Technology news

• ​Reddit goes dark for a day after moderators' revolt

  03-07-2015 22:33 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Reddit fired a popular employee - and its volunteer staff of community administrators took down popular sub-reddit groups in protest. Now, management is trying to make peace with the rebel moderators.
  
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• Hillary Clinton to gay Humans of New York teen: 'Your future will be amazing'

  03-07-2015 22:16
  
  2016 candidate posts personal comment under Facebook photoCampaign takes remark to Twitter in search of viral followingHillary Clinton took to Facebook on Friday to offer words of encouragement and advice to a gay teen. The leading Democratic presidential candidate posted remarks in response to a photo posted by the page of Humans of New York, a project run by photographer Brandon Stanton. Continue reading...
  
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• In Depth: Best Fitbit: How to pick the one that's right for you

  03-07-2015 22:00
  
  Fitbits for allThe world of wearable technology is forever growing and that's particularly noticeable when you look at just how many different trackers Fitbit alone offers. Fitbit is one of the most well known names in the fitness tracking world, which is why its products seem so tempting. Available in most major stores, you can easily walk in, pick a tracker up and immediately start counting every step you take. However, with six different tracking devices available - the Zip, One, Flex, Charge
  
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• Chinese consumer group sues over Samsung, Oppo bloatware

  03-07-2015 19:58
  
  Although manufacturers and carriers have backed away from loading up smartphones with a bunch of useless software in recent years, at least two hardware makers are being taken to task in Chinese courts for doing just that.Shanghai Daily today reported both Samsung and Oppo face legal action in China in an effort to protect consumers from smartphone "bloatware," or the practice of loading up devices with software of questionable utility or worth.The Shanghai Consumer Rights Protection C
  
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• Buying Guide: 10 best phablets in the world today

  03-07-2015 19:30
  
  The 10 best phablets: 10-6Our hands might not be getting any bigger but our phones certainly are. As flagships like the LG G4 and OnePlus One creep up to 5.5 inches phablets are starting to resemble small tablets, arguably filling the roles of both a smartphone and a slate.If you think that one device is better than two, or just have really big hands, then there is a growing selection of phones to suit and these are the ten best.10. Microsoft Lumia 640 XLWindows Phone on the big screenOS: Window
  
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• Updated: Thunderbolt 2 vs USB 3.0 vs eSATA

  03-07-2015 19:09
  
  Introduction and speedThe high-speed Thunderbolt standard has been given a huge upgrade, and it can now deliver twice as much data through a single channel. But it isn't the only high-speed connection available: there's USB 3.0 and eSATA too. How do they compare, and what are they best for?Thunderbolt 2 vs Thunderbolt 1: What's new?The second generation of the Thunderbolt standard combines DisplayPort and PCI Express data and is faster than its predecessor – it can drive a 4K display with a si
  
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• Competition: WIN! An LG G4 and wireless charger bundle

  03-07-2015 18:19
  
  TechRadar has teamed up with Fonesalesman to give you a chance to get your hands on the new LG G4 smartphone.But it's not just a run-of-the-mill version of the phone - this is one upgraded with wireless charging, so we're giving away an array of wireless charging products from the experts in wireless charging, Fonesalesman too!As part of this amazing competition you'll get your hands on the brand new G4 SlimPWRpatch, a wireless charging receiver made specifically for the brand new LG G4. Fonesal
  
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• Review: Toshiba Satellite Click Mini

  03-07-2015 17:59 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Introduction and designThey say great things come in small packages, and looking at the Satellite Click Mini we'd have to agree. Toshiba is genuinely breaking new ground with this micro laptop/touchpad hybrid. It boasts a detachable full-HD, 1920 x 1200 pixel-resolution touchscreen tablet, two batteries, Windows 8.1 and more for £250 (around $390, or AU$520) and we found it available online for even lower. It doesn't seem to be on sale in the US currently.Firmly pitted up against the smaller Ch
  
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• Minecraft conference in London set to attract 10,000 gamers

  03-07-2015 17:28
  
  Minecon aims to create a world where reality and Minecraft co-exist, says game’s developer MojangWith more than 70m copies sold since its launch in 2009, Minecraft is one of the biggest success stories of the modern games industry. It is remarkable for the community it has spawned – from developers who modify the game for fun, to the players who have become stars on YouTube with videos of their exploits. Related: Minecraft: a crash guide to Mojang's world-beating gameContinue reading...
  
