Anyone who works as a freelancer these days has to be at least a bit familiar with techie things. But it isn’t just that. When I was a kid and those vaguely SF puppet shows were on the television and all the other kids wanted to be Greg Gogetem or Steve Savetheuniverse, I wanted to be the guy in a white coat and glasses called Doc or Brains. Here are some technology-related feeds I find useful and/or entertaining.
Slashdot » Apple Pulls Anti-Censorship Apps from China's App Store
An anonymous reader quotes Fortune:Services helping Chinese users circumvent the "Great Firewall of China" have been pulled from Apple's Chinese App Store en masse. On Saturday morning, at least some software makers affected by the sweep received notification from Apple that their tools were removed for violating Chinese law. Internet censorship in China restricts communications about topics including democracy, Tibetan … [Link]
Slashdot » P&G Cuts More Than $100 Million In 'Largely Ineffective' Digital Ads
schwit1 quotes the Wall Street Journal: Procter & Gamble said that its move to cut more than $100 million in digital marketing spend in the June quarter had little impact on its business, proving that those digital ads were largely ineffective. Almost all of the consumer product giant's advertising cuts in the period came from digital, finance chief Jon Moeller … [Link]
Mashable » Doctor takes a break from giving birth to deliver another baby
A doctor in Kentucky and her patient will always remember their babies' birthdays. Amanda Hess, an OB/GYN in Frankfort, Kentucky, was in the hospital as she prepared to give birth to her daughter. While she waited, Hess heard another expectant mother who was closer to giving birth. SEE ALSO: This Beyoncé-themed baby shower puts all your basic showers to shame The … [Link]
Slashdot » Do Kill Switches Deter Cellphone Theft?
evolutionary shares an article from Ars Technica: San Francisco's district attorney says that a California state law mandating "theft-deterring technological solutions" for smartphones has resulted in a precipitous drop in such robberies. Those measures primarily include a remote kill switch after a phone has been stolen that would allow a phone to be disabled, withstanding even a hard reset. Such … [Link]
Mashable » Conspiracy theory suggests that Outback Steakhouse is the center of a satanic cult
The internet has way too much time on its hands. Twitter user @eatmyaesthetics rehashed truly bizarre findings concerning a bunch of Outback Steakhouse locations, which has placed the restaurant chain at the center of an internet conspiracy theory. SEE ALSO: Sorry everyone, but that shocking Amelia Earhart photo has been debunked — twice Wtf is Outback Steakhouse planning pic.twitter.com/l1CSafkdOK — balenci-who? … [Link]
Mashable » Terminator speaker uses Amazon Alexa to let you talk to your future robot masters
One of the fastest rising voice-controlled assistants, Amazon's Alexa, just got a new face, and it makes perfect, terrifying sense: It's the Terminator. To be specific, it's the metal face of Skynet's robot apocalypse in the form of the Terminator T-800, the original model of the death machine played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the classic 1984 film. The device is … [Link]
Mashable » Police officer helps 4-year-old girl search for monsters
Everyone can rest easy: there are no monsters in Longmont, Colorado. One police officer in the town checked the house of a 4-year-old girl who was nervous about her new home. SEE ALSO: Note from dog sitter perfectly demonstrates the struggle of owning a pup “She met Officer [David] Bonday and asked him if he would come search for monsters in … [Link]
Mashable » Two fiction writers built a sprawling, hilarious horror story on Twitter
It started innocently enough. Just one writer talking to his friend, another writer, on Twitter. @ChuckWendig yo, can you help me out — Sam Sykes (@SamSykesSwears) July 28, 2017 The principals of this story are Sam Sykes, an author known best for his Aeons' Gate fantasy series; and Chuck Wendig, who most recently helmed the Aftermath trilogy of Star Wars books. … [Link]
Slashdot » 100x Faster, 10x Cheaper: 3D Metal Printing Is About To Go Mainstream
Big Hairy Ian shares an article from New Atlas: Desktop Metal — remember the name. This Massachussetts company is preparing to turn manufacturing on its head, with a 3D metal printing system that's so much faster, safer and cheaper than existing systems that it's going to compete with traditional mass manufacturing processes… Plenty of design studios and even home users … [Link]
Mashable » 'Bohemian Rhapsody' mashed with 'Crash Bandicoot' is the weirdest thing you'll see today
Mashups are one of things on the internet that never seem to get old, but as this mashup proves, they're definitely getting weirder. YouTuber Octopimp created this brilliantly scary mashup of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," except in place of the words it's just Crash Bandicoot saying "whoa." It's oddly terrifying and equally entertaining. If that wasn't enough weirdness for you, check … [Link]
