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 » Researchers Devise 2FA System That Relies On Taking Photos of Ordinary Objects

Sunday 29 October 23:34:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes Bleeping Computer: Scientists from Florida International University and Bloomberg have created a custom two-factor authentication (2FA) system that relies on users taking a photo of a personal object. The act of taking the photo comes to replace the cumbersome process of using crypto-based hardware security keys (e.g., YubiKey devices) or entering verification codes received via SMS … [Link]

Slashdot » Hewlett-Packard Historical Archive Destroyed In California Fires

Sunday 29 October 22:34:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes the Press Democrat: When deadly flames incinerated hundreds of homes in Santa Rosa's Fountaingrove neighborhood earlier this month, they also destroyed irreplaceable papers and correspondence held nearby and once belonging to the founders of Silicon Valley's first technology company, Hewlett-Packard. The Tubbs fire consumed the collected archives of William Hewlett and David Packard, the tech pioneers … [Link]

Mashable » More than 30 Houston Texans players took a knee after owner Robert McNair's 'inmates' comment

Sunday 29 October 22:26:12 UTC 2017

At an NFL owners meeting last week, Houston Texans owner Robert McNair reportedly said of the ongoing national anthem protests by NFL players, "We can't have the inmates running the prison." On Sunday, McNair's team responded. More than 30 members of the Houston Texans organization knelt or remained seated during the pre-game national anthem. There had been rumblings of a major … [Link]

Mashable » R-U-N to this 'Stranger Things' hotel room

Sunday 29 October 22:09:03 UTC 2017

Whether you've yet to start or already finished Stranger Things 2, you've got some time to kill before the story continues. New York's Gregory Hotel has just the thing: A Stranger Things-themed hotel room, just in time for Halloween. SEE ALSO: Your 'Stranger Things 2' binge watch will be better if you're decked out with 'Stranger Things' swag The hotel package, … [Link]

Mashable » Gwyneth Paltrow's 'Seven' themed Halloween costume needs a spoiler alert

Sunday 29 October 22:04:38 UTC 2017

Do you need a spoiler alert for a spoiler that's past the legal drinking age? If so, Gwyneth Paltrow's Halloween costume needs a spoiler alert. The actress and star of David Fincher's 1995 thriller Seven, alongside Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Spacey, reprised her role as Tracy for Halloween 2017. Specifically: the part of her role where she was a … [Link]

Slashdot » 'Futurama' Stars Working On Kickstarter For Animated Webcomic Goblins

Sunday 29 October 21:49:00 UTC 2017

Long-time Slashdot reader wonkavader writes: Billy West, Maurice LaMarche, and Phil LaMarr from the Futurama cast are working on a Kickstarter campaign to animate the Goblins web-comic. Also involved are Matt King, Jim Cummings, Matthew Mercer, Steve Blum, and Jennifer Hale from World of Warcraft, Resident Evil, Cowboy Bebop, Mass Effect, Powerpuff Girls, and other stuff. It's surprising to see … [Link]

Slashdot » John Mollo, Oscar-Winning 'Star Wars' Costume Designer, Dies At 86

Sunday 29 October 21:04:00 UTC 2017

schwit1 quotes the Hollywood Reporter: John Mollo, the costume designer who brought to life Ralph McQuarrie and George Lucas' conceptual vision for Star Wars, has died. He was 86… "We discussed a few concepts when I joined the team, and George Lucas had a clear vision of what he was looking for. He liked the idea of the baddies having … [Link]

Mashable » Playing Hannah Montana may have 'extremely damaged' Miley Cyrus, but she remembers it fondly

Sunday 29 October 20:53:12 UTC 2017

Miley Cyrus' name is still synonymous with stardom and spectacle, but in a new interview with CBS, the singer reminds us that she isn't just the image she created over the years.  Cyrus spoke to CBS' Anthony Mason about being a teen sensation, growing up in the spotlight, and making people uncomfortable over the years with her public persona. SEE … [Link]

Mashable » Mexico City's Day of the Dead Parade featured tributes to earthquake victims and rescue workers

Sunday 29 October 20:45:08 UTC 2017

Mexico city, still grieving the nearly 500 victims of two powerful earthquakes that devastated the country in September, hosted its annual Day of the Dead parade on Saturday. Nearly 300,000 were in attendance. The 4-mile parade route was led by a group of rescue workers and volunteers, and featured an impressive raised fist float made out of hard hats and rescue … [Link]

