Geek News

Google announced that it is shutting down its URL shortening service , goo.gl. The company says that new and anonymous users won’t be able to create links through the goo.gl console as of April 13th, but existing users will be able to use it for another year, after which it will be discontinued completely. Firebase Software Engineer Michael Hermanto says that the company introduced the URL shortener in 2009, and that since then, the ways in which people share information on the web has changed, while additional URL shorteners grown in popularity. He notes that Google is refocusing its efforts by replacing it with Firebase Dynamic Links (FDL), which allow users to specific locations in iOS, Android or web apps. Existing users will be... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2GskfRb"

This morning, Trump once again tweeted about online retailer Amazon.com, alleging that it is scamming the United States Postal Service and that the agency should raise its shipping rates. He also says that The Washington Post — owned by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos — should register as a lobbyist . Earlier this week, Axios reported that President Donald Trump wanted to take on Amazon. The President followed up with a tweet on March 29th, saying that Amazon was taking advantage of the USPS, paying little in state and local taxes, and putting retailers out of business. The New York Times outlined earlier this week that Amazon has collected sales taxes since April 2017. The retailer reported $957 million in income taxes last year. The Times also... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2GEH5Z5"

A few years ago, the hit Sundance film Tangerine was shot entirely on an iPhone 5S to surprisingly good results. And last year, Steven Soderbergh did the same the same thing while making Unsane , with his only camera being an iPhone 7 Plus . While a lot more than camera gear goes into making those movies look the way they do, the fact that professional filmmakers are using cameras that many of us keep in our pockets is a pretty encouraging sign when it comes to what we should be able to produce. I wanted to test out just what you can do to improve your phone’s photo- and video-taking abilities, so I tried out a few different things: some add-on lenses, a microphone, and a stabilizer. You can see the results in the video above. One thing I... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2Gs83Qp"

Today's Deal: Save 50% on Human: Fall Flat !* Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are! *Offer ends Monday at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2GovKsC"

Today's Deal: Save 34% on Hollow Knight !* Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are! *Offer ends Monday at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2pTnR8e"

Today's Deal: Save 50% on DOOM !* Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are! *Offer ends Monday at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2IkK6Lb"

Spring has sprung. You might not be able to tell with the weather, but the calendar says so. For this weekend only, Microsoft is marking down some of its most popular PCs to celebrate the change in season. Until Monday April 2nd, laptops like the newest Surface Pro and the Dell XPS 15 256GB Laptop are both being marked down hundreds of dollars. There are more than 80 deals and PCs on sale for all price ranges. In other deals news, Amazon is discounting some of their Alexa-enabled devices until Saturday March 31st at 11:59PM EST. The Echo Show is being marked down to $159.99, a $70 discount and the second-lowest price we’ve seen on it so far. Kid’s Edition Fire Tablets, the 7 and 8 , are on sale for $79.99 and $99.99, respectively. Amazon... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2E9XTBQ"

DIY Prepare to face the great outdoors. A spring hike is a great way to appreciate the newly-warm weather. Before you head out, make sure to pack a few gadgets and download our recommended apps. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2pTgZrD"

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include: Updated model/materials for the Starboard Crusader and added a second style Added AsiaFortress Season 13 medals Updated the localization files Fixed Mann vs. Machine matches with open slots not receiving late-joiners Fixed a server crash related to the Sniper Rifle Fixed the "View promotional codes" button not showing for those users with promotional codes Notes missed from Competitive Revamp update The UI version has been bumped to 3. Any UI mods will need to be updated to work with the new UI changes. via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2E7KhHr"

Space What a strawberry moon? What is a worm moon? What is going on with my moon? Blue moons, strawberry moons, supermoons. For some reason your news aggregation algorithm of choice thinks you really really really want to know all about these moons. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2GJWQho"

Cars Driver-helping technology reigns supreme on 2019 models. Cadillac, Hyundai, Subaru and others showed off their 2019 goods at the New York International Auto Show. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2E6Ldf5"

AirMech Strike has left Early Access on Steam! In celebration of the release of AirMech Strike, all AirMech Games are now on sale on Steam as well! AirMech® Strike is a fast paced Action-RTS game that can be played online competitively or cooperatively. Earn Kudos and Experience in battle and unlock a wide collection of AirMechs and Units while you practice the perfect strategy to emerge victorious! via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2IgHjT7"

Space Happy Easter! Tiangong-1 was once a space station, but now it’s basically just a bus-sized hunk of dead space junk. That means there’s no way to control its reentry or descent;… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2pOmI20"

