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Sunday, July 18, 2021

Technology News and More-Late Saturday/Early Sunday Edition

Technology News and More..


Steam Deck pre-orders flood in and 512GB model now isn’t shipping for a year



400+TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 19h
As a result, some early reservations are already being sold for extortionate prices on eBay.

Tesla wants customers to pay a $199 monthly fee for 'Full Self-Driving'


Tesla Full Self-Driving•
1KMashable / 10h
Congrats, you just bought a Tesla. Now get ready to pay up. The electric car maker is breaking new ground yet again, this time by offering a subscription to unlock its "Full Self-Driving" feature. According to Tesla's website , for a monthly fee of $199 customers can access the not-fully autonomous capabilities of their electric automobiles. "With Full Self-Driving (FSD) capability, you will get

Japan breaks internet speed record with a 319Tbps data transfer


4KEngadget / 10h
The many-gigabit internet speed records of a decade ago now seem downright inadequate. Motherboard reports that scientists at Japan's National institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) have smashed the internet transfer record by shuffling data at 319Tbps. For context, that's almost twice as fast as the 179Tbps a team of British and Japanese researchers managed in August 2020.


All eyes are on India’s brightest Zomato


22TechCrunch / 44min
Relevance is often tied to rarity. As a result, the first anything — whether a birthday, scientific feat or female vice president — comes with its own weight. Whether that pressure is warranted is a discussion in and of itself, but today, we’ll focus on the ripple effects of India’s first unicorn IPO: Zomato. Food delivery startup Zomato, set to start trading public shares next week, has been lab

How F1 got the data crunched for its new race car


37TechCrunch / 44min
Welcome back to The TechCrunch Exchange, a weekly startups-and-markets newsletter. It’s inspired by what the weekday Exchange column digs into, but free, and made for your weekend reading. Want it in your inbox every Saturday? Sign up here . Friends! Hello and thanks for dropping by. Today we have lots of our usual fare: Funding rounds to digest, some data on the startup market (thank you, DocSen

Here's how Formula 1 used cloud to design the most exciting race car yet


TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 1h
Formula 1 ran extensive cloud simulations to optimize the performance of its all-new car design.

Xbox Series X restock: GameStop, Best Buy and Microsoft dates – get our tracker alerts


TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 2h
The Xbox Series X isn't difficult to buy in the latter half of 2021, and that's good news if you're still looking for an Xbox restock today.

Understand everything about SEO with this stacked online training bundle


Mashable / 2h
TL;DR: The 2021 Complete Google SEO and SERP Certification Bundle is on sale for £21.68 as of July 18, saving you 98% on list price. Optimising your website to appear higher on a list of search results can make a big difference for your business. That's why SEO skills are so crucial. With the 2021 Complete Google SEO and SERP Bundle , you can learn how to make data-informed decisions for you and

Understand PIC microcontrollers with this online course bundle


Mashable / 2h
TL;DR: The PIC Microcontroller Engineering Projects Course Bundle is on sale for £36.14 as of July 18, saving you 96% on list price. At the heart of alarm systems, phones, microwaves, washing machines, and so much more are tiny microcontrollers telling them how to respond to certain commands. You know that episode of SpongeBob where Plankton controls SpongeBob's brain? It’s kind of like that. The

Facebook Tells Biden: ‘Facebook Is Not the Reason’ Vaccination Goal Was Missed


59NYT > Technology / 4h
The social network hit back at the president’s criticism of social media for spreading vaccine misinformation.

Google Maps Provided Users With a ‘Potentially Fatal’ Hiking Trail on This Mountain


61Gizmodo / 5h
A few years ago, instead of leading my best friend and I through a lovely and picturesque Spanish mountain trail, Google Maps took us to an isolated field with some cows. While I learned then not trust the internet when it comes to nature, it appears that an increasing number of visitors to the Scottish mountain Ben… Read more...

