Firework Offers Snack-Size Original Content

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Firework Offers Snack-Size Original Content

Firework this week released a collection of shows consisting of 12 episodes that will run just 15-seconds each. The first, "Fireside Chat featuring Molly Tarlov," debuted Tuesday. Three more followed on Wednesday, and another is scheduled for release on Dec. 28. Users can download the episodes via the Firework app, which is now available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. In the first series from Firework Originals, "Fireside Chat featuring Molly Tarlov," the actress and comedian interviews various stars in just 15 seconds.

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AI Meets VR in New Nvidia Tech

Nvidia has announced a breakthrough in 3D rendering research that may have far-reaching ramifications for future virtual worlds. A team led by Nvidia VP Bryan Catanzaro discovered a way to use a neural network to render synthetic 3D environments in real time, using a model trained on real-world videos. With Nvidia's technology, worlds can be populated with objects "learned" from video input. Nvidia's technology offers the potential to quickly create virtual worlds for gaming, automotive, architecture, robotics or virtual reality.

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BBC News - Technology

Gatwick Airport: Drone attack grounds flights

About 10,000 passengers are hit and others warned not to travel as planes are grounded and diverted.

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Fortnite teen hackers 'earning thousands of pounds a week'

Thieves sell hijacked accounts with in-demand skins online after locking out original owners.

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How Amazon Alexa Uses Machine Learning to Get Smarter

Amazon's voice assistant made considerable gains in 2018 through the continued refinement of machine learning techniques.

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'DNA Printing' in the Cloud, Part 1

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'DNA Printing' in the Cloud, Part 1

DNA printing is based on the natural flow of genetic information in a cell from DNA through RNA to amino acids to proteins, from gene to protein, genome to proteome, genomics to proteomics. DNA, life's foundation blueprint, makes up genes, the instructions for making proteins -- the complex molecules that do most of the work in living organisms. "DNA makes RNA makes proteins make Life." That simple formula, which has worked well for life on Earth for at least half a billion years, very recently has turned into a trillion-dollar modern global industry based on an updated formula: "People make DNA."

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Quirky but Useful Gifts: Rob Enderle's 2018 Personal Tech Product Guide

This year I thought I'd list my favorite unusual products as gift ideas. I'm a big fan of products most people don't have that solve a specific work problem, as well as those that could make your life easier, more comfortable or more fun. I like to give gifts that people actually would use. In some cases, due to the cost, these may be things you'd buy only for yourself, a spouse, or a relative you really want to impress. So here is my guide to 2018's personal products that have a bit of wow associated with them.

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The Most-Read WIRED Reviews of 2018: iPad, PS4, Amazon Fire Tablets

This year, we reviewed and rated dozens of products, but these ten are the ones our readers were most curious about.

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8 Best Latte and Cappuccino Machines (2019): Breville, Mr. Coffee, and More

We've tested a bunch of the best latte machines and best cappuccino makers. These are the absolute best devices to make awesome milk and espresso drinks at home.

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BBC News - Technology

Facebook's data-sharing deals exposed

An investigation reveals other technology companies were not always aware how much access they had been given.

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Apple's Self-Destructive Qualcomm, China Strategies

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Apple's Self-Destructive Qualcomm, China Strategies

Why would Apple want to put Qualcomm out of business? It's because Apple uses a lock-in strategy, where once on an Apple platform it is painful to get off. Most of the smart Apple iPhone users I know actually use Google apps and Google's infrastructure and other third-party tools on their iPhones, so if they want to move to an Android phone they can move almost seamlessly. However, this always assumes there is an Android phone to move too. Since Qualcomm ensures that almost anyone can build a decent smartphone, Apple wants to kill the company.

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35 Last-Minute Christmas Gift Ideas (2018): Games, Speakers, and Much More

Time's ticking, but it's okay! Here are some great tech Christmas gifts with free 2-day shipping.

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BBC News - Technology

UK tech firm Blippar collapses into administration

One of the great hopes of the UK tech sector, Blippar, collapses following a funding dispute.

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10 Best Gaming Headsets: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch, Mobile

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10 Best Gaming Headsets: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch, Mobile

We picked the best gaming headsets for PS4, Xbox, Switch, PC, Mac, and mobile.

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So Long, Step Count: My Brief and Sad Smartwatch Hiatus

A rash on my wrist made me consider why I've been wearing a wearable for so long.

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BBC News - Technology

HQ Trivia and Vine co-founder Colin Kroll dead at 34

New York police officers went to Colin Kroll's Manhattan flat after a request to check on him.

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Amazon Echo Review: Which Echo or Alexa Speaker is Best?

