Geek News

Refusing to slow its pace of dealmaking, Netflix announced tonight that it has a new "multi-year" agreement with producer Ryan Murphy, starting in July. Murphy has produced a string of hit series over the years, including Glee, Nip/Tuck, American Horror Story and Scream Queens . His contract with Fox is about to expire, and according to reports from the New York Times and Deadline , this began a bidding war that put the price of his five-year agreement at as much as $300 million. Source: Netflix via Engadget RSS Feed "http://ift.tt/2EHAj3J"

To say Faraday Future has had a rough time would be an understatement between its financial crisis , executive exodus and CEO troubles . However, things might be looking up for the electric car maker. A Business Insider source has claimed that an unnamed Hong Kong backer has promised a $1.5 billion investment, $550 million of which is "already in the bank." That only goes so far with an automaker, but it's reportedly enough to speed up development of the FF91 and get it on the market by the end of 2018. Accordingly, the company's Hanford, California factory should soon be on track. Work on it is believed to be starting in "30 to 60 days," with production underway by December. The company's second car , the FF81, is now expected to get an unveiling at a showcase in Beijing. We've asked Faraday Future for comment, although it's no secret that it has been holding a global supplier summit to reassure partners. If there was any time to discl...

Magic Leap is planning multiple editions of its augmented reality glasses for different levels of consumers and professionals, with the cheapest starting at the price of a “higher-end mobile phone to higher-end tablet,” says company president and CEO Rony Abovitz. “I think we’re trying to establish certain tiers — we’re not going to be a single-product company over time,” Abovitz told an audience during an interview at Recode’s Code Media conference today. Abovitz says the Magic Leap One, a “creator edition” headset that’s supposed to be coming out this year, falls somewhere in the middle of Magic Leap’s price range. “We will have a product line in that price point probably for the company’s history, and we’ll probably have some above... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2HekbVY"

If you've wanted to use Google's canned Smart Replies in chat apps, you've been limited to using Allo or (if you're on the right carrier) Android Messages . But what if you're one of the many, many people using something else? Don't fret: Google's experimental Area 120 group is working on a Reply project that, as the name implies, will bring Smart Replies to many messaging clients (currently just for Android). Hangouts is logically on the list, but so are third-party apps like Facebook Messenger, Skype, WhatsApp and even Twitter's direct messages. You'd only have to tap a button in your notifications to confirm that you're on your way or say you're doing well. Reply should have some intelligent features as well, such as a "sorry I can't talk" driving mode and a vacation responder to stop coworkers from bugging you when you're off the clock. It should also punch through silent mode if there's an urgent message demand...

Lightfield-display technology company Magic Leap is partnering with the NBA to make more content that people will want to watch as a digital experience on top of the real world – when said people are able to get their hands on Magic Leap’s elusive goggles. In a video showed on stage at Recode ’s Code Media conference earlier today, retired NBA star and current NBA analyst Shaq was seen wearing a pair of Magic Leap glasses and vouched for the product. NBA commissioner Adam Silver was also interviewed on stage as part of the announcement. As far as we know, Shaq isn’t an official spokesperson for the product – just someone who seems to really like the goggles – but the NBA is. Florida-based Magic Leap was founded in 2010 and has raised a... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2BspOiD"

It's easier to appreciate nature when you witness it first-hand, but that's rather difficult with the ocean unless you have a submarine at your disposal. The BBC and Google have a more practical solution: they've launched a BBC Earth: Life in VR app that illustrates the underwater ecosystem on Daydream View headsets and compatible phones. You can explore environments ranging from kelp forests to deep sea trenches , and life as large as whales or as tiny as plankton. Yes, you could sit down to watch Planet Earth II without donning headgear, but the two companies are betting that the advantages of VR will make all the difference. It's not just that you're engrossed in situations that would be difficult or impossible to record on camera -- it's that you're an "active participant" rather than a mere bystander. If all goes well, you'll have a better understanding of the aquatic ecosystem than you would by watching an ordinary documentary. So...

Last week, Amazon announced that it would stop displaying advertisements and offers on the lock screen of discounted smartphones that the company sells to Prime customers. But if you’ve paid to remove those ads from a Prime Exclusive device in the past, you can expect a full refund — in the form of Amazon.com store credit. Amazon previously required customers who wanted to remove the ads to pay a one-time fee upwards of $50 to disable them on its Prime Exclusive smartphones . That lineup currently includes the LG G6, Moto X4, Moto G5 Plus, Nokia 6, and more. All of the devices are unlocked and work across mobile networks. You’re not quite getting cash back, but considering the sheer variety of stuff you can spend that returned Amazon... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2Bsnqsb"

If you use an ad-blocker, you'll now be met with a pop-up when you visit Salon's website, the Financial Times reports. It will offer you two choices -- turn off your ad-blocker or let the website mine cryptocurrency with some of your computer's extra processing power. Salon says on its site that it makes its money off of advertisements, but because more and more readers are now using ad-blockers, it has seen a large drop in revenue. Cryptocurrency mining is its way of recuperating those losses. "Like most media sites, ad-blockers cut deeply into our revenue and create a more one-sided relationship between reader and publisher," Salon says. "For our beta program, we'll start by applying your processing power to mine cryptocurrencies to recoup lost ad revenue when you use an ad blocker. We plan to further use any learnings from this to help support the evolution and growth of blockchain technology, digital currencies and other ways to better service the...

