Sunday, February 23, 2020

TPS Consulting Daily


TECHNOLOGY AND MORE!



Flat Earth advocate dies after homemade rocket crashes

Mad Mike Hughes Earth7KEngadget / 10h
The Flat Earth advocate died on February 22nd at the age of 64 when the chute for his steam-powered rocket detached shortly after launch, leading to a high-velocity crash in the desert near Barstow, California.
Hughes' goal had been to verify his belief in a disc-shaped Earth by flying to space, with successive launches taking him higher and higher in altitude.

Flat Earther Mad Mike Hughes dies in homemade rocket crash

Mad Mike Hughes Earth96SlashGear / 3h
Reaching the skies has always been one of man’s dreams. Going beyond the clouds to the stars is another. Both dreams, however, require more than just theory and study but long years, even decades, of testing and, in modern society, government regulation. That hasn’t stopped dreamers from crafting their own aircraft to beat the odds and the system. Sometimes they survive with only a few bruises or

American Airlines CEO Doug Parker on how he feels about flying his own airline

500+The Points Guy / 14h
TPG: But of all people, you don’t have to fly coach.
I don’t proactively say, “Hi, I’m the CEO of American Airlines.”


Microsoft launches 100X100X100 program to help Indian B2B SaaS startups

TechCrunch / 8min
As Indian startups begin to make inroads in the world of SaaS, Microsoft has taken notice. The American tech giant today launched 100X100X100, a program aimed at business-to-business SaaS startups. Microsoft said Monday that 100X100X100 will bring together 100 companies and 100 early and growth startups. Each committed company will spend $100,000 over a course of 18 months. “This initiative will

Sokowatch raises $14M to digitize Africa’s informal B2B supply-chain

36TechCrunch / 13min
Kenya based B2B e-commerce startup Sokowatch has raised $14 million in Series A funding toward its mission of revamping supply-chain markets for Africa’s informal retailers. From Nairobi, the company has created a platform that connects merchants directly to local and multinational suppliers — such as Unilever and Proctor and Gamble — and digitizes orders, payments and delivery-logistics. Since l

MIT helps self-driving cars ‘see’ through snow and fog

27Engadget / 32min
They've developed a way to help autonomous vehicles "see" by mapping what's beneath the road using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR).
Most autonomous vehicles use LIDAR sensors and/or cameras to figure out where they are on the road, but cameras can be thrown off by lighting conditions or snow-covered signs and lane markings, and LIDAR often becomes less accurate in inclement weather.

This is the cheapest unlimited global data roaming package

24TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 34min
Grab a compatible hotspot with the travel SIM card ( available separately for $9.99 ) and you'll be able to enjoy connectivity on several devices simultaneously.
Users can enjoy unlimited data usage (within the fair usage policy limits) in roughly 125 countries globally.

The new Motorola Razr has officially been delayed in Australia due to coronavirus

40TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 49min
Motorola’s revived Razr flip phone was already pushed back from a January launch in Australia to February 24 (today), but now, customers are being told to expect to wait until “Mid to end of March” before orders start shipping.
“This situation in China is inevitably impacting the launch and highly anticipated availability of the motorola razr.

'Harley Quinn' season 2 gets a quick April 3rd debut

100+Engadget / 1h
The comics-oriented service is premiering the second season of its Harley Quinn animated series on April 3rd -- just four months after the show's first season arrived.
That, in turn, could reduce the incentives to subscribe to DCU -- good if you're already bent on subscribing to HBO Max, but not if you like the idea of a DC-specific service that includes comic books and other non-video perks.

Google officially warns Huawei device owners not to sideload its apps

Google Huawei Apps48TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 1h
As the global fallout surrounding the US government's Huawei ban continues, Google has published an article warning users of the inherent dangers of sideloading its apps and services on the Chinese manufacturer's devices. The search giant says it has "continued to receive a number of questions about new Huawei devices (e.g., new models launching now, or earlier models launched after May 16, 2019

OnePlus 8 leaked photos reveal a familiar OnePlus 7T Pro back

SlashGear / 1h
With prices for high-end smartphones rising higher and higher, the appeal of OnePlus phones is similarly becoming stronger. They may no longer be the budget-friendly flagship killers they were when the company started but it still manages to generate interest and a loyal following because of the phone’s mix of price and features. OnePlus has recently shown what it is capable of, at least in theor

Lightspeed leads Laiye’s $42M round to bet on Chinese enterprise IT

Chinese Coronavirus China100+TechCrunch / 1h
Laiye, a Chinese startup that offers robotic process automation services to several major tech firms in the nation and government agencies, has raised $42 million in a new funding round as it looks to scale its business. The new financing round, Series C, was co-led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and Lightspeed China Partners. Cathay Innovation, which led the startup’s Series B+ round and Wu Capi

LG G8 ThinQ Boombox, Crystal Sound OLED speakers get muted DxOMark score

SlashGear / 2h
LG has definitely seen better days and has been largely outpaced by its rivals in many key aspects of the mobile market. It has, however, still held strongly to a few traits, like its ability and courage to make risky innovations short of foldable phones and its audio acumen. Unfortunately, those may no longer be enough to keep it from sliding down even further, especially when its most prized au

7-year-old Simone Lim is Oceania's adorable new Pokémon champion

79Mashable / 2h
Simone Lim is the very best, like no-one ever was, and now the adorable seven-year-old Pokémon trainer has a championship title to prove it. The Pokémon Oceania International Championships were held in Melbourne, Australia over the weekend, with the finals for all divisions taking place on Sunday. Pokémon trainers from all over the world gathered to test themselves in video and card game tourname

‘The Walking Dead’ Season 10 return sets up big action for the future

Mashable / 2h
Spoiler alert! This article contains spoilers for Season 10, Episode 9 of The Walking Dead . There are two kinds of season and mid-season premieres that happen in The Walking Dead . There are the exciting ones that start everything off with a bang, and then there are the ones that set up something big for later in the season. The mid-season premiere for Season 10 falls into the latter category. E

HTC plans to release its first 5G phone in 2020

200+Engadget / 2h
As XDA observed , the company is nowhere near its heyday and hasn't released a top-end device since the U12+ in 2018.
Company chief Yves Maitre said in an interview that HTC's first 5G phone launches sometime in 2020.

