Geek News

Google announced that it is shutting down its URL shortening service , goo.gl. The company says that new and anonymous users won’t be able to create links through the goo.gl console as of April 13th, but existing users will be able to use it for another year, after which it will be discontinued completely. Firebase Software Engineer Michael Hermanto says that the company introduced the URL shortener in 2009, and that since then, the ways in which people share information on the web has changed, while additional URL shorteners grown in popularity. He notes that Google is refocusing its efforts by replacing it with Firebase Dynamic Links (FDL), which allow users to specific locations in iOS, Android or web apps. Existing users will be... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2GskfRb"

This morning, Trump once again tweeted about online retailer Amazon.com, alleging that it is scamming the United States Postal Service and that the agency should raise its shipping rates. He also says that The Washington Post — owned by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos — should register as a lobbyist . Earlier this week, Axios reported that President Donald Trump wanted to take on Amazon. The President followed up with a tweet on March 29th, saying that Amazon was taking advantage of the USPS, paying little in state and local taxes, and putting retailers out of business. The New York Times outlined earlier this week that Amazon has collected sales taxes since April 2017. The retailer reported $957 million in income taxes last year. The Times also... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2GEH5Z5"

A few years ago, the hit Sundance film Tangerine was shot entirely on an iPhone 5S to surprisingly good results. And last year, Steven Soderbergh did the same the same thing while making Unsane , with his only camera being an iPhone 7 Plus . While a lot more than camera gear goes into making those movies look the way they do, the fact that professional filmmakers are using cameras that many of us keep in our pockets is a pretty encouraging sign when it comes to what we should be able to produce. I wanted to test out just what you can do to improve your phone’s photo- and video-taking abilities, so I tried out a few different things: some add-on lenses, a microphone, and a stabilizer. You can see the results in the video above. One thing I... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2Gs83Qp"

Today's Deal: Save 50% on Human: Fall Flat !* 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 Monday at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2GovKsC"

Today's Deal: Save 34% on Hollow Knight !* 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 Monday at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2pTnR8e"

Today's Deal: Save 50% on DOOM !* 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 Monday at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2IkK6Lb"

Spring has sprung. You might not be able to tell with the weather, but the calendar says so. For this weekend only, Microsoft is marking down some of its most popular PCs to celebrate the change in season. Until Monday April 2nd, laptops like the newest Surface Pro and the Dell XPS 15 256GB Laptop are both being marked down hundreds of dollars. There are more than 80 deals and PCs on sale for all price ranges. In other deals news, Amazon is discounting some of their Alexa-enabled devices until Saturday March 31st at 11:59PM EST. The Echo Show is being marked down to $159.99, a $70 discount and the second-lowest price we’ve seen on it so far. Kid’s Edition Fire Tablets, the 7 and 8 , are on sale for $79.99 and $99.99, respectively. Amazon... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2E9XTBQ"

DIY Prepare to face the great outdoors. A spring hike is a great way to appreciate the newly-warm weather. Before you head out, make sure to pack a few gadgets and download our recommended apps. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2pTgZrD"

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include: Updated model/materials for the Starboard Crusader and added a second style Added AsiaFortress Season 13 medals Updated the localization files Fixed Mann vs. Machine matches with open slots not receiving late-joiners Fixed a server crash related to the Sniper Rifle Fixed the "View promotional codes" button not showing for those users with promotional codes Notes missed from Competitive Revamp update The UI version has been bumped to 3. Any UI mods will need to be updated to work with the new UI changes. via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2E7KhHr"

Space What a strawberry moon? What is a worm moon? What is going on with my moon? Blue moons, strawberry moons, supermoons. For some reason your news aggregation algorithm of choice thinks you really really really want to know all about these moons. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2GJWQho"

Cars Driver-helping technology reigns supreme on 2019 models. Cadillac, Hyundai, Subaru and others showed off their 2019 goods at the New York International Auto Show. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2E6Ldf5"

AirMech Strike has left Early Access on Steam! In celebration of the release of AirMech Strike, all AirMech Games are now on sale on Steam as well! AirMech® Strike is a fast paced Action-RTS game that can be played online competitively or cooperatively. Earn Kudos and Experience in battle and unlock a wide collection of AirMechs and Units while you practice the perfect strategy to emerge victorious! via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2IgHjT7"

Space Happy Easter! Tiangong-1 was once a space station, but now it’s basically just a bus-sized hunk of dead space junk. That means there’s no way to control its reentry or descent;… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2pOmI20"

Alexa’s ability to control DVRs is going to improve in the near future. Amazon announced today that it’s updated its Video Skill API so that Alexa can now start recordings, launch an app, or carry out playback commands. Multiple set-top box makers already have Alexa skills, including Dish, Verizon, TiVo, and DirecTV. They’ll be updating their skills, Amazon says, and some have already been experimenting with these new features. Users will be able to say things like, “Alexa, record the Cubs game,” and the set-top box will plan a recording. They’ll also be able to tell the assistant to launch specific apps or services, like, “Alexa, launch Netflix.” Finally, they’ll be able to say, “Alexa, pause,” without having to explicitly name their... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2GD43zN"