Geek News

In January, the SEC warned that it was "looking closely" at companies that are involved in cryptocurrency (and using associated terms to boost stock). But now, it appears that the regulatory organization is doing more than just keeping an eye on things. According to The Wall Street Journal , the SEC has issued dozens of subpoenas and requests for information about cryptocurrency activities to both tech companies and their advisers. The concern here is that ICOs (initial coin offerings), or token sales, may actually be in violation of securities laws. The SEC is specifically looking into the sale structure of these offerings, which aren't necessarily subject to the rules surrounding IPOs. It's because of this that there's a history of fraud with token sales -- they often are offered to support startups that have no real products or proven tech. ICOs have already raised $1.6 billion in 2018. That kind of money is bound to bring scrutiny along with it. The SE...

Google's said before that Chrome OS would be used for tablets, but so far we've only seen whispers of such a device. Now, it seems that Twitter user Alister Payne (@Alister_Payne) got an early look at what appears to be an Acer tablet that operates on Chrome OS. The tweet and picture, taken at BETT 2018, has since been deleted, but Chrome Unboxed preserved it. The device appears to have a screen between 8 and 10 inches, but further details are unavailable. This isn't the first hint at a Chrome tablet that we've seen. Samsung may also prepping a detachable Chrome OS tablet called "Nautilus. " Lenovo's Yoga Book was also available with a Chrome OS, though it's a convertible laptop, rather than a true tablet. This is just another peek to whet our appetites for the what will hopefully be a slew of tablets introduced in the near future. Via: The Verge Source: Chrome Unboxed via Engadget RSS Feed "http://ift.tt/2E8ZTvD"

It's no secret that NASA is pretty far behind schedule when it comes to returning to human spaceflight. Currently it's working with two contractors, Boeing and SpaceX , for eventual crewed flights. Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology asked NASA some hard questions about the delays, and it turns out the setbacks aren't over yet. Cristina Chaplain from the GAO, who testified at the hearing, said, "We've found that the program's own analysis indicates that certification is likely to slip into December 2019 for SpaceX and February 2020 for Boeing." Both companies are currently scheduled to be certified in the first quarter of 2019, and both companies maintained during the hearing that they are confident in their current schedules. According to William Gerstenmaier, the associate administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Directorate at NASA who also testified at the hearing, the US is currently covered through fall of 2...

Today, Facebook released an outline of its priorities when it comes to Messenger, and one thing is clear: The organization wants to simplify the service. Over the past few years, the company built many new features that it packed into Messenger, and now the app is cluttered. "Expect to see us invest in massively simplifying and streamlining Messenger this year," Messenger lead David Marcus explains. He says the end goal for Facebook is "to make Messenger the easiest and most delightful way for people to spend time together in happy and harder times." Facebook is also prioritizing visual messaging , from further investment in real-time video to improving GIF, sticker and image options within Messenger. Additionally, the social network is trying to improve group chats as a whole, whether you're trying to add someone to an existing chat or conduct a live video chat with multiple people. The company is also putting more emphasis on companies that use Messenger t...