Sunday, March 01, 2020

TPS Consulting Daily


TECHNOLOGY AND MORE!


China's Air Pollution Rates Plummet After Coronavirus Lockdown

500+Gizmodo / 1h
Satellites operated by NASA and the European Space Agency have seen “significant decreases” in toxic nitrogen dioxide over China that are “at least partly related to the economic slowdown following the outbreak of coronavirus,” according to a press release NASA issued this weekend .
NASA scientists said the drop-off first became apparent over Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, but it has since spread to other areas of the country.

Science Has a New Way to Gauge the Universe's Expansion Rate

2KWired / 10h
For their standard candles, they chose the population of TRGB stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a nearby galaxy whose distance is extremely well known.
Instead, Freedman and her collaborators measured the intrinsic brightness of TRGBs in two other, essentially dust-free (but not as precisely located) places: a galaxy called IC 1613, and the Small Magellanic Cloud.

OUCH: Marriott Hotel Category Changes 2020 (Last Chance)

500+One Mile at a Time / 2h
That means that net we’re seeing an increase in cost at 15% of all properties, and of those properties changing categories, over three quarters are going up in price.
As a reminder, members who have either the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card or the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card receive one free night award worth up to 35,000 points every year after their account anniversary, which now will be redeemable at 89% of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio during standard redemption rates.


American Idol 2020: watch live online from anywhere in the world

20TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 16min
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a simple (and completely legal) bit of software kit that changes your IP address so that you can access episodes of shows like American Idol live or on demand, as they become available - just like you would if you were at home.
Episodes of The Bachelor can be watched On Demand and live, though double check ABC is available to stream in your area by entering your zip code.

Samsung may introduce a Lite version of the Galaxy Tab S6

Samsung Galaxy Coronavirus31Engadget / 22min
Samsung might not save its Lite label for budget versions of its Galaxy flagships . Android Headlines has shared what it says are leaked details of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, a cut-down version of last year's high-end tablet . It'll reportedly resemble the original Tab S6 in shape and possibly size, but switch to decidedly mid-range specs with an Exynos 9611 chip (likely a Snapdragon 600-series in t

How a global outbreak has left the travel industry reeling

The Points Guy / 24min
And though extensive precautions have been taken — quarantines of entire cities in the Hubei province; hundreds of flights canceled and suspended; cruise ships rerouted to less troubled waters through the end of the year — the virus has continued to spread.
Marriott’s cancellation and change fee waivers are in place for guests traveling to or based in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and Italy.

How to book Qatar Airways flights with points and miles

The Points Guy / 40min
Per flight, British Airways charges the following Avios from the U.K. to Qatar’s hub in Doha (DOH), one-way per person:
If you have American AAdvantage miles, the program allows one-way redemptions and though fees and taxes are payable as through other programs, you will avoid the high fuel surcharges that British Airways and Iberia will impose on redemptions, so you can expect the overall co-payment to be lower.

Never Put a Novelty Souvenir Stamp in Your Real Passport

78Lifehacker / 59min
This week Travel + Leisure posted the story of a British woman, Tina Sibley, who didn’t head a similar warning in her UK passport and added one of those Machu Pichu stamps, essentially rendering her passport invalid in the process.
If you’re a frequent traveler, then you may one day run into an offer for a souvenir passport stamp.

Intel’s Culture Needed Fixing. Its C.E.O. Is Shaking Things Up.

100+NYT > Technology / 1h
But Intel had a hidden problem, said Robert Swan, its chief executive: Its culture badly needed an overhaul, and its 110,000 employees needed to confront issues more openly.
Intel had begun modifying some procedures before Mr. Swan became chief executive, but his emphasis on changing the 51-year-old company’s culture has sharply accelerated progress, executives said.

Save $114 on Sonos' Super Capable, Great-Sounding Playbase

Gizmodo / 1h
Best Tech Deals Best Tech Deals The best tech deals from around the web, updated daily. Sonos Playbase | $587 | Amazon Sonos makes some of the most convenient, best sounding speakers on the market and right now you can pick up their awesome Playbase for just $587. This is an excellent opportunity to save on truly excellent, unbelievably fool-proof home theater speaker system. In their review, Giz

Walmart and Verizon may turn stores into 5G hubs

84Engadget / 1h
Wall Street Journal sources say Walmart and Verizon (Engadget's parent company) are in talks to equip stores with 5G service, starting with a pair of stores this year.
The faster wireless data would help Walmart launch digital health services that it only recently started exploring, such as video chats with doctors and real-time medical data.

