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Thursday, May 7, 2020

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These Insects Are Not 'Murder Hornets' So Please Stop Killing Them

Asian US Tech Stoqo6KGizmodo / 6h
Asian giant hornets are large and stripey, yes. But so are several other insects. If you see something that looks a little like these “murder hornets” you’ve heard so much about , you may be tempted to kill it and/or convince yourself that the apocalypse has truly arrived. But please don’t. It’s almost certainly a case… Read more...

American Airlines won’t fly an Airbus A330 again for at least two years

2KThe Points Guy / 15h
American Airlines is acknowledging the fact that international travel will be slow to return after the coronavirus pandemic with the decision to park the rest of its Airbus A330 fleet. The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier will park its 15 A330-200s until at least 2022, American senior vice president of flight operations Kimball Stone told pilots in an internal message Wednesday that was viewed by


Xbox Game Pass brings out the guns in May along with a Spotify perk

Xbox Game Pass MaySlashGear / 1h
You may have heard of a lot of news about games lately but, truth be told, it’s mostly business as usual for some of these platform makers and developers. Google, Sony, and Microsoft have all been putting out new free games like clockwork, hoping to prove that there are still things that are alright in this world. For Xbox console … Continue reading

Surface Duo still on track for 2020 launch

SlashGear / 2h
Fans of dual-screen devices, take heart. Microsoft has not yet abandoned its lofty dreams. The Surface Neo, along with the host of dual-screen Windows 10X devices may have been delayed to 2021 or even indefinitely but it seems that its other novel device may still happen this year. That is, of course, the Surface Duo phone that is reportedly still … Continue reading

This Windows tablet has no battery, but businesses will still buy it

40TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 2h
In recent years, we've come across two devices from niche tablet manufacturer Gole. The first was a diminutive tablet called the Gole Gole1 and the second the Gole1 Plus - both of which run on Windows 10 and target niche markets. The firm has now teamed up with tech publication ARMdevices.net to launch an Indiegogo campaign for a new product: the Gole11. In a nutshell, it's a tablet without a bat

FCC slaps Sinclair with $48 million record-breaking fine

100+Engadget / 2h
Sinclair Broadcast Group, a conservative media giant, has agreed to pay a $48 million penalty to close three open FCC investigations. In its announcement , the agency says it’s the largest civil penalty involving a broadcaster it has ever imposed — it’s also twice as big as the previous record ($24 million) set by Univision back in 2007. By agreeing to pay the penalty, Sinclair is settling the FC

iOS 13.5 will automatically share your Medical ID in an emergency call

13.5 Apple Medical IDSlashGear / 2h
Apple has more or less created and naturally cornered a market that combines mobile technology with health and medical services. Going beyond the Apple Watch and its life-saving features, the company has been integrating medical information in both iOS and watchOS. This integration goes a long way in saving lives when the user himself or herself becomes too unresponsive to … Continue reading

How Lyft intends to navigate and survive COVID-19

Lyft Uber April 17%72TechCrunch / 3h
A glimpse at Lyft’s stock price Wednesday, which soared as much as 16.77% after first-quarter earnings were reported, suggested all was well in the ride-hailing company’s world. In this COVID 19-era, “well” is a relative term. Lyft’s net losses did dramatically improve from the year-ago quarter (a loss of $398 million versus $1.1 billion in Q1 2019). However, Lyft was clear in its earnings call:

NFC wireless charging is finally here but don’t get your hopes up too high

NFC Wireless ChargingSlashGear / 3h
Wireless charging has finally become more known and accepted in the mobile market but it’s still far from the universally-available convenience we imagine it to be. There’s definitely a lot of room for improvement and competition but most of those focus on high-wattage technologies on high-end phones. That, unfortunately, leaves a lot of phones, accessories, and consumers out of the … Continue re

Old Ring Video Doorbell gets an upgrade for the same price

Ring Video DoorbellSlashGear / 3h
The old is new again to some extent. Despite the privacy scandals it has been involved in, Ring remains one of the most popular smart video doorbells in the market, in no small part to its association with Amazon. It has launched more products after its inaugural Video Doorbell but it’s not going back to the basics. Taking a cue … Continue reading

iOS apps suddenly crashing blamed on Facebook SDK server change

SlashGear / 4h
Given today’s circumstances, people are even more dependent on their computers and smartphones, particularly the apps that let them work at home or communicate with friends and family or even just keep themselves from going insane. The stability of these apps has become even more important these days, which is why some developers have opted to pause rolling out huge … Continue reading

Several major iOS apps crashing at launch due to Facebook SDK issues

100+TechCrunch / 4h
A number of popular apps including Spotify, GroupMe, Pinterest and TikTok were fielding user iOS crash reports Wednesday evening, the result of an apparent issues with Facebook’s SDK according to a lengthy GitHub thread on the topic. Downdetector logged tens of thousands of user crash reports on Spotify between 3:30 and 5:30 pm PT, the time where the bulk of reports seem to have been issued acros

Not Wearing A Face Mask On A Plane Is 2020’s Emotional Support Animal

20View from the Wing / 4h
Up until this year anyone who claimed to need emotional support had been exempt from the rules about what kind of animals to bring, how many, and at what cost. We saw pit bulls, horses, turkeys, and birds of all kinds. It turns out that exemptions to requirements for wearing a face mask work exactly the same way that bringing an emotional support animal onto a plane used to. Continue reading ...

No, Grimes and Elon Musk's baby will not officially be named 'X Æ A-12'

Elon Musk Grimes Baby100+Mashable / 4h
Grimes and Elon Musk may call their newborn whatever they want, but it's incredibly unlikely that the baby's legal name will actually be X Æ A-12 . That's because in California, where the baby was born, official names can only include the 26 letters of the English alphabet, an apostrophe for names like O'Connor, and a hyphen. In other words, Grimes' baby's birth certificate may sport an unusual n

World Airline Lobby Group Comes Out Against Blocking Middle Seats

33View from the Wing / 5h
The airline world lobby group IATA – the International Air Transportation Association – has been consistently awful throughout the pandemic. They’ve argued for government subsidies and that passengers shouldn’t be entitled to refunds for cancelled flights. Continue reading ...

2021 travel: See the cherry blossoms with first- and business-class award space to Tokyo

The Points Guy / 5h
Cherry blossom season is one of the best times to visit Tokyo . The flowers bloom and flood the streets, turning the world’s largest city into the world’s largest garden. It’s truly a sight to behold, and it’s something to add to your travel bucket list. Cherry blossom season usually starts around March 20 and goes through the first week of April, and if you want to make this your first post- cor

Epic may have removed SBMM from Fortnite Squads mode

SlashGear / 5h
A growing number of streamers are speculating that Epic removed skill-based matchmaking from Fortnite‘s Squads mode, offering teams of players the opportunity to engage with a wider variety of players. Skill-based matchmaking has been controversial since its arrival — while it’s a great thing for casual players who were discouraged by more skilled gamers, it has been heavily criticized other … Co

SpaceX Changes to Starlink Satellites Earn Astronomers’ Praise

400+NYT > Technology / 5h
Some astronomers who have criticized the company’s orbital internet constellation were encouraged by the measures it announced.

Love Yourself Enough to Finally Buy the Label Maker

36Lifehacker / 5h
Secretly, you’ve always wanted to buy the label maker. But you never bought the label maker. Maybe you figured you didn’t really need it, it would be one of those purchases — like that homebrew kit and macrame loom, remember those? — that you made with so much hope for an imagined future that you never actually used,… Read more...

Wink smart home users have one week to subscribe or be shut off

400+Engadget / 5h
Many smart home device makers rely on subscriptions to keep a steady stream of money coming in, but Wink is learning how that strategy can easily go wrong. The company has announced plans to move to a $5 per month subscription on May 13th (yes, just one week from now), and it’s mandatory. Decline to sign up and you’ll lose access to devices in the app as well as all automations. “Long term costs

North Dakota launched a contact-tracing app. It's not going well.

100+Mashable / 5h
Contact-tracing apps have been hailed as a crucial tool in the battle against the coronavirus. But as states rush to release their own home-baked versions, not everything has gone to plan. In late April, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum announced the release of Care19 The app , the result of a partnership between the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) and developer ProudCrowd, aims to help sl

Should you travel? TPG’s Brian Kelly weighs in

The Points Guy / 5h
“Is it safe to travel?” It’s a question we get constantly here at The Points Guy, and the answer is complicated. It came up again today because the CEO of Southwest suggested it was safe to travel on CBS This Morning. That was just a few minutes before our founder Brian Kelly was on the same morning show to talk all things travel in the age of coronavirus. For all the latest news on the outbreak

Coronavirus: Will offices be safe for a return to work?