Alexa’s ability to control DVRs is going to improve in the near future. Amazon announced today that it’s updated its Video Skill API so that Alexa can now start recordings, launch an app, or carry out playback commands. Multiple set-top box makers already have Alexa skills, including Dish, Verizon, TiVo, and DirecTV. They’ll be updating their skills, Amazon says, and some have already been experimenting with these new features. Users will be able to say things like, “Alexa, record the Cubs game,” and the set-top box will plan a recording. They’ll also be able to tell the assistant to launch specific apps or services, like, “Alexa, launch Netflix.” Finally, they’ll be able to say, “Alexa, pause,” without having to explicitly name their... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2GD43zN"

Technology Sustainable rum? I’ll drink to that! Don Q, Patrón, and Castello Banfi wine are just a few of the alcoholic beverage brands committed to sustainable production. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2GoTFIp"

PixARK is Now Available on Steam Early Access and is 20% off!* Enter a world of mystery, danger, ancient dinosaurs, mythical beasts, and cubes! Work by yourself or with a tribe of others to gather materials, craft useful items, tame wild creatures, and build huge bases to survive in PixARK! *Offer ends April 3 at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2Gc4Xnc"

Samsung is giving owners of its recent smartphones even more personalization options for the Always-On Display. According to Android Police , now you can showcase GIFs on the screen when your phone is asleep. The Always-On Display appears whenever you lock your phone and it shows the time, your notifications, remaining battery percentage, and other critical info. Users can change the colors, clock style, and other aspects of the AOD to make it feel a little more customized to their own liking. For the past couple years, Samsung has also let customers choose between preloaded images or pick their own photo to appear alongside those indicators. It’s a good place to stick a picture of your partner, a family member, your kid, or maybe just a... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2J59plA"

Gadgets The end-of-week dispatch from PopSci's commerce editor. Vol. 44. Throughout the week I spend hours scouring the web for things that are ingenious or clever or ridiculously cheap. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2pO4v4E"

Today's Deal: Save 75% on Mordheim: City of the Damned !* Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are! *Offer ends Sunday at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2GoLBrk"

Animals There are many members of the animal kingdom that rival our own wits. No other member of the animal kingdom can ace an algebra test or write an A+ essay. But that doesn’t mean other species aren’t highly intelligent. Several members of the… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2H2Gdvb"

Apple’s new, cheaper iPad is now in stock at Apple retail locations and Best Buy stores, as spotted by 9to5Mac . Announced earlier this week at an education initiative in Chicago , the sixth-generation iPad has Pencil support, with the base model starting at $329. This is the first non-pro iPad with Pencil support, and it also comes with Touch ID, an HD FaceTime camera, 10 hours of battery life, an 8-megapixel rear camera, LTE option, and Apple’s A10 Fusion chip. As far as colors, it’s available in silver, space gray, and a new gold color. Make sure to check both the Apple and Best Buy websites first to make sure there’s iPad stock in stores by you. Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2GltemZ"

China customs officials have taken down smugglers who used drones to carry iPhones from Hong Kong into Shenzhen. They managed to transport 500 million yuan ($79.8 million) worth of refurbished iPhones before the operation was busted, according to Reuters . Under the cover of dark, the group of 26 used the unspecified drones to “fly two 200-meter (660-feet) cables between Hong Kong and the mainland.” From there, they loaded around 10 iPhones into small bags and sent each across the cable system. The smugglers could move up to 15,000 iPhones each night, so they managed to get things running pretty efficiently. The local, state-owned Legal Daily reported this to be “the first case found in China that drones were being used in cross-border... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2GmgNey"

Huawei’s night mode is spectacular Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2GmehF8"

Last June, Apple announced that it would add support for external GPUs to macOS. And now, just under a year later, official support has arrived. With the latest update to macOS High Sierra, you’ll be able to connect a number of different graphics cards to the Mac through a Thunderbolt 3 port and use that additional power to speed up demanding processes, including games and video editing. Apple has specifically highlighted its use for VR. This probably shouldn’t surprise anyone since it’s Apple we’re talking about here, but there are a number of limitations around what you can do with external GPUs. For one, only select models are officially supported. And, surprise, Apple is only supporting some of AMD’s Radeon cards, which it already... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2GnYaHu"

In an email to CNET , the CEO of Huawei’s consumer business group, Richard Yu, has said that the company isn’t pulling out of the US market, despite every major carrier refusing to sell its phones, and retailers like Best Buy recently dropping the brand . “We are committed to the US market and to earning the trust of US consumers by staying focused on delivering world-class products and innovation,” Yu told CNET in an email. “We would never compromise that trust.” Earning that trust — with consumers, corporations, and government agencies alike — for Huawei will likely be an uphill battle as its faced several blows while trying to create inroads with the US market. Earlier this year, the heads of six US intelligence agencies, including the... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2uCbsKO"

Environment Get your head in the clouds. You don’t need a supercomputer to predict how the weather above your head is likely to change over the next few hours—this has been known across cultures for millennia. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2E79ktZ"