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 » A millennial reports from the NYSE floor on Snapchat's IPO day

Thursday 2 March 23:54:20 UTC 2017

Texts to me: "Why the heck are you at the stock exchange?" It's a great question from a close friend who has known me for 21 years — and knows all too well that I'm not a traditional Wall Street reporter (and definitely didn't change careers to stock trading).  SEE ALSO: Evan Spiegel has already made $1.5 billion off Snapchat's IPO … [Link]

Mashable » 50 million people now pay for Spotify

Thursday 2 March 23:52:07 UTC 2017

Spotify should hit play on a celebratory playlist today.  On Thursday, the company announced it reached 50 million paid subscribers. That's a lot considering it was at 40 million less than six months ago, and only 10 million three years ago.  Thank you to our 50 million subscribers#Spotify50 pic.twitter.com/eXkOV71bwu — Spotify (@Spotify) March 2, 2017 While that's a large number of … [Link]

Mashable » Peter Thiel's surveillance company reportedly ready to help Trump's deportation operation

Thursday 2 March 23:45:41 UTC 2017

Peter Thiel's surveillance company Palantir is reportedly finalizing the digital framework for a potential mass deportation operation, should President Donald Trump decide to go that route. The company is putting the last touches on an intelligence database called Investigative Case Management (ICM), according to The Intercept. The system won't be polished until September, but it's already used by Immigration and Customs … [Link]

Slashdot » Virginia Becomes First State To Legalize Delivery Robots

Thursday 2 March 23:20:00 UTC 2017

According to Recode, Virginia is the first state to pass legislation allowing delivery robots to operate on sidewalks and crosswalks across the state. The law (HB 2016) was signed by the governor last Friday and will go into effect on July 1. Recode reports: The two Virginia lawmakers who sponsored the bill, Ron Villanueva and Bill DeSteph, teamed up with … [Link]

Mashable » 95-year-old comes out as gay and melts all our hearts

Thursday 2 March 22:43:40 UTC 2017

It’s never too late to accept yourself. In his latest video, popular Youtuber Davey Wavey sat down with 96-year-old Roman, who shares his beautiful coming out story — that took place only one year before. SEE ALSO: 'Beauty and the Beast' director reveals Disney's first openly gay character Roman explains that at 95 years old — after being married to his … [Link]

Slashdot » The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Review By Ars Technica

Thursday 2 March 22:40:00 UTC 2017

Kyle Orland writes via Ars Technica: At this point, the Legend of Zelda series operates on a rhythm so predictable you can practically set your watch to it. In a Zelda game, after an extremely slow-paced tutorial, you progress from puzzle-filled dungeon to puzzle-filled dungeon, finding in each one a key item that — coincidentally — is crucial to beating … [Link]

Mashable » Why does Wendy's want to take spicy chicken nuggets away from us?

Thursday 2 March 22:37:32 UTC 2017

Is America's most beloved fast food chain — not McDonalds, heathens, Wendy's — a little bit afraid of love? Last week, Cleveland Local 19 news released a bombshell investigative report, revealing that the chain had been silently removing spicy chicken nuggets from their nationwide menu. Though a few undisclosed cities would be able to keep the nuggets, grief-stricken members of the … [Link]

Mashable » There's going to be a Trump-inspired dating show. Uggghhh.

Thursday 2 March 22:32:30 UTC 2017

Oh noooooo. Just when you thought reality TV was safe. There's going to be a Trump-related dating show.  The idea is from David Goss, the man who created TrumpSingles.com. The site, which launched last year and caters to GOP lovers, is a relative newcomer on the dating scene but has racked up some 37,500 users since the election.  Goss has partnered … [Link]

Mashable » Learn how to speedrun 'Zelda: Breath of the Wild' before it's even out

Thursday 2 March 22:30:16 UTC 2017

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild isn't out yet. It'll be released on March 3. But hey, look at that: someone's already got a route laid out for speedruns. Streamer SethBling received an early Switch and a copy of Zelda after he made his speedrun intentions clear to Nintendo. He's been spending a lot of time playing — … [Link]

Slashdot » One Bitcoin Is Now Worth More Than One Ounce of Gold

Thursday 2 March 22:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: For the first time ever, the price of one bitcoin has surpassed the price of one ounce of gold. While today's swap can be attributed to a good day for bitcoin (up ~3%) and a bad day for gold (down ~1.3%), the big picture is that bitcoin has more than doubled in … [Link]

Mashable » Amazon reveals the cause of massive AWS outage, and it's really embarrassing

Thursday 2 March 21:59:25 UTC 2017

Amazon has finally revealed the cause of the lengthy outage that disrupted service to dozens of internet services for hours — and it's pretty embarrassing. The cause, according to the company, who posted a very wordy explanation on its website Thursday, was "human error." Which sounds bad enough until you find out exactly what the "human error" was: a typo. SEE … [Link]

Mashable » Snapchat teaches investor not to underestimate the power of 🍆🍆🍆 pics

Thursday 2 March 21:57:34 UTC 2017

A company going public means a lotta people get rich. Today that means the CEOs, executives and early investors in Snap Inc., the company once better known for its association with dick pics than its decision to be a "camera company." SEE ALSO: Evan Spiegel has already made $1.5 billion off Snapchat's IPO But not everyone was convinced in the power … [Link]

Mashable » This drone photo shows how much damage was done to a Jewish cemetery

Thursday 2 March 21:53:43 UTC 2017

Perspective sometimes requires taking a step back.  The FBI is trying to figure out who recently knocked down more than 100 headstones at a Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia. This followed an incident in St. Louis, Missouri, in which vandals damaged 200 headstones  at a Jewish cemetery. This week, a Jewish cemetery in Rochester suffered a similar fate.  SEE ALSO: Video of … [Link]

Mashable » Amazon's fulfillment centers will soon run on solar energy

Thursday 2 March 21:32:33 UTC 2017

Our president might not believe in climate change, but Amazon does.  The tech giant on Thursday announced a new commitment to clean energy. Amazon will install solar panels on 15 of its U.S. fulfillment centers this year, and 50 worldwide by 2020.  Amazon's solar panels at centers in California, Delaware, Maryland, Nevada and New Jersey could power up to 80 percent … [Link]

Mashable » Don't be fooled, Snap isn't a 'camera company'

Thursday 2 March 21:31:21 UTC 2017

Kudos to Snapchat AKA Snap — it looks like the company has pulled off a successful IPO without a massive technical glitch or the bottom falling out from under it. It's even managed to penetrate the world of "the olds," at least for a day, dominating the conversation on septuagenarian-favored networks like CNBC and Bloomberg. Just don't call it a camera … [Link]

Mashable » Former 'Dancing with the Stars' competitor named Secretary of Oops, we mean Energy

Thursday 2 March 21:25:49 UTC 2017

Rick Perry is now in charge of the very department he couldn't even remember: the U.S. Department of Energy. But don't worry, Perry, everyone else has remembered your embarrassing gaffe for you.  In honor of Perry's confirmation as Energy Secretary in President Donald Trump's cabinet, someone on Capitol Hill had some fun with his Wikipedia page. Instead of displaying his new … [Link]

Slashdot » NASA's Scott Kelly Shares What He Discovered After a Year In Space

Thursday 2 March 21:21:00 UTC 2017

Kelly, who returned to Earth after 340 days in space last year, is working on a memoir about his experience in the space since, and how he has been seeing the planet since. Two excerpts from his article on Time: The mission that I prepared for was, for the most part, the mission I flew. The data is still being … [Link]

Mashable » After epic drought, parts of California now have too much snow

Thursday 2 March 21:14:49 UTC 2017

Finally. California, which has endured more than five years of epic drought that forced officials to institute unprecedented water use restrictions, now may have too much of a good thing.  A snowpack that in some places is twice the typical amount for this time of year threatens to cause spring flooding, depending on how quickly it melts. This snow continues to … [Link]