400+BBC News - Technology / 5h
Here's a look at some of the technology that might help monitor the health of employees.

2 of the world’s biggest cruise lines just canceled nearly all summer sailings

76The Points Guy / 5h
Two of the world’s biggest cruise lines have thrown in the towel on a summer comeback. In the most dramatic cruise schedule cutbacks to be announced since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, Princess Cruises and Holland America late Wednesday canceled most of their sailings well into the fall. Both lines canceled all remaining cruises in Europe , Alaska and the New England and Canada region fo

How will digital media survive the ad crash?

100+TechCrunch / 6h
When I first met Bustle Digital Group’s Jason Wagenheim, it was right as New York City was beginning to go into lockdown. The BDG offices were empty thanks to the company’s newly instituted work-from-home policy, but it still seemed reasonable to meet in-person to learn more about BDG’s broader vision. At the time, Wagenheim — a former Fusion and Condé Nast executive who joined BDG as chief reven

Latin America Roundup: Big rounds, big mergers and a $3.8M pandemic fund from Nubank

95TechCrunch / 6h
Sophia Wood Contributor Sophia Wood is a Venture Partner at Magma Partners . Sophia is also the co-founder of LatAm List, an English-language Latin American tech news source. More posts by this contributor Latin America Roundup: Grupo ZAP, Grow Mobility, Wavy get acquired; Credijusto adds $100M; Cornershop, iFood brace for delivery boom Latin America Roundup: SoftBank adds $1B, Stori raises $10M

As cities reopen, Lyft rides slowly ramp up

Lyft Uber April 17%100+Mashable / 6h
We're starting to get antsy after two months of social distancing due to the novel coronavirus, and you can tell as more people order rides from services like Lyft. It's not surprising that ride-hailing app Lyft saw rides drop 75 percent last month compared to April last year, as its executives explained during an earnings call on Wednesday. But if you look at what's already happening in cities t

Twitch’s redesigned channel pages finally arrive: Here’s what’s new

SlashGear / 6h
Following its initial announcement about the plan, Twitch has unveiled its new design for channel pages, introducing a customizable home where streamers can ‘show the world who they are.’ The company is rolling out the new design as of today, May 6, though Twitch says it has already been available to streamers for around a month so they could prepare … Continue reading

Microsoft To Do adds features the day Wunderlist shuts down

Wunderlist Microsoft100+Engadget / 6h
Today (May 6th) is the day Microsoft shuts down Wunderlist , but it’s hoping that some new features in To Do will ease the sting for those reluctant to switch. The tech giant is rolling out updates (via Android Police ) to its Android and iOS apps that introduce some familiar Wunderlist features to the mix. You now have updated views in your Planned list of today, tomorrow and your whole week to

Supreme Court Arguments Go Right Down the Toilet

100+Gizmodo / 6h
Now that many of us are working from home, there has been no shortage of remote conference call bloopers during this pandemic. Between people walking around in their underwear to unfortunately timed unmuted mics, and the plague of Zoom bombers crashing college classes to rake in YouTube views, these viral moments are… Read more...

The A.V.

Gizmodo / 6h
Club The best movies on Netflix | Lifehacker What to Watch Tonight | Kotaku The Best Star Wars Video Game | The Takeout The best cake recipes don’t need a special occasion | The Root Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp: I Totally Messed Up Reopening the State, Growing Outbreak Is Stressing Resources | Read more...

The A.V.

Lifehacker / 6h
Club The best movies on Netflix | The Takeout The best cake recipes don’t need a special occasion | Kotaku The Best Star Wars Video Game | Gizmodo A Brief History of the Not-So-Brief Wait for Avatar 2 | The Root Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp: I Totally Messed Up Reopening the State, Growing Outbreak Is Stressing Resources | Read more...

Uber Lays Off 14 Percent of Its Staff as Pandemic Pummels Ride-Share Business

Uber 3700 3 700 14%Gizmodo / 6h
Uber announced this week that it’s cutting 3,700 roles as the coronavirus crisis pummels its ride-share business and that of its competitor Lyft. Read more...

This Nintendo Switch Lite Accessories Bundle has Cases, Grips, Screen Protectors, and More for $30

Gizmodo / 6h
Orzly Nintendo Switch Lite Accessories Bundle | $30 | Amazon Read more...

Keep Your Mind and Hands Busy With the Best LEGO Deals

37Lifehacker / 6h
These are the best LEGO deals for May 2020. Read more...

Airlines flew empty flights to get coronavirus aid; now they’re asking Congress for help

The Points Guy / 6h
As the aviation industry hemorrhages money amid historically low travel demand, the $50 billion pot of government aid has been a crucial lifeline for U.S. carriers. But, in order to receive their taxpayer-funded boost, airlines must adhere to certain requirements, including continuing to fly to most cities they served before the coronavirus pandemic hit. Sign up for the free daily TPG newsletter

Facebook finally appoints members to its Oversight Board, but will it really matter?

Facebook Mark Zuckerberg100Mashable / 6h
A Yemeni Nobel Peace Prize laureate who organized protests during the Arab Spring. The Vice President of the conservative Cato Institute who wrote a book titled "The Struggle to Limit Government." The former editor-in-chief of The Guardian when it was breaking news on the Edward Snowden’s leaked NSA documents. What do the three people described here — Tawakkol Karman, John Samples, and Alan Rusbr

Facebook Announces Members of Its Oversight Board, Says Its Decisions Will be 'Binding'

Facebook Mark Zuckerberg59Gizmodo / 6h
Since its inception, Facebook has been ruled more or less like an autocracy, with its majority shareholder, who also happens to be CEO, reigning supreme. As Facebook chronicler Steven Levy wrote in Wired earlier this year: “At Facebook, Zuck’s word is law.” Read more...

Elon Musk well actually'd Grimes over their baby name just after she gave birth

Tesla Elon Musk Grimes88Mashable / 6h
Elon Musk and Grimes welcomed little X Æ A-12 Musk into the world on Monday, but Musk's Twitter gaffes have not stopped. After Musk announced their newborn son's birth in a reply to a thread about cars, Grimes took to Twitter to unpack the baby's nearly indecipherable name. Among other meanings, their baby's name is also a reference to the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, a military aircraft introduced

American Will Store Its A330-200s “Into 2022” – But Won’t Retire Them

61View from the Wing / 7h
During the American Airlines first quarter earnings call last week they discussed the option to retire their fleet of 15 Airbus A330-200s . I speculated back in March that the A330-200s might leave the fleet. However American Airlines has told employees that they are parking but not retiring these aircraft. Do not expect them to come back soon, though, because they are being stored "into 2022." C

Google Authenticator for Android can finally move accounts between devices

500+Engadget / 7h
Google hasn’t significantly tweaked Authenticator on Android for years ( Android Police notes the last big upgrade was in 2017), but it’s about to get a much-needed refresh. The company is rolling out an update that, most notably, lets you transfer accounts between devices. You’ll now find an export/import tool that moves accounts by creating a QR code you scan on the destination device. It shoul

NASA details precise microbial ‘fingerprints’ astronauts leave in space

NASA Tom Cruise SpaceXSlashGear / 7h
NASA has detailed a new study that found precise microbial ‘fingerprints’ that astronauts left behind on the International Space Station. According to the research, microorganisms transferred from astronauts’ bodies to the ISS environment retained a close resemblance to their source and scientists were able to determine which part of the astronaut’s body they came from. Humans have many microorga

A Brief History of the Not-So-Brief Wait for Avatar 2

100+Gizmodo / 7h
io9's first article mentioning Avatar 2 was published on December 28, 2009 . It was during the site’s second year of operation and also the year James Cameron released Avatar , a 3D adventure that would go on to become the highest-grossing movie of all-time. No movie makes that kind of money without there at least being… Read more...

