Geek News

Snapchat has (finally!) completely killed off the white frame around snaps not captured with its own camera. The app's latest version drops the border when you add Snaps from the Camera Roll to your Story -- an extension of its update last year , which gets rid of that white space around photos and videos shared from Memories . Now, there's not much difference between Snaps you take on the spot and old photos and videos you post as Snaps. The only way you'll know if something wasn't truly taken right at that moment is to look for the small note on it that says "From Camera Roll" or "From Memories." By ditching the feature that treats old content differently, Snapchat is likely hoping to entice people to share more photos and videos that they wouldn't before. That thick white frame was truly distracting when mixed with borderless Snaps, after all. A simple Google search would even show you tutorials on how to use Memories, a feature that saves ...

The $9.95 MoviePass subscription has been incredibly popular and soon the company will invest in films itself , but because the company pays full price for each ticket, it's subsidizing each customer's theater visit. AMC execs called the plan "unsustainable" last fall , leading to today's reports by Deadline and Variety that the service no longer covers visits to several big market AMC theaters: Empire 25 (NYC), Century City 15 and Universal CityWalk 19 (LA), Loews Boston Common 19, River East 21 (Chicago), Disney Springs at Walt Disney World, and Loews Alderwood Mall 16 (WA). A small handful of theaters are no longer available on our platform. The theater you're referring to seems to be affected by this. As we continue to strive for mutually-beneficial relationships with theaters, the list of theaters we work with is subject to change. — MoviePass (@MoviePass) January 26, 2018 Some of our guests say MoviePass may be blocking the use of their servi...

Microsoft is making it easier to stream on Mixer for a living. The service has outlined plans for multiple ways to reward streamers, starting with Direct Purchases. If a Mixer Partner is playing a game (including DLC), you can buy that content directly from the stream, which gives them "a percentage" of the game price. The option will initially focus on games in Microsoft's online store, but that's not necessarily a bad thing when it means you can buy an Xbox One title knowing a favorite channel will get a cut. The feature is in testing now but should be available "soon." Mixer is also adding an option to tip directly through Mixer, rather than having to lean on a third-party service. And if you want to subscribe to a channel, you can soon make that commitment from your Xbox One instead of your phone or PC. More details are coming about these features in the weeks and months ahead. In some ways, Microsoft didn't have much choice but to do this -- ...

Amazon teased single sign-in across apps when it launched its new 4K Fire TV last September. It's only now, though, that the company is making good on its promise. If you have a login from a cable TV provider that supports SSO authentication (like Dish, DirecTV , AT&T Uverse, Verizon FiOS and Cox Cablevision), you can sign in once and have access to a a ton of TV network apps. The new ability should roll out over the next several hours, according to an Amazon spokesperson. So far, the apps that currently support this on Fire TV include Freeform, Syfy, USA, Bravo, E!, Telemundo, CNNgo, A&E, History, Lifetime, Turner TCM, HGTV, Food Network, DIY, Travel Channel, Cooking Channel, AMC, BBC and Hallmark. Along with other apps, those for TBS and TNT should also work in the coming weeks and months. via Engadget RSS Feed "http://ift.tt/2nd0IM6"

A user posted on the anonymous app Blind claiming that Lyft employees abused their access to customer data, from gathering info on exes to acquiring Mark Zuckerberg's personal info. A Lyft spokesperson confirmed to The Information that the company is investigating whether these incidents occurred. The anonymous user, who claimed to have worked at Lyft, painted a lurid picture of how employees abused their unusually high access to customer data. Some would look up their ex-romantic partners, while others check whether their significant others were headed where they said. This user claimed to have 'seen employees' do all this and more, including stalking attractive people they'd met while taking the multi-rider Lyft Line service. They'd even use the access to look up the 'rider ratings' and personal information of executives at Lyft and other companies -- one bragged about snagging Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's phone number -- as well as Hollywood a...

The heads of Viacom and CBS have discussed the prospect of merger, according to Reuters sources. Earlier this month, Viacom CEO Bob Bakish and CBS CEO Leslie Moonves reportedly had an exploratory talk about a potential merger and both companies' boards have scheduled a number of meetings to continue that discussion over the next few weeks. This has been a bit of a will-they-won't-they situation for quite some time. Shari Redstone (above), president of National Amusements, the company that owns both CBS and Viacom, tried to bring the two companies together back in 2016. But reservations on the part of Moonves and CBS' directors kept that from happening. Two weeks ago, The Wrap reported that merger talks were back on though at the time, Reuters sources said in response that Redstone had brought up the idea to CBS' directors but active merger discussions were not on the table. The latest reports suggest Moonves has become more open to the idea and other industry con...

If you think that the FCC is basically controlled by the interests of big ISP-type businesses , you're not alone. Even FCC members feel that Ajit Pai's current gutting of net neutrality is a bad idea. Now even the mayor of San Jose has taken a stand. Sam Liccardo sent FCC chairman Pai a letter (originally provided by Axios ) on January 25th, announcing his resignation from the FCC's Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC). In the letter, the mayor notes that he had "hoped to develop balanced, common-sense recommendations that will advance our goal of expanding broadband access across the country," especially for low-income and rural Americans. "I joined the BDAC cognizant that the composition of the panel heavily favored the industry, with more than three-quarters of the membership representing telecommunications companies or interests closely aligned with those companies," Liccardo wrote. Still, he hoped that there would be movement toward...

