TECHNOLOGY AND MORE!
Pixar’s computer graphics pioneers have won the $1 million Turing Award
100+New on MIT Technology Review / 27min
Their work: Hanrahan was the lead architect of the team that created RenderMan, complex software which lets filmmakers turn images into photorealistic animations which can be blended with real-life scenes.
Hanrahan spent much of his time modelling materials and lighting to help animations look closer to real life.
Coronavirus: Facebook blames bug for incorrectly marked spam
Facebook Coronavirus2KBBC News - Technology / 2h
Facebook has said that a software issue was responsible for posts on topics including coronavirus being wrongly marked as spam.
It came a day after the firm said contract workers who review content would be sent home due to the outbreak.
Pixar CG pioneers Pat Hanrahan and Edwin Catmull share $1M Turing Award
32TechCrunch / 8min
I spoke with Catmull and Hanrahan about the origins of the field and their early work in it that the Association for Computing Machinery chose to recognize this year.
The 2019 Turing Award, one of the highest honors in computing, was today awarded to Pat Hanrahan and Ed Catmull, founding members of Pixar who helped shape the future of computer graphics.
Israel passes emergency law to use mobile data for COVID-19 contact tracing
Israel CoronavirusTechCrunch / 8min
Israel has passed an emergency law to use mobile phone data for tracking people infected with COVID-19 including to identify and quarantine others they have come into contact with and may have infected.
“I have instructed the Health Ministry to significantly increase the number of tests to 3,000 a day at least,” he added.
iPhone 12 Pro looks set to have a major camera advantage over the normal model
20TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 13min
That's a feature many have expected Apple to introduce to its iPhone range, and it's a common piece of tech used on top-end Android flagships.
The iPhone 12 Pro may have a far better Portrait mode and augmented reality features than the standard iPhone 12 , if leaked iOS 14 code is to be believed.
Everything you need to keep you secure when working from home
20TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 13min
Installing a decent VPN is actually very straightforward, and once you've got it in place you’ll have a much more secure foundation for home working activities.
Be sure to run those regular software updates, as well as installing any new security patches to ensure that your laptop, desktop or tablet device is able to fend of the latest permutations of malware , ransomware and goodness knows what else that’s lurking out there in internet and email land.
Pixar Pioneers Win the Computing Industry's 'Nobel' Prize
60Wired / 22min
Catmull and Hanrahan have between them received eight Academy Awards for tools and techniques used in computer animation and special effects on Pixar movies and beyond, including Jurassic Park , The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and the Star Wars prequels.
“Their contributions have led not just to Pixar’s movies, but to the entire industry’s use of computer generated imagery,” says Ravi Ramamoorthi, a professor at University of California San Diego whose own graphics research helped animate the aliens in James Cameron’s Avatar and gloss the furry pelts in 2017’s War of the Planet of the Apes .
PS5 reveal live blog: we'll be reporting live during Sony's first PlayStation 5 event
Sony PS5 PlayStation20TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 27min
We're expecting to learn more about the PS5 specs - in response to Microsoft recently announcing a raft of information about the Xbox Series X - although there's less of a chance the design of the console will be revealed.
The day Sony offers up its PS5 reveal event, where PS5 lead system architect Mark Cerny will provide us with a deep dive into PS5's system architecture.
Facebook blocked legit COVID-19 posts by mistake
SlashGear / 30min
A few Facebook users have reported that their posts were blocked because of spam, even when those links pointed to official and authoritative information on the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Facebook has stepped up its efforts to combat spam and “fake news” from proliferating on its social platform.
The 16 most ridiculous teen dramas to get wrapped up in during social distancing
Netflix Social DistancingMashable / 31min
How to watch: The Vampire Diaries Seasons 1-8 are now streaming on Netflix .
How to watch: Gossip Girl Seasons 1-6 are now streaming on Netflix .
The rumored depth sensor might be exclusive to the iPhone 12 Pro duo
20TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 34min
Earlier this month, reports suggested that the 2020 iPhones will finally sport a ToF depth sensor.
A 3D depth sensor has a lot of use cases that extend beyond photography.
PS5 reveal live blog
Sony PS5 PlayStation20TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 34min
We're expecting to learn more about the PS5 specs - in response to Microsoft recently announcing a raft of information about the Xbox Series X - although there's less of a chance the design of the console will be revealed.
The day Sony offers up its PS5 reveal event, where PS5 lead system architect Mark Cerny will provide us with a deep dive into PS5's system architecture.
Lego polluting the oceans could last 1,000 years
Popular Mechanics / 49min
“Based on mass difference among paired samples that are about 40 years old we estimate residence times in the marine environment on the order of hundreds of years,” the authors said in their study.
Researchers collected 50 blocks from the beaches of southwest England and compared chemicals in the weathered samples to archived Lego blocks in their original condition.
Pandemic Erodes Gig Economy Work
Uber Lyft US Canada100+NYT > Technology / 52min
While gig economy companies like Uber and DoorDash have promoted themselves as providing flexible work that can be lifelines to workers during economic downturns, interviews with 20 ride-hailing drivers and food delivery couriers in Europe and the United States over the past week showed that the services have been anything but that.
Uber, Lyft, Instacart and DoorDash said that they would pay workers for 14 days of work if they have a coronavirus diagnosis and need to stay home.
