Geek News

You might not to log in to your favorite websites one at a time in the near future. The 9to5Mac team has found code in the iOS 11.3 beta hinting at a single sign-on option for the web based on your iCloud account. It's not certain just how it would work, but you would be giving sites permission to access "personal iCloud data" (possibly your name and email address) in return for the convenience. It wouldn't be a password manager , then -- you'd be handing your Apple ID to the sites in question and avoiding much of the login process. There's also an element in the beta which uses the camera app to scan for a QR code and ask for your Apple ID, although there's even less known about how that would work. It's not certain when this feature will be ready, assuming it survives. While it could show up in the finished version of iOS 11.3, Apple has been known to push back or cut features. AirPlay 2 was originally expected to show up in an iOS 11.2 relea...

A few years ago TiVo rolled out SkipMode for its DVRs that would allow viewers to jump past ads (on certain prime-time programs) with the press of a button. This year, for Super Bowl LII it's flipping the technology around with GameSkip that works favor of people who watch the game just to see all of those (incredibly expensive) advertisements. Sure, you can usually see the best ones on YouTube either before the game or immediately after they are, but for dedicated fans of everything except Eagles vs. Patriots, it could be an easy way to catch up. Just like SkipMode, it will require users to record the game, and then wait until it ends for all the necessary information to appear. Just press play on the recording and look for the same green skip icon as always to (hopefully, this is an experiment) jump from ad-break to ad-break. Also, for home automation fans , the company said it's rolling out IFTTT integration that can enable things like fully-automated commercial ski...

If you use your Bank of America-, JP Morgan Chase- or Citigroup-issued credit card to buy cryptocurrency , then you'll have to find an alternative ASAP. According to Bloomberg , the banks have banned crypto purchase using their cards due to the virtual coins' volatile nature. BofA has already started declining credit transactions with known exchanges, though its debit cards aren't be affected by the ban. Citigroup also announced on Friday that it'll no longer process crypto purchases, while JP Morgan Chase's new rule will take effect today. JPMorgan spokesperson Mary Jane Rogers said the bank has decided to impose a restriction on crypto purchases, because it doesn't want to deal with the risks associated with it. In addition to the difficulties of keeping an eye on purchases -- something they're required to do -- associated with crypto-coins, there's also always the risk of somebody buying more than they can afford to pay. In addition, identity thiev...

SpaceX hasn't been shy about wanting to land Falcon Heavy's three booster rockets (it formally proposed its plans a year ago), but will it try now that the launch has finally been nailed down? Yes. Elon Musk's outfit has confirmed that it will attempt to land all three boosters on Falcon Heavy's launch, which is now slated for a 2.5-hour window starting at 1:30PM Eastern on February 6th. As expected, the two side boosters will come back to the on-ground landing zones at Cape Canaveral, while the center booster should land on a drone ship off the coast. The company is no stranger to successful rocket landings -- they're considered routine at this point. With Falcon Heavy, however, there are challenges SpaceX just didn't have to face before. It has to separate and land the boosters in an elegant, coordinated fashion that avoids collisions and other erratic behavior. And of course, having three rockets increases the odds of failure. SpaceX has learned many l...

Windows 10 S was supposed to be Microsoft's firm answer to Chrome OS, offering comparable security (by limiting you to Microsoft Store apps) while running more powerful software. However, its implementation for home users has been ham-fisted: you have to unlock Windows 10 Pro if you want more freedom, which should (eventually) cost money and is clearly overkill for many people. That's about to change. Both Thurrott and Neowin have discovered that Microsoft is dropping Windows 10 S as a stand-alone product for everyday users in favor of an S Mode, which is already available for the enterprise crowd. The plan is reportedly to make S Mode available for most versions of Windows 10 (with new Core+ and Workstation variants being the exceptions). The cost of unlocking full access would depend on what you're running: Windows 10 Home S users could unlock to the regular Home release for free, while those using Windows 10 Pro S would have to pay the previously mentioned $49. Yo...

Japan has set a new spaceflight record -- and unlike most of these feats, it's defined by what wasn't involved. The country's Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has successfully launched the smallest-ever rocket to carry a satellite into orbit, a modest SS-520 sounding rocket modified with a third stage inside its nose cone to get its payload into orbit. As you might guess, the key to the record was the tiny cargo -- the rocket was carrying TRICOM-1R, a three-unit cubesat measuring just 13.6 inches long. You don't need a giant vehicle when the mission hardware would fit in the backseat of your car. The success came just over a year after JAXA's original experiment with an SS-520 rocket ended in failure . Crews decided against igniting the second stage when the vehicle lost all telemetry data a mere 20 seconds after takeoff. An investigation later determined that the likely cause was a poorly protected electrical connection, and the agency decided to try agai...

Last week, the Overwatch team released a new map: Blizzard World. The multiplayer arena is a colorful amusement park filled with attractions and rides themed after Blizzard's stable of games. It's a delightful backdrop for the team-based shooter, filled with in-jokes and puns that make it look like a rapturous place for a gamer to visit. But what would it take to bring Blizzard World to life? Theme parks are a wildly expensive business, but that hasn't stopped the biggest ones from building brand-new areas based on blockbuster entertainment franchises. The highly anticipated Star Wars zones set to open at Disneyland California and Disneyworld Orlando in 2019 are examples, and there are the Harry Potter Worlds in Japan, Hollywood and Florida. The Blizzard World stage is the studio's own interpretation of an entertainment theme park, bustling with rides, shops and restaurants inspired by Blizzard games. In fact, players can only run around a portion of it, as a ...

