Wednesday, March 11, 2020

TPS Consulting Daily


TECHNOLOGY AND MORE!

Kuwait Airport Closing, All Commercial Flights Banned

30KOne Mile at a Time / 12h
As far as I know, Kuwait is the first country in the world to completely ban commercial flights as a precautionary measure.
Starting Friday, March 13, 2020, Kuwait International Airport will close for passenger service indefinitely , meaning commercial flights to & from the airport are canceled.

‘It’s Just Everywhere Already’: How Delays in Testing Set Back the U.S. Coronavirus Response

205KNYT > Technology / 1d
Federal and state officials said the flu study could not be repurposed because it did not have explicit permission from research subjects; the labs were also not certified for clinical work.
But nearly everywhere Dr. Chu turned, officials repeatedly rejected the idea, interviews and emails show, even as weeks crawled by and outbreaks emerged in countries outside of China, where the infection began.

Chelsea Manning Attempted Suicide in Jail, Is Recovering, Lawyers Say

17KGizmodo / 5h
Imprisoned activist and former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning attempted suicide on Wednesday in the Alexandria, Virginia, jail where she’s been held for a year following her refusal to testify before a federal grand jury investigating WikiLeaks.
Ms. Manning is still scheduled to appear on Friday for a previously-calendared hearing, at which Judge Anthony Trenga will rule on a motion to terminate the civil contempt sanctions stemming from her May, 2019 refusal to give testimony before a grand jury investigating the publication of her 2010 disclosures.


Galaxy Buds+ Red color option is now available in the US

SlashGear / 19min
Given that, it probably shouldn’t be surprising that there’s a certain amount of excitement over a new variant of the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ that is now being made available in the US, letting buyers insert very glaring red pieces of plastic in their ears.
When Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Buds+, it showed them off in four colors of Black, White, Blue, and, surprisingly, Red. Given the company’s long-standing practice, though, it was certain when or even if the company would bring anything other than Black, White, and Blue to the US, at least not until it actually made them available for purchase.

What E3 2020's cancellation means for PS5 and Xbox Series X

PS5 Xbox Series XSXTechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 28min
Publishers who have previously announced they're working on games for the PS5 and Xbox Series X were set to attend the conference, including the likes of Ubisoft - and it's likely those who haven't officially revealed they are yet would have done so at the event.
Meanwhile, Microsoft confirmed it would be attending E3 2020 and we were expecting the company to show off the next Xbox - and its launch titles - at the event.

iPhone with “world-facing” 3D depth camera may finally happen this year

SlashGear / 54min
It’s one of those rumored features that keep on coming back based on insider sources but iPhone users seem to be completely fine without it.
In fact, much of the functionality such a sensor would provide is already possible without it but that’s not to say it won’t bring welcome improvement if it ever gets added.

Richard E. Grant Will Grace Loki With His Presence

100+Gizmodo / 1h
Richard E. Grant in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Image: Disney The adopted Asgardian god of trickery and general mischief is set to meet a number of new faces in Disney+’s upcoming Loki series —including, but not limited to, one belonging to a person very recently spotted in a galaxy far, far away. Variety reports that The Rise of Skywalker ’s Richard E. Grant is set to make a special appear

Amazon smart TVs don’t exist because of alleged Android TV contract

SlashGear / 1h
Furthermore, that agreement actually applies across device categories so smartphone makers who ship certified Android devices are also not allowed to build smart TVs running Amazon’s platform.
That’s not exactly surprising given the different forms Google’s platform takes, from dongles to actual hulking TVs. It isn’t the only option in the market, of course, but one long-time rival is curiously absent from the TV segment.

A Fate Worse Than Death Visits a Dying City in This Exclusive Excerpt From Caitlin Starling's Yellow Jessamine

100+Gizmodo / 1h
“We must hope,” said Lady Evelyn Perdanu, the only woman among their number, small and slight and draped in mourning black, “that your Orrery does not bring plague back with it as well, Mr. Danforth.”
In Yellow Jessamine , shipping magnate Evelyn Perdanu controls the dying city of Delphinium with trade deals and secrets.

This is the cheapest foldable phone on the market

28TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 2h
Meet the Royole Flexpai , a foldable smartphone first revealed at CES 2019 that hoped to rub shoulders with devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Fold .
Check out our list of the best rugged smartphones around

'Call of Duty: Warzone' racks up 6 million players in 24 hours

100+Engadget / 2h
The new battle royale mode for Call of Duty Modern Warfare has been popular, and not just with Engadget editors. According to Activision, after 24 hours the game has already seen some 6 million players across various platforms. We'll have to wait a few days to see if that number keeps growing, as it attempts to match or exceed the pace of previous Fortnite challengers like Apex Legends , which an

Twitter makes working from home mandatory for employees around the world in response to COVID-19

76TechCrunch / 2h
The company said it will help all employees, including hourly workers and contractors, cover expenses for setting up home offices.
After “strongly encouraging” it earlier this month, Twitter said today that working from home is now mandatory for all employees around the world due to COVID-19 concerns.

NBA season suspended after player tests positive for coronavirus

NBA Season Coronavirus500+Mashable / 2h
The NBA announced today that it has indefinitely halted the 2019-2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic . "The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight’s schedule of games until further notice," said the organization in a statement . "The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic." NBA To Suspend Season Follo

Google Play Store dark mode is finally here and optional

SlashGear / 2h
Prior to this rollout, however, Google Play Store’s dark mode was actually already available but only on Android 10.
Some might argue about the reasons for having a dark Google Play Store on a light-themed phone or vice-versa, but having a choice doesn’t really hurt.

$2 Billion Wasn't Enough to Keep Magic Leap Afloat, So Now It Wants to Find a Buyer

Magic Leap AR Bloomberg61Gizmodo / 3h
After years of drumming up ridiculous hype, producing a mediocre product, and raising an absurd amount of money (a little over $2 billion, to be a little more precise), augmented-reality start-up Magic Leap is reportedly looking to sell itself.
Magic Leap has already had talks with Facebook, but the social media giant didn’t want commit, according to Bloomberg.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson test positive for coronavirus

2KMashable / 3h
On Wednesday night, Hanks posted a statement to Twitter that he and his wife, Rita Wilson, had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease known officially as COVID-19.
As if the coronavirus pandemic didn't have everyone already on edge, there's now word that national treasures Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have the virus.

Canon's EOS R mirrorless camera could come in a 150MP version

28TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 3h
Moreover, rumors of a 75MP as well as an 83MP EOS R camera have been doing the rounds since last year, which could indicate that Canon is at least thinking about a super-high-resolution mirrorless camera, one that sits above the EOS R5 (which could have a 45MP sensor resolution, although Canon has not confirmed that as yet).
As crazy as it may sound, Canon Watch is reporting that the Japanese camera maker is developing a full-frame mirrorless snapper housing a 150MP sensor, with the rumored camera being unofficially dubbed the EOS R3.

EU Circular Economy “right to repair” might include software updates

SlashGear / 3h
The proposals are part of the region’s new Circular Economy Action Plan, an initiative that is pushing for sustainability across multiple industries and sectors.
The EU’s version, as XDA notes, seems to be more focused on ensuring that companies supply sufficient components and replacement parts for professionals, not DIYers, to repair phones.

Desperate to exit, a $10B price tag for Magic Leap is crazy

400+TechCrunch / 3h
Magic Leap’s CEO said he wanted to sell 1 million of its $2300 headset in its first year, then projected it would sell 100,000 headsets, but only moved 6,000 in the first six months, according to a daming report from The Information’s Alex Heath .
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai left Magic Leap’s board despite Google leading a $514 million funding round for the startup in 2014.

Heads up: Amazon AU has stacks of big-name PS4 and Xbox One games going cheap

24TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 3h
Amazon usually has some pretty competitive pricing when it comes to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One games – but the e-commerce giant has now dropped prices on a huge number of titles to an all-time low. That includes the lowest price yet on some of last year’s biggest releases such as Borderlands 3 , The Outer Worlds and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order . A couple of the more recent hits from the last 18

Nokia Android 10 update schedule sees some delays

HMD Nokia Android 10SlashGear / 4h
The new schedule shared by HMD Global Chief Product Officer Juho Sarvikas basically pushes all remaining phones to the second quarter or between the first and second quarters.
HMD Global has always prided itself on the vanilla Android experience it ships on its Nokia-branded phones.