Sinch grabs SAP's Digital Interconnect in acquisition spree

52TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
The cloud communications platform Sinch has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire SAP's communications unit SAP Digital Interconnect (SDI) in its second acquisition exceeding $100m since late March. Sinch will acquire all assets and IP belonging to SDI for $250m on a cash and debt-free basis. SDI provides cloud-based communications products and the unit serves more

Memorial Day TV deals: Best Buy's early sale includes massive price cuts on 4K TVs

60TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
It's officially May, and that means Memorial Day sales are almost here with incredible deals from your favorite retailers. You can get an early start with Best Buy's Memorial Day TV sale which includes massive price cuts from top brands like Samsung, LG, TCL, and more. You can find fantastic deals on a range of 4K TVs with prices starting at just $189.99. Best Buy's standout TV bargains include t

5 reasons why I’m bullish on the return of cruising

100+The Points Guy / 7h
On March 9, my friend boarded the Norwegian Jewel in Fiji to meet his parents for the cruise of a lifetime. By March 19 he was texting me things like, “Have you heard of any plans for this ship? We are clueless and cruising around the Pacific. Might stop in Hawaii, but probably won’t be let off. Might go through the Panama Canal. Who knows, but we are in good spirits!” Norwegian Jewel. (Photo cou

Enterprise companies find MLOps critical for reliability and performance

77TechCrunch / 7h
Rish Joshi Contributor Rish is an entrepreneur and investor. Previously, he was a VC at Gradient Ventures (Google’s AI fund), co-founded a fintech startup building an analytics platform for SEC filings and worked on deep-learning research as a graduate student in computer science at MIT. More posts by this contributor The future of deep-reinforcement learning, our contemporary AI superhero Enterp

Equinix just recorded its 69th straight positive quarter

IBM Watson Microsoft100+TechCrunch / 7h
There’s something to be said for consistency through good times and bad, and one company that has had a staggeringly consistent track record is international data center vendor, Equinix . It just recorded its 69th straight positive quarter, according to the company. That’s an astonishing record, and covers over 17 years of positive returns. That means this streak goes back to 2003. Not too shabby

Recreate your favorite sounds with this modular instrument — Future Blink

53Mashable / 7h
Joué Play is a customizable digital instrument designed for anyone to use. The device comes with its own app and interchangeable pads that mimic the design of traditional instruments. Read more... More about Tech , Music , Mashable Video , Midi Controller , and Future Blink

Coronavirus means iPhone 12’s perceived weakness is its most important strength

Apple iPhone 2020 11SlashGear / 8h
The latest in iPhone 12 leaks suggest that Apple’s design language remains largely the same as previous years, suggesting prospective users will be of two minds once again. In past years, basically every generation in which the iPhone’s display shape stayed the same as seasons before, the vocal minority’s proclaimed a lack of industrial design innovation. But now, as we’re … Continue reading

Dramatic Fossil Shows a Squid-Like Creature Crushing a Fish in Its Jaws

93Gizmodo / 8h
A re-analysis of a fossil found in England during the 19th century reveals that it depicts a 200-million-year-old scene in which a squid-like creature is still clutching onto its prey. Read more...

BuzzFeed extends pay cuts and furloughs 68 employees

79TechCrunch / 8h
BuzzFeed plans to furlough 68 employees as part of broader cost-cutting measures, according to a memo from CEO Jonah Peretti that was shared earlier by Variety . We’ve also obtained a copy of the memo, in which Peretti said the furloughs will affect the business, studios and administration teams. It sounds like the furloughs do not yet include BuzzFeed News. However, Peretti wrote, “We will begin

Southwest CEO urges TSA to add temperature scans to screening checks

42The Points Guy / 8h
Will travelers soon have to submit to a temperature check in addition to emptying their your pockets before going through screening at U.S. airport security checkpoints? That’s what at least one prominent airline CEO would like to see. “We’re urging the TSA … to begin temperature scans as part of the screening process at the checkpoints,” Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said morning during a Wednesday m

Citi Rewards+ Card Review: Round Up Points With No Annual Fee

200+One Mile at a Time / 8h
Citi Rewards+℠ Card 2x points at gas stations 2x points at restaurants round-up bonus points Annual Fee: $0 Apply Now Citi is an advertising partner of OMAAT Understandably a lot of people are at least temporarily reassessing their approach to using credit cards. Some people are looking for ways to be more efficient with their strategy and spending, and for many that involves considering no annua

COVID-19 wallops meat plant workers; shortages hit shelves, fast food

400+Ars Technica / 8h
Enlarge / Smithfield Foods pork plant in South Dakota is closed indefinitely in the wake of its coronavirus outbreak. (credit: Getty | Kerem Yucel ) Meat- and poultry-processing facilities have become hotspots for COVID-19 outbreaks, with cases spreading in over 100 plants across the country. Federal and state public health researchers reported Friday, May 1, that at least 115 meat and poultry pl

Turn Your Living Room into an Art Museum With This iOS App

28Lifehacker / 8h
We hear a lot about how the COVID-19 lockdown has affected small businesses and restaurants, but it’s impacting all aspects of our culture. Museums and art galleries are no exception, but as long as you have an iPhone, there’s a way to bring the art exhibits into your home—virtually, that is. Read more...

These Insects Are Not 'Murder Hornets' So Please Stop Killing Them

5KLifehacker / 8h
Asian giant hornets are large and stripey, yes. But so are several other insects. If you see something that looks a little like these “murder hornets” you’ve heard so much about , you may be tempted to kill it and/or convince yourself that the apocalypse has truly arrived. But please don’t. It’s almost certainly a case… Read more...

iOS 13.5 can automatically share your Medical ID in an emergency call

iPhone Apple Watch100+Engadget / 8h
Apple is making it easier for iPhone and Apple Watch owners to share their medical information with 911 call centers during an emergency. On Wednesday, the company said iOS 13.5 , which it will start rolling out over the next couple of weeks, will allow you to set up your phone or smartwatch to share any information you have saved in your Medical ID automatically. If you're not familiar with Medi

Union rep apparently threatens coronavirus infections to stop clean energy rule

100+Ars Technica / 8h
Enlarge / Power lines run through a national park in San Luis Obsispo, California. (credit: George Rose/Getty Images ) There's a battle raging in California over the future of natural gas. Environmentalists want building codes to encourage new buildings to be electrically heated in order to reduce carbon emissions. Natural gas utilities and labor unions representing their workers have been united

AWS adds UltraWarm storage tier for Elasticsearch customers

40TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
AWS has announced that its UltraWarm storage tier for Amazon Elasticsearch Service that provides customers with fast interactive analytics of log data at one-tenth of the cost of existing storage options is now generally available. Amazon Elasticsearch Service makes it easy for users to collect, analyze and visualize machine-generated log data from websites, mobile devices and sensors. UltraWarm

Publicist launches its marketplace for freelance PR and marketing

100+TechCrunch / 8h
Founder and CEO Lara Vandenberg told me she created Publicist to support the ways in which the communications and marketing industry is changing — changes that are only accelerating due to COVID-19. Vandenberg was previously senior vice president of communications and marketing at Knotch , and she told me, “More companies now are being better served by this flexible support, rather than being tie

Here's What To Buy Your Mom For Mother's Day

52Lifehacker / 8h
This Sunday is Mother’s Day, and with a global pandemic keeping us apart, we still should celebrate the day for what it is—giving thanks to the women who made us who we are. Obviously mothers don’t have to be biological, maybe you’ve had an aunt or female figure in your life that gave you love. Either way, you should… Read more...

Here's What To Buy Your Mom For Mother's Day

52Gizmodo / 8h
This Sunday is Mother’s Day, and with a global pandemic keeping us apart, we still should celebrate the day for what it is—giving thanks to the women who made us who we are. Obviously mothers don’t have to be biological, maybe you’ve had an aunt or female figure in your life that gave you love. Either way, you should… Read more...

Fortnite announces Party Royale as players reach 350 million

Fortnite Party Royale200+BBC News - Technology / 8h
Fortnite has become a popular places for virtual meet-ups while coronavirus lockdowns are in place.

Wink shocks smart home users with one week notice of new subscription fee

Wink Monthly Next Week200+SlashGear / 8h
Smart home company Wink has made a surprising and heavily criticized announcement: it will soon charge a monthly subscription fee. Users aren’t required to pay this fee, of course, but their hardware will stop working without the subscription, rendering their current systems completely useless. Until now, Wink charged a one-time fee with its hardware sales and used that to cover … Continue readin

Scientists Say Llama Antibodies Could Be Key to Defeating COVID

5KFuturism / 8h
Scientists say lamas could help defeat the coronavirus. According to a new study published in the journal Cell Tuesday by an international team of researchers, antibodies found in the blood of llamas were able to stave off COVID infections. “This is one of the first antibodies known to neutralize SARS-CoV-2,” Jason McLellan, from the University of Texas at Austin and co-author of the study, said

How to Donate Your Airline Miles to Charity

39Lifehacker / 8h
Right now, with travel at a standstill and essential workers toiling around the clock to keep us safe, it’s important we find ways to contribute whatever we can. If you’re looking to donate to worthy causes, there’s another way you can pitch in: by giving away the miles and points you’ve accrued through airlines and… Read more...