Slickwraps massive data breach could have been avoided

SlashGear / 3h
Hacked websites, databases, and companies are nothing new these days but some make headlines either because of their massive reach, egregious negligence, or publicized drama. The incident surrounding almost all of skin-maker Slickwraps’s customer data has all those elements, at least depending on which side you give credence to. The company has owned up to being hacked but only for a relatively l

There's a new hub for student dissent: college meme groups on Facebook

48Mashable / 3h
Nearly 60 years ago, Jack Weinberg, a U.C. Berkeley student whose arrest spurred the era-defining Free Speech Movement, made a simple, somewhat tossed-off , comment to a reporter: "Don’t trust anyone over 30." In the process, he helped further ignite a generational wedge that sticks with us today , marking college campuses and the young people they contain as the initiators and supporters of a ho

What happens if a pandemic hits?

200+TechCrunch / 3h
Some people seem to have the notion that a pandemic will mean shutting down borders, building walls, canceling all air travel, and quarantining entire nations, indefinitely.
Round up of (assistant) profs of infectious disease spread saying we're likely past being able to contain coronavirus, i.e. headed for a pandemic and mitigation (NOT saying containment efforts are now pointless): @mlipsitch https://t.co/mP76jHPmGT

BharatPe raises $75M to help Indian merchants accept digital payments and secure working capital

100+TechCrunch / 3h
BharatPe, a New Delhi-based startup that is enabling hundreds of thousands of merchants to accept digital payments for the first time and also providing them with access to working capital, has raised $75 million in a new financing round as it looks to scale its business in the nation.
The Series C round for the one-and-a-half-year-old startup was led by New York-headquartered hedge fund Coatue Management and existing investor Palo Alto-based fintech investor Ribbit Capital .
Also in
Techmeme

Sony's first 5G phone may be a souped-up Xperia 1

Sony Xperia 1 8 Ericsson300+Engadget / 3h
Xperia 1 II specs and images pic.twitter.com/Jm0n7oHW0o
XDA 's Max Weinbach has shared what looks to be leaked images and specs for Sony's headline phones in 2020, the Xperia 1 II and Xperia 10 II.
Also in
Engadget
Download Squad

Galaxy S20 5G teardown is thankfully boring but has one big problem

SlashGear / 4h
After the Motorola Razr and then the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip hit the market, they were naturally subjected to the rough treatment that only durability tests and teardowns could give. Considering their novelty, it was also no surprise that both foldable phones weren’t exactly that easy to properly pry open. In contrast, the Galaxy S20 seems to be a walk in the park which bodes well for repairs. Exce

The best podcasts to fall asleep to, for every type of insomniac

100+Mashable / 4h
I never thought listening to vivid descriptions of crime, murder, and World War II would be the solution to my chronic insomnia. But, here we are. Nowadays, falling asleep can feel like an unending nightly battle with our phones and always-on culture. Which is why the rise of podcasts designed to help you fall asleep is so unexpected, turning a big source of our insomnia (cellphones) into the too

United Airlines Gave Out $100,000 Downgrading Passengers On One Hawaii Flight This Weekend

64View from the Wing / 5h
The airline swapped the plane for a Boeing 767-300 , and that meant fewer business class seats.
United Airlines Gave Out $100,000 Downgrading Passengers On One Hawaii Flight This Weekend

Google on new Huawei phones: don’t sideload Google Play apps

Google Huawei AppsSlashGear / 5h
It has been almost a year since Huawei came under the US government’s ban hammer, effectively barred from doing business or making new acquisitions from most US companies. Over the course of the months, some of its partners, like Microsoft, have either voiced support for the embattled Chinese giant while others, like ARM, have found ways to circumvent the rather encompassing but still US-only dir

'Baldur's Gate 3' comes to Steam in 2020 as an Early Access game

Baldur Gate 3 2020300+Engadget / 5h
The new Baldur's Gate was supposed to be a "launch window" title for Google Stadia , although the timing shows that's not really true anymore.
On top of this year's BG3 and a Dark Alliance remake, Hasbro expects to release a game in the role-playing franchise every year until 2025.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 to be launched alongside the X-T4 on February 26

80TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
While a countdown clock on the Fujifilm website has made it very clear that the X-T4 is going to be officially announced on February 26, it takes a tad more digging to discover that another little shooter is also going to make its debut on the same day. On another "special" site, as Fujifilm calls it, the camera maker is teasing the launch of its next Instax Mini, also slated for February 26. Rec

Influencer Arrests, Sea Eagles Torturing Bats and HIV Drugs to Treat Coronavirus: Best Gizmodo Stories of the Week

22Gizmodo / 5h
In other matters, we also covered an important story that explains why HIV drugs are being used to treat the new coronavirus .
However, the Instagram scammers weren’t the only jerks we covered recently, although this next one isn’t human.

South Korean President Authorizes the Government to Adopt Chinese Style Measures to Control Coronavirus Spread

Chinese Coronavirus China500+Gizmodo / 5h
More than 300 of South Korea’s confirmed coronavirus cases are linked to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu, a southeastern city of 2.4 million people.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in placed his country on the highest possible level of alert on Sunday following the drastic rise of coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, cases in the region.