Google is working on a native printing and scanning app for Chrome OS

100+Engadget / 4h
Google is working on a native Chrome OS app for printing and scanning, according to 9to5Google .
Now, 9to5Google has discovered that the tech giant is working on a "Print Management app" for the platform.

U.S. Considering Ban On Flights To And From Europe

88View from the Wing / 4h
The U.S. is discussing banning travel to and from Europe, though they may also opt to warn against all European travel and to impose a quarantine on European arrivals.
The administration could also mandate new quarantine measures for travelers returning from Europe.

'TikTok famous' - but making money?

TikTok TC US Addison Rae100+BBC News - Technology / 4h
Dinner will be laid on, he explains, and there will be aftershow parties where he will rub shoulders with music's biggest stars - but best of all, says the 21-year-old, he will hang out with other social media influencers he admires.
He got his invite because he has just over three million followers on the TikTok video sharing app (more than twice as many as pop star Dua Lipa).

This Excellent Art Show Is a 'Head' Above the Rest

Gizmodo / 4h
is the title of a joint exhibition by father-son duo Matt Ritchie and Miles Ritchie currently on display at Recess in San Francisco.
And here are some more images of the show on display at Recess...

Intel chips faces damaging new LVI flaw

Intel SGX New LVI CPU32TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 4h
A new security flaw in Intel processors has been disclosed by vulnerability researchers at Bitdefender as well as by a team of academics from universities around the world.
The academic research team focused on leaking data from a secure area of Intel processors called the Intel SGX enclave and Bitdefender focused on proving how the attack could impact cloud environments.

Police Used Facial Recognition to Arrest Over 1,100 People in India Last Month

500+Gizmodo / 4h
Shortly after one of the worst riots New Delhi has seen in decades, law enforcement agencies in India used facial recognition technology to identify more than 1,100 people who allegedly took part in those riots at the end of February.
But this isn’t the first time India has used facial recognition to aid in its police work, nor the first time Aadhaar data has been shared with law enforcement.

YouTube reverses coronavirus monetization policy

YouTube One Coronavirus97Mashable / 4h
The Google-owned video streaming company has decided to allow some creators and news channels to monetize its coronavirus-related content.
Creators can also apply to YouTube’s self-certification program that allows them to submit their coronavirus related content to YouTube for an automated review for monetization privileges.

Eating one avocado per day has surprising impact on attention

82SlashGear / 4h
The findings come from the University of Illinois where researchers looked into the effects of avocados on cognitive function in obese adults.
The new study out of Illinois looks specifically at the effect in adults who are obese, a health condition that is associated with a higher risk of cognitive decline as one ages.

These "Clean" Shampoos Have the Lather Other Sulfate-Free Cleansers Lack

Lifehacker / 5h
Dispensed via pump, these new sulfate-free shampoo formulas look and feel like a volumizing mousse styling product, but act like a cleanser for your hair, offering the lather that other “clean” haircare products lack.
Another clean product, the wheat protein and ginger root ingredients in this Nexxus shampoo promote a healthy scalp, while the silicone and paraben-free formula cleanses hair.

My Cat Is Only a Little Crusty, Thanks to This Catnip-Infused Foam Wash

44Gizmodo / 5h
So when I got this $10 catnip-infused Cat Bath Foam Wash from the newly launched Litterbox.com (from the creators of the Litter Robot which I will no doubt be discussing at length in a future Inventory post), I was relieved such a thing existed at all.
Once you’ve sufficiently massaged the Cat Bath Foam Wash into your kitty’s flesh, I recommend a good brushing to eliminate the rest of its loose hair (or as much of it as is humanly possible).

Canon EOS R5 shipping date could be delayed significantly

36TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
According to online publication Canon Rumors , production of the EOS R5 is currently running at only a quarter of the capacity, leaving Canon with just two choices: either delay the official announcement – which was expected around June/July – or postpone the shipping date to much later in the year.
Although, as per Canon Rumors' report, the delayed shipping date could be as late as October 2020.

Ice-Locked Arctic Science Expedition Faces Challenges After Team Member Tests Positive for COVID-19

200+Gizmodo / 5h
An individual involved with an international expedition to study the effects of climate change in the Arctic has tested positive for the coronavirus, in a development that could interrupt this important science mission.
None of these individuals are currently stationed in the Arctic, but their absence is expected to disrupt the aerial component of the research, as all affected members are from the airborne component of the mission.

Weinstein sentencing: Why even a win in sexual assault cases can still feel like defeat

Weinstein 23 Years81Mashable / 5h
But still, it still feels wrong, this dissatisfaction with what is (again) unequivocally a landmark victory in sexual assault convictions.
Maybe my ambivalence comes from what we saw happen prior to Weinstein's conviction , when a bar full of people cheered his presence at a comedy club before throwing out the female comic and survivor of assault who called him out.

NCAA says March Madness games will still happen, but without fans

55SlashGear / 5h
This year, however, the NCAA has decided to limit the basketball games to only players, staff, and some family members in order to avoid the spread of the coronavirus through packed stadiums.
The NCAA has announced that in light of the growing coronavirus outbreaks in the United States, it will hold the March Madness games, but that they’ll be played without any fans in the stadium.

Wow, The Apple Credit Card Is Popular…

100+One Mile at a Time / 5h
While Apple and Goldman Sachs have been tight-lipped about a lot of the stats surrounding their new credit card, Forbes has an interesting piece with some key stats about the card, per market research from Cornerstone Advisors.
That’s even more amazing when you consider that Apple and Goldman Sachs haven’t offered any sort of a welcome bonus on the card, when otherwise that’s standard in the industry.

United Airlines Hates Its Customers. For Short-Term Survival That’s a Good Thing.

40View from the Wing / 5h
Scott Kirby is the President of United Airlines, and soon he’ll become CEO.
He’s more a destroyer of customer experience and during the worst of times there’s no one better at the helm in the short run because he’s clear-eyed and unsentimental.

Overwatch League cancels all homestand matches through April

Overwatch League April78Engadget / 6h
Activision Blizzard has cancelled some Overwatch League matches before in response to the coronavirus outbreak, but now it's taking no chances. The league has cancelled all Overwatch League homestand games for March and April. The cancellations won't affect other league events, but there's no question this will be disruptive to the Overwatch esports scene. The organizers aim to play matches "when

Yahoo Mobile is a $39.99 unlimited phone and data plan

72TechCrunch / 6h
As a cell phone plan, Yahoo Mobile seems pretty straightforward — there’s just one pricing tier, where you pay $39.99 per month for unlimited calls, data and mobile hotspot usage.
Verizon has also spun out a startup called Visible, which also offers unlimited cell services for the same price .

Late night shows nix live audiences as coronavirus spreads

26Mashable / 6h
On Wednesday, multiple New York-based productions — including The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah — announced they would begin taping without live audiences starting March 16.
"There have not been any specific developments at The Ed Sullivan Theater to cause concern for audiences with plans to attend the show tonight, tomorrow, or who have attended in recent weeks," the statement read, again per The Hollywood Reporter .

Would you go to coronavirus 'flu camp' for $4,500?

84Mashable / 6h
London’s Queen Mary BioEnterprises Innovation Centre is seeking 24 healthy volunteers to be voluntarily infected for coronavirus vaccine tests. Read more... More about Mashable Video , Virus , Coronavirus , Coronavirus Infection , and Culture

New Coronavirus Bill Aims to Help All Americans Vote From Home in Emergencies

72Gizmodo / 6h
In the wake of the World Health Organization (WHO) formally declaring the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden has introduced legislation that—depending on the spread of the new coronavirus in the United States—may require all states to allow Americans to vote using absentee ballots in the upcoming election.
The bill, known as the Resilient Elections During Quarantines and Natural Disasters Act , would mandate that all U.S. election authorities offer voters the option of mailing in their ballots or dropping off hand-marked paper ballots, in lieu of standing in line on Election Day. The mandate would only be triggered, however, if 13 states—around 25 percent of the country—declare a public health emergency related to the new coronavirus.

