Geek News

As the Winter Olympics continue (expect plenty of speedskating, bobsled, hockey and freestyle skiing), we're ready for the return of The Walking Dead . There's also a new Metal Gear game out, Survive , and Thor: Ragnarok is ready for streaming from most video on-demand services if you need another hit of the MCU after Black Panther . Star Wars Rebels is back on Disney XD, and BET is airing a miniseries about the Death Row record label. Look after the break to check out each day's highlights, including trailers and let us know what you think (or what we missed). Blu-ray & Games & Streaming Thor: Ragnarok (VOD) Doctor Who: Twice Upon a Time Mom and Dad An Actor's Revenge (Criterion) The Hero (Criterion) The Station (PC, PS4, Xbox One) Old Man's Journey (Switch) Run Dorothy Run (PS4) Tiles (PS4, Xbox One) Symmetry (PS4, Xbox One) Deadbolt (PS4) Metal Gear Survive (PC, PS4, Xbox One) Armored Warfare (PS4) Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet (Xbox...

Sony definitely isn't the first name you think of when you're looking for a ride, but that might change soon in its native Japan. Nikkei has learned that the tech heavyweight is leading an alliance of taxi companies (Checker Cab, Daiwa Motor Transportation, Green Cab, Hinomaru Kotsu and Kokusai Motorcars) in the creation of an AI-powered hailing platform. The algorithmic system would dispatch taxis more effectively by studying a host of conditions like traffic, weather and events. It might send a horde of drivers near the end of a concert, for instance. There's no word on when this would be ready, or whether Sony hopes to offer the service outside of Japan. It may seem odd for Sony to chase after cabs when ridesharing services like Uber are quickly taking hold, but it doesn't have much choice. Japan has a ban on using private cars for ride hailing services, which largely kills the ridesharing business model. This gives Sony a toehold in the transportation world wi...

Google keeps making the web easier to use with its Chrome browser, from filtering ads on the desktop to getting rid of pop-ups and redirects on Android. The company just made sharing messy URLs nicer, too, thanks to the latest version of Chrome on mobile, v64 . Now when you grab a long, complicated web address, Chrome will trim off the unnecessary bits from the end. That way, you won't muck up a chat with a whole bunch of personal tracking info at the end of an Amazon link, for example. To get the new streamlined URL feature, you'll need to use the Chrome Share menu, accessed via the three vertical dots at the top of your browser screen. Some links need the extra info to get you to the right position on a given page, though. If that's the case, you can still copy URLs manually to share with your buddies. Via: Android Police Source: Google Play via Engadget RSS Feed "http://ift.tt/2GsVy6E"

Amazon's latest Prime Video production won't just rely on star power to reel you in -- it should also appeal to science fans. The internet giant is teaming with France's Studiocanal on Radioactive , a biopic covering the work and romance of pioneering radioactivity scientist Marie Curie (and by extension, Pierre Curie). Produced by Persepolis ' Marjane Satrapi, it's the adaptation of Lauren Redniss' graphic novel Radioactive and will star Gone Girl 's Rosamund Pike. The star of the show may be the science itself, however. Satrapi notes that Radioactive will explore the discovery of radioactivity, including the Curies' "humanist" approach and the long-term consequences (both good and bad) of exploiting its behavior. It might follow the path of movies like The Imitation Game , where science and technology are more than just backdrops for a typical drama. Studiocanal will distribute the movie in Australia, France, Germany and New Zealand,...

PlayStation VR's adorable murine tale Moss finally has a release date . Next Tuesday, February 27th, you'll be able to guide the big-eared rodent Quill along her adventure on your PlayStation 4 . When it debuted at E3 last year, developer Polyarc (made up, in part, of former Bungie and Rockstar Games alums) promised the mouse-scale adventure would be out by holiday, but the game was delayed until this spring. If you're curious how it'll play before you drop hard-earned cash, there's a demo version available as part of the free PSVR demo disc on the PlayStation Network Store. Need more convincing? Maybe the new trailer below will do the trick. Source: PlayStation Blog via Engadget RSS Feed "http://ift.tt/2EEb2nC"