Customers Want Customization, and Companies Are Giving It to Them
60NYT > Technology / 52min
The manufacturer, the Canadian-American start-up Wiivv, extracts hundreds of data points from each scan to produce a three-dimensional image of each foot and then prints footwear fitting that customer and no one else.
Working in 3-D “enables you to print that one part that needs to be customized, without the upfront costs of creating a mold for traditional manufacturing methods,” said Gregory Kress, chief executive of Shapeways, a New York-based company that makes products based on customers’ 3-D printable files.
Hello Games' The Last Campfire arrives this summer
The Last Campfire HG48Engadget / 55min
We haven't heard much about the adorable adventure short The Last Campfire since Hello Games first revealed it in 2018. Now, the No Man's Sky developer has announced that it will arrive on multiple platforms sometime this summer. As we saw during a Switch preview of the game, it's a much more intimate title than No Many's Sky, with handcrafted artwork, a cute main character and a story with a lot
Starlux Airlines Suspends Operations
98One Mile at a Time / 58min
Even that isn’t nearly as much as the 7x daily flights that Starlux Airlines was supposed to operate at that time.
Starlux Airlines will be suspending operations from March 21 through April 30, 2020 .
Oppo Reno3 Pro and Oppo Reno3 launch in the UAE
28TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 1h
Both the Oppo Reno3 Pro and Reno3 will be available for pre-orders from March 19th 2020 at any OPPO official retailer stores in the UAE or online at Oppo official website , Noon and Amazon.
The Oppo Reno3 Pro is priced at AED 1,899 and will be available in two colours- Auroral Blue and Midnight Black.
Four new iPad Pro 2020 models were just spotted on Apple's website
24TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 1h
As reported by website iPhone in Canada , the Chinese-region version of the Apple website listed, albeit briefly, four new iPad Pro models.
So it seems the new iPad Pro 2020 devices will be in the same sizes as the 2018 models, with optional cellular connectivity, as before.
How to keep your Slack status active while *ahem* 'working' from home
20Mashable / 1h
If a work-from-home employee had their desktop Slack app open — say, for example, to the Direct Message channel with Slackbot — then the above contraption should keep their Slack bubble green for up to 30 minutes after the train stops moving.
As long as your phone doesn't go to sleep (this is important, so keep it plugged in) and the video keeps playing, your optical mouse should move ever so slightly, tricking the desktop app version — not the browser version — of Slack into thinking you're still busy and not asleep in the next room.
Stress keeping you up at night? This super fancy sleep mask might help.
Mashable / 1h
TL;DR: Get a better night's rest with the Dreamlight Pro for $199.99, a 33% savings as of March 18.
The Dreamlight Pro is basically a sleep mask on steroids.
Here's a way to pass the time in isolation: Take a crash course in cybersecurity and start a new career
Mashable / 1h
And if you want something to get you started, this Comprehensive Beginner's Guide to Cybersecurity Bundle is a great resource you can dive into from the privacy of your home.
Here's a way to pass the time in isolation: Take a crash course in cybersecurity and start a new career
7 (mostly) online guitar courses that are actually worth your time
Mashable / 1h
Udemy's beginner course is great for the basics — if you just want a quick peek into what you'd see in a more in-depth course, this is a good place to feel out how passionate you are about learning the guitar in the long run.
No matter your skill level, you'll find value in Fender Play — plus, it's a fantastic pick for those with already busy lives who want to pursue guitar.
New mom? Take $25 off Elvie’s breast pump and smart pelvic floor exerciser.
Mashable / 1h
Among the companies bringing women’s health up to date, Elvie has revolutionized the industry with smart tech and wearables designed for real life after pregnancy, whether it’s breastfeeding with a busy schedule or strengthening your pelvic muscles.
TL;DR: From March 18-31, get $25 off the Elvie Pump and Elvie Trainer with the code MASHABLE25.
This Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is a great WFH companion, and it's 46% off
Mashable / 1h
Case in point: this factory recertified 12.3-inch 512GB Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is nearly half off its retail value.
TL;DR: Grab a factory refurbished Microsoft Surface Pro 4 for $912.99, a 46% savings as of March 18.
Help NASA build its lunar digging robot
Popular Mechanics / 1h
The agency plans on sending a specialized digger called the Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot, or RASSOR to the moon but needs your help to do so.
NASA is seeking out designs for a key component, the RASSOR collection drum.
OnePlus' visual identity gets a makeover
OnePlus New Logo28TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 1h
To further that notion, OnePlus is adopting an entirely new brand visual identity (VI), which will be the biggest change ever since the company was founded in 2013.
OnePlus adds that this overhaul was seven months in the making, which was worked upon by in-house creatives as well as an external agency.
How to order take-aways during an outbreak
Popular Mechanics / 1h
While supporting the service industry during this difficult time is key, here are a few practical steps to ensure you and the person delivering your food are kept safe.
It’s harder not to touch items being passed from person to person but many delivery services have upped their hand-washing requirements.
Hackers hit NutriBullet website with credit card-stealing malware
80TechCrunch / 1h
According to new research by security firm RiskIQ, hackers broke into the blender maker’s website several times over the past two months, injected malicious credit card-skimming malware on its payment pages and siphoned off the credit card numbers and other personal data — like names, billing addresses, expiry dates and card verification values — of unsuspecting blender buyers.