Mashable » Apple removes all VPN apps from China App Store, report
In a move sure to put Apple's ongoing activities in China under a more intense international microscope, a number of foreign-made VPN software apps have been removed from China's app store, according to a report from The New York Times. SEE ALSO: Whatsapp users in China report issues sending pictures and video, fearing censorship The report cites several VPN makers, including … [Link]
Slashdot » Stealthy Google Play Apps Recorded Calls and Stole Emails
An anonymous reader quotes Ars Technica: Google has expelled 20 Android apps from its Play marketplace after finding they contained code for monitoring and extracting users' e-mail, text messages, locations, voice calls, and other sensitive data. The apps, which made their way onto about 100 phones, exploited known vulnerabilities to root devices running older versions of Android…. As a result, … [Link]
Slashdot » The US Congress Is Investigating Government Use Of Kaspersky Software
An anonymous reader quotes Reuters: A U.S. congressional panel this week asked 22 government agencies to share documents on Moscow-based cyber firm Kaspersky Lab, saying its products could be used to carry out "nefarious activities against the United States," according to letters seen by Reuters. The requests made on Thursday by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space … [Link]
Mashable » Grandpas smoking weed for the first time is as hilarious as it sounds
Thanks to a handful of states legalizing recreational cannabis in recent years, people can finally consume marijuana after decades of prohibition. While cannabis consumption laws were widely ignored, there are some people out there that never tried the sticky icky, and Cut Video has been doing an excellent job of documenting their first experiences. This time, the team rounded up … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » How Google Versions Their APIs
APIs sometimes go thru changes that are so big they require a new version to make sure API users don’t break their apps. Versioning APIs is, however, difficult and some teams go out of their way to avoid it. Google can’t do that and so they’ve developed some simple, consistent rules for versioning APIs. Dan Ciruli over at the Google … [Link]
Slashdot » Systemd Named 'Lamest Vendor' At Pwnie Security Awards
Long-time Slashdot reader darkpixel2k shares a highlight from the Black Hat USA security conference. The Register reports: The annual Pwnie Awards for serious security screw-ups saw hardly anyone collecting their prize at this year's ceremony in Las Vegas… The gongs are divided into categories, and nominations in each section are voted on by the hacker community… The award for best … [Link]
Mashable » Mountie chasing a bear is the most Canadian thing ever
A Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman was captured chasing a black bear from a park in Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta. The young bear can be seen climbing a tree in the park as Sgt. Clayton Wilbern approaches with caution. But the moment the bear begins to retreat, Wilbern jumps into action, chasing the bear from the park in an attempt … [Link]
Mashable » This girl loves K-pop so much she got a hammer stuck in her mouth
Have you ever loved something so much you just had to stick a hammer in your mouth? That's how one devoted K-pop fan felt. 14-year-old Kaley was inspired to display her passion for the band BTS during a conversation with her friend. SEE ALSO: Snake owner calls 911: 'I have a boa constrictor stuck to my face' "I was sending her … [Link]
Mashable » What is an Airbnb 'superhost' exactly? It has to do with hospitality, not safety
A lawsuit in California this week claimed that Airbnb creates a "false sense of security" for its customers—and one way it does that, the lawsuit contends, is through its superhosts. The woman who filed the lawsuit, Leslie Lapayowker, said she was sexually assaulted by a Los Angeles Airbnb host. As part of the lawsuit, she noted that her host was a … [Link]
Mashable » Every Tesla Model 3 review you need to see to know if this car is the future
Tesla founder Elon Musk finally delivered on his promise to bring an affordable version of his electric car to the masses by putting the first owners of the car into Model 3 vehicles on Friday. SEE ALSO: Tesla's Model 3 doesn't come with a key But along with those first owners, the media got a hold of the vehicle, too. And … [Link]
Slashdot » How Rust Can Replace C In Python Libraries
An anonymous reader quotes InfoWorld: Proponents of Rust, the language engineered by Mozilla to give developers both speed and memory safety, are stumping for the language as a long-term replacement for C and C++. But replacing software written in these languages can be a difficult, long-term project. One place where Rust could supplant C in the short term is in … [Link]