JetBlue will do a flyover of New York City with 3 planes on Thursday evening

100+The Points Guy / 8h
A week after the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels and the Air Force’s Thunderbirds overflew New York City to show support for health care and essential workers, JetBlue is about to do the same. The New York City-based airline will fly three Airbus A320s at low altitude over the city’s five boroughs on Thursday, May 7, between 7 and 8 p.m. in what it called the “JetBlue Flyover Salute.” A map published by

Why Temperature Screenings Alone Won't Protect People From Covid-19

74Gizmodo / 8h
As parts of the U.S. begin to reopen and ease restrictions on physical movement, a major looming question is how to prevent new spikes in cases of covid-19. One commonly touted idea is to implement wide-scale temperature screenings at businesses and public places, as some companies like Amazon already are doing . But… Read more...

Sonos debuts new Arc soundbar, next-generation Sonos Sub, and Sonos Five speaker

200+TechCrunch / 8h
Sonos has introduced a trio of new hardware today, adding three new smart speakers to its lineup, including the Sonos Arc soundbar that includes Dolby Atmos support, as well as Sonos Five, the next version of its Sonos Play:5 speaker, and a third-generation Sonos Sub. All of these will require the new S2 app that Sonos announced it will release to customers starting on June 8, which will introduc

Peloton Q3 earnings show huge revenue and membership spikes

100+TechCrunch / 8h
Peloton bested Wall Street’s high expectations, delivering a huge quarterly earnings report Wednesday that showed revenues climbing 66%. In after-hours trading, the connected fitness company’s stock bounced around rising and dipping below the stock’s previous all-time high. The company posted total revenues of $524.6 million for the quarter, besting estimates of $488.5 million. The company detail

Video podcasts could be Spotify’s next big thing

SlashGear / 8h
With music streaming cornered, Spotify has been attempting to make a name for itself in the podcast space for quite some time now. There are a lot of platforms that host podcasts out there though, which means there’s a lot of competition for Spotify. It seems that the company is testing a new feature that could help it stand out … Continue reading

Lyft shares rally 14% after it reports Q1 revenue growth of 23% to $955.7M

Lyft Uber April 17%100+TechCrunch / 8h
Fresh off of a large round of layoffs, Lyft reported its Q1 results this afternoon. The ride-hailing company disclosed that it generated revenue of $955.7 million in the first three months of 2020, up 23% from its year-ago Q1 revenue result of $776 million. The company’s net loss of $398.1 million was also an improvement on its year-ago, IPO-impacted result. On an adjusted basis, Lyft lost $97.4

Is There a Constitutional Right to Make Robocalls?

100+Wired / 8h
Meeting via conference call for the first time ever this week, the Supreme Court considers a case about our phones.

Your iPhone will soon be able to tell 911 about your medical conditions and allergies

iPhone Apple Watch200+TechCrunch / 8h
Got something in your medical history that first responders should know about if you call 911? Things like known drug allergies, or the medications you’re on? The iPhone and Apple Watch will soon be able to share this information with first responders automatically (if you opt to let it do so). When a user with this feature enabled calls 911, Apple will ping their location to determine if the loc

The Midnight Gospel's Dark Reflections on Reality Have Become Therapeutic for Me

1KGizmodo / 8h
If you’re reading this, then you know io9 wholly endorses podcasts of all varieties, as they’re an art form that brings people together and encourages listeners to open their minds . Strictly speaking, Netflix’s The Midnight Gospel isn’t a podcast, it’s something more: a manifestation of what all podcasts try to be,… Read more...

NFC Wants to Pack Wireless Charging Where Qi Won't Fit

NFC Wireless ChargingHow-To Geek / 9h
Today, the NFC Forum (the group responsible for the implementation of NFC) announced a new specification. But rather than focus on communication across devices, the new Wireless Charging Specification (WLC) focuses on charging your devices. And while you might think Qi has that locked down, NFC is looking at your accessories that might not have charging coils, like headphones and smart watches. R

Click Quack: HyperX and Ducky Team Up for a 60% Gaming Keyboard

How-To Geek / 9h
Kingston sub-brand HyperX has been trying to bust into the exploding mechanical keyboard segment for a while now. Its latest move is to team up with Ducky, a small but much-loved keyboard maker, for a special edition of the Ducky One 2 Mini. It’s a 60% board with Ducky’s body and software, but HyperX’s fast linear Red mechanical switches. Read This Article on Review Geek ›

Researchers created a highly expandable foam for 3D printing — Future Blink

100+Mashable / 9h
Developed by researchers from UC San Diego, the foam resin can be used to 3D print objects larger than the printer itself. Read more... More about Tech , Science , Mashable Video , 3d Printing , and Future Blink

The Airline Industry Begins To Talk To Congress About A Second Bailout

100+View from the Wing / 9h
U.S. airlines are telling Congress they ‘hope’ not to ‘have to’ come back for money subsidies. That means, of course, that they expect to seek more taxpayer money and they’re beginning to sow the ground now. Continue reading ...

Dit is de Sonos Arc: de eerste Sonos soundbar met Dolby Atmos

36TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
Sonos is een van de toonaangevende audiomerken van vandaag, met een reputatie van hoge kwaliteit die veel van zijn concurrenten overstijgt. Het bedrijf heeft net zijn eerste Dolby Atmos-compatibele soundbar, de Sonos Arc, aangekondigd. De Sonos Arc wordt beschreven als de "premium smart soundbar van Sonos voor tv, films, muziek, gaming en meer" en vervangt in de praktijk de Sonos Play:Bar en Sono

Meet the Sonos Arc: the first Sonos soundbar with Dolby Atmos

Sonos Arc Dolby Atmos53TechRadar - All the latest technology ne.../ 9h
Sonos is one of the leading premium audio brands of today, with a reputation for high-quality sound far beyond many of its competitors – and it’s just announced its first Dolby Atmos -compatible soundbar , the Sonos Arc. Described to us as the “premium smart soundbar from Sonos for TV, movies, music, gaming, and more,” the Sonos Arc effectively replaces the Sonos Play:Bar and Sonos Play:Base mode

Sonos Arc Soundbar: Price, Specs, Release Date

200+Wired / 9h
The Sonos Arc is the company's new high-end home theater option. The company's largest wireless speaker and its subwoofer also get an update.

Sonos Arc soundbar makes jump to Dolby Atmos audio

Sonos Arc Dolby Atmos100+BBC News - Technology / 9h
Speaker-maker adopts "3D audio" tech, but may suffer from coronavirus's impact on consumer spending.

How scientists are using baker's yeast to develop a coronavirus vaccine

68Mashable / 9h
While scientists are desperately looking for COVID-19 treatments and vaccines, common baker's yeast has proven to be an unexpected, yet valuable resource in the fight against coronavirus. Read more... More about Health , Mashable Video , Vaccine , Yeast , and Coronavirus

Sonos Finally Supports Dolby Atmos With New Arc Soundbar

Sonos Arc Dolby AtmosGizmodo / 9h
Sonos has been busy these past few months. The company announced it’s phasing out ‘legacy’ devices and plans to roll out a new app in June, not to mention that it also launched a new radio service . But all of these announcement lacked one crucial element: new hardware. The first next-generation Sonos product is the… Read more...

Sonos' updated Play:5 is now just called 'Five'

58Engadget / 9h
To go along with its brand-new Arc soundbar, Sonos is making a few internal updates to some existing products. Most relevant to anyone considering the Arc is probably the 3rd-generation Sonos Sub. Sonos has offered a wireless sub for years, and this update doesn’t change the equation much. In fact, the new Sub looks identical to its predecessor, but it got a major internal update. Sonos says that

The Sonos Arc is a smart soundbar with Dolby Atmos support

Sonos Arc Dolby Atmos100+Engadget / 9h
A lot has changed in the home theater world since Sonos first released the Playbar in 2013. TVs have gotten a lot bigger, and new audio formats like Dolby Atmos have made their way from movie theaters into the home. Sonos has also released other home theater speakers like the smaller, more affordable Beam and the rather curious Playbase, but the flagship Playbar has gone untouched. That won’t be

Sonos Arc official: Dolby Atmos soundbar runs S2 OS

Sonos Arc Dolby AtmosSlashGear / 9h
Say hello to Sonos Arc, the company’s new soundbar and its first to offer Dolby Atmos. Replacing the Sonos Playbar, the Arc squeezes eleven speakers into its long, minimalistic chassis, along with four microphones to work as a Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa smart speaker. Arc is also among the first of Sonos’ speakers to run its new S2 software, … Continue reading

What is the difference between a hard and soft pull on your credit report?

