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Facebook's stricter ad policies may be creating further complications for legitimate campaigns. Strategists for Hispanic organizations have told the Washington Post that their political ads typically require "several days" to reach Facebook simply because they're targeting a Spanish-language audience. As the social network's policies require it to both review ads targeted at ethnic groups and fight racial discrimination , the process takes considerably more time than ads aimed at a general audience. Those delays can be costly during elections. Many ads are created in direct response to both news and ever-changing campaign dynamics, and they're often posted the same day. The delays have forced at least some organizations to cut their campaigns short, and they may have to either produce more generic (and thus less effective) ads or accept tha...

Were you eagerly awaiting Minecraft movie's May 2019 release? You'll need to make a change of plans. Director and co-writer Rob McElhenney has informed TheWrap that the originally slated debut is "not happening" as he's leaving the project. It's not clear why he's departing or who will replace him as director. However, Warner Bros. is asking Aaron and Adam Nee (both working on Masters of the Universe ) to draft a new script. The production shuffle is bound to create significant delays for the movie. It doesn't look good for Microsoft's Minecraft strategy , for that matter. While the company certainly wasn't depending on the movie for its bottom line, it announced the 2019 premiere date two years ago -- if it had any movie tie-in plans, they've just been thrown out the window. There's also a real concern that inte...

The first Android Go phone to reach the US, the Alcatel 1X, was frankly lackluster between its not-even-720p screen and mediocre processing power. ASUS, however, is hoping to spice things up by launching the ZenFone Live (L1) in the US as a Best Buy exclusive. The unlocked handset costs slightly more than its rival at $110, but you're getting a lot more for your extra Hamilton . The ZenFone carries an 18:9 ratio, 5.5-inch 1,440 x 720 LCD screen, a speedier Snapdragon 425 processor and a heftier 3,000mAh battery, not to me ntion dual nano-SIM slots and a place for your microSD cards. This might be an ideal phone if you're a traveler who'd rather not risk their main device on a trip. You'll also find an 8-megapixel rear camera (Best Buy's listing appears to incorrectly claim 13MP), a 5-megapixel selfie shooter and LTE data speeds. This is onl...

The Venezuelan government says that President Nicolás Maduro survived an assassination attempt during a live speech on Saturday. The attack was reportedly carried out with a pair of drones laden with explosives, which detonated near his position. Maduro speaking at an event commemorating the 81st anniversary of the country's National Guard in the nation's capital, Caracas. Midway through his speech, a bang can be heard, after which Maduro and the people surrounding him look up, before the camera abruptly cuts to Venezuelan soldiers scattering in the streets. Shortly after the incident, the country's Minister for Communications and Information confirmed the attack , and indicated that the explosions came from "drone-like devices that... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts https://ift.tt/2LWWyak ...

It's now clearer why the UK is jittery about Huawei's alleged security risks. Reuters sources have learned that officials are worried in part due to Huawei's use of an old version of Wind River's VxWorks, a real-time operating system. The version Huawei is using for its telecom hardware will reportedly lose access to security updates in 2020, the oretically exposing British equipment (which will see service well past then) to attacks. The insiders said there wasn't any evidence the use of old software was deliberate, but that's clearly not enough to completely reassure the oversight board looking into Huawei's practices. Wind River couldn't comment on Huawei's specific situation. However, it said it frequently assisted with software upgrades. Huawei itself wouldn't comment on the details of the report, although it promised to...

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Google introduced a new update to Google Maps: when you zoom all the way out, the Earth will no longer be displayed as a flat surface, but as a globe. It's a change that allows the map to more accurately display the Earth. The search company highlighted the change on its Google MapsTwitter feed, saying that with the new 3D Globe Mode, "Greenland's projection is no longer the size of Africa." The change is only available on the desktop interface; it's still flat in its mobile app. With 3D Globe Mode on Google Maps desktop, Greenland's projection is no longer the size of Africa. Just zoom all the way out at https://t.co/mIZTya01K3 pic.twitter.com/CIkkS7It8d — Google Maps (@googlemaps) August 2, 2018 Up until now, Google Maps has... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts https://ift.tt/2vhlJdq ...

Oh what a week it's been. Apple is now valued at one trillion dollars, the NES Classic is still selling like hotcakes, one plucky hacker garnered a seven figure income from a single ransomeware attack, and whackadoodle conspiracy peddler Alex Jones was shown the door at two more streaming platforms. 10 million : Watching other people play video games is big business these days. Celebrity streamer Ninja can attest, his Twitch account just passed the 10 million subscriber mark . 2 more platforms : Few things restore my faith in the basic decency of humanity than watching Alex Jones get his. The right wing conspiracy theorist was booted from two more streaming platforms this week (in addition to being temporarily banned from Facebook and YouTube). Stitcher nixed his podcast and Spotify removed a number of his episodes for community standards violations. ...

When word got out that Tesla's Model 3 Performance trim included an experimental Track Mode , it raised eyebrows: was it disabling safety limits to let you thrash the EV, or was there something else to it? You now have a proper answer. Tesla explained to both R oad and Track and Electrek that Track Mode is changing the very characteristics of the car. It switches up the regenerative braking to rely more on the traction of the dual motors and slip distribution, increasing the regenerative power and providing the lift-off oversteer that drift fans crave. You'll also see a new powertrain cooling algorithm that's better-suited to the constant demands of a day at the circuit. You'll still see traction control kick in during "tougher situations," the company said. You may have the freedom to drift the Model 3 through turns, but the chances of g...

DIY Snakes rarely bite humans—and if they do, here's how to deal with it. Snakebites already occur pretty rarely. Here's how to further reduce your odds of an attack, and the unexpected gear you should carry to deal with a worst-case… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2M3ZbGt"