But Klijnsma acknowledged that the group, still with access to NutriBullet’s infrastructure, can keep spinning up new malicious domains and re-infecting the site with credit card-scraping malware.
CcHub funds tech to curb COVID-19 on concerns of an Africa outbreak
90TechCrunch / 1h
CcHub will provide $5000 to $100,000 funding blocks to companies with COVID-19 related projects covering last mile communication, support for the infected and the most vulnerable, production of essential medical supplies and support for disrupted food supply-chains.
Africa’s largest innovation incubator, CcHub , will offer funding and engineering support to tech projects aimed at curbing COVID-19 and its social and economic impact.
Tesla has to shut down its Fremont factory, Sheriff says
Tesla Musk Model Fremont28Mashable / 2h
Tesla has to shut down its manufacturing facility in Fremont, California, per Alameda County's order to all residents to shelter at their place of residence unless they're part of an "essential" business.
"Tesla can maintain minimum basic operations per the Alameda County Health Order," the tweet said.
Spain is scolding citizens with drones
Popular Mechanics / 2h
Police in Spain have been using drones to check the streets for anyone ignoring Spanish orders to stay home during the coronavirus outbreak
Forcing people to stay indoors and practice social distancing has been countries worst hit by the coronavirus’s best attempt at “flattening the curve” or avoiding a spike in infections.
Eco-friendly bridge designed for Liesbeek River
Popular Mechanics / 2h
Designed by acclaimed British designer, Paul Cocksedge, the bridge uses wood from the invasive Eucalyptus tree.
This bridge is a relatively simple visual gesture, but it addresses important issues around our environment, and how we can innovate with CLT to create new structures,” says Cocksedge.
Be vigilant when it comes to online coronavirus threats
28TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 2h
Not only are attackers sending out phishing emails, text messages, and making phone calls pretending to be the WHO or the CDC but these attackers are leveraging emotional messaging and fear to lure victims.
Individuals fall victim by carrying out actions outlined in messages; like opening attachments, clicking links and providing sensitive information.
'Overwatch' will finally address some old problems with Quick Play
54Engadget / 2h
Dexerto points out forum posts by lead developer Jeff Kaplan that mention the team will finally deal with a few problems that have been around since the game launched that are tied to matchmaking for its more casual Quick Play game mode.
That can become an issue if you've been waiting a long amount of time to play in-demand classes like damage and you suddenly get dropped into a match with not much time left and no hope of winning, or worse, added just as the game ends so that all you get to see is a "defeat" screen and a Play of the Game that had nothing to do with you.
Seth Rogen got high, watched 'Cats,' and live-tweeted it
100+Mashable / 3h
"I'm pretty stoned and watching Cats ," Rogen tweeted at the outset of his journey through the cultural phenomenon.
"Judi Dench is in a cat fur coat which I can only assume is socially APPALLING in this world," Rogen noted, baffled by the whole cat couture situation.
YESTERDAY
Amazon Apple Days sale 2020: best deals and offers on iPhones, MacBook
24TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 3h
Amazon India is hosting Apple Days sale with deals and offers on a wide range of Apple products, including iPhones, MacBook, iPad, and other accessories.
Here are the best deals and offers on Apple products on Amazon India.
8 of the best electric kettles in the UK
Mashable / 4h
It’s pricier than many models, but premium features such as precision pour spout, temperature control, and modern design should woo coffee lovers.
This ultra-reliable kettle is easy to use and boils water fast, making it a great choice for tea and coffee drinkers who don’t want to fork over a lot of cash.
Salesforce hires former banker Arundhati Bhattacharya as chairperson and CEO of India business
India March Days Discovery78TechCrunch / 5h
Salesforce, the global giant in CRM, said on Wednesday that former banker Arundhati Bhattacharya will be joining the company on April 20 as chairperson and chief executive of its India division.
The company said it expects to add 3,000 jobs in India in the next three years and turn the nation into a “leading global talent and innovation hub” for the company.
Here’s how Microsoft's Xbox Series X could revolutionize business computing
45TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
What makes Velocity Storage so special is that Microsoft has worked with AMD to customize an area of the die to take care of the issue of decompression, with the help of an extension to the DirectX API.
Working either with Intel or AMD, one can imagine Microsoft will be able to tie accelerators to specific tasks or applications within Windows 10 - encryption, compression, AI or Javascript performance.
Fox buys ad-supported streaming service Tubi for $440 million
Fox Streaming Tubi100+Engadget / 5h
A WSJ report from February said Fox has been eyeing the free ad-supported streaming service for quite a while now and that the companies were discussing a deal that could be worth upwards of $500 million.
The media giant says that by selling its stake in Roku, it's "essentially exchanging a passively held minority investment for full ownership and control of a leadership position in the free ad-supported streaming market."
SoftBank May Bail on $3 Billion of Its WeWork Bailout
SoftBank WeWork Theranos100+Gizmodo / 5h
According to the Journal, SoftBank sent a notice to WeWork investors that it might not actually have to purchase $3 billion in shares from them—and that includes the $970 million in stock held by former CEO slash possible brain worm vector Adam Neumann.
The remaining $5 billion of SoftBank’s WeWork bailout that has yet to be committed is unaffected, according to the Journal, and the investment giant didn’t actually say that the $3 billion stock purchase was outright canceled.
