Geek News

Disney opened its impressive, immersive Pandora: The World of Avatar park last year, allowing visitors to go to go and experience the world of James Cameron’s 2009 film Avatar . Disney announced that it’s making a rather cool addition to the the park: a towering, walking mech suit that will be piloted by actors. The 12-acre park features its own story set a generation after the film, in a place called the Valley of Mo’ara, where tourists are brought to the planet via a company called Alpha Centauri Expeditions (ACE). They get to explore the planet’s ecosystem and even take control of an Avatar to fly a wild Banshee . Now, they’ll get to encounter an actor operating the giant robotic suit, known as the Pandora Utility Suit, who will “tell... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2EsURbZ"

Last month, we came across a new phone case, which combines the style of a classic Nintendo Game Boy with actual playability. It comes with a handful of classic games like Tetris , Tank , Frogger , and others, and it’s certainly aimed at a nostalgic audience. It looks like a classic Game Boy: a D-pad, a pair of A/B buttons, and buttons to turn it on, reset the gameplay, make a selection, and turn the sound on and off. And, of course, it has a square monochrome LCD display that mimics the original Game Boy’s screen. The problem is, I can’t really figure out what the point of it is, other than to play Tetris . The case is called the Wanle Gamers Console For iPhone , designed for everything between the iPhone 6 and X. I grew up playing a Game... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2qfhQ5o"

I love all smart, connected planters because I can’t keep a living thing alive, but they also seem to keep failing. Parrot attempted a smart pot with its Parrot Pot , which was discontinued. Another company, Edyn , launched with a successful Kickstarter campaign and later a partnership with Home Depot, but it now appears to be struggling. Still, companies want to keep trying to make smart planters. Click & Grow sells a bunch of different indoor planters with timed lights and water reservoirs. Oh, and of course proprietary soil pods for users to plant. Remember this Circuit Breaker Live show ? Now, a company called Grow has announced its first product, the Grow Duo . It’s a large planter for outdoor use that comes with a companion iOS /... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2qhYQTU"

Today's Deal: Save 33% on VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action !* 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/2HfwYYk"

Weeks after it suspended UK data firm Cambridge Analytica , Facebook has prevented Canadian data firm AggregateIQ from using its platform, according to the National Observer , pending an investigation after it reports connected the two amidst the ongoing privacy scandal that has shaken the social media company. In a statement to the National Observer , a Facebook spokesperson says the company has been suspended from the platform “in light of recent reports that AggregateIQ may be affiliated with SCL and may, as a result, have improperly received (Facebook) user data,” while Facebook conducts an investigation. We’ve reached out to AggregateIQ and Facebook, and will update if we hear back. In March, Cambridge Analytica whistlerblower C... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2Joao0l"

Spring cleaning is upon us, which means that now is the perfect time for a tech refresh. If your phone is ready for an upgrade, you’ve got some good options this week. Verizon is taking 50 percent off new phones like the iPhone X and Galaxy S9 when you trade in an eligible phone. If you’re looking for an unlocked, mid-priced phone, the Huawei Mate SE is still at its introductory price of $229.99 ($249.99 MSRP) at most retailers including Walmart , B&H , and Newegg . You’ll probably want to listen to music while you clean, which means if you don’t have a portable speaker it’s a good time to pick one up. There are some killer deals running on both speakers and smart home devices right now — the Echo Spot is a little bit of both. The smallest... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2HfhpQo"

I first gave up on Windows Phone back in December 2014. Microsoft’s mobile platform was being left behind, and I was tired of not getting access to the apps everyone else was using. It took Microsoft a few years to finally admit Windows Phone is dead , and the company is no longer planning to release any new hardware running its mobile OS or update it with any features. I recently switched on an old Windows Phone to create a silly April Fools’ joke about returning to using it as my daily device, and then it hit me: I really miss Windows Phone. Windows Phone debuted in 2010 with Microsoft’s Metro design philosophy, and a focus on glancing at your phone for information instead of digging in and out of apps. Two obvious features I miss from... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2GFHGdT"

