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.

Slashdot » The Teen Malware Career Of Marcus Hutchins

Saturday 9 September 23:06:00 UTC 2017

Slashdot reader troublemaker_23 writes, "A number of security researchers have dismissed an article by reporter Brian Krebs about Marcus Hutchins, the Briton who is awaiting trial in the US on charges of writing and distributing the Kronos banking malware, by pointing out that it has nothing to do with the case." An anonymous reader writes: Krebs investigated dozens of hacker … [Link]

Mashable » All the new Apple iPhone features we know about from that big iOS 11 leak

Saturday 9 September 22:02:31 UTC 2017

Apple kinda sorta just spoiled its own big event by letting slip some of the biggest updates coming to the new iPhone and Apple Watch. We've already detailed some of the possible new emoji goodies, Apple Watch updates, and iPhone naming updates, but there's also a few other features revealed in the iOS 11 firmware leak. SEE ALSO: Apple's big … [Link]

Slashdot » Can We Surpass Moore's Law With Reversible Computing?

Saturday 9 September 22:02:00 UTC 2017

"It's not about an undo button," writes Slashdot reader marcle, sharing an article by a senior member of the technical staff at Sandia National Laboratories who's studying advanced technologies for computation. "Just reading this story bends my mind." From IEEE Spectrum: [F]or several decades now, we have known that it's possible in principle to carry out any desired computation without … [Link]

Popular Science » What Florida residents should expect from Hurricane Irma

Saturday 9 September 21:57:23 UTC 2017

hurricane irma Environment The storm is expected to strengthen again before hitting the coast. Time is running out for Florida residents as Irma approaches. [Link]

Mashable » Donald Trump Jr. doesn't seem to know which way framed photos of your children should face

Saturday 9 September 21:50:48 UTC 2017

Donald Trump Jr. loves his children so much that he doesn't actually look at them all day. The father of five was pictured sitting at his desk in Trump Tower, contemplating his fate in a New York Times article earlier this week about his meeting with Senate investigators over his ties to Russia. On Saturday, however, Twitter noticed something odd about … [Link]

Mashable » Patton Oswalt had choice words for an idiot who tweeted that depression 'isn't real'

Saturday 9 September 21:30:53 UTC 2017

Every Twitter troll needs someone to shut them down. Luckily, one guy who posted a long thread claiming that "depression isn't real" had J.K. Rowling, Patton Oswalt, and a host of other celebrities to debunk him. Oswalt, who has publicly discussed his struggles with depression, responded to a thread from Andrew Tate, a kickboxer and Big Brother contestant who describes himself … [Link]

Slashdot » Kodi Is Fighting Trademark Trolls

Saturday 9 September 20:58:00 UTC 2017

Friday the makers of an open source media player Kodi called out trademark trolls who they say have "attempted to register the Kodi name in various countries outside the United States with the goal of earning money off the Kodi name without doing any work beyond sending threatening letters." BrianFagioli shares an article in which BetaNews quotes Kodi community and … [Link]

Mashable » ‘The Florida Project’ is the best 2017 movie that you haven’t heard of

Saturday 9 September 20:56:56 UTC 2017

This world has never suffered from an overabundance of empathy. Even when we're trying to be kind, we have a bad habit of falling back on judgment and condescension, of projecting our own issues and beliefs onto the decisions of others. So when something like The Florida Project comes along, it feels all the more remarkable. In his last film, Tangerine, … [Link]

Mashable » Aaron Sorkin's 'Molly's Game' is a good time dragged down by out-of-touch gender politics

Saturday 9 September 20:44:21 UTC 2017

Aaron Sorkin thinks Molly's Game is his version of The Crucible. How do we know this? Because he references Arthur Miller's famous play about the Salem witch trials—which was written as a commentary on the Hollywood Blacklist—multiple times over the course of the movie, at one point having the titular heroine echo one of its most famous lines. Sadly for Sorkin, … [Link]

Mashable » The year of Wonder Woman continues with the excellent 'Professor Marston'

Saturday 9 September 20:06:13 UTC 2017

Can Wonder Woman's year get any better? Turns out, yes. A few months after her first big screen outing dominated the box office, her real-life origin story is coming to theaters in the form of a biopic, Professor Marston and the Wonder Women. And like Wonder Woman before it, Professor Marston feels both comfortingly familiar and quietly groundbreaking. SEE ALSO: … [Link]

Mashable » Get club vibes in your tiny apartment with these magnetic speakers

Saturday 9 September 20:00:00 UTC 2017

The Growtek MiniS Magnetic Speaker allows you to take your stereo speakers with you anywhere you go. It uses powerful magnets and accessories to snap on to almost any surface. Read more…More about Music, Audio, Mashable Video, Stereotypes, and Bluetooth [Link]

Slashdot » An Intelligent Speed Bump Uses Non-Newtonian Liquid

Saturday 9 September 19:54:00 UTC 2017

turkeydance quotes Business Insider: A Spanish company has designed a speed bump that won't hinder slow drivers but will still stop motorists driving too fast. The speed bump is filled with a non-Newtonian liquid which changes viscosity when pressure is applied at high velocity. They've been installed in Villanueva de Tapia, Spain and there has also been interest from Israel … [Link]

