Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Star Explorer Mae Jemison: The Sky Connects Us

TechNewsWorld
Star Explorer Mae Jemison: The Sky Connects Us
Mae Jemison recently shared some illuminating recollections of her experiences as an astronaut, but they were neither the starting point nor the ending point of our conversation. This extraordinary woman's career is too packed with present and future endeavors to dwell very long on her stellar past. She currently leads 100 Year Starship, a nonprofit that aims to make interstellar travel a reality within the next hundred years. Jemison also leads Look Up, a movement that encourages people to connect with the sky above us on one day each year.
Changing Up Your Linux Distro
It's common for Linux users to hop between distributions and survey the field, and I recently reached a point where I had to seriously rethink the one I was using most of the time. Between hardware compatibility issues with my old standby and some discouraging missteps with other go-to choices, I felt the time had come to reassess my pool of preferred distributions and repopulate it from scratch. As my journey progressed, I realized that as often as I've discussed the field of Linux-based systems, I had not addressed how to pick one out.
BBC News - Technology
Deepfake: BBC newsreader 'speaks' languages he can’t
Deepfake: BBC newsreader 'speaks' languages he can’t
Artificial intelligence creates a computer generated video which manipulates the newsreader’s mouth.
The face-mapping technology raising fears about fake news
The face-mapping technology raising fears about fake news
Why face-mapping technology designed to improve TV dubbing is raising fears about fake news.
Gear Latest
11 Best Tablets for Every Budget (2018): iPad, Android, Fire HD, Surface
11 Best Tablets for Every Budget (2018): iPad, Android, Fire HD, Surface
Whether you prefer Android, iOS, or Windows, these are the best tablets we've tried.

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

48 Smart Holiday Gift Ideas That Everyone Will Connect With: WIRED Wish List 2018

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48 Smart Holiday Gift Ideas That Everyone Will Connect With: WIRED Wish List 2018
48 Smart Holiday Gift Ideas That Everyone Will Connect With: WIRED Wish List 2018
From electric wheels to smart home hubs, this year's holiday picks will delight tinkerers, travelers, and lovers of timeless design.
BBC News - Technology
'Gross' furry Pikachu divides Pokemon fans
'Gross' furry Pikachu divides Pokemon fans
Many fans say the new look Pikachu is "grotesque" and "disgusting".
TechNewsWorld
Let's Create a TV Show to Fix Silicon Valley
Startups have been creating employee hell in Silicon Valley. That was on my mind as I read the book Lab Rats: How Silicon Valley Made Work Miserable for the Rest of Us. I think this book should be required reading for anybody who thinks working for a startup in Silicon Valley would be fun. Unless you are into humiliation and abuse you probably should avoid these startups like the plague. Yes, you could get rich, but you also could end up with a ruined life -- broke, divorced, homeless, or maybe even dead by your own hand.

Monday, November 12, 2018

Chelsea Pensioners' verdict on WW1 VR experience

BBC News - Technology
Chelsea Pensioners' verdict on WW1 VR experience
Chelsea Pensioners' verdict on WW1 VR experience
Nothing to be Written is a VR experience about field postcards sent home by soldiers during WW1.
Gear Latest
11 Best Google Speakers, Ranked by Price (Holiday 2018)
11 Best Google Speakers, Ranked by Price (Holiday 2018)
An Amazon Echo may be tempting, but these Google Home speakers may be a better buy.

Sunday, November 11, 2018

9 Best Robot Vacuums (2018): Pet Hair, Carpets, Hardwood Floors, and More

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9 Best Robot Vacuums (2018): Pet Hair, Carpets, Hardwood Floors, and More
9 Best Robot Vacuums (2018): Pet Hair, Carpets, Hardwood Floors, and More
From no-frills cleaners to high-end automation, we have the ideal botvac for you.
BBC News - Technology
What do tampons and WWI have in common?
What do tampons and WWI have in common?
Tampons, drones and more surprising innovations from World War One that changed the world.

