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Showing posts from March 22, 2018

The great Pacific garbage patch is even trashier than we thought

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Environment The ocean is flooded with plastic. Plastic is everywhere, from our homes and everyday lives all the way up to the illusorily pristine Arctic. The oceans are no exception—our high seas are accumulating… via Popular Science "http://ift.tt/2IHN5OG"

Dota 2 Update - March 22nd, 2018

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- Fixed a rare bug that could sometimes cause Heartpiercer to proc on buildings and Roshan. - Fixed a bug that caused shared Tango charges to regenerate their cooldown at half speed in a player’s inventory. via Steam RSS News Feed "http://ift.tt/2HYwHbv"

Five musical instruments and apps that teach you how to play

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Technology An experienced human teacher is the best, but these gadgets can get you started. This tech won’t teach you Axl Rose moves, but they can help start your musical journey. via Popular Science "http://ift.tt/2HWYMjD"

Internet-connected wine bottle startup Kuvée is shutting down

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Kuvée, the startup that makes a Wi-Fi-connected wine bottle complete with touchscreen, has announced it is shutting down, as reported by Business Insider . The system, which The Verge tested (and called gloriously dumb ) in March 2016, is basically a sleeve with a touchscreen that fits over proprietary wine cartridges. Once a cartridge is put into the sleeve, the touchscreen displays information about the wine, like the grape it’s made from and pairing notes. The initial purchase of the sleeve and four cartridges costs $178, with additional cartridges — that could be purchased through the touchscreen — priced between $15 and $50. Kuvée said that its system would keep wine fresh for 30 to 60 days. Though there was significant initial... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2GeYnLV"

Walmart files patents for drone shopping assistants and smart shopping carts

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Walmart filed a host of patents today related to how it keeps track of inventory — and the technologies could change the way its customers shop, as reported by Gizmodo . One of the patents is clearly for the in-store experience, and proposes a sensing device to make shopping carts smart and communicate with a mobile device (presumably to help you navigate to where items are). There’s also a patent that tracks users through wearables , and several for managing / sensing inventory levels . Walmart has also filed a patent for drones that would assist customers shopping in-store. The patent outlines a method where a drone can be summoned via a mobile device — either personal or one temporarily provided — and then “provide assistance to the user... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2FXt2yl"

512GB phones are coming, starting with Huawei

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If you’ve wanted PC-like storage in your pocket, a new Huawei phone with a rumored 512GB of space could make that happen. That’s an insane amount of storage, up from the usual 256GB that phones like the iPhone X can offer. That amount of storage is bigger than most models of the MacBook Pro, and it would allow you to download the Facebook app (400MB) more than 1,200 times ( although, maybe you’d rather not ). The upcoming Huawei phone appeared on the Chinese regulatory agency TENAA’s website last month. An update to the listing, caught by PhoneRadar , showed that the phone would have 6GB of RAM and a whopping 512GB of storage. It’s probably not the forthcoming P20, given what we know from the many leaks, although it could possibly be the... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2ILs6uo"

Boycotting digital monopolies like Facebook is harder than it seems

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You may have heard of the #DeleteFacebook campaign, but you, like me, are probably among the vast majority of Facebook’s nearly 2 billion users who probably won’t actually follow through. CEO Mark Zuckerberg even has the data to prove it, telling The New York Times yesterday that he hasn’t seen a “meaningful number of people” deleting their accounts. Amid the ongoing data privacy scandal surrounding the Trump-connected firm Cambridge Analytica , tech critics and users alike are revisiting the concept of leaving Facebook and extracting ourselves from one of the world’s most pervasive advertising empires. The decision to delete Facebook boils down to two questions: 1. Has Facebook lost the necessary trust to be a steward of our personal... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2G0BFUI"

Scientists have some pretty outlandish ideas for cooling the planet down

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Nexus Media News Desperate times inspire desperate measures. If global warming is such a problem, why can't we just do something to set the climate back on track? Here are three particularly impractical ideas that show why cutting… via Popular Science "http://ift.tt/2G1DlNG"

Venmo abruptly pulls its convenient instant transfer feature

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Venmo’s ability to instantly transfer money to the bank account linked to your debit card is excellent. Over the last couple months, I’ve routinely moved cash over from my Venmo balance, and it usually shows up in my checking account within seconds after initiating the transfer — all for a measly fee of 25 cents. But something seems to have gone awry with Venmo’s convenient, near-immediate money transfers. For now, the company is completely removing the feature as it works to make “a few changes.” There’s currently no time frame for when instant transfers will return, and Venmo is encouraging users to stick with the traditional, next business day bank transfer option for now. We’re making a few changes to our instant transfer... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2ILMP15"