There are two major reasons I can think of to hack a game console. The first one is obvious: so you can play cracked copies of games. That’s why modern consoles are so difficult to hack, because millions of dollars are on the line. But some people just want to run any software they choose on the hardware they own. And for those people, Linux on the Switch is a huge achievement. A couple of weeks ago, the fail0verflow hacking collective showed a still image on Twitter of a Nintendo Switch booting Linux. They’re one of a small handful of hacker teams who are teasing exploits of the Nvidia Tegra hardware inside the Switch. But now fail0verflow has video of a full-on Linux distro running on the hacked Switch, complete with touchscreen... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2HrkzjX"

Weeks ago, Snap opened up an in-app Snapchat store to sell merch, which appeared to be an attempt to open up a new revenue stream. But it looks like it will offer more than just dancing hot dogs. During yesterday's NBA All-Star game in Los Angeles, Snap held a concert that doubled as a sneaker drop for yet-unreleased Jordans. Technically, fans couldn't buy the shoes on site -- they had to scan a QR code that then allowed them to purchase a pair of the AJ III Tinkers, which are slated to go on sale March 24th in Snapchat's merch store. Sneakerheads are used to using apps to pick up shoes, so it makes some sense to lure them into using the in-app storefront. But it's also a hint that Snap likely has more planned than just hot dog merch -- and will probably roll the product releases in with other events that combine ephemeral events with e-commerce. And maybe also have a Snapchat filter tie-in, like so: Introducing A/R Jordan. That iconic '88 dunk like you...

Toy drones have been cheap and plentiful over the past few years, but it's really hard for new products to stand out from the pack when they need to keep the price down and can't throw in premium features like a 4K camera . But that hasn't stopped Spin Master from trying new things with its Air Hogs line: At this week's Toy Fair , the company is debuting its first motion-controlled model, the Supernova. It's not quite DJI's Mavic Air , but it's still got some sweet moves to show off in a more kid-friendly form factor. The Air Hogs Supernova is a small quadcopter uncased in a light, spherical plastic cage open enough to allow the propellers to lift the toy, but enclosed enough to keep small fingers away from the spinning blades. It's not entirely foolproof -- at least once when I grabbed the sphere my fingers sunk in a little deep and hit the blades. It hurt for a few minutes, but didn't leave any lasting damage. It's recommended for kids age...

It took a few days, but Apple already has a fix out for a bug that caused crashes on each of its platforms. The company pushed new versions of iOS, macOS and watchOS to fix the issue , which was caused when someone pasted in or received a single Indian-language character in select communications apps and Apple software like Note, Safari and the app store. Using a specific character in the Telugu language native to India was enough to crash a variety of chat apps, including iMessage, WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook Messenger, Gmail and Outlook, though Telegram and Skype were seemingly immune. Developing... Source: Apple via Engadget RSS Feed "http://ift.tt/2FjjRER"

Apple has released iOS 11.2.6 today, which includes a bug fix for the Indian language (Telugu) character that crashes an iPhone and makes apps like Messages, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp inaccessible. The bug was discovered last week , allowing anyone to send a simple character to an iPhone to crash the device and lock out access to certain messaging apps. The bug also affects Safari and the built-in Messages app on macOS and the Apple Watch. Apple promised an update before iOS 11.3 and it’s arriving today in the form of iOS 11.2.6. All current betas of iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS also fix the crashing problem. This is the third time in the past few months that Apple has issued iOS 11 updates to fix bugs that crash iPhones. In... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2BFdgo3"

As a cranky, childless adult in her late thirties I've largely missed the boat on personal transportation trends like Razor scooters, Heelys and hoverboards . This year Razor manages to combine all of those things into its new Turbo Jetts e-skates: It's the sort of thing that your inner child will love, even as your adult self screams, "Get off my lawn!" The hard plastic skates go over your existing footwear, and will snap over shoe sizes youth 12 to adult 12. One of the skates has a removable lithium-ion battery , which you'll wear on your dominant foot. Neither skate is particularly heavy and, while not exactly petite, they're still small enough to be stowed away in a bag or backpack for a day at the playground or office. The battery lasts for about 30 minutes, though it's really dependent on the weight of the person wearing them: Smaller children might be able to squeeze a few more minutes out of them, while adults pushing the skates' max weigh...