Saturday, November 10, 2018

The Internet's Precarious Health

TechNewsWorld
The Internet's Precarious Health
Mozilla has launched the first full edition of its Internet Health Report. The report is "an open source effort to explore the state of human life on the Internet," said Mozilla Executive Director Mark Surman. It consists of research and analysis compiled by researchers, engineers, data scientists, policy analysts and artists in Mozilla's extended community. The digital rights, open source, and Internet freedom movements hold that it is possible to build a digital world that is open, accessible and welcoming to all, according to Mozilla.
BBC News - Technology
Meeting Kosovo's clickbait merchants
Meeting Kosovo's clickbait merchants
Western web-users lap up misinformation online - these are the shady "merchants" who push it on Facebook.

Friday, November 9, 2018

Facebook Dating Is Rolling Out. Here’s How It Differs From Tinder

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Facebook Dating Is Rolling Out. Here’s How It Differs From Tinder
Facebook Dating Is Rolling Out. Here’s How It Differs From Tinder
Facebook starts publicly testing its dating service with users in Colombia today.
TechNewsWorld
Cryptohackers Breach StatCounter to Steal Bitcoins
Hackers planted malware on StatCounter to steal bitcoin revenue from Gate.io account holders, according to Eset researcher Matthieu Faou, who discovered the breach. The malicious code was added to StatCounter's site-tracking script last weekend, he reported. The malicious code hijacks any bitcoin transactions made through the Web interface of the Gate.io cryptocurrency exchange. The malicious code secretly can replace any bitcoin address that users enter on the page with one controlled by the attacker.
BBC News - Technology
Chinese headmaster fired over secret coin mining at school
Chinese headmaster fired over secret coin mining at school
A stack of crypto-currency mining machines was found after teachers complained about excessive noise.

Thursday, November 8, 2018

How to Protect Your Online Privacy: A Practical Guide

TechNewsWorld
How to Protect Your Online Privacy: A Practical Guide
Do you take your online privacy seriously? Most people don't. They have an ideal scenario of just how private their online activities should be, but they rarely do anything to actually achieve it. The problem is that bad actors know and rely on this fact, and that's why there's been a steady rise in identity theft cases from 2013 to 2017. The victims of these cases often suffer a loss of reputation or financial woes. If you take your online privacy seriously, follow this 10-step guide to protect it.
The CLOUD Act's Privacy Repercussions for Global Businesses
Just when the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, was about to go into effect, the United States Congress created the CLOUD Act. Without any public hearings, review or public comment, Congress passed the legislation as part of the $1.3 trillion government spending bill. The CLOUD Act changed the privacy provisions that were in effect under the 1986 Stored Communications Act. Needless to say, Internet privacy issues create headlines around the world every day.
Gear Latest
Samsung's Folding Galaxy Smartphone Concept Bends All the Rules
Samsung's Folding Galaxy Smartphone Concept Bends All the Rules
At a developer event today, Samsung showed off a smartphone with a folding screen that points to a possible future for mobile computing.
Which Amazon Fire Tablet Is Best for You?
Which Amazon Fire Tablet Is Best for You?
These are the Best Amazon Fire tablets. Do you use it around the house? Is it for your kids? Should you buy the Fire HD 8, the Fire HD 10, or another model? We've got the answers.
BBC News - Technology
China's Xinhua agency unveils AI news presenter
China's Xinhua agency unveils AI news presenter
The state news agency Xinhua says the nameless presenter will help reduce news production costs.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Midterm Elections 2018: How to Find and Watch Results

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Midterm Elections 2018: How to Find and Watch Results
Midterm Elections 2018: How to Find and Watch Results
Watch election night coverage live on your desktop, smartphone, or smart TV.
BBC News - Technology
Metop weather satellite launches into orbit
Metop weather satellite launches into orbit
Europe sends up a front-line weather satellite containing components made over a decade ago.
TechNewsWorld
Mobile Phone Security: All You Need to Know
We rely on our phones to process and store reams of personal digital data. Our digital activities -- from checking bank balances to paying for a product with a tap of the screen, to sending friends and family messages over social media, to accessing work emails remotely -- have turned our phones into a goldmine of personal information. It's likely that by 2020, there will be more than 6 billion smartphone users in the world. How secure is your mobile device? It's easy to forget that your mobile phone is essentially a pocket-sized computer.