6 reasons to pick the W Maldives over The St. Regis

100+The Points Guy / 6h
It’s a simply stunning villa, and the W makes it easier for people to fulfill a lifelong dream of staying overwater than any other points hotel I know of in the Maldives.
Four is the number of garden villas at The St. Regis , which is the room type that awards book into unless you’re willing to pay thousands of points or hundreds of dollars in cash (per night) to upgrade.

Lyft buys a startup that runs ads on top of ridesharing cars

500+Engadget / 6h
The company has acquired Halo Cars, a startup that lets drivers for app-based car services run taxi-style ads on top of their vehicles.
Halo's ads could help drivers make more money without fare hikes, but it's also possible that Lyft could simply pocket the ad money.
Also in
Engadget

Rallyhood exposed a decade of users’ private data

400+TechCrunch / 6h
The social network designed to help groups communicate and coordinate left one of its cloud storage buckets containing user data open and exposed.
The bucket contained group data as far back to 2011 up to and including last month.

How to watch The Walking Dead online: live stream season 10 from anywhere

49TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
However if you don't have cable, you can access AMC shows with an internet connection and a paid for service like DirectTV Now, Sling TV or PlayStation Vue. You can also watch all The Walking Dead Season 10 on Amazon Video, Apple iTunes, FandangoNOW and VUDU.
We've got too many questions that need answering, so if you're ready for the next part of the massacre keep reading as we tell you how to watch The Walking Dead online and on TV.

How to visit Halifax, Nova Scotia, on points and miles

The Points Guy / 7h
Canadian airlines WestJet and Air Canada have regular flights, and U.S.-based American, Delta and United connect to Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) from as far south as Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Nestled on the south side of the island province of Nova Scotia, Canada, it offers beautiful scenery, live Celtic music, an impressive array of maritime museums and wonderful food.

Here’s The Only Way The New Chase-United Credit Card Deal Makes Sense

31View from the Wing / 7h
Here’s The Only Way The New Chase-United Credit Card Deal Makes Sense
The Company currently estimates that the new commercial terms, anticipated portfolio growth and participation in Chase Ultimate Rewards will increase the annual cash contribution to the Company by approximately $400 million in 2020 from the combined impact of the Agreement and the amendment to the agreement with Visa.

35 top hotel restaurants you need to add to your itinerary

The Points Guy / 7h
Located on the ground floor of The Bowery Hotel in New York City , Gemma is known for its A+ Italian-American fare and A-list celebrity sightings.
You come to this restaurant in The Beekman, a Thompson Hotel , for the upscale European food.

How To Get Started Making Things In Dreams

100+Lifehacker / 7h
“You will learn a lot and have a much more fulfilling create experience if you play some of them first,” said Heppe.
Before you can become a master creator, though, there’s a whole lot to learn, and it’s all too easy to get overwhelmed.

GTA IV is making a comeback on Steam, but don’t get excited just yet

49TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
According to Rockstar’s announcement on Steam , GTA IV is making its big return as Grand Theft Auto IV: Complete Edition, which will effectively be replacing both Grand Theft Auto IV and Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City.
Rockstar has had a rocky few months, what with the exit of Dan Houser – whose brainchildren include Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA V – and Grand Theft Auto IV being pulled from sale in January.

Tomy's Dancy Beatz is a dancing disco ball you can choreograph

56Engadget / 7h
Tomy says the robot has 900 possible dance moves to choose from and discover.
If you want to teach it your moves, though, you can put it in Program Mode -- it will save the dance you choreograph and use it later.
Also in
Engadget
Download Squad +1 sources

twixnmix: Vintage R&B Concert Posters Memorial Auditorium...

Music, Arts & Literature / 7h
Memorial Auditorium (Chattanooga, Tennessee) - August 8, 1957
Memorial Auditorium (Chattanooga, Tennessee) - September 27, 1955

jonathanmrobson: Big Sable Lighthouse #2

Music, Arts & Literature / 7h
jonathanmrobson : Big Sable Lighthouse #2

upennmanuscripts: Ms. Codex 17 - De spiritu et anima …...

Music, Arts & Literature / 7h
upennmanuscripts : Ms. Codex 17 - De spiritu et anima … Written in Italy in 1463, the manuscript features the text of treatise De spiritu et anima , erroneously attributed to St. Augustine. This appears to be identical to the treatise De anima et spiritu by an Alcherus of Clairvaux. It also includes an unidentified theological text, erroneously identified in the manuscript as St. Augustine’s Soli

kislak-center: Erbario (Herbal) Veneto (?), 15th c. University...

Music, Arts & Literature / 7h
kislak-center : Erbario (Herbal) Veneto (?), 15th c. University of Pennsylvania, Lawrence J. Schoenberg Collection, LJS 419 This herbal was begun in the first half of the 15th century. Most of the medicinal notes are in Italian, though some are in Latin and a few mix the two languages.

Portrait of singer and actress Diahann Carroll. Label on back:...

Music, Arts & Literature / 7h
Portrait of singer and actress Diahann Carroll. Label on back: “ABC Photo Division, press information. ABC Television Network, 1330 Avenue of the Americas, New York 19, N.Y. An American beauty in Paris. Diahann Carroll is the lovely lady co-starred with Maurice Chevalier in ‘C'est la vie,’ a unique musical hour produced in Paris for 'ABC stage 67’ Thursday, February 23 (10-11 p.m., EST). Subject:

How to assess and build your credit card portfolio

The Points Guy / 8h
A good place to start is to determine which credit and charge cards you currently hold, as well as their benefits, earning rates and annual fees.
Since this article is on The Points Guy, naturally we’re going to focus on credit cards that earn rewards for your spending.