So This 64 Year Old Cargo Plane Keeps Flying Over My House…

45One Mile at a Time / 1h
At least a couple of times per week I notice a Convair CV-5800 operated by IFL Group approaching Miami from San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
You don’t see a whole lot of Convair planes flying nowadays

Best Category 8 Marriott hotels for redeeming Suite Night Awards

The Points Guy / 1h
The Premium Grand Infinity 1 Bedroom Suite, 1 King, Beachfront, Private pool is the top room you can request with SNAs. Here’s what you need to know:
The great thing is that Marriott Suite Night Awards usually don’t limit you to just the base suite — some allow you to request the best room in the house!

Why Peloton is my secret weapon to staying healthy while on the road

The Points Guy / 2h
It’s updated almost daily with hotels broken down by state, which allows me to quickly scan for a Marriott , Hilton or Hyatt property in my destination that has a bike.
In November of 2018, my local YMCA got two Peloton stationary bikes — and although I didn’t know it at the time, the brand would soon play a pretty significant role in my life.

Passenger’s MacBook Screen Got Crushed By A Reclining Seat And He Wants Compensation

26View from the Wing / 2h
On Delta, United, or American I need extra legroom coach seats if I’m going to open my laptop.
@Delta small note for the suggestion box, maybe have a little warning sign or someway to prevent my laptop from being destroyed when the person in front of me reclines their seat.

Exciting new airline routes from February 2020 and beyond

The Points Guy / 2h
Flights to Boise, Idaho (BOI), will begin June 18, with Alaska Airlines ’ regional affiliate Horizon Air operating one daily round-trip flight on 76-seat Embraer E175 jets.
The service expansion will more than double the number of nonstop routes that Allegiant offers from San Diego, from where the carrier will now fly to 10 destinations either seasonally or year-round.

Google's next Wear OS update could go all-in on health features

Google Pixel Android44TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 2h
We're still waiting to see exactly how Google's acquisition of Fitbit will affect its future wearables, but it seems increasingly likely that the next version of Wear OS is going to be a lot more focused on your health.
The survey, sent out through the Google User Experience Research program, polls participants about what they'd like to see included in future Wear OS upgrades, whenever they might happen to arrive.

The Producers of I Am Not Okay With This Talk Creating an Idiosyncratic Superhero Origin Story

Netflix This Week March100+Gizmodo / 2h
“I want it to feel like what happens if you’re born with superpowers and Professor X never shows up to teach you how to use them, or Hagrid never arrives to take you to Hogwarts,” Entwistle said.
Unlike, say, the MCU’s Spider-Man series, which works some John Hughes into the superheroic formula, I Am Not Okay With This endeavors to do the opposite, by working a little superpower stuff into the ensemble teen story.

AI can help find more places to store captured CO2 underground

68Engadget / 2h
MIT scientists have developed a machine learning system that uses earthquakes to accurately estimate those low-frequency waves and map underground structures.
Scientists dream of storing captured CO2 emissions underground, but it can be tricky to find pockets for storing those emissions -- Earth's seismic "hum" makes it difficult to spot the low-frequency waves that would best help map the subterranean landscape.

Ryan Reynolds hilariously celebrates Leap Day with an 84-year-old's first legal drink

200+Mashable / 3h
It's not every day you get to celebrate turning 21, the legal drinking age in America. It's extremely not every day that you get to do so as a woman who was actually born more than eight decades ago. That was the case for Arlene Manko, who was born on Feb. 29 1936. Because it lands on Leap Day, this means Manko only technically has a birthday every four years. Meaning she was five "years" old whe

Take a Quick Photo of Your Child Before Heading Into Crowded Places

69Lifehacker / 3h
Even the most diligent of parents can unexpectedly lose track of their youngsters, especially in crowded and attention-grabbing places like amusement parks, fairs, and shopping malls.
For larger events like amusement parks, a good plan is to tell your child to stay exactly where they are if they lose track of you.

We are all Brie Larson, who cannot stop talking about 'Animal Crossing'

Animal Crossing NHMashable / 3h
In one of the most heartwarming examples of "The Stars, They're Just Like Us!" relatability, Larson retweeted her emotional reaction to the Nintendo Direct this past February that introduced fans to the new villagers coming to your town in New Horizons .
It later became clear Larson possesses deep knowledge of Animal Crossing lore and the most important questions around New Horizons when she reiterated another fan's concern over whether a fan-favorite, the irate groundhog Mr. Resetti, would return in the new game.