Mashable » 'The future that liberals want' is here, it's now and it's a meme

Thursday 2 March 21:01:17 UTC 2017

What is the future that liberals want?  That's the question everyone's asking (and meme-ing) after rando right wing political Twitter account @polNewsNetwork1—what, @polNewsNetwork was already taken?—sent out a tweet trying to criticize liberals on Wednesday: This is the future that liberals wantpic.twitter.com/QwterpqQbH — /pol/ News Network (@polNewsNetwork1) March 1, 2017 The tweet reads "this is the future that liberals want," alongside … [Link]

Slashdot » Uber Ex-engineer Who Alleged Sexism Retains Lawyer

Thursday 2 March 21:01:00 UTC 2017

Marco della Cava and Jessica Guynn, writing for USA Today: The former Uber engineer whose critical blog post has stirred a storm of controversy for the ride-hailing giant has retained an attorney, charging that her former employer is blaming her for a rash of app deletions. Susan Fowler, whose Feb. 19 essay detailed myriad examples of sexism, tweeted Thursday that … [Link]

Mashable » Ed Sheeran would like to do a digital duet with you

Thursday 2 March 21:00:30 UTC 2017

It’s time to channel your inner Taylor Swift for an Ed Sheeran duet.  Just ahead of the release of Divide, Sheeran has teamed up with Smule's Sing! Karaoke app to give you a chance to make sweet harmonies with him.  Here's your first listen of his vocal takes for the app singing "Castle on the Hill." SEE ALSO: Ed Sheeran will … [Link]

Popular Science » Amazon Echo and the internet of things that spy on you

Thursday 2 March 20:57:00 UTC 2017

Technology An upcoming court case could determine the sanctity of what is said between a person and a bot in a home Amazon doesn't need to, but in a recent court case it makes a broad argument for the privacy of conversations with robots. Read on. [Link]

Popular Science » A new opioid could provide pain relief—without causing addiction

Thursday 2 March 20:55:30 UTC 2017

Health If it works in humans, anyway A group of researchers have developed a new opioid pain medicine that selectively targets inflamed tissues only. Read on. [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » How The Streetlayer API Lets You do Real-time, International Address Validation and Autocomplete

Thursday 2 March 20:53:33 UTC 2017

Introduction Streetlayer is a straightforward white label API solution for real time international address validation, autocomplete and geocoding. Whether you're looking for a solution to clean your customer database or validate customer data as it enters your system, streetlayer may be right for you. [Link]

Mashable » Fun dad allows family dog to get a very unfortunate haircut

Thursday 2 March 20:44:00 UTC 2017

The idea behind taking your dog to a groomer's is that the dog will look better afterwards.  Sometimes, though, the dog ends up looking worse. Ruff life. SEE ALSO: Grooming their way to doggie Insta-glory This happened to Beau's family dog on Tuesday, when his dad took the dog for an impromptu haircut. It did not go well. Before and after … [Link]

Mashable » 7 March video games to get hyped about, plus a new console

Thursday 2 March 20:43:07 UTC 2017

At what point can we realistically say the Q1 2017 calendar for video games delivers more quality than holiday 2016? I think we're officially there. March 2017 continues an epic run of game releases that's included Gravity Rush 2 (Jan. 18), Resident Evil VII (Jan. 24), Nioh (Feb. 7), For Honor (Feb. 14), Sniper Elite 4 (Feb. 14), and — most … [Link]

Slashdot » AI Scientists Gather to Plot Doomsday Scenarios

Thursday 2 March 20:41:00 UTC 2017

Dina Bass, reporting for Bloomberg: Artificial intelligence boosters predict a brave new world of flying cars and cancer cures. Detractors worry about a future where humans are enslaved to an evil race of robot overlords. Veteran AI scientist Eric Horvitz and Doomsday Clock guru Lawrence Krauss, seeking a middle ground, gathered a group of experts in the Arizona desert to … [Link]

Mashable » Here's what happened to all the leftover Oscars food this year

Thursday 2 March 20:34:04 UTC 2017

Thanks to a group initiative and the help of one inspiring actress, the large amounts of leftover food from this year's Oscars ceremony did not go to waste. Freida Pinto, actress, activist and Global Citizen Ambassador, teamed up with Copia — a San Francisco-based company that uses technology to reduce waste and feed communities in need — to ensure all those … [Link]

Popular Science » Researchers in Japan just created a tiny, amoeba-inspired robot

Thursday 2 March 20:23:36 UTC 2017

Technology Micrometer machines This tiny robot flails around like an amoeba. Check it out. [Link]

Mashable » Sean Spicer mistakenly announced Donald Trump as the new HUD secretary

Thursday 2 March 20:11:50 UTC 2017

On Thursday's installment of "Spice World," White House press secretary Sean Spicer sent out a tweet mistakenly announcing that Donald Trump — the current U.S. president — was confirmed as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Our condolences to Ben Carson. SEE ALSO: Sean Spicer's WHOIS data is public for everyone to see Image: Twitter/Archive.isThe swiftly-deleted tweet was the latest … [Link]

Mashable » Firefighters rescue mischievous husky from roof twice in 1 hour

Thursday 2 March 20:09:16 UTC 2017

A very good dog did some very bad things, but he's still a very good dog. The Nanticoke City Fire Department in Pennsylvania responded to a public assist call on Monday after a mischievous husky managed to break free from its prison for some fresh air on the roof. The dog's humans weren't at home but the firefighters were able to … [Link]

Mashable » This photographer is documenting the resistance — and donating the pictures

Thursday 2 March 20:01:52 UTC 2017

David Moriya hasn't had a break from work in weeks. A freelance photographer with a full plate of scheduled headshots and concerts to shoot, Moriya has recently taken on a new gig: documenting the resistance to President Donald Trump and his administration. He calls it the Resistance Photography Project, and he's donating his most striking images to nonprofits, free of charge, … [Link]

Slashdot » Google Increases Gmail Attachment Limit To 50MB For Recipients

Thursday 2 March 20:01:00 UTC 2017

Mark Wilson, writing for BetaNews: With Gmail you can now receive attachments up to 50MB in size. It's important to note that the new attachment limit only applies to incoming email. Google would much rather you make use of Google Drive if you want to send large files to people. When it comes to sending files, you are limited to … [Link]

Mashable » Watch a bewildered Jaden Smith share facts about the universe

Thursday 2 March 19:51:22 UTC 2017

The world's deepest teen on Twitter has made some time with the good folks at Vanity Fair to bestow even more wisdom upon us.  Jaden Smith kindly decided to share a series of random universe facts with us while looking completely baffled, a facial expression that is probably not far from his normal demeanor.  We have no idea how accurate … [Link]

Mashable » Google really, really wants you to try messaging with Allo, please

Thursday 2 March 19:45:42 UTC 2017

While it's not clear if anyone still uses it—a poll from Droid Life suggests maybe not—Google announced three new features for its messaging app Allo on Thursday. The app now includes GIF search, animated emoji and one-tap help from Google Assistant.  SEE ALSO: Texting on Android will soon get a lot better Google Assistant isn't exactly a new feature. Previously, users … [Link]

Popular Science » The woolly mammoth die-off was even sadder than you think

Thursday 2 March 19:45:14 UTC 2017

Environment Rest in peace, big guys A new study documents the woolly mammoth's final somber centuries in isolation and the devastating “genomic meltdown” that killed the species off for good. [Link]

Mashable » Susan Fowler to Uber: Come at me bro

Thursday 2 March 19:44:01 UTC 2017

Uber just doesn't know when to quit. And Susan Fowler Rigetti is ready.  The former Uber engineer whose explosive blog post detailed alleged sexual harassment and HR negligence at the company, claims the ride-hail giant is now blaming her for the rash of account deletions following her Feb. 19 post and has hired a law firm to investigate her. In turn, … [Link]

