Saturday, June 30, 2018

Fortnite: A fortnight in my 40s in Battle Royale

BBC News - Technology
Fortnite: A fortnight in my 40s in Battle Royale
Fortnite: A fortnight in my 40s in Battle Royale
A lapsed gamer is challenged to spend a fortnight playing Fortnite to understand its appeal.
AI to help tackle fake news in Mexican election
AI to help tackle fake news in Mexican election
The smart software will help media groups debunk fake news and respond to reports of violence.
TechNewsWorld
EU Watchdog Accuses Facebook, Google of Privacy Shenanigans
Facebook and Google have manipulated users into sharing data using so-called "dark patterns," according to a report from the Norwegian Consumer Council. The practices nudged users toward accepting privacy options that favored the tech companies rather than themselves, the NCC found. Facebook and Google have no intention of providing users with an actual choice, the NCC has claimed, and their use of dark patterns constitutes a violation of the General Data Protection Regulation implemented across Europe last month.
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SteelSeries Arctis Gaming Headset Sale (and 10 Other Tech Deals)
SteelSeries Arctis Gaming Headset Sale (and 10 Other Tech Deals)
Pick up a SteelSeries Arctis headset for cheap, along with tents, 4K TVs, and more this weekend.

Friday, June 29, 2018

WPA3 Arrives to Shore Up WiFi Security

TechNewsWorld
WPA3 Arrives to Shore Up WiFi Security
Network devices with better security will be hitting the market this year, thanks to Wi-Fi Certified WPA3, which the Wi-Fi Alliance launched Tuesday. The announcement paves the way for the proliferation of devices that support the new, more secure protocol for WiFi communication, which is designed to replace the 14-year-old WPA2. The new protocol adds features to simplify WiFi security, enable more robust authentication, and deliver increased cryptographic strength for highly sensitive data markets.

Thursday, June 28, 2018

Sonos Beam Review: Support for Alexa in a Great Soundbar

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Sonos Beam Review: Support for Alexa in a Great Soundbar
Sonos Beam Review: Support for Alexa in a Great Soundbar
The Sonos Beam is a $400 soundbar that comes with full support for Amazon Alexa.

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Researchers Gather for the International Workshop on Emoji Understanding

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Researchers Gather for the International Workshop on Emoji Understanding
Researchers Gather for the International Workshop on Emoji Understanding
Linguists and data scientists see a new way to study language and communication in our little digital ideograms.
BBC News - Technology
BBC releases computer history archive
BBC releases computer history archive
Computing 1980s-style is to be shown off in BBC archive intended to inspire new generation of coders.
TechNewsWorld
Apple May Go All-In With Audio
Apple plans to expand its audio product line next year with new AirPods, HomePods and possibly studio-quality over-the-ear headphones. The new generation of AirPods will feature noise cancellation, be water resistant, and have greater range, according to a report citing people familiar with the developments. "If Apple is making those changes, they're just competitive upgrades," said Paul Erickson, a senior analyst with IHS Markit. "Everybody else is already doing those things for earbuds in the $150 to $200 price range."

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

The Best Defense Against Fake News in Social Media

TechNewsWorld
The Best Defense Against Fake News in Social Media
IBM just showcased Project Debater, and it just won against a top human debater using actual facts. We need the production version of this tool yesterday. Fake news is getting worse. We have always had issues with politicians and con artists trying to convince us down is up and to get us to do things that, were we informed, we'd never do. It won't be long before criminals will be using artificial intelligence tied to information they have bought from a social network to better take our hard-earned cash from us or change our government.
BBC News - Technology
Wimbledon 2018: AI uses player emotions to edit highlights
Wimbledon 2018: AI uses player emotions to edit highlights
Wimbledon and IBM are using artificial intelligence systems to automatically edit the tennis action.
Gear Latest
Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 Review: Simple Square Shots
Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 Review: Simple Square Shots
Fuji's first square analog instant camera is finally here. Was it worth the wait?