Despite its long-awaited single-player story and gorgeous graphics and sounds, Star Wars Battlefront II will likely be remembered for one thing: Loot boxes, or the mismanagement of. The game's rewards took so long to earn that players were incentivized to buy crates of randomized extras that could speed the process up...or not. That uncertain outcome paid with real money, which is becoming increasingly common in games, sounds like gambling to some legislators, and Belgium moved to ban SW Battlefront II -style loot boxes outright. This month, a Washington Senator introduced a bill that would require the state's gambling commission to determine whether loot boxes are, in fact, gambling -- and suggest how to regulate them across gaming. "What the bill says is, 'Industry, state: sit down to figure out the best way to regulate this,'" the bill's author state Senator Kevin Ranker told The News Tribune . "It is unacceptable to be targeting our child...

The Securities and Exchange Commission has had it with companies throwing around words like crypto and blockchain in order to bump up their stock prices. There have been quite a few instances of that lately and the SEC says it will be looking more closely at public companies that suddenly shift their interests to cryptocurrencies or blockchain technology. During a speech given earlier this week at the Securities Regulation Institute, SEC Chair Jay Clayton said , "I doubt anyone in this audience thinks it would be acceptable for a public company with no meaningful track record in pursuing the commercialization of distributed ledger or blockchain technology to (1) start to dabble in blockchain activities, (2) change its name to something like "Blockchain-R-Us," and (3) immediately offer securities, without providing adequate disclosure to Main Street investors about those changes and the risks involved." He added, "The SEC is looking closely at the disclosures...

This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter , reviews for the real world. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read their continuously updated list of deals here . Aukey Mohawk Drone Street Price: $65; Deal Price: $38 w/ code 5H86P2FT Use code 5H86P2FT to knock over $25 off the price of the Aukey Mohawk, our sub-$100 drone pick for more experienced pilots. We've seen this drone hit $50, then $40, both with similar promo codes, but this is a new low at $38 after the code is applied in cart. This deal is slated to last until 1/31, but there's no telling if stock will last that long. The Aukey Mohawk is our experienced pilots pick in our guide to the best sub-$100 drone . Signe Brewster wrote, "If you'll accept a more difficult learning curve in exchange for faster flying, or if you're already a capable drone pilot, the Aukey Mohawk might be the right ...

Robinhood, the app that lets you make zero-fee stock trading and tracking, is moving into a new market: Cryptocurrencies. Next month, users in select US states will be able to buy and sell bitcoin and ethereum without having to pay transaction fees, with support for more currencies coming later. Obviously, no-fee trading is a valuable advantage Robinhood trading holds over other exchange sites; Coinbase, for example, charges 1.5 percent to 4 percent. This isn't a ploy for more revenue: The app-based service hopes this will lure more users to its platform. "We're planning to operate this business on a break-even basis and we don't plan to profit from it for the foreseeable future" Robinhood co-founder Vlad Tenev told TechCrunch . "The value of Robinhood Crypto is in growing our customer base and better serving our existing customers." Cryptocurrency prices are notoriously volatile. To counter that, Robinhood Crypto gives users an estimated price, a...

How badly do you want a version of RollerCoaster Tycoon for the Nintendo Switch? Bad enough that you'd be willing to claim a direct stake in the game's success? If so, Atari has a sales pitch for you. The company's Game Partners division (tasked with making money from classic franchises) has launched a crowd investment campaign to raise money for a Switch port of the theme park construction title. Pour at least $250 into the project and you get a pro rata (proportionate) share of 50 percent of profits until you recoup 120 percent of your investment, and then a pro rata 25 percent share of profits for the 18 months following the game's worldwide launch. Ideally, you'd actually make money from backing the game's release. If all goes according to plan, the game would ship sometime in 2018. Atari is shooting for $2 million in overall funding. The question is whether or not the game will fare well enough. Kotaku points out that the Switch port would come fro...

Apple's pattern of ordering shows with top-flight talent continues. Variety has discovered that Apple has secured a drama series from Damien Chazelle, the director of the Oscar-winning La La Land . The production is so mysterious at this point that even the basic premise isn't available, but Chazelle would both write and direct every episode. Unlike his work on the upcoming Netflix show The Eddy , he'll always be heavily involved. There's still no mention of when Apple will release this or any of its other original shows. It's also unclear just how Apple will offer these productions, although a dedicated subscription video service would make the most sense. No matter what, it won't be surprising if you hear about more coups like this. Apple is believed to have $1 billion to spend on its initial roster of original shows, and that gives it a lot of headroom even when shows from the likes of Steven Spielberg are on the cards. The question is just when App...