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• Smarthome gadgets reviewed: how well can Belkin, Netatmo or Parrot manage your home?

  03-07-2015 16:36
  
  Smart plugs, facial-recognition cameras and even potted plant monitors can help automate your home – but is this first generation of products worth the effort?It’s early days for the Internet of Things: we’ve been promised smarthomes, and so far we can turn on the lights from our phones. It’s a start. The arrival of Apple’s HomeKit and Google’s Brillo will likely help speed smarthomes along, making them easier to install and manage, but in the meantime there are options for home auto
  
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• Theresa May named internet villain of the year

  03-07-2015 15:25
  
  Home Secretary receives gong for going ahead with ‘snooper’s charter’, while MPs Tom Watson and David Davis are ‘heroes’ for challenging surveillanceThe Home Secretary, Theresa May, has been named the UK internet industry’s villain of the year for pursuing “snooper’s charter” legislation without fully consulting the sector. The gong, part of the annual ISPA awards, was given for “forging ahead with communications data legislation that would significantly increase capabilities
  
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• Lawsuit over Samsung phone software

  03-07-2015 14:12 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Samsung is being taken to court in China over "unwanted" apps and other software it loads on its handsets.
  
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• Batman: Arkham Knight review

  03-07-2015 14:00
  
  PS4, Xbox One, PC; Warner; £39-£45Arkham Knight describes itself as the “conclusion to the Arkham trilogy”, conveniently ignoring the less well received Arkham Origins, which was admittedly by another developer. In this outing, Batman gets new body armour and a redesigned Batmobile, which is a Swiss Army knife-style problem-solver that pulls down walls and doors and even chips in with rubber bullets during fights. It’s also got a mini-gun and cannon for dispatching the legions of unmanne
  
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• Mastercard tests 'pay by selfie' app

  03-07-2015 13:55 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Mastercard tests a smartphone app that uses facial recognition to verify online purchases.
  
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• Review: Canon EOS 5DS

  03-07-2015 13:30 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Introduction and featuresCanon's 5D line of DSLRs has been an important one, bridging the gap between professional and amateur photography, giving enthusiasts an affordable route to full-frame shooting and pros a smaller, lighter camera to back-up their fully professional-level model. It is also the line that kickstarted the whole DSLR video thing, with many film makers choosing to use the 5D Mark II and then the 5D Mark III.Now we have the 5DS and 5DS R, both of which have 50.6 million effectiv
  
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• EE fined £1m for complaints handling

  03-07-2015 13:21 via bbc.co.uk
  
  EE, the UK's largest mobile phone operator, is fined £1m by the regulator Ofcom for breaching rules on handling customer complaints.
  
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• Time's up for IPv4 as North America runs out of addresses

  03-07-2015 12:57
  
  American Registry for Internet Numbers calls for switch to new protocol after being unable to fulfil a request for new numbers Sorry, the internet is full - in North America at least.The organisation that hands out IP addresses has finally run out of numbers. Continue reading...
  
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• What does the games industry really think about virtual reality?

  03-07-2015 12:54
  
  Sony, Microsoft and Valve all have immersive technologies to push this year, but are the big games publishers aboard the VR express? Virtual reality was a big deal at this year’s E3 video game expo in Los Angeles. Oculus was there showing off the latest build of its Rift headset, Sony revealed a new multiplayer shooter demo for the Project Morpheus, and Microsoft announced a partnership with Valve, seeking to make Windows 10 the software platform for the HTC Vive as well as all other PC-based
  
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• Uber suspends French ride-sharing service in 'gesture of peace'

  03-07-2015 12:37
  
  UberPop is suspended for the next three months after violent protests and arrests in FranceUber has closed its ride-sharing service, UberPop, in Paris, after the arrest of two executives on Monday, and a series of increasingly disruptive protests against the company in France.The company said it had made the decision as a result of “intimidation, violent protests and organised aggression against UberPop drivers and users … due to a minority of out-of-control individuals”. Continue reading.
  