Slashdot » Heathrow Airport Security Files Found on USB Stick In The Street

Sunday 29 October 20:34:00 UTC 2017

"The BBC is reporting a security probe after security data about Heathrow was discovered on a USB found on the street," writes long-time Slashdot readers Martin S. From the article: The Sunday Mirror reported that the USB stick had 76 folders with maps, videos and documents, including details of measures used to protect the Queen. A man found it in … [Link]

Mashable » This ex-Obama speechwriter dressed up as Jared Kushner wearing a blazer in Iraq for Halloween

Sunday 29 October 19:55:44 UTC 2017

In case you forgot in the chaos of the Trumpian news cycle, there was a moment in April (50 Trump years ago) in which Jared Kushner wore a flak jacket with his name on it over a sporty navy blazer.  Is it becoming clearer now? Is your hazy memory, filled with bad quotes and images of the president shooting free throws … [Link]

Slashdot » SLAC Uses Nobel Prize-Winning Technique To Investigate Battery Fires

Sunday 29 October 19:34:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes an announcement from SLAC: Scientists from Stanford University and the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have captured the first atomic-level images of finger-like growths called dendrites that can pierce the barrier between battery compartments and trigger short circuits or fires… This is the first study to examine the inner lives of batteries with cryo-electron … [Link]

Mashable » This video of a kid solving a Rubik's Cube in 4.5 seconds will give you the purest joy

Sunday 29 October 18:49:13 UTC 2017

Most of us will go through life mildly pondering a Rubik's Cube every now and then, but a professional speedcuber can solve one in seconds – a record speed of 4.59 seconds, to be exact. In a new video, Korean speedcuber SeungBeom Cho solves a cube so fast that most of the people around him don't even realize what happened. … [Link]

Slashdot » While Equifax Victims Sue, Congress Limits Financial Class Actions

Sunday 29 October 18:34:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes a local NBC news report: Stories are starting to pour in about those impacted by last month's massive Equifax data breach, which compromised the private information of more than 140 million people. Katie Van Fleet of Seattle says she's spent months trying to regain her stolen identity, and says it has been stolen more than a … [Link]

Mashable » Will Poulter's Sid from 'Toy Story' Halloween costume is 10/10 perfect

Sunday 29 October 18:16:58 UTC 2017

Actor Will Poulter, famous for roles in The Revenant and The Maze Runner and also for looking a lot like Sid from Toy Story, had the perfect Halloween costume this year. Poulter tweeted a picture of his costume (Sid from Toy Story) alongside a message raising attention for UK charity Anti-Bullying Pro late Saturday night. SEE ALSO: Elaborate Pixar theory: Every … [Link]

Mashable » Houston Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel suspended for racist comments

Sunday 29 October 17:39:09 UTC 2017

The Houston Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel was hit with a suspension after he made racially inappropriate remarks and gestures toward L.A. Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish. Gurriel will miss five games – but not until next season, after the current World Series. SEE ALSO: #TakeAKnee protests spread to the MLB for the first time last night "There is complete unanimity – … [Link]

Slashdot » Portuguese ISP Shows What The Net Looks Like Without Net Neutrality

Sunday 29 October 17:34:00 UTC 2017

"In Portugal, with no net neutrality, internet providers are starting to split the net into packages," argues a California congressman — retweeting a stunning graphic. An anonymous reader quotes BoingBoing's Cory Doctorow: Since 2006, Net Neutrality activists have been warning that a non-Neutral internet will be an invitation to ISPs to create "plans" where you have to choose which established … [Link]

Mashable » Whitefish Energy's scandalous power contract with Puerto Rico is cancelled

Sunday 29 October 17:21:25 UTC 2017

UPDATE: With that, the contract has been cancelled. Hours after Governor Ricardo Rosselló issued a statement calling for PREPA to cancel its contract with Whitefish Energy, the Puerto Rico power utility confirmed it will do just that, The Washington Post and CBS News correspondent David Begnaud both confirm. BREAKING: PREPA (@AEEONLINE) CEO Ricardo Ramos says @WhitefishEnergy contract will be canceled after … [Link]

Slashdot » TechCrunch Argues Social Media News Feeds 'Need to Die'