Mashable » Those Peeps Oreos are apparently turning tongues (and other stuff) hot pink

Thursday 2 March 19:43:11 UTC 2017

Some Oreo fans are learning that there can, for sure, be too much of a good thing.  According to a few frantic tweets, new Peep-flavored Oreos are turning tongues (among other things) pink. The cookies, inspired by the marshmallow treat, features a hot pink creme filling with potential to temporarily render mouths totally neon. You know, like the lollipops of your … [Link]

Mashable » Somebody made a spot-on Facebook Friendversary video for Trump and Putin

Thursday 2 March 19:30:50 UTC 2017

If anything can help us through the terrifying political warzone that is 2017, it is poignant Facebook satire.  The Nix Bros., who are known for their short and often political comedy videos, put together one of those Facebook Friendversary videos (that we all love and always view and publish whenever the option is available) of the two most notorious friends … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Artificial embryo grown in a dish from two types of stem cells

Thursday 2 March 19:30:00 UTC 2017

For the first time, researchers have made something resembling a mouse embryo without using an egg cell, allowing them to probe the early steps of development [Link]

Slashdot » Instant Messaging App Snapchat-Maker Snap's IPO Opened Trading At $24 a Share, Making the Company Worth $33 Billion

Thursday 2 March 19:25:00 UTC 2017

Snap, the company behind instant messaging app Snapchat, went public this morning at price that values the loss-making tech company at $33 billion. Here's how the investors are valuing the company: At $33 billion, investors are saying Snap is worth 35 times what it's estimated to generate in sales this year, or about $936 million, according to eMarketer. Compare that … [Link]

Mashable » How Derek Jeter's once-mocked startup became a sports media powerhouse

Thursday 2 March 19:24:14 UTC 2017

CHRISTOPHER MINESES/ MASHABLEFor the better part of 20 years, Derek Jeter ruled New York like few celebrities before or since.He wore the Yankees’ pinstripes from 1995 to 2014, racking up more hits than anyone who wore them before. Was called “Mr. November” for his habit of coming up huge en route to five World Series titles, and “The Captain” because that’s … [Link]

Popular Science » Why hasn't anyone invented electricity-generating rain gutters?

Thursday 2 March 19:19:00 UTC 2017

Technology The power they would provide isn't worth the effort Electricity-generating rain gutters are possible, yes. But effective? Not so much. [Link]

Mashable » Lorde is back with a euphoric breakup song, 'Green Light'

Thursday 2 March 19:15:21 UTC 2017

Lorde as a woman scorned is furious, yes, but thriving.  After an appropriate dose of mystery, Lorde dropped her new single, "Green Light," Thursday, the first off her album, Melodrama.  "She things you love the beach, but you're a damn liar," she sneers. In the video, she dances around town shaking her legendary head of hair under lights of varying … [Link]

Mashable » Meet Orisa, the 24th 'Overwatch' hero

Thursday 2 March 19:07:54 UTC 2017

This is Orisa, a quadrupedal robot with an automatic projectile cannon for an arm, and she is the latest hero to join the Overwatch roster. Revealed today, Orisa is a new, versatile tank hero playable on the public test region on PC now and coming soon to all platforms. She is an omnic modeled after OR-15 defensive bots and was built … [Link]

Mashable » Apple's USB-C plans might not kill the Lightning connector

Thursday 2 March 18:57:17 UTC 2017

Calm down, Apple fans. We're probably not going to lose the Lightning connector — not with the iPhone 8, at least. The Wall Street Journal dropped a bombshell on the tech world earlier this week with a report claiming Apple's upcoming iPhone 8 will ditch the company's standard Lightning connector in favor of a USB-C port. This would be a huge … [Link]

Mashable » Young fan saves the day during intense college basketball game

Thursday 2 March 18:52:35 UTC 2017

We've got a new sports hero on our hands that will could join the same ranks as Ali, Ruth, Robinson and DiMaggio. After the ball was knocked over the backboard and got stuck behind the rim at a Fresno State- Boise State basketball game, this young kid saved the day when he was hoisted onto the backboard framework and retrieved … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Citi Launches CitiConnect API

Thursday 2 March 18:50:00 UTC 2017

Citi, through its Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) group, has launched the CitiConnect API: a solution for payment initiation, status and account balance inquiries. The API provides access to CitiConnect, Citi's existing connectivity platform. The API allows clients to connect directly with Citi for access via third party apps like treasury management software and ERP systems. [Link]

Mashable » Kristen Stewart says text messages are kinda ghosts and who are we to argue?

Thursday 2 March 18:49:49 UTC 2017

In a way, Kristen Stewart texts you every single day just to see how you're doing. And in another, actually real way, your relationship with Kristen Stewart is completely in your head but still yours to keep.  The actress, who is promoting her new film about a girl haunted by her brother's ghost, Personal Shopper, thinks text messages and social media … [Link]

Slashdot » An Incorrect Command Entered By Employee Triggered Disruptions To S3 Storage Service, Knocking Down Dozens of Websites, Amazon Says

Thursday 2 March 18:46:00 UTC 2017

Amazon is apologizing for the disruptions to its S3 storage service that knocked down and — in some cases affected — dozens of websites earlier this week. The company also outlined what caused the issue — the event was triggered by human error. The company said an authorized S3 team member using an established playbook executed a command which was … [Link]

Mashable » Netflix teases Dave Chappelle's return

Thursday 2 March 18:44:31 UTC 2017

It's almost time. Netflix on Thursday uploaded a very short teaser to promote comedian Dave Chappelle's upcoming specials for the streaming service, his first in 12 years. The first special will be an original produced by Chappelle and director Stan Lathan. Netflix said in November that two more never-before-seen episodes will come directly from Chappelle's "personal comedy vault." The comedian's … [Link]

Mashable » Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman reveal what they'd tell their 'X-Men' characters

Thursday 2 March 18:29:49 UTC 2017

Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart having been playing their X-Men characters for 17 years. That much time creates an indelible relationship between character and actor, and if they could meet their alter-egos, they'd want to say thanks. SEE ALSO: 'Logan' is dark, desperate and violent — and critics love it "This has been a character that I've loved playing. I … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Why the dark net is more resilient to attack than the internet

Thursday 2 March 18:14:00 UTC 2017

The dark net is less vulnerable to massive cyberattacks than the regular internet. A network theory analysis puts this down to its unique structure [Link]

Mashable » Snap had a very special, very Snapchat lens for its IPO day that you can't get

Thursday 2 March 18:10:24 UTC 2017

On the outside of the New York Stock Exchange Thursday, Snap Inc.'s IPO looked rather boring. A yellow background. A black font. Simply the name: Snap Inc.  TBH this could use the ghost logo $SNAP pic.twitter.com/DPTw37KjAi — Kerry Flynn 🐶 (@kerrymflynn) March 2, 2017 It seemed so stale for a company beloved by millennials (including me) for its puppy filters and … [Link]

Slashdot » Skin deep? Robots To Wear Real Human Tissue

Thursday 2 March 18:01:00 UTC 2017

Scientists are already growing muscles, bones, and mini-organs in the lab. But these tissues are generally small and simple. That's why two scientists from Oxford University are proposing that we use humanoid robots to grow engineered tissues instead. From a report: Robots dressed in human flesh would benefit people who need tissue transplants, Oxford University researchers have said this week. … [Link]

Mashable » Meet the 35-year-old guy who is running the NYSE’s Snapchat account

Thursday 2 March 17:56:52 UTC 2017

When I arrived at the New York Stock Exchange check-in Thursday at the crack of dawn (a.k.a. 8 a.m.), I told the security guard, Juan, I was there to be a guest on live-streaming media outlet Cheddar and to interview a so-called “Matthew Kobach.”  SEE ALSO: Snapchat shares will likely cost $17 each on their debut He grinned and said, “Oh, … [Link]

Popular Science » Data limits are the worst—here's how to stay under yours

Thursday 2 March 17:52:57 UTC 2017

DIY The data must flow Your phone data allowance can disappear very quickly thanks to today's data-hungry apps, but there are some simple ways of putting up limits on your phone or tablet. [Link]

Mashable » America's dad Tom Hanks gifts the White House press corps a new coffee machine

Thursday 2 March 17:49:54 UTC 2017

Tom Hanks — actor, director, national treasure — cares about you and wants you to stay well-caffeinated when you have an important job to do so, naturally, he's sent yet another espresso machine to the White House press corps.  SEE ALSO: America's Dad Tom Hanks wrote a book A few members of the press corps tweeted about the breaking development in … [Link]

Popular Science » Is the Anthropocene really a thing? Minerals we've helped create rekindle the debate.