Mashable » Gal Gadot shares the most delightful 'Wonder Woman' blooper reel

Saturday 9 September 19:52:25 UTC 2017

Chris Pine had a nickname for Gal Gadot on the Wonder Woman set: Giggle Gadot. Friends, it is easy to see why. Gadot shared a video Saturday of some of Wonder Woman's finest bloopers. Spoiler: they all prominently feature Giggle Gadot, who is now our favorite celebrity alter-ego. SEE ALSO: 'Wonder Woman' has done it! Top 5 superhero movie of all … [Link]

Mashable » Apple iOS 11 leak hints at Apple Watch LTE and new colors

Saturday 9 September 19:26:29 UTC 2017

The hits just keep on coming from the iOS 11 leak we reported early Saturday, and the latest is all about the Apple Watch. Based on details found in the Golden Master leak of iOS 11 firmware, it appears that Apple is preparing to release an LTE version of the Apple Watch. SEE ALSO: The Boston Red Sox used Apple Watches … [Link]

Mashable » Uber, Lyft suspend some Florida service ahead of Hurricane Irma

Saturday 9 September 18:53:28 UTC 2017

Uber and Lyft want to make sure their drivers and passengers are safe ahead of Hurricane Irma. As the storm approaches the continental United States, both ride-hailing companies are making sure to play it safe. Irma is expected to make landfall in Florida as soon as Sunday morning. "With mandatory evacuations currently taking place, we strongly advise our riders and driver-partners … [Link]

Slashdot » China Builds World's Largest EV Charging Network With 167,000 Stations

Saturday 9 September 18:50:00 UTC 2017

"It soon will become easier to charge a Chevy Bolt or Tesla in China," reports 24/7 Wall Street, citing reports from China's official newspaper that they've built the highest number of electric-car charging facilities in the world, offering "the broadest coverage, and the most advanced technology." AmiMoJo quotes their announcement: A total of 167,000 charging piles have now been connected … [Link]

Mashable » Apple's 10th anniversary iPhone has a cool name, and now we may know what it is

Saturday 9 September 18:48:31 UTC 2017

We finally (probably) know the name of the new anniversary version of the iPhone and it's awesome: iPhone X. SEE ALSO: Apple's big iPhone 8 event will have much more than just new iPhones A tweet from game developer Steven Troughton-Smith, which was surfaced by 9to5Mac, shows off a screenshot of new iOS firmware that indicates that the names of the … [Link]

Mashable » Beyoncé visits her childhood church to meet with Harvey survivors

Saturday 9 September 18:28:12 UTC 2017

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Queen Bey came home to Houston. The singer visited St. Johns United Methodist Church — the same church she attended as a child — to meet with Harvey survivors and give a speech to those assembled. Blue Ivy; Destiny's Child member Michelle Williams; Beyoncé's mother, Tina Lawson; and other members of her BEYGOOD charity team … [Link]

Mashable » Elon Musk shows off another look at the new SpaceX spacesuit

Saturday 9 September 18:20:31 UTC 2017

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk just gave us another look at the company's new space suit and, as you'd expect, it looks pretty damn sci-fi. SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's Hyperloop pusher pod hit an impressive 220 mph in new test run Musk revealed the new look at the suit in an Instagram post on Friday, writing, "Astronaut spacesuit next to … [Link]

Slashdot » Linux Pioneer SUSE Marks 25 Years In the Field

Saturday 9 September 17:46:00 UTC 2017

troublemaker_23 shares an article from ITWire: The Germany-based SUSE Linux marked a milestone last week: on Friday, September 2, the company turned 25, a remarkable achievement in an industry where the remains of software companies litter the landscape around the world… SUSE was formed in 1992 by three university students — Hubert Mantel, Roland Dyroff, and Burchard Steinbild. The fourth … [Link]

Mashable » UPS, Red Cross test drones to locate people in need of help before a disaster is even over

Saturday 9 September 17:44:10 UTC 2017

As historic back-to-back hurricanes pummel the United States and the Caribbean, UPS and the Red Cross are testing out new technology to help. The package delivery service's nonprofit foundation is figuring out how to use drones to aid in disaster relief. The new pilot program, which also includes drone manufacturer CyPhy Works, will use tethered drones to assess damage after natural … [Link]

Mashable » Hurricane Irma's most dangerous storm surge targets Florida's southwest coast

Saturday 9 September 17:00:57 UTC 2017

Hurricane Irma is poised to pull off the remarkable feat of traveling the entire length of Florida, from south to north, and spreading catastrophic storm surge flooding and damaging winds along with it. The storm's track would mean that Miami and West Palm Beach, two of the most populated areas with vulnerable shoreline property, will escape their worst-case scenarios, but still … [Link]

Slashdot » Should Congress Force Social Media To Investigate Foreign Propaganda Trolls?