Sunday 29 October 16:34:00 UTC 2017

"Feeds need to die because they distort our views and disconnect us from other human beings around us," argues TechCrunch's Romain Dillet: At first, I thought I was missing out on some Very Important Content. I felt disconnected. I fought against my own FOMO. But now, I don't feel anything. What's going on on Instagram? I don't care. Facebook is … [Link]

Mashable » 'Stranger Things 2': Meet the new Barb

Sunday 29 October 16:22:22 UTC 2017

Listen, I'm sorry, but the cult of Barb was dumb to begin with. And then it got way out of hand (as Internet memes are wont to do). We legitimately created Barb Obsession out of nothing, from a character which the show truly could not have cared about or developed less. Some did it out of pure identification, others to jump … [Link]

Mashable » We're pleased to announce that this year's Starbucks holiday cup just has a porg on it

Sunday 29 October 16:00:00 UTC 2017

Hello! Starbucks here. It's time to unveil the 2017 Starbucks holiday cup, and we really think you're going to like it. This year's cup actually marks a big change for us. You see, in recent years, Starbucks has become one of the weirder battlegrounds in what some call the "culture wars." Each holiday season, people get incredibly mad about the design … [Link]

Mashable » There's a very large animal loose in Alabama, and it's going hog wild

Sunday 29 October 15:54:36 UTC 2017

Hello hog fans, subscribers to various large hog-based newsletters, and miscellaneous readers who happened to click on this article about a large hog: We have a big hog for you guys today, by way of Alabama. The huge hog, apparently loose in Phenix City, Alabama, was captured by Angela Rena who uploaded photos and videos of the hog on Facebook. SEE … [Link]

Mashable » This pumpkin carver made a Steve Buscemi pumpkin for Halloween

Sunday 29 October 15:51:46 UTC 2017

Well, it's 2017, and nothing surprises us anymore. Like this "Steve BOO-scemi" Steve Buscemi pumpkin that artist Ray Fredericks created and shared on Reddit.  A Steve Buscemi pumpkin? Sure, why not! Image: Photo courtesy of ray fredericksThis isn't the first time Fredericks has done this either. Last year, he debuted a series of politically-themed pumpkins just before the election. Image: photo … [Link]

Mashable » Mom uses Halloween costumes to help 3-year-old embrace her arm amputation

Sunday 29 October 15:40:51 UTC 2017

One of the best lessons any parent can teach their child is to embrace exactly who they are. It's especially important to instill this in them when they're little, so that they can grow up with a strong sense of self. One mom uses Halloween to do just that in the most amazing way.  Simone Tipton, who resides with her family … [Link]

Slashdot » Study Links Rapid Ice Sheet Melting With Distant Volcanic Eruptions

Sunday 29 October 15:34:00 UTC 2017

schwit1 quotes UPI: New research suggests volcanic eruptions can trigger periods of rapid ice sheet melting… "Over a time span of 1,000 years, we found that volcanic eruptions generally correspond with enhanced ice sheet melting within a year or so," Francesco Muschitiello, a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, said in a news release. The volcanoes of note … [Link]

New Scientist – News » Robot carers are a reality: I only wish my mum got one

Sunday 29 October 15:00:00 UTC 2017

A care bot's deployment in the UK has come under fire, but I would have welcomed robotic help for my elderly mother, says author Paul Kitcatt [Link]

Mashable » True coffee snobs would love this portable espresso machine

Sunday 29 October 15:00:00 UTC 2017

Leverpresso is a handy, super-simple espresso press for when you're on the go. Read more…More about Tech, Kickstarter, Mashable Video, Innovation, and Coffee [Link]

Mashable » Twitter suspends and reportedly bans Trump friend Roger Stone for his abusive tweets

Sunday 29 October 14:59:22 UTC 2017

It’s not clear if Twitter is actually making good on promises to do a better job of shutting down harassment and toxic behavior on its social media network… but booting Roger Stone sure is a good start. The notoriously caustic Donald Trump stan — who once called @RogerJStoneJr home — had his tweeting privileges revoked over the weekend. It was presumably … [Link]

Mashable » Apple fired the engineer who let his daughter film an iPhone X

Sunday 29 October 14:36:54 UTC 2017

Brooke Amelia Peterson, who filmed a video of the iPhone X before its release, revealed in a YouTube video that her father had been fired for letting her get the footage. Peterson's father was a radio frequency engineer at Apple. She filmed the iPhone X in the Apple cafeteria, in the open, but no one said anything. The video went … [Link]

Slashdot » Purism Now Offers Laptops with Intel's 'Management Engine' Disabled

Sunday 29 October 14:30:00 UTC 2017

"San Francisco company Purism announced that they are now offering their Librem laptops with the Intel Management Engine disabled," writes Slashdot reader boudie2. Purism describes Management Engine as "a separate CPU that can run and control a computer even when powered off." HardOCP reports that Management Engine "is widely despised by security professionals and privacy advocates because it relies on … [Link]

Mashable » This company wants to stop food allergies before they start. Can they do it?

