2:48:02 UTC 2017

Donald Trump's presidential campaign treated political conventions with about the same reverence as a wrecking ball does a wall. That holds especially true for ad spending.  Yet even the president-elect's unprecedented disregard for TV ads couldn't stop the sector from growing modestly in the past year.  SEE ALSO: Donald Trump's unprecedented lack of ad spending has hurt local media Spending on … [Link]

Mashable » The Warriors are officially moving to San Francisco. Hopefully it doesn't ruin everything.

Wednesday 4 January 2:36:38 UTC 2017

These are wild times to be a Golden State Warriors fan. These are also — for entirely different reasons — wild times to be a Bay Area resident.  Both stories — Golden State's surge to success and stardom after decades as an NBA doormat, and the Bay Area's rapidly shifting economic landscape amid a tech boom — intersected Tuesday. The Warriors … [Link]

Mashable » This cord-cutting company picks up where Aereo left off

Wednesday 4 January 1:58:56 UTC 2017

Remember Aereo, the startup that tried to offer over-the-air TV via the internet only to have the Supreme Court shut it down? Well, another company is picking up the OTA dream where Aereo left off. Mohu, which describes itself as the "cord cutting company," is launching a product called the AirWave at CES 2017. Similar to Aereo, it lets users watch … [Link]

Slashdot » Tesla Delivered Over 76,000 Vehicles In 2016, Falling Slightly Short of Goal

Wednesday 4 January 1:45:00 UTC 2017

Tesla delivered 76,230 electric vehicles in 2016, falling just shy of its goal of delivering 80,000 cars for the year. The electric carmaker claimed that "short-term production challenges" starting at the end of October were to blame for the shipment of fewer vehicles than anticipated. The Verge reports: Tesla said the transition to new Autopilot hardware resulted in the company's … [Link]

Mashable » Cheaper 'mixed reality' smart glasses that do both AR and VR are coming

Wednesday 4 January 1:42:01 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — Smartphones aren't the only gadgets Qualcomm wants to power.  The mobile chipmaker's upcoming Snapdragon 835 processor will also power a new breed of augmented reality/virtual reality headsets that present mixed reality experiences similar to what Microsoft's HoloLens offers — at a fraction of the cost. SEE ALSO: 10 tech trends that will rule CES 2017 The R8 and … [Link]

Mashable » Now you can watch the NBA in VR using Google's Daydream View

Wednesday 4 January 1:10:19 UTC 2017

Samsung isn't the only company letting people watch live NBA games in virtual reality.  Now, users of Google's Daydream View headset will be able to watch, too.  Back in 2015, professional basketball games in VR made their debut through a partnership with NextVR and the NBA on Samsung's Gear VR. Initially, it was just a test, offering a couple of livestreamed … [Link]

Slashdot » Qualcomm Details Snapdragon 835 Processor

Wednesday 4 January 1:05:00 UTC 2017

Qualcomm has detailed the Snapdragon 835 processor, which will power most of the leading Android smartphones this year. It's designed to grab information from the air at gigabit speeds and turn it into rich virtual and augmented reality experiences, according to several executives at a pre-CES briefing. Qualcomm SVP Keith Kressin said, "The 835 is going to be one of … [Link]

Mashable » Dude's dad is obsessed with a large cube, and Twitter is loving it

Wednesday 4 January 1:04:58 UTC 2017

Did you get yourself a nice Christmas present? Maybe some new underwear or a set of scented candles? Whatever it was, it pales in comparison to this giant white cube owned by the father of Twitter user Rumoko. Yes, a cube. He loves his cube and evidently, so does Twitter. SEE ALSO: Website curates all the stares from 'The Office' into … [Link]