Monday, June 25, 2018

Westworld game hit by Bethesda legal claim

BBC News - Technology
Westworld game hit by Bethesda legal claim
Westworld game hit by Bethesda legal claim
The Westworld game is a "rip-off" of the Fallout Shelter title, alleges Bethesda in its legal papers
Voices of millions of UK taxpayers stored by HMRC
Voices of millions of UK taxpayers stored by HMRC
Privacy campaigners say 5.1 million Britons have had their voices stored without permission.
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How to Use a Google Clips Camera
How to Use a Google Clips Camera
Google’s clever new AI-powered camera is designed to grab stellar 7-second snippets of family shenanigans. Here’s how to get started.

Sunday, June 24, 2018

Tomorrow's Cities: Can start-ups solve city issues?

BBC News - Technology
Tomorrow's Cities: Can start-ups solve city issues?
Tomorrow's Cities: Can start-ups solve city issues?
Every city wants to have a striving tech start-up scene but why is it so important?
Maps reveal hidden truths of the world's cities
Maps reveal hidden truths of the world's cities
A new website lets people delve into data on the world's cities.
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From Mats to Hoodies, 9 Ways to Elevate Your Yoga Practice
From Mats to Hoodies, 9 Ways to Elevate Your Yoga Practice
Our favorite gear to help you say "namaste."

Saturday, June 23, 2018

Codebreaking Bombe moves to computer museum

BBC News - Technology
Codebreaking Bombe moves to computer museum
Codebreaking Bombe moves to computer museum
Designed by Alan Turing, the machine helped uncover how German forces had scrambled key messages.
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Indictment of Ex-Fitbit Employees Marks a Bigger Legal Shift
Indictment of Ex-Fitbit Employees Marks a Bigger Legal Shift
Six current and former Fitbit employees are accused of stealing trade secrets from rival company Jawbone.
Best Weekend Tech Deals: Apple Devices, Moto Z3, Robot Vacs, and More
Best Weekend Tech Deals: Apple Devices, Moto Z3, Robot Vacs, and More
We found some great deals on Moto phones, Apple devices, robot vacs, wireless headphones, and more
TechNewsWorld
Facebook Shores Up Its Position on Fake News Front
Facebook has announced new tactics to reduce the spread of fake news. Its efforts will include combining technology with human reviewers to identify and remove fake accounts; partnering with fact-checkers; and promoting news literacy. Facebook will expand its fact-checking programs to new countries, scrutinize photos and videos more closely, and increase the impact of fact-checking through new techniques that could include identifying duplicates and using Claim Review. It will monitor repeat offenders more closely and take actions as necessary.

Friday, June 22, 2018

YouTube fans to fund favourite film-makers

BBC News - Technology
YouTube fans to fund favourite film-makers
YouTube fans to fund favourite film-makers
The site will let video-makers charge fans a monthly fee for exclusive content.
Arizona Uber crash driver was 'watching TV'
Arizona Uber crash driver was 'watching TV'
The police report suggests the safety operator was streaming The Voice just before a fatal collision.
Gear Latest
Amazon Fire TV Cube Review: Don’t Trade the Remote for Alexa Just Yet
Amazon Fire TV Cube Review: Don’t Trade the Remote for Alexa Just Yet
Amazon’s promise for the future of TV doesn't quite come through in the Cube.
TechNewsWorld
Fire Cubes, Home Theater Beams, and X-ray Cases
Amazon's latest gambit for taking over your living room is the Fire TV Cube. It works in much the same way as the Fire TV stick, but with the added impact this time around of stuffing in a smart speaker with the familiar tones of the Alexa voice assistant. You can use it to play whatever you want to see in up to 4K resolution from various streaming services. All the usual suspects are here, like Netflix and HBO Go, but sadly, there's no native YouTube app, thanks to a tiff between Amazon and Google.

Thursday, June 21, 2018

New Study Group to Focus on Impact of Robo Vehicles

TechNewsWorld
New Study Group to Focus on Impact of Robo Vehicles
Some logistics and mobility industry heavyweights have formed a group committed to improving the lives and opportunities of working Americans through adoption of autonomous vehicles. Its roster includes the American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota Motor North America, Uber and Waymo. "Our autonomous vehicle future will bring many significant benefits for society, but we also must remember that it may change the way many of us work," said PTIO Executive Director Maureen Westphal.