Save Your Nostrils From Dry Air With A TaoTronics Humidifier

Lifehacker / 8h
Best Home Deals Best Home Deals The best home, kitchen, smart home, and automotive deals from around the web, updated daily. TaoTronics Humidifier | $70 | Amazon | Promo code KINJA257 and clip coupon Winter, for many reasons, sucks all the way to hell and back, but there are things to make it less bearable. Especially when it comes to dry air — you really don’t have to deal with that kind of nega

How do we connect a child to technology?

100+TechCrunch / 8h
We are now onto the fifth short story of nine in Ted Chiang’s collection Exhalations . This one is a very short one at only a couple of pages, but despite its brief length, it explores some of the most fundamental issues facing us as a society today: technology, children, love, and the meaning of connection as all these elements fuse together. It was not my favorite story so far, but it is certai

Investors and startups are seeking ways to entertain and protect kids online

100+TechCrunch / 8h
As streaming services like HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ plus vie for subscription dollars and YouTube, Xumo, Kanopy, Tubi TV, Vudu and Pluto TV try to take more ad revenue from traditional television, entertainment for kids — and the tech tools that manage their screen time — are becoming more important. On the streaming side, Netflix has been marshaling its resources for months, poaching talent

Credit Card Chronicles: How a freelance writer and stay-at-home mom maximizes points and miles

The Points Guy / 8h
To kick off our series we asked TPG contributor Jen Yellin to document her everyday credit-card spending and points-and-miles earnings for a week.
Total Earned: 26 American Express Membership Reward points; $10 statement credit

What is Project Luminous, the next big thing in Star Wars?

69TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
Project Luminous is a publishing project set in the Star Wars universe, and has so far been revealed as a collaboration between Disney Lucasfilm Publishing, Marvel Comics, IDW Publishing and Del Rey. It will not involve a movie or a TV show – expect it to be told with books and comics.
Below, we've collected everything we know about the Star Wars event Project Luminous, including its reveal date, which writers are involved, and rumors of where in the Star Wars universe it will take us.

Make Your Samsung Galaxy's Keyboard Easier to Type on By Adjusting the Contrast

40Lifehacker / 8h
GadgetHacks highlighted a somewhat hidden keyboard setting on Samsung phones this week that allows you to change the contrast of your phone’s keyboard, a move that can make it easier to see and in turn easier to type on.
When you do, you can tap the “High contrast keyboard” setting to bring up four color options for the keyboard.

Are drinks packages on cruise ships worth the price? A line-by-line guide

The Points Guy / 8h
There also are several cruise lines that include complimentary beer and wine with lunch and dinner, but still charge for drinks ordered during the day and evening at bars.
On some ships, such as those operated by cruise giant Royal Caribbean , a premium cocktail such as an Appletini will set you back more than $15, including the automatic gratuities that many lines add onto drinks bills.

'Game of Thrones' duo will co-produce a Netflix series with Sandra Oh

15 Netflix This Week200+Engadget / 9h
It's now clear how Game of Thrones TV series co-creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss intend to kick off their huge Netflix deal . Netflix has announced The Chair , a six-episode "dramedy" executive produced by the pair as well as show star Sandra Oh, writer (and Benioff's wife) Amanda Peet and Bernie Caulfield. The half-hour episodes will revolve around the chair of an English department at a la

'Westworld' hid three secret new trailers on its dystopian tech website

HBO Westworld Three 3100+Mashable / 9h
No fans love a trail of breadcrumbs more than Westworld fans. And in the run-up to the show's Season 3 premiere, HBO is taking full advantage of the fandom's dogged treasure hunter mentality. One fan has unearthed three new trailers for " Westworld III ," which premieres on March 15. A Reddit user in the r/Westworld community ( via io9/Gizmodo ) found them by scouring the real website of a (hopef

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport 101: A guide to the lounges at SEA

The Points Guy / 9h
Access: Alaska Lounge members; day pass holders; passengers with paid first-class or first-class award tickets, and Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card cardholders get a 50% discount on the day passes.
Located about 15 miles south of Seattle and 20 miles north of Tacoma, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is the eight-busiest airport in the United States and currently serves about 50 million passengers a year.

China Roundup: Amid coronavirus, tech firms offer ways to maintain China’s lifeblood

Chinese Coronavirus China300+TechCrunch / 9h
Hello and welcome back to TechCrunch’s China Roundup , a digest of recent events shaping the Chinese tech landscape and what they mean to people in the rest of the world. The coronavirus outbreak is posing a devastating impact on people’s life and the economy in China, but there’s a silver lining that the epidemic might have benefited a few players in the technology industry as the population rem

Sensors are the next big thing in space, not starships

400+TechCrunch / 9h
Understanding the opportunities available in the space industry — especially for early-stage companies and new founders — isn’t easy. The pool of people who have deep aerospace technical expertise isn’t huge, and like any community that requires a high degree of specialist knowledge, it’s a tightly-knit field that relies on social connections. But space is increasingly opening up, and we’ve alrea

What's Coming to Hulu in March 2020

37Lifehacker / 9h
Natural Born Killers , Night of the Living Dead , and Good Will Hunting all arrive on Hulu on March 1st.
Later in the month, we’ll also see the debut of the Hulu Original Docuseries Hillary , profiling Hillary Clinton, and on March 13th you’ll be able to watch the complete second season of the Australian reality show hit Love Island .

4 Best Ever Offers Of 100,000 Points Or More

View from the Wing / 9h
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card has a limited time offer that expires April 1, 2020 to earn up to 100,000 bonus miles: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first 3 months.
IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card has a best-ever offer for you to earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

Here's NASA's new idea to get its stubborn Martian drill to work

76Mashable / 10h
Well over a year after NASA's InSight lander parachuted down to the Martian surface, the space agency still hasn't been able to drill too far into the red soil. NASA has tried a few different techniques to get the drill, known as the "mole," deeper into the ground to measure the desert planet's inner temperature — with the greater goal of understanding geologic activity on Mars. On Friday, NASA a

Citi Prestige Card Review (2020)

32One Mile at a Time / 10h
The Citi Prestige offers 3x ThankYou points on hotel purchases, which I value at a 5.1% return.
The Citi Prestige offers a variety of benefits that will prove worthwhile for many, from lounge access, to a fourth-night free hotel benefit, to an annual travel credit, and more.