Marvel Will Launch The Rise of Ultraman Comic Later This Year

300+Gizmodo / 3h
Written by Kyle Higgins ( Mighty Morphin Power Rangers ) and Mat Groom ( Self-Made ) with art by Francesco Manna ( Avengers, Fantastic Four ), The Rise of Ultraman’s will seek to introduce Ultraman to a whole new generation of fans while doing justice to classic stories.
Now, Marvel has revealed what that will look like in the form of The Rise of Ultraman , a new ongoing following the first and most iconic iteration of the hero.

Jeep's all-terrain e-bike is available to pre-order for $5,899

400+Engadget / 4h
If you've been eying Jeep's e-bike ever since that Super Bowl ad, you can finally spring for it...
That's not an unheard-of price when electric mountain bikes often cost as much or more, but it may be a surprise if you're used to fat tire e-bikes that cost much less.

Pray for clear skies: A review of Alaska’s Borealis Basecamp

The Points Guy / 4h
I began my aurora adventure at Borealis Basecamp in a remote part of Alaska, roughly an hour-long drive north of Fairbanks International Airport (FAI).
Light pollution doesn’t make for clear aurora viewing — the best spots are far outside the city, which explains why Borealis Basecamp is so remote.

New algorithm generates every possible melody to curb copyright lawsuits

100+Mashable / 4h
The algorithm created by the two programmer-musicians can put together every single 8-note, 12-beat melody combo.
Damien Riehl and Noah Rubin, two fellow musicians and programmers, developed an algorithm to come up with every possible music combination.

New Star Wars book plugs one of the big 'Rise of Skywalker' plot holes

Star Wars THR One TRS59Mashable / 4h
How exactly did Emperor Sheev Palpatine show up in The Rise of Skywalker when any fan will tell you he plunged to his death in Return of the Jedi ?
When Kylo Ren makes his way to the stormy planet of Exegol and encounters the seemingly reborn Emperor, it's never really explained how the elder Sith Lord...

New United Club lounge opens in New Orleans International Airport

The Points Guy / 4h
But the card also comes with a number of ongoing benefits , such as two annual United Club one-time passes.
On February 29, 2020, United yanked the shroud from its first new United Club lounge of 2020.

Why you should be using the Amex Offers map feature

The Points Guy / 5h
Once on the map, you can scroll around the world to see any current offers available anywhere.
Now keep it raised if you’ve taken advantage of ever-popular Amex Offers , the limited-time promotions that give you discounts on purchases, bonus points for spend and sometimes even cash back.

These Airlines Will Let You Change Your Flight For Free Because of Coronavirus

100+Lifehacker / 5h
If you have a flight on Alaska happening between now and March 12th, the airline is waiving change and cancellation fees.
While initially, airlines were only being lenient with canceling and changing flights to and from heavily impacted areas, such as my South Korean journey, now many are also allowing passengers to change flights that are happening in the US as well, over coronavirus concerns.

United Airlines Offering Pilots (Partially) Paid Leave

64One Mile at a Time / 5h
We’ve seen the “big three” US airlines all reduce flying to Asia, though United Airlines has seen by far the most reductions in their schedule.
With this leave opportunity, United pilots who choose to take the month off would instead be paid for about 50 hours of flying, so they’d get ~60-70% of their normal pay, not factoring in per diems, holiday pay, etc.

Ta-Nehisi Coates Is Ending His Lengthy Run Writing Black Panther

500+Gizmodo / 5h
From Black Panther #1. Illustration: Brian Stelfreeze /Marvel Comics Since 2016, Ta-Nehisi Coates has been Marvel’s flagship writer for Black Panther, a run that has encompassed 68 issues across several series, including two different runs of Black Panther . In that time, the Wakandan king has gone from royal intrigue to space opera . Now, Coates is stepping away from the character that first bro

These are the hotels and airlines offering elite status extensions for those impacted by coronavirus

The Points Guy / 5h
As the world continues to react to the ongoing coronavirus spread, several hotel and airline companies have chosen to proactively offer members elite status and benefits extensions.
IHG also announced via its official WeChat account that members whose accounts were located in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan as of Feb. 17, 2020 will have their current membership extended until Dec. 31, 2021.