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

iOS 12 to Provide Stronger 911 Location Help

TechNewsWorld
iOS 12 to Provide Stronger 911 Location Help
The next version of Apple's mobile operating system, iOS 12, automatically will share location data for iPhones used to make emergency calls. The system will use an IP-based data pipeline developed by RapidSOS to share location data from iPhones with 911 centers. "Communities rely on 911 centers in an emergency, and we believe they should have the best available technology at their disposal," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. "When every moment counts, these tools will help first responders reach our customers when they most need assistance."
Apple Unveils New Siri Customization Tools at WWDC
The next version of Apple's mobile operating system, iOS 12, will include a new feature that allows you to customize the way Siri works with applications on phones and tablets. The announcement was one of the highlights at the kickoff of Apple's WWDC on Monday. Called "Siri Shortcuts," the feature lets a user define a phrase that will trigger a set of actions by the apps on a device. For example, you could say, "Game Time" to get a team schedule from TeamSnap, or "Groceries" to fulfill a standing grocery order from a grocery app.
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Google Podcasts Hands On: It's About Time
Google Podcasts Hands On: It's About Time
After years of mostly ignoring the podcast world, Google now makes a dedicated Android app for listening. And it's pretty good!
BBC News - Technology
Rural residents hang up on mobile banking, regulator finds
Rural residents hang up on mobile banking, regulator finds
Fewer than a quarter of those living in rural areas use a smartphone for banking, regulator finds.

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Amazon Echo comes to Marriott hotels

BBC News - Technology
Amazon Echo comes to Marriott hotels
Amazon Echo comes to Marriott hotels
Marriott says digital assistant Alexa will be installed in some of its US properties.
Tesla chief Elon Musk accuses worker of sabotage
Tesla chief Elon Musk accuses worker of sabotage
Tesla chief Elon Musk says an employee carried out "extensive and damaging sabotage".
TechNewsWorld
Cisco, Dell, and the Race to Make a Better World
To say we live in troubled times would be an understatement. It often feels like the politicians and executives who surround us are interested only in who can tell the biggest whopper while lining their own pockets and leaving their constituents and customers to pay the bills. I recently read that the real reason Jon Stewart stepped down from The Daily Show was that he was incredibly angry all the time, which had an adverse impact not only on his ability to be funny but also on his ability to enjoy life. Much of that is because those of us in media tend to focus excessively on the bad.
Avoiding Career Death by Twitter
The most popular show on ABC was canceled last week because the star of the show, Roseanne Barr -- known for saying and writing stuff that would get most of us fired -- did exactly what she was known for doing and got fired. ABC now looks like it is run by idiots because, really, who didn't see this coming? The network now has to explain to its licensees why they no longer will be able to get the ad revenue that otherwise would have been coming to them. This outcome is one that could have been prevented relatively easily.
Gear Latest
Apple Deals: Sale on Watch, iPad, Mac, and More Happening Now
Apple Deals: Sale on Watch, iPad, Mac, and More Happening Now
Apple Watch, iPad Pro, Macs, Beats, Nuraphones, and more are on sale this week!

Monday, June 18, 2018

How to avoid being addicted to gaming

BBC News - Technology
How to avoid being addicted to gaming
How to avoid being addicted to gaming
Gaming addiction has been listed as a mental health condition for the first time by the World Health Organization.

Sunday, June 17, 2018

Tech Deals: Vizio, 23andMe, iPad Mini, Amazon Devices

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Tech Deals: Vizio, 23andMe, iPad Mini, Amazon Devices
Tech Deals: Vizio, 23andMe, iPad Mini, Amazon Devices
Go shopping for DNA testing kits, fancy robot vacuums, gaming hardware and software, and more this weekend.
TechNewsWorld
Upcoming iOS Access Restrictions Could Stymie Law Enforcement
Apple plans to equip iOS 12 with USB Restricted Mode, a feature that requires users to unlock their iPhone with their passcode before USB accessories can connect if the phone last was unlocked more than an hour earlier. The company included this feature in the developer versions of iOS 11.4.1 and iOS 12. Apple will release USB Restricted Mode publicly in a future software update, it confirmed this week. USB Restricted Mode should work on iPads the same way as on iPhones because it's a software feature.
BBC News - Technology
Tomorrow's Cities: Will the bike become an urban must-have?
Tomorrow's Cities: Will the bike become an urban must-have?
Urban spaces are congested and polluted, so do we all need to get on our bikes?