'Call of Duty: Warzone' Hits the Battle Royale Sweet Spot

Call of Duty Warzone100+Wired / 6h
A 150-player battle royale mode that leverages 17 years of Call of Duty gun and map design experience, Warzone is an addictive last-man-standing survival shooter.
In October, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare launched without a battle royale mode entirely.

Slack calls are having ‘connectivity issues’

Slack Work Home68TechCrunch / 6h
The difficulties coincide with the push from tech companies to move workers to remote-only meetings and conference calls, amid the outbreak of COVID-19.
Slack also outlined how the shift to remote may not add a crazy load to its systems.

Tips For Dying Less In Ori And The Will Of The Wisps

Lifehacker / 6h
Lupo’s a mapmaker, and, for several hundred Spirit Light, he’ll sell you a map of whatever region you’re in.
There, you’ll unlock an ability called Light Burst, which will help you out a lot in Luma Pools.

Deal alert: Alaska Airlines fare sale from $25, $99 transcontinental

27The Points Guy / 6h
Alaska Airlines is offering a great deal on many U.S. flights right now, and there are very flexible change and cancellation policies.
And Alaska Airlines is also waiving change and cancellation fees for travel booked on or before Feb. 26 and on new tickets purchased between Feb. 27 and March 31 of this year.

Netflix renews Queer Eye original reality show for its sixth season

SlashGear / 6h
Netflix’s reboot of the popular Bravo series Queer Eye for the Straight Guy has been renewed for a sixth season, the streaming company has announced.
The original series Queer Eye for the Straight Guy premiered on Bravo in 2003 and ran for five seasons until its cancellation in 2007.

Establishing an emergency relief fund, Amazon commits to two-week pay for workers affected by COVID-19

100+TechCrunch / 6h
“We will be offering all of these groups the ability to apply for grants approximately equal to up to two weeks of pay if diagnosed with COVID-19 or placed into quarantine by the government or Amazon,” the company said.
That pay is in addition to unlimited paid time off for all hourly employees through the end of March, which the company announced as a policy to its workers last week.

Coronavirus Campus Shutdowns Hit Some Groups Especially Hard

100+Wired / 6h
Rebecca Slatkin, a software engineer who teaches iOS app development at Syracuse University, says Blackboard Collaborate is the default option being offered by the school, which is moving all of its classes online after spring break.
Amanda Mungcal, a student at Rutgers in New Jersey, says the school will host all classes remotely starting March 23, and has not yet given guidance on what this means for graduation in the spring.

Amazon (Finally) Sets Up a Coronavirus Relief Fund for Its Contractors

Gizmodo / 6h
Amazon is both a major tech company and a profound user of contract labor, and for some reason, despite weeks of restricting travel and other operational changes made for the safety of its full-time workforce, is only now investing in the medical needs of these workers.
“We will be offering all of these groups the ability to apply for grants approximately equal to up to two-weeks of pay if diagnosed with COVID-19 or placed into quarantine by the government or Amazon.”

Here’s how you can thank a great flight attendant on your next trip

The Points Guy / 7h
Dozens of travelers told the TPG Lounge that they like to bring chocolates, Starbucks gift cards and similar small treats for their flight attendants.
Many flight attendants don’t get paid for the time they spend commuting to the airport or for unexpected downtime when trips are delayed on the ground, and many readers who are close to flight crew told the Lounge that little gifts that help cut down on their personal expenses are deeply appreciated.

Hackers are spreading malware through coronavirus maps

200+TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
However, security researcher at Reason Labs, Shai Alfasi has discovered that hackers are now creating fake versions of these dashboards to steal information including user names, passwords, credit card numbers and other data stored in users' browsers.
In a blog post detailing his findings, Alfasi explained that these fake coronavirus maps are using malicious software called AZORult to infect users' machines, saying:

YouTube Decides to Allow Some Creators to Monetize Coronavirus Content

YouTube One Coronavirus55Gizmodo / 7h
“It’s becoming clear this issue is now an ongoing and important part of everyday conversation, and we want to make sure news organizations and creators can continue producing quality videos in a sustainable way,” YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki stated today in an open letter.
Previously, any video mentioning the word had their ads removed, per YouTube’s “ sensitive content ” policy which categorized the coronavirus as a global health crisis (in league with natural disasters, tragic events, and terrorist acts).

CDC tells public to avoid popular mushrooms over deadly outbreak

CDC Coronavirus Americans38SlashGear / 7h
The outbreak has been linked back to enoki mushrooms sold by a South Korean company called Sun Hong Foods; the recalled products feature the UPC “7 426852 625810,” have green packaging, and are sold in 7.05oz / 200g weights.
The company recalled these products on March 9; consumers are told to throw away any of these mushrooms they purchased and to wash any surfaces that may have come into contact with them.

Superpeer raises $2M to help influencers and experts make money with one-on-one video calls

YouTube One Coronavirus100+TechCrunch / 7h
So a YouTube creator could start adding a message at the end of their videos directing fans who want to learn more to their Superpeer page.
The idea is that if you’re watching a video to learn how to paint, or how to code, or about whatever the topic might be, there’s a good chance you have follow-up questions — maybe a lot of them.

Avengers assemble! Disney announces opening date for new Avengers Campus

The Points Guy / 7h
At today’s annual Disney annual investor meeting, the company announced a good reason to consider a summer trip out to Disneyland and California Adventure: The brand-new Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure Park has an official opening date of July 18, 2020.
Good news — the Avengers are almost ready to assemble at Disney’s California Adventure Park in Anaheim.

NCAA March Madness games will be played without fans

100+Engadget / 7h
Precautions for the coronavirus outbreak are about to radically affect how many people watch college sports.
NCAA President Mark Emmert statement on limiting attendance at NCAA events: https://t.co/TIHHJjdse5 pic.twitter.com/8I1HdceDfN

Comcast accidentally published 200,000 “unlisted” phone numbers

200+Ars Technica / 7h
After discovering the mistake, Comcast shut Ecolisting down, gave $100 credits to affected customers, and advised them that they can change their phone numbers at no charge.
In its notice to customers , Comcast acknowledged that its mistake may result in phone numbers being available in third-party directories:

route22ny: The Michigan Soldiers and Sailors Monument in...

Music, Arts & Literature / 7h
route22ny : The Michigan Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Cadillac Square, Detroit. Its 1872 dedication was attended by Union Army generals George Armstrong Custer , Philip H. Sheridan and Ambrose E. Burnside . Circa 1924 photo by Detroit Publishing Company via shorpy.com

Uninstall These VPN and Ad-Blocking Apps That Spied on Your iPhone or Android

200+Lifehacker / 7h
A recent Buzzfeed investigation discovered that several popular VPN and adblocking apps for Android and iOS secretly collected user data and sent it to Sensor Tower, a cross-platform data analytics service for app developers.
The apps were able to track user data by gaining root access to the device’s file and folders—something that both Apple and Google do not allow apps to do normally, but the developers used a simple loophole to get around the restriction.

The Best Homemade Hand Sanitizer Recipe: Don’t.

300+Futurism / 8h
Yes, we know: You’re having trouble finding hand sanitizer.
I READ ON THE INTERNET THAT HAND SANITIZER DOESN'T WORK ON VIRUSES, JUST BACTERIA.

Exoplanet with ‘extreme’ ultra-hot surface may rain iron droplets

20SlashGear / 8h
Researchers note that at its hottest temperatures, the planet’s environment could vaporize metals, which then get carried by the winds into cooler regions, causing them to condense and then rain down as metal droplets.
The European Space Observatory’s Very Large Telescope has discovered an exoplanet described as having an ‘extreme’ environment that may include raining iron.

Microsoft appoints its first-ever chief scientific officer

100+Engadget / 8h
Over on LinkedIn , Horvitz provides more context on what he'll be doing in the role, noting that his office will focus its efforts on research relating to biology, medical informatics, physics, sustainability, economics, and social and behavioral sciences.
This week, the company appointed Eric Horvitz to the role as part of a broader reorganization following the departure of a key executive in February.

Scientists Still Can’t Tell How Big the North Star Is

200+Futurism / 8h
Depending on which method researchers use to measure the star, officially known as Polaris, they come away with conflicting results, according to Live Science .
It’s possible, astronomers told Live Science , that the main star in the Polaris system used to be two smaller stars that merged — a process that makes stars appear younger than they are and also messes up some of the methods used to determine their mass.