20The Points Guy / 9h
A common question we get from beginners is about the difference between a soft pull and a hard pull on your credit report. Both terms are used frequently when discussing applying for new credit cards, but how does each play into your credit score? The major difference between the two is that a hard pull appears on your credit report while a soft pull does not. New to The Points Guy? Sign up for o

The Sonos Arc is the long-awaited Playbar update with Dolby Atmos support

Sonos Arc Dolby Atmos41Ars Technica / 9h
Enlarge / The new Sonos Arc in white with the updated Sonos Sub. (credit: Sonos ) Sonos on Wednesday unveiled the Sonos Arc, its latest premium soundbar for the living room. The new device will replace the aging Playbar soundbar, which launched in 2013, and serve as a higher-end alternative to the smaller Beam soundbar it released in 2018. It will also bump out the Playbase sound system the compa

Twitter users are not fans of the platform’s new way to show replies

48Mashable / 9h
Twitter says the new display will feature “lines and indentations" similar to Reddit's layout. Read more... More about Tech , Twitter , Mashable Video , Social Media , and Tech

Sonos Five updates Play:5 with cleaner look and S2 software

Sonos Arc Dolby AtmosSlashGear / 9h
Sonos has updated its flagship speaker, with the new Sonos Five replacing the old Play:5. Now effectively the third-generation of the multi-room speaker, the new Five focuses on music rather than TV audio like the new Arc soundbar, though the changes are more for your eyes than your ears. A streamlined design for Sonos Five The core silhouette of the … Continue reading

New Standard Adds Low-Power Wireless Charging to NFC

NFC Wireless Charging21Gizmodo / 9h
Qi wireless charging has become the de facto wireless charging standard for gadgets like phones, earbuds, and more. However, just this week, the NFC Forum approved a new low-power wireless charging specification to help make it easier to charge smaller gadgets or IoT devices. Read more...

Can't escape home? Try this virtual escape room instead.

200+Mashable / 9h
One afternoon, I found myself trapped in an enchanted forest with a few friends and no help but some gentle guidance from a "fairy godparent." Well, we weren't really outside. Who is these days?Instead, three of my friends and I were lost in a virtual escape room on Zoom. Despite the fantasy of it all, we were still met by the harsh reality of bad WiFi and videoconferencing quirks at the beginnin

Apple iPhone SE Review: A Superb Smartphone for a Humble Price

Apple iPhone 2020 111KNYT > Technology / 9h
For $399, this smartphone hits the high notes: speedy, a great camera and a nice screen. Took long enough, didn’t it?

European Authorities Ban Dirty Cookie Practices in GDPR Update

Gizmodo / 9h
When GDPR rolled out across the European Union back in 2018, the sweeping legal framework pledged to bring consumer privacy and protection to the forefront. In the years since then, we’ve seen the adtech industry at large do its collective darnedest to undermine these laws at every turn, and largely get away with it ,… Read more...

AR is the answer to plummeting retail sales during lockdown

300+TechCrunch / 9h
Alex Chuang Contributor Alex Chuang is the managing partner of Shape Immersive , a leading VR/AR agency that drives innovation for the world's top brands and enterprises. More posts by this contributor Reality Check: The marvel of computer vision technology in today’s camera-based AR systems The fall of the unicorns brings a new dawn for water bears As countries around the world face prolonged lo

EA games on PS4 and Xbox One could be ‘upgraded free’ to next-gen console versions

200+TechCrunch / 9h
2020 and 2021 will be one of the periodic transitional eras in gaming as Sony and Microsoft debut their shiny new consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X . To ease the process (and spur adoption of the next generation), EA may make its upcoming titles free to “upgrade” to your chosen console. On an earnings call last night, EA COO Blake Jorgensen at the end of his remarks noted a possible e

Buy “Hotel Bonds” For Discounted Stays In 60+ Days

50One Mile at a Time / 9h
I’m not exactly sure what to make of this, so I’m simply passing this on for anyone who wants to look into it more, as I don’t plan on taking advantage of this myself (I think). Buy $150 hotel gift cards for $100 The website buynowstaylater.com is selling “hotel bonds.” As the initiative is described: As the hotel industry faces unprecedented challenges due to coronavirus (COVID-19), we encourage

Scientists find the closest known black hole to date

100+Engadget / 9h
Black holes are quite common ( estimates indicate over 10 million in the Milky Way alone), and now it doesn’t appear that you have to go very far to find one... relatively speaking. Astronomers have detected what they say is the closest known black hole to date, a stellar-mass object in the double-star HR6819 system about 1,000 light-years away. The team discovered the hole after noticing that th

Blade rolls out safety measures for staff and passengers — including an oxygen test

The Points Guy / 9h
In the days of coronavirus , change seems to be a constant. As the situation continues to evolve, travel companies are making adjustments to their safety and sanitary procedures . Airlines have started to block middle seats , Uber is now requiring all drivers and passengers to wear masks and now Blade — provider of helicopter and small-jet service between New York City and hot spots like the Hamp

Buying PS5 or Xbox Series X? Your FIFA and Madden 21 purchases may get upgraded too

PS5 Xbox Series XSX52TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
The FIFA 21 or Madden 21 release dates fall a few months before we expect the Xbox Series X and PS5 launches just before Christmas. Torn? Don’t worry about it, there’s a good chance EA will give you an upgraded copy of the games at no extra charge. Certain games the company is launching this year on current-gen consoles “can be upgraded for free for the next generation" i.e. on the Xbox Series X

TiVo enters the streaming market with a $50 Android TV-powered device, TiVo Stream 4K

TiVo Stream Android TV400+TechCrunch / 9h
TiVo today is launching a new device, its would-be Fire TV Stick competitor known as the TiVo Stream 4K . First announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, this $50 Android TV-powered HDMI dongle is TiVo’s attempt to insert itself into the streaming media device market. The new dongle arrives at a time when TiVo has largely lost its customer base to rivals like Roku, Amazon, Apple and

Install Slack's New Android Beta for a Cleaner User Interface

70Lifehacker / 9h
I try not to Slack on my phone if I can avoid it—the notifications get to be a bit much—but if I did, I’d do it on Android, for sure. And I’d also make sure I was enrolled in the beta for Slack’s Android app, because the new UI enhancements Slack is testing make the app even easier to navigate. Read more...

Tinder’s newest feature is made for dating during a pandemic

SlashGear / 9h
Swipe-based dating app Tinder has announced plans to release a new feature that’s designed specifically for making connections during a pandemic. The new feature was revealed by parent company Match Group as part of its Q1 2020 financial details; the company cited social distancing and a willingness to virtually date as the reasons for the new feature. For obvious reasons, … Continue reading

Why Norwegian Cruise Line isn’t going out of business anytime soon

400+The Points Guy / 9h
The news from Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings on Tuesday was grim. In several regulatory filings, the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line , Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises said there was “substantial doubt” about its ability to “continue as a going concern.” Citing a cash squeeze from the complete shutdown of its operations due to the coronavirus outbreak , it said it didn’t have

Prince of Persia concept video appears—and confirms why series has been dormant

82Ars Technica / 9h
Enlarge / What could have been. (credit: Ubisoft) The classic computer gaming series Prince of Persia has enjoyed a long, healthy life as a fan favorite—both in its '80s side-scrolling form and its mid-'00s rebirth as a 3D series. But after 2010's PoP: The Forgotten Sands , the series' newer handlers at Ubisoft remained mum about why PoP 's 3D fork stopped getting sequels or "HD" re-releases. Tha

GOOLOO's 2000A Jump Starter Falls to $60, the Lowest Ever

Lifehacker / 10h
GOOLOO 2000A SuperSafe Jump Starter | $60 | Amazon | Use code NF3LTHYY Read more...

Apple will let users automatically share medical IDs on emergency calls

Apple WWDC June 22100+Mashable / 10h
Apple is making the repository of medical information in your iPhone more useful in an emergency. Apple's upcoming iOS 13.5 update will include the ability for users to automatically share their "Medical ID" when they make an emergency call. If users enable the feature, their info would be automatically shared with 9-11 dispatchers, who would then share it with emergency responders if a service c

Despite Record Streaming Subscriptions, Disney Is Tiptoeing Around the Movie Theater Drama—For Now

Disney One Years47Gizmodo / 10h
As a very ugly standoff between legacy theaters and legacy studios plays out in real time , Disney appears to be treading lightly around the sensitive issue over how studios will handle releases now and in a post-covid-19 future. Read more...

EA promises free game upgrades to Xbox Series X, PS5 early-adopters

PS5 Xbox Series XSXSlashGear / 10h
The end of a console generation is an interesting time. It’s generally expected that many games are released at the tail end of a console cycle are also going to be released on next-gen hardware, putting those who are planning to jump to next-gen consoles right away in something of a strange spot regarding when to buy those games. In … Continue reading

What to Watch Tonight, May 6, 2020

63Lifehacker / 10h
It’s Wednesday! If you’re looking for something to help you get over the hump and on to the end of the week we’ve dug up some of the best streaming options out there. Read more...