Mashable » Snake owner calls 911: 'I have a boa constrictor stuck to my face'
A snake owner placed a harrowing call to emergency services when her recent rescue wrapped itself around her neck and began biting her face. "I have a boa constrictor stuck to my face," the woman can be heard saying in the 911 call. She later revealed during the call that she had rescued two boa constrictors the day before, adding to … [Link]
Mashable » Tesla's first sleek Model 3s are on the road
Tesla’s Model 3 was released Friday to its first owners: 30 lucky employees who will be basically beta testing the electric sedan before the rest of us mere mortals can get inside. The first owners all got the higher-end model, priced at $44,000. But, the Model 3's base model will cost just $35,000, putting it in the same price range … [Link]
Mashable » Download this: Plotagraph will seriously upgrade your Insta pics
Who doesn't want to level up their Instagram game? While many apps that let you add special effects to your photos end up looking gimmicky, Plotagraph's app lets you add elegant animations that will make your want to revisit your favorite photos. SEE ALSO: How Sarahah became one of the most popular iPhone apps in the world The idea is kind … [Link]
Slashdot » Scientists Genetically Engineer the World's First Blue Chrysanthemum
sciencehabit shares an article from Science magazine: True blue flowers are a rarity in nature — they occur only in select species like morning glories and delphiniums. Now, researchers have created a genuinely blue chrysanthemum by adding two genes to the normally pink or reddish flower. The advance could be applied to other species — and it may mean that … [Link]
Popular Science » Sunscreen made from DNA would last forever
Science Earth's yellow sun is the source of its power. Research finds that films made up of DNA block dangerous UV rays. [Link]
Mashable » Dan Richards, "The Progressive Liberal," brings politics to rural wrestling
Pro-wrestling is a business that, for years, has taken a cue from the real world: there's a good guy, a bad guy, and a battle for the fans' hearts (and money) and, for years, politics has fed storylines. The Cold War and tussles with other foreign adversaries was a boon for the federations, especially the WWE (then the WWF) with characters … [Link]
Mashable » Trump summoned Reince Priebus to the Oval Office to make him swat a fly
President Donald Trump fired his chief of staff, Reince Priebus, via tweet on Friday after a long battle between factions at the Trump White House. It was a fitting end to the rocky relationship between Priebus and Trump—one marked by Trump's lack of respect for the former Republican National Committee chairman. SEE ALSO: All the stuff in my fridge that lasted … [Link]
Slashdot » Microsoft's 'Windows Subsystem For Linux' Finally Leaves Beta
An anonymous reader quotes Microsoft's Developer blog: Early adopters on the Windows Insider program will notice that Windows Subsystem for Linux is no longer marked as a beta feature as of Insider build 16251. This will be great news for those who've held-back from employing WSL as a mainline toolset: You'll now be able to leverage WSL as a day-to-day … [Link]
Mashable » Love 'Despacito'? Here's what you should listen to next
“Despacito” isn't just the song of the summer — it's hopefully a sign of things to come. The most streamed song of all time has opened the door a crack more for Spanish-language songs to capture our attention on the world stage, and perhaps chart-topping artists will look toward the remix collaboration between Justin Bieber, Louis Fonsi, and Daddy Yankee for … [Link]
Mashable » The fastest and easiest way to share GIFs to Instagram on iPhone and Android
Sharing photos and videos to Instagram is a no-brainer. But sharing GIFs? That requires a little more work. The first thing you need to know about sharing GIFs to Instagram is that you're not really sharing a GIF after it's all said and done. SEE ALSO: 12 awesome Instagram features you're probably not using What I mean is, the GIF you … [Link]
Mashable » Beautiful 1980s portraits capture the vibrant residents of a single East Berlin street
The rock group Phonolog.Image: Harf ZimmermannIn 1981, Harf Zimmermann moved into a fifth-floor walkup apartment on Hufelandstrasse, a cobblestone street in East Berlin.The neighborhood was an anomaly in the increasingly drab Soviet-administered city. Buildings boasted proud facades and balconies, linden trees lined the broad sidewalks, and an unusual number of privately-owned shops remained in business.But in 1985 the crumbling balconies were … [Link]
Mashable » Don't even think about bringing your selfie stick to these tourist destinations