Amazon Quietly Removes Some Dubious Coronavirus Books

100+Wired / 8h
But searching for “coronavirus books” can bring up the banner, followed by over 700 items, including titles like Coronavirus Covid-19 Controversy: Conspiracy Theories Around the Demon Virus From China .
Social media platforms are facing a similar misinformation tsunami with the outbreak of Covid-19—what the World Health Organization calls an “ infodemic .”

Tech stocks follow the market lower as Uber and Lyft drop sharply

100+TechCrunch / 8h
Companies like Uber and Lyft, both recent IPOs that leveraged technology solutions and venture capital to grow, fell 9.4% and 11.8%, respectively.
While the Nasdaq is not down as far as the DJIA or S&P 500, some technology stocks suffered sharper declines than the broader market or their larger corporate category.

Massive iOS 14 leak outlines key features, from trackpad support to AR

98Ars Technica / 8h
Code seen by 9to5Mac suggests "Apple is set to roll out rich system-wide support for mouse cursors with iOS 14." The code references two new Smart Keyboard models for the iPad product line, and given a recent report from The Information on a similar subject, at least one of them may include a trackpad.
Over the past few days, two Apple rumor sites (MacRumors and 9to5Mac) have published exclusive details about new features and changes in iOS 14 and related software, services, and products.

Vermont Seeks Injunction Against Clearview AI, Says Firm Broke Multiple State Laws

Vermont Clearview AI27Gizmodo / 8h
Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the controversial face recognition company Clearview AI alleging its efforts to collect images of Vermonters without their consent to fuel a law enforcement database is in violation of multiple state laws.
The complaint filed by Donovan in the Chittenden Superior Court alleges that Clearview AI has committed multiple violations of the Vermont Consumer Protection Act and the state’s year-old data broker law, which requires businesses collecting and selling data about Vermonters to register with state authorities.

Take Advantage of the Lowest Price Ever on This 2-in-1 Slow Cooker

Gizmodo / 8h
Best Home Deals Best Home Deals The best home, kitchen, smart home, and automotive deals from around the web, updated daily. Ninja 2-in-1 Slow Cooker | $70 | MorningSave | Promo code GOMediaFree for free shipping Everyone deserves a good slow cooker in the kitchen. Set it, forget it, and come back to a delicious hot meal by the time you clock out — it’s the busy person’s killer utility. When you

Insane: 3.3 Million People Already Have The Apple Card

View from the Wing / 8h
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

Don't Throw Away the Oil From Fancy Cans of Tinned Fish

200+Lifehacker / 8h
The onions fried in the tuna oil tastes like that aroma, only more intense, which is probably why I am still having a strong emotional response to these onions.
Again, it was good, but I am not as obsessed with the fancy canned tuna as I thought I would be.

Get A 3-Pack of Bento Boxes For $20

Lifehacker / 8h
Best Home Deals Best Home Deals The best home, kitchen, smart home, and automotive deals from around the web, updated daily. Glass Bento Boxes | $20 | Amazon | Lightning deal For now until it disappears, you can get three sleek bento boxes for a decent $20 . The bento boxes are great to portion out your food if you’re into fitness, or they can keep your snacks divided if you’ve decided somewhere

How To Drive A Supercar Without Ending Up In An Embarrassing YouTube Video

100+Lifehacker / 8h
So if you just won the lottery/sold your app/inherited a hotel chain and find ourself stepping out of a Prius into a Ferrari, or maybe you’re splurging on Lamborghini rental and are fired up to make your high-horsepower dreams come true for a day, here’s a little advice that might help you keep your good time from melting into a big insurance claim.
But also, you don’t want to look like a total putz getting high-centered on the ramp into a gas station because you took off without knowing how to use the nose-lift.

'Altered Carbon's' Goldsberry and Missick talk superpowers, Beyonce, and inclusion

40Mashable / 8h
Renée Elise Goldsberry and Simone Missick sat down with Mashable to discuss the second season of "Altered Carbon." Read more... More about Netflix , Mashable Video , Altered Carbon , Renee Elise Goldsberry , and Simone Missick

NASA’s SLS Moon rocket is 2 years behind and billions over budget, internal report finds

68TechCrunch / 8h
NASA’s ambitious plan to put boots on the Moon in 2024 is looking increasingly costly — and increasingly unlikely — if the current cost overruns and delays are any indication, according to a report by the agency’s Office of the Inspector General .
“Each of the major element contracts for developing and building the SLS for Artemis I—Stages, ICPS, Boosters, RS-25 Adaptation, and RS-25 Restart— have experienced numerous technical challenges, performance issues, and requirement changes that have resulted in $2 billion of cost overruns and increases and at least 2 years of schedule delays.”

Vermont sues Clearview, alleging “oppressive, unscrupulous” practices

Vermont Clearview AI100+Ars Technica / 8h
The latest comes from Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan, who filed suit against Clearview this week claiming violations of multiple state laws.
Vermont's data law prohibits "fraudulent acquisition of brokered personal information," and the state argues that Clearview's screen-scraping tactics are exactly that.

NWSL soccer matches will stream on CBS All Access and Twitch

98Engadget / 8h
The league has struck deals that give CBS Sports and Twitch the rights to stream games for the next three years.
You might have an easy time watching National Women's Soccer League matches online this season.

Pragma is a back-end toolkit for gaming companies, so game developers can focus on games

100+TechCrunch / 8h
“In a world where gaming studios have long used third-party engines to power their front-end development, it makes no sense for the same studios to spend millions of dollars to build their own custom back-end,” said Kevin Zhang, partner at Upfront Ventures and board member at Pragma, in a statement.
Well, now those development studios can turn to Pragma , which is building the back-end toolkit for gaming companies so their developers can focus on what they do best — making games.

Ring Video Doorbell 3 models, plus Pre-Roll feature, unveiled

Ring Doorbell 3 VDSlashGear / 8h
Assuming you get the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus model, which is a bit pricier than the non-Plus option, you’ll get access to Pre-Roll, the technology that captures four seconds of footage from before the motion is detected.
Amazon’s home security company Ring has announced two new connected doorbell products, one of which leaked almost in its entirety in recent weeks, as well as a new feature called Pre-Roll.
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Is It Ethically OK to Order Delivery During a Pandemic?

500+Wired / 8h
“A lot of people don’t understand the limits of our abilities,” says Robert, who works for Instacart, Postmates, Grubhub, and DoorDash in central West Virginia.
That leaves gig workers like Maklad, who works for Postmates, Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Caviar, and Amazon Flex, caught between the advice of health organizations and the realities of his job.

Scotland Was the Real 'Jurassic Park’ During the Reign of Dinosaurs, Newfound Footprints Suggest

100+Gizmodo / 8h
The new research, led by Paige dePolo from the University of Edinburgh and published today in PLOS One, describes two new dinosaur trackways containing around 50 prints, exposing a diverse Middle Jurassic ecosystem as it existed 170 million years ago.
Paleontologists working on the Isle of Skye in Scotland have uncovered around 50 dinosaur footprints, including track marks compatible with Stegosaurus.

Just Walking Around in Polyester Clothes Sheds Tons of Microplastic Pollution

Italy Italian Milan100+Gizmodo / 8h
The new study , published this week in Environmental Science and Technology, found that simply wearing polyester clothes and going through normal life activities can release the same amount of fiber pollution within a matter of hours.
Washing your clothes made from synthetic fabrics like acrylic, nylon, and polyester causes them to shed hundreds of thousands of microplastic fibers .

What Does Self-Quarantine Actually Mean?

200+Lifehacker / 8h
If you’ve been asked to work from home or if your school has switched to online lessons, the point is to eliminate that school or workplace as a potential hub for contracting the virus.
Quarantine is for people who might have a disease, but don’t know yet.

Google Cloud launches new tools for deploying ML pipelines

80TechCrunch / 8h
Google Cloud today announced the beta launch of Cloud AI Platform Pipelines , a new enterprise-grade service that is meant to give developers a single tool to deploy their machine learning pipelines, together with tools for monitoring and auditing them.
As Google notes, there are two parts to the service: the infrastructure for deploying and running those workflows, and the tools for building and debugging the pipelines.