Sunday 29 October 14:30:00 UTC 2017

Ashley Dombkowski talks about her job with a kind of reverence we'd all like to have. The co-founder of Before Brands, a San Francisco-based start-up, wants to prevent food allergies in children before they take hold. She says she has a nephew with severe food allergies, and that familial connection makes her job, as she put it, "life's work." SEE ALSO: … [Link]

Mashable » Trump's motorcade crossed paths with a cyclist and she had a special message for the president

Sunday 29 October 14:17:10 UTC 2017

A cyclist flipped off the president's motorcade multiple times as it passed her on Saturday in Virginia, departing the Trump National Golf Club. The odds that President Trump will make a statement claiming the middle finger is a sign of great respect have shifted to about 2-to-1. SEE ALSO: People are convinced Donald Trump wrote this letter bragging about Donald Trump … [Link]

Mac For Translators » IceCat on High Sierra

Sunday 29 October 13:42:00 UTC 2017

The other day I received a general mail from the Free Software Foundation informing me that even if Safari on High Sierra had pretty good privacy and security features, IceCat, the GNU version of Firefox, was even better.I was interested and checked the provided links to see what that browser was. I'm not a super fan of Mozilla stuff, but … [Link]

Mashable » Full Metal Jackets

Sunday 29 October 13:41:53 UTC 2017

Battle jackets and the alternative music scene have been intertwined for decades. Most closely linked with the rise of Punk and Metal in the late '70s and early '80s, the genesis of battle jackets dates further back to the emergence of the American biker scene, where denim or leather cut-off vests were adorned with badges and patches that identified what group … [Link]

Mashable » Did this line in the 'Walking Dead' premiere reveal how the season will end?

Sunday 29 October 13:30:00 UTC 2017

Hidden among the cacophony of time jumps, sniping of Savior guards, and motivational speeches, you probably missed one key moment in the Season 8 premiere of The Walking Dead. Sure, you saw Rick looking distraught, muttering something about mercy and wrath, but that line could easily get lost with all the other crap going on. Many viewers were left to wonder … [Link]

Slashdot » America's F-35s Can't Fly 22% of the Time, Repair Facilities Six Years Behind Schedule

Sunday 29 October 13:30:00 UTC 2017

"[N]early 200 F-35s might permanently remain unready for combat because the Pentagon would rather buy new aircraft than upgrade the ones the American people have already paid for," according to one defense news site. And now Bloomberg reports: The Pentagon is accelerating production of Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-35 jet even though the planes already delivered are facing "significantly longer repair … [Link]

Mashable » This noise-canceling fork gets rid of your slurping sounds, and thanks but no thanks

Sunday 29 October 13:00:00 UTC 2017

Nissin, the company that invented the instant noodle, rolled out a new device called Otohiko that gets rid of your slurping noises. The smart fork connects to an app and plays another noise that sounds like a toilet flushing. Nissin is only creating 5,000 of them.  Read more…More about Mashable Video, Japan, Sound, Ramen, and Toilet [Link]

Mashable » Google Authenticator will add a formidable layer of protection to your e-mail account

Sunday 29 October 12:00:00 UTC 2017

Google Authenticator is a free security app that can protect your accounts against password theft. It's easy to set up and can be used in a process called two-factor authentication (2FA) offered on popular services like Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more. The app (iOS/Android) generates a random code used to verify your identity when you're logging into various services. The … [Link]

Slashdot » Apple Fires Engineer After His Daughter's iPhone X Video Goes Viral

Sunday 29 October 10:30:00 UTC 2017

"In a brutal reminder of the secrecy tech companies enforce on employees, Apple recently fired an employee after his daughter posted a video of the iPhone X," writes long-time Slashdot reader HockeyPuck. Engadget reports: His daughter took down the video as soon as Apple requested it, but the takedown came too late to prevent the clip from going viral, leading … [Link]