Mashable » Here's the first Periscope live 360 video taken underwater

Wednesday 4 January 0:52:29 UTC 2017

If you wanted to immerse yourself underwater, look no further than Twitter.  Mitch Oates, a digital creator, photographer and surfer from Sydney, Australia, completed the first-ever 360-degree live video underwater on Twitter's Periscope app Tuesday.  SEE ALSO: Periscope could be your 24/7 personal trainer in 2017 Twitter confirmed the achievement to Mashable. The timing shouldn't be that surprising since the company … [Link]

Slashdot » Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate GT 2TB Is World's Largest Capacity Flash Drive

Wednesday 4 January 0:35:00 UTC 2017

BrianFagioli writes: Today, Kingston announced a product that may get people excited about flash drives again. The company has created a 2TB pocket flash drive (also available in 1TB), called DataTraveler Ultimate GT (Generation Terabyte). This is now the world's largest capacity USB flash drive. "Power users will have the ability to store massive amounts of data in a small … [Link]

Mashable » Let Tom Hardy soothe you with the best bedtime story you've ever heard

Wednesday 4 January 0:31:45 UTC 2017

International treasure Tom Hardy may be best known for his intense, often laconic characters in films like Mad Max: Fury Road and The Revenant, but the British thesp is also a father and a dog lover — which explains his latest role.  Hardy (and his dog, Woody) recently appeared on British kids channel CBeebies — which frequently enlists celebrities to … [Link]

Mashable » We're about to find out what part of the solar system NASA will explore next

Wednesday 4 January 0:27:59 UTC 2017

Where do you want to go in the solar system? Venus? A metal-rich asteroid? Well, on Wednesday, NASA will tell us where it's going next.  The space agency is set to announce its choice for one (or possibly even two) of its next big robotic missions that will push our understanding of the solar system to new heights.  SEE ALSO: Mars, … [Link]

Mashable » You can now buy the dual-camera Honor 6X phone in the U.S. and Europe

Wednesday 4 January 0:22:00 UTC 2017

LAS VEGAS — Huawei's sub-branded Honor 6X phone is no mystery — the cheap dual-camera phone was launched in China in October. Now, at CES 2017, the company officially announced the phone's availability in the U.S., the UK and the rest of Europe.  It's a 5.5-inch smartphone with a full HD screen, dual camera on the back (a 12-megapixel sensor plus … [Link]

Mashable » 'Rogue One' reshoots changed more of the movie than we knew

Wednesday 4 January 0:18:32 UTC 2017

It has become a favorite parlor game among Star Wars fans: trying to figure out which scenes in Rogue One were added during the hit movie's highly publicized reshoots last summer. There's plenty of material to keep us guessing; fan-cut videos have collected as many as 46 shots seen in the trailers that didn't make it into the final film.  But … [Link]

Mashable » Tesla falls short on promised car deliveries for the year

Wednesday 4 January 0:11:29 UTC 2017

Tesla has ultimately failed to roll out the number of cars it had repeatedly projected it would in 2016. The electric automaker said Tuesday that it delivered just 76,230 of its Model S and Model X vehicles in the last year, undershooting its promised 80,000 to 90,000. SEE ALSO: Elon Musk says Tesla's upgraded Autopilot might arrive next week The company … [Link]

Mashable » Why you don't need a law to turn off your phone

Wednesday 4 January 0:06:05 UTC 2017

Just because France has officially added restrictions to work-related emails after hours, don't hold your breath that your government will do the same. Instead, follow France's lead and pretend your "right to disconnect" is a law and take it upon yourself to improve your work-life balance. Added bonus, this is the perfect time for starting fresh. It's like France is looking … [Link]

Slashdot » Sensitive Data Stored On Box.com Accounts Accessible Via Search Queries

Wednesday 4 January 0:05:00 UTC 2017

msm1267 writes: Last week Box.com moved quickly and quietly to block search engines from indexing links to confidential data owned by its users. That is after security researcher Markus Neis surfaced private data belonging to a number of Fortune 500 companies via Google, Bing and other search engines. Box.com said it's a classic case of users accidentally oversharing. Neis isn't … [Link]

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