This weekend, NASA's Opportunity rover spent its 5,000th day on Mars. While that is a feat in and of itself, it's even more impressive when you consider that it was only planned to last 90 Martian days, or sols. Both Opportunity and its companion rover Spirit were launched towards Mars in 2003, landing on two different parts of the planet in January 2004. Neither were expected to make it through Mars' harsh winter though, which lasts about twice as long as ours and is severely lacking in light, but NASA's team discovered that pointing the rovers towards the north and towards the sun was enough to keep them powered through the winter. Further, making sure the rovers were on north-facing slopes each winter helped to keep them going for years longer than they were ever intended to function. Spirit got stuck in the Martian soil in 2010, preventing it from pointing its solar panels towards the sun. And NASA eventually decided to let it go , ceasing all communications wi...

At this year's Toy Fair in New York, Hasbro announced HasLab , a new program that aims to bring to life special creations like a massive, four-foot long recreation of Jabba the Hutt's sail barge. The company is taking inspiration from platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo, too: in order for the barge to become a real for-sale production item, Hasbro wants to gather 5,000 $499 pre-orders by midnight on April 3rd. If the project reaches its funding goal, Jabba's Sail Barge (or The Khetanna if you're a Star Wars geek) will come with a 64-page booklet with behind-the-scenes details, set photos, interviews and blueprints of the actual set piece in the film as well as production information on the toy. The barge also comes with a 3.75-inch scale Jabba the Hutt and soft cloth sails for the top of the sand boat. The barge itself is on display to media at the toy fair and looks even bigger than that GI Joe aircraft carrier that came out a while back. It's incredibly...

Mega Man fans were likely excited to hear that the next chapter in the venerable video game franchise, Mega Man 11 , is slated for a release sometime this year. At the same time, Capcom announced plans to release two new Mega Man Legacy Collection compilations. Now we've got a date for their release on Nintendo Switch: May 22, 2018. The first bundle brings the first six Mega Man games together, letting you shoot, slide and jump your way through the classic titles. Capcom also added a new save (almost) anywhere system so players can try tricky sections without having to worry about distant save points. In addition, there's a new rewind feature that lest you just back up a bit before a catastrophic mistake. Mega Man Legacy Collection also has a big gallery of concept art and box design, including the original Mega Man box art. There are songs from each game, too, and a challenge collection. Regular or golden Mega Man Amiibo toy owners will be able to access eleven extra fa...

The latest update to Chrome OS' Canary test channel should make multitasking on a Chromebook easier. Now, in addition to split-screening two native Chrome OS apps on your machine, you can run a Chrome OS app and an Android app side-by-side or two Android apps. It should be mentioned that Canary is pre-alpha software and isn't exactly stable, as 9to5 Google notes , so maybe don't try this out on your daily driver. This could be a sign that Chrome OS tablets and Chromebooks with detachable screens are en route. The video below from Chrome Unboxed , however, shows the feature running on a Samsung Chromebook Pro which suggests it'll work on existing convertibles too. Via: 9to5 Google Source: Chrome Unboxed via Engadget RSS Feed "http://ift.tt/2ocupOJ"

At this rate, there might not be much mystery left to the Galaxy S9 when Samsung reveals it on February 25th . WinFuture and Evan Blass have posted a flood of leaked images and details that appear to confirm key features of the S9, particularly its cameras. Sure enough, the larger (6.2-inch) S9 Plus should have dual 12-megapixel rear cams that will give it a clear hardware advantage over the 5.8-inch standard S9 -- your choice won't boil down to screen size like it did with the S8 . The WinFuture scoop also outlines the capabilities of those cameras. Much like the W2018 , the rear camera on the S9 (or main rear camera on the S9 Plus) should have the option to switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4 apertures depending on the shot you're aiming for. You could pick f/1.5 for low light or macro shots, or switch to f/2.4 when you want more of the scene in focus. The S9 Plus' secondary rear camera would be locked at f/2.4 and would be intended more for zoomed or portrait photos. ...

Sony is apparently going to introduce something at Mobile World Congress next week, going off the fact that its Xperia account tweeted a teaser video for the annual phone event this morning. The video shows a hand and a bunch of ripples cascading down onto it from above. It also says whatever this video is hinting at will be announced on February 26th. You can see the tweet below: Join us. 26.02.2018 #SonyMWC pic.twitter.com/n6IQ82XRVZ — Sony Xperia (@sonyxperia) February 19, 2018 I don’t totally get what it’s alluding to. Something you’ll feel? From the sky? A tangible notification? Haptic feedback? Uh, a ripple... of air? I don’t know! It’s not easy to make sense of a purposely cryptic video. But presumably the teaser has something... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2Czfdj2"

