Friday, April 6, 2018

Curves, Gestures May Be in iPhone's Future

TechNewsWorld
Curves, Gestures May Be in iPhone's Future
Gesture control and a curved body may be in the iPhone's future. Apple has been experimenting with those features for the iPhone, and they could be ready for prime time in two to three years. Gesture control would allow a user to execute tasks without touching the screen. The technology could be used for more than just answering phone calls and opening apps, noted Gartner analyst Tuong Nguyen. "It could be folded into an umbrella of multi-modal user experiences -- understanding what you want through a gesture, a touch, voice or a biometric."
Facebook Phone-Scraping Takes Users by Surprise
Facebook on Sunday confirmed that its Messenger and Lite apps for Android smartphones routinely collect call and text histories. The call and text history logging are opt-in features for people using Messenger or Facebook Lite on Android devices, the company said in a post. The feature is designed to help users stay connected, and it improves the Facebook experience, according to the company. The Messenger feature can be turned off at any time through the app's settings.
BBC News - Technology
Russia seeks to block Telegram messaging app
Russia seeks to block Telegram messaging app
The country's media regulator is going to court in a bid to get the messaging app blocked in the country.
Facebook halts medical data sharing plan
Facebook halts medical data sharing plan
The social network was exploring whether it could use health records to improve patient care.

Thursday, April 5, 2018

3 Injured in YouTube HQ Shooting, Female Suspect Dead

TechNewsWorld
3 Injured in YouTube HQ Shooting, Female Suspect Dead
A female suspect is dead and at least three people were wounded in a mass shooting incident Tuesday at YouTube headquarters in California. Hundreds of company employees fled the chaotic scene. San Bruno police swarmed the YouTube offices after receiving numerous emergency calls reporting shots fired. Police Chief Ed Barberini said that officers encountered one victim with an apparent gunshot wound in front of the business, and soon thereafter encountered a female who was dead of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Neptune 5: A Practically Perfect Plasma-Based Distro
ZevenOS' Neptune 5.0, released earlier this month, offers a refreshing take on a classic KDE-based Linux distro. Neptune 5 Refresh replaces version 4.5 and closes a dormant period that had produced no new releases for more than two years. The wait may be worth it for Linux fans who are devoted to the KDE Plasma desktop. Neptune 5 sports an easy-to-use USB installer tool. An included Persistent Creator makes it simple to store the operating system to the USB drive. You can update the USB drive installation easily.
Gear Latest
Facebook's New Data-Sharing Policies Are Crashing Tinder
Facebook's New Data-Sharing Policies Are Crashing Tinder
Users can't log into the dating app after Facebook adjusted its app integration policies.
BBC News - Technology
Google should not be in business of war, say employees
Google should not be in business of war, say employees
Google employees have sent an open letter protesting at a Pentagon artificial intelligence project.

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

TelaDietitian CEO Jackie Elnahar: Remember Your Mission

TechNewsWorld
TelaDietitian CEO Jackie Elnahar: Remember Your Mission
An online service "was a great business opportunity to combine nutrition with technology," said Jackie Elnahar, CEO of TelaDIetitian. "I'm also very passionate about making nutrition information mainstream. I don't think seeing a registered dietitian should be a luxury. Anyone who needs to see a dietitian should see one, and it should be easy to." Adding the tech element to nutritional counseling supports "cutting healthcare costs and providing more accessible nutritional care for many that need it."
#DeleteFacebook Movement Gathers Steam
Many Facebook members reportedly have shuttered their accounts in the wake of reports that Cambridge Analytica, a voter profiling company working for Donald Trump's presidential campaign, harvested data from 50 million users, unbeknownst to them. Indignation over Facebook's role in the data leak has mushroomed, and some users have taken to Twitter to announce their liberation from the social network. Facebook has been in hot water before over allegations of privacy intrusion and misuse of members' data, but it weathered those storms.
Gear Latest
For Apple, Quitting Intel Won't Come Easy
For Apple, Quitting Intel Won't Come Easy
It makes all the sense in the world that Apple wants to leave Intel behind. Where it gets tricky is how it gets there.
BBC News - Technology
HTC's Tom Daley swimming pool selfie advert banned
HTC's Tom Daley swimming pool selfie advert banned
HTC's own instructions for the phone said it should not come into contact with pool water.