Charge All The Things With A RAVPower USB Charger

Gizmodo / 10h
Best Tech Deals Best Tech Deals The best tech deals from around the web, updated daily. RAVPower USB Charger | $16 | Amazon | Promo Code KINJA132 and Clip Coupon I’m not that great at tech stuff, but nothing sucks more than forgetting the power bar to pair with your actual USB cord to go with your phone, tablet, and other devices you may have. That problem is solved with the RAVPower fast charger

How to watch the Love Island 2020 Final online: stream from the UK or abroad today

49TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
How to watch the Love Island 2020 Final online for free in the UK:
Keep reading to find out how you can watch the Love Island 2020 Final online from anywhere in the world.

Ask Before You Recline Your Airplane Seat

500+Lifehacker / 10h
We’ve been testing reduced recline, but I think that the proper thing to do is if you’re going to recline into somebody, that you ask if it’s OK first.
I never recline, because I don’t think since I’m the CEO of the airline, I should be reclining my seat.

How to maximize the life of your electric car's battery, according to science

88Mashable / 10h
Lithium-ion batteries are the Goldilocks of the electronics world. For the li-ion in your electric car, conditions can either be too hot or too cold, but li-ions prefer it juuust right. A new report from the University of Michigan lays out the best ways to keep your EV's li-ion battery happy and healthy for the longest amount of time possible. With help from the Responsible Battery Coalition , re

6 mistakes to avoid when taking your first ski trip to Europe

The Points Guy / 11h
If you have an Ikon or Epic Pass , lift tickets for certain European ski areas are included: Zermatt Matterhorn for the Ikon ; Les 3 Vallées in France , Skirama Dolomiti, Adamello, Brenta in Italy ; Ski Arlberg in Austria , and 4 Vallées in Switzerland are on the Epic Pass .
When planning a ski trip to Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France or Italy, book your flight through gateway cities like Geneva, Zurich, Munich or Milan, which are often more conveniently located near the slopes than popular tourist destinations.

More than fancy water: What you need to know about visiting the town of Evian, France

The Points Guy / 11h
The Evian Resort , now owned by French conglomerate Danone, sits on 47 acres stretching up from the lake and town center and includes two luxury hotels: the five-star Palace Hôtel Royal and four-star Hôtel Ermitage, two spas, an 18-hole golf course and training center and a children’s club and a casino.
Located in the hills above Evian-les-Bains, the five-star Hôtel Royal is a unique and luxurious resort, offering incredible views of Lake Geneva amid manicured gardens complete with topiaries.

Famed DIY Rocketeer “Mad” Mike Hughes Dies While Trying to Launch Another Homemade Rocket

Mad Mike Hughes Earth3KGizmodo / 11h
The famed DIY rocketeer “Mad” Mike Hughes, who in 2018 successfully launched himself more than 1,800 feet into the sky in a homemade rocket, died on Saturday in a tragic accident.
The launch was being documented by a new Science Channel show, part of Discovery, called Homemade Astronauts , which aimed to chronicle “a group of colorful DIY rocketeers taking their own path to space.”

The best GPS trackers for cats and dogs

200+Engadget / 11h
After spending more than 25 hours researching and testing four trackers, including having Wirecutter staffers take them all on a trip around Manhattan and a 35-mile bike ride, we've found the Whistle 3 GPS Pet Tracker & Activity Monitor to be the best tracker for most pet owners.
In our bike-ride test, the Whistle 3 performed as well as the three other trackers in location reporting, but it again bested the competition in battery life.

Own part of an iconic A380 with these snazzy new luggage tags

The Points Guy / 11h
While the plane is a hit for frequent travelers due to its size, which enables amenities such as onboard spas and bars for passengers to schmooze around, its size also has made it difficult for airlines to manage.
While that’s a sad story for any aircraft, the good news is you can at least own a part of history with luggage tags carved from their aluminum skins.

Earn 5x points and score a discount on fee-free gift Visa cards now on sale at Staples

The Points Guy / 11h
One of our favorite promotions is back, with Staples offering waived purchase fees on its $200 Visa gift cards plus the chance to score an additional discount via the Chase Offers program.
If you’re an existing cardholder, be sure to check your Chase Offers portal before making the purchase, as a new discount has recently popped up for Staples purchases.

US Navy deploys anti-drone laser on its USS Dewey destroyer

53SlashGear / 12h
The US Navy has deployed ‘Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy,’ a new weapon better referred to as ODIN. This device is defensive in nature — it is designed to take down unwanted and potentially dangerous Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), more commonly called drones. The laser was installed on the USS Dewey, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer. Naval officials announced the deployment on

Wyze Band fitness tracker with smart home features revealed in video

SlashGear / 12h
Earlier this month, budget smart home company Wyze published a roadmap revealing the products it plans to release this year, as well as how far along it is toward the launch of each product. Among the offerings is Wyze Band, an activity-tracking wearable that will also provide users with access to their smart home devices (the ones sold by Wyze, that is). Now a new leak offers the first look at t

Watch a quake startle a swarm of deep sea creatures

200+Mashable / 12h
The deep sea is intense. Earlier in 2020, a robotic ocean explorer launched by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution captured a wild event along a mountainous ridge in the Caribbean Sea, called the Cayman Rise. Scientists drove the hi-tech robot, Jason, to a hydrothermal vent pumping out hot, mineral-rich water. Swarms of deep sea shrimp crawled around the vent, as they devoured microbes livin

Is The British Airways Card Worth It? (2020)

50One Mile at a Time / 12h
The card has a big bonus of up to 100K Avios, it has a reasonable annual fee, it offers statement credits when you pay carrier imposed surcharges, and it earns points that can be useful whether you’re looking to redeem for premium cabin international flights or domestic economy.
British Airways Executive Club is transfer partners with Amex Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards, so it could make sense to put spending on one of those cards if you want to earn Avios at an accelerated rate.