Your FICO score and which credit cards offer it for free

The Points Guy / 5h
The following credit card issuers now offer your FICO score for free, either online or with your monthly statement.
Knowing your FICO score is helpful when it comes to travel rewards because it can give you a sense of which credit cards you’re likely to be approved for , allowing you to maximize your applications.

LOL: SNL Tackles LaGuardia Airport Sushi

64One Mile at a Time / 5h
Saturday Night Live has had their fair share of airline and airport related skits over the years. During last night’s episode they had a hilarious skit called “Airport Sushi,” which I thought was pretty spot on. While I’m sure the jokes about airport sushi are obvious enough, in reality this is more about LaGuardia Airport than anything, and it hits on just about everything people hate about the

How to work during a pandemic

200+TechCrunch / 5h
You’re also only at risk of being affected by people you come into contact with — this isn’t a nerve agent that’s going to creep in through the cracks of your windows.
If people think you’re doing this because you think they’re infected or dirty, that’s a problem on their side, and they probably haven’t read this list.

China Roundup: Apple closes a 4-year-old App Store loophole

Chinese China Apple95TechCrunch / 5h
Notably, the Plague Inc. ban coincided with Apple’s announcement this week that would require all games in its Chinese app store to obtain government approval in the form of an ISBN number beginning in July.
Plague Inc., a simulation game where a player’s goal is to infect the entire world with a deadly virus, was removed from the China iOS App Store this week.

Making money from games: the future of virtual economies

200+TechCrunch / 5h
To many people, the idea of spending time in virtual worlds amassing in-game currency and trading goods still sounds like the geeky science fiction hobby of someone who needs to “get a real job.”
Virtual worlds will be viewed as digital extensions of “the real world” and working a full-time job in a multiverse virtual world will become as normal as someone working in a social media marketing role today.

Facebook simplifies Messenger design and scrubs Discover tab

Facebook MessengerSlashGear / 5h
Years ago, Facebook emphasized the reality of bots in its Messenger app and added a then-new tab called Discover that made it easier for users to find these bots.
The loss of the Discover tab joins other recent Messenger design changes that improve the overall experience for users, making it easier to find their friends and the content they share, namely Stories.

Sunday's Best Deals: Kindle eBooks, Daemon X Machina, Sonos Playbase, and More

32Gizmodo / 6h
This pedestal-style speaker comes close to matching it’s Black Friday price, and one of the best discounts we’ve ever seen on this super capable Sonos speaker.
For what it’s worth, this is the lowest price we’ve ever seen on this particular bag, and it usually sells around $9.

Moment discontinues the Android version of its pro camera app

SlashGear / 6h
Moment has attempted to work with these phone manufacturers by asking them to make certain device features available to it and by sharing the changes they make to their devices.
Moment, the company behind an excellent iOS camera app that features pro-level manual tools, has decided to discontinue the work on the Android version of its app.

After Math: Steven Seagal-like longevity

96Engadget / 6h
Granted, yes, those headlines most recently have involved the SEC and a $314,000 settlement for him not disclosing that his endorsements for a digital currency were compensated for by the company selling them.
Peloton this week announced that it had reached a settlement with the National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA), which had initially asked for $150 million in compensation.

Choice Privileges Promo: Free Night After Two Stays

100+One Mile at a Time / 6h
A qualifying stay is one that is eligible to earn Choice Privileges points, except stays booked at rates below 40USD per night, reward night stays, etc.
Choice Privileges isn’t offering 8,000 bonus points after every two stays, but rather they’ll adjust the points you earn after two stays so that you have 8,000 points, including the base points you earn.

Targeted: Earn 4,000 bonus miles on your AAdvantage Aviator card

The Points Guy / 7h
If you’re one of the many who have taken advantage of the unusually generous welcome offer of the AAdvantage ® Aviator ® Red Mastercard® (60,000 AAvantage miles after a single purchase and paying the annual fee, $99), check your email for another generous promotion.
One of our TPG readers sent in a tip alerting us to this promotion, which is offering 4,000 bonus miles for $3,000 in spend on your card.

New Flying Blue Promo Awards For March 2020

400+One Mile at a Time / 7h
Air France-KLM Flying Blue has just published the details of their latest Promo Awards, which are valid for bookings made for the month of March.
Historically one of the best uses of Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles is booking their Promo Awards .

