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.

Slashdot » The NSA Intercepted Microsoft's Windows Bug Reports

Saturday 5 August 23:46:00 UTC 2017

Bruce Schneier writes on his security blog: Back in 2013, Der Spiegel reported that the NSA intercepts and collects Windows bug reports… "When Tailored Access Operations selects a computer somewhere in the world as a target and enters its unique identifiers (an IP address, for example) into the corresponding database, intelligence agents are then automatically notified any time the operating … [Link]

ProgrammableWeb.com » Overstock Has a Blockchain API and It’s Not for Bitcoin

Saturday 5 August 23:04:09 UTC 2017

This story was updated on Aug 7, 2017 [Link]

Slashdot » Microsoft and PayPal Add 'Send Money' Feature To Skype

Saturday 5 August 22:42:00 UTC 2017

BrianFagioli quotes BetaNews: Microsoft has partnered with PayPal for a new way to transfer funds using Skype… "Today, we're excited to announce that PayPal is now partnering with Skype to allow users in 22 countries to send money to other Skype users with PayPal via their Skype mobile app. With over one billion Skype mobile downloads to date globally, users … [Link]

Mashable » Yes, Vladimir Putin has gone shirtless again to remind you of his dad bod power

Saturday 5 August 21:48:52 UTC 2017

You already know that the golfing, TV watching, Twitter-obsessed U.S. president is on vacation, but you might not have known that Russia's President Vladimir Putin is on vacation, too.  Luckily for you, we just got our hands on Putin's vacay photos, and they're full of spymaster-in-the-Siberian-tundra cheesecake.  SEE ALSO: Trump is getting crushed at his own handshake game In photos released … [Link]

Slashdot » Volkswagen Executive Faces Jail Time After Guilty Plea

Saturday 5 August 21:38:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes Ars Technica: A former Volkswagen executive has pleaded guilty to two charges related to the company's diesel emissions scandal. He is the second VW Group employee to do so, following retired engineer James Liang pleading guilty last summer. The VW Group executive, Oliver Schmidt, was based outside of Detroit and was in charge of emissions compliance … [Link]

Mashable » Cynthia Nixon may run for Governor, buuuut her famous character woulda done well, too

Saturday 5 August 21:31:31 UTC 2017

After rumors first circulated that Cynthia Nixon might be running for New York governor, the inevitable not-that-funny Sex and the City jokes followed shortly thereafter. Nixon doesn't come without qualifications: she has a sizable presence and a progressive reputation within New York political circles, and is a vocal advocate for the public schools. And while Nixon has obviously outgrown her Miranda … [Link]

Mashable » The text of that Google employee's manifesto is just like every other MRA rant

Saturday 5 August 21:23:16 UTC 2017

Early Saturday morning, a report in Motherboard revealed the existence of a 10-page document written by a Google engineer that said that inherent differences between men and women accounted for the gender gap in tech and opposed diversity initiatives at the company.  Now, the full text of the document is out via a report in Gizmodo. And, unsurprisingly, it's not great.  … [Link]

Slashdot » How Apple Is Putting Voices In Users' Heads — Literally

Saturday 5 August 20:34:00 UTC 2017

schwit1 shared WIRED's report on "a life-changing technology." Steven Levy spoke with Mathias Bahnmueller as he tested a new Apple sound processor that beams digital audio directly into hearing aids. Bahnmueller suffers from hearing loss so severe that a year ago he underwent surgery to install a cochlear implant — an electronic device in the inner ear that replaces the … [Link]

Mashable » Army orders the removal of DJI drones, citing cyber security concerns

Saturday 5 August 19:44:33 UTC 2017

The U.S. army just kicked one of the biggest drone makers on the planet out of its barracks, all in the name of security.  The maker of the drones in question: China's DJI (also known as SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd.).  SEE ALSO: A man escaped maximum-security prison in South Carolina thanks to a drone An Aug. 2 U.S. Army memo … [Link]

Mashable » Red Sox fans reach for a home run ball in the perfect baseball photo

Saturday 5 August 19:40:47 UTC 2017

Sometimes, a photographer captures the perfect moment.  At Thursday night's Red Sox-White Sox game at Fenway Park, Matt Stone of the Boston Herald did exactly that. As one Twitter user aptly put it, Stone's photo is a Norman Rockwell painting for 2017.  SEE ALSO: Not even baseball fans are safe from Chris Christie's boiling rage This is an absolute modern day … [Link]