Fossil introduced a plethora of smartwatches across its brands last year, including quite a few options under the Michael Kors Access line . Now, MK is giving you even more choices by releasing new Sofie and Grayson Android Wear 2.0 watch colors as part of its Spring 2018 collection. The MK Access smartwatches both have access to Google Assistant, have customizable faces and can track activity. Both devices will get My Social, the microapp that connects the smartwatch to your Instagram or Facebook account, so you can use photos there as watchfaces. MK will also roll out a new microapp called My Next in January, which you can use to start a countdown on the device to an important event like birthdays or anniversaries. The Sofie smartwatch designed for women is now available in new rose-gold and two-tone versions different from the original ones that launched last year. It'll also have a gold version that's partly wrapped in white silicone, as well as a brilliant sky blue va...

We've been massive fans of Teenage Engineering's affordable pocket-sized synthesizers since their debut . The company has added new, more capable models over the last couple of years, too, adding more sounds to individual units and import/export capabilities. They've always come in at an impulse-friendly $60, though, until now. The new additions to the metal series — the PO-33 K.O! sampler and the PO-35 vocal sampler — not only comes in silver and copper, but they now cost a less-budget conscious $90. The two new metal synths complement the existing gold-colored PO-32 drum machine for a trio of synthy goodness. The PO-35 speak voice synth and sequencer has a microphone for sampling anything you like, 120 seconds of memory for those samples, eight voice characters and the same number of effects, will let you transpose and change the scale of your sequences and includes replaceable drum sounds that you can buy separately. The PO-33 K.O! micro sampler has 40 seconds of m...

The Democratic National Committee's (DNC) new chief security officer position has been filled, Wired reports. Bob Lord, who was previously Yahoo's chief information security officer prior to its acquisition by Verizon, will take over the position and will be working with both the national offices as well as smaller state offices. "I'll be working to protect my new colleagues at the DNC from the attackers who would prefer to keep us distracted from our mission of getting Democrats across the nation elected," Lord said in a statement. "And my job doesn't stop at the front door of the building -- my team and I will work with state parties to update their information security strategies and deployments to change the economics for the attackers." Very honored to be able to work with @raffi , @TomPerez , and the rest of the amazing team at the @DNC ! https://t.co/mG60iYio4t — Bob Lord ¬_¬ (@boblord) January 25, 2018 Lord has plenty of experience w...

Deceptively-simple automatic runner RunGunJumpGun is coming to Nintendo Switch on February 8th, according to a tweet by its developers, Good Shepherd. The game first hit iOS and Android in 2016, amassing an army of fans initially intrigued by its simple premise -- shoot, jump, survive -- and subsequently ensnared by its addictive intelligent level design and masterful difficulty curve. Under the slightly tweaked moniker ATOMIK: RunGunJumpGun, the game will offer Switch players the same twitchy platforming fun -- and for just $8/£8. Source: Good Shepherd via Engadget RSS Feed "http://ift.tt/2Gh4WuQ"

Minecraft is pretty important to Microsoft. Not only did the company spend $2.5 billion in 2014 to own the world's most popular building-block game, but just last week it promoted Matt Booty, the head of Minecraft , to Corporate VP of Microsoft Studios. As far as Microsoft sees it, there's a direct line from Minecraft to Gears of War , Halo and all of the company's major first-party games. And now, with Booty's ascent, there's a new Minecraft boss. Helen Chiang has been with Microsoft for 13 years, and the past 11 of those were spent in the Xbox division, managing the Live team and working with developers in the Xbox Live Arcade program. She helped Minecraft get settled on Xbox long before Microsoft's acquisition, and now she's in charge of the entire game. "It's really important for the overall gaming strategy," she told Engadget. "What I like to think is that we're out in front thinking about a lot of different things....

Last April, Apple was granted a permit to test its autonomous vehicle technology by the state of California and since then, the company has expanded its test fleet from three vehicles to 27, Bloomberg reports. The California Department of Motor Vehicles said that Apple had registered 24 Lexus RX450h SUVs between last July and this month. While initially aiming to develop its own autonomous vehicle , Apple later decided to switch gears and design a self-driving system that could be incorporated into other vehicles. And we've seen glimpses of that technology in recent months. A patent application , a presentation from Apple AI Research Director Ruslan Salakhutdinov and a research paper have all pulled back parts of the curtain Apple's technology development usually hides behind. And a closeup look from Voyage cofounder MacCallister Higgins gave us a bit of a visual. There are many players in the autonomous vehicle field and Apple has a lot of competition. Companies like...

Facebook's attempt to assess news sources through its users. Donald Trump's Twitter meltdowns . Instagram's influencers and ad-labeling challenges . Our lives have become dominated by social media and an incessant need to document our most mundane activities. Decades, or even centuries from now, future generations will look back on 2018 as the year we hit peak social media obsession. They will observe a gadget introduced this year called the Hypno Eye -- a mobile photo booth in the form of a selfie-taking ball -- and argue that it signified the beginning of the end for realworld interactions. "These devices were found at festive gatherings that our ancestors threw," a future museum guide might say. "Each of these beach ball-sized orbs housed a camera and a touch screen framed by a ring light, so party-goers could take photos and videos of themselves with professional-level lighting. After that, it would generate a short video clip with quirky effects tha...