Apple's Magic Keyboard Really Does Turn the iPad Pro Into a Neat Little Laptop

Apple MacBook Pro 202044Gizmodo / 10h
The iPad Pro is the best tablet you can buy, but without the right accessories, it can’t fully replace your laptop for every task. The Magic Keyboard for iPad is the right accessory. In fact, it’s the perfect accessory. Read more...

Google Authenticator update allows switch to new device, at last

SlashGear / 10h
Since inception, the biggest weakness of the Google Authenticator app and service was its inability to move from device to device. The security inherent within the app required that the one device be the place where Google’s code was revealed for each account to which it was connected. Or at least that’s what was generally understood to be the truth. … Continue reading

Get Your Nest Devices Ready for Mandatory Two-Factor Authentication

Google Nest Two Factor33Lifehacker / 10h
Google is about to turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for all Nest users . That’s a good thing! Most people shouldn’t experience any difficulties with this security-enhancing measure, but there are a few quirks you should know about. Read more...

Volvo Plans To Be The First To Include LiDAR On A Production Car

Volvo Luminar LIDAR 2022200+Gizmodo / 10h
Autonomous cars will need to see the world, just like we human drivers do occasionally when we glance up from our phones to peek out the big window up front with the wipers. Currently, all production cars with semi-autonomous features (remember, there are no completely self-driving cars for sale today) use visible… Read more...

The 500-year-old bones of African slaves tell a traumatic story

Africa Years WHO 45100+Ars Technica / 10h
Enlarge (credit: San José de los Naturales, Osteology Laboratory, (ENAH) / R. Barquera ) Archaeologists found the bones of three young African men in a 500-year-old mass grave in what is now Mexico City. The chemical makeup of their bones sheds light on their earlier lives in Africa, and forensic analysis reveals hard, painful lives and young deaths. How the dead speak Archaeologists unearthed th

Autotech Ventures raises more than $150 million with an eye on ground transportation startups

300+TechCrunch / 10h
Autotech Ventures popped on the scene three years ago with a $120 million debut fund and a plan to invest in early-stage ground transportation startups. Now, with investments in 26 startups and a handful of exits, including Xnor.ai, DeepScale and Frontier Car Group, the venture firm is back with a new, bigger fund and the same strategy. Autotech Ventures has raised more than $150 million in its s

The World's Largest Iceberg Just Had a Baby

100+Gizmodo / 10h
There’s a new baby in town. No, I don’t mean Grimes’ and Elon Musk’s new baby, X Æ A-12 , although this other baby’s name is about as robot-like. I’m talking, of course, about A-68C, the new little iceberg that broke off Antarctica’s Larsen C Ice Shelf in late April. What a cutie pie! Read more...

Facebook's oversight board includes journalists, lawyers and activists

Facebook Mark Zuckerberg100+Engadget / 10h
Facebook has shared the names of the first 20 members of its content oversight board. Initially announced in 2018 , the organization will oversee moderation disputes across the company's various social media platforms. Today the first Members of the Oversight Board were announced. Learn more on our blog about how our Members will bring independent judgment to the most challenging content issues f

The 4 Best Value Rewards Cards, Big Rewards at a Low Price

View from the Wing / 10h
Customers who pocket big bonuses, use their rewards, and spend most heavily in the fastest earning spending categories -- all while paying off their card in full each month -- may not wind up being a profitable customer for a bank. That's especially true with the richest rewards cards, however those also come with the heftiest annual fees. Not everyone is willing to apply for a $450 or $550 annua

The all-new AirPods Pro are on sale and down to their lowest price ever

Buds Apple AirPods Pro48TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Verizon's Apple AirPod sale includes a rare price on the all-new AirPods Pro. For a limited time, you can get the AirPods Pro on sale for $224.99 . That's a $25 discount and the lowest price we've seen for truly wireless earbuds. You can also get the 2019 Apple AirPods with charging case on sale for $135.99 and the AirPods with wireless charging case on sale for $169.99 . The 2019 AirPods Pro fea

Spotify is testing video podcasts

97Engadget / 10h
, The Verge reported today. According to a source close to the company, Spotify will let two YouTube stars Zane Hijazi and Heath Hussar, hosts of Zane and Heath: Unfiltered , upload video to accompany three Spotify podcast episodes. Half of the show’s audience will see the video footage. The source told The Verge that this feature will likely arrive on other podcasts in the near future. While Spo

Daniel Radcliffe Reads Harry Potter to Us

300+Lifehacker / 10h
If there’s one thing this pandemic has taught us, it’s that we really like it when celebrities read to us. Actor Josh Gad was among the first (and he’s still at it!). Then American hero LeVar Burton stepped up to bring stories to life for kids, young adults and grown-ups alike. And now, Harry Potter himself is kicking… Read more...

Scientists: COVID-19 Spread Globally for Months Before We Noticed

1KFuturism / 10h
The U.S. government didn’t officially confirm its first case of COVID-19 until January 21 . But new genetic research suggests that by then, it could have already been spreading for weeks — and maybe even months. That new timeline matches existing reports that U.S. intelligence warned political leaders of a possible pandemic back in November , but it’s difficult to ascertain the exact day or even

Volvo plans cars with lidar and “eyes off” highway driving by 2022

Volvo Luminar LIDAR 202255Ars Technica / 10h
Enlarge / A Volvo roofline with integrated Luminar lidar sensor. (credit: Volvo ) Volvo will begin producing vehicles with powerful lidar sensors from startup Luminar, the Swedish company announced on Wednesday . It's a significant milestone for the automotive industry as well as a major coup for Luminar. Volvo invested in Luminar in 2018. Lidar sensors will be available starting in 2022 as part

Why Too Much Positive Thinking Can Be Counterproductive

200+Lifehacker / 10h
Acknowledging the positives is a way to remember all that is good about life. However, as with everything, there can be too much of a good thing. This includes what is called toxic positivity , which is the relentless focus to only concentrate on the good, at the cost of ignoring all of the bad. Read more...

Netflix's 'Becoming' is a visual reintroduction to Michelle Obama

300+Mashable / 10h
At several points in Becoming , the new Netflix documentary covering former First Lady Michelle Obama's 34-city book tour, Obama waits in the wings to be introduced to an audience of thousands. The people announcing her are household names — Gayle King, Oprah Winfrey, Stephen Colbert, Conan O'Brien — and the camera follows Obama from behind as she rolls her shoulders and steps out into the light.

When Schools Reopen, Don't Ditch Online Learning

200+Wired / 10h
Blending classroom teaching and virtual education keeps students flexible and engaged.

More debt, improving margins: How startups are retooling in the COVID-19 era

100+TechCrunch / 10h
A new data set from Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) details how startups are reacting to the post-unicorn era as COVID-19-related disruptions upset the global economy and remake the risk tolerance of private investors. What SVB’s new report shows is unsurprising: venture capital deal volumes are falling, startups are tapping existing debt capacities to add cash to balances while they still can and some

Confluent introduces scale on demand for Apache Kafka cloud customers

100TechCrunch / 10h
We find ourselves in a time when certain businesses are being asked to scale to levels they never imagined. Sometimes that increased usage comes in bursts, which means you don’t want to pay for permanent extra capacity you might not always need. Today, Confluent introduced a new scale-on-demand feature for its Apache Kafka cloud service that will scale up and down as needed, automatically. Conflu

SAP reveals security holes in certain cloud products

61TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 11h
German software giant SAP has announced its plans to notify nine percent of its 440,000 customers regarding recently discovered security issues with several of its cloud-based products. The products in question include the likes of SAP Success Factors, SAP Concur, SAP/CallidusCloud Commissions, SAP/Callidus Cloud CPQ, SAP C4C/Sales Cloud, SAP Cloud Platform, and SAP Analytics Cloud. In a recently

A toilet flush interrupted the livestream of the Supreme Court's oral argument

500+Mashable / 11h
Oh, the woes of life during a pandemic. Many activities are being done remotely — either via conference call or Zoom or whatever else — and that includes Supreme Court oral arguments. The thing about conference calls and virtual meetings is it is ripe with opportunities for uncomfortable mistakes. The Supreme Court proved this on Wednesday. During oral arguments for Barr v. American Assn. of Poli

EU says websites can't hide content behind 'cookie walls'

400+Engadget / 11h
Are you frustrated with websites trying to dodge around the EU’s cookie consent laws by forcing you accept cookies just to view anything? So is the EU. The European Data Protection Board has published (via TechCrunch ) new guidelines saying that “cookie walls” violate EU data protection law. Consent has to be “freely given,” the board said, and an all-or-nothing choice isn’t really a choice at al

Facebook's 'supreme court' members announced

Facebook Mark Zuckerberg400+BBC News - Technology / 11h
The first 20 members include ex-Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger and a former Danish prime minister.