Slashdot » Red Hat Acquires Data-Cleaning Company Permabit

Saturday 5 August 19:34:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes Fortune: Business software company Red Hat said on Monday that it is acquiring the technology assets of Permabit, a small company that specializes in cleaning up corporate data to make storage more efficient and data access faster. Terms of the deal were not disclosed but a Red Hat spokesman said 16 people from Permabit will be … [Link]

Mashable » Idina Menzel loved this little boy's rendition of 'Let it Go' so much, she asked him to sing it twice

Saturday 5 August 19:08:56 UTC 2017

Sometimes you've just got to "Let it Go" on, please, again and again and again. Idina Menzel is known for bringing little kids on stage when she performs. During a concert in Grand Prairie, Texas last weekend, she happened to invite one particularly performative little boy on stage with her. Most little boys claimed to hate "Let it Go," Menzel … [Link]

Mashable » Chris Hardwick's '@midnight' ran out of clock, but the internet goes on

Saturday 5 August 18:46:41 UTC 2017

“Best job I ever had." #AtMidnightIn5Words was the prompt, and after a dozen or so quick-fire quips from regular guests like Colton Dunn ("One black at a time") and Whitney Cummings ("One woman at a time"), show host Chris Hardwick reminded the audience in its series finale that Comedy Central’s @midnight transformed careers, late night, and the internet itself in its … [Link]

Slashdot » Could Diabetes Spread Like Mad Cow Disease?

Saturday 5 August 18:34:00 UTC 2017

sciencehabit quotes Science magazine: Prions are insidious proteins that spread like infectious agents and trigger fatal conditions such as mad cow disease. A protein implicated in diabetes, a new study suggests, shares some similarities with these villains. Researchers transmitted diabetes from one mouse to another just by injecting the animals with this protein. The results don't indicate that diabetes is … [Link]

Mashable » Amazon Alexa update includes sexy talk for 'baby making' music

Saturday 5 August 18:21:14 UTC 2017

After all the shopping and TV watching, Amazon knows you also like to do other things, like, the sex, for example.  To help facilitate this most natural of human activities, Amazon has now given Alexa the power to help you out with music specially designed to help set the right mood.  SEE ALSO: Roku forecast to beat Apple TV, Google, Amazon … [Link]

Slashdot » 'World of Warcraft' Game Currency Now Worth More Than Venezuelan Money

Saturday 5 August 17:34:00 UTC 2017

schwit1 quotes TheBlaze: Digital gold from Blizzard's massive multiplayer online game "World of Warcraft" is worth more than actual Venezuelan currency, the bolivar, according to new data. Venezuelan resident and Twitter user @KalebPrime first made the discovery July 14 and tweeted at the time that on the Venezuela's black market — now the most-used method of currency exchange within Venezuela … [Link]

Mashable » 9-year-old alien expert submits application for NASA job

Saturday 5 August 17:14:10 UTC 2017

If there's one population uniquely qualified to fight aliens, it's children under the age of 10 who love cable television. After hearing that NASA was looking for its next "Planetary Protection Officer," 9-year-old Jack Davis decided to throw his name in the hat. Jack, a self-proclaimed "Guardian of the Galaxy," thought he had both the dedication and necessary qualifications to rise … [Link]

Slashdot » Wells Fargo Sued Again For Misbilling Car Owners And Veterans

Saturday 5 August 16:34:00 UTC 2017

UnknowingFool writes: A new class action lawsuit from a former Wells Fargo customer claimed the bank charged loan customers for auto insurance they did not need. With auto loans, the bank often requires that full coverage auto insurance be bought when the loan is made. However, lead plaintiff Paul Hancock says that Wells Fargo charged him for auto insurance even … [Link]

Mashable » A Google employee's screed against diversity is going viral within the company

Saturday 5 August 16:32:55 UTC 2017

Inside Google, there's a document circulating called "Google's Ideological Echo Chamber."  Written by a senior software engineer and in part viewed by Motherboard, the 10-page Google Doc allegedly argues that biological differences between men and women account for the representation gap in tech and that Google should not offer programs for underrepresented minorities. The document also reportedly says that employees with … [Link]

Mashable » Dunkin' Donuts allegedly wants to change their name to one of these names and I'm upset

Saturday 5 August 16:17:31 UTC 2017

If you haven't heard the news about Dunkin' Donuts, please, sit down and grab a doughnut. This is gonna be a tough one. America's most popular donut chain is reportedly considering rebranding and changing its name, according to Nation's Restaurants News. The company wants to move away from its complicated donut associations and refocus on coffee. America's donuts are under attack. … [Link]

Mashable » Robert Pattinson was totally joking about dog sex in his new movie

Saturday 5 August 15:34:45 UTC 2017

Robert Pattinson says there was definitely no bestiality on the set of his new movie Good Time. Just so we're all clear. The actor told a story suggesting otherwise on Jimmy Kimmel Live Thursday, and it's gotten a lot of attention. SEE ALSO: Robert Pattinson fought 'Twilight' producers to save us from Smiling Edward Cullen Pretty much, he said that while … [Link]

Slashdot » Is Microsoft Hustling Us With 'White Spaces'?