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Facebook used to 'incite offline violence' in Myanmar, says report

BBC News - Technology
Facebook used to 'incite offline violence' in Myanmar, says report
Facebook used to 'incite offline violence' in Myanmar, says report
An independent reports says Facebook created an "enabling environment" for rights abuses and violence.
Tencent to curb children's online gaming time
Tencent to curb children's online gaming time
China's tech giant will expand its age-based time limit system to all of its games by 2019.
Gear Latest
Best Fitness Trackers (2018): Fitbit, Suunto, Garmin, Nokia, Apple Watch
Best Fitness Trackers (2018): Fitbit, Suunto, Garmin, Nokia, Apple Watch
Do you need a wearable for skiing, or for counting your dance steps at a wedding? We've found the best for every body.
iPad Pro (2018) Review: Almost a Laptop Killer
iPad Pro (2018) Review: Almost a Laptop Killer
Apple's new tablet gets closer to a PC than ever before.
TechNewsWorld
It Is Well Past Time for Elections to Be Online
Tomorrow a minority of those who are eligible will take time off, drive through traffic, and wait in lines to take part in one of the most artificially annoying obligations of U.S. citizenship: voting. Many who make that inconvenient trek will treat the process like a multiple choice test they haven't studied for, either voting the party line or guessing at the right answers. The smarter citizens will use absentee ballots, take their time, study the initiatives, and pick those they vote for based on qualifications.

Monday, November 5, 2018

World drone racing championship won by Australian teenager

BBC News - Technology
World drone racing championship won by Australian teenager
World drone racing championship won by Australian teenager
Rudi Browning, 15, and his drone beat more than 120 other racers at the world finals in Shenzhen.
Can these bots one day swarm in to rescue you?
Can these bots one day swarm in to rescue you?
The DelFly is a flying robot inspired by how insects achieve flight.
Gear Latest
Cuisinart Extra-Large Rotisserie Fryer and Steamer Review
Cuisinart Extra-Large Rotisserie Fryer and Steamer Review
Fry up your holiday bird with far less risk of an oil fire.

Sunday, November 4, 2018

Facebook sorry for 'white supremacist ad'

BBC News - Technology
Facebook sorry for 'white supremacist ad'
Facebook sorry for 'white supremacist ad'
The social media site removes a campaign targeted at readers interested in "white genocide".
TechNewsWorld
The Blurry Line Between Journalism and PR
The line between journalism and public relations can be fuzzy, and news organizations have wrestled with that problem for some time. However, that line recently has become more blurred than ever, with some publications enlisting armies of nonprofessional scribes to satisfy an insatiable appetite for content. It's easy to understand why the problem has mushroomed. Demand for copy has gone up. The number of people to produce it and the revenue it generates have gone down. The result has been the rise of dubious business models.
6 Tips for Managing Data Before an Emergency Strikes
Think about planning for a natural disaster emergency that might affect your home. You'd likely store some water, flashlights, food, blankets and other essentials. The key element of your planning would be proactivity. You'd do all of the work before an emergency occurred, not during the actual crisis. If your supplies were used up after the emergency passed, then you would restock before the next disaster might strike. Protecting data requires a similar approach: putting in place as many safeguards as you can before anything bad happens.
Gear Latest
15 of the Best Weekend Deals From Amazon, REI, and More
15 of the Best Weekend Deals From Amazon, REI, and More
Start your holiday shopping early with deals on Alexa-enabled devices, Legos, smart TVs, and more.
Apple Will Keep Throttling iPhones. Here's How to Stop It
Apple Will Keep Throttling iPhones. Here's How to Stop It
While it seemed like the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X might avoid the practice, Apple now says it will throttle them as well.

