Geek News

All was not well with Uber’s self-driving car project before the fatal crash this past Sunday in Arizona , which has prompted widespread criticism of the ride-hailing giant’s approach to autonomous vehicle development and forced the company to pause much of its operations surrounding the technology. The goal of offering driverless ride-hailing services to the general public by the end of the year was quickly falling apart, and Uber’s self-driving cars had a record of failing to operate correctly under a number of standard road conditions, according to internal company notes obtained by The New York Times . This included issues that involved operators of the fleet of Volvo XC90s — like the one that killed 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg in... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2IMEqL1"

Indie authors who publish through platforms like Amazon or CreateSpace usually don’t have the resources to publish an audiobook, which can be an expensive endeavor with production costs that self-published or first-time authors cannot afford. Now, self-publishing platform and ebook distributor Smashwords has teamed up with production platform and audiobook distributor Findaway Voices to give these indie authors a cheaper way to make audiobooks. In an announcement , Smashwords CEO Mark Coker said today the deal would give “greater control over pricing and distribution” to authors and publishers, making it more “economically feasible” to get into audiobook production even with short or cheaper books. By using Findaway, Smashwords’ authors... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2HZ9khT"

Indie authors who publish through platforms like Amazon or CreateSpace usually don’t have the resources to publish an audiobook, which can be an expensive endeavor with production costs that self-published or first-time authors cannot afford. Now, self-publishing platform and ebook distributor Smashwords has teamed up with production platform and audiobook distributor Findaway Voices to give these indie authors a cheaper way to make audiobooks. In an announcement , Smashwords CEO Mark Coker said today the deal would give “greater control over pricing and distribution” to authors and publishers, making it more “economically feasible” to get into audiobook production even with short or cheaper books. By using Findaway, Smashwords’ authors... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2ueB28y"

Space Our solar system's largest planet is a master of disguise. Yes, Jupiter is gorgeous, but it’s also a master of disguise. Here at Popular Science we’re always awed by the beautiful images of the largest planet in the solar… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2pA7gGp"

Apple proposed new emoji today that would better represent hearing aids, guides, and people with disabilities, in a submission to the Unicode Consortium, as noted by Emojipedia . Apple wrote in its submission, “Apple is requesting the addition of emoji to better represent individuals with disabilities. Currently, emoji provide a wide range of options, but may not represent the experiences of those with disabilities.” The new suite of emoji include a hearing aid, people using canes or wheelchairs, a guide dog, and prosthetic limbs. There are 13 new emoji suggested in total, with 45 if you count skin tone options. Apple says the emoji are just a starting point, hinting that there might be more accessibility emoji to come. The Unicode... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2IPT5VW"

Instagram launched in 2010 as a photo-sharing app designed to capture picturesque moments of our otherwise mundane lives. Since then, it’s evolved into a full social network, a messaging tool, and an ad platform, which exists in both mobile and desktop spaces. Now, most Instagram users opt for the mobile experience, replete with its familiar motions — scroll, double tap to like, scroll, scroll. But it’s come to our attention that there’s a population of Instagram users who actually prefer the web browser version. Which one is superior? We invited our colleagues from Racked , Eliza Brooke and Alanna Okun , to settle the debate. Eliza: It’s Friday afternoon, so I would like to pick a fight. Alanna: Say more. Eliza: I really love Instagram... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2G12aNA"

Cloud storage and collaboration company Dropbox — which started 10 years ago as a small startup in the San Francisco-based Y Combinator incubator program — went public today, and its shares were up nearly 36 percent as of market close this afternoon. The successful performance makes Dropbox the biggest tech IPO since Snapchat’s in March 2017 . Dropbox ended the day of trading, under the ticker symbol “DBX,” with a market valuation of around $10 billion. We knew Dropbox was likely expecting a favorable outcome, considering it priced its shares at $21 , above its initial projected $18 to $20 range. But the surge in share price, which helped Dropbox match its last private funding valuation, is a welcomed vote of market confidence for a... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2umUTmb"

Health Traveling through the blood-brain barrier is difficult. The infectious bacteria that infiltrate our sinuses can—VERY RARELY—make its way to the brain. Because the sinuses are so close to the brain, on rare occasions an… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2GiJSXq"

China’s media regulator has cracked down on online video spoofs and parodies, according to state-run media outlet Xinhua . Video sites now must ban any videos that “distort, mock, or defame classical literary and art works,” the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television stated in a directive yesterday. Reuters noted that the directive was marked “extra urgent,” which is uncommon and means that citizens must comply immediately or risk being shut down by authorities. The directive only applies to online videos, but since China largely has control of its film and television industries, one wouldn’t expect to see mocking parodies there to begin with. The directive also said that videos must promote the “fine... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2GlQapi"

Science It's stacked against most of the world. IQ tests measure your ability to perform well on one particular type of test. But research shows that everything from healthcare access to GDP can influence a child's… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2INceHY"

Steven Soderbergh’s new movie Unsane fits into a long line of “Who’s the crazy one here?” stories. Films like Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes , Otto Preminger’s Bunny Lake Is Missing , and modern equivalents like Flightplan and The Forgotten all hinge on protagonists being told they’re deluded, and that someone they clearly remember never actually existed. Unsane plays a similar game, with The Crown’s Claire Foy as a fragile, angry woman convinced that her stalker has somehow infiltrated the psychiatric ward where she’s been committed. For the first act or so, Soderbergh teases the audience with the possibilities. Is Foy’s character Sawyer actually being stalked, or are her minders right when they tell her she’s irrational, and can’t... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2pzLbqG"