Saturday 5 August 15:34:00 UTC 2017

rgh02 writes: Microsoft recently announced their plan to deploy unused television airwaves to solve the digital divide in America. And while the media painted this effort as a noble one, at Backchannel, Susan Crawford reveals the truth: "Microsoft's plans aren't really about consumer internet access, don't actually focus on rural areas, and aren't targeted at the US — except for … [Link]

Mashable » I'm the leader of the White Walkers and here's why we're taking so long

Saturday 5 August 15:00:00 UTC 2017

Hi I'm the Night King, ruler of the White Walkers/the main guy with the blue head on HBO's Game of Thrones. There's been a lot of talk going around lately about how my army is taking too long to move south. Honestly, it feels like everywhere I turn, people are saying, "The White Walkers are moving so slowly," or, "Everyone is … [Link]

Slashdot » GNOME's Text Editor gedit 'No Longer Maintained', Needs New Developers

Saturday 5 August 14:34:00 UTC 2017

AmiMoJo brings news about gedit, the default text editor for GNOME: In a post to the gedit mailing list, Sébastien Wilmet states that gedit is no longer maintained and asks "any developer interested to take over the maintenance of gedit?" Just in case you were considering it, he warns "BTW while the gedit core is written in C (with a … [Link]

Mashable » Finally, there's finally a good reason to upgrade your iPad

Saturday 5 August 14:00:00 UTC 2017

Apple’s biggest challenge with the iPad is convincing people who already own one to buy a newer version. I've been using my iPad Air 2 everyday since 2014 for reading news, checking Twitter, and watching videos, and I could probably keep using it until it stops working. I don't actually need a new iPad to continue doing any of these things, … [Link]

Mashable » Why GMOs aren't necessarily all that terrible for you

Saturday 5 August 14:00:00 UTC 2017

On this episode of 'StarTalk on Mashable' Neil deGrasse Tyson interviews an expert about why GMO's might not be so terrible as many think. Check out the full StarTalk podcast about GMOs here: http://bit.ly/2vsDIyF StarTalk on Mashable is a video series, produced by Mashable and StarTalk Radio. StarTalk Radio is a podcast and radio program hosted by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. … [Link]

Mashable » Pauly Shore returns from the '90s to play Stephen Miller and oh, it's good

Saturday 5 August 13:55:51 UTC 2017

Stephen Miller, a man who wakes up every morning and puts on a human costume from his closet, is hands down the most unwatchable official in Trump's entire administration. So who better to play him and make him irritated than Pauly Shore, the '90s stoner icon best known for hits like Jury Duty and Encino Man? Watch this Funny or … [Link]

Slashdot » FBI Tracked 'Fake News' Believed To Be From Russia On Election Day

Saturday 5 August 13:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNN: The FBI monitored social media on Election Day last year in an effort to track a suspected Russian disinformation campaign utilizing "fake news," CNN has learned. In the months leading up to Election Day, Twitter and Facebook were the feeding grounds for viral "news" stories floating conspiracies and hoaxes, many aimed at … [Link]

Popular Science » How to do more with your fitness tracker

Saturday 5 August 12:00:00 UTC 2017

DIY Harvest that activity data. Your wearables provide you with a steady stream of data. And it doesn't just tell you how much you're moving. Here are 4 additional ways to use that information. [Link]

Mashable » A perfect hack if Apple's earphones don't fit your ears

Saturday 5 August 12:00:00 UTC 2017

Just to let you know, if you buy something featured here, Mashable might earn an affiliate commission. Last year, Apple put out an iPhone without a headphone jack — the first volley in its ongoing War on Apertures  — and, suffice to say, it was not the brand’s most popular decision.  But, life goes on, and whether you own AirPods (the … [Link]

Mashable » An open letter from the dude at the party who is just kinda hanging out in the kitchen by himself right now