Half-Life: Alyx launch date gets very specific
SlashGear / 6h
Half-Life: Alyx’s March launch hasn’t exactly been a secret but now Valve is giving gamers a heads up when it will happen.
Fortunately, Valve is giving everyone detailed information so they can prepare their alarms and the VR headsets, presuming they already have one.
Automated Facebook Anti-Spam System Goes Hog Wild, Blocks Links Including Covid-19 Info
1KGizmodo / 6h
Facebook’s automated moderation tools went wild and targeted tons of posts about the coronavirus pandemic and other topics on Tuesday evening, blocking users from sharing articles from legitimate news sources.
Later on Tuesday evening, he tweeted that the issue was not specific to coronavirus-related content, adding that it should be fixed and all posts erroneously flagged as spam should be restored.
Microsoft Project xCloud details how Xbox games can become cloud-aware
SlashGear / 7h
That focus brings a couple of considerations specific to that device and Project xCloud is explaining the areas they need to focus on based on their limited Preview.
Unlike Stadia, Microsoft already stated that xCloud’s goal isn’t exactly to be able to game on any device.
'Half-Life: Alyx' will launch on Monday at 1 PM ET
200+Engadget / 7h
After years of waiting, a new Half-Life game is almost here. While everything else is getting canceled or rescheduled, the release of Half-Life: Alyx will happen on March 23rd . Valve tweeted tonight that the game will go live at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET. For gamers whose PCs are properly prepared, it will be available for preloading via Steam starting on Friday. The main impact of the coronavirus pand
No Man’s Sky update adds bobbleheads to your cockpit
SlashGear / 7h
That’s not the only thing coming in the latest update to the space exploration and survival game.
Some content creators and distributors have rushed pushing new content to offer some much-needed distraction and No Man’s Sky creator Hello Games is no exception.
RIP Lyle Waggoner, Wonder Woman's Stalwart Steve Trevor
4KGizmodo / 7h
Before Chris Pine headed to World War I for Diana of Themyscira in Wonder Woman (or donned a particularly choice tracksuit for Wonder Woman 1984 ), there was one definitive live-action Steve Trevor: Lyle Waggoner, who sadly passed away today at the age of 84.
What made Waggoner’s Steve stand out in Wonder Woman , in either iteration of the character, was that he was both the atypical male action hero, running headfirst into danger to try and help his superheroic ally, and also, paradoxically, Wonder Woman ’s own damsel-in-distress.
Jimmy Fallon's 'Tonight Show: Home Edition' stars his adorable dog and a St Paddy's coronavirus song
500+Mashable / 7h
The coronavirus has shut down production on U.S. late night shows indefinitely as numerous workplaces implement social distancing policies. Even so the Tonight Show lurches on, with host Jimmy Fallon delivering jokes emailed in by his writers from his own home. The first Home Edition of the Tonight Show was a family affair, with Fallon's wife (film producer Nancy Juvonen) behind the camera, his s
Huawei Watch GT 2e leaks point to another 14-day sporty smartwatch
SlashGear / 8h
Most of that has been due to the Huawei Watch GT’s battery life, a trait that an upcoming Huawei Watch GT 2e will apparently continue based on new leaks.
The Apple Watch continues to dominate the rather small smart wearable market but that hasn’t stopped dozens of companies from putting out their own.
First look: why the Canon EOS R5 could be the supercar of mirrorless cameras
36TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
While a lot of the EOS R5’s specs remain unknown, we were able to tease out a few extra details for this first look with a camera that promises to upgrade Canon from mirrorless also-ran to genuine trailblazer…
The EOS R5 isn’t just the most powerful full-frame mirrorless camera we’ve seen from Canon – it’s one of the most capable we’ve seen, full stop.
Sheriff Tells Tesla It's Not as 'Essential' as Musk Thinks
1KWired / 8h
Before dawn on Tuesday, workers coming off a shift at Tesla ’s factory in the Silicon Valley city of Fremont boarded buses to return to the offsite lots where they’d parked their cars.
But late Tuesday, the county sheriff announced that building electric cars is not an “essential business.”
2020 LG OLED TVs US pricing and launch dates announced
SlashGear / 8h
The 2020 LG OLED SIGNATURE ZK Real 8K TVs, on the other hand, will blast your eyes with “Real 8K” pixel resolution, exceeding the CTA standard for Ultra HD TVs. They are also the priciest, immediately starting at $19,999 for a 77-inch model.
In addition to those characteristics specific to each series, LG’s 2020 OLED TV lineup also have common traits, like NVIDIA G-SYNC compatibility for those who want to play their games on a large screen in the living room.
Senators Can't Work From Home During Coronavirus Pandemic, Mitch McConnell Says
Senate House Democrats1KGizmodo / 8h
McConnell told reporters that it was possible to comply with social distancing guidelines advised by federal health officials—like avoiding all gatherings of 10 or more people —without allowing voting away from Senate chambers or attending hearings via video chat, as some Democrats requested.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell won’t let senators work from home and will require all votes to be held in person in the chamber floor despite the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic , the Hill reported on Tuesday.
Works With Chromebook badge helps you pick the right accessories
WWC Google ChromebookSlashGear / 9h
That’s because of how these computers use standard connectors and technologies that should, in theory, work universally with compatible accessories.
Technically speaking, some accessories will really work with Chromebooks even without that badge.