Technology It's like having Siri listen to your internal commands. Students from MIT have created a prototype device, dubbed AlterEgo, that can recognize the words you mouth when silently talking to yourself. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2GHEBtB"

YouTube plans to release a non-algorithmic, whitelisted version of its YouTube Kids app some time in the near future as a way to avoid inadvertently suggesting questionable or graphic content to children, according to a report this evening from BuzzFeed News . The modified version of the app will also be restricted to videos from hand-selected channels that a team of human curators at YouTube will approve. The decision, though it has yet to be officially announced, comes amid longstanding concerns over YouTube’s suggestion algorithm inherently steers viewers toward increasingly extremist content . Just last month, a report from Business Insider illustrated how the YouTube Kids app was suggesting children watch videos filled with... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2IAOvtD"

Skype is finally getting a call recording feature , only 15 years after it was first released. It should be noted that Skype isn’t building its own recording software but relying on third-party apps, including Xsplit, Wirecast, and Vmix. These products, among others , have allowed you to record Skype calls for years, but now it sounds as if Microsoft wants a more streamlined version. Windows 10 and Mac users will be able to record calls if they switch their desktop Skype client over to “Content Creators” mode, a new version designed for vloggers, streamers, and podcast creators. Users can pick which third-party software they prefer to use and Skype now supports the integration. Skype envisions you can livestream a call now on your YouTube... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2JqaiFr"

Space Also in space: A neighborhood of black holes, a new (and old) reason to study Venus' clouds, and the end of the Lunar XPrize. This was a busy week for space. We heard about hopes for life on Venus, neighborhoods of black holes, and distant stars. Oh, and solar tornadoes. What's up with those? via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2qaH2us"

Back in February, we got our first sneak peek of LG’s next flagship phone — the LG G7, the latest in the G series — through leaked photos and specs. Today, more specs and photos of the new phone were leaked to TechRadar . And most notably, TechRadar spotted a button on the side that it points out could be dedicated to LG’s AI feature. Samsung started the trend of including a dedicated button for its smart assistant Bixby, which has been called structural bloatware . Now the TechRadar leak reveals that LG may follow suit with its own button on the left of its new LG G7 ThinQ, except it’s likely for the company’s AI-powered camera feature rather than a Bixby clone. LG introduced AI features on the V30S ThinQ in February, and it sounds like... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2Hk7Gsp"

Epic Games’ iOS port of smash hit Fortnite has earned more than $15 million in its first three weeks on the market, says mobile analytics firm Sensor Tower . According to the company’s most recent report, Fortnite on iOS is now out-earning mobile heavyweights like Candy Crush Saga , Clash of Clans , and Pokémon Go on a weekly revenue basis, earning $6.4 million in the last seven days compared to Candy Crush Saga ’s $5.8 million. Unlike those other games, however, Fortnite sells only silly costumes and goofy in-game dance animations, among other cosmetic items and a three-month $9.99 subscription service called the Battle Pass. Sure, that’s a pretty eye-popping series of metrics for Fortnite , but it’s not that surprising. The game is a... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2GJVYWw"

Health Forget the retail therapy. It’s time for some real talk. The concept of “self-care” is inescapable, between the social media posts about rejuvenating mani-pedis and TED talks about the restorative properties of journaling. But… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2JoPwpM"

Apple is pushing back against the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to repeal the Clean Power Plan. The company filed a public comment with the EPA today arguing that scrapping the policy, which calls for cutting power plant pollution, would dull the United States’ competitive edge in the clean energy economy. Apple’s comment on the repeal proposal is the first one from a company, according to Reuters . In a copy of the filing that Apple shared with The Verge , Apple calls the fight against climate change a “moral and environmental imperative that also makes good business sense.” The Clean Power Plan (or CPP) was finalized by the Obama administration, and it takes aim at power plants — the number one carbon polluters in the US, a... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2qaMRrL"