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• Google frees its dream robots to run wild across the internet

  03-07-2015 12:36
  
  Tech firm opens up its image processing neural-network algorithm and people create awesome images Google has made its “inceptionism” algorithm available to all, allowing coders around the world to replicate the process the company used to create mesmerising dreamscapes with its image processing neural-network.The system, which works by repeatedly feeding an image through an AI which enhances features it recognises, was first demonstrated by Google two weeks ago. It can alter an existing imag
  
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• Uber suspends UberPOP in France

  03-07-2015 12:35 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Uber has suspended its UberPOP taxi hailing app in France, according to newspaper Le Monde.
  
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• Reddit in uproar after staff sacking

  03-07-2015 11:59 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Popular chat rooms on Reddit have been closed in protest over the sacking of a popular staff member.
  
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• Guardian, BuzzFeed and Vice win at awards ceremony

  03-07-2015 11:56
  
  Association of Online Publishers Digital Publishing Awards give consumer publisher of the year award to newspaperThe Guardian picked up three prizes at this year’s Association of Online Publishers (AOP) Digital Publishing Awards, including consumer digital publisher of the year and best mobile app.At a ceremony hosted by actor Rufus Hound in London’s Roundhouse, the judges said the Guardian app was a “clear winner” as they gave it the award for best use of mobile. Continue reading...
  
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• Self-impregnating worms, Apple Music: Podcast 224

  03-07-2015 11:38
  
  
  Listen this week for an entertaining 45-minute look at the most interesting technology and science stories from the last seven days, with WIRED.co.uk's Liat Clark, James Temperton and Katie Collins.
   By: Liat Clark, Continue reading...
  
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• Reddit revolts: subforums shut down in protest over AMA co-ordinator sacking

  03-07-2015 11:26
  
  The community manager Victoria Taylor was abruptly let go from her job at the site, prompting a number of high-profile subforums to go dark in protestMany of the biggest subreddits on social news site Reddit have shut down to protest against the sacking of a well-liked employee. The so-called “Reddit Revolt” has seen the temporary closure of the site’s gaming, science, history, and cinema subforums by their volunteer moderators, with many more joining in. Continue reading...
  
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• Steve Wozniak on Steve Jobs movie: 'Accuracy second to entertainment'

  03-07-2015 09:51
  
  Tech pioneer says he doesn’t recognise himself in Seth Rogen’s performance, but admits parts of the trailer for Danny Boyle’s Apple drama made him cry
  Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has revealed he feels torn about the new trailer for Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs, in which Michael Fassbender and Seth Rogen star as a tyrannical take on the late tech guru and a fiercely critical version of Wozniak himself.“What do you do? You’re not an engineer,” says the screen Wozniak. “You’re not
  
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• How to backup important files using CrashPlan

  03-07-2015 08:30
  
  How to backup important files using CrashPlanLet's face it: most people are total slackers when it comes to backups. Sure, most people are aware of the need, but then weeks or months slip by where they forget to connect the USB backup drive and suddenly everything is lost.An increasing number of people solve this problem by using a cloud backup system, which stores their stuff on a remote server. But if you're not that keen on paying an annual fee or don't want to trust your data to an online ou
  
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• Apple Music mess your iTunes library up? These 7 steps will fix it up

  03-07-2015 08:22
  
  While this week's arrival of Apple Music has been received positively by most users, some are reporting that the metadata in their existing iTunes libraries has been messed up since enabling iCloud Music Library.iCloud Music Library scans your iTunes library so that you can access all of your music from your other Apple devices, however some people are finding their metadata to suddenly be inaccurate, with incorrectly labelled albums, wonky artwork and more.Thankfully, there is a way to restore
  
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• BlackBerry ejected from the Australian Parliament

  03-07-2015 08:03 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Like a Labor MP during Question Time under Speaker Bronwyn Bishop, the humble BlackBerry smartphone has been kicked out of the Australian Parliament.
  
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• Silverlight dumped in Microsoft plugin spring cleaning with Edge

  03-07-2015 06:55 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Along with throwing out ActiveX, VBScript, and IE8 quirks mode, Microsoft has decided that Silverlight has no place in its upcoming Edge browser.
  