Selfie stick mania may have died down a bit since it first began a few years ago, but many tourist spots still aren't into your sticks. In fact, they are outright banned in many Insta-worthy locations. Just look at Milan, Italy. After the entire city recently decided to ban selfie sticks, we went searching for tourist hotspots that still restrict the … [Link]
Slashdot » OpenMoko: Ten Years After
Michael Lauer, member of the core team at OpenMoko, a project that sought to create a family of open source mobile phones — which included the hardware specs and the Linux-based OS — has shared the inside story of what the project wanted to do and why it failed. From his blog post: For the 10th anniversary since the legendary … [Link]
Mashable » Al Gore is back in theaters, with a powerful, anti-Trump message on climate change
The saddest, most frustrating moment in Al Gore's new climate change movie, An Inconvenient Sequel, involves the lonely former vice president walking into Trump Tower and boarding a golden elevator to meet with the then-president-elect. That scene encapsulates both how far we've come in the climate policy arena, and how far we've fallen backwards in just the past six months. It … [Link]
Mashable » How the podcast boom is finally forcing radio to become more diverse
“I’d love to host a podcast one day," Sarah says wistfully when I speak to her on the phone. She's 17, from Georgia, and just graduated high school. She's saved enough money to go traveling for a year, and plans to start college in 2019 if she can afford it. Her parents are supportive, but they don’t understand why she would … [Link]
Slashdot » LibreOffice 5.4 Adds More New Features, Improves Office File Format Compatibility
The Document Foundation has released LibreOffice 5.4. Again, it's on time, arriving six months after the release of LibreOffice 5.3. From a report: LibreOffice 5.4 is "the last major release of the LibreOffice 5.x family," and like other point releases is a major one, adding features across all components and incrementally improving compatibility with Microsoft Office document formats. Highlights include … [Link]
Mashable » A $99 'subscription' will be the beginning of the end for Twitter
You know that guy on Twitter. He (or she) is always firing off what they're up to (no matter how mundane), commenting on every trending hashtag, and often tossing out flashes of #dailyinsight. This is the Twitter Influencer™, and it's a species as old as Twitter itself. Even if you don't value what this kind of person has to say, chances … [Link]
Mashable » Milk swirling around in coffee is better than latte art
You’re presumably familiar with latte art — you know, those lovely leaves fanning out atop your espresso, or a big heart or whatever. If you're tired of latte art, though — or you don't know how to make latte art and refuse to learn — we'd like to endorse an alternative: pouring some milk in some regular old coffee and watching … [Link]
Mashable » Learn how to start your own business with these online courses
Just to let you know, if you buy something featured here, Mashable might earn an affiliate commission. Will all the bills to pay, mouths to feed, and fidget spinners to spin, it can be hard to make enough money to make ends meet. And with inflation and the cost of living steadily increasing, it’s becoming even more difficult. SEE ALSO: Become … [Link]
Mashable » The best things on the internet don't make any money
At some point, the internet became a get-rich-quick scheme. There's a simple formula to it: Smart people with good ideas receive millions of dollars to build something. If that something generates billions of dollars, it is a success. If it does not, it is a failure. Such "failures" include: Twitter, Soundcloud, Vine, Reddit. At varying times, each of these companies had … [Link]
Mashable » Get in the best shape of your life with this fitness tracker that's also a personal trainer
Just to let you know, if you buy something featured here, Mashable might earn an affiliate commission. There’s nothing better than being in shape. It prolongs your life, it makes you feel better, and it can even boost your mood. Unfortunately, it’s really hard to get in shape, and even harder to maintain it. Luckily, there are some great fitness trackers … [Link]
Popular Science » The best Twitter tricks and add-ons
DIY Tweet like a pro. These essential Twitter tips, tricks, and add-ons will allow you to perform advanced searches, schedule tweets, tweak the interface, avoid spoilers, and more. [Link]
Slashdot » Crooks Reused Passwords On the Dark Web So Dutch Police Took Over Their Accounts
An anonymous reader writes: Dutch Police is aggressively going after Dark Web vendors using data they collected from the recently seized Hansa Market. According to reports, police is using the Hansa login credentials to authenticate on other Dark Web portals, such as Dream. If vendors reused passwords, police take over the accounts and set up traps or map the sales … [Link]
Slashdot » Ask Slashdot: Should Average Consumers Install More Than One Antivirus Program On Their System?