Technology Google Chrome will soon clearly indicate that sites without encryption are "not secure." Starting in July 2018, Google Chrome will indicate sites using unencrypted HTTP as "not secure."… via Popular Science "http://ift.tt/2CgZbtV"

Space SpaceX's Falcon Heavy test is just the latest. On February 6, SpaceX tested its Falcon Heavy rocket, the largest since NASA's Saturn V. In honor of that, here are 24 of the most famous space launches ever. via Popular Science "http://ift.tt/2CkfXIn"

Samsung's ambitions in services just took a bit of a blow. ZDNet has learned that Samsung's software research CTO Injong Rhee has left the company to become an "Enterpreneur in Residence" at Google. The 7-year veteran was important to the development of Samsung Pay and the company's Knox security platform . He also led the initial deployment of Samsung's in-house AI assistant, Bixby. Whatever you think of those products, he made them stand out -- no mean feat in a company better-known for its cutting-edge displays and processors than its software. Rhee said he'll be leading Internet of Things projects at Google, although it's not certain exactly what that entails. He'll be reporting to Google Cloud CEO Diane Greene, however, and will be aiming for a "concerted" strategy with separate home and business IoT lineups. In other words, you may see a clearer effort emerge than what you've seen so far . This likely won't put the...

Canary introduced a livestream-ready browser interface for its home cameras last August, but now you can command them with your voice, too. The platform now has its own Amazon Alexa skill, permitting users to give directions and watch live streams through the Alexa app on certain devices. The skill currently works only on the Echo Show, Echo Spot and compatible Fire TVs. To start, users pop open the Alexa app on their device and search for Canary under the skills tab. Once they sign in with their Canary credentials, they can use the app to flip through the different views in their camera setup. Then users can give voice commands, like "Alexa, show the Front Door" -- though cameras set to private won't be able to stream through the Alexa app. It's supported on Canary's All-in-One or View devices running firmware at v3.0.0 or higher, or Canary Flex running v2.3.0 or higher. Source: Canary via Engadget RSS Feed "http://ift.tt/2CiWnfJ"

Bill Gates warns that big tech companies aren’t worried enough about government regulation, in a new interview with Axios today. Calling out “Apple and other tech giants,” Gates argues that companies are inviting government intervention by flaunting hubris, saying they need to be “careful that they’re not trying to think their view is more important than the government’s view, or than the government being able to function in some key areas.” When Axios asked Gates for an example, he said, “enthusiasm about making financial transactions anonymous and invisible, and their view that even a clear mass-murdering criminal’s communication should never be available to the government.” When pressed on whether Gates meant being able to unlock an... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2EpeD96"

For years , Elon Musk has been talking about his plans to launch thousands of low-orbiting satellites that will be able to provide high speed internet to people around the globe. While the details of those satellites have been kept largely under wraps, we've known that the first round of prototypes were nearing a launch date, and according to a letter posted on the FCC's website yesterday (and spotted by CNET ), the first two test satellites will be placed into orbit this weekend. SpaceX's vice president of satellite affairs told Congress last year that the company planned to launch its first two demo satellites at the end of 2017 and the start of this year, and if everything went well, the first operational satellite could be launched as early as 2019 . In its recent letter to the FCC, SpaceX says that two experimental satellites -- Microsat-2a and -2b -- will launch on one of its Falcon 9 rockets, which will also be carrying Paz, a radar observation satellite belon...

Today, Vizio announced that owners of select TV models can now control displays with their voices , thanks to a new Amazon Alexa skill. All 2016 and 2017 SmartCast P-, M- and E-Series 4K models are compatible with this new feature. The 2018 Full HD and HD models will also be able to take advantage of the Alexa skill in coming weeks. The displays will respond to volume, channel, power and input setting changes with a voice command. Users can also fast forward, rewind and pause on some apps. Note that Alexa isn't built into the display; this is a skill integration, so it requires an Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show or any other piece of Alexa-enabled hardware to work. To activate this Alexa skill, download the Amazon Alexa app. Make sure you're signed into the app, and that your Alexa-enabled speaker or product is set up. If your Vizio's Quick Start mode isn't enabled, you'll want to toggle that on or Alexa will not be able to turn on your display. On your Vizio r...