Saturday, June 16, 2018

Hits, Misses and Drama at E3 2018

TechNewsWorld
Hits, Misses and Drama at E3 2018
E3 had the usual hits and misses this year, and more drama than most of the games on the screens. With a strong lineup of first-party titles plus better third-party support, Nintendo is the comeback king. However, the battle for hardcore gamer dollars continues to be fought between Microsoft and Sony. With no new hardware news from the companies, this was another year about the games, but for every hit there were apparently a few misses -- and no doubt many of the games shown this year won't be released by the time next year's show kicks off.
Qualcomm and Huawei: More Partners Than Rivals
Because both Qualcomm and Huawei are technology leaders in the wireless segment and have invested heavily in 5G, they often are pitted against one another in political, financial and even industry discussions. However, the truth is that the two companies complement one another and work together more than they compete against each another. Coming from different ends of the wireless ecosystem, they have been working on 5G from different perspectives -- Qualcomm primarily from the mobile device side, and Huawei from the infrastructure side.
Gear Latest
Gadget Lab Podcast: Why Apple, Google, Microsoft Are Stirring the Software Pot
Gadget Lab Podcast: Why Apple, Google, Microsoft Are Stirring the Software Pot
This week’s podcast is all about the software that points to the future of our how we'll use our gadgets – even if they infuriate us in the interim.
Best E3 Game Deals: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch (2018)
Best E3 Game Deals: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch (2018)
Another E3 has come and gone, but Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo still have great deals available.
BBC News - Technology
Kaspersky Lab halts European cybercrime work
Kaspersky Lab halts European cybercrime work
The security firm halted the work after questions were asked in the European Parliament about its software.

Friday, June 15, 2018

Snap Kit Will Let Other Apps Use Snapchat's Features, But Not Your Data

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Snap Kit Will Let Other Apps Use Snapchat's Features, But Not Your Data
Snap Kit Will Let Other Apps Use Snapchat's Features, But Not Your Data
With the release of its new Snap Kit developer platform, Snap promises it will keep your data safe from prying third-party apps.

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Spider-Man: Why PlayStation is getting an older Peter Parker

BBC News - Technology
Spider-Man: Why PlayStation is getting an older Peter Parker
Spider-Man: Why PlayStation is getting an older Peter Parker
Makers of the PlayStation blockbuster explain why they wanted a more mature Peter Parker.
Tetris gets psychedelic virtual reality revamp at E3
Tetris gets psychedelic virtual reality revamp at E3
Classic game Tetris has been a hit for more than three decades, but it is now headed in a new direction.
TechNewsWorld
Sony Trains Spotlight on a Few Good Games
Sony gave PlayStation fans a hefty sampling of what's coming to its gaming consoles this year at E3. It gave them a long look at a relatively few offerings. "Sony's E3 event was a break with tradition, an experiment to test the way it could present its first-party output to the media," said Piers Harding-Rolls, head of games at IHS Technology. "It aimed to underline the depth of Sony's IP, its highly skilled development teams, and its ability to craft engaging and immersive stories and characters."
HP: Reimagining the Future
I got a view of the future when I visited HP's Innovation Center in Barcelona, Spain, last week. The company has made some aggressive moves to blend its printing and imaging technologies to create products that will redefine our near-term future. HP also showcased capabilities that are something just short of magic. I mean, when you can transform what you can imagine into physical products, what else would you call it? One of Arthur C. Clarke's famous laws is that technology that is advanced enough will appear to be magic.
Gear Latest
Best Amazon Device Deals: Sale on Echos, Kindles, Fires (June 2018)
Best Amazon Device Deals: Sale on Echos, Kindles, Fires (June 2018)
Save up to 30 percent on Fire HD Tablets, Fire TVs, Kindles, Cloud Cams, and Echo speakers.