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

The Inside Story of Reddit's Redesign

Gear Latest
The Inside Story of Reddit's Redesign
The Inside Story of Reddit's Redesign
Goodbye, dystopian Craigslist. There's a new Reddit, and it's all grown up.
BBC News - Technology
Street Fighter II: AR gives new life to video game
Street Fighter II: AR gives new life to video game
Developer Abhishek Singh has adapted Street Fighter II using augmented reality.
TechNewsWorld
The Power of Social Media and the Coming Repeal of the 2nd Amendment
One of the most powerful political organizations in the U.S. is the NRA. The president of the United States recently claimed he wasn't afraid of the NRA, only to have an NRA spokesperson -- not the president himself -- later announce that the president had changed his mind. It was painful to watch the most powerful man in the free world be treated like a small child. The cornerstone of the NRA's platform to sell more guns is the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Its original intent has been perverted over the years.

Monday, April 2, 2018

Tiangong-1: Defunct China space lab comes down over South Pacific

BBC News - Technology
Tiangong-1: Defunct China space lab comes down over South Pacific
Tiangong-1: Defunct China space lab comes down over South Pacific
China's defunct Tiangong-1 space lab mostly burnt up on re-entering the Earth's atmosphere.
Corbyn deletes personal Facebook account
Corbyn deletes personal Facebook account
The party seeks to distance itself from pro-Corbyn online groups whose members have made anti-Jewish and violent comments.

Sunday, April 1, 2018

20 Easter Tech Sales (2018): Nintendo, Apple, Dyson, Lenovo

Gear Latest
20 Easter Tech Sales (2018): Nintendo, Apple, Dyson, Lenovo
20 Easter Tech Sales (2018): Nintendo, Apple, Dyson, Lenovo
When you're done painting eggs and munching on candy, check out these Easter tech deals.
BBC News - Technology
Donald Trump steps up attacks on Amazon
Donald Trump steps up attacks on Amazon
The president accuses the online retail giant of scamming the US Postal Service.
TechNewsWorld
Snapchat May Risk Connecting Apps, Despite Facebook Uproar
Snapchat soon may have a Connected Apps feature that is similar to the functionality at the heart of the Cambridge Analytica brouhaha, which has Facebook writhing under congressional scrutiny and consumer backlash. The latest beta features a new Connected Apps tab within the setting page. The page displays the following text: "These apps are connected to your Snapchat account. Choose an app to control what it has access to." Snapchat already allows Bitmoji and Shazam apps to connect directly to users' Snapchat accounts.

Saturday, March 31, 2018

Tesla in fatal California crash was on Autopilot

BBC News - Technology
Tesla in fatal California crash was on Autopilot
Tesla in fatal California crash was on Autopilot
The company says a Model X vehicle involved in a fatal crash in the US was in Autopilot mode.

Friday, March 30, 2018

Facebook 'ugly truth' growth memo haunts firm

BBC News - Technology
Facebook 'ugly truth' growth memo haunts firm
Facebook 'ugly truth' growth memo haunts firm
The firm denies it believes that growth at all costs is "good" even if it leads to deaths.
iQiyi: 'China's Netflix' shares dip in US stock debut
iQiyi: 'China's Netflix' shares dip in US stock debut
Shares in Baidu's iQiyi streaming platform fell below their opening price on Wall Street's Nasdaq.
TechNewsWorld
Smart Homes: The Power, the Pleasure and the Pain, Part 2
Smart homes are here. Although not every home in the U.S. is tricked out with the latest technologies, they're no longer a rarity. For example, a hefty 41 percent of the people who responded to an online survey conducted last year said they already owned smart home devices. Sales of smart refrigerators and washing machines more than doubled in 2017. Meanwhile, shipments of voice-controlled devices such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home speakers were 159 percent higher in 2017 than in 2016.
Gear Latest
Learn How to Fold a World-Record-Setting Paper Airplane
Learn How to Fold a World-Record-Setting Paper Airplane
John Collins shows you how to fold the innovative paper airplane design that earned him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Mobility Steers Apple's New Education Strategy

TechNewsWorld
Mobility Steers Apple's New Education Strategy
Apple on Tuesday announced a refresh of its iPad as part of a new approach to the education market. CEO Tim Cook and other Apple officials also outlined a number of new education initiatives at an event held at Lane Tech College Prep High School in Chicago. The new 32-gigabyte, 9.7-inch iPad, which will sell to consumers for $329 and to students for $299, has a more powerful processor -- Apple's Fusion A10 chip. It sports a 2048-by-1536-pixel retina display with a ppi of 264. It also supports the Apple Pencil, discounted $10 for the education market.
BBC News - Technology
Bonus pay gap revealed at Facebook UK
Bonus pay gap revealed at Facebook UK
Women working at Facebook in the UK are paid bonuses worth less than 60% of those their male colleagues receive.
Gear Latest
With ‘Sniffs’ and ‘Licks,’ Petzbe Makes Social Media Nice Again
With ‘Sniffs’ and ‘Licks,’ Petzbe Makes Social Media Nice Again
When people are impersonating their pets online, they tend to be really, really nice.