Even though you would assume that people would know better, an anonymous reader writes, in my experience, I have found many who think installing more than one antivirus program on their computer is the right way to go about it. Some have installed as many as three third-party security suites, which among other things, takes a toll on the performance. … [Link]
Slashdot » Bad News If You Make $150,000 to $300,000: Higher Taxes for Many
From a WSJ report: If President Donald Trump sticks to what he has said, Americans earning between $149,400 and $307,900 are most likely to see an increase in their taxes as a result of tax reform (Editor's note: the link could be paywalled). Those figures come from a recent study by the Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan group in Washington, … [Link]
Slashdot » Tesla Model 3 Test Drive: Car Has Bite and Simple Interior
An anonymous reader shares a WSJ article: A first peek inside Tesla's new Model 3 compact car revealed a starker, cozier interior than the more spacious and luxurious Model S. But as the sedan sped off, the experience felt similar. On Friday, the Silicon Valley auto maker showed off details of the all-electric sedan's interior for the first time (Editor's … [Link]
Mashable » Tesla's Model 3 doesn't come with a key
This might take a little getting used to. After months and months of anticipation, Elon Musk has finally answered almost all of our questions about the Model 3. But there's one aspect of the electric car that might take a little more adjustment: there is no key for the Model 3. SEE ALSO: We finally know what the inside of Tesla's … [Link]
Mashable » Driving a Tesla Model 3 is pretty damn awesome
This is how an electric car should feel. Hell, this is how all cars should feel. Those were my initial thoughts after test-driving one of the very first Tesla Model 3 all-electric cars to roll off the assembly line Friday before the company's big reveal. That exhilarating, yet short-lived experience, started inauspiciously. In fact, I was prepared to be underwhelmed. I … [Link]
Mashable » We finally know what the inside of Tesla's Model 3 looks like, and it's stunning
The wait is finally over. After months of hype and anticipation, Tesla has finally given us our first peek at the interior of the Model 3 and, well, it was worth the wait. The interior is every bit as sleek and minimalist as we expected. The most prominent feature is the 15-inch digital display, which has more of a landscape orientation … [Link]
Mashable » Everything you need to know about the Tesla Model 3
All those niggling details about Telsa's eagerly anticipated $35,000 Model 3 all-electric sedan have finally been laid bare. The first 30 owners got their cars Friday night at an event at Tesla's Fremont, California factory, and now we know so much more about the car that's had analysts and enthusiasts giddy for months. There will be two Model 3 sedans. The … [Link]
Slashdot » Apple Paid Nokia $2 Billion To Escape Fight Over Old Patents
An anonymous reader shares a report: Apple's latest patent spat with Nokia resulted in a $2 billion up-front payment from the iPhone maker, a colossal sum that seems to indicate Apple was eager to avoid a protracted and ugly dispute that could rival the one it had with Samsung. The new details of the settlement, which was first announced back … [Link]
Slashdot » Congress Asks US Agencies For Kaspersky Lab Cyber Documents
Reuters reports: A U.S. congressional panel this week asked 22 government agencies to share documents on Moscow-based cyber firm Kaspersky Lab, saying its products could be used to carry out "nefarious activities against the United States," according to letters seen by Reuters. The requests made on Thursday by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space and Technology are … [Link]
Slashdot » Roomba Is No Spy: CEO Says iRobot Will Never Sell Your Data
It's been a challenging week for iRobot, the company behind the popular Roomba robotic vacuums. From a report: It started with an interview in Reuters, in which the company's chief executive Colin Angle gave the clear impression that iRobot was selling consumers' home mapping data (Editor's note: the chief executive said the company intended to explore the opportunity). Last night, … [Link]
Mashable » An alt-right subreddit helped a Republican staffer write legislation
A conspiracy theory subreddit devoted to President Donald Trump is apparently writing our legislation now. According to Wired, a Republican staffer actively asked r/The_Donald—widely known for being home to racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia—for advice in crafting an amendment. H.Res.477, which was proposed on Wednesday, calls for an investigation into the alleged misconduct of … you guessed it, Hillary Clinton and James … [Link]
Mashable » Fitbit's next-gen smartwatch will launch with its own app platform
Fitbit desperately needs its upcoming smartwatch to be a success, so the company is planning to prop it up with a brand-new app platform at launch. James Park, Fitbit's CEO, confirmed that a new app ecosystem is in the works for the unnamed smartwatch's long-awaited debut in a conversation with The Verge. The app platform has been rumored since January, even … [Link]
Mashable » Safe-cracking robot proves nothing is secure
If hackers want what's on your computer, chances are they can find a way to get it. But what about your non-digital goods? Like, the ones you keep in a safe at home? Turns out those aren't that secure, either. SEE ALSO: It's shockingly easy for hackers to remotely scan and clone your work security badge This was made abundantly clear … [Link]
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