Xbox Series X vs Xbox One X: will it be worth the upgrade?

Microsoft Xbox One100+TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
So, here's a break down of everything we know about the two consoles so far, including price (or rumored price), specs, and existing or expected games to help you weigh up whether it'll be worth upgrading from the Xbox One X to the Xbox Series X.
It’s for console players who want the best of the best in terms of specs, and native 4K and HDR support, but the upcoming Xbox Series X will have something to say about that when it releases this year.

Passenger Flew Back From China To An Unapproved Airport, Skipping Over Extra Screening

100+View from the Wing / 7h
It surprised me to learn that airlines are asking passengers whether they’ve been to China or – starting Monday – Iran within the previous two weeks and relying on honest answers in order to evaluate the passenger’s fitness for travel.
Passengers entering the U.S. from China (and shortly also Iran) are only permitted to use one of 11 airports in order to receive heightened screening: New York JFK; Chicago O’Hare; San Francisco; Seattle; Honolulu; LAX; Atlanta; Washington Dulles; Newark; Dallas Fort-Worth; and Detroit.

Facebook's Messenger app redesign makes chatting more streamlined

Facebook Messenger96TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
As reported by TechCrunch , chat bots are getting demoted in the app and the Discover page (showing deals, games and businesses) is going away entirely.
You're going to be able to see which friends are currently active with a single tap from the People page, and the redesigned app strips down the available tabs to just to: People or Chat, which is where all your current conversations are.

curiouscatalog: From: Pugin, Augustus, 1762-1832. Gothic...

Music, Arts & Literature / 7h
curiouscatalog : From: Pugin, Augustus, 1762-1832. Gothic furniture. London : R. Ackermann, 1827 or 1828 NK2345 .P97

From our picture files: “The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. Wilson L. Bul. 7/1971″

Music, Arts & Literature / 7h
From our picture files: “The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. Wilson L. Bul. 7/1971″

The top-selling smartphones of 2019 are almost all Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy

Apple iPhone iPad Mac100+Mashable / 7h
The iPhone XR was the best-selling device of the year with a 3 percent market share around the world.
According to a new study by market research firm Counterpoint Research, the Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy lines of smartphones were the top-selling devices of 2019.

TPG’s guide to the biggest Holi Festival parties in India

The Points Guy / 8h
You may not know about Holi but you probably know what it looks like: entire cities covered in neon yellow, pink and blue and kaleidoscopic crowds dancing, singing and bringing new meaning to the phrase “riot of color.”
Holi is celebrated around the world, but it’s at its biggest and most colorful in Uttar Pradesh, a state in North India.

Pete Davidson turned a laughably bad John Mulaney photo into memes on 'SNL'

90Mashable / 8h
Look, boomers. Just lock down your Facebook. Cut everyone off from your photos except the people you fully trust. If you don't, a young relative could turn your worst look into a meme. This Saturday Night Live sketch turns host John Mulaney into an angry uncle after his nephew (Pete Davidson) memes a truly tragic work photo and it takes off. And in a perfectly boomer move, Uncle Mulaney rats his

Fits and Starts for Autonomous Vehicles, and More Car News This Week

Uber Fowler This week100+Wired / 9h
This week, the organization announced that all season and single-game tickets would include fully subsidized trips on public transit to and from the new arena at Seattle Center.
This week, we gained insight into some important steps necessary before the vehicles really hit the road.

Tina Fey and BTS Top This Week's Internet News Roundup

South Carolina Democratic100+Wired / 9h
What Happened: You might think that, with nine debates under their collective belt, the Democratic presidential hopefuls would have worked out how to handle that whole “arguing their points reasonably and thoughtfully, without embarrassing themselves” thing.
(The author of the book on which Love, Simon is based says that's maybe not as bad as it sounds , though.) Meanwhile, one writer revealed what it's like to find out your ex is dating Lady Gaga.

TPG readers reveal the best meals they’ve ever had in economy

The Points Guy / 9h
Several TPG Lounge readers described the best snacks and meals they’ve encountered in economy on domestic flights, whether it was memorable mezze samplers on United or epic cheese boxes on JetBlue and Alaska Airlines.
Other TPG Lounge members mentioned favorite Korean dishes on flights to and from Seoul, while others sang the praises of coach cuisine on Qantas, Emirates, Delta, ANA, Virgin Atlantic, AsiaAir, United and Singapore Airlines.