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Facebook Phone-Scraping Takes Users by Surprise

TechNewsWorld
Facebook Phone-Scraping Takes Users by Surprise
Facebook on Sunday confirmed that its Messenger and Lite apps for Android smartphones routinely collect call and text histories. The call and text history logging are opt-in features for people using Messenger or Facebook Lite on Android devices, the company said in a post. The feature is designed to help users stay connected, and it improves the Facebook experience, according to the company. The Messenger feature can be turned off at any time through the app's settings.
BBC News - Technology
Tesla and Nvidia shares fall amid driverless car doubts
Tesla and Nvidia shares fall amid driverless car doubts
Shares in Tesla and Nvidia dive amid fresh worries about the promise of self-driving car technology.
Gear Latest
Apple iPad for Education: Price, Specs, Release Date
Apple iPad for Education: Price, Specs, Release Date
Apple refreshed its lowest cost iPad, adding Pencil support and other software features designed for use in schools.

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

App Roundup: Services for Savvy Seniors

Gear Latest
App Roundup: Services for Savvy Seniors
App Roundup: Services for Savvy Seniors
We all get old, and at some point, everyone's going to need an app that embiggens that doggone tiny mouse type.
Bigger, Brighter, Simpler: A Tablet for the Mature User
Bigger, Brighter, Simpler: A Tablet for the Mature User
We asked researchers to help us build a device that's optimized for folks whose sight and motor skills are beginning to fade.
BBC News - Technology
Data row: Facebook's Zuckerberg will not appear before MPs
Data row: Facebook's Zuckerberg will not appear before MPs
Facebook, which is at the centre of a dispute over harvesting personal data, will send a senior boss.
'Artpreneurs' are go!
'Artpreneurs' are go!
Meet the woman encouraging artists to become "artpreneurs" using social media and the web.
TechNewsWorld
Chaos Threatens Tech Takeover
The tech world experienced more insanity last week. We finally got confirmation from AMD that the CTS Labs security report was a tempest in a teapot, but the big question remained unanswered. A self-driving Uber vehicle killed a pedestrian, but we didn't ask the right questions. Facebook admitted that it gave our information to a bad actor, and we forgot what really would wake up Zuckerberg. Google, even when it tries to do something good, does something bad. Why does it suddenly seem like so many powerful tech firms are run by idiots?

Monday, March 26, 2018

Quarter of Scotland's sex offenders abuse children online

BBC News - Technology
Quarter of Scotland's sex offenders abuse children online
Quarter of Scotland's sex offenders abuse children online
A hard-hitting Police Scotland campaign appeals directly to perpetrators.

Sunday, March 25, 2018

Best Smart Earbuds for Travel: AirPods, Pixel Buds, Erato Verse

Gear Latest
Best Smart Earbuds for Travel: AirPods, Pixel Buds, Erato Verse
Best Smart Earbuds for Travel: AirPods, Pixel Buds, Erato Verse
Super portability and easy access to AI assistants make these wireless headphones must-haves on your next trip.
10 Tech and Gaming Deals: Sea of Thieves, Star Wars, Alienware, Netgear
10 Tech and Gaming Deals: Sea of Thieves, Star Wars, Alienware, Netgear
We've scoured the web to find deals on desktops, Xbox, food dehydrators, and more.