Thursday 2 March 17:47:23 UTC 2017

Science These 208 minerals were all caused by human activities Minerals are tricky things. We just made it even more difficult. [Link]

Mashable » Wearable for your dick wants to measure thrusts, girth and warn you about STIs

Thursday 2 March 17:44:16 UTC 2017

These days you can track just about anything with the aid of a wearable device — your steps, your calories burned, and even how soundly you sleep at night. So, it makes sense that you should also be able to measure what your penis gets up to during sex. That's precisely what the i.Con aims to achieve.  SEE ALSO: Meet Lovely, … [Link]

Mashable » Disney drops fun first 'DuckTales' trailer

Thursday 2 March 17:25:50 UTC 2017

Huey, Dewey, Louie and the gang are ready for their close up. Cable channel Disney XD teased the anticipated TV revival of DuckTales on Thursday with a new trailer (above). Season 1 of the show, executive produced by Matt Youngberg, will be 21 half-hour episodes and two one-hour specials. SEE ALSO: Let the star-studded cast of Disney's 'DuckTales' reboot sing … [Link]

Mashable » Nintendo Switch brings back the widely reviled Friend Codes

Thursday 2 March 17:24:01 UTC 2017

No one rains on Nintendo's parade quite like Nintendo itself. While the gaming internet raves about how sensational the new Zelda game is, Nintendo's just-deployed day one update for the Switch — out March 3 — exposes a darker truth about the new console. Friend codes are back. SEE ALSO: This isn't a Nintendo Switch review, but it'll help you decide … [Link]

Slashdot » Chevrolet To Offer Unlimited Data Plan With Cars

Thursday 2 March 17:21:00 UTC 2017

Chevrolet has become the first carmaker to offer an unlimited data plan with its cars. From a report on BBC: The deal, for a 4G LTE data plan, applies to cars sold in the US from 3 March and will cost $20 a month. It is being offered with the help of US carrier OnStar and will see vehicles fitted … [Link]

Popular Science » Someone paid $15,000 for a chunk of mold and honestly what a steal

Thursday 2 March 17:18:47 UTC 2017

Health It probably saved your life You probably owe your life to fungus. And someone just paid almost $15K for it. But it might not be the original. [Link]

Mashable » Restaurant owner won't let scathing Yelp review get away with 'alternative facts'

Thursday 2 March 17:13:54 UTC 2017

Not everyone knows how to act when in restaurants. Sorry, folks, but the customer isn't always right.  While business review services like Yelp and Trip Advisor can offer valuable insight and influence your night out on the town, anyone with a computer can write a negative review. There's bound to be some inaccurate accounts from both patrons and restaurant owners defending … [Link]

Mashable » French far-right leader at risk of jail time after tweet of violent images

Thursday 2 March 17:06:23 UTC 2017

The leader of the French far right may yet have her career derailed by a few tweets.  Marine Le Pen, who regularly denounces Islam and leads the far-right National Front party, has a legitimate shot at the presidency. But she's been under investigation for tweeting graphic photos related to the Islamic State in December, including an image of the beheading of … [Link]

Mashable » What it’s like to set a land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats

Thursday 2 March 16:57:34 UTC 2017

The Possible: "Speed Machine"For the past 100 years, world records have been broken at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. After receiving a postcard from the Flats when he was a boy, Keith Copeland found his calling: building and racing cars — and going very, very fast while doing itIn Episode 3 of The Possible — directed by Jiro Dreams of … [Link]

Mashable » Elon Musk just took advice from a super smart 5th grader

Thursday 2 March 16:52:28 UTC 2017

Is Elon Musk smarter than a fifth grader? In some respects, sure. But apparently not when it comes to advertising.  On Wednesday night, Bria, a fifth grade "green fan" of Musk's company, Tesla, blew the billionaire's mind by writing him a letter suggesting an innovative advertising idea. SEE ALSO: Elon Musk: 'Getting in a car will be just like getting in … [Link]

Popular Science » Counterfeit drugs are putting the whole world at risk

Thursday 2 March 16:51:55 UTC 2017

Health Even if you don't buy the fake pharmaceuticals yourself Poor quality and outright fake medicines are a serious public health threat. Read on. [Link]

Slashdot » 'Robots Won't Just Take Our Jobs — They'll Make the Rich Even Richer'

Thursday 2 March 16:41:00 UTC 2017

Robotics and artificial intelligence will continue to improve — but without political change such as a tax, the outcome will range from bad to apocalyptic, writes technology and politics journalist Ben Tarnoff, citing experts and studies, for The Guardian. From the article, shared by six anonymous readers: Despite a steady stream of alarming headlines about clever computers gobbling up our … [Link]

Mashable » Turkeys ritualistically circling a dead cat is as beautiful as it is frightening

Thursday 2 March 16:40:16 UTC 2017

Prepare yourself. You are about to witness probably one of the weirdest, confusing things you will ever see. This is not a joke. I'm freaking out. SEE ALSO: Just a load of animals with pancakes because humans are weird Twitter user J… saw a group wild turkeys circling a dead cat in the street, as if they were performing some kind … [Link]

Mashable » Future iPhones may have something in common with Fruit Roll-Ups

Thursday 2 March 16:29:19 UTC 2017

Apple’s far-flung concepts for a future iPhone seem to be inspired by a famous snack food.  The company's latest patent filing, brought to light by AppleInsider, describes a bold new build with a super-flexible OLED screen that retracts into a compact package like a scroll—or better yet, a Fruit Roll-Up.       SEE ALSO: Now is the absolute worst time to buy … [Link]

Mashable » Cool, cool there are ghost sharks in the new 'Pirates' trailer

Thursday 2 March 16:26:57 UTC 2017

Captain Jack is back and fighting an army of undead sailors — again. 14 years after Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl introduced the world to Johnny Depp's scalawag hero and made pirates cool again, the franchise is still inexplicably plodding on, but now toward a clear finale. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No … [Link]

Mashable » Trans teen gets some big-time tech support in Supreme Court case

Thursday 2 March 16:13:51 UTC 2017

Transgender teen Gavin Grimm has received the backing of dozens of corporations — including heavyweights like Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and Twitter — have signed on to a "friend of the court" brief backing Grimm in his case against his school district over bathroom choice. SEE ALSO: Tech companies blast Trump for transgender rights reversal The brief, put together by the Human … [Link]

Mashable » Schoolchildren honor their dead goldfish with a fiery Viking-style sendoff to Valhalla

Thursday 2 March 16:11:57 UTC 2017

The children of the Papdale Primary School in Kirkwall, Orkney, decided that a toilet bowl funeral wasn't good enough for their beloved class pets — two goldfish named Bubbles and Freddy. Instead, they decided to give the fish the fiery Viking-style sendoff they deserved. SEE ALSO: This transparent bowl swing is what cat dreams are made of The Primary 3 and … [Link]