An armed New Mexico man broke into the house of YouTubers Megan Turney and Gavin Free last month, forcing the couple to hide in their closet and await police. Christopher Giles drove 11 hours from Albuquerque to the couple’s home in Austin, Texas, and his “sole intent was to cause harm to someone who resides there,” according to a search warrant obtained by KXAN . Giles allegedly shot at police, who returned fire, killing Giles . Both Turney and Free are popular social media stars; Turney is a former Rooster Teeth host and cosplayer, while Free is the creator of science and tech series The Slow Mo Guys . The incident took place on January 26th, after police received a call from a woman who said she and her boyfriend awoke to the sound of a... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2BUEpVj"

The Internet of Things hasn't ever been super secure. Hacked smart devices have been blamed for web blackouts , broken internet , spam and phishing attempts and, of course, the coming smart-thing apocalypse . One of the reasons that we haven't seen the same sort of encryption as the web affords, however, is that such protection is energy-intensive. MIT is working on a new chip , however, to perform this sort of public-key encryption that only uses 1/400 as much power as a software solution would. In addition, the chip uses about 1/10 as much memory and executes processes 500 times as fast. MIT researchers used a technique called elliptic-curve encryption, which relies on a mathematical function to secure transactions. The new chip sets itself apart by being able to handle any kind of elliptic curve, which, in addition to low power use and a high speed of computation, makes it much more useful as an encryption solution. "Cryptographers are coming up with curves with dif...

Eastern Arsenal Like a hypersonic bullet hitting another hypersonic bullet. This month, China used a long-range missile to shoot down another long-range missile—in space. via Popular Science "http://ift.tt/2Ep3yF2"

As Virgin Galactic gears up for commercial spaceflights and science research, the company has partnered up with Microsoft and its Edge browser to create a new website that's both mobile-friendly and WebVR optimized. The new site shows off Virgin's efforts to create a new space-based travel industry to good effect. You'll be able to explore Virgin's "fleet" via Windows mixed reality devices , too. The site will have hotspots that will present VR tours of the company's WhiteKnightTwo, VSS Unity and the Galactic team. A simliar tour, in simple 3D, is available for those without a headset. The site works well in Google Chrome, showing off gorgeous footage of Virgin spaceships, crew videos and company information. The site looks pretty great on a mobile phone, too, with the same buttons and fluid animations as in the desktop browser. Microsoft Edge isn't the only browser with VR features built in, of course. Google revealed that it has built a VR ver...

Facebook hired Campbell Brown as its head of news partnerships on January 6th. At the time, Brown wrote that she would “help news organizations and journalists work more closely and more effectively with Facebook.” In a post that has since been deleted, she wrote: “I will be working directly with our partners to help them understand how Facebook can expand the reach of their journalism, and contribute value to their businesses.” What a difference a month can make. On stage at Code Media on Monday evening, Brown’s message to publishers was far less cheery. “My job is not to go recruit people from news organizations to put their stuff on Facebook,” she said. Brown was asked about whether she was concerned that Brazil’s largest newspaper, F... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2EoM4Zs"

Twitch Prime only occasionally offers sweet game deals , but this one might be worth grabbing if you want to brush up on video game history. Twitch and Capcom are offering the Windows version of the original Devil May Cry (specifically, from the HD Collection ) for free to Amazon Prime subscribers starting on February 27th. In many ways, this is the archetype for stylish hack-and-slash action titles like Bayonetta -- Dante succeeds in his demon hunting saga by mixing up attacks to create an unbroken chain of death. Add in a story inspired by The Divine Comedy and it's fairly clear why the series spawned both multiple sequels and a remake , even if if they didn't always live up to the original. This isn't a selfless gesture. The Devil May Cry HD Collection is coming to Windows (and PS4, and Xbox One) on March 13th, and this is a convenient way of drumming up hype by showing what you can expect from the other two DMC games you'll get if you pay $30. Still, it...

For large gatherings, PA systems keep you from just yelling at a group of people to share your message. For musicians, a PA is necessary to amplify your voice and instrument to an audience. On the surface, Korg's Konnect PA speaker does pretty much what every other speaker with a few mics attached to it does, make things louder so folks can hear them. But look a little deeper, and you'll see the Konnect takes what Korg knows about sound and performances and shoves it into a four-channel speaker. One you can control via a companion app that's surprisingly robust. The $400 Korg Konnect is about the size of a boombox (ask your parents) with the usual volume knobs on the back. But it also has a voicing characteristics selector (male voice, female voice, guitar, etc) to help fine tune the sound. Plus it has a feedback suppressor button that reduces the annoying feedback whine that starts nearly every corporate get together and forces someone to run across the room to turn do...

Technology The robot uprising is a myth. Digital doomsayers have told us to fear robots. But why should we believe beings of our own making will turn on us? via Popular Science "http://ift.tt/2BX05zM"

Fitbit announced today that it has acquired a small, Boston-based software startup called Twine Health for an undisclosed amount. Twine Health probably isn’t a name that will resonate with a lot of people who don’t follow digital health closely, but it’s a collaborative software platform aimed at workplace wellness providers. It tracks chronic diseases and connects patients with health coaches and doctors for guidance. It was founded in 2014, and according to Crunchbase , had raised nearly $10 million in funding prior to being bought. A spokesperson for Fitbit said that “nearly all” of Twine Health’s employees will join Fitbit, specifically Fitbit’s Health Solutions Group, and that Twine co-founder and chief executive John Moore will... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2EsPMoM"