Saturday 9 September 16:42:00 UTC 2017

"I fought foreign propaganda for the FBI," writes a former special agent from its Counterintelligence Division. Now an associate dean at Yale Law School, he's warning that "the tools we had won't work anymore." An anonymous reader quotes Politico: The bureau is now faced with huge private companies, like Facebook and Twitter, which are ostensibly neutral and have no professional … [Link]

Mashable » DNA confirms Viking remains belonged to a female military leader

Saturday 9 September 16:20:14 UTC 2017

For over 130 years, researchers assumed a Viking warrior and military leader whose remains were found in Sweden was a man. Now, new DNA testing has shown that this ancient high-ranking military officer was actually a woman. "This image of the male warrior in a patriarchal society was reinforced by research traditions and contemporary preconceptions. Hence, the biological sex of the … [Link]

Mashable » Kristen Bell helped Josh Gad's family find lodging for Hurricane Irma

Saturday 9 September 16:07:42 UTC 2017

As stranded Floridians prepared for Hurricane Irma, Kristen Bell stepped up to the plate for a former co-star. Josh Gad posted on Instagram Saturday that Bell, who became stranded in Orlando while filming the upcoming Like Father, managed to secure lodging for his family at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort after they were also unable to evacuate the … [Link]

Slashdot » Linux.com Raves About New Snap-Centric 'Nitrux' Distro

Saturday 9 September 16:02:10 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes Linux.com: What happens when you take Ubuntu 17.10, a new desktop interface (one that overlays on top of KDE), snap packages, and roll them all up into a pseudo rolling release? You get Nitrux. At first blush, this particular Linux distribution seems more of an experiment than anything else — to show how much the KDE … [Link]

Mashable » Apple iOS 11 lets you put your face on an animated pile of poop, naturally

Saturday 9 September 15:51:27 UTC 2017

After months of iPhone 8 hardware leaks, we're finally getting some truly juicy Apple software leaks just days ahead of the device's official launch. In a leaked Golden Master build of iOS 11, the folks over at 9to5Mac have found a number of interesting new features, including three-dimensional, animated emojis called Animoji. SEE ALSO: Are you ready for a $1,200 iPhone? … [Link]

Slashdot » SciFi Author (and Byte Columnist) Jerry Pournelle Has Died

Saturday 9 September 15:04:00 UTC 2017

Long-time Slashdot reader BinBoy writes: Science fiction author and Byte magazine columnist Jerry Pournelle has died according to a statement by his son Alex posted to Jerry's web site. A well-wishing page has been set up for visitor's to post their thoughts and memories of Mr. Pournelle. Pournelle's literary career included the 1985 science fiction novel Footfall with Larry Niven, … [Link]

Mashable » Apple's big iPhone 8 event will have much more than just new iPhones

Saturday 9 September 15:03:04 UTC 2017

Apple’s next iPhones are almost here. We're just days away from what will be Apple's most anticipated reveal in recent memory. On Tuesday morning, CEO Tim Cook will take the stage at the company's Steve Jobs Theatre in Cupertino and show off three new iPhones. We'll also get our first look at the next Apple Watch, Apple TV, and hear the … [Link]

Mashable » Apple gives $5 million to hurricane relief, will activate donations through iTunes

Saturday 9 September 14:40:47 UTC 2017

Apple announced Friday that it will donate $5 million to hurricane relief efforts. The gift will support Hand in Hand, which has been collecting donations for various organizations, including United Way and Habitat for Humanity, in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Its efforts recently expanded to include Hurricane Irma relief, which is projected to hit Florida on Saturday. SEE ALSO: Hurricane … [Link]

Mashable » Tonya Harding biopic 'I, Tonya' turns a portrait of a punchline into a mirror of ourselves

Saturday 9 September 14:14:19 UTC 2017

Toward the end of I, Tonya, an older Tonya Harding reflects back on her skating career. "I was loved for a minute, and then I was hated, and then I was a punchline forever," she says. I probably don't need to tell you what, specifically, she's talking about – the 1994 attack on Nancy Kerrigan made Harding that notorious, to the … [Link]

Mashable » The rock 'n' roll rebels of midcentury Switzerland

Saturday 9 September 14:00:00 UTC 2017

Image: Karlheinz WeinbergerOn paper, Karlheinz Weinberger lived a mostly boring existence. He worked as a warehouse manager at the Siemens factory in Oerlikon, Switzerland from 1955 until his retirement in 1986, and lived in the same apartment for almost his whole life.But when he was off the clock, he set out with his camera to photograph the unusual. (He literally had … [Link]

Slashdot » Firefox 57 Will Hide Search Bar and Use a Uni-Bar Approach, Like Chrome

Saturday 9 September 13:30:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bleeping Computer: Mozilla will drop an iconic section of its UI — the search bar — and will use one singular input bar atop the browser, similar to the approach of most Chromium browsers. This change will go live in Firefox 57, scheduled for release on November 14, and will be part of … [Link]