Mashable » This 3D printing pen is on sale for only $99

Sunday 29 October 10:00:00 UTC 2017

Just to let you know, if you buy something featured here, Mashable might earn an affiliate commission. So you've mastered crochet, knitting, and cross-stitch. You're the queen of macramé, the prince of artisanal cupcakes, and the grand duchess of mason jar salads. What can you possibly do now to elevate your craft game? SEE ALSO: Charge your smartphone in 2 hours … [Link]

Mashable » This affordable action camera is perfect for outdoor adventures

Sunday 29 October 10:00:00 UTC 2017

Just to let you know, if you buy something featured here, Mashable might earn an affiliate commission. Just to let you know, if you buy something featured here, Mashable might earn an affiliate commission. You don't have to keep it a secret anymore; we know you've been yearning for a GoPro ever since you saw that insane first-person POV skydiving video … [Link]

Mashable » Get all the stock images you need for under $40

Sunday 29 October 10:00:00 UTC 2017

Just to let you know, if you buy something featured here, Mashable might earn an affiliate commission. Getting assets for a design project can be a huge pain in the ass. But before you pull your hair out and swear off design projects forever, there’s a great asset service that you should consider: the StockUnlimited Design Library. SEE ALSO: Get hired … [Link]

Mashable » It's about time the fitted sheet market got disrupted by this Kickstarter project

Sunday 29 October 10:00:00 UTC 2017

Just to let you know, if you buy something featured here, Mashable might earn an affiliate commission. Anyone who regularly makes their bed has the same struggle: fitted sheets that put us through hell. If you pull it over one corner, it pops off the other. You have to lift the whole mattress to tuck it underneath. And lord forbid that … [Link]

Mashable » 69 times Ryan Reynolds was hands down the funniest actor on Twitter

Sunday 29 October 9:30:00 UTC 2017

There’s only one thing in this world sharper than Ryan Reynolds' cheekbones, and that's Ryan Reynolds' sense of humour. Even the briefest of visits to his Twitter feed will provide beautiful proof of this. If he's not busy responding to the many, many odd requests tweeted at him by fans, Reynolds can mostly be found sharing unusual parenting tips or tweeting … [Link]

Slashdot » Why Do Web Developers Keep Making The Same Mistakes?

Sunday 29 October 7:30:00 UTC 2017

An anonymous reader quotes HPE Insights: Software developers and testers must be sick of hearing security nuts rant, "Beware SQL injection! Monitor for cross-site scripting! Watch for hijacked session credentials!" I suspect the developers tune us out… The industry has generated newer tools, better testing suites, Agile methodologies, and other advances in writing and testing software. Despite all that, coders … [Link]

Slashdot » Captain Crunch (and Steve Wozniak) Write New Book: 'Beyond the Little Blue Box'

Sunday 29 October 3:29:00 UTC 2017

Slashdot reader blottsie shares a new article about the legendary Captain Crunch — which includes Steve Wozniak's memory that Steve Jobs "started avoiding Crunch…afraid that it would put us too close to getting arrested." The Daily Dot reports: Wozniak and Jobs, of course, would go on to found the most successful tech company in the world. But Draper is far … [Link]

Slashdot » Did Amazon Really Lower Whole Foods' Prices?

Sunday 29 October 1:24:00 UTC 2017

While Whole Foods "strategically marked down select items like avocados and almond milk, overall prices have dropped very slightly — about 1 percent — since Amazon ownership, according to an analysis by research firm Gordon Haskett." An anonymous reader quotes Bustle: This hardly seems like big savings, and Gordon Haskett noted that since the initial price cuts in August, the … [Link]

Archive

26 Apr 2024  25 Apr 2024  24 Apr 2024  23 Apr 2024  22 Apr 2024  21 Apr 2024  20 Apr 2024  19 Apr 2024  18 Apr 2024  17 Apr 2024  16 Apr 2024  15 Apr 2024  14 Apr 2024  13 Apr 2024  12 Apr 2024  11 Apr 2024  10 Apr 2024  09 Apr 2024  08 Apr 2024  07 Apr 2024  06 Apr 2024  05 Apr 2024  04 Apr 2024  03 Apr 2024  02 Apr 2024  01 Apr 2024  31 Mar 2024  30 Mar 2024  29 Mar 2024  28 Mar 2024  27 Mar 2024  26 Mar 2024