May we live in interesting times

100+TechCrunch / 9h
It’s never a good sign when, in order to discuss the near future of technology, you first have to talk about epidemiology–but I’m afraid that’s where we’re at.
Fortunately, it seems likely (to me, at least) that nations with good health systems, strong social cohesion, and competent leadership will be able to push the curve down into a manageable “hill” distribution instead.

LG Display factory suspends operations over COVID-19 case

SlashGear / 9h
A number of companies have already reported troubles getting the supplies they need for their products; a large number of factories in China have temporarily suspended operations due to the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.
The economic issue could result from a disruption to supply chains used by a variety of industries, eventually leading to product shortages combined with loss of work and widespread illnesses that may temporarily shut down various corporations.

American Airlines Suspends Milan Flights After Crew Refuses To Fly

500+One Mile at a Time / 9h
As noted by @xJonNYC , the decision to suspend these flights came after an American Airlines crew allegedly refused to operate the New York to Milan flight last night.
While American Airlines says that the routes being canceled for weeks is a result of reduced demand, it sure seems like it might have more to do with crews refusing to operate these flights.

John Mulaney's 'SNL' monologue is just a hilarious mini comedy show

300+Mashable / 9h
John Mulaney took advantage of his third time on the Saturday Night Live hosting stage to... work out some material. I haven't seen Mulaney's recent stand-up, so maybe he's recycling some things here. But where lots of SNL hosts have a carefully engineered monologue featuring guests and choreography, Mulaney's latest one is just him doing a little comedy. It's very funny. Mulaney jokes about boom

American Airlines Crew Refuses To Fly To Milan, Airline Suspends Service To The City

300+View from the Wing / 9h
by Gary Leff on March 1, 2020 American Airlines flight AA198 from New York JFK to Milan was cancelled Saturday evening after crewmembers refused to make the trip to Northern Italy over coronavirus fears. An American Airlines spokesperson confirmed to Italian media, We can confirm that the AA198 New York-Milan flight has been canceled for operational reasons..The reason for the cancellation was t

How to Update Your Disney+ Billing information

How-To Geek / 9h
Disney+ brings so much fun right into your living room, but you might have just changed bank accounts or you might need to use a different credit card. Here’s how you can change your billing information for Disney+. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›

Bike Friday Haul-A-Day Review: A Lightweight, Affordable Ride

88Wired / 10h
I’ve racked up about 45 miles of toting my kids on the Haul-A-Day. There are valid reasons this bike might not be for everyone, but so far it’s one of my favorite family rides.
I’ve consistently seen Bike Friday’s e-assisted Haul-A-Day on family bike forums being recommended for smaller parents.

Airport sushi sets the stage for a lavish 'SNL' musical about LaGuardia

500+Mashable / 10h
John Mulaney guest hosting Saturday Night Live can only mean one thing: It's time for another send-up of hit musicals that fixates on something gross. We've pondered the wisdom of ordering diner lobster . We've plumbed the depths of grody bodega bathrooms that you should really never ask to use. And now, we've ventured into the dark landscape of one man's questionable choice to get airport sushi

'Dispatches from Elsewhere' is a little too existential to be much fun

32Mashable / 10h
Through the Elsewhere Society's initiation process, Peter is united with Simone (Eve Lindley), an art museum docent struggling with what appears to be social anxiety; Janice (Sally Field), whose life partner was recently rendered unresponsive by a stroke; and Fredwynn (André Benjamin), a genius with an affinity for conspiracies.
Peter (Jason Segel), an ordinary-presenting man living in Philadelphia (who viewers learn has been devoid of strong emotions of any type for many years) notices a set of mysterious flyers stuck to telephone poles that line his daily route to and from work.

What does Star Wars: The High Republic tell us about the future of the movies?

Star Wars THR One TRS56TechRadar - All the latest technology ne.../ 10h
Lucasfilm has revealed the details of its long-teased Project Luminous, a codename for a cross-media publishing initiative that’s now formally titled Star Wars: The High Republic.
The High Republic initiative will introduce a lot of new Star Wars lore at once, and even if there's no plan for a movie set in this era right now, it lays the groundwork for filmmakers to give it some consideration in future.