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Amazon Echo Review: Which Echo or Alexa Speaker is Best?

Should you get the Echo Dot, or the Echo Plus? And what's up with that Echo Show? Here's what to consider.

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How Much Can Technology Be Trusted?

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How Much Can Technology Be Trusted?

Since the industrial revolution, technology has changed society continually. Largely due to innovations in semiconductor electronics, software and computer technology, the pace of technological development has continued to accelerate over the past 50 years. Personal computers now fit into your pocket. You have access to people and information all over the world through the Internet. Anything up to the size of a small building can be printed. Just about everything -- from your house to your car -- is becoming intelligent.

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Amazon Comprehend Medical Makes Sense of Scattered Healthcare Data

Amazon has announced Amazon Comprehend Medical, a language processing service that lets users gather information -- such as a patient's medical condition and medication dosage, strength and frequency -- from sources including doctors' notes, clinical trial reports, hospital admission notes and patient health records. Most health and patient data -- such as medical notes, prescriptions, audio interview transcripts, and pathology and radiology reports -- currently is stored as unstructured medical text.

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BBC News - Technology

Were Taylor Swift fans tracked at her gig?

A stadium in LA confirms it uses facial recognition technology at pop concerts.

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New Facebook bug exposed millions of photos

Photos of up to 6.8 million Facebook users, including ones they never posted, could be accessed.

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Gadget Lab Podcast: Climate Change and Cognitive Dissonance

Climate change is real, and it’s impacting us right now. How much of it can be fixed by personal responsibility versus policy?

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Postmates' Quest to Build the Delivery Robot of the Future

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Postmates' Quest to Build the Delivery Robot of the Future

The company has spent the past two years stealthily learning how to design and build its own delivery robots, coming soon to a city near you.

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Gift Ideas for the Neat Freak: Coasters, Desk Organizers, Slippers

From coasters and slippers to elegant lifestyle accoutrements, this collection of beautiful objects will keep their home looking perfect.

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TechNewsWorld

BlackBerry Makes Autonomous Vehicle Play

BlackBerry this week introduced its new Security Credential Management System. SCMS -- a free service for the public and private sectors -- could encourage efforts to develop autonomous and connected vehicle pilot programs. Waterloo, Ontario-based BlackBerry, which in recent years has pivoted from its past business built around mobile handsets, undertook development of this technology to provide the critical infrastructure for vehicles and traffic lights to exchange information securely.

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BBC News - Technology

Tumblr returns to App Store after porn ban

The social network has returned to Apple's app store after revealing plans to ban adult content.

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Supermicro: Our Motherboards Are Clean

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Supermicro: Our Motherboards Are Clean

Supermicro CEO Charles Liang has informed the company's customers that a leading third-party investigations company found "absolutely no evidence of malicious hardware" on its motherboards. The investigation was undertaken in response to a recent claim that bad actors had inserted spy chips in the firm's motherboards on behalf of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, China's armed forces. The findings "were no surprise to us," Liang noted, because "our process is designed to protect the integrity and reliability of our products."

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The Consumer IoT's Boon for the Insurance Industry

Smart home and consumer IoT solutions promise significant opportunities for the insurance industry to reduce costs, alleviate risks, deepen customer engagement, and create new services and revenue streams. There are many barriers ahead, but given the tremendous upside, insurance companies have begun attacking these challenges with a multi-tiered strategy. The currency of these opportunities is data, and the level of integration required to realize the insurtech vision and enhance aspects of the insurance business is a huge undertaking.

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BBC News - Technology

Could light bring us superfast mobile broadband indoors?

Superfast 5G mobile connectivity may not be able to reach inside buildings. Could light help?

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Meng Wanzhou: Trump could intervene in case of Huawei executive

The president says he could act for the good of US trade, as Canada releases Meng Wanzhou on bail.

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An Intel Breakthrough Rethinks How Chips Are Made

Intel recently demonstrated Foveros, a method of stacking logic chips vertically that could reinvigorate Moore’s Law.

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Dixons Carphone posts £440m loss in first half

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Dixons Carphone posts £440m loss in first half

The struggling posts a £440m loss after it writes down the value of its Carphone Warehouse brand.

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Best Wireless Gaming Headsets (2018): PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch

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Best Wireless Gaming Headsets (2018): PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch

No matter your gaming system, these are the best wireless gaming headsets out there.

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Who's Winning the Latest Tech Industry Battles?

December has become consistent with the Chinese curse, "May You Be Born In Interesting Times." We are up to our armpits in wars, and each is very different. Qualcomm and Intel are fighting for 5G control, and Intel is tearing itself apart. Microsoft passed Apple in valuation, largely because it has not been focusing on Apple. Canadian authorities just arrested the daughter of the Huawei founder, at the request of the United States, cratering the stock market again, and setting up a potentially costly chain of events.