Kuwait to close international airport, suspend all commercial flights

200+The Points Guy / 9h
The Gulf Arab state said on Wednesday that it would suspend all commercial flights to and from its capital airport, largely sealing itself off from the rest of the world.
Kuwait International Airport (KWI) is set to become the largest airport to suspend commercial operations amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .

Bitmoji releases helpful (and cute!) coronavirus PSA stickers

100+Mashable / 9h
Health-themed stickers appeared in the Bitmoji keyboard of popular images this week, just as U.S. cases of COVID-19, the official term for the disease caused by the virus, topped 1,000.
U.S. public health officials might be communicating less than clearly about what to do to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Salesforce adds new healthcare provider relationship management and analytics tools

89TechCrunch / 9h
Software giant Salesforce announced this week the addition of a few new tools in healthcare management to the Salesforce Health Cloud, with the goal being to help payers and providers utilize a more comprehensive system. The first is a healthcare provider management feature allowing doctors and other healthcare workers a way to efficiently manage new accounts and activities from a single point. A

Coronavirus Isn't Stopping San Diego Comic-Con and Next Month's WonderCon, For Now

500+Gizmodo / 9h
In a statement to ABC 10News , Comic-Con said there are currently no plans to cancel or postpone this summer’s SDCC, which happens July 23-26, or WonderCon, which runs from April 1o-12 (both conventions are run by the same non-profit organization).
As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise, more large-scale events like SXSW , Coachella, E3 , and Emerald City Comic Con have been canceled or postponed.

iOS 14 may include a guided workout app

Apple watchOS 7 14SlashGear / 9h
Apparently, Apple is planning to launch a guided workout app with iOS 14 as a separate offering from its existing Activity app.
Seymour will supposedly allow users to download guided workout videos for a variety of activities.

Indestructible Shoes’ Latest Design Protects Like a Work Boot but Looks Like a Sneaker

Futurism / 9h
We’ve talked a lot about this brand before , but for those who aren’t familiar with it, Indestructible Shoes is a company that uses high-tech materials which are ultra-strong and ultra-lightweight to make comfortable sneakers that protect your feet like a heavy duty work boot.
They’re ideal for people in the food service industry who need shoes with exceptional grip that can protect their feet from carts and heavy kitchenware.

BMW will discontinue its iconic i8 hybrid sports car in April

1KEngadget / 9h
The features and technology behind the car gradually made its way to other vehicles in the company's stable -- while the i8 probably wasn't something even most luxury car enthusiasts could afford, BMW adapted its hybrid drivetrain for more affordable models.
But after six years of success, the BMW factory in Leipzig, Germany will halt production of the company's best-selling sports car in April.
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A look inside a VPN server

28TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
The session revealed that NordVPN's Linux servers are configured with various tools that enhance security, privacy, and authentication.
In what is believed to be an industry first, TechRadar Pro and NordVPN have teamed up for a guided tour of a VPN server.

AMD Ryzen 4000 mobile CPUs may be close based on recent product listings

Intel AMD Ryzen 400028TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
The much-anticipated 7nm mobile processors have shown up in product listings on Amazon for multiple Asus gaming laptops in China and Canada.
The early product listings were spotted by Tom's Hardware and include two versions of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 seen earlier this year at CES.

Unity acquires Dublin-based deep learning startup Artomatix

72TechCrunch / 9h
Unity has acquired AI game developer tools startup Artomatix .
If Artomatix’s technology can help game designers create the art used to populate digital environments, Unity can begin to push more workflow through AI-assisted tools and save developers time.

What the 'History' Part of Your Credit Score Really Measures

48Lifehacker / 9h
Since the majority of your score is controlled by your on-time payments and how much of your available credit you’re using, it makes the most sense to focus on good habits in those areas rather than try to finagle your history “There aren’t any major shortcuts,” Schulz said.
The good news is that your credit history only makes up 15% of your overall score, so being young or new with using credit won’t put you at a gigantic disadvantage.

The Apple Watch 3 is in stock and on sale for $199 at Best Buy

Apple watchOS 7 1424TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
Right now, Best Buy has the Apple Watch 3 in stock and on sale for just $199 .
We don't know how long Best Buy will have the smartwatch in stock, so you should take advantage now before it's too late.

Hot gas-giant planet appears to have iron rain

500+Ars Technica / 9h
What they found is that iron was present in relatively low levels on the leading edge of the WASP-76b, where the planet's rotation would produce a red shift.
Now, researchers are reporting details of the atmosphere of a very hot exoplanet with a feature that sounds like something out of science fiction: a rain of liquid iron falling through the night atmosphere.

As Coronavirus Testing Increases, Some Labs Fear a Shortage of Other Supplies

500+NYT > Technology / 9h
Laboratories around the country are now facing potential shortages of key materials and chemicals needed to run tests for the novel coronavirus, as cases spread to more than two-thirds of the states and the global pandemic strains testing resources even further.
Some lab directors say they are already beginning to run low of the supplies needed to extract RNA from nasal swabs, a crucial initial step that is separate from the millions of test kits that the federal government has promised to ship to every state.

PSG vs Borussia Dortmund live stream: how to watch Champions League 2020 football from anywhere

28TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
This Champions League clash is set to be played behind closed doors due to the threat of coronavirus, but you can watch it from the safety of your own home, thanks to TechRadar's PSG vs Borussia Dortmund live stream guide.
Read on to find out how to watch, no matter where you are in the world, with TechRadar's guide to getting a PSG vs Borussia Dortmund live stream.

YouTube will allow some creators to monetize coronavirus videos

YouTube One Coronavirus100+Engadget / 9h
YouTube says it's reassessing its coronavirus policies and will enable ads on a limited number of channels that discuss the outbreak.
Wojcicki says YouTube is preparing policies to expand monetization to more creators and news organizations in the coming weeks.

White House asks tech leaders for help with coronavirus response

White House Apple Tech300+TechCrunch / 9h
On Wednesday, U.S. Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios convened representatives from a number of the tech’s biggest companies to gameplan a response to the worsening global coronavirus pandemic. According to The Washington Post , the meeting, held remotely over the phone and through video calls, served as a brainstorming session for tech and the White House on coordinating against coronavir

The White House Classified Top-Level Coronavirus Pandemic Meetings, Which, Um

1KFuturism / 9h
A gobstopping exclusive showed up via Reuters on Wednesday afternoon : The White House has apparently classified top-level Dept.
The Reuters report showed up just hours after the World Health Organization officially declared the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on Wednesday.

Tiktok's Transparency Center Leaves Some Big Questions Unanswered

TikTok TC US Addison RaeGizmodo / 9h
Today, the Chinese-owned company announced in a blog post that it would soon be rolling out an official “TikTok Transparency Center” in the company’s California HQ starting this coming May. Per the company, this new wing will give “outside experts” a window into the company’s day-to-day processes employed by the moderators tasked with overseeing the roughly 500 million global users logging onto TikTok for memes and more.
These suspicions have led the company to quietly start scoping out a potential CEO for the company’s American operations this past January, before making the announcement about the new Transparency Center today.

Play Your Music, Charge Your Phone, and Make Calls With the $13 Anker Roav Smartcharge

Gizmodo / 9h
If so, then you need to stop what you’re doing right now and check out Anker’s discounted $13 FM transmitter , the Roav SmartCharge, with which you can play your music, charge your phone, and make phone calls—completely hands-free.
Just find an unoccupied radio station, sync it to the Roav, and you’re set to start bumping your favorite playlist without the need for an integrated Bluetooth solution.

Verizon launches Yahoo Mobile plan with ad-free Yahoo mail

Verizon YM Yahoo MobileSlashGear / 9h
With Yahoo Mobile, such a threshold doesn’t exist, so don’t be surprised to see your speeds throttled right from the first day of the month.
Yahoo Mobile seems to be a new prepaid plan that combines services from both Verizon and Yahoo in one package.
Also in
The Verge
Engadget +4 sources

Uber explains how it will handle drivers exposed to coronavirus

Uber San FranciscoSlashGear / 9h
Uber has released information on how it is handling the coronavirus outbreak, including how drivers will be supported if they’re exposed to the virus.
According to the company, it will offer ‘financial assistance’ for up to 14 days for any driver or delivery person who is directly impacted by the virus.