Mashable » Evan Spiegel has already made $1.5 billion off Snapchat's IPO

Thursday 2 March 16:10:25 UTC 2017

Evan Spiegel was already a very rich man. But by the end of the day today, he'll be an even richer man. Snap, Inc. — the company behind Snapchat — started trading Thursday morning in its initial public offering at the New York Stock Exchange. Going public means that $SNAP can start publicly trading as a stock, meaning you can go … [Link]

Mashable » 'Logan' is dark, desperate and violent — and critics love it

Thursday 2 March 16:03:18 UTC 2017

Welcome back, bub. This weekend marks the opening of Logan, the tenth official X-Men film and Hugh Jackman's last turn in a career-defining role as Logan/Wolverine. With an R rating and copious, furious fight sequences, Logan is already being compared to last year's superhero anomaly and to classic Westerns and road movies. It's performing in the ninetieth percentile on Rotten … [Link]

Slashdot » Fed Up Indian IT Professionals Want To Be Able To Leave Their Jobs Sooner

Thursday 2 March 16:01:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader shares a report: India's major IT firms have long required their employees to give a three-month, "non-negotiable" notice before leaving the company, but they could be soon forced to change that. Fed-up IT professionals from across India have reached out to the government, complaining that it is "unrealistic" for anyone to plan that far ahead. Over 28,000 … [Link]

Mashable » Subway swears its chicken is chicken and releases its own study

Thursday 2 March 15:56:00 UTC 2017

The subway chicken war isn't over. A poultry analysis of various fast food restaurants from CBC Marketplace last week found that Subway's chicken may actually contain less chicken DNA than one would hope. Obviously, Subway wasn't too pleased with this study, and after releasing multiple statements disputing the report and demanding the piece be retracted, it released its own study. The … [Link]

Mashable » Hillary supporters will probably get pretty angry after reading this

Thursday 2 March 15:54:47 UTC 2017

The spokeswoman for President Trump's attorney general Jeff Sessions has reportedly used her personal Gmail account for a statement to the media.  SEE ALSO: After Elizabeth Warren is shut down, people demand Senate #LetLizSpeak The statement was in response to a Washington Post report that Sessions met the Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the U.S. presidential campaign, despite telling his confirmation … [Link]

Mashable » The new Interior secretary rode a horse to work because why not

Thursday 2 March 15:52:15 UTC 2017

Most people might don a sharp suit or iron their shirt on their first day at a new job. But Ryan Zinke is not most people. He prefers a horse. SEE ALSO: There's a serious danger to the soft climate denial pedaled by Trump's cabinet picks On Thursday morning, the newly confirmed U.S. Interior secretary arrived to his office on horseback. … [Link]

Mashable » Twitter will live stream more than a dozen esports tournaments in 2017

Thursday 2 March 15:51:18 UTC 2017

Twitter is teaming up with two of the biggest esports organizations in the world to live stream more than a dozen esports events as well as original esports content including a 30-minute weekly show. Twitter announced a partnership today with esports tournament organizations ESL and DreamHack to stream more than 15 ESL One, Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) and DreamHack tournaments throughout … [Link]

Mashable » Jennifer Lopez's backup dancers stole the show and got engaged during a concert

Thursday 2 March 15:46:20 UTC 2017

Backup dancers finally come to the front of the stage.  During JLo's Las Vegas show earlier in the week, fans were treated to an unexpected surprise when Lopez's longtime backup dancer Lake Smits took over the microphone to propose to fellow dancer Tera Perez. Smits and Perez were center stage as he dropped to one knee and pulled out a ring. … [Link]

Mashable » Celebrate the northern lights in the UK with these beautiful images

Thursday 2 March 15:31:43 UTC 2017

The mesmerising northern lights made an appearance Wednesday evening in the northern parts of Scotland and England.  Social media flooded with pictures of the beautiful light show, which scientists say could become a less frequent sight in the UK.   SEE ALSO: The alien planets of TRAPPIST-1 are already inspiring great art, poetry, and writing In an interview with the BBC, … [Link]

Mashable » Jimmy Fallon challenges Jennifer Lopez to the weirdest dance battle you'll ever see

Thursday 2 March 15:31:11 UTC 2017

If anyone can convince us a dance move based on "putting on skinny jeans" is the new nae nae, it's Jennifer Lopez and Jimmy Fallon.  The two showed us what they've got with a dance battle that involved a lot of imagination when the musician stopped by The Tonight Show Wednesday night. Lopez and Fallon engaged in a fierce competition … [Link]

Mashable » Denny's tweets pretty clever, internet-approved 'zoom in on the nose' meme

Thursday 2 March 15:27:04 UTC 2017

Brands, especially fast food brands, are usually pretty terrible at using pop culture references to sell their product. Any time they try to use a meme, it just comes off as sad and derivative. But every once in a while, we see a brand apply a meme so effectively that we just have to give them the respect that they are … [Link]

Slashdot » Laid-Off IT Workers Worry US Is Losing Tech Jobs To Outsourcing

Thursday 2 March 15:21:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader shares a CIO article: Sixty-three-year-old Bob Zhang is worried about the future of tech jobs in the U.S. Will the high-paying positions be a thing of the past? Zhang thinks it's already starting to happen. He's one of 79 IT workers from the University of California, San Francisco, who've been laid off. Tuesday was their last day … [Link]

Mashable » Mom taking a secret selfie gets caught in the act by her nosey daughter

Thursday 2 March 15:04:13 UTC 2017

Who said selfies are just for the teens? Twitter user Itati lopez posted this video of her mom taking a selfie thinking no one was around. Her reaction is absolutely priceless:  I still cant get over my moms reaction😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/UAfCJS4IzO — Itati lopez (@itati_lopez) February 28, 2017 Note the sunglasses, the lighting and the angled peace sign pose: all the makings … [Link]

Mashable » Flame-throwing drones make for badass trash removers

Thursday 2 March 14:44:40 UTC 2017

That has got to be the most intense way to clean a power line. Chinese companies have engineered an fiery way of removing trash that hangs from power lines. They're literally torching them with flame-throwing drones.  Right, that's not scary at all. Read more…More about Power Line, Drone, China, Torching, and Torch [Link]

Mashable » India is launching its second moon mission early next year

Thursday 2 March 14:42:22 UTC 2017

India is gearing up for its second moon mission next year, a decade after its first.  The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is now testing out its lunar landing system to be sure it can safely touchdown on the lunar surface. SEE ALSO: India's space agency says it can build a space station but it won't Chandrayaan 2, as the mission … [Link]

Slashdot » A Norwegian Website Is Making Readers Pass a Quiz Before Commenting

Thursday 2 March 14:41:00 UTC 2017

Joseph Lichterman, writing for Nieman Lab: Two weeks ago, NRKbeta, the tech vertical of the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, published an explainer about a proposed new digital surveillance law in the country. Digital security is a controversial topic, and the conversation around security issues can become heated. But the conversation in the comments of the article was respectful and productive: … [Link]

Mashable » Look under the hoods of the fastest cars on the planet

Thursday 2 March 14:15:00 UTC 2017

The fastest cars in the world race every year on the salt flats of Bonneville. We took a look into the science of creating these cars. After digging into the video above, feel free to see what it's like to go 380 mph in VR. Take that VR journey in the latest episode of 'The Possible' by downloading the app … [Link]

Popular Science » 12 ways to introduce your kids to their new best friend: science

Thursday 2 March 14:06:00 UTC 2017

DIY Kits to get them hooked. 12 awesome kits to get your kids hooked on science. Read on. [Link]

Slashdot » Netflix Uses AI in Its New Codec To Compress Video Scene By Scene

Thursday 2 March 14:01:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader shares a Quartz report: Annoying pauses in your streaming movies are going to become less common, thanks to a new trick Netflix is rolling out. It's using artificial intelligence techniques to analyze each shot in a video and compress it without affecting the image quality, thus reducing the amount of data it uses. The new encoding method … [Link]

Mashable » Wedding dress made from Taco Bell burrito wrappers is anything but mild