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Best Noise-Canceling Headphones (2018): Bose, Sony, Plantronics, and More

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Best Noise-Canceling Headphones (2018): Bose, Sony, Plantronics, and More

These over-ears and earbuds will add some silence and serenity to your day.

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Best Base Layers 2018: Patagonia, Ridge Merino, REI, Columbia

From merino wool to space gel, we put eight different long johns to the outdoor test.

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BBC News - Technology

Fortnite: Gamer charged with assault during live stream

He moves off camera and a woman's voice is heard shouting "woman basher" and "you hit me in the face".

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'Outdated' IT and old computers found in Welsh schools

Schools are too far behind technology such as smartphones and iPads in teaching IT, a watchdog says.

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17 Best Weekend Deals: Wireless Chargers, Pixel 3, and More

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17 Best Weekend Deals: Wireless Chargers, Pixel 3, and More

Have you included anything for yourself in your holiday shopping? What about a pair of Bluetooth headphones or PS4 games?

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Gadget Lab Podcast: What the Tumblr Porn Ban Means for Users

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Gadget Lab Podcast: What the Tumblr Porn Ban Means for Users

WIRED writer Emily Dreyfuss joins the Gadget Lab to talk about Tumblr's porn ban and where active members of that community are headed next.

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TechNewsWorld

End of the Line for Microsoft Edge?

Rumors circulated this week that Microsoft will be replacing the core technology in its Edge browser for Windows 10 with Chromium, the open source software from Google that is the core of the Chrome browser. Google's Blink will be basis of the new browser, reportedly codenamed "Anaheim." Microsoft Edge, developed by Microsoft as a replacement for Internet Explorer, is now on Windows 10, Windows 10 Mobile and Xbox One devices. However, it does not run on older versions of the Windows operating system.

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BBC News - Technology

Huawei: Meng Wanzhou faces Iran fraud charges, court hears

Meng Wanzhou faces fraud charges over sanctions-breaking business with Iran, a Canadian court hears.

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Microsoft Retools Its Edge Browser, But Internet Explorer Is Forever

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Microsoft Retools Its Edge Browser, But Internet Explorer Is Forever

Major changes are coming to Edge—but remember that it's only Microsoft's second-biggest browser.

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Google Hasn't Kept Promise to Stop Bubble-Wrapping Users: Report

Google hasn't released consumers from its filter bubble -- the package of personalized search results it delivers -- despite having promised to do so, according to study results from DuckDuckGo. Most participants saw results unique to them, the researchers found, which could not be explained by changes in location, time, by being logged into Google, or by Google testing algorithm changes with a small subset of users. On the first page of search results, Google included links for some participants that it did not include for others.

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Best VR Headsets (2018): Standalone, for PC, Oculus, PSVR

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Best VR Headsets (2018): Standalone, for PC, Oculus, PSVR

Virtual reality is more accessible than ever, and these headsets can take you there, whether you want a standalone or PC-based experience.

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Qualcomm's New Snapdragon Chip Suggests 5G Is Almost Here

At an event on the island of Maui, Qualcomm and Samsung showed off new tech that should put some 5G wireless capability onto mobile handsets in 2019.

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BBC News - Technology

Data problems hit O2 mobile network

Millions of O2 customers are unable to use their smartphones to access the internet.

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Biohackers: ‘My hand chip could unlock my car door’

BBC News - Technology

Biohackers: ‘My hand chip could unlock my car door’

Biohackers want to make their bodies and brains function better by "hacking" their biology.

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Quirky but Useful Gifts: Rob Enderle's 2018 Personal Tech Product Guide

TechNewsWorld

Quirky but Useful Gifts: Rob Enderle's 2018 Personal Tech Product Guide

This year I thought I'd list my favorite unusual products as gift ideas. I'm a big fan of products most people don't have that solve a specific work problem, as well as those that could make your life easier, more comfortable or more fun. I like to give gifts that people actually would use. In some cases, due to the cost, these may be things you'd buy only for yourself, a spouse, or a relative you really want to impress. So here is my guide to 2018's personal products that have a bit of wow associated with them.

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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.

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BBC News - Technology

Are these robots the future of warfare?

The Ministry of Defence is carrying out its biggest ever exercise using autonomous vehicles in battle scenarios.

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Gear Latest

Lenovo Yoga Book C930 Review: E-Ink Just Isn't Our Type

Lenovo's newest ultraportable Yoga Book replaces the traditional laptop keyboard with an E-Ink variant.

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