Save $50 on an Insignia Digital Air Fryer

Lifehacker / 9h
Best Home Deals Best Home Deals The best home, kitchen, smart home, and automotive deals from around the web, updated daily. Insignia Air Fryer | $50 | Best Buy If you’ve always wanted to try an air fryer to see if it lives up to the hype, here’s your chance. For $50 , you can get your hands on an Insignia digital air fryer that can crisp anything from chicken wings to french fries. The device co

California ends opposition to T-Mobile and Sprint merger

100+Engadget / 9h
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has dropped the state's challenge against the merger after reaching a settlement that theoretically addresses objections to the carrier buyout.
While the California Public Utility Commission still has to greenlight the merger, the settlement (along with those from other states) makes an approval that much more likely.

How to book Alaska awards from just 5,000 miles

The Points Guy / 9h
The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card recently introduced a new welcome bonus that has some folks wondering how to put it to good use: 40,000 miles and a $100 statement credit after $2,000 spent within the first 90 days.
March to May happens to be the best times to visit the Grand Canyon and with Alaska’s low redemption rates, this is a great way to put the welcome bonus from your Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card to use.

How to Set Up Multiple Email Signatures in Gmail

100+Lifehacker / 10h
While plenty of third-party apps allow you to pick from multiple signatures when composing or replying to an email, Google is finally unleashing this feature in Gmail itself.
You should also be able to give your signatures a name, which is important, as that’s how you’ll then select them when you’re composing or replying to an email.

YouNeedABudget founder Jesse Mecham on managing a remote 115-person team

84TechCrunch / 10h
YouNeedABudget (or YNAB , as it’s known) started as a spreadsheet built by a college student who was looking to cover his rent.
I spoke to YNAB co-founder Jesse Mecham about how it all works; why they’re remote, how they bring everyone together (both virtually and in the real world) and the pros and cons of being spread across the globe.

New Analysis of Large Hadron Collider Results Confirms Something Weird Is Happening

300+Gizmodo / 10h
But one of the experiments, called LHCb, has discovered a small deviation between what they’ve measured and what’s predicted by the core theory of particle physics, called the Standard Model.
This week, LHCb physicists announced that one such discrepancy between theory and experiment has persisted with more data.

Greta Thunberg Urges World to 'Unite Behind the Experts' as Youth Climate Strikes Move Online

46Gizmodo / 10h
And now Greta Thunberg, the Swedish teen activist that galvanized the global climate strike movement , is calling on strikers around the world to stay home and strike digitally.
Shiv Soin, a 19-year-old lead organizer with the New York City Youth Climate Coalition and executive director of the local grassroots group TREEage, told Earther he and his peers haven’t yet decided to end their Friday climate strikes outright.

Malicious phishing scam disguised as HIV results

28TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
This time though, they may have taken things too far as researchers at Proofpoint have observed scammers sending phishing emails with malicious Excel spreadsheets pretending to be patients' HIT test results from Vanderbilt University.
Security researchers have discovered a new phishing scam which lures users into opening a malicious Excel document by pretending to offer their HIV test results.

YouTube will now allow creators to monetize videos about coronavirus and COVID-19

YouTube One Coronavirus500+TechCrunch / 10h
Previously, YouTube’s advertising guidelines prevented monetization of videos that included more than a passing mention of the coronavirus as part of its “sensitive events” policy.
The latter is a more questionable choice, as it opens up monetization to any creator using YouTube’s self-labeling system, not just news organizations or trusted health authorities.

arthistoryfeed:Book of Wizards - A magic book, used by wizards...

Music, Arts & Literature / 10h
arthistoryfeed : Book of Wizards - A magic book, used by wizards of the Toba Batak tribe, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Unknown date. https://www.instagram.com/p/B8cFdcKhEWR/?igshid=drtvlm16vghn

If You Care About Online Privacy, This Is Why You Need a VPN

100+Futurism / 10h
However, before it leaves your computer, phone, or tablet, all of your data gets encrypted, which means your ISP has no idea what you’re doing on the internet.
If you’re looking to step up your online privacy, the first thing you need to do is get a VPN .

EU plans to introduce sweeping 'right to repair' legislation for electronics

EU European EP Right500+Engadget / 10h
As part of its newly announced Circular Economy Action Plan , the European Commission, the body that drafts the EU's laws, says it will introduce right to repair legislation that will push electronics manufacturers to create products that last longer, include as many recycled materials as possible and are easier to reuse, repair and recycle.
Any right to repair bill the European Union passes is likely to have a significant impact outside of its borders because of the fact it says it will "ensure" future trade deals "reflect the enhanced objectives of the circular economy."

Tesla has officially produced one million cars

44Mashable / 10h
The company has come a long way after selling its first Roadster 12 years ago. Read more... More about Tech , Cars , Mashable Video , Tesla , and Tesla Car

This year's E3 conference has been cancelled

32Mashable / 10h
E3 has joined the fast-growing list of events cancelled this year due to coronavirus. Read more... More about Gaming , Mashable Video , E3 , Coronavirus , and Covid 19

Disney's Avengers Campus Will Open in July (Unless It Doesn't)

200+Gizmodo / 10h
Disney CEO Bob Chapek and executive chairman Bob Iger announced the July 18, 2020 opening date of Avengers Campus during Disney’s annual meeting .
Disney has set an opening date for its Marvel park experience at Disney’s California Adventure, revealing that Avengers Campus will open this July.

The best credit cards to use for food delivery services

24The Points Guy / 10h
Other perks: The Chase Sapphire Reserve bestows a bevy of benefits including $300 in annual statement credits toward travel purchases, Priority Pass lounge access and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee refund every four years.
The card also earns 3x points per dollar on dining, which includes not just restaurants but also food delivery orders from services including DoorDash, GrubHub and Seamless.

Pixel 4A Price Leaks at $400: Here's Everything Else We Know

Google Pixel 4A Price58Gizmodo / 10h
And frankly, that’s a good thing, because despite having slightly slower performance, the Pixel 3a captured nearly all of the standard Pixel 3's best features, including great battery life, a simple but solid design, and flagship-phone-level camera quality.
In terms of specs, previous info from XDA Developers suggests that the Pixel 4a will sport a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 chip (which if true, would rule out support for 5G), a 5.7 or 5.8-inch display, a USB-C port, and a headphone jack, the latter being something you don’t get on Google’s more premium phones.

How to Enable Dark Mode for the Google Play Store App

Nokia Android 10 Google66Lifehacker / 10h
Google is rolling out a dark theme toggle for the Play Store this week, and most devices running Android 9 and 10 should be able to use it.
This new setting will force the Play Store to always use the dark theme, regardless of whatever theme you’ve set Android to use by default.

The BMW i8’s time has run out – and I’m unexpectedly sad about it

SlashGear / 10h
Even with 20,000 cars sold since its launch, and BMW heralding the i8 as the most successful model in its segment, it’s fair to say that relatively few people have actually experienced it from behind the wheel.
It leaves BMW’s car feeling agile and urgent through twisting roads, the combination of all-wheel drive and a curb weight that’s unusually light even today helping the i8 dart and pivot neatly.

7 of the best manual juicers to get the most out of your fruits and veggies

44Mashable / 10h
Starting with the fact that there are two main types of juicers — centrifugal and masticating — and "cold-pressed" juice comes from only one of them.
If you want the power to juice a dozen fruits and veggies, but don't want your kitchen to look like you did, this simple and clean juicer is for you.

Experts say Space Force is a vital, massive shift for US military

300+TechCrunch / 10h
Despite the many jokes made at the expense of the first new U.S. military branch in nearly 80 years, industry experts say the Space Force represents a massive — and strategically significant — shift for America’s defense. Many of modern life’s conveniences depend on the ability to consistently and securely access information provided by thousands of satellites currently orbiting the earth. That a

Blockchain (the company) lets you borrow USD PAX against collateral

100+TechCrunch / 10h
It means that if you want to borrow $5,000, you need to put down the equivalent of $10,000 in cryptocurrencies as collateral.
Your interest rate may vary but the company tries to be transparent about it before you accept the loan.