Thursday 2 March 13:53:46 UTC 2017

Diane Nguyen is on a quest to prove her love … of Taco Bell. The bride-to-be and her fiancé, Nick Ward, want to win a wedding at Las Vegas' Taco Bell Church, a prize currently up for grabs in the fast food chain's Love and Tacos contest. So, to stand out from the crowd, Nguyen did what any ambitious bride would … [Link]

Mashable » Apparently Unreal's gaming engine can render realistic cars on film in real time

Thursday 2 March 13:46:33 UTC 2017

By combining a modular, motion-capped car, a 360-degree camera and some real-time work from Unreal Engine 4, Chevrolet created an impressive short film featuring two augmented reality cars racing against each other. The behind the scenes video above shows off  On the surface, the short film — called The Human Race — doesn't seem super special, until you learn that … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Empathy device lets a friend’s brain signals move your hand

Thursday 2 March 13:40:00 UTC 2017

One person’s brain activity triggers hand gestures in another person in a muscle stimulation system aimed at communicating mood and encouraging empathy [Link]

Mashable » Backstreet Boys are still 'Larger Than Life' as they kick off Vegas residency

Thursday 2 March 13:36:41 UTC 2017

After 24 years on the road together, the Backstreet Boys are most assuredly still larger than life, and now they have the residency to prove it. On the opening night of their 26-show stint at Planet Hollywood's AXIS auditorium in Las Vegas, the quintet (Nick Carter, Brian Littrell, Kevin Richardson, A. J. McLean and Howie Dorough) powered through an energetic setlist … [Link]

Mashable » Man opens bag of crisps to find only one inside. Yes, you read that right.

Thursday 2 March 13:16:36 UTC 2017

There’s a special place in hell for brands that don't fill crisp packets.  But this is beyond words.  A guy from Nottingham just wanted to eat his Waitrose's crinkle cut crisps. He opened the pack to find one miserable crisp inside.  One. Just one.  Yes, that's correct. ONE.  "That's a new sort of scrimping on crisps, innit?" he said in a … [Link]

Slashdot » Sorry, Apple, the Headphone Jack Isn't Going Anywhere

Thursday 2 March 13:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Rob Pegoraro via Yahoo Finance: Two things unite almost every phone on display here at Mobile World Congress 2017: Android and a headphone jack. Apple doesn't exhibit its wares at this trade show, so the domination of Google's operating system is predictable. But the headphone jack's persistence did not look so inevitable when … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Climbing plants use taste to avoid clinging to other weak vines

Thursday 2 March 12:54:00 UTC 2017

Vines seem able to detect chemicals in vines of their own kind when they touch them, and will uncoil their tendrils to seek a sturdier plant to climb up [Link]

Mashable » Fed up Indian IT professionals want to be able to leave their jobs sooner

Thursday 2 March 12:24:14 UTC 2017

India’s major IT firms have long required their employees to give a three-month, "non-negotiable" notice before leaving the company, but they could be soon forced to change that.  SEE ALSO: Trump's H-1B Visa Bill spooks India's IT companies Fed-up IT professionals from across India have reached out to the government, complaining that it is "unrealistic" for anyone to plan that far … [Link]

New Scientist – News » First hint of how DNA calculators could supercharge computing

Thursday 2 March 12:20:00 UTC 2017

A machine made of DNA offers a new concept for a non-deterministic universal Turing machine that could solve problems faster than existing computers [Link]

Mashable » Ed Sheeran will sing about going 90 mph, but doesn't condone driving that fast

Thursday 2 March 12:07:23 UTC 2017

Ed Sheeran's latest album features an ode to his home of Suffolk called "Castle on a Hill." In it, the singer reminisces about friendship, coming of age, and drives down open country roads. SEE ALSO: Ed Sheeran celebrated the 7-year anniversary of his career with a sweet throwback One of his lyrics goes, "I'm on my way, driving at 90 down … [Link]

Mashable » Why this Indian state banned Pepsi and Coke and then revoked it

Thursday 2 March 11:46:32 UTC 2017

First, a ban was announced. Then, it was effected. Now, it has been lifted within a day. Yes, the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu cannot make up its mind on how to deal with international beverage-makers Pepsi and Coca-Cola that were accused of exploiting ground water resources.  SEE ALSO: Coca-Cola's Latest Facebook Gambit: URL Riddles The ban, which was effective … [Link]

Mashable » Here's a device that make dads feel pregnant. Hey, why are you running away? Come baaaack!

Thursday 2 March 11:30:00 UTC 2017

Every pregnant woman has wished she could transfer the bizarre and often painful experience of carrying a watermelon-sized creature in her abdomen to her partner. But has an ambitious startup finally figured out a way? Ehhh, sadly, that's a big fat nope. The Fibo, which was created by Danish company First Bond Wearables, is essentially a bracelet that's meant to give … [Link]

Mashable » Emma Watson is being called a 'hypocrite' because of this braless photo

Thursday 2 March 11:22:48 UTC 2017

Emma Watson has been labeled a "hypocrite" after posing braless in a high fashion cover shoot for Vanity Fair.  SEE ALSO: Gloria Steinem refuses to talk sh*t about Emma Watson, obviously It seems that, even in 2017, people are still confused about what it means to be a feminist.Vanity Fair's feature examines Watson's "metamorphosis from child star to leading woman". She … [Link]

Mashable » Japan is planning toilets for all genders at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Thursday 2 March 11:15:52 UTC 2017

Tokyo’s city government is seeking to install universal-use toilets for all genders in Olympic and Paralympic venues, according to the Asahi Shimbun.  The city, which will host the upcoming 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, will consider building at least one unisex toilet in seven of the 11 venues being built by the city government. Larger facilities will see a few of the … [Link]

Mashable » Nintendo just reinvented 'Zelda' in the best damn way

Thursday 2 March 11:00:00 UTC 2017

So long, Link to the Past. Peace out, Ocarina of Time. A new "best Zelda" has joined the fray, and it makes quite a case for itself. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — out for Switch and Wii U on March 3 — is a ground-up reinvention. You haven't ever played a Zelda game like this before, though … [Link]

Mashable » Seth Meyers has no time for media 'salivating' over more presidential Trump

Thursday 2 March 10:56:18 UTC 2017

For his latest Closer Look segment, Seth Meyers has a new target: the media that  “salivated over the possibility of a more presidential Trump" after his first address to Congress.  SEE ALSO: An orange alligator exists and people are calling it 'Trumpigator' Meyers, who last month slammed Donald Trump for his inconsistencies about the wall, mocked the media for "obsessing" … [Link]

Mashable » Netflix cuts out the chill with an integrated personal trainer

Thursday 2 March 10:41:23 UTC 2017

Netflix just got a whole lot less chill.  The popular video-streaming service has published a detailed instruction guide for making your own Netflix-themed personal trainer. Like, in the get-off-the-couch-and-go-to-a-gym sense of the word trainer.  The Netflix Personal Trainer has some of the features you might find in its flesh-and-blood counterpart, and some you definitely won't. According to the company, it "connects … [Link]

Mashable » Sorry Queen Elizabeth, this American claims to be your rightful heir

Thursday 2 March 10:30:27 UTC 2017

British people pride themselves in their royal independence from their more powerful American cousins, but what if we told you that a Colorado man might be the rightful King of England?  SEE ALSO: The Queen just made history with this milestone If it sounds a bit far-fetched it's because it is.  But Allan V. Evans is not someone who gets discouraged … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Assassins may have made a binary weapon of Kim Jong-nam’s face

Thursday 2 March 10:27:00 UTC 2017

The man may have been murdered by two women each wiping a different chemical onto his face, which then blended together to make the deadly nerve gas VX [Link]