Fare Alert: Less Than $300 Roundtrip To Israel

71View from the Wing / 12h
At this price tickets are non-refundable and change fees are greater than the cost of the fare.
Hat tip to Secret Flying who sees $277 roundtrips on Air Serbia via Belgrade, here’s a $293 itinerary:

Port Canaveral, Florida: TPG’s complete cruise guide for hotels, transfers and sightseeing

35The Points Guy / 12h
Residence Inn Cape Canaveral Cocoa Beach: 35k Marriott Bonvoy points per night on standard dates (Category 5); $8 per person shuttle to the port plus discounted long-term parking if you want to leave your car in the parking lot during your cruise
For cruising out of Port Canaveral, most people fly into Orlando International Airport (MCO) , which is about 45 minutes by car from the cruise terminal.

Extreme locust plague shown swarming Kenya in new video

Que T-Mobile Kenya500+Mashable / 13h
No, these aren't fields blossoming with yellow flowers. It's a swarm of ravenous locusts. A biologist at Penn State University, David Hughes, posted footage of locusts swarming over Kenya on Saturday. Hughes is working with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN FAO) to research the growing locust plagues in Kenya — which the U.N. says could be the worst in 70 years . Loc

After Math: The rule of threes

100Engadget / 13h
Uber resumed operations in Columbia after a three-week ban, Westworld is returning to HBO for Season 3 in the third week of the third month, and Amazon listed the PS4 for -- you guessed it -- $300.
The broadcaster announced last week that it is significantly expanding its show and movie selections throughout 2020, with more than 30,000 episodes arriving before the end of the year.

Chase and United extend cobranded card partnership through 2029

The Points Guy / 13h
The longstanding relationship between Chase and United will carry on for at least another decade, as the two companies announced an extension of their cobranded credit card partnership on Friday.
While this statement confirms that United will remain as a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards, it’s unclear exactly where the additional $400 million in revenue will come from.

Georgia Tech physicists unlock the secret to perfect wok-tossed fried rice

1KArs Technica / 14h
Fried rice is a classic dish in pretty much every Chinese restaurant, and the strenuous process of tossing the rice in a wok over high heat is key to producing the perfect final product.
Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have devised a model for the kinematics of wok-tossing to explain how it produces fried rice that is nicely browned but not burnt.

Review: The Ben Hotel West Palm Beach (Marriott Autograph Collection)

60One Mile at a Time / 14h
A bit over a week ago I stayed at The Ben, a brand new Marriott Autograph Collection property in West Palm Beach, Florida.
I’ve been really excited about this hotel opening because my mother in law lives in West Palm Beach, but her building isn’t dog friendly, while The Ben is extremely dog friendly.

Airline Founder Sentenced To Prison – And A Virginia Airport Director Has Been Arrested, Too

View from the Wing / 14h
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print pub

The Profound Loneliness of New York Subway Platforms

500+Wired / 14h
In the first months after moving to New York City in 2008, Israeli-born photographer Natan Dvir liked to time how long he could stare at fellow subway passengers before one of them made eye contact.
Each extra-wide format image captures that quintessential New York tableau: a group of strangers standing on a subway platform, waiting for the next train.

All of the Coolest Stuff at Toy Fair 2020

500+Gizmodo / 14h
We saw a lot of cool action figures, but this 12.5-inch Maximum Venom Ooze figure from Hasbro is King.
While there wasn’t as much of a unifying trend this year, there were still plenty of toys, plushies, action figures, games, and collectibles covering every inch of the showroom floor.

Is Citi ThankYou Rewards the most underappreciated and misunderstood program?

The Points Guy / 14h
The Citi Prestige Card includes an easy-to-use $250 travel credit each calendar year, so your effective annual fee on this card is only $100.
The Citi Rewards+ Card currently offers a sign-up bonus of 15,000 points after spending $1,000 in purchases within three months of account opening.

After 60 Years, You Can Now Draw Perfect Circles on Etch a Sketch

8KGizmodo / 15h
The ionic toy is marking its 60th anniversary this year with a few limited edition launches, but of all of them the Etch a Sketch Revolution was the one that had us shaking our fists at how lucky kids today are.
It still takes a bit to figure out which way you should turn the knob to sketch anything more than a circle.

Ten rules for dating my teenage daughter placing your Wi-Fi access points

500+Ars Technica / 15h
Enlarge / The top floor of our test house is relatively straightforward—although like many houses, it suffers from terrible router placement nowhere near its center. Jim Salter 0 with 0 posters participating Here at Ars, we've spent a lot of time covering how Wi-Fi works, which kits perform the best, and how upcoming standards will affect you. Today, we're going to go a little more basic: we're g

Netflix original animated Transformers series revealed in first trailer

Transformers Netflix27SlashGear / 15h
In early 2019, Netflix announced that it planned to make an original Transformers animated series and now it is back with an official trailer for the show. At nearly two minutes in length, the trailer provides a solid look at the series, establishing what fans can expect from the animation style and overall tone of the show. Unfortunately, we are still lacking a premiere date at this time. The ne

Study: Growing “Infertility Crisis” May Be Tied to Poor Diets

500+Futurism / 15h
Comparing dietary habits to data on participant’s sperm, researchers found that men with mainly Western diets had the lowest sperm counts , between 109 to 138 million.
The data, collected between 2017 and 2019 included, along with more typical physical measurements such as height, BMI, and blood samples, as well as notes on semen qualities such as overall volume, sperm count, movement, and shape.