Dolores’ Westworld Finale Arc May Be Just the Beginning

98Gizmodo / 11h
What will that dramatic Westworld season three finale mean for all the big players moving forward? Co-showrunner Jonathan Nolan had a few thoughts to share—especially when it comes to the show’s biggest player of all. Read more...

Airlines walk a fine line with staff cuts after taking coronavirus aid

76The Points Guy / 11h
Tens of thousands of Americans are out of work, and the number seeking unemployment is rising by the week. Airline staff, for the most part, remain employed thanks in large part to the federal government’s $2 trillion coronavirus aid package. That package, known as the CARES Act, provided $25 billion in payroll assistance to airlines to keep staff on their books through Sept. 30. Lawmakers set so

The best Zoom alternative is now Google Meet

SlashGear / 11h
Google Meet is now free, and exceedingly simple to use. Google Meet’s been around for a while, in one form or another, but starting here in May of 2020, global pandemic and the rise of the at-home worker’s made for a unique set of circumstances. Now Google Meet is simpler than it’s ever been, and it’s free for basically everyone … Continue reading

Facebook users are buying and selling pangolin parts, even though it’s illegal

Facebook Mark Zuckerberg400+TechCrunch / 11h
In spite of their protected status under international laws, pangolins remain one of the most trafficked animals in the world — and at least some of that trade is taking place right out in the open on Facebook . A new report from tech watchdog group the Tech Transparency Project details how Facebook users are engaged in the sale of illegally trafficked pangolin parts, even though the practice is

New 'EARN IT Act' Alternative Seeks $5 Billion to Hunt Child Predators Without Wrecking Encryption

84Gizmodo / 11h
Democratic lawmakers unveiled new legislation Wednesday aimed at drastically expanding the federal government’s resources devoted to the targeting and prosecution of child predators, developing new technologies to identify child sexual abuse material online, and funding leading community organizations that work to… Read more...

How Has Your Spending Changed During the Shutdown?

100+Lifehacker / 11h
My budget makes absolutely no sense right now. Read more...

The Last of Us Part II story trailer sets the stage for drama

The Last of Us Part IISlashGear / 11h
It’s been a tumultuous couple of weeks for The Last of Us Part II, but nonetheless, we’re closing in on its new release date. After a couple of delays, The Last of Us Part II is slated to release on June 19th, meaning we’re just about six weeks out from its launch. Being one of 2020’s most anticipated games for … Continue reading

The preprint problem: Unvetted science is fueling COVID-19 misinformation

1KArs Technica / 11h
Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson / Getty Images ) A significant difference between COVID-19 and past pandemics—even the 2009 outbreak of H1N1—has been the speed with which information on the disease has spread. Partly, that's down to social media, as platforms like Twitter have been embraced by scientists and doctors. But another major factor has been the rise of what we call a preprint—an academic

Fairmont Selling Gift Cards With 20% Bonus (Three Hours Only)

63One Mile at a Time / 11h
The major hotel chains sometimes sell discounted gift cards, which is a great way to lower the cost of hotel stays. For the past few years Fairmont has been offering bonuses on gift card purchases at least twice a year. They typically offer one of these promotions around Mother’s Day and one around Black Friday, and this year will be no different. This actually doesn’t appear to specifically be d

Why You Might Want to Stop Paying Your Student Loans Right Now

97Lifehacker / 11h
The CARES Act allows federal student loan borrowers to put off loan payments until October 2020 —and many of those loans will be set at 0% interest during the forbearance period. This is different from other types of forbearance programs (think credit cards, mortgages), in which payments are waived but interest… Read more...

The ultimate guide to Citi ThankYou Rewards transfer partners

The Points Guy / 11h
Editor’s note: This post refers to many flights that are not currently operating due to COVID-19 but are expected to resume once this crisis subsides. Citi is a TPG advertising partner. Many Citi cardholders simply redeem their Citi ThankYou Rewards points for travel or gift cards. But if you have a premium Citi ThankYou card , you may be able to get greater value from your points by transferring

With funding from Indie.vc, ReadySet is scaling to meet the demands of a changing workplace

200+TechCrunch / 11h
ReadySet , a diversity, equity and inclusion startup led by Project Include founding member Y-Vonne Hutchinson, has raised its first, and perhaps last, round of funding from Indie.vc. “We were lucky enough to close our round right as the coronavirus was hitting and then shifted our business to doing remote stuff that offered connection,” Hutchinson told TechCrunch. For the last five years, ReadyS

An AI algorithm inspired by how kids learn is harder to confuse

300+MIT Technology Review / 12h
Information firehose: The standard practice for teaching a machine-learning algorithm is to give it all the details at once. Say you’re building an image classification system to recognize different species of animals. You show it examples of each species and label them accordingly: “German shepherd” and “poodle” for dogs, for example. But when a parent is teaching a child, the approach is entire

Halo 2: Anniversary will finally arrive on PC next week

Xbox Game Pass May 244TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
Though rumors had suggested the next installment of The Master Chief Collection would arrive as early as this week , Microsoft today debunked the speculation with confirmation that it will be released on May 12. Halo 2: Anniversary, which first came out as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Xbox One in 2014, is a HD remaster of the first-person shooter, which now supports 60fps, Ultra H

Need a Massage? Save 39% on HoMedics' Heated Shiatsu and Vibration Body Massager

Lifehacker / 12h
HoMedics Shiatsu and Vibration Body Massager | $49 | MorningSave Read more...

Google delays Android 11 Beta, announces I/O replacement event for June 3

Google Android 11 June36Ars Technica / 12h
Enlarge / Apparently, this is happening next month. (credit: Google) The coronavirus pandemic has turned everyone's daily life upside down, and Google is no exception . Today the company is finally reflecting that reality in the Android 11 release schedule and delaying the first beta of Android 11, which was due out this month. Instead, Google is releasing a previously unscheduled "Preview 4" rel

Is United Airlines President Scott Kirby Blackmailing The President?

37View from the Wing / 12h
United has gotten a lot of attention for taking government money to save jobs while at the same time planning publicly to furlough workers and to terminate non-union employees without severance. Is United's Scott Kirby painting a picture of job losses one month before the election to leverage the President to support a second round of bailouts for the airline industry? Continue reading ...

Invisible AI uses computer vision to help (but hopefully not nag) assembly line workers

100+TechCrunch / 12h
“Assembly” may sound like one of the simpler tests in the manufacturing process, but as anyone who’s ever put together a piece of flat-pack furniture knows, it can be surprisingly (and frustratingly) complex. Invisible AI is a startup that aims to monitor people doing assembly tasks using computer vision, helping maintain safety and efficiency — without succumbing to the obvious all-seeing-eye pi

Sonos' updated Play:5 is now just called 'Five'

3KEngadget / 12h
To go along with its brand-new Arc soundbar, Sonos is making a few internal updates to some existing products. Most relevant to anyone considering the Arc is probably the 3rd-generation Sonos Sub. Sonos has offered a wireless sub for years, and this update doesn’t change the equation much. In fact, the new Sub looks identical to its predecessor, but it got a major internal update. Sonos says that

The first public Android 11 beta will be available on June 3rd

Google Android 11 June73Engadget / 12h
Google I/O isn’t taking place this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic , so you might be wondering what’s next for Android, which Google typically spotlights at the event. It’s releasing the Android 11 beta a bit later than usual this year, with a virtual launch event on June 3rd at 11AM ET. Dave Burke, the vice president of engineering for Android, and senior director of product management Ste

Twitch revamps channel pages to help streamers express themselves

70Engadget / 12h
When you visit the channel of a Twitch streamer who’s offline, you’re greeted with a pretty sparse page -- some recent broadcasts and a few top clips. The company is changing that, though. Over the next few weeks, all users will be able to customize their channels with custom branding, curated video shelves, and more. The changes are similar to YouTube’s approach, which emphasizes channel art, a

Treat Yourself to Some Pleasure With the Ella Paradis Mother's Day Vibrator Bundle

Gizmodo / 12h
Mother’s Day Vibrator Bundle | $55 | Ella Paradis Read more...