According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal , the Federal Communications Commission is contemplating a new rule that would prevent small and rural mobile providers from receiving federal subsidies if they utilize electronics from Chinese manufacturers including Huawei and ZTE. It’s possible the rule will be proposed as soon as Monday, according to the Journal , but it could also be postponed or shelved. If the FCC moves forward and unveils the rule, it would be the latest measure used by the US government and regulatory agencies to hinder Huawei’s business prospects in the United States. The FCC proposal would reportedly block carriers that use equipment from Huawei or ZTE from drawing from the Universal Service Fund, a... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2DOL6Vp"

Gadgets The end-of-week dispatch from PopSci's commerce editor. Vol. 43. 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/2pBe7ie"

Today's Deal: Save 55% on INSIDE and 80% on Limbo !* 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/2I1rBLN"

Ni no Kuni™ II: Revenant Kingdom is Now Available on Steam! Join the young king Evan as he sets out on an epic quest to found a new kingdom and, with the help of some new friends, unite his world, saving its people from a terrible evil. via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2DOC2jj"

Play F1™ 2017 for FREE starting now through Sunday at 1PM Pacific Time. You can also pickup F1™ 2017 at 70% off the regular price!* If you already have Steam installed, click here to install or play F1™ 2017. If you don't have Steam, you can download it here . *Offer ends Monday at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2GfX9QD"

Animals Inbred dogs are kind of doomed. Bull terrier owners might feel some sense of relief upon hearing that a team of international researchers have identified a genetic mutation behind lethal… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2DPATI3"

During a mid-afternoon tweetstorm, Elon Musk deleted both of his companies’ Facebook pages after being challenged to do so by a few of his followers. The pages of both SpaceX and Tesla are now inactive, which each had around 2.6 million followers. I didn’t realize there was one. Will do. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 23, 2018 Definitely. Looks lame anyway. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 23, 2018 Developing... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2IOGRwz"

Facebook has been sued four times in Northern California federal courts this week in response to the Cambridge Analytica data sharing scandal, SFGate reports . The London-based data analytics firm misused data from as many as 50 million users, as reports from The Guardian and The New York Times revealed last weekend. A Facebook user, Lauren Price of Maryland, filed a suit in San Jose on Tuesday on behalf of up to 50 million people whose data was used by Cambridge Analytica. It’s a class action lawsuit that claims Facebook had “absolute disregard” for her personal data, despite allegedly stating it wouldn’t disclose data without permission or at least notice. The suit also noted that during the 2016 presidential election, Price often saw... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2pwpBV2"

Technology A fatal crash with an autonomous Uber has raised questions about how humans should act when robots are in control. A fatal Uber crash raises questions about the role of a human in a self-driving car. via Popular Science "http://ift.tt/2I1gjXT"

Earlier this month, news broke that Spotify was cracking down on users running modded versions of the Spotify app to stream music for free while blocking ads. At the time, it sounded like it was only a few users, but it turns out, the number is a bit higher. Spotify’s IPO filing noted that roughly 2 million users are getting around ads on Spotify without paying, as noted by Reuters . As of the end of 2017, Spotify reported that it had 157 million active users, of which 86 million were unpaid subscribers. Factor in the 2 million users pirating Premium-esque service by avoiding adds, and that’s roughly 2.3 percent of free Spotify users with modded apps or accounts. That’s a big deal, as Spotify itself points out in its IPO filing. Free... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2pB1nrN"

Apple is reportedly working on a foldable iPhone to be released within two years, a Wall Street firm said today. Bank of America Merrill Lynch says Apple is working with Asian partners to make a whole new iPhone design, as reported by CNBC . Senior analyst Wamsi Mohan wrote a note to clients today after meeting several Apple suppliers in Asia. “We expect the iPhones this fall to be largely unchanged for the OLED versions although size changes have proved to be a catalyst in the past,” Mohan wrote, “Our checks also suggest that Apple is working with suppliers on a foldable phone (that potentially could double up as a tablet) for launch in 2020.” A Korean media outlet reported last October that Apple was teaming up with LG, but that report... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2FYiTRP"

Every spring, Apple hosts a keynote to unveil a slew of new products and software updates — but this year it’s taking “a field trip” from California to host press and developers at a high school in Chicago for an education-focused event. Catch all the latest news out of Windy City right here. Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2pEgPnd"

Some Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus phones are experiencing problems with unresponsive touchscreens, according to various reports from across forums like Reddit and XDA, as spotted by Android Police . Users with the issue are apparently seeing different dead zones across S9 screens. Some people are finding that the top part of the display doesn’t respond to touch inputs, while others are saying that the bottom of the screen no longer works. It’s not clear how widespread the problem here is, but according to Android Central , Samsung has already issued a statement saying that it’s “looking into a limited number of reports,” so hopefully the issue will be resolved soon. Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2GeEIfl"

The picture at the top of this post is not the AirPower wireless charger that Apple announced at its iPhone X event last September. It comes from the Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for a device called Plux , which has raised over $365,000 at the time of posting from over 9,000 backers. All of these potential customers seem very eager to get their hands on anything that even somewhat resembles the promise of Apple’s AirPower mat. It’s been over seven months since Apple first announced the AirPower mat alongside the iPhone X and iPhone 8, the first phones that Apple sold with wireless charging. The big promise of AirPower is that it will be a one-stop shop for wirelessly charging all your portable Apple devices, like an iPhone, an Apple... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "http://ift.tt/2IMt21M"