WHO: Coronavirus Outbreak Now Officially a Pandemic

6KFuturism / 10h
“We cannot say this loudly enough or clearly enough or often enough: All countries can still change the course of this pandemic,” Ghebreyesus said.
“In the past two weeks the number of cases outside China has increased thirteenfold and the number of affected countries has tripled,” Ghebreyesus said.

Here’s how long the coronavirus can live in the air and on packages

7KNew on MIT Technology Review / 10h
The germ survived longest on plastic and stainless steel, where it clung for as long as three days, according to Vincent Munster and a team at the National Institutes of Health virology laboratory in Hamilton, Montana, who describe their experiments in a new preprint .
The materials the virus liked best were stainless steel and plastic, where infectious germs could still be collected after three days and might endure quite a bit longer.

Perfect your digital marketing skills with these online courses

SEO Google SMX Advanced60Mashable / 10h
And with around four in 10 Americans having side hustle, there’s more need than ever to sharpen up your digital and social media strategy and learn how to boost sales and build a successful brand.
Instead, online digital marketing courses can help you brush up your knowledge and learn new skills in as little as 45 minutes, and are more flexible and less expensive than degree courses.

Bloodshot Successfully Puts You in the Head of a Super Soldier

400+Gizmodo / 10h
If you know the Bloodshot comics you probably can guess what happens next as it’s right in line with the character’s basic origin story.
Up until that point, the new Vin Diesel joint is a familiar sci-fi action movie about a soldier who is brought back to life and goes after the man who killed not just him, but his wife.

India Will Shut Down Border To Foreigners, Suspend Visas Starting Friday

100+View from the Wing / 10h
Indian nationals returning from current highest-risk countries including Germany and Spain (or having visited since February 15) must be quarantined for 14 days.
India Will Shut Down Border To Foreigners, Suspend Visas Starting Friday

New Ring 3 cameras revealed with crime-preventing upgrades

Ring Doorbell 3 VD56TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
The new Ring cameras boast many of the same specs as their predecessors – including a very similar design – but come with a few new features that should reduce false motion-detection alerts, improve connectivity, better battery life and help to identify people captured by the camera.
These new features could help to prevent would-be intruders and – if worse comes to worst – identify nefarious characters who try to enter your home when you're away.

How to Work From Home With Kids When You're Under Quarantine

400+Lifehacker / 10h
If you’ve ever worked from home with little kids underfoot, even for a day, you know it’s no joke.
Luckily for us, writer Lyz Lenz has been there, done that many times and she offers us lots of ideas on Twitter for how to survive an extended work-from-home situation with little kids.

Dinky One finally gives people with small penises a dating site

300+Mashable / 11h
The site amassed 27,000 users when it opened on March 9, gaining 5,000 more users the next day. Read more... More about Mashable Video , Culture , Body Positivity , Dating Apps , and Sex And Relationships

This smart helmet is designed to keep you safer on the road — Future Blink

88Mashable / 11h
The EyeRide HUD combines head-up display, GPS, hands-free kit, and voice command to keep your eyes on the road. Read more... More about Mashable Video , Safety , Road Safety , Helmet , and Hands Free

What to know about credit card rewards and taxable income

The Points Guy / 11h
This should come as good news to nearly all award travelers, but when you earn points as a direct result of spending money, the IRS treats those as non-taxable discounts.
For tax implications, the IRS classifies your credit card rewards as either bonuses or discounts.

Tesla eyes U.S. city for new Cybertruck factory

Elon Musk Tesla Cybertruck100+Mashable / 11h
Musk added the factory would help with Model Y production for East Coast deliveries.
Late Tuesday, Musk tweeted about the next Gigafactory, as Tesla car plants are called, with a general hint about where it would be based.

This collapsible chair fits in your pocket — Future Blink

40Mashable / 11h
The Zen X is designed to improve your posture and help you relax. Read more... More about Mashable Video , On The Go , Chairs , Pocket , and Future Blink

India used facial recognition tech to identify 1,100 individuals at a recent riot

1KTechCrunch / 11h
In what is the first admission of its kind in the country, Amit Shah, India’s home minister, said the law enforcement agencies deployed a facial recognition system, and fed it with images from government-issued identity cards, including 12-digit Aadhaar that has been issued to more than a billion Indians and driving licenses, “among other databases,” to identify alleged culprits in the communal violence in northeast Delhi on February 25 and 26.
Law enforcement agencies in India used facial recognition to identify more than 1,100 individuals who allegedly took part in communal violence in the national capital last month, a top minister said in the lower house of the parliament on Wednesday.

WHO has officially declared coronavirus to be a global pandemic

20Mashable / 11h
The viral outbreak has rapidly spread around the world, prompting the new designation of "global pandemic" by the World Health Organization. Read more... More about Mashable Video , World Health Organization , Pandemic , Coronavirus , and Covid 19

YouTube's latest series has musicians covering their birthday chart-toppers

72Engadget / 11h
The initial song is no small challenge, and will make some viewers feel old -- YouTube will have Lewis Capaldi covering the Chemical Brothers' 1996 hit "Setting Sun." Capaldi has somehow turned the big beat classic into a "slow and sad" piece, YouTube's Luke Hyams told Deadline , and it's an ironic choice when "Setting Sun" vocalist Noel Gallagher has ribbed Capaldi about his maudlin music style.
YouTube might have a new, simple way to hook people on an original series : pack it full of big-name musicians.

Time for an upgrade - these cheap 4K TV deals are offering excellent price cuts this week

32TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 11h
We're seeing some fantastic savings on premium displays on both sides of the pond right now, with glorious high-quality TVs going for stunning prices.
Even without the reductions, Samsung 4K TVs offer brilliant value for money - premium HDR10, a massive range of smart TV apps, and an easy to use setup are all bundled into low everyday prices.

This company wants to heal and repair your VPN

VPN Shadowsocks Skyroam28TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 11h
The endpoint security company Absolute has announced that it will now provide many of its existing customers with free access to its patented Persistence technology in order to help them proactively repair and install their existing VPN applications.
To support IT teams tasked with ensuring employee productivity, organizational security and business continuity, Absolute has decided to offer free access to its Application Persistence for VPN service for all of its Visibility and Control tier customers through August 31, 2020.

What It Means Now That WHO Is Calling COVID-19 a Pandemic

WHO Coronavirus Pandemic300+Lifehacker / 11h
Recently, many people have been wondering why the organization didn’t want to use the word.
The organization is still encouraging countries to take appropriate measures depending on how many cases they have and what their health systems are able to handle.

Wash Your Ass With 15% off Bidet Attachments From Tushy [Exclusive]

100+Lifehacker / 11h
Best Home Deals Best Home Deals The best home, kitchen, smart home, and automotive deals from around the web, updated daily. 15% off Bidet Attachments | Tushy | Promo code 89Q988Z7RS If you’re feeling down in the dumps (no pun intended) about the state of the world right now, remember these words from Kendrick Lamar off his best album to date: Shit don’t change until you get up and wash your ass

Covid-19 is now officially a pandemic

WHO Coronavirus Pandemic2KNew on MIT Technology Review / 11h
"When we say the situation is pandemic, we are not saying the world should move from containment to mitigation, we are not," said Tedros.
The World Health Organization in Geneva said today that the spreading coronavirus contagion is now officially a pandemic.

10 days with the Huawei Mate XS: over a week with the latest foldable phone

Huawei US Google Mate82TechRadar - All the latest technology ne.../ 11h
While Huawei is doing the right things - investing massively in plugging the Google-shaped holes in its software story, and being mindful of how it sells and markets its new phones, it would be reckless to underplay the real-world implications of no Google services to those outside China.
As the Huawei logo flashed up, first impressions were positive - an impossibly thin tablet, that turns into a phone, a folding screen that doesn't feel naff - this is special.

Doom Eternal won't be 'true 4K' on Google Stadia after all

Doom Google Stadia24TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 11h
In a blog post, Doom Eternal developer id Software confirmed that the Stadia port of the first-person shooter will run at 1080p and 60 fps on HD displays, and will up-sample to 2160p from 1800p at 60 frames per second on 4K displays.
"We couldn't be happier to be bringing Doom Eternal to Stadia, and are thrilled to announce that the game will be capable of running at true 4K resolution, with HDR colour at an unrelenting 60 frames per second."