First Look: Klipsch The Fives are slick bookshelf speaker alternatives to a soundbar

100+TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 15h
Offering genuine stereo separation and the promise of being able to control them using just your TV remote thanks to that HDMI-Arc connection, the Klipsch could be the versatile, relatively-subtle-looking lift your TV’s audio needed.
But Klipsch, with its soon-to-be-released The Fives speakers, is looking to offer an alternative.

Sunday's Best Deals: A TaoTronics Humidifier, Urban Outfitters 20% Off Sale, RAVPower Chargers, and More

52Lifehacker / 15h
A TaoTronics humidifier , a Kindle books Gold Box , a RAVPower Charger , and an Urban Outfitter’s 20% off sale lead Sunday’s most amazing deals of the day.
Good news: Tile is running a sale right now that nets you a Google Nest Mini for free when you buy a four-tracker pack from its website starting at $70 .

A Cruise Ship Quarantine, a Hunt for Cheaters, and More Car News This Week

92Wired / 15h
Stories you might have missed from WIRED this week
The number of electric pedal-assist bike-share cycles set to hit the streets of New York by next year, courtesy of Lyft-owned Citibike .

TPG readers’ favorite airports to spend a long delay in

The Points Guy / 15h
From memorable restaurants and luxurious lounges to favorite onsite hotels and proximity to fun places worth exploring, our well-traveled TPG Lounge members had a lot to say about the airports they wouldn’t mind being stuck in during a long flight delay.
We recently asked our TPG Lounge audience to share which airport they’d prefer to be stuck in if they had a long flight delay, how they’d pass the time, where they’d eat (in a lounge or restaurant) and where they’d spend the night.

KidKraft's Alexa-powered toy kitchen sizzles and tells dad jokes

Amazon KidKraft Alexa200+Engadget / 15h
There's plenty of freeform play to be had, but to take advantage of Alexa's real capabilities a kid has to make use of the included "recipe cards." They're not real recipes with ingredients and instructions.
There's a variety of kitchen utensils, cookware and food to play with, constructed of materials like plastic, wood or felt; the idea is to still keep the experience somewhat tactile.

How to See All Your Saved Wi-Fi Passwords on macOS

100+How-To Geek / 16h
Having a complex Wi-Fi password increases your security, as well as your likelihood to forget a long chain of letters and numbers. Fortunately, there are two quick methods for retrieving your home Wi-Fi password quickly and securely. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›

Fenerbahce vs Galatasaray live stream: how to watch the Intercontinental Derby 2019-20 from anywhere

44TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 16h
Turkey's latest Intercontinental Derby is upon us, with Fenerbahce set to go head-to-head against bitter rivals Galatasaray in Istanbul today - and we're here to tell you all the easiest ways to watch a Fenerbahce vs Galatasaray live stream, no matter where you happen to be.
Make sure you know how to watch every second of the Intercontinental Derby 2020 action by following our Fenerbahce vs Galatasaray live stream guide.

United’s Explanation Of Their New Chase Credit Card Deal Makes No Sense

View from the Wing / 16h
The Company currently estimates that the new commercial terms, anticipated portfolio growth and participation in Chase Ultimate Rewards will increase the annual cash contribution to the Company by approximately $400 million in 2020 from the combined impact of the Agreement and the amendment to the agreement with Visa.
There’s almost no way that this new deal could be increasing points transfers from Ultimate Rewards and therefore netting additional revenue.

UK drone laws: where can and can't you fly your drone?

48TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 16h
With new police powers, drone laws and large on-the-spot fines now in place, it’s more important than ever that you know where you stand and what’s required of you as a drone pilot.
Luckily, we've rounded up all of the latest drone law changes, and also suggested the best apps to help you decide where to safely fly your drone.

Embr Wave Review: The End of Thermostat Wars

81Wired / 16h
I’ve previously written about how Dr. Hui Zhang, a research scientist at UC Berkeley, found that, on average, test subjects wearing the Embr Wave reported feeling 5.8 degrees Fahrenheit warmer after three minutes on the warm setting and 4.6 degrees Fahrenheit cooler on the cool setting.
I've been wearing the Embr Wave for a while now, a watch-like wearable that sends waves of heat into the fleshy underside of my wrist during the dead of a New York winter, and releases pulses of icy coolness when an unusual winter heatwave has me sweating.

A Star's Auroras Light the Way to a New Exoplanet

2KWired / 16h
As a result, the team concluded that the source of the strong radio emissions is a hidden Earth-size planet.
The radial velocity method watches for the gravitational tug of a planet on its host star, but this technique works best for massive Jupiter-size planets.

Climate change is drying up the Colorado River

3KArs Technica / 16h
Enlarge / The shores of Lake Mead, faded from previously higher water levels. 0 with 0 posters participating In 2014, the Colorado River reached the ocean for the first time in 16 years . Most years, the river doesn't make it that far because it has been dammed and diverted along the way, supplying fresh water to approximately 40 million people and supporting agriculture and economic activity in

NASA ‘Exploring Hell’ challenge seeks sensor designs from public

28SlashGear / 17h
NASA is asking the public to submit sensor design concepts as part of its new ‘Exploring Hell: Avoiding Obstacles on a Clockwork Rover’ challenge. The sensor would be designed to help a rover avoid obstacles that it may encounter on Venus, a planet with an extreme surface temperature of 840F. The challenge comes from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which recently received a grant under the spac

Cities fighting climate woes hasten “green gentrification”

1KArs Technica / 17h
0 with 0 posters participating Boston’s plans to harden its waterfront against the perils of climate change—storm surge, flooding, and sea-level rise—seem like an all-around win. The only way to keep a higher, more turbulent Atlantic out of South Boston and Charlestown is to build parks, bike paths, gardens, and landscaped berms with waterfront views. These are all things that make a greener, mor

The 15 most underrated Netflix TV shows

15 Netflix This Week200+Mashable / 17h
Mining for hidden gems on Netflix? We've got you covered. Whether you've been scrolling for ten minutes or ten hours, finding the right Netflix show can be tricky. You'll pass up something perfect for you because you don't recognize the title, watch something you hate because it had a cool thumbnail, then panic and give up. So, we at Mashable put our heads together to find a whole bunch of shows

PS5 vs Nvidia gaming laptops – who will win the battle for gamers' cash?