What to expect from Apple’s education event

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Apple surprised everyone when it announced an education-focused event about “creative new ideas for teachers and students” in Chicago on March 27th at 10am ET. But in traditional Apple form, the company isn’t giving many hints as to what to expect aside from the phrase “let’s take a field trip.” But even if Apple won’t give us any clues, we’ve still got a few ideas as to what could happen during the event on Tuesday. Here’s everything to expect: New iPad(s) This seems like the most obvious bet, given Apple already pushes the iPad hard as an education device, especially as a classroom tool. A new, cheaper iPad that cuts out some of the more premium features on the iPad Pro in favor of a lower price point (maybe adds a “smart connector”... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2ubXpvb"

China's new stealth fighter uses powerful materials with geometry not found in nature

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Eastern Arsenal Metamaterials can make the J-20 an extra stealthy electromagnetic force. China's new fighter, the J-20, uses a combination of stealth, sensors, and datalinks to compete with the most modern aircraft in the world. Now, state media claims that… via Popular Science "http://ift.tt/2ILEPNB"

GoPro signs deal to put its camera lenses and sensors in third-party products

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GoPro has entered into a licensing partnership with Jabil, a manufacturing services company known for its electronics design, the action camera company announced today. Jabil is going to use GoPro’s design and intellectual property to make camera lenses and sensors for third-party products. GoPro and Jabil collaborated on the Hero4 and have continued to work together since. The products will include digital imaging and consumer-facing gear, but not any cameras that would directly compete against GoPro’s own devices. “Imagine a world where video conferencing, robotics, and even self-driving cars are powered by GoPro’s camera lenses and image sensors. Together, GoPro and Jabil can make this a reality,” said Sandor Barna, GoPro’s chief... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2HT90kX"

Tidal launches Amazon Fire TV app, adds Android Auto compatibility

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Following its wider availability on TVs last year, Tidal announced Thursday it was releasing an app on Amazon’s Fire TV devices, as well as for Android Auto. Jay-Z’s music service will now work on Amazon’s Fire TV and the Fire Stick with, “a custom Fire TV interface that emphasizes TIDAL’s visual ecosystem and is designed to provide the best experience for large screen devices,” the company said. Tidal’s catalog of music is said to include more than 50 million tracks, and TV users can also navigate through the app’s original content. Additionally, Android users can also use the app with Android Auto-enabled vehicles and access the “My Collection” and “Explore” folders. Tidal became available on Apple TV and Android TV in December, as... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2IJAQ4l"

EA has started training AI players in Battlefield 1

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The term “AI” has been used in video games since their inception, but it rarely means true artificial intelligence. Instead, it’s a generic term to describe a preprogrammed opponent or character that feigns intelligence but is really just following a narrow set of instructions. This is slowly changing, though — and the people who build video games are helping out. At GDC today, EA announced that it’s been training AI agents in 2016’s WWI shooter Battlefield 1. The company says it’s the first time this sort of work has been done in a high-budget AAA title (which is disputable), but more importantly, it says the methods it’s developing will help improve future games: providing tougher, more realistic enemies for human players and giving... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2IJrup2"

If Facebook controls your mind, so do a lot of other tech companies

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Can Facebook’s algorithms control our population and politics? Yes, and it is uniquely bad, says François Chollet , an artificial intelligence researcher at Google and author of the well-known machine learning library Keras. But in hyping up the power of AI, he is underestimating how hard it is to change our minds, and the distinction he makes between Facebook and other tech companies is weak. In a widely shared Twitter thread , Chollet argues that Facebook is capable of “mass population control” on the political level, and its AI doesn’t even need to be that sophisticated. This is possible, he argues, because our lives are increasingly lived online, and that gives Facebook massive power to guide what we see. Our “static” brains are... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2G33VpM"

CDs and vinyl are more popular than digital downloads once again

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Streaming music is taking over the recording industry, and there’s no clearer sign of it than this: digital download sales have fallen so much in the past few years that they’re now smaller than sales of CDs, vinyl, and other physical media, which hasn’t been the case since 2011. The stats, which come from the RIAA’s newly released 2017 year end report, show that digital downloads fell to $1.3 billion last year, whereas physical media, while also falling, only declined to $1.5 billion. Of course, both pale in comparison to revenue brought in from streaming, which has taken over the music industry in recent years. In 2016, the music industry made more than half of its revenue from streaming for the first time, and that growth continued... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2udjdGU"

Apple confirms it will fix bug that caused Siri to read out hidden lock screen notifications

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Apple says it will fix a bug that caused Siri to read out hidden lock screen notifications to anyone who asks. Apple said in a statement to MacRumors , “We are aware of the issue and it will be addressed in an upcoming software update.” The update might come in iOS 11.3, currently still in beta, or possibly in iOS 11.2.7 if Apple releases a minor update. The original bug allowed Siri to read out lock screen notifications for third-party apps, even if you turned off message previews while the phone is locked. Siri didn’t check to make sure the owner of the phone was the person who was asking. iMessages and SMS texts were still kept private from being read aloud, but Facebook Messenger, Slack, email apps like Apple’s own Mail app, and more... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2GdFuJA"

House passes controversial legislation giving the US more access to overseas data

Ubisoft Publisher Weekend, Up to 75% Off!!