Airlines Are Just A Bunch Of Pikers Asking For A Paltry $58 Billion Bailout
View from the Wing / 9h
The airline industry is asking for about $58 billion in subsidies.
Airlines Are Just A Bunch Of Pikers Asking For A Paltry $58 Billion Bailout
Mixer's new homepage showcases streamers it poached from Twitch
Microsoft Mixer Xbox99Engadget / 9h
Mixer has recruited its fair share of former big-name Twitch streamers , and it wants to make sure you see them.
Microsoft's livestreaming service has introduced a reworked homepage that includes "more focus" for featured material, including broadcasters -- if you didn't already know that Ninja , Ewok and Shroud were exclusive to Mixer, you will after this.
Call of Duty: Warzone gets a big new Solos game mode
CD Duty Warzone SolosSlashGear / 9h
The game mode allows players to join a match on their own and compete with other solo players on Verdansk.
If you don’t enjoy playing battle royale games as part of a team, the new Solos mode is what you’re looking for.
On the Plus Side, Maybe George R.R. Martin Will Finish Winds of Winter Now
5KGizmodo / 9h
And while it’s obviously difficult to find bright spots in this sudden, scary new world, one may be coming from author George R.R. Martin .
“I am spending more time in Westeros than in the real world, writing every day,” Martin wrote on his blog .
Coronavirus: How to stay in virtual touch with older relatives
1KBBC News - Technology / 9h
"Something integrated like a video call app on a smartphone, tablet or a laptop with a built-in camera, for example will often be more straightforward," adds Caroline Abrahams, its charity director.
It also integrates its video calls with Facebook-owned Whatsapp and the popular Facebook Messenger, so people who own a smartphone with those apps can easily call the Portal device.
Beware of ‘ZoomBombing’: screensharing filth to video calls
500+TechCrunch / 9h
The world is vulnerable to a new type of trolling as people turn to Zoom video calls to feel connected amidst quarantines.
That’s just what happened today on the WFH Happy Hour, a popular daily public Zoom call hosted by The Verge reporter Casey Newton and investor Hunter Walk .
County deems Tesla a ‘non-essential’ business during shelter-in-place order
Tesla Musk Model Fremont400+TechCrunch / 9h
Tesla is not an essential business according to the Alameda County Sheriff, a declaration that could force the automaker to shutter some of its operations in the county under a shelter in-place directive that was ordered because of the global spread of COVID-19, a disease caused by coronavirus.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk told employees in an email that the company would continue operations at the Fremont factory, where the automaker assembles the Model S, Model X, Model 3 and now Model Y electric vehicles.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Australian pricing and release date announced
44TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Releasing just last month in the US, UK and South Korea, Samsung's foldable clamshell Galaxy Z Flip handset has now received an Australian release date and pricing information. The good news? It's coming sooner than expected, with Aussies able to pre-order the Galaxy Z Flip this week from March 20 with an on-sale date of April 3. Priced at AU$2,199, the Galaxy Z Flip is far from cheap, however, i
Quibi just released a trailer for the Reno 911! revival
100+TechCrunch / 10h
For the unfamiliar, Quibi’s thing is that its content is meant to be watched in ten minute chunks.
But sure enough: eleven years after the end of its original run on Comedy Central, Reno 911!
SoftBank reportedly balks at commitment to buy $3B in shares from WeWork shareholders
SoftBank WeWork Theranos92TechCrunch / 10h
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that SoftBank Group is using regulatory investigations as a way to back out of its commitment to buy $3 billion in shares from existing WeWork shareholders. WeWork’s spectacular train wreck of an initial public offering was an early harbinger that the good times might be over for a cohort of later-stage investments valued at multiple billions of dollars. And t
Reputable sites swept up in FB’s latest coronavirus-minded spam cleanse [Updated]
Facebook Coronavirus6KArs Technica / 10h
On Tuesday, social media users began sharing scattered reports with a confusing issue in common: links from reputable news outlets they'd shared—either publicly or in private, friends-only groups—were marked as violations of "community guidelines" and automatically taken down, and many—but not all —had "coronavirus" mentioned in either the headline or in the article's body.
When asked about the source of these "spam" notifications and post takedowns, a Facebook representative pointed us to a breaking statement from company vice president Guy Rosen, stating : "We're on this.
Amazon Warehouses Will Now Accept Essential Supplies Only
1KWired / 10h
The unprecedented action will immediately affect millions of third-party sellers and vendors, who have come to rely on Amazon's warehouses to get their products into the hands of consumers.
For now, Amazon is still delivering non-essential products that are already stocked in its warehouses; it just won’t accept replenishments from vendors and sellers for the next three weeks.
American Airlines Asks Flight Attendants To Take Leave With No Pay
300+View from the Wing / 10h
Yesterday One Mile at a Time shared what American is offering to pilots who are willing to take early retirement or a leave of absence.
Early retirement for pilots 62 years old and older who can take around two-thirds of pay until age 65
Canon's entry-level EOS R6 rumored to inherit the 1D X Mark III's 20MP sensor
40TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
That puts this entry-level model almost on par with pro shooters like its 1D X Mark III cousin and the competition from Sony's Alpha A9 series.
That said, the Canon EOS M6 Mark II APS-C mirrorless camera that was announced in August 2019 is capable of topping off at 14fps, although there is a 30fps raw shooting mode for those willing to compromise on pixel counts.