Saturday 5 August 12:00:00 UTC 2017

Hey guys, it’s me. The dude who is just kinda hanging in the kitchen by himself right now. I've been in here for so long now that if I even tried to rejoin the party at this point it would just be extremely weird. Trust me, I wish I wasn't in here, too. This really sucks and I don't know what … [Link]

Slashdot » Linux Kernel Hardeners Grsecurity Sue Open Source's Bruce Perens

Saturday 5 August 10:00:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader shares a report from The Register: In late June, noted open-source programmer Bruce Perens [a longtime Slashdot reader] warned that using Grsecurity's Linux kernel security could invite legal trouble. "As a customer, it's my opinion that you would be subject to both contributory infringement and breach of contract by employing this product in conjunction with the Linux … [Link]

Mashable » 42 bizarre and hilarious Liam Gallagher tweets to improve your day

Saturday 5 August 8:30:00 UTC 2017

If you ever find yourself with a bit of time to kill, Liam Gallagher's Twitter feed is a brilliant place to do it. You never know what you'll find. It could be a cheerful snatch of song lyrics, an angry diatribe aimed at the press or the music industry or humankind in general, or — more likely than any of those … [Link]

Slashdot » MegaBots Is Finally Going To Take On Japan In the World's First Giant Robot Duel

Saturday 5 August 7:00:00 UTC 2017

A company called MegaBots released a video two years ago challenging a Japanese collective to a giant robot fight. About a week later, the Japanese group, Suidobashi Heavy Industry, agreed. Now, according to MegaBots co-founderes, Matt Oehrlein and Gui Cavalcanti, the battle is set to take place in September. Quartz reports: The battle would have happened a bit sooner, but … [Link]

Slashdot » Lovers Share Colonies of Skin Microbes, Study Finds

Saturday 5 August 3:30:00 UTC 2017

Aneri Pattani reports via The New York Times (Warning: source may be paywalled; alternate source): Couples who live together share a lot of things: beds, bathrooms, food, toiletries. But one thing they might not expect to share? Skin bacteria. In a study published Thursday in mSystems, an open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, researchers studied the skin microbiomes … [Link]

Mashable » The Navy SEAL movie of summer has disappeared. Poof. Gone.

Saturday 5 August 1:56:51 UTC 2017

Can I get a visual on Renegades? The Navy SEAL drama that was set to hit North American theaters in three weeks has vanished from the schedule, reports Richard Rushfield in Friday's edition of The Ankler. We've confirmed that EuropaCorp, the French film production company behind Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, has indeed aborted the mission to open … [Link]

Mashable » That incredibly well-preserved armored dinosaur is actually a new species

Saturday 5 August 1:31:47 UTC 2017

The discovery itself was amazing. A dinosaur was found in Canada around 110 million years after it diedNational Geographic covered the accidental discovery in its June issue and created a 3-D rendering to show how well-preserved the dinosaur fossils were in an ancient river bank.  SEE ALSO: A terrifying crocodile relative, with teeth like a T. rex, may have taken on … [Link]

Mashable » 7 Pro-Level Bitmoji Tips

Saturday 5 August 1:27:04 UTC 2017

Read more…More about Bitmoji, Mashable Reels, Bitmoji Tips, Tech, and Smartphones [Link]

Mashable » Do not watch the leaked 'Game of Thrones' episode. Only regret awaits

Saturday 5 August 1:00:57 UTC 2017

Unless you've been out to sea (like poor Gendry, still rowing), you know the upcoming Episode 4 of Game of Thrones was leaked early.  We know. We get it. You're thinking it. We thought it, too. SEE ALSO: This Sunday's episode of 'Game of Thrones' has leaked to the pirating public But I'm here to save your lizard brain from an … [Link]

Slashdot » BLU Claims Innocence, Gets Phones Reinstated On Amazon

Saturday 5 August 1:00:00 UTC 2017

Earlier this week, Amazon suspended budget phone maker BLU from selling its phones on the site, citing a "potential security issue." A few days have passed and BLU has made its defense. SlashGear reports: AdUps, the Chinese company that provides affordable firmware update software to countless budget Android phones, is not spyware and not even Kryptowire, the security firm that … [Link]

Slashdot » Apple Plans To Release a Cellular-Capable Watch To Break iPhone Ties

Saturday 5 August 0:20:00 UTC 2017

According to Bloomberg, Apple is planning to release a version of the Apple Watch later this year that can connect directly to cellular networks, a move designed to reduce the device's reliance on the iPhone. From the report: Currently, Apple requires its smartwatch to be connected wirelessly to an iPhone to stream music, download directions in maps, and send messages … [Link]

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