Saturday, March 24, 2018

Gadget Lab Podcast: More Questions Than Answers in Uber's Fatal Arizona Crash

Gear Latest
Gadget Lab Podcast: More Questions Than Answers in Uber's Fatal Arizona Crash
Gadget Lab Podcast: More Questions Than Answers in Uber's Fatal Arizona Crash
This week, Alex Davies and Aarian Marshall join us to discuss the latest news in self-driving car safety.
Best Travel Gear: Mophie, Amazon Kindle, Allbirds, Lululemon, Hex
Best Travel Gear: Mophie, Amazon Kindle, Allbirds, Lululemon, Hex
Fit everything for your trip into a bag that slides under the seat in front of you.
TechNewsWorld
YouTube to Enforce Broad Ban on Gun-Related Videos
YouTube has announced that it will ban videos related to the sale or assembly of firearms, as well as certain gun accessories including bump stocks. Under the new rules, all videos that show how to construct or even repair a firearm are banned -- even those from long-established YouTube channels. The new policy also bans videos that show how to reload ammunition. Videos that provide information on how to make modifications that involve anything simulating automatic fire are banned, as are those showing how to use high capacity magazines.
Galaxy S9 and S9+ May Shine Brightest as S6, S7 Replacement
Samsung's new Galaxy S9 and S9+ handsets claimed the spotlight on Thursday as the first reviews of the smartphones surfaced. The general consensus appears to be that these new models successfully built on past designs, yet fell short in numerous areas. The new phones are good -- but anyone expecting revolutionary functionality may be disappointed. Those who upgraded to the Galaxy S8 and S8+ last year may not find impressive-enough changes to upgrade to the S9 and S9+, many reviewers suggested.
BBC News - Technology
Elon Musk pulls Tesla and SpaceX from Facebook
Elon Musk pulls Tesla and SpaceX from Facebook
Entrepreneur Elon Musk has the official Facebook pages for his Tesla and SpaceX companies deleted.

Friday, March 23, 2018

The Best Alternative For Every Facebook Feature

Gear Latest
The Best Alternative For Every Facebook Feature
The Best Alternative For Every Facebook Feature
If you're ready to quit Facebook, here's how to replace everything you might miss.
Instagram Announces You'll Soon See "Newer" Posts In Your Feed
Instagram Announces You'll Soon See "Newer" Posts In Your Feed
What users really want is a chronological feed, but today's announcement is at least an acknowledgement that not everything about the algorithmic timeline is working.
Best Travel Apps: Signal, Sitata, Haven, SaferVPN, Mobile Passport, FoneTrac
Best Travel Apps: Signal, Sitata, Haven, SaferVPN, Mobile Passport, FoneTrac
Floods. Thieves. Hackers. Tackle any situation abroad with these mobile assistants.
BBC News - Technology
Data collection fears after Cambridge Analytica claims
Data collection fears after Cambridge Analytica claims
Political data-mining found its feet with the Obama campaign in 2008 and kept growing with Clinton, Trump and Brexit campaigns says Jamie Bartlett,
How DNA can be used to store computer data
How DNA can be used to store computer data
British scientists think DNA could be used to solve a global problem - where to store all our data.

Researcher Cracks 'Hacker-Proof' Crypto Wallet

TechNewsWorld
Researcher Cracks 'Hacker-Proof' Crypto Wallet
A virtual currency hardware wallet with millions of users has been compromised. Saleem Rashid explained how he cracked the firmware on the wallet produced by Ledger using what's known as a "supply chain" attack. That means a targeted device is compromised before any users get their hands on it. The attack on Ledger's $100 Nano S wallet creates a backdoor on the device that generates predetermined wallet addresses and passwords. With that information, a bandit might be able to send money from the wallet to his own account.

Monday, April 10, 2017

Google's AI seeks further Go glory

AlphaGo will soon challenge a Chinese teenager, recognised by many as the world's top player.

Of course, a bunch of Twitter users want to buy the company and turn it into a co-op

A group of Twitter diehards started a petition encouraging the company to sell itself to its users, which would essentially turn Twitter into a co-op.

Two Twitter execs left more than $35 million in stock awards on the table when they quit last year

Twitter's top executives are very well paid, but that still didn't stop many from leaving the struggling social communications company.

Microsoft, eBay and Tencent invest $1.4 billion in India’s e-commerce giant Flipkart

Flipkart, India's leading e-commerce marketplace, announced Monday that it has received investments totaling $1.4 billion from Microsoft, eBay and Tencent, taking the company's value to $11.6 billion.

Top 5 laptops with the best battery life video - CNET

Every notebook on this list can survive a normal eight-hour workday and then some.

Dallas warning sirens 'set off by hacker'

All 156 warning sirens in Dallas suddenly sounded just before midnight on Friday, waking people up.

Man creates a jet engine powered suit and other news

BBC Click's Kathleen Hawkins looks at some of the best of the week's technology news stories.

Humans and Google AI to battle it out again over Go - CNET

Google's AlphaGo AI last year took down South Korean Go master Lee Sedol. Next month, it'll take on Chinese champion Ke Jie.

CEO Secrets: Yogscast boss tells YouTubers 'Do it for love'

The boss of Yogscast, which has 23 million subscribers, reveals his secrets for success on YouTube.