We’re only a few days away from Samsung’s official announcement of the Galaxy S9 on February 25th, but as has been the case for the past few years, it seems like most of the information about the upcoming flagship device has made its way online a little earlier than Samsung would have liked. So, if you can’t wait for the actual event on February 25th, here’s everything we think we know about the Galaxy S9 so far: What it looks like: As is practically tradition at this point, numerous official renderings of the S9 have leaked out (mostly from VentureBeat ’s Evan Blass). As expected, it looks like Samsung is by and large keeping the same design as the Galaxy S8. The same edge-to-edge “Infinity Display” is here, as are the oblong bezels on... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2HsBF0G"

Alphabet's health science company Verily has announced a wide range of projects, from developing smart watches made for medical studies to mass-producing infected mosquitoes to curb their population. Scientists from the division have a new endeavor: Assessing heart disease risk by staring into patients' eyes. In a paper (PDF) published today in the Nature journal Biomedical Engineering , researchers explained their method: An AI algorithm evaluated eye scans and, after refining its model with machine learning, was able to predict cardiovascular risk factors like age, gender and blood pressure. This could lead to easier and potentially quicker analysis than a blood test with roughly the same accuracy as current methods., The study isn't without limitations, given that it only surveyed eye images with a 45-degree field of view. More research would resolve whether the model needs to be adjusted for larger or smaller photos, and a larger data set than what the researc...

That the $20 WyzeCam worked as well as it did is still kind of a surprise. It's no wonder then that the Amazon alums who created it have been working on a sequel: the WyzeCam v2 . It'll still cost $20 when it starts shipping at the end of February, but don't let yourself be fooled by its almost-unchanged design — version 2 packs a handful of handy extras. For one, there's an improved CMOS sensor inside that matte white body, which should help produce crisper images in your 1080p live feed — even when using the WyzeCam in night vision mode. Sound quality should be better too, thanks to a more powerful amplifier and an audio chip tweaked to better resist interference. The WyzeCam 2's real value, however, lies in its improved intelligence. Unlike the original, version 2 can highlight people and objects moving in front of the camera -- with the first model, you'd get a motion alert and have to sit through motion-triggered clips to figure out what was happening....

The Google app is now rolling out a built-in screenshot editor with beta version 7.21, starting last Friday, which will give users better sharing and editing tools, as spotted by 9to5Google . The screenshot editor also works in Chrome custom tabs. You can enroll in the beta through the Google Play Store. The editor can be toggled on by heading into the Google app settings, under Accounts & Privacy and finding the “Edit and share screenshots” toggle at the bottom of the list. Then every time you take a screenshot in the Google app or a Chrome custom tab, a panel will slide up, letting you preview, edit, or share the image to other apps. You can also crop the screenshot and draw on it. Stock Android and Pixel phone users are likely to... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2C8Rvyn"

You probably know there’s a new Jurassic World coming out this year, and there’s lots of branded merchandise coming along with it. At the Toy Fair this weekend, Mattel introduced a bunch of Jurassic products, including the “Pterano-Drone,” a quadcopter with a dinosaur on top. It works just like any other drone with a hand-held remote control, although it includes additional kid-friendly features like self-landing and auto-circling. It also automatically shuts off if kids try to grab the motors by squeezing its plastic case. The drone should last 15 to 20 minutes in the air and charges through Micro USB. It doesn’t pair with any companion app. The Pterano-Drone will cost $119.99 when it’s released this spring, closer to the new movie’s... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2GujRRH"

Twitch is temporarily putting the brakes on its new rules for hate speech, harassment and sexual material. The livestreaming service has postponed the enforcement of new rules from February 19th to March 5th in order to "better explain some sections" in the wake of feedback. The company hasn't explained just what those sections are (we've asked Twitch to elaborate), but there's a good chance it's addressing both streamers' oversight of their viewers as well as acceptable clothing. As Polygon explained , streamers like Forsen are worried that Twitch's call for a "good faith effort" to stop viewer-instigated harassment could put them on the hook for whatever fans do, no matter how little the streamer is involved. That's not likely what Twitch intended (this is mainly to prevent streamers from encouraging or willfully ignoring harassment), but the language doesn't explicitly state that. Likewise, some streamers have complained tha...

Science Artist Kehinde Wiley employed the language of flowers. President Obama's official portrait uses flowers to tell his story. via Popular Science "http://ift.tt/2EDyOjM"