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Save up to 75% on Ubisoft Games as part of this week's Weekend Deal!* *Offer ends Monday at 10 AM Pacific. via Steam RSS News Feed "http://ift.tt/2HUz0MI"

What you need to know about the AT&T–Time Warner merger trial

IBM reportedly targeted older workers in layoffs affecting tens of thousands

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ProPublica and Mother Jones today co-published an exhaustive report that alleges IBM has for years disregarded age discrimination laws in an attempt to push out employees over 40 and replace them with younger workers. The company is believed to have laid off around 20,000 US employees over 40 years of age over the past five years, though the actual number is believed to be “almost certainly higher.” Those employees — some of them let go after careers with IBM that spanned decades — saw their jobs either given to “less-experienced and lower-paid workers” or sent overseas. The damning investigative report is culled from a questionnaire filled out by over 1,100 former IBM employees who shared their experiences, interviews, official company... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2GdIIfT"

Weekend Deal - Sega Sports Games up to 75% off!

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Save 50% on Football Manager 2018 and Football Manager Touch 2018 , 75% on Eastside Hockey Manager and Motorsport Manager as part of this week's Weekend Deal*! *Offer ends Monday at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "http://ift.tt/2G2PcLj"

Free Weekend - The Elder Scrolls® Online

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Play The Elder Scrolls® Online for FREE starting now through March 28th at 10PM Pacific Time. You can also pickup The Elder Scrolls® Online at 33% off the regular price!* If you already have Steam installed, click here to install or play The Elder Scrolls® Online. If you don't have Steam, you can download it here . *Offer ends March 28th at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "http://ift.tt/2pyHAtK"

Daily Deal - Monkey Island™ 2 Special Edition: LeChuck’s Revenge™, 65% Off

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Today's Deal: Save 65% on Monkey Island™ 2 Special Edition: LeChuck’s Revenge™ !* 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 Saturday at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "http://ift.tt/2GUmnBS"

Hori is making a Switch Joy-Con controller with a proper D-pad

You can now search for documents on Files Go like you would on Google

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Google has announced several changes to Files Go , its Android app for file management, which should help make finding your files easier. You can now search for files on your phone the same way you would on the internet. The app will try to autocomplete results, and it’ll also store your search history. To use this, simply tap the search icon under the Files tab. Google says all of this also works offline. Files Go now also shows you where duplicate files are located. When it suggests duplicates to remove, long press on the thumbnail, and you’ll see where the file is on your phone before you choose to delete it. Additionally, Google says that Files Go now works with Google Photos, so Files Go will detect when you’ve backed up photos using... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2FVC9Q1"

Don’t freak out about the Chinese space station that's about to fall out of the sky

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Space It’s big, but our planet is bigger. Yes, the Tiangong-1, a Chinese space station is falling towards Earth in an uncontrolled descent, and will crash down somewhere on the planet. via Popular Science "http://ift.tt/2ynWbOw"

Snapchat’s Map Explore feature will let you know when your friends are hanging out without you

Instagram will be better about showing you new pictures first

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Instagram has announced that it’s updating its algorithm to make sure that newer posts will be more likely to appear first in your feed. According to the company, the goal is that “your feed will feel more fresh” by showing more relevant new pictures, while still striking a balance with the algorithmic feed to make sure that you don’t miss important posts that you care about (like a friend posting in a different time zone, for example). It’s the latest attempt to continue to refine the company’s algorithmically sorted feed that it introduced in 2016, which was recently updated to include recommended posts late last year. Along with the updated algorithm, Instagram is also testing a “New Posts” button that will let users choose when... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2DME6rU"

Best Buy won’t sell Huawei phones anymore

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Best Buy will no longer sell Huawei’s phones, according to a pair of reports from CNET and VentureBeat . This marks the latest blow to the phone manufacturer’s attempts to sell devices in the United States. According to CNET , Best Buy has stopped ordering new phones from the Chinese company and will stop selling Huawei’s products entirely over the next few weeks. Huawei has faced an uphill battle in selling phones in the US. Major carriers including AT&T and Verizon have refused to sell the company’s phones due to pressure from the US government, leaving retailers like Best Buy and Amazon as the only remaining places for US customers to get devices like the recently released Mate 10 Pro or upcoming P20 line of devices. Losing Best Buy,... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2GeU5Eh"

Pre-Purchase Now - Masters of Anima, 10% off

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Masters of Anima is Now Available for Pre-Purchase on Steam and is 10% off! Masters of Anima is an original adventure game that takes you deep into the magical world of Spark. Battle against the forces of evil in strategic, action-packed battles, where making tactical decisions quickly is vital. Summon and control large armies of up to 100 Guardians, thanks to intuitive and innovative gameplay made from the ground up for controller play, as well as keyboard and mouse. via Steam RSS News Feed "http://ift.tt/2pwebAp"