Mashable » James Corden has the perfect explanation for Trump's well-done steak

Thursday 2 March 10:15:44 UTC 2017

James Corden opened up his Tuesday night show with some comedy gold. Understandably, the late show host couldn't help but take a few jabs at Trump in the process. SEE ALSO: James Corden brutally tears apart that Britney Spears biopic In the video above, Corden suggests Trump and select cabinet members be sent to the moon, reveals what Kellyanne Conway … [Link]

Mashable » Meet one of Indonesia's most unlikely YouTube celebrities: The president

Thursday 2 March 10:10:39 UTC 2017

He’s got more than 100,000 subscribers, livestreams events, and even vlogs about what he eats. We're talking about Indonesia's president — Joko Widodo. SEE ALSO: Saudi Arabia's king is bringing a massive 1,500-person entourage to Indonesia for a visit Affectionately known as Jokowi, the president has amassed thousands of fans, and even has his own hashtag, #JKWVLOG. #JKWVLOG!!Our president is a … [Link]

Mashable » Gmail finally doubles email attachment limit, but it means nothing

Thursday 2 March 10:04:30 UTC 2017

It’s 2017, and we're still stuck with email clients that refuse to accept attachments going north of 25MB. Gmail is changing that. Well, sort of.  Google has announced that it is doubling the attachment size for all Gmail users — going up from 25MB to 50MB. It’s a welcome move and should worry rivals Outlook and Yahoo (a lot of people … [Link]

Slashdot » Google Chrome Users On Apple MacOS Get Enhanced Safe Browsing Protection

Thursday 2 March 10:00:00 UTC 2017

BrianFagioli quotes a report from BetaNews: As more and more consumers buy Mac computers, evildoers will have increased incentive to write malware for macOS. Luckily, users of Apple's operating system that choose to use Google Chrome for web surfing will soon be safer. You see, the search giant is improving its Safe Browsing initiative to better warn macOS users of … [Link]

Mashable » WhatsApp might be testing a business feature in its biggest market

Thursday 2 March 9:54:15 UTC 2017

WhatsApp might be working on a business feature for small enterprises that will soon pilot in India, its biggest market, according to reports.  WhatsApp for Business, a version of the app, will help enterprises with 10 employees or less to manage their clients better. This is also the instant messaging giant's first attempt at monetization after eight years of ad-free, subscription-free … [Link]

Mashable » Stephen Colbert and Patrick Stewart hilariously mock Trump's Obamacare announcement

Thursday 2 March 9:38:30 UTC 2017

Samuel Beckett's most celebrated play may offer some hilarious clues on President Trump's next steps, at least according to Stephen Colbert and Patrick Stewart.  The duo performed a cheeky version of Waiting for Godot called Waiting for Godot's Obamacare's replacement for Colbert's Late Show.  The absurdist drama is the perfect commentary on Trump's much-awaited announcement for the repelling and replacement … [Link]

Mashable » Breeze through 32 locations in Asia in this breathtaking hyperlapse video

Thursday 2 March 8:02:38 UTC 2017

Ever wanted to see more of Asia? Now you can live vicariously through two backpackers, who spent six months travelling through 32 locations in Asia. Swiss couple Sylvain Botter and Jenny Gehrig of Lytchee TV visited Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, China and Myanmar to make this hyperlapse video.  Watch as these nine countries whiz by in a … [Link]

Mashable » Japan's biggest messenger is taking on Amazon's Alexa

Thursday 2 March 7:58:26 UTC 2017

Amazon’s Alexa may be up against big competition.  South Korean internet giant Naver, which runs Line, Japan's biggest messaging app, unveiled on Wednesday its own AI virtual assistant.  SEE ALSO: Amazon might update Alexa with voice recognition The new assistant is called Clova, and will be entirely voice-based. It'll be available as a smartphone app as well as a hardware speaker … [Link]

Mashable » Drones and UAVs are going to help inspect our subway tunnels

Thursday 2 March 7:43:26 UTC 2017

Singapore is keen to start using drones and unmanned aerial vehicles to inspect its extensive underground subway tunnel network. The transport regulator put out a request for companies on Wednesday to design and develop suitable trial technologies, including 360-degree video mapping of the tunnels, as well as software that would automatically detect defects and provide their location.  SEE ALSO: Bottle of … [Link]

Slashdot » Can Technology Prevent Cops From Forgetting To Turn On Their Body Cameras?

Thursday 2 March 7:00:00 UTC 2017

tedlistens writes from a report via Fast Company: Axon, Taser's growing police camera division, has announced a new wireless sensor for gun and Taser holsters that can detect when a weapon is drawn and automatically activate all nearby cameras. The sensor, Signal Sidearm, is part of a suite of products aimed at reducing the possibility that officers will fail to … [Link]

Mashable » Social media influencers, it's time to be truthful about your #ads

Thursday 2 March 6:43:35 UTC 2017

If you've been turning a profit on Instagram, it's time to get your #ad house in order. A new provision in the code of ethics, issued by the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA), seems aimed at brands and influencers who hawk their wares on social media. Coming into effect Wednesday, the code states that sponsored content "must be clearly distinguishable … [Link]

Mashable » Nintendo Switch cartridges taste disgusting but that's not stopping anybody

Thursday 2 March 6:31:00 UTC 2017

There’s plenty of intrigue and excitement when it comes to the imminent launch of the Nintendo Switch. But please, don't put the cartridges in your mouth. According to reports, the game cartridges themselves taste goddamn awful. While the question of why people started putting them in their mouths to begin with remains, it turns out Nintendo's made them taste bad intentionally. … [Link]

Mashable » Global warming made Australia's record-breaking, sizzling summer 50 times more likely

Thursday 2 March 5:01:34 UTC 2017

Millions of Australians just endured a sizzlingly hot summer, with three blistering heat waves enveloping much of southeastern Australia during January and February sending temperatures soaring as high as 48.2 degrees Celsius, or 118.7 degrees Fahrenheit.  New South Wales, located in southeastern Australia, had its warmest summer on record, with numerous temperature milestones shattered in Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra, among other … [Link]

Mashable » Saint George Michael to watch over LGBTQ community at Mardi Gras pride parade

Thursday 2 March 4:42:55 UTC 2017

George Michael is gone, but his impact on the LGBTQ community won't be easily forgotten. The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is on Saturday, and the final touches are being applied to the 180 or so floats set to travel down Oxford Street, in one of the world's biggest pride parades. Among them is DIY Rainbow, the group known for … [Link]

Mashable » Medium's new feature is the thinking person's Snapchat clone

Thursday 2 March 4:28:07 UTC 2017

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Snapchat should consider itself one of the most beloved companies in Silicon Valley. Publishing platform Medium released a new feature on Wednesday that might look awfully familiar to any Snapchat user.  That or any of the services including Instagram, Facebook and Tinder that have have ripped off Snapchat's popular "Stories" feature. SEE … [Link]

Mashable » Want to leave an angry comment? This site forces you to take a test first.

Thursday 2 March 3:49:08 UTC 2017

You see an infuriating headline, skim through some paragraphs just enough to know this story is terrible and you head straight to the comments section, your fingers itching to fly across the keyboard in utter rage. But wait — it's test time! That's the safeguard Norwegian public broadcaster NRK is putting on their online stories. Anyone who wants to comment must … [Link]

Slashdot » New Scientific Test Finds Up To 75 Liters of Urine In Public Pools

Thursday 2 March 3:30:00 UTC 2017

Scientists have developed a test designed to estimate how much urine has been covertly added to a large volume of water. "The test works by measuring the concentration of an artificial sweetener, acesulfame potassium (ACE), that is commonly found in processed food and passed through the body unaltered," reports The Guardian. The findings are published in the American Chemical Society … [Link]

Mashable » The cutest great-grandma busts out the best moves at her 100th birthday party

Thursday 2 March 3:01:40 UTC 2017

When you've reached 100 years old, you've lived longer than most, so why not take the opportunity to completely turn up and celebrate the milestone.  That's exactly the approach this grandma took with her centennial bash, and her dance moves are absolutely precious.  SEE ALSO: Joyful 92-year-old woman serves as bridesmaid at her granddaughter's wedding Thankfully, her great-grandchild had the sense … [Link]

Slashdot » Marissa Mayer Is Giving Yahoo Employees Her Annual Bonus To Make Up For Massive Hacks

Thursday 2 March 2:45:00 UTC 2017

Following two separate security breaches revealed last year that compromised the personal information of more than 1.5 billion users, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer announced today via her Tumblr page that she will be redistributing her annual bonus and equity stock grant to Yahoo employees. The Verge reports: Relevant to Mayer's admission here, an independent committee Yahoo brought on to investigate … [Link]

Mashable » NBA player learns the hard way that maybe Instagram isn't the best place to find tacos

Thursday 2 March 2:19:38 UTC 2017

What we have here, folks, is a play in two acts about the consequences of taking advice from strangers and the questionable decisions we all sometimes make.  Our tortured protagonist: NBA point guard Ty Lawson, who plays for the Sacramento Kings.   SEE ALSO: The fascinating story behind the coolest name in basketball ACT I On Tuesday night, Lawson asked his … [Link]

Mashable » Dude applauded for buying elderly woman's groceries when her card declines

Thursday 2 March 2:17:14 UTC 2017

For all the bad stuff that's happening around the world, there's still plenty of good. Like this guy, who paid for an elderly lady's groceries, after her card kept being declined at a grocery store checkout in Wyoming, Australia.  SEE ALSO: Get free flights to New Zealand, y'all. But only if you accept a job interview A picture of the moment … [Link]

Slashdot » Court Throws Out $533 Million Verdict Against Apple Over Data Storage Patent

Thursday 2 March 2:05:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from 9to5Mac: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit made a decision today to throw out the verdict of a two-year old legal case against Apple based on data storage patents. The original verdict reached by a Texas jury stuck Apple with $533 million in damages. Smartflash LLC targeted game developers who … [Link]

Mashable » 'Arrow' finally reveals Prometheus' identity, but when will Oliver find out?

Thursday 2 March 2:00:00 UTC 2017

Arrow finally revealed the identity of its Season 5 big bad, Prometheus — and it probably wasn't who you thought it would be, considering the character's comic book alter-ego is something entirely different. But it turns out that the person emotionally torturing and manipulating Oliver this whole time has been Adrian Chase (Josh Segarra), the Star City District Attorney. Yes, in … [Link]

Mashable » PayPal tells users to donate, then allegedly sends money to the wrong charities

Thursday 2 March 1:58:47 UTC 2017

PayPal wants its users to give to charity, but it's allegedly messing up the details.  A federal class-action lawsuit against PayPal says the payment platform is encouraging charitable giving among its users — but that the funds don't always reach the intended nonprofit.  Money earmarked for specific charities through PayPal's Giving Fund is often redirected to other causes when the charity … [Link]

Mashable » Amazon escapes the internet outage caused by its own cloud computing service

Thursday 2 March 1:45:34 UTC 2017

When Amazon's cloud computing service failed on Tuesday, more than half of the internet's top 100 e-commerce websites were affected.  Which site didn't get burned? Amazon.com, of course.  The AWS S3 cloud computing service backs more than 150,000 websites, so the disruption left a wide swath of the web in shambles — with S&P 500 companies losing an estimated $150 to … [Link]

Slashdot » Yahoo Says Forged Cookie Attack Accessed About 32 Million Accounts

Thursday 2 March 1:35:00 UTC 2017

It looks like Yahoo has yet to reach its lowest point. The company revealed today via a regulatory filing that about 32 million user accounts were accessed by hackers in the past two years using forged cookies that allowed them to log into their accounts without passwords. According to Yahoo, the attack is likely connected to the "same state-sponsored actor … [Link]

Mashable » 'Moonlight' director reveals powerful speech he wanted to deliver at Oscars

Thursday 2 March 1:27:28 UTC 2017

The #envelopegate episode that turned the last 10 minutes of this year's Oscars awards show into absolute chaos also wrecked havoc on the real winners' acceptance speeches. SEE ALSO: How 'Moonlight' made Oscars history The Moonlight producers and directors ended up rushing through their words of thanks amidst a cloud of confusion after it was determined that La La Land had … [Link]

Mashable » Little kid aims his pro stink eye at a chip thief

Thursday 2 March 1:21:59 UTC 2017

Do not mess with someone's chips and guac, even if they're too young to do anything about it. Check out this little dude named Julian,  the ultra-relatable toddler who has mastered the stink-eye despite his young age.  SEE ALSO: Nicole Kidman is a great actress and a terrible clapper and that's okay His cousin Leanna captured the moment some jerk stole … [Link]

Slashdot » UK: New Drivers Caught Using a Phone Will Lose Their License

Thursday 2 March 1:05:00 UTC 2017

Under new rules in England, Scotland and Wales, drivers caught using a phone within two years of passing their test will have their license revoked. BBC reports: Penalties for using a phone at the wheel double from March 1 to six points and a 200 British pound fine. New drivers who get six points or more must retake their practical … [Link]

Mashable » Beer bottle sand could save New Zealand's beaches

Thursday 2 March 0:52:56 UTC 2017

Paid Content By DB Export If you hadn’t noticed, New Zealanders really give a damn about the environmentThey care for their rivers and lakes, half the country’s a national park and they throw themselves at whaling ships on a daily basis. They do environmentalism well, and now they do it even better.To help combat the global sand shortage (the world’s running … [Link]

Mashable » Dev Patel has a girlfriend and everyone feels personally victimised

Thursday 2 March 0:40:20 UTC 2017

Hands up: Who feels personally victimised by Dev Patel's new girlfriend? If your hand isn't raised, you're a liar and a fraud.  While Australian actress Tilda Cobham-Hervey seems really cool and nice, the fact remains — she has burst our collective bubble by dating the internet's fantasy boyfriend, Lion actor (who does a mean Australian accent) and known Longbottomer, Dev Patel. … [Link]

Slashdot » Researcher Breaks ReCAPTCHA Using Google's Speech Recognition API

Thursday 2 March 0:25:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader writes: "A researcher has discovered what he calls a "logic vulnerability" that allowed him to create a Python script that is fully capable of bypassing Google's reCAPTCHA fields using another Google service, the Speech Recognition API," reports BleepingComputer. The attack is incredibly simple and works by downloading a version of the reCAPTCHA audio challenge, feeding it into … [Link]

Mashable » The great Garfield gender debate ends after Wikipedia edit war

Thursday 2 March 0:21:20 UTC 2017

Garfield’s first appearance was on June 19, 1978. Garfield was created by Jim Davis. Garfield is a tabby cat. Garfield is male. These are all things you will learn about Garfield at first glance of the Wikipedia page "Garfield."  But what you don't learn is the story behind why there are four cited sources for the cartoon cat's gender.  Image: wikipediaIt … [Link]

Popular Science » This bot-maker wants to make a thousand interconnected AIs out of your documents

Thursday 2 March 0:03:55 UTC 2017

Technology Converting docs into virtual assistants isn't quite the singularity, yet Albert is a bot-creating tool that turns docs into bots. Read on. [Link]

Mashable » This public library is offering 'Adulting 101' classes for Millennials

Thursday 2 March 0:03:34 UTC 2017

When you're a kid you think grownups have it all figured out. Then you become an adult and realize most people have no clue what they're doing.  The North Bend Public Library in Oregon is starting a new program called "Adulting 101," which is essentially a bunch of classes geared towards helping people become functioning adults without having to call mom … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Autoimmune disorders linked to an increased risk of dementia

Thursday 2 March 0:00:00 UTC 2017

People with conditions like multiple sclerosis and psoriasis are more likely to develop dementia, and cardiovascular problems could be to blame [Link]

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