5 best free photo layout apps


Mashable / 6h
Photo layout apps, which can help you quickly and easily create attractive photo collages and montages, are an absolute godsend for those of us who aren't conveniently blessed with mad Photoshop skillz. After testing dozens of them, we can now bring you, in alphabetical order, the five best free photo layout apps out there. Choose one of these to take your design skills to the next level without

It’s Absurdly Past Time To Lift U.S. Covid-19 Travel Bans


37View from the Wing / 7h
Travelers are banned from entering the U.S. if in the prior 14 days they’ve been in China, Iran, the European Schengen area, U.K. and Ireland, Brazil, South Africa or India. That’s true even though the U.S. requires testing of everyone entering by air; if the traveler has had a full course of an mRNA vaccine; and is coming from a place with far less Covid-19 than the U.S. This makes no sense. Ame

Say hello to the brilliant, crowded starscape in NASA's new Hubble share


Mashable / 8h
Even from our limited view here on Earth we know that outer space is a place of vast emptiness. That knowledge is what makes this look at NGC 6380 all the more surreal. This latest Hubble image share highlights the globular cluster that's gone by many (and, as NASA notes , fairly boring) names since its existence was first recorded in 1826. The actual sight of NGC 6380 is anything but boring, how

Jermell Charlo vs Brian Castano live stream: how to watch today's boxing from anywhere


TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
Don't miss a minute of this super welterweight unification showdown in Texas with our guide on how to get a Charlo vs Castano live stream - no matter where you are.

Priced out of a vacation? Find excellent hotel deals at these destinations across the US


The Points Guy / 8h
I’ve found some incredible hotel deals during the coronavirus pandemic. But as travel has restarted and restrictions have relaxed in the U.S., weekly reports from hotel analytics company STR show that the average daily rate of domestic hotels is slowly increasing. The July 4-10, 2021 period even showed a 5.4% increase in the average daily rate at U.S. hotels compared with a comparable week in 201

The most wheelchair-friendly theme parks in the US


The Points Guy / 8h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. When you think about visiting theme parks , adrenaline-packed days on roller coasters probably immediately come to mind, right? While roller coasters are fun, they usually aren’t the most wheelchair-accessible options. So, should wheelchair users even bother visiting theme parks? The answer to this questio

Bucks vs Suns live stream: how to watch game 5 NBA Final online from anywhere


Bucks Phoenix Suns NBA•
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
Bucks draw level after an incredibly close performance. Here's how to watch the Bucks vs Suns series and live stream NBA Playoff Final action from anywhere.

Despised maker of TurboTax tells Americans the 'free' ride is over


Mashable / 8h
Intuit is done doing you favors. The financial software company behind TurboTax announced Thursday that, after October, it will no longer participate in the IRS's Free File program . That program offered Americans making less than $78,000 the opportunity to e-file their federal taxes, free of charge. Intuit has a long and troubled history with the Free File program. In 2019, ProPublica reported t

Black Widow Is a Good Film, but It Has Flaws That Need Addressing


100+Gizmodo / 8h
To get an in depth analysis of the film as a whole, read Germain Lussier’s review for Black Widow. Now on with it. Read more...

WhatsApp is testing secure cloud backups for Android users


41Engadget / 8h
WhatsApp chats already have end-to-end encryption, but what about your online backups? They'll soon be covered, too. As The Verge notes , WABetaInfo has discovered that the latest WhatsApp beta for Android (2.21.15.5) includes a test for end-to-end encrypted cloud backups. Opt in and you don't have to worry that hackers or spies will easily read your conversation history. There are some caveats.

Curiosity rover might be sitting near microbe 'burps' on Mars


39Engadget / 9h
NASA's Curiosity rover might be sitting near a wealth of information that might hint at signs of life on Mars. New Scientist and Space.com note that Caltech researchers have identified six locations for methane "burps" (that is, emissions blips) on the planet, including one just a few dozen miles west southwest from Curiosity. Ideally, the rover could investigate the emissions and determine their

Scientists Discover Extremely Long “Borg” DNA


500+Futurism / 9h
Introducing: The Borg Scientists have discovered a new DNA structure that assimilates genes from other microorganisms in its surroundings. The DNA was discovered in samples from muddy sites throughout the western United States, according to Nature . Researchers found that the strands were longer than most other genetic molecules and belong to a collection of genetic structures known as extrachrom


American Airlines Needs To Do More For Elites Earning Status This Year ‘The Real Way’