PS5 Xbox 2020 Ed Boon100+TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 17h
Games consoles these days should last around five years before another generation arrives, so even if only the most powerful gaming laptops will be able to compete with the PS5 when it launches at the end of 2020, you can be sure that in five years’ time, the majority of gaming laptops will.
Even without knowing the specs of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, there’s a good chance that gaming laptops will be able to match the two upcoming consoles when it comes to performance.

This Technique Uses AI to Fool Other AIs

400+Wired / 17h
Jin and colleagues devised an algorithm called TextFooler capable of deceiving an AI system without changing the meaning of a piece of text.
Research shows how AI programs that parse and analyze text can be confused and deceived by carefully crafted phrases.

How to Share Your Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and Spotify Accounts the Safe Way

300+Wired / 17h
For those that don’t, a new service called Jam lets you safely, securely, and easily share accounts with friends and family, much like a team of people.
Most password managers come with a password-sharing feature built right in.

UAE overtakes South Korea to rank first in mobile broadband speed test in January

45TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 17h
The average download speed in South Korea in January was 83.90Mbps compared to 103.18Mbps in December while the upload speed was 17.62Mbps compared to 20.55Mbps in December.
When compared to other Gulf Cooperation Countries, Qatar remained third with a download speed of 82.59Mbps, followed by Saudi Arabia ranked one place higher at 12th with a download speed of 57.46Mbps, Kuwait jumping three places higher at 25th with a download speed of 47.23Mbps, Oman falling three places to 36th with a download speed of 40.63Mbps, Bahrain jumping seven places to rank 40th with a download speed of 37.06Mbps.

Why Are Wireless Chargers So Slow?

96How-To Geek / 17h
Over the last 5 years, wireless charging speeds have leaped from around 5 watts to 10 or 15 watts in a handful of phones. That ain’t too shabby, but with new flagships like the Galaxy S20 and the Huawei Mate X sporting 45- and 55-watt wired charging speeds, wireless charging still feels slow. Read This Article on Review Geek ›

What Does “NGL” Mean, and How Do You Use It?

43How-To Geek / 17h
Despite NGL’s popularity on Reddit and Twitter, it hasn’t gained the mainstream use of some other abbreviations. NGL stands for “Not Gonna Lie,” and it’s still common in many corners of the web. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›

The inspiring comeback of Sonic the Hedgehog

SlashGear / 18h
What a comeback it has been for Sonic the Hedgehog. Despite the abysmal backlash against its debut trailer – coupled with the fact that it is a video game movie – our favorite blue hedgehog shot to the top of the box office last weekend. Bringing in an estimated $70 million domestically, this is the best opening weekend a video game adaptation has seen. While that figure doesn’t compare to the mi

7 books that HBO, Netflix or Amazon should adapt for television

HBO Westworld Three 348TechRadar - All the latest technology ne.../ 18h
With that in mind, we’ve brought together our list of books we’d love to see adapted for the small screen – in hope that the likes of Netflix , HBO, Hulu , or Amazon would do it justice.
We’re bound to see some stinkers in the coming years, but there’s every chance we’ll see some exceptional adaptations too, with television series that give a story time to develop over 10 or 20 hours, rather than the tight constraints of the 90-minute blockbuster.

Bagel Labs innovates smart measuring tape with a digital screen

48TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 18h
Bagel Labs is innovating the way we measure by putting a digital screen on the device so that people don’t have to read the measure or take time to note it down,” he said.
Moreover, he said that PIE has made it easier to keep track of waist size and body fat percentage.

How lake gases are powering homes in Rwanda

1KBBC News - Technology / 18h
Methane is being extracted from Lake Kivu in Rwanda to generate electricity.

Master Java at your own pace with this step-by-step course bundle

61Mashable / 19h
Just to let you know, if you buy something featured here, Mashable might earn an affiliate commission. Over 450 lessons are included. Image: pexels By StackCommerce Mashable Shopping 2020-02-23 10:06:00 UTC TL;DR: As of Feb. 23, you can learn all about the top dog with The 2020 Complete Java Master Class Bundle for just $33.99, a 96% savings. Despite being developed back in 1995, Java still rema

Switch to compostable espresso pods and save your wallet *and* the Earth

Earth Mark Ruffalo28Mashable / 19h
Just to let you know, if you buy something featured here, Mashable might earn an affiliate commission. The mix features three blends – Lungo, Arabica, and Deciso. Image: woken coffee By StackCommerce Mashable Shopping 2020-02-23 10:05:00 UTC TL;DR: As of Feb. 23, you can help the Earth while enjoying some great espresso with these compostable espresso pods at 60 for $29.99, a 25% savings. Earth'

Tackle your DIY projects with Singer sewing machines up to 60% off

44Mashable / 19h
Just to let you know, if you buy something featured here, Mashable might earn an affiliate commission. You'll be a fashion designer in no time. Image: singer By StackCommerce Mashable Shopping 2020-02-23 10:03:00 UTC Whether


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