American’s New Seattle To Bangalore Flight Schedule

200+One Mile at a Time / 10h
American’s new Seattle to Bangalore flight has now been loaded into the schedule.
A couple of weeks ago American Airlines caught most of us off guard, when they announced that they’d add two international routes out of Seattle , including a new Seattle to Bangalore flight.

Democratic contenders take on the coronavirus in the 'SNL' cold open

32Mashable / 10h
Did Saturday Night Live 's cold open really just suggest that no one currently in the U.S. government or the people vying to lead it are ill-equipped to handle the growing threat of the new coronavirus? It sure did, and there's no reason to think SNL is wrong! A cold open sketch that starts with a sleepy White House press conference delivered by Vice President Mike Pence is soon interrupted by ev

Big Data promises better deals. But for whom?

300+Ars Technica / 11h
While those people don’t pay to use Credit Karma, they do turn over their financial information, as well as the kinds of behavioral and location data that other companies, like Facebook and Google, track.
The companies themselves have suggested that a driving force behind the merger is Intuit wanting to get its hands on Credit Karma’s stash of user data.

Certain type of vegetarian diet found to drastically reduce stroke risk

51SlashGear / 11h
A newly published study that followed two large groups of adults in Taiwan found that eating a vegetarian diet high in certain foods may drastically reduce one’s stroke risk.
After following up with these participants over several years, the study found that people who ate vegetarian diets high in soy, nuts, and vegetables had a considerably lower risk of suffering from stroke, including a 74-percent lower risk of ischemic stroke compared to people who ate meat (in the first group).

A Fast Walker Gets Stuck in the Slow Lane

300+Wired / 11h
Life was too slow back home, and walking like a native New Yorker—briskly, with confidence—was something I was going to have to do if I was going to fit in.
Occasionally, when I needed to squeeze by someone who slowed me down, I took on that other New Yorker trait, the one where I say, "Excuse me," but it comes out closer to Dustin Hoffman’s famous line in Midnight Cowboy : "I'm walkin' here!"

Welcome to Botnet, Where Everyone’s an Influencer

300+Wired / 11h
It’s just you and the bots, who like and comment on your posts with reckless abandon.
Every post on Botnet receives hundreds of thousands of likes, no matter how banal the subject matter.

Flying Car Developers Get a Boost From the Air Force

200+Wired / 11h
The US Air Force, as part of its program to make sure that electric aviation doesn’t go the way of small drones and migrate to China, said it is seeking to work with developers to help jump-start eVTOL technology for both commercial and military use.
While the proposal doesn’t come with any funding or direct R&D support, the Air Force is offering to assist the aircraft through the testing and certification necessary for eventual use by military and government buyers.

Star Wars questions that should never be answered

Star Wars THR One TRS100+Mashable / 11h
In the original movie, Obi-Wan gives one simple, succinct explanation of the Force: It gives a Jedi power because "it surrounds us, penetrates us, binds the galaxy together." Otherwise, the old General opted to show, not tell, what the Force could do (bamboozle Stormtroopers, mostly).
Once you start down the path of asking the big Star Wars questions, forever will it dominate your destiny.

EA Sports is trying to improve responsiveness in FIFA 20

78TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 11h
EA Sports has announced that it is planning to introduce an in-game button overlay for some FIFA 20 players as part of its efforts to improve the game’s responsiveness.
In a recent Pitch Notes article published to the EA site, the developer has described its “live study methodology” whereby, following internal testing, it tests potential changes with a small number of real players in order to garner feedback and real-world data.

6 Great Fidget Toys for the Anxious and Bored

28How-To Geek / 11h
Fidgeting is something I’ve always done to relieve anxiety and boredom, and there’s a chance you do the same. And while in the past the best fidgeting options available were tapping your foot or banging your pencil against the desk, today we have less bothersome options help alleviate this stress. Read This Article on Review Geek ›

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

48How-To Geek / 11h
IDGI is a common internet abbreviation that finds its way into Reddit threads and Facebook comments. But what does it mean? How do you use IDGI, and where did it come from? Read This Article on How-To Geek ›

The best phones that should have debuted at MWC 2020

Huawei Vivo Apex 202084TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
The LG V60 ThinQ 5G is the next generation of LG flagships: a big, powerful, modern-looking phone that retains the Dual Screen extra display with connectivity to next-gen networks.
Given it’s a concept, we weren’t looking to see this as a preview for 2020 handset tech, but witnessing these feats in person would have made us excited for the years of phones to come.



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