Amex Credit & Benefit Tracker

41One Mile at a Time / 12h
Several American Express cards offer statement credits and rebates as part of the card benefits. These can be very lucrative, and more than offset the annual fees on the cards, provided you can max out (or at least get close) the assorted credits. The challenge, however, is that Amex makes these benefits somewhat tricky to use. In some cases you have to register to activate a benefit, and even th

The Intel Core i9-10900K overclocks like a champion, according to latest leak

40TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
More leaked benchmarks for the Intel Core i9-10900K have surfaced online, showing the new top processor hitting an impressive 5.4GHz. The Intel Core i9-10900K was announced last week as the flagship CPU in Intel’s 10th-generation Comet Lake-S lineup. Improving on the Core i9-9900K before it, the new processor packs 10 cores, 20 threads and a TDP of 125W, a huge jump from the previous 95W, as well

1-800-flowers last-minute Mother's Day deal gets you 10% off flowers and gifts

Mother Day Last-Minute40TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
Mother's day is just around the corner (this Sunday to be exact), and if you're still searching for the perfect gift for mom, then placing an online order for flowers is always a fantastic option. Luckily, 1-800-Flowers Mother's Day deal takes 10% off a large selection of flowers and gifts when you use code FLOWER10 at checkout. 1-800-Flowers' Mother's Day selection not only includes beautiful bo

Runa Capital closes Fund III at $157M, with an added focus on quantum computing

400+TechCrunch / 12h
VC fund Runa Capital was launched with $135 million in 2010, and is perhaps best known for its investment into NGINX, which powers many web sites today. In more recent years it has participated or led investments into startups such as Zipdrug ($10.8 million); Rollbar this year ($11 million); and Monedo (for €20 million). HQ’d in San Francisco, it has now completed the final closing on its $157 mi

Google delays Android 11 by a month

100+TechCrunch / 12h
Google today announced that it is extending the preview period of Android 11 by about a month. So instead of launching a beta this month, as it had previously planned, it’ll release a fourth developer preview today instead. The first beta will officially launch on June 3, during an Android-centric online event it’ll hold in lieu of its I/O developer conference. “When we started planning Android 1

Elon Musk: Video conferencing is ‘definitely’ coming to Tesla vehicles

Tesla Elon Musk Grimes400+TechCrunch / 12h
Ever since the Tesla Model 3 came to market in 2017, there’s been widespread speculation about an interior camera that’s hidden in the rearview mirror and faces into the car’s cabin. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said the camera is there to support the company’s eventual robotaxi plans or even record sing-along sessions with the vehicle’s Caroake feature. But there have also been hints that the camera

“Black Mirror” Creator: World Too Stressed Out For New Episodes

6KFuturism / 12h
Read the Room Charlie Brooker, creator of the dystopian show “ Black Mirror, ” revealed to the UK’s Radio Times this week that he’s not working on season 6 of the hit TV series — because he thinks the world is already bleak enough as it is. “At the moment, I don’t know what stomach there would be for stories about societies falling apart, so I’m not working away on one of those,” Brooker told Rad

Identify Chirps in Your Area With This Birdsong Quiz

200+Lifehacker / 12h
Are you noticing the birds outside your window more than you used to? No matter where you live, there’s probably some chirpy thing hanging around. If you’d like to test your knowledge—or just open your ears to the world around you—try this simple quiz . Read more...

Thousands of WordPress sites redirecting users to dangerous domains

48TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
Over 900,000 WordPress sites have been targeted in a new attack campaign which aims to redirect visitors to malvertising sites or plant backdoors into a theme's header if an administrator is logged in. The majority of these attacks appear to be the work of a single threat actor based on the malicious JavaScript payload they are attempting to inject in vulnerable sites. The attacker also leveraged

Astronomers Discover Brown Dwarf Covered in Stripes

2KFuturism / 12h
Overcast Sky Astronomers have found a distant brown dwarf, a celestial body that resembles a star, that’s covered in dark brown stripes — not unlike the clouds blanketing Jupiter. It’s a bizarre find, but it’s not the first time that astronomers have seen a striped brown dwarf, Science Alert reports . However, the technique used by the Caltech astronomers, known as polarimetry, could provide a ne

Microsoft to open first data center in New Zealand as cloud usage grows

200+TechCrunch / 12h
In spite of being in the midst of a pandemic sowing economic uncertainty, one area that continues to thrive is cloud computing . Perhaps that explains why Microsoft, which saw Azure grow 59% in its most recent earnings report , announced plans to open a new data center in New Zealand once it receives approval from the Overseas Investment Office. “This significant investment in New Zealand’s digit

GitHub gets a built-in IDE with Codespaces, discussion forums and more

GitHub Codespaces IDE300+TechCrunch / 12h
Under different circumstances, GitHub would be hosting its Satellite conference in Paris this week. Like so many other events, GitHub decided to switch Satellite to a virtual event, but that isn’t stopping the Microsoft-owned company from announcing quite a bit of news this week. The highlight of GitHub’s announcement is surely the launch of GitHub Codespaces, which gives developers a full cloud-

Beyond emulation: The massive effort to reverse-engineer N64 source code

300+Ars Technica / 12h
Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson) Early this week, with little warning, the Internet was graced with a Windows executable containing a fully playable PC port of Super Mario 64 . Far from being just a usual emulated ROM, this self-contained program enables features like automatic scaling to any screen resolution , and players are already experimenting with adding simple graphics-card-level reshaders

GitHub Takes Aim at Open Source Software Vulnerabilities

300+Wired / 12h
GitHub Advanced Security will help automatically spot potential security problems in the world's biggest open source platform.

Android 11 public beta release date revealed as virtual event nears

Google Android 11 JuneSlashGear / 12h
Today Google revealed the release date for the first public release (in beta format) of the next major version of Android. That’ll be Android 11, the Android 11 public beta, and it’ll be revealed during a live stream that’ll take place on June 3rd, 2020, at 11AM ET. That’s 10AM Central Time, 9AM Mountain Time, and 8AM Pacific Time. It’s … Continue reading

How to Catch the Last Supermoon of 2020

Mars 2020 Earth Moon500+Lifehacker / 12h
If you are awake early Thursday morning, go outside and look up: It will be your last chance to view a supermoon this year. This month’s full moon is called the “full flower moon,” so named as a reference to all the flowers that are reaching full bloom around now. The next supermoon won’t happen until April 2021,… Read more...

Sony WF-XB700 wireless earbuds review: Extra bass, extra sacrifice

Sony Capture One67Engadget / 12h
In 2020, headphone-makers can’t get by with just one option for true wireless earbuds. In order to cater to all users, they need to at least offer an affordable mid-range model and a feature-packed one that includes active noise cancellation (ANC). And if they can, a low-cost entry-level version that cuts the fewest corners possible is also an attractive proposition. Sony broke the mold with its

Here's where you can save on flower delivery this National Nurse's Week

36Mashable / 12h
If there was ever a good time to show a healthcare worker you know a little extra love, it's right this instant. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we're celebrating National Nurse's Day on Wednesday, May 6, an annual holiday that recognizes our healthcare heroes' hard work and kicks off National Nurse's Week. (That'll end on May 12 with the birthday of Florence Nightingale, a 19th-century British nurse

Daily Crunch: Uber and Airbnb lay off thousands

Alphabet Loon AT&T81TechCrunch / 12h
Uber and Airbnb are cutting significant portions of their workforce, Microsoft announces new Surface devices and we talk to Apple Craig Federighi about the new iPad cursor. Here’s your Daily Crunch for May 6, 2020. 1. Uber is laying off 3,700 as rides plummet due to COVID-19 In an SEC filing, Uber disclosed plans to layoff 3,700 employees — around 14% percent of the ride hailing giant’s total wor

Volvo will sell cars with built-in LiDAR beginning in 2022

Volvo Luminar LIDAR 2022300+Engadget / 12h
Volvo plans to equip its vehicles with built-in LiDAR beginning in 2022. The automaker is working with Luminar and says its next generation Scalable Product Architecture ( SPA2 ) vehicles will be hardware-ready. The cars won’t be fully self-driving, but it’s a step in that direction. Luminar’s LiDAR will be available as a rooftop add-on. Customers will be able to opt into the Highway Pilot featur

With Galleries Closed, a Moment for Net Artists to Shine

200+NYT > Technology / 12h
Shuttered museums are rushing to create meaningful interactions online, but artists have been doing this since the 1990s.

Slash the upfront spend with these superb Sky broadband deals

36TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
Sky remains one of the UK's most popular ISPs, giving competition to the likes of BT and Virgin. And if you're looking to get your hands on a Sky broadband deal , we've got an offer here to help you save on the cost. With both of Sky's broadband only plans - Essential and Superfast - you can completely wipe away the upfront costs. That means a saving of £19.95 on both options. And the great news

Tinder to add video dating next quarter, after slowing user growth due to coronavirus

400+TechCrunch / 12h
Tinder will add a video dating feature in the second quarter of this year, parent company Match announced on Tuesday as part of its Q1 2020 earnings report. The company also detailed the coronavirus impact, which slowed Tinder user growth in the quarter, as social distancing requirements and government lockdowns went into effect. Match didn’t go into detail about its plans for video dating, but n



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