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• How to maximise your privacy online with Tor

  03-07-2015 06:24
  How to use TorIf you want online anonymity, there is no tool more powerful than the Tor network, a system of protocols ensuring that the web sites you visit cannot trace your IP address and even your ISP can't know what sites you're visiting. Unless you voluntarily give away information, you're completely anonymous.How it worksRather than connect directly to a web site, your connection is instead routed through several other PCs, forming a chain link between you and the site. No link on the chai
  
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• Plex hack means it's time to change your Plex password

  03-07-2015 05:39
  
  Bad news everyone: In a blog post to customers, popular media server app Plex has confirmed that the servers hosting the company's blog posts and forums were hacked on July 1st. Reporting that the hackers nabbed IP addresses, forum private messages, email addresses and encrypted passwords from anyone who has logged into the Plex forums, the company has taken the precaution of resetting all of its forum users' passwords and emailing anyone affected.The company is claiming that there's no evidence
  
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• Review: Updated: Aorus X5

  03-07-2015 05:30
  
  Introduction and design
  Update: Gigabyte has informed TechRadar that a new BIOS update has fixed a bug that caused Nvidia's G-Sync technology to drag down the Aorus X5's performance. We've since installed the new firmware and retested the laptop to find the solution has indeed fixed the problem.The Aorus X5 should have no business being this powerful while being so light and thin. At just 22.9mm, or under an inch thick, the X5 has a pair of Nvidia GTX 965M chips hiding within its aluminum chassi
  
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• Fallout Shelter vaulting over to Android in August

  03-07-2015 04:50
  
  With Fallout 4 only five months away from release, iOS gamers have been satiating their intense cravings by overseeing their own vaults in the cute mobile game, Fallout Shelter.So far, Android owners have been left out in the cold (nuclear winters can be tough), but it now seems that Fallout Shelter is going to arrive on the platform in August, according to a response Bethesda’s Pete Hines gave to a fan question on Twitter. Hines told the fan that the game is coming along nicely, and that whil
  
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• How to take fireworks pictures

  03-07-2015 04:41
  
  With a smartphoneWith July 4th right around the corner in the US and other celebrations that call for the the night sky to be lit up happening around the globe, you might be asking yourself, "How can I capture fireworks in all their splendor?" Thanks to the proliferation of smartphones, anyone can whip out a pocket camera for a quick snapshot.However, it takes a bit more planning and foreknowledge to create that perfect and memorable photo. There are many ways to take great photos of f
  
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• Has Bubble Wrap popped its last?

  03-07-2015 04:39
  
  Whether young or old, most people agree there are few things in this world more satisfying than an un-popped sheet of Bubble Wrap.But today a dark cloud has formed over the heads of popping enthusiasts everywhere, with the news that Bubble Wrap may be about to change forever.Sadly, Sealed Air, the company behind our beloved popping plastic, has developed an updated version of the protective covering that doesn't pop. The air simply shifts instead. The horror!We hate to burst your bubble...Sealed
  
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• Philadelphia legalises Airbnb-type services

  03-07-2015 04:14 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The US city of Philadelphia has legalised Airbnb and other short-term rental facilities, embracing the sharing economy by regulating services.
  
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• ​RBA to revamp core banking platform

  03-07-2015 03:54 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The Reserve Bank of Australia has issued a request for tender as it seeks a new core banking solution.
  
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• UPDATED: Stan: the content line-up so far

  03-07-2015 03:38
  
  Exclusives and TV ContentUPDATED: Stan has added the hot new series UnREAL to its content line-up, with episodes fast-tracked from the U.S. – details below!The upcoming Australian launch of Netflix in 2015 has dominated discussions about streaming media services lately, but a new service that's just been launched could give Netflix a run for its money.A product of StreamCo, a joint venture between Nine Entertainment Co. and Fairfax Media, Stan promises to bring its customers a wealth of entert
  
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• Sky slams 'excessive faults' on BT copper lines

  03-07-2015 03:29 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  British internet service provider Sky has called for a full separation of BT's wholesale and retail arms, accusing the incumbent of failing to adequately maintain the last mile of copper lines.
  
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• Chinese mainland misses out on Apple Music launch

  03-07-2015 03