Revolut launches Revolut Junior to help you manage allowance
200+TechCrunch / 10h
The new app offers a limited set of features with an interface divided in two tabs — Account and Profile.
Parents or legal gardians who are also Revolut users can create a Revolut Junior account for their kid.
A tech bro opts for a digital afterlife in first trailer for Amazon’s Upload
92Ars Technica / 10h
A wealthy tech bro finds himself in a virtual afterlife in Upload , a new comedy science fiction series coming soon from Amazon Studios.
(The digital and real worlds look like they can sometimes "interact" although they can't connect physically.) The two develop a friendship, with Nora confessing to a hospital patient that she might be feeling something more.
Movies Anywhere beta Screen Pass feature lets users share content
SlashGear / 10h
Movies Anywhere, the service that allows consumers to watch the movies they’ve purchased on a variety of different services, is adding a new Screen Pass feature for sharing content.
With the new Screen Pass feature, users will be able to share up to three of their purchased movies every month to a friend or family member.
I Work From Home and These Three Habits Give Me Structure
Gizmodo / 10h
It’s a cliché to say “put on pants” when giving advice to people who are just starting a work from home life, but it’s a cliche for a reason: Putting on pants is kind of easy not to do when you work from home.
Making the bed is helpful in two ways: 1.
LG's 48-inch gaming OLED TV arrives in June for $1,499
200+Engadget / 10h
The highlight for many may be the smallest of the bunch -- the gaming-oriented 48-inch model in the CX series will arrive in June for $1,499.
The thinner but breakout-dependent WX "Wallpaper" series, meanwhile, will be available in a lone 65-inch model this June for $4,999.
Facebook wrongly blocked some links, including coronavirus info
178KTechCrunch / 11h
Facebook suffered from a massive bug in its News Feed spam filter, causing URLs to legitimate websites including Medium, Buzzfeed, and USA Today to be blocked from being shared as posts or comments.
A Facebook spokesperson followed up that the company routinely uses automation to assist in enforcing its anti-spam policies, and this issue wasn’t related to it asking content moderators to work from home starting earlier this week amidst the coronavirus update.]
Major Book Publisher Abandons Terrible Plan to Keep New Ebooks Out of Libraries
100+Gizmodo / 11h
Your public library’s collection of ebooks is an excellent resource, and now you have an even larger selection: One of the Big Five U.S. publishers walked back its 8-week delay on licensing new ebook releases to libraries.
“Macmillan’s return to its original lending terms signals a new starting point for all publishers to consider how they can work with libraries to ensure—and expand—access for all readers.
Virtual reality scales back its real world presence
94TechCrunch / 11h
While few things may me feel more like social distancing than suiting up in a haptic feedback suit and strapping a computer to your face, location-based virtual reality startups have begun closing up shop alongside a host of other entertainment businesses.
Dreamscape Immersive announced yesterday that it has temporarily closed all of its VR entertainment centers across Los Angeles, Dallas, Columbus and Dubai.
FAA temporarily closes tower at Chicago’s Midway Airport after employees test positive for COVID-19
300+TechCrunch / 11h
Each facility across the country has a similar plan that has been updated and tested in recent years,” the FAA says in a statement.
In another example for the farreaching effects of the coronavirus outbreak, the FAA today said that it is temporarily closing the tower at Midway Airport, the second largest airport in the Chicago area.
Study warns stealth spread of coronavirus can fuel major outbreaks
SlashGear / 11h
The huge outbreak of cases in China was primarily driven by infected people who had either zero or only mild symptoms, the study reports.
The study says that many of the COVID-19 cases in China likely didn’t have severe symptoms, meaning infected people may have thought they had a simple cold and went on with their lives.
Fox gets deeper into streaming with $440 million acquisition of Tubi
Fox Streaming Tubi100+TechCrunch / 11h
Tubi, once of a now-dwindling number of free ad-supported streaming services, will bring a new digitally native consumer offering to Fox with younger-skewing audience that consumes roughly 160 million hours of entertainment on the platform, according to a statement.
, the broadcast news and entertainment company holding what remains of the Murdoch Family’s television and cable sports and media assets after the sale of 21st Century Fox to Disney, has agreed to acquire the streaming service Tubi TV for $440 million.
Zoho's new suite of apps can help your business during the coronavirus
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 11h
The coronavirus outbreak has led many businesses to allow their employees to work from home and because of this a number of software companies including Google, Microsoft, Cisco and now Zoho are offering their online collaboration tools to users for free.
To help businesses dealing with a large number of employees now working remotely, Zoho has decided to provide organizations and individuals with its new suite of apps for free until July 1st.
Tower workers at Chicago Midway airport test positive for COVID-19; ground stop ordered
500+The Points Guy / 11h
Flight-tracking site FlightAware reported that all flights inbound to MDW are being held at their origin airports until 6:15 p.m. Chicago time, i.e. a ground stop.
BREAKING UPDATE: Sources familiar say that this MDW issue is coronavirus related, and that there will not be a quick resolution to this ground stop.
Overwatch League sets its new online-only schedule for spring
24Engadget / 11h
Blizzard originally balanced this year's schedule around the fact that teams would play against opponents in their own conference twice.
Some teams will need to play more frequently in the next while to catch up to the number of matches they were originally scheduled to have played by this point in the season.
The 24 funniest stand-up specials to watch on Netflix while social distancing
10 Season Broadcom Netflix500+Mashable / 11h
From hours that made our favorites famous to recent routines from comedy vets, here are 22 of the funniest stand-up specials now streaming on Netflix ranked by how much they'll make you laugh.
Michelle Wolf’s second streaming special (and first on Netflix) is everything the comedian does best: humblebragging disguised as self deprecation and incisive commentary about sexism that doesn’t feel pedantic, all delivered with a cheeky smile.
Masturbation meditation works. Here’s the proof.
300+Mashable / 11h
The basic concept is simple: Instead of only using your breath as a focal point during mindfulness exercises like meditation and body scanning, you also concentrate on pleasurable sensations that ground you in your body.
By training people to approach pleasure with a mindful mindset, researchers have found that these techniques can help improve a number of sexual problems : low libido, body image issues, anxiety, trauma, erectile dysfunction, genital pain (like vestibulodynia) , and porn addiction.
When the good-ole days of flying were just a few weeks ago
The Points Guy / 12h
In the good-ole days of just a few weeks ago, we could imagine the passengers aboard the passing jet as they were beginning their journey from Houston to points beyond.
During this time of the day, the blinking red and green wing lights of the aircraft generally catch your eye first, with the sound lagging a few seconds behind.
What is herd immunity and can it stop the coronavirus?
8KNew on MIT Technology Review / 12h
If the virus keeps spreading, eventually so many people will have been infected and (if they survive) become immune that the outbreak will fizzle out on its own as the germ finds it harder and harder to find a susceptible host.
The chief science adviser to the UK government, Patrick Vallance, said the country needed to “ build up some kind of herd immunity so more people are immune to this disease and we reduce the transmission.”
The last Mark in the office
Mashable / 12h
One brave soul decided to be the last employee in the office. Here's how that went. Read more... More about Mashable Video , Office , Office Life , Coronavirus Emergency , and Culture
How you can use your PC to help scientists develop a treatment for the coronavirus
28TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
The folks at Folding@Home have published a blog post asking for people to run the F@H client in order to help scientists develop a treatment for coronavirus.
To do this, right click the Folding@Home icon in your system tray, select "Web Control" and then it will open a browser window.
Fortnite Helicopters arrive: Here’s what players should know
SlashGear / 12h
Epic introduced the Choppa with a launch video that includes a look at the game’s most exciting new skin: Deadpool.
It’s unclear whether this hints at an ability the Deadpool skin will feature, however — Epic has been light on the details regarding this tie-in.
Penguin aquarium tour is making everyone smile
71Mashable / 12h
Coronavirus concerns have left Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium closed to the public until March 29, but these adorable rockhopper penguins got their own private tour. Read more... More about Mashable Video , Chicago , Aquarium , Penguins , and Covid 19
Jalopnik Watch Jay Leno Drive A Bonkers Six-Wheeled Briggs And Stratton Car | Jezebel How Berkeley High's Whisper Netwo...
20Lifehacker / 12h
Jalopnik Watch Jay Leno Drive A Bonkers Six-Wheeled Briggs And Stratton Car | Jezebel How Berkeley High's Whisper Network Sparked a Movement | The Root America's Response to the Coronavirus Is a Natural Consequence of White Supremacy | The A.V. Club It's time to ask ourselves if 2004's Catwoman is the worst superhero movie ever made | Read more...
Buzz Aldrin has some advice for Americans in quarantine
1KArs Technica / 12h
After returning from the Moon in 1969, Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Michael Collins spent 21 days in quarantine to prevent the spread of any contagions they might have brought back from the lunar surface.
I asked Aldrin about this experience and if he had any advice for the hundreds of millions of Americans already in, or soon to be in, a semi-quarantine during which we are being encouraged not to leave our homes.
LG’s new consumer 2020 OLED TVs will cost up to $6,000
64Ars Technica / 12h
LG has announced both a shipping window and specific price points for its new 4K OLED TVs for 2020.
As far as we know, it uses the same panels as the CX series, so image quality should be similar in many respects.
What Should Flight Attendants Be Doing To Stay Safe?
View from the Wing / 12h
Arrange to house flight crews in hotels that are in close proximity to the airport.
Advise your crews to avoid public transport unless it is an emergency.
New Chrome build will allow you to block all cookies
28TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
Google is giving users more control over cookies in its Chrome browser through a new flag in Canary that enables an improved interface which contains more buttons and information.
The new cookie user interface in Canary for Android provides users with four controls to manage cookies instead of just the four currently available in the stable version of Chrome.
Vulkan API Now Supports Ray Tracing and That's Great News If You Game
70Gizmodo / 12h
Developers and engineers from Nvidia and Intel are also working with Khronos to standardize the API for use in their products, like Intel’s upcoming Xe GPU architecture, which Intel graphics software architect Joshua Barczak claims, in a press release provided by Vulkan, will include a roadmap for hardware-accelerated ray tracing support.
Khronos Group , the company behind the Vulkan application programming interface (API), announced today that it now supports ray tracing the buzzword friendly feature Nvidia pushed and console makers like Sony and Microsoft seem to be adopting into their next-gen consoles.
Also in
Gizmodo
Jalopnik Watch Jay Leno Drive A Bonkers Six-Wheeled Briggs And Stratton Car | Jezebel How Berkeley High's Whisper Netwo...
20Gizmodo / 12h
Jalopnik Watch Jay Leno Drive A Bonkers Six-Wheeled Briggs And Stratton Car | Jezebel How Berkeley High's Whisper Network Sparked a Movement | The Root America's Response to the Coronavirus Is a Natural Consequence of White Supremacy | The A.V. Club It's time to ask ourselves if 2004's Catwoman is the worst superhero movie ever made | Read more...
'Call of Duty: Warzone' adds a solo mode
99Engadget / 12h
You didn't have to wait long to get some added variety in Call of Duty: Warzone . Infinity Ward and Raven have introduced a Solos mode that (surprise!) asks you to survive the battle royale shooter without help. You still have a chance to come back to the fight through the gulag duel system and self-revive kits, but there'll be no one around to buy a revival if either of those methods fails. You
Where top VCs are investing in remote events
100+TechCrunch / 12h
As more and more hosts consider staging fully remote events as possible alternatives, we decided to take a deeper look into the venture-backed startups focused on supporting large-scale virtual gatherings, like Hopin and Run The World .
To further understand the impact of COVID-19, we asked five leading VCs who have invested in or have knowledge of startups focused on remote events to update us on the state of the market and to share where they see opportunity in the sector:
U.S. Reportedly In Talks To Use Your Location Data to Contain the Pandemic
Google US Facebook2KGizmodo / 12h
Multiple anonymous sources told The Washington Post earlier today, government researchers are in “active talks” with executives from Facebook, Google and a wide array of other tech companies to discuss how the public and private sector could team up to combat the coronavirus’s spread—and using the location data collected by cellphones to do it.
One of the sources—an official with the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy—explained to the Post that their interest lay in the idea that location data could be compiled in an anonymous, aggregated way to, say, map where the disease is spreading throughout the country, or ensuring that each of us is keeping up with our obligatory social distancing .
Inside the model that may be making US, UK rethink coronavirus control
500+Ars Technica / 12h
They also assumed things like the percentage of hospitalized cases that would require critical-care facilities (30 percent), the overall death rate (half of those in critical care, biased towards the elderly), etc.
For both the US and UK, the authors modeled infectious individuals entering the population starting in early January, with the number of new arrivals doubling every five days as the pandemic went global.
Six Cozy Styles That Make the Most of Your WFH Experience
Lifehacker / 12h
That’s why we’re ready with six comfy AF WFH men’s style recs, from house slippers to pseudo-sweats, to help you make the most of your quarantine isolation.
If you have ever worked from home (y’know, pre-global pandemic), you’ve probably heard the advice, “make sure to get yourself dressed every morning so you feel like you’re really working.”
To Focus on Necessities, Amazon Stops Accepting Some Items in Warehouses
1KNYT > Technology / 12h
He said the large consumer brands he worked with, who sell products like aspirin, Lysol and Huggies, have seen sales 15 times higher than expected in the past two weeks.
In emails early Tuesday, Amazon told the sellers and vendors that supply the products on its website that it would not accept some shipments into its warehouses for three weeks.
Amazon Bans, Then Reinstates, Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf’
300+NYT > Technology / 12h
SAN FRANCISCO — Amazon quietly banned Adolf Hitler's manifesto “Mein Kampf” late last week, part of its accelerating efforts to remove Nazi and other hate-filled material from its bookstore, before quickly reversing itself.
“We cannot offer this book for sale,” the retailer told booksellers that had been selling the title, according to emails reviewed by The New York Times.
Facebook's Portal smart display gets a massive $110 price cut
24TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
The Alexa-enabled Portal is a smart home display that allows you to make video calls and much more completely hands-free.
The 10.1-inch smart home display is part of Facebook's mission to improve video calling by making it completely hands and distraction-free.
Small business resources to help with coronavirus impacts
36The Points Guy / 12h
In addition to covering new offers on business credit cards , we started the TPG Small Biz community to help owners maximize their loyalty returns and network with fellow travel enthusiasts who understand the life of a small business owner.
What follows is a list of resources designed to provide information and relief for small businesses.
The best animal livestreams to watch while you're social distancing
1KMashable / 12h
Luckily you can still catch up with your favorite tigers, pandas, and unbelievably old dogs via live cam.
The best panda cam around is a little less active than usual because volunteers aren't currently working at the zoo.
AMC, Regal, Alamo Drafthouse, and Cinemark Are Closing Theaters Because of the Coronavirus
500+Gizmodo / 13h
The AMC closures come as other big names in the theater space like Regal (542 theaters), Alamo Drafthouse (40 theaters), and Cinemark (345 theaters) are taking similar measures to make it clear that people going to see the movies is not what they should be doing right this moment.
Studios are actively shutting down the production of movies meant to come out in the near future, but with covid-19 making it too dangerous to be out and about, the reality of the situation is that going to theaters is similarly inadvisable, and while that may be distressing to folks, what everyone (who can) needs to do right now is to stay home.
FDA will make cigarette packages more gruesome to scare smokers
SlashGear / 13h
The new packaging will include imagery of lesser-known consequences linked to cigarettes.
The warnings will also feature ‘textual statements,’ according to the FDA, which says that the new health warnings will start appearing on cigarette packaging and advertisements in June 2021.