How to Avoid Coronavirus Scams

200+Lifehacker / 11h
As Julia Glum explains at Money.com , coronavirus-related scams could include any or all of the following: emails asking you to give money to the World Health Organization (which does not solicit donations ), emails asking you to download a program that can help with coronavirus research, emails offering new COVID-19 information if you open an attachment or provide a password, and so on.
For the most up-to-date information about the Coronavirus, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Sharp sues Vizio over display tech in 70-inch TVs

100+Engadget / 11h
Sharp claims that the companies infringed 12 patents related to panel technologies, like liquid crystal displays (LCD).
Sharp holds over 10,000 display patents in China, Japan and the US, and the company says those patents cover most core display technologies.

Website that helps you plan for death finds success with millennials

200+Mashable / 11h
Liz Eddy has lost track of how many times she's told the story that led her to co-found Lantern, a website that helps people tackle the complex logistics of losing someone they love and also plan for their own deaths.
Accustomed to having everything in their lives optimized or organized by a digital tool, the 35-and-under crowd may view online end-of-life planning as a helpful service like any other they use.

'The Office' fans imagine what it would look like if coronavirus hit Dunder Mifflin

200+Mashable / 11h
It imagines Michael ignoring any "work from home" memo in favor of being with his work fam, Dwight claiming immunity to the virus, Angela donning a full-on hazmat suit, and Kevin casually saying he already has the virus.
The thread goes on to imagine Creed as "Patient Zero," outlines Stanley using his remote work opportunity to go on vacation, and Andy heavily panicking after reading a WebMD page.

Turn Your old Commodore Computer Into a USB Keyboard With This Easy to Install Adapter

300+Gizmodo / 11h
To others, Commodore’s computers were where their obsession with technology and gadgets began, and those with fond memories of banging away on those old clackety keys will be happy to hear that a simple adapter turns the Commodore 128 into a USB keyboard compatible with modern PCs.
The adapter also includes a pair of controller ports that will make any Commodore-compatible joystick or gamepad function as a modern USB controller, which could justify the price tag alone if you’re a big fan of emulating C64 or C128 games on your PC.

Store All The Food With Reusable $7 Storage Bags

Gizmodo / 11h
Best Home Deals Best Home Deals The best home, kitchen, smart home, and automotive deals from around the web, updated daily. Reusable Food Storage Bags | $7 | Amazon | Promo code FTGD2YAN Grab an 8-pack of reusable silicone food storage bags for $7 with the promo code FTGD2YAN. These babies are leak-proof and freezer-safe, so you’ll be able to store liquid-y foods, as well as extra meats and such

Astronomers Found a Brutal Hell Planet Where It Rains Liquid Iron

34KFuturism / 11h
WASP-76b has such bizarre temperatures and chemistry, according to an ESO press release, that ultrahot days actually vaporize the planet’s iron — and at night it cools, condenses, and falls back down as metallic rain.
“One could say that this planet gets rainy in the evening, except it rains iron,” project leader David Ehrenreich of the University of Geneva said in a press release .

Airport Slot Requirements Now Being Waived

300+One Mile at a Time / 11h
The US Federal Aviation Administration has today announced that they’re temporarily waiving minimum slot-use requirements at US airports, allowing airlines to cancel flights at slot restricted airports.
Many congested airports around the world are slot restricted, which means that airlines need slots in order to operate flights to & from them.

Alma is a Klarna-like payment startup that lets you buy now and pay later

100+TechCrunch / 11h
Merchants can choose to pay the processing fees in full — 3.8% of the transaction for a payment in three intallments, 4.2% for a payment in four installments.
As a merchant, when you integrate Alma in your payment flow, your customers can choose Alma to make it less intimidating.

Pandemic declared as COVID-19 blazes across globe

WHO Coronavirus Pandemic500+Ars Technica / 11h
“We expect to see the number of cases, the number of deaths, and the number of affected countries climb even higher,” Dr. Tedros said.
The declaration doesn’t change WHO’s response efforts or the recommendations already in place for countries, Dr. Tedros said.

What the heck is a HEPA filter? How airplane air stays clean

The Points Guy / 11h
All four airlines have also made a point to specifically note that many of their aircraft are equipped with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters.
[Commercial airlines in the U.S. need to maintain minimum cabin air quality standards set by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Daily Crunch: Tesla considers Nashville for its Cybertruck factory

Elon Musk Tesla Cybertruck300+TechCrunch / 11h
Last week, Google sent out a memo to staff recommending that Washington State-based employees work remotely, in order to mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted Tuesday evening that the company is “scouting” locations to build a new U.S.

Some People in the U.S. Can't Use Wifi Because of a Radio Telescope

200+Gizmodo / 11h
For NRQZ residents like Marilyn Creager and Charity Warder, growing up in the 21st century without current technology means being completely removed from pivotal parts of modern culture.
And even though cell phone companies like T-Mobile have rolled out a pilot program in rural areas for 5G home internet, many who live within the NRQZ will never benefit from it because of the 62-year-old ban on wireless technology.

Visual One smartens up home security cameras with object and action recognition

200+TechCrunch / 11h
Facial recognition and motion detection are their main tricks… but what if you want to know if the dog jumped on the couch, or if your toddler is playing with the stove?
Rafiee said he pictures Visual One as a mid-tier option for people who want to have more than a basic camera setup but aren’t convinced by the more expensive plays.

COVID-19 officially declared a pandemic by the WHO, as deaths pass 4,000

WHO Coronavirus Pandemic2KTechCrunch / 11h
The World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic at a press conference in Geneva today.
The organization officially defines pandemic as “the worldwide spread of a new disease,” noting that “viruses that have caused past pandemics typically originated from animal influenza viruses,” which appears to be the case with this novel coronavirus.

How Baidu is bringing AI to the fight against coronavirus

78New on MIT Technology Review / 11h
Baidu has developed several tools that are effective in building awareness and screening populations, including an AI-powered, non-contact infrared sensor system that provides users with fast multi-person temperature monitoring that can quickly detect a person if they are suspected of having a fever, one of the many symptoms of the coronavirus.
In comparison to the last major outbreak of the SARS virus in 2003, those fighting this particular epidemic can leverage new and emerging technologies that quickly aid public health bodies in creating a valuable understanding of the coronavirus, guiding prevention efforts, augmenting human aid and support efforts, and facilitating virus research.

Tip Your Service Workers Especially Generously Right Now

2KLifehacker / 11h
And with campaigns urging people not to panic, but basically don’t leave your home , it’s bound to be a trying time for workers who spend their shifts interacting with the public and relying on tips.
But there’s another task you can complete if you’re feeling fine and proceeding with a mostly normal daily life: Tip generously.

A look inside the brand-new InterContinental Maldives $10,000 per night room

The Points Guy / 12h
TPG U.K. Head of Video Jean Arnas took to the country in December and stayed for a portion of the trip at the InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort.
Reward rates for the base room category, the Beach Pool Villa, are higher than any other property in the IHG portfolio right now at 100,000 points per night, and there is a two-night minimum on reward bookings.

Get low monthly bills with this stellar 20GB data iPhone 11 deal on EE

Apple 2020 iPhone 1224TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
Of the latest trio of devices, iPhone 11 deals repeatedly stand out as the best value option.
The iPhone 11 is the cheapest of Apple's latest trio and yet, really isn't much of a downgrade.

These Arlo Pro deals mean there's never been a better time to grab a cheap home security camera

56TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
The latest offers from Walmart and Amazon are bringing cutting prices across the US and UK, so there's never been a better time to grab a cheap home security camera setup.
If you're looking to cover a medium-sized area outside or inside, you'll find two-camera Arlo Pro 2 home security systems for just $260 / £365 right now.

The Xbox E3 event will still happen, just online

Microsoft Xbox 2020500+Engadget / 12h
Xbox head Phil Spencer shared the news about Microsoft's digital showcase on Twitter, just minutes after the Entertainment Software Association announced the cancelation of E3.
Instead of hosting a massive stage show at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles this summer, the Xbox team is moving the conference online.



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