Saturday, November 3, 2018

US mid-terms: Twitter deletes anti-voting bots

BBC News - Technology
US mid-terms: Twitter deletes anti-voting bots
US mid-terms: Twitter deletes anti-voting bots
Most of the 10,000 accounts discouraging mid-term election participation posed as Democrats.
Web needs more love, says its creator
Web needs more love, says its creator
Hatred is enabled to spread by the way some social media sites are built, warns Sir Tim Berners-Lee.
Gear Latest
Gadget Lab Podcast: How Sonos Will Compete With, But Also Work With, Amazon and Google
Gadget Lab Podcast: How Sonos Will Compete With, But Also Work With, Amazon and Google
An interview with Sonos CEO Patrick Spence, taped at WIRED’s 25th anniversary festival.
Coral One Review: Get a Handle on This Robovac
Coral One Review: Get a Handle on This Robovac
The combination handheld and robot vacuum might create more problems than it solves.

Friday, November 2, 2018

IT Resume Dos and Don'ts: Formatting for Readability

TechNewsWorld
IT Resume Dos and Don'ts: Formatting for Readability
In my career as an IT resume writer, I've seen a lot of IT resumes cross my desk, and I'd like to share some common of the most common formatting problems that I see regularly. Of course, an IT resume requires more than great formatting. It requires well-written, targeted content, and a clear story of career progression. It needs to communicate your unique brand and value proposition. Still, if the formatting is off, that can derail the rest of the document and prevent your story being read by the hiring authority.
2nd New MakuluLinux Release Offers Flash and Substance
The MakuluLinux Flash distro is splashy and fast with a spiffy new look and new features. MakuluLinux developer Jacque Montague Raymer just announced the second of this year's three major Series 15 releases. The Flash edition follows last month's LinDoz edition release. The much-awaited innovative Core edition will debut between the end of November and mid-December. MakuluLinux is a relatively new Linux OS. Its positive reputation has been developing since 2015. The three-year growth spurt involved a variety of desktop environments.
Gear Latest
LG V40 ThinQ Review: The Five-Camera Phone
LG V40 ThinQ Review: The Five-Camera Phone
LG's latest flagship phone has a camera for every finger on your hand.
BBC News - Technology
Shop accidentally deletes game built by 12-year-old boy
Shop accidentally deletes game built by 12-year-old boy
Muhammad Thaqif, 12, had a turn of good fortune after his DIY zombie game was deleted by mistake.
How can we stop being cyber idiots?
How can we stop being cyber idiots?
Good computer security means working around one big security flaw - us.

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Oracle, the Hardware Company

TechNewsWorld
Oracle, the Hardware Company
For all of the dazzle of its rapidly evolving software portfolio, which includes a self-monitoring and self-patching database that also configures itself, as well as numerous cloud applications, Oracle has begun showing its credibility as a hardware vendor. Hardware has commoditized and will not return to the prominence it had in the early days of the tech era. However, commoditization brings new opportunities simply because price-performance numbers work better. Under Oracle's tutelage, hardware has found a disciplined and important niche.
Building a Speed Bump for Tech Companies' Maniacal Data Race
Facebook has been in seriously hot water for its data monetization model almost from the firm's beginning. The Cambridge Analytica, election meddling and fake news scandals have turned up the heat. Facebook's problems aren't limited to the public and government backlash that spans several countries; the firm faces potentially devastating legal threats too. On the surface, it appears to be a clear-cut issue: Social media and other tech companies must be reined in. Certainly, the EU thinks so, as is evidenced by its new GDPR.
BBC News - Technology
Brexit: UK government's battle with Apple over EU citizens app
Brexit: UK government's battle with Apple over EU citizens app
Apple ignores the UK government's plea to allow EU citizens to scan their passports in a new Brexit app.
Gear Latest
Things We Loved This Month: The Pixel 3, Surface Pro 6, and New iPad
Things We Loved This Month: The Pixel 3, Surface Pro 6, and New iPad
Plus: wireless headphones, a sweet Specialized bike, and a pair of magical sunglasses.