Health It's not exactly a secret that they make head injuries worse. Football helmets, despite their padding, aren't actually the greatest at preventing concussions—and that's not news. via Popular Science "http://ift.tt/2ED8l6y"

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Apple has confirmed that a “ small percentage” of iPhone 7 devices are affected by a bug that prevents the phone from connecting to a cellular network, instead displaying “No Service” on the status bar. Typically, this occurs after the iPhone switches off Airplane Mode, and is unable to re-connect to service. The company says the problem is due to a failed component on the main logic board, and will offer free repairs to customers experiencing the issue. There are some restrictions, however. The affected devices, according to Apple, must be of a specific model number depending on the region customers bought their devices. The company says these devices were manufactured between September 2016 and February 2018, and were sold in China,... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2E04ShD"

Microsoft is switching its approach to Windows 10 S, its new version of Windows that’s designed to compete with Chrome OS. The software giant originally announced Windows 10 S as a dedicated version of Windows for education customers that’s restricted to running Microsoft Store apps. Neowin first spotted that Microsoft is planning a new “S Mode” for Windows 10 Home, Enterprise, and Pro. This S Mode will essentially lock down copies of Windows 10 so they only run apps from the Microsoft Store, and does exactly what Windows 10 S was built to do. Thurrott reports that 60 percent of Windows 10 S users have remained on the operating system, instead of switching to Windows 10 Pro free of charge. 60 percent of those who do switch reportedly do... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2GG10nr"

Welcome back to Gaming IRL, a monthly segment where several editors talk about what they've been playing in their downtime. This month, we spend too much time taking photos in Assassin's Creed Origins , lose ourselves in Yakuza 0 's side stories, and ask the important question: "Tinder or Reigns? " Reigns: Her Majesty Jessica Conditt Senior Editor I like to play a little game whenever I'm posted up somewhere with ample people-watching opportunities: It's called "Tinder or Reigns ?" Playing Reigns: Her Majesty looks a lot like scrolling through Tinder -- one thumb swiping left or right -- and I enjoy guessing which app people are actually using as they're lost in their phones. I deeply hope (but supremely doubt) most folks are playing Reigns . Reigns: Her Majesty is a sequel that functions a lot like the original mobile game: You're the ruler of an ancient kingdom, and on each turn you get to make a choice about how the whole ...

Science Enough for a good Gatorade-style dunking, at least. It’s actually relatively simple to calculate someone’s sweat rate, if you're so inclined. via Popular Science "http://ift.tt/2nEH385"

Steadicam is the company behind iconic tracking shots in films like Rocky and Return of the Jedi , so when parent Tiffen launched a smartphone stabilizer bearing its name at CES 2017, there was a ton of interest. The $195 Steadicam Volt nabbed more than $1 million on Kickstarter and is now on sale at stores. It works very well and can produce natural-looking, cinematic shots, but don't expect it to do that out of the box. It takes a fair amount of time to set it up, and even longer to master. The Volt is a rather unusual type of stabilizer. Like Steadicam's classic products, it relies on balance and inertia, but it also has a motorized gyro like the DJI Osmo and other electronic gimbals. The gyro and electronics are tucked into the body. There's a platform on top for the phone, and a handle and weighted frame below. Most of the parts are built from plastic, which doesn't impart the most solid feel but makes the Volt very light -- around a pound. It measures a bit...

If you missed last week’s Sonos One deal, you’re in luck. The sale only lasts as long as promotional stock is available, and it’s a minor miracle that there are still speakers left at the $349 price tag. If you’re looking for a gift for a tech-savvy special someone for Valentine’s Day, pick up a pair of speakers and hold onto that extra $50. Sonos isn’t the only brand marking down some of its most popular products. Amazon is offering a great deal for cord-cutters right now. The All-New Fire TV with 4K Ultra HD and an Alexa-enabled remote is on sale for more than 20 percent off and you can throw in an HD antenna with the bundle for just $15 more. These deals only last until Sunday, February 4th at 11:59PM EST so act fast. LAST CALL A... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2DZYbfc"

DIY Specific answers for specific needs. There's more than one way to search the web. If you're trying to answer a specific type of question, you may need a specialized search engine. via Popular Science "http://ift.tt/2GI6Gxl"

In the dead of winter 20 years ago, Netscape — inspired in part by a treatise on Linux and free software development — released the source code for its Netscape Communicator web browser. The move was unprecedented. This was a publicly traded company that had just reported some disappointing financials announcing to the world that it would make the core of its product available to thinkers, tinkerers and the insatiably curious. Over the days that followed, a cadre of software developers and advocates agonized over a crucial question: What should this kind of stuff be called? After some prolonged discussions and a few phone calls with Netscape, they had their answer. And thus, 20 years ago, the term "Open Source" was born. The Open Source Initiative formed shortly after that, and one of the working group's founders — Bruce Perens — adapted the Free Software Guidelines he wrote for the Debian Linux distro to serve as the official Open Source Definition . In the decade...

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. Welcome to the weekend. Between Strava's potentially catastrophic heatmaps, cheaper Surface laptops and another iPhone issue, you could almost forget about the big game. Shhhh. Alexa will stay calm during Amazon's Super Bowl ad Amazon's Super Bowl ad repeatedly features the default trigger word for its smart speaker, but acoustic fingerprinting tech will keep most nearby speakers from activating when it runs Sunday night. Still no headphone jack. Apple to repair iPhone 7s with 'no service' bug for free iPhone 7 owners have been complaining about a problem where devices would show "no service" despite being within signal range, and now Apple has confirmed the issue. The company blamed a component failure affecting a "small percentage" of devices and said it would repair them for free. Say it ain't MAME. The 'King of Kong' could be stripped of his high score Just days after video game...