View from the Wing / 9h
Everyone knew that 2021 would be an odd year. It might not be a total loss, like 2020, where American like most everyone else just extended status. However business travel hadn't returned in the first half of the year in a meaningful way, and much of long haul international travel remained out of reach. Customers who normally made their status on international business class tickets just weren't

How to book an ANA first class ticket to Japan for under $2,000 round-trip


63The Points Guy / 9h
Virgin Atlantic is running an excellent buy points promotion through Aug. 14, 2021. U.S.-based Virgin Atlantic Flying Club members can buy Virgin points with a 70% bonus when purchasing at least 100,000 points. This brings the cost down to just under 1.6 cents per point. At face value, this might not look like the best deal. TPG values Virgin points at 1.5 cents per point , and you can transfer p

Amazon Complains to Apple About Fakespot Review App, Gets It Kicked Off the App Store


53Gizmodo / 10h
Amazon has gotten Fakespot , a popular service on the web that works to identify fake reviews on the e-commerce platform, kicked off the Apple App Store. The incident has pitted two of the biggest giants in the tech industry against a small company, and Fakespot is crying foul. Read more...

Janicza Bravo Will Produce and Direct Kindred Pilot Episode for FX


36Gizmodo / 10h
Zola director Janicza Bravo will direct and serve as executive producer on the FX pilot for Kindred —an adaptation of the novel written by prolific science-fiction writer Octavia E. Butler . Read more...

Biden: Misinformation on Facebook Is “Killing People”


1KFuturism / 11h
“They’re Killing People.” President Joe Biden levied some of his strongest criticism of Facebook yet on Friday after he said that social media sites like the platform are “killing people” by allowing COVID-19 misinformation to run rampant. When asked by a reporter what his message to platforms like Facebook was, Biden replied, “They’re killing people.” “I mean they really, look, the only pandemic

Witness Spike Lee's epic goof at Cannes as he reveals the top winner too early


36Mashable / 11h
Imagine if the annual Academy Awards show opened with the host accidentally revealing the evening's Best Picture winner right at the start. That's basically what happened at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday. Spike Lee, the festival's jury president for 2021, read from a card that revealed Titane as the winner of the Palme d'Or, the top prize at Cannes, before any of the other winners had been

How to hide your likes on TikTok videos


Mashable / 11h
If you’re a TikTok veteran, you probably have dozens, if not hundreds, of videos saved in your likes. Liking videos is a great way to tell the creator you enjoyed their content, an even better way to show the app what type of content you enjoy , and also a good method for recalling content that you may have enjoyed. But did you know you can control who can see your liked TikToks? Thanks to a priv

Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses Now Managed By Plaza Premium


87One Mile at a Time / 11h
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses have historically been some of the best business class lounges out there. With this latest change I wonder if that will still be the case. Plaza Premium takes over Virgin Atlantic lounges It has been announced that Virgin Atlantic and Plaza Premium have a new partnership , whereby Plaza Premium will take over management of Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses outside the United K

Watch Malaysian officials destroy hundreds of mining rigs with steamroller


SlashGear / 11h
Officials in Malaysia have taken drastic measures to ensure more than a thousand mining rigs won’t make their way back onto the market to siphon more energy from the nation’s power grid. Local media has published a video of 1,069 mining rigs spread across the ground where they’re systematically flattened using a massive steamroller. Cryptocurrency has grown into a major … Continue reading

How to Archive Facebook Posts (without Deleting Them)


How-To Geek / 11h
Worried your past posts will come back to haunt you? Fortunately for you, Facebook has a tool that lets you archive your old Facebook posts in bulk so that they’re hidden from everyone but yourself. Here’s how it works. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›

Apple boots app that called BS on fake Amazon reviews from App Store


84Mashable / 11h
Publicly calling out frauds has always been a risky proposition. That reality came crashing down hard Friday for an app designed to spot fake Amazon reviews, after Apple kicked it out of its App Store. Apple confirmed in a statement that it removed the app after Amazon reached out. The news of Fakespot's outing was first reported by The Verge . We reached out to Apple, Amazon, and Fakespot to con

US State Department warns of 18-week wait times for passport applications


500+The Points Guy / 11h
Even if you don’t have any international trips on the horizon, now is an excellent time to get out your passport. After all, you’ll need an unexpired passport to travel internationally. And many destinations require that your passport has at least six months validity remaining and space for new entry and exit stamps. The best time to check your passport’s expiration date is before you need it. Af

Watch Police Crush 1,069 Bitcoin Mining Rigs With a Huge Steamroller


4KFuturism / 12h
1,069 Mining Rigs Crushed Law enforcement officials in Malaysia seized 1,069 bitcoin mining rigs before crushing them all with a big steamroller last week. The seizure was a part of a joint operation between police officers in the city of Miri and Sarawak Energy, an electric utility company in Malaysia, to crack down on crypto miners who stole electricity to mine Bitcoin, according to Vice . The

R&B Singer Reports Being Threatened Over Boarding With First Class Passengers On American


93View from the Wing / 12h
R&B singer Lyfe Jennings flew American Airlines and recorded his last interaction with the airline as he boarded his flight, being asked whether there would be any issues on the flight - whether he was going to be a troublemaker - after, he says, he was continually questioned over boarding as a first class passenger. He believes the airline's employees were skeptical that he belonged in first cla

TurboTax creator Intuit leaves the IRS' free tax filing program


97Engadget / 12h
TurboTax creator Intuit has had a chilly relationship with the IRS , and now it's cutting some of its involvement. The Hill reports that Intuit is leaving the IRS' Free File program after participating for almost 20 years. The company said it was "proud" of its involvement, but claimed the limits of the program and "conflicting demands" from outside the program left it with little choice but to l

Fortnite’s next big update will bring Preferred Item Slots for auto-sorting


SlashGear / 12h
On Friday, Epic revealed an upcoming feature through one of its less popular Twitter accounts: Preferred Item Slots. With this new feature, players will no longer have to manually change the location of items in their inventory by instead setting their preferences ahead of time and letting the game automatically sort the items when they’re picked up. Though players can … Continue reading

Google Maps Is Telling People to Walk Off a Cliff, Critics Say


500+Futurism / 12h
Treacherous Mountain Path A Scottish mountaineering group levied criticism against Google after they allegedly discovered it had been suggesting “potentially fatal” routes up mountains — and even directly over cliffs. The John Muir Trust, a Scottish mountain conservation charity, claims that routes recommended by Google Maps up Ben Nevis (Scotland’s highest mountain) are incredibly dangerous and

The Difference Between Termites and Ants, and How to Tell Them Apart


Lifehacker / 12h
One day, you’re sitting in your living room watching TV or reading a book, and suddenly see something out of the corner of your eye. It was tiny, dark-colored, and fast, but you didn’t get a good look at it. You spot another one and track it across the room until you discover a whole colony of these insects living… Read more...


How to Take a Scrolling Screenshot on Android


23How-To Geek / 12h
Taking a screenshot is a core Android feature, but it has changed a bit over the years. Android 11 introduced a new screenshot UI, and Android 12 builds upon that. We’ll show you how to capture long scrolling screenshots. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›

Celebrate World Snake Day with Razer's Sneki Snek Slippers


100+How-To Geek / 12h
In observation of World Snake Day, Razer now sells a $50 pair of gamer slippers depicting the Sneki Snek mascot. Razer promises to plant 10 trees through Conservation International for every pair of slippers that it sells, just as the company does with other items in its Sneki Snek collection. Read This Article on Review Geek ›

This Soft Robot Hand Plays 'Super Mario Bros' with a Controller Like a Pro


How-To Geek / 12h
Robots aren’t exactly new, and neither are robot hands designed to perform a specific task. However, soft robotic hands that can play video games with a controller are! In fact, this one from a research team at the University of Maryland is proving to make for tough competition in Super Mario Bros. Read This Article on Review Geek ›

New Ultra City Smiths Trailer Has Hit the Internet!


20Gizmodo / 12h
The new trailer for Ultra City Smiths has hit the internet! The half-hour series was created by Steve Conrad ( Patriot ), who also serves as showrunner. Seth Green’s Stoopid Buddy Stoodios ( Robot Chicken ) will act as one of the show’s many producers. Read more...

Security researchers fool Microsoft's Windows Hello authentication system


75Engadget / 12h
Microsoft designed Windows Hello to be compatible with webcams across multiple brands, but that feature designed for ease of adoption could also make the technology vulnerable to bad actor


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