John Gordon Ross

A Man for All Reasons

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Geekish

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 » Mark Hamill tells scandalous, funny, tender tales of Carrie Fisher, and now we're all in tears

Friday 14 April 23:39:34 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookORLANDO — This was the wake Carrie Fisher would have loved to attend.  Speaking off the cuff for an hour on stage at Star Wars Celebration, Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill shared hilarious and not-at-all-sanitized stories about the late princess — such as the time they made out on a couch during their time filming Star Wars in 1976. SEE ALSO: … [Link]

Mashable » CIA director mocks Kellyanne Conway for ridiculous microwave comments

Friday 14 April 23:35:22 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThe machines that heat your food are not doubling as spies, the director of the CIA confirmed this week. Mike Pompeo poked fun at White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway Thursday for her widely mocked suggestion that members of former President Barack Obama's administration may have teamed with the intelligence community to spy on President Donald Trump with "microwaves that turn into … [Link]

Slashdot » Burger King Won't Take a Hint; Alters TV Ad To Evade Google's Block

Friday 14 April 23:20:00 UTC 2017

ewhac writes: Earlier this week, Burger King released a broadcast television ad that opened with an actor saying, "Ok, Google, what is the Whopper?" thereby triggering any Google Home device in hearing range to respond to the injected request with the first line from the Whopper's Wikipedia page. Google very properly responded to the injection attack by fingerprinting the sound … [Link]

Popular Science » The bunker-busting nuclear bomb that almost was

Friday 14 April 23:15:03 UTC 2017

Four B-61 nuclear bombs on a bomb cart Military Terrible decisions in radioactive packages In the mid-2000s, the United States considered a nuclear bunker buster. [Link]

Popular Science » Google is using AI to help humans and computers communicate through art

Friday 14 April 22:48:00 UTC 2017

Technology A program for people who can’t draw good Google went big on art this week, with two announcements at the intersection of machine learning and drawing. Read on. [Link]

Slashdot » Microsoft Confirms Only a Handful of Windows Phones Will Receive Windows 10 Creators Update

Friday 14 April 22:40:00 UTC 2017

Windows Phone has less than a 1 percent market share in the mobile industry, but it is not completely dead, yet. In fact, if you own a relatively new Windows Phone, it may receive a new update that will give new life to it. Microsoft has confirmed today that only a subset of Windows Phone handsets will be getting the … [Link]

Mashable » Here's what a high-tech totally pimped out, $10,500 college football locker looks like

Friday 14 April 22:28:31 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookWho needs regular old lockers when you could have … … HIGH-TECH, TOTALLY PIMPED OUT LOCKERS REPLETE WITH 43-INCH TEE-VEES AND COOL GLOWY LIGHTING AROUND THE DOORS, ALL FOR THE LOW, LOW PRICE OF JUST OVER TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS A POP, BABY?!?! SWAG, SWAG, SWAG! At least, so apparently goes the thinking of the University of Texas Longhorns football program, which … [Link]

Mashable » Carrie Fisher officially won't be in 'Star Wars: Episode IX'

Friday 14 April 22:22:22 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookMay the force be with you, princess.  Although the late Carrie Fisher will return as General Leia Organa in this winter's Star Wars: The Last Jedi, she will not appear in 2019's Episode IX, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy confirmed Friday.  SEE ALSO: Star Wars family pulls out all the stops to celebrate its Princess Fisher completed shooting for The Last Jedi … [Link]

Mashable » 9 bizarre things that are still canon in the Star Wars universe

Friday 14 April 22:10:45 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookOn Friday, the very first teaser trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi was finally released. And it ruled. It was great to see those characters from The Force Awakens that we've grown to love over the past year and half back in action. The new movies, including the spin off Rogue One, have all been the work of Disney with … [Link]

Mashable » 'Badass' national park flooded with fan mail after fighting Trump on Twitter

Friday 14 April 22:01:35 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIn the days immediately following President Donald Trump's inauguration, when the world was in need of a climate change defender, a few National Park Service Twitter accounts epically rose to the challenge. The rebellious Badlands National Park Twitter account went rogue in January, fighting the president's climate change denial by sharing environmental facts. We've now learned that in addition to the … [Link]

Slashdot » FDA Slams St. Jude Medical For Ignoring Security Flaws In Medical Devices

Friday 14 April 22:00:00 UTC 2017

chicksdaddy quotes a report from The Security Ledger: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a letter of warning to medical device maker Abbott on Wednesday, slamming the company for what it said was a pattern of overlooking security and reliability problems in its implantable medical devices at its St. Jude Medical division and describing a range of the company's … [Link]

Popular Science » Mother's Day gift ideas for the raddest moms you know

Friday 14 April 21:43:00 UTC 2017

mother's day gift ideas Gadgets Say thank you. With presents. Products and gadgets your mom will love. Read on. [Link]

Mashable » If you give up your seat on a Delta flight you could get almost $10,000

Friday 14 April 21:28:45 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook It looks like Delta has seen what happened with United Airlines' overbooked passenger fiasco and is making some serious changes to its compensation policies — serious as in way more cash monies to entice volunteers to give up their seats on oversold flights.  SEE ALSO: Unsettling video captures United passenger being forcibly removed from overbooked flight The Associated Press reported … [Link]

Mashable » Prepare to be overwhelmed by the world's largest collection of Hello Kitty memorabilia

Friday 14 April 21:20:17 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThink you're Hello Kitty's biggest fan? Step aside, because your fandom has nothing on this world record holder. Masao Gunji, a resident in Yotsukaido, Chiba, Japan, holds the Guinness World Record for most Hello Kitty memorabilia with an incredible 5,169 items lining the walls, tables, and floors of his bright pink home. SEE ALSO: Sanrio fans rejoice! There's a new cafe … [Link]

Slashdot » NSA-Leaking Shadow Brokers Just Dumped Its Most Damaging Release Yet

Friday 14 April 21:20:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: The Shadow Brokers — the mysterious person or group that over the past eight months has leaked a gigabyte worth of the National Security Agency's weaponized software exploits — just published its most significant release yet. Friday's dump contains potent exploits and hacking tools that target most versions of Microsoft Windows … [Link]

Mashable » New York tabloids had the same perfect headline pun for Eli Manning's memorabilia scandal

Friday 14 April 21:17:23 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookReports broke Thursday about a shady apparent memorabilia scandal in which it sure looks like star New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning was complicit.  We'll give you one guess at Friday morning's headline pun.   SEE ALSO: Noah Syndergaard just revealed some tantalizing hints about his 'Game of Thrones' cameo Let's give up a slow clap for New York's leading tabloids, … [Link]

Mashable » 'Stranger Things' gets the 'Mystery Science Theater' treatment and it's as glorious as you'd imagine

Friday 14 April 21:13:19 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook Netflix is the gift that keeps on giving. First, it gave us Stranger Things, then it revived cult classic Mystery Science Theater 3000, and now, it has combined the two properties to form one super-powered blob of pure '80s nostalgia.  Okay, so it's not actually a whole episode devoted to the Duffer Brothers' bingeworthy hit — the new season of … [Link]

Mashable » MashTalk: Did Burger King cross the line with its Google Home stunt?

Friday 14 April 21:07:55 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook "Okay Google, what is the Whopper burger?" Burger King decided to run a 15-second TV ad that posed that question, which would then remotely trigger peoples' Google Homes to read out loud an edited Wikipedia entry describing what's inside of a Whopper. Needless to say, Google Home users were pissed at the invasiveness of the marketing stunt, and Google moved … [Link]

Mashable » The first teaser for 'The Last Jedi' is here and OMG

Friday 14 April 20:56:35 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThe latest film in the Star Wars franchise has debuted a teaser and will release on December 15th in theaters. Read more…More about Real Time Video, Real Time Video, Real Time, Finn, and Kylo Ren [Link]

Mashable » The original champions of 'Rocket League' didn’t survive, but they’re moving on

Friday 14 April 20:53:00 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookA lot has happened in a small amount of time in the world of Rocket League esports. And that’s true for one of its top teams, as well.  North American team G2 Esports, led by Cameron "Kronovi" Bills, won the first-ever official Rocket League Championship Series last August. He and his team came into season two as clear favorites expected to … [Link]

Mashable » Queer chef declines being interviewed for Ivanka Trump's website by spitting straight truth

Friday 14 April 20:50:21 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookAccording to Ivanka Trump's website, her brand is Strong, Smart Working Woman. Her mission? "Inspiring and empowering women to create the lives they want to lead." On that thesis alone, chef Angela Dimayuga fits the bill as an Ivanka Girl perfectly: the Brooklyn-based chef rose through the ranks of NYC kitchens to become the executive chef at the downtown Manhattan Mission … [Link]

Mashable » Windows users should be really worried about the latest NSA leak

Friday 14 April 20:42:31 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook“This is not a drill." So warned Edward Snowden in an April 14 tweet addressing the latest dump of NSA hacking tools by the hacking group known as the Shadow Brokers. And, if the response of the security community is any indication, America's most famous whistleblower has reason to be alarmed.  According to The Intercept, the Shadow Brokers' April 14 release … [Link]

Slashdot » The Great Japan Potato-Chip Crisis: Panic Buying, $12 Bags

Friday 14 April 20:40:00 UTC 2017

Demand for potato chips has surged in Japan this week, with products on offer for 6 times their retail price online after Japanese snack company Calbee halted the sale of some of its most popular chip brands. From a report: Calbee's pizza-flavored chips were going for about 1,250 yen ($12) on Yahoo Japan Corp.'s auction website Friday. One bag usually … [Link]

Mashable » Canadian brewer creates the beer we all deserve: Fake News Ale

Friday 14 April 20:18:10 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIf Trump's presidency wasn't enough to encourage Americans to cross the border, Canada's comforting new beer will probably will do the trick. On Monday, in attempt to #MakeBeerGreatAgain, Northern Maverick — a lighthearted Toronto craft brewer who clearly understands our pain — announced it's launching a special ale that'll make the rest pale in comparison: "Fake News Ale." SEE ALSO: Bars … [Link]

Mashable » The 'Fast and Furious' franchise has given Corona $15 million in free advertising just because

Friday 14 April 20:16:05 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookVin Diesel's constant plugging of Corona throughout the Fast and Furious movies can make certain installments feel like extended beer commercials. But the company has apparently never paid a dime for the prolific product placement. SEE ALSO: Yup, there's going to be a 'Fast & Furious' global arena tour That's according to a new feature story in The Ringer that examines … [Link]

Mashable » Incredible teenager is fighting for her right to box while wearing a hijab

Friday 14 April 20:11:09 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookAmaiya Zafar is doing more than just looking for a fight. On any given weeknight, it's a safe bet that the 16-year-old boxer can be found training at the Circle of Discipline Boxing Gym in South Minneapolis, Minn. — a bustling, community-oriented place where seasoned professionals train alongside enthusiastic amateurs.There’s no limit to Zafar’s passion for boxing, and it’s apparent after … [Link]

Mashable » Saturn has a tiny moon shaped like a dumpling, and I want to eat it right now

Friday 14 April 20:10:37 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThere are certain things that you learn in a newsroom when the space reporter is away on vacation. One of them is that Saturn has a tiny moon shaped like a dumpling.  The moon, Atlas, is just 19 miles across, and orbits the large planet outside of its "A ring" — the outermost of the planet's main rings, NASA said.  SEE … [Link]

Slashdot » A New Survey Shows Consumers Are Not That Freaked Out By Tech

Friday 14 April 20:00:00 UTC 2017

Lippincott, a global creative consultancy, asked 2,000 "leading edge" consumers in the U.S. whether they were excited to welcome our robot overlords or terrified of them. A report on FastCompany adds: Some of their findings go against conventional wisdom, like the belief that consumers are scared about the future. Turns out 80 percent said they are excited about changes in … [Link]

Mashable » Yes, old people totally understand emoji (except maybe that eggplant one)

Friday 14 April 19:51:49 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookParents, they just don't understand. Right? Well, yes and no.  A new survey shows that when it comes to emoji, most seniors totally do get it. Except, that is, with one tiny eggplant-styled exception. SEE ALSO: Facebook's new emoji are finally available to everyone Great Senior Living, a site that focuses on senior care and retirement living, surveyed 500 people aged … [Link]

Popular Science » The play-by-play of a total solar eclipse

Friday 14 April 19:48:13 UTC 2017

colorful eclipse Space Excerpt: Mask of the Sun First contact in an eclipse has nothing to do with aliens. Read on. [Link]

Mashable » Kangaroos overran an Australian country club, and made golf better than ever

Friday 14 April 19:46:33 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook Australia is an amazing place. Not only are its golf courses beautiful, but one allows you to play your 18 holes in the company of a large crowd of kangaroos. We literally can't think of anything else we'd rather spend our time doing. Just kidding, these kangaroos were not put onto the golf course of Sanctuary Point Country Club on … [Link]

Mashable » You're definitely not the only person googling 'World War III'

Friday 14 April 19:45:40 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIf you've Googled some terrifying things in the past week, you're not alone. Data from Google Trends shows that President Trump's recent military actions have instilled fear and curiosity throughout the world, sparking giant spike in online searches for the term — you guessed it — "World War III." SEE ALSO: Senator uses that famous nuggets tweet to troll Trump over … [Link]

Popular Science » A card-sized multi-tool for 74 percent off? I'd buy it.

Friday 14 April 19:44:00 UTC 2017

Surprise Daily Credit Card Tool Gadgets 10 tools for $10. Card sized toolkit for 74 percent off? I'd buy it. Read on. [Link]

Mashable » Noah Syndergaard just revealed some tantalizing hints about his 'Game of Thrones' cameo

Friday 14 April 19:35:52 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookNoah Syndergaard, the New York Mets' very Thor-looking pitcher, will have a cameo in the seventh season of Game of Thrones — this much, we've known for some time.  But the star hurler just revealed some tantalizing hints about what exactly his role will entail when HBO's hit series returns this summer.  SEE ALSO: What these soccer fans did after terrifying … [Link]

Slashdot » Google Is Working On a Tool For Managing Job Applicants

Friday 14 April 19:20:00 UTC 2017

Google is quietly testing "Google Hire," a job applicant tracking system that appears to rival services like Greenhouse and Lever, Axios is reporting. From the report: The service lets employers post job listings, then accept and manage applications, according to job listing links spotted by Axios reader Colin Heilbut. So far, several tech companies seem to be using (or testing) … [Link]

Mashable » Couple gives waitress a $400 tip, then pays for her college tuition

Friday 14 April 19:07:18 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook Getting anything above an 18 percent tip as a server is a tiny victory in the restaurant industry. Getting a massive 200 percent tip will make anyone's month.  Cayla Chandara, a waitress that works two serving jobs in Honolulu, Hawaii, recently received the tip of a lifetime from an extremely kind Australian couple visiting the island for vacation.  SEE ALSO: … [Link]

Mashable » This beautiful crystal TARDIS is a fine send-off for Peter Capaldi's Doctor

Friday 14 April 18:48:43 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookPeter Capaldi's run on Doctor Who may soon be coming to an end, but the eccentric 12th Doctor has definitely left his mark on the TARDIS. And you can see that mark — literally — in this limited-edition crystal TARDIS from the BBC. SEE ALSO: About time: 'Doctor Who' to feature first openly gay TARDIS resident Dropped just before the show's … [Link]

Mashable » Uber drivers could be employees… in Brazil

Friday 14 April 18:44:16 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookUber drivers just won a major victory — but only in Brazil.  A judge in Sao Paulo ruled that a driver in the city had to be considered an employee of the ride-hailing giant. Uber plans to appeal the decision.  "By connecting drivers and users, Uber creates thousands of flexible opportunities for generating income," Uber said in a statement.  Uber drivers … [Link]

Mashable » We finally have proof Apple is working on a self-driving car

Friday 14 April 18:41:13 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookLooks like Apple's finally stepping on the gas. We've now got confirmation that Apple's gearing up to make a big move in the auto industry. Cupertino's been granted a permit to test self-driving cars in California, according to DMV records. The permit, first reported by Business Insider, follows months of rumors about Apple's efforts to build a car. SEE ALSO: Drone … [Link]

Slashdot » Google Kills Off Octane JavaScript Benchmark Due To 'Diminishing Returns and Over-Optimization'

Friday 14 April 18:41:00 UTC 2017

Google has announced that its widely used Octane JavaScript benchmark is being retired, with Google saying that it's no longer a useful way for browser developers to determine how best to optimize their JavaScript engines. From a report: Google goes as far as saying that developers were essentially cheating the system. It says that compiler optimizations needed to achieve high … [Link]

Mashable » 'Hell' is just the most recent in a long list of alleged shady Uber practices

Friday 14 April 18:38:01 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIn Silicon Valley, how far you're willing to go to win is often seen as a predictor of future success. Perhaps that's why Uber's investors have pumped almost $9 billion into the company.  Uber's already storied history of shady practices and dirty tricks grew longer on Thursday after The Information reported that the ride-hailing giant had been using software to track … [Link]

Mashable » These 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' poster spoofs are hilarious

Friday 14 April 18:36:53 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook Our world may be nearing its end, but the world of Star Wars remains a sanctuary far, far away. Friday's Star Wars Celebration included the first poster for The Last Jedi, and brilliant minds around the world were quick to PhotoShop it in the best ways. SEE ALSO: 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' teaser trailer is finally here Feel the … [Link]

Mashable » Uber is losing a ton — and we mean a ton — of money

Friday 14 April 18:34:10 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookUber is still in startup mode, losing a ton of money but also growing quickly. And by a ton we mean you could not set cash on fire this fast. The company offered a rare look at its books (the company is still private and therefore doesn't have to divulge financial information) to Bloomberg. Uber confirmed the numbers in an email … [Link]

Mashable » 'The Good Fight' finale tackles cyber-terrorism, and it couldn't be more timely

Friday 14 April 18:28:53 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook The Good Fight is bringing back another familiar face from The Good Wife for its Season 1 finale — Dylan Stack (Jason Biggs), a digital rights lawyer best known for embroiling Lockhart Gardner in twist-filled cases involving Bitcoin and Anonymous during the original show's third and fourth seasons. SEE ALSO: How 'The Good Fight' is tackling politics while avoiding 'Trump … [Link]

Popular Science » As mountains grow, they drive the evolution of new species

Friday 14 April 18:27:20 UTC 2017

Science A long-standing hypothesis gets hard data Why are mountains so rich in biodiversity? New research provided the first evidence for a popular hypothesis. Read on. [Link]

Mashable » Here's how the world's deadliest scorpions sting

Friday 14 April 18:12:46 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookUsing high-speed cameras,a group of scientists led by Biologist Arie van der Meijden observed how seven different scorpions strike. Read more…More about Real Time Video, Research, Animals, Battle, and Deadly [Link]

Slashdot » It's Official: Apple is Testing Self-Driving Cars

Friday 14 April 18:01:00 UTC 2017

Apple has been granted a license for testing autonomous vehicles in California, marking the formal launch of its race with the likes of Uber, Alphabet and Tesla to define the future of driverless transportation. The permit was revealed with Apple's appearance on the list of approved companies on the California automotive regulator's website on Friday morning. From a report: This … [Link]

Mashable » Las Vegas will dispense clean needles in vending machines

Friday 14 April 18:00:22 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookLas Vegas is about to set up vending machines to dispense clean needles, free of charge. The machines will be designed to make equipment more readily available for intravenous drug users, who can pass various infections to each other if they use the same needles. The project will make Vegas the first place in the country to offer such a service. … [Link]

Mashable » Victoria's Secret announced its list of 'What Is Sexy' and it's the worst

Friday 14 April 17:50:09 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookWhen👏 will👏 this👏 brand👏 learn👏 it👏 is👏 toxic👏 ? Victoria's Secret, the world's most misguided authority on sexiness, released its annual "What is Sexy" list, and (spoiler alert!) it's exactly what you think it is. Young, white, and thin. SEE ALSO: What models of diverse identities really think of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show The results were reportedly decided by the … [Link]

Mashable » We need to talk about Luke's last words in the 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' trailer

Friday 14 April 17:48:04 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook Luke Skywalker is finally talking again … and what he has to say might shock you. The first Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer finishes with a dramatic voiceover from Mark Hamill in character as Luke. "I only know one truth," he declares. "It's time for the Jedi to end." Say what?  SEE ALSO: 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' teaser … [Link]

Mashable » How to activate YouTube's hidden Dark Mode

Friday 14 April 17:45:33 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIf you tend to binge YouTube late at night, I have good news for you. SEE ALSO: This YouTuber is the realest damn thing to happen to 'beauty vlogging' Reddit users have discovered a new "dark mode" on YouTube that gives the entire webpage a sleek, all-black look. Nothing about the update is official, so it requires a little bit of … [Link]

Mashable » 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' trailer: What does it all mean?

Friday 14 April 17:38:27 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook The second movie of the original Star Wars trilogy, The Empire Strikes Back, focused on Luke Skywalker's Jedi training.  So it makes sense that The Last Jedi, the second movie of the sequel trilogy, would focus on Luke training the still mysterious Rey. Image: lucasfilm"Breathe," Luke says at the start of the teaser trailer that dropped Friday, after Rey doubles … [Link]

Mashable » Airbnb simplifies its relationship with Russia

Friday 14 April 17:38:01 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookLike the rest of us, Airbnb is trying to simplify its relationship with Russia.  The home-rental platform closed its Russian subsidiary and will instead run its Russian business out of Berlin.  Airbnb first got out of Moscow in 2015, but is back in the Russian news now as some of the final touches on that decision are worked out.  SEE ALSO: … [Link]

Mashable » 'The Fate of the Furious' grinds to a halt

Friday 14 April 17:30:00 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThe Fate of the Furious careens wildly into theaters this weekend, and Clint and Ti got a sneak peak! Is the "Family" in for more of the same awesome action? Or is it time for a Family course correction? And if you're into more mindless action flicks, be sure to stick around for the recommendations in the second half of the … [Link]

Mashable » This March was the second-warmest March in 137 years, because why stop now?

Friday 14 April 17:28:24 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookSo much for a global warming slowdown. New data released on Friday shows that March 2017 was the second-warmest on record, behind March of last year. The global average surface temperature was 1.12 degrees Celsius, or 2.016 degrees Fahrenheit, warmer than the 1951-1980 average.  The two top March temperature anomalies have occurred during the past two years. SEE ALSO: Earth just … [Link]

Slashdot » Microsoft Experimenting Tabs Experience On File Explorer, Other Apps On Windows 10

Friday 14 April 17:20:00 UTC 2017

Microsoft has begun experimenting with browser tabbing experience on all apps in Windows 10, including File Explorer. From a report on WindowsCentral: According to sources familiar with the matter, Microsoft is currently experimenting internally with a new feature called "Tabbed Shell", which brings the familiar browser tabbing module to all app windows in Windows 10, including the File Explorer. Per … [Link]

Mashable » These 2 dogs had a rebellious roof party and you were not invited

Friday 14 April 17:05:48 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookTempted by a cracked-open window, these two dogs escaped the top floor of their home Thursday and had an impromptu party on the roof.  You were not invited to this party (sorry!), but that's OK. Thanks to the internet, you can still experience it vicariously. The internet learned about Dog Party through tweets from Mic's Cooper Fleishman. Fleishman, in turn, learned … [Link]

Mashable » Google tests Google Hire, its own jobs tool

Friday 14 April 17:05:41 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookGoogle’s own version of LinkedIn — or maybe Greenhouse? or Jobvite? — is almost here.  The tech company debuted a new sign-in page for Google Hire, an as-yet-unspecified service that's part of the jobs/career space.  According to a report in Axios, the program will be a job applicant tracking system, most similar to Greenhouse and Lever. Employers will reportedly be able … [Link]

Mashable » Watch Kendrick, Lady Gaga, and more on the Coachella live stream

Friday 14 April 16:55:17 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookHave you ever wanted go to Coachella but also not be at Coachella? Now there's a solution far preferable to watching 2017's killer musical performances via your friend's shaky Snapchat story —  Coachella will live stream all its acts to YouTube. SEE ALSO: Naturally, weed floral crowns will be for sale near Coachella If the logistics of a Coachella live stream … [Link]

Popular Science » This is why you should beat egg whites in a copper bowl

Friday 14 April 16:49:34 UTC 2017

Meringues DIY Yes, it really does help Perfectly whipped egg whites are hard—but they don't have to be. Read on to learn how to do it yourself. [Link]

Popular Science » A penguin-killing volcano, brain parasites, and other amazing images of the week

Friday 14 April 16:49:00 UTC 2017

Rat lungworm Science Newsworthy eye candy A penguin-killing volcano, brain parasites, and other amazing images of the week… [Link]

Slashdot » YouTube Has a Secret 'Dark Mode'

Friday 14 April 16:40:00 UTC 2017

It appears Google has quietly introduced a new "dark mode" for its video portal YouTube, several people are reporting. Here's how to activate it, via The Next Web: 1. Open the Chrome developer tools tab. 2. Windows users can do this by pressing Ctrl + Shift + I. 3. Mac users can do this by pressing Option + Cmd + … [Link]

Mashable » Here's yet another way Google Photos is better than Apple Photos

Friday 14 April 16:34:20 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookGoogle Photos continues to blow away the competition. The two-year-old service is easily the best free way to back up and store all of your photos and videos. But what's better than all the storage you want (limited to 16 megapixels for photos and 1080p resolution for videos, of course) are Google's impressive software enhancements. Over the years, Google's added many … [Link]

Mashable » Elaborate theory suggests Kendrick Lamar is dropping another new album and we are not worthy

Friday 14 April 16:30:54 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookWhen blessed with a new Kendrick Lamar album, there's really only one course of action — head over to Reddit and immerse yourself in fan theories stitched together from the Bible and the Matrix universe.  According to some sleuths, Lamar will be dropping a follow up to Damn. called Nation on Sunday before we've even had a chance to catch our … [Link]

Mashable » Cushioning is just a fancy new way to cheat on someone

Friday 14 April 16:22:19 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookFirst came ghosting and breadcrumbing and benching, and now we have… cushioning? Cushioning, in case you’re not familiar, is the practice of buying yourself a little insurance while you're in relationship. You chat or otherwise string along a few people — called "cushions" — so you have something to fall back in if you get dumped.  Ugh. At this point it’s … [Link]

Popular Science » Enjoy a glorious rainbow of incredible bug photographs

Friday 14 April 16:21:45 UTC 2017

velvet ant face Animals Nature comes in all colors A bug rainbow? A bugbow? Read on. [Link]

Mashable » Meet the DIY spacesuit designer who wants to bring exploration to the masses

Friday 14 April 16:21:35 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookCameron Smith's cramped apartment resembles a makeshift NASA lab. Swatches of flame-resistant textiles cover workbenches and drafting tables. Plastic drawers spill over with tools and tubes. Mannequin heads rest crookedly on shelves, while cork boards disappear beneath sticky notes. Tanks of compressed gas lie expectantly on the floor. Through trial and error, though mostly error, Smith has spent the past eight … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Join Two ProgrammableWeb Talks: Building Developer Community and What's Beyond REST

Friday 14 April 16:16:22 UTC 2017

On April 20th, I'll be hosting two conference sessions at MuleSoft's upcoming Connect conference in San Francisco. The first of these is a session on What's Beyond the REST Architectural Style for APIs and the second is on the do's and dont's of building developer communities. (Disclosure: MuleSoft is the parent company to ProgrammableWeb). [Link]

Mashable » Starbucks could be jumping onto the unicorn train with a new drink

Friday 14 April 16:07:39 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookDon’t know if you've heard, but unicorn things are a thing right nowA huge major thing. But even if you haven't been paying attention, it turns out Starbucks has. Evidence has surfaced online that Starbucks is planning to release a limited-time drink to their menu called the Unicorn Frappuccino. And it might be topped with glitter like in this picture. SEE … [Link]

Mashable » The first 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' poster will take your breath away

Friday 14 April 16:07:28 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIf Star Wars: The Last Jedi is anything like its first teaser poster, this is going to be one gorgeous movie. SEE ALSO: 'Star Wars: Battlefront II' trailer leaks early, looks amazing The main theme of this poster is red. Two giant faces loom large – Luke Skywalker and Kylo Ren – divided by a beam of light. Wielding that lightsaber … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Psychedelic drug ayahuasca improves hard-to-treat depression

Friday 14 April 16:00:00 UTC 2017

The first randomised trial of a shamanistic brew from South America has found it rapidly improves mood in people with depression that is resistant to antidepressants [Link]

Mashable » Bill Nye is back: The science guy talks new Netflix show

Friday 14 April 16:00:00 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookMuch has changed in the world since 1998, when Bill Nye's American half-hour live action science program came to an end. But the on-air personality — affectionately known as "the science guy" to most millennials — certainly hasn't. "Hey Bill, fix the bow tie!" executive producer and showrunner Michael Naidus yelled to Nye at an October taping of his new Netflix … [Link]

Slashdot » Virgin Media Starts Turning Customer Routers Into Public Wi-Fi Hotspots

Friday 14 April 16:00:00 UTC 2017

UK ISP Virgin Media is expanding its public Wi-Fi network by co-opting customers' home routers as hotspots. Only the most recent router design (the SuperHub v3) will be recruited at first, and customers can opt-out from the program if they wish. Virgin says the change will have "no impact on customers" because affected homes will be allocated extra bandwidth. ArsTechnica … [Link]

Mashable » 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' teaser trailer is finally here

Friday 14 April 15:58:29 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook It's going to be a Force-filled Friday: Lucasfilm has finally dropped the long-awaited first trailer for Star Wars Episode VIII, also known as The Last Jedi. And millions of fans around the world are already dissecting every second. The movie picks up exactly where The Force Awakens left off with a cliffhanger on the cliffs of the planet Ahch-To, where … [Link]

Mashable » 11-year-old wows the internet after Make-A-Wish lands him on The Weather Channel

Friday 14 April 15:49:12 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook11-year-old Ryland from New Jersey has a rare genetic disorder, one that's potentially life threatening. More important, though, is his love of meteorology.   Ryland's weather dreams came true this week, with the help of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. An aspiring meteorologist, Ryland was given the opportunity to be a weatherman for a day at The Weather Channel.  Throughout his segment, he … [Link]

Mashable » Fox set footage of that gigantic bomb to country music

Friday 14 April 15:41:37 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookFreedom is the ability to watch footage of a massive explosion synced to country music while you sit on a couch with your hands folded neatly in front of a few cameras, talking about your love of said freedom as you look forward to a weekend in which your sky will not be pierced by a plane or drone that may … [Link]

Popular Science » Check out the world's biggest freestanding Rubik's cube

Friday 14 April 15:30:39 UTC 2017

Gadgets You probably still can't solve it Students at the University of Michigan have built one of the world's largest freestanding Rubik's cubes. Read on. [Link]

Mashable » Politician wears baseball cap to inspect a train toilet, instantly becomes meme

Friday 14 April 15:29:54 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThe internet is an unforgiving place. And that lack of compassion is in even shorter supply for politicians on photo-ops.   SEE ALSO: 19 Jeremy Corbyn photoshops guaranteed to get you hot under the collar Case in point, this photo of the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wearing a baseball cap and sporting a pair of transparent (perspex?) glasses while inspecting a … [Link]

Mashable » Free-spirited Cubs fan uses dancing to prevent a brawl, turns it into a party

Friday 14 April 15:26:50 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookCubs fans are feeling pretty good right about now. After a dry spell of over 100 years, they've finally won another World Series and are currently on top of the baseball world. As far as Cubs fans are concerned, everything is good and nothing hurts. Perhaps these immensely good vibes are why a Cubs fan managed to quell a fight that … [Link]

Slashdot » Cloudflare Doesn't Want To Become the 'Piracy Police'

Friday 14 April 15:20:00 UTC 2017

Cloudflare is warning that far-reaching cooperation between copyright holders and internet services may put innovation in danger. From a report: As one of the leading CDN and DDoS protection services, Cloudflare is used by millions of websites across the globe. This includes thousands of "pirate" sites, including the likes of The Pirate Bay and ExtraTorrent, which rely on the U.S.-based … [Link]

Mashable » 'Egg Sheeran' will be the perfect addition to your Easter baskets

Friday 14 April 15:09:29 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookChildren across the United Kingdom have ditched conventional egg dying in favor of immortalizing their favorite singer in their Easter baskets. Ed Sheeran, who is currently topping the UK and Ireland singles and albums charts with Divide and "Shape Of You," has been chosen as the muse for many egg projects. Parents have eagerly shown  their children's masterpieces on Twitter and … [Link]

Mashable » This insane Lexus covered in 41,999 LED bulbs is basically a drivable billboard

Friday 14 April 15:08:11 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookThese decked out cars are part of the New York Auto Show. Lexus says there are several modes. One where lights will sync with music and another that responds to gestures by using a game console. Too bad these LED cars are not for sale because they are too lit. Read more…More about Mashable Video, Real Time Video, Real Time Video, … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Start-up uses biometrics to tailor music for good night’s sleep

Friday 14 April 15:00:00 UTC 2017

Trouble kipping? Boston-based Sync Project is collecting heart-rate data from music lovers to see if it can tweak tracks for better relaxation [Link]

Popular Science » Five rad and random things I found this week

Friday 14 April 14:50:00 UTC 2017

Gadgets The end-of-week dispatch from Pop Sci's commerce editor. Vol. 7. Five rad and random things I found this week. The end-of-week dispatch from Pop Sci's commerce editor. Vol. 7. Read on. [Link]

Popular Science » Your guide to the practical uses of hagfish slime, glowworm glue, and other animal goo

Friday 14 April 14:47:18 UTC 2017

animal goo Animals The surprising benefits of animal-inspired gunk Scientists are studying how and why animals make glues and slimes, and trying to concoct their own versions. Read on. [Link]

Mashable » 45 thoughts I had while watching 'The Fast and the Furious' for the first time

Friday 14 April 14:42:01 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook All entertainment writers have our lapses; Many people I've worked with have never read a Harry Potter or seen a Star War. A lot of classic movies and television just aren't priority when you know your taste preferences, which is how I went 16 years without seeing a single Fast and Furious movie. But that is about to change, dear … [Link]

Slashdot » Microsoft Says US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Requests More Than Doubled

Friday 14 April 14:40:00 UTC 2017

Microsoft Corp says it received at least a thousand surveillance requests from the U.S. government that sought user content for foreign intelligence purposes during the first half of 2016. From a report: The amount, shared in Microsoft's biannual transparency report, was more than double what the company said it received under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) during the preceding … [Link]

Mashable » Candy Crush and Moschino have joined unlikely forces to create some interesting fashion

Friday 14 April 14:37:48 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookIf you're one of the only people still left playing Candy Crush and have been dying to infuse your admiration into your look, we've got the perfect, unlikely fashion partnership for you.  To celebrate the fifth anniversary of the addictive Candy Crush Saga, King has partnered with uber-trendy Moschino to create… unique… Candy Crush-inspired swimwear, a backpack, and a phone case. … [Link]

Mashable » 'The Fate of the Furious' drives off track in this year's blockbuster race

Friday 14 April 14:31:36 UTC 2017

Twitter Facebook The Fate of the Furious careens wildly into theaters this weekend, and Clint and Ti got a sneak peak! Is the "Family" in for more of the same awesome action? Or is it time for a Family course correction? And if you're into more mindless action flicks, be sure to stick around for the recommendations in the second half of … [Link]

Popular Science » Get this amazing globe of bioluminescence in your pocket

Friday 14 April 14:31:31 UTC 2017

Stack Commerce Sponsored Post Your own natural phenomenon, powered by microscopic sea life. Your own natural phenomenon, powered by microscopic sea life. Read on. [Link]

Mashable » Summer movie preview: What to watch if you just want to see the best of the best

Friday 14 April 14:11:28 UTC 2017

Twitter FacebookAll week, we've been running our 2017 summer movie preview. Previously, we shared our funniest, scariest, most action-packed, and most nostalgia-friendly picks. Today, we're wrapping things up with the best of the best: the six films we're most excited to see, period. The best thing about summer movie season is also the worst thing about summer movie season: there's just so … [Link]

Slashdot » Apple May Invest Billions of Dollars In Toshiba's Memory Chip Business

Friday 14 April 14:00:00 UTC 2017

Toshiba shares recovered after Japan's national broadcaster reported that Apple is considering an investment of several billion dollars in its semiconductor unit, raising the prospect that the struggling electronics conglomerate will get a much-needed cash infusion. From a report: Toshiba has put its memory chips business up for sale to make up for a writedown of 716.6 billion yen ($6.56 … [Link]

Slashdot » Google Photos Can Now Stabilize All Your Shaky Phone Camera Videos

Friday 14 April 13:00:00 UTC 2017

In early August, Google announced a feature for the Google Photos mobile app that would automatically stabilize videos in your camera roll. That feature is now rolling out via Photos v2.13 on Android. The Verge reports: A lot of flagship smartphones offer optical image stabilization when shooting video, a hardware feature that helps keep footage smooth. Others, like Google's Pixel, … [Link]

Slashdot » New Solar-Powered Device Can Pull Water Straight From the Desert Air

Friday 14 April 10:00:00 UTC 2017

sciencehabit quotes a report from Science Magazine: You can't squeeze blood from a stone, but wringing water from the desert sky is now possible, thanks to a new spongelike device that uses sunlight to suck water vapor from air, even in low humidity. The device can produce nearly 3 liters of water per day, and researchers say future versions will … [Link]

Slashdot » Drupal Developers Threaten To Quit Drupal Unless Larry Garfield Is Reinstated

Friday 14 April 7:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader writes: Slashdot previously covered the story of Larry Garfield, a Drupal developer who was allegedly banned from the community for his BDSM/Gorean lifestyle, after he was outed by a colleague with a grudge. Now, dozens of core Drupal developers, committers, and funders have banded together in an open letter to Dries Buytaert, the CTO of Acquia, Drupal … [Link]

The Joy of Tech » JoT #2406: The real reason for Apple's blood monitor program…

Friday 14 April 6:30:01 UTC 2017

JoT thumbMaintain your coding health! [Link]

Slashdot » Apple Has a Secret Team Working On Non-Invasive Diabetes Sensors

Friday 14 April 3:30:00 UTC 2017

schwit1 quotes a report from CNBC: Apple has hired a small team of biomedical engineers to work at a nondescript office in Palo Alto, miles from corporate headquarters. They are part of a super secret initiative, initially envisioned by the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, to develop sensors that can non-invasively and continuously monitor blood sugar levels to better treat … [Link]

Slashdot » AI Programs Exhibit Racial and Gender Biases, Research Reveals

Friday 14 April 1:05:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: An artificial intelligence tool that has revolutionized the ability of computers to interpret everyday language has been shown to exhibit striking gender and racial biases. The findings raise the specter of existing social inequalities and prejudices being reinforced in new and unpredictable ways as an increasing number of decisions affecting our … [Link]

Slashdot » Used Tesla Model S Sedans Sell Faster Than Any Other High-End Used Vehicle

Friday 14 April 0:35:00 UTC 2017

According to a survey conducted by Autolist, "used Tesla Model S sedans sell faster than luxury-car competitors do, and faster than other top-selling used vehicles from Motor Co. and General Motors Co.," reports MarketWatch. From the report: Used Model S sedans had the briefest time on the market of all vehicles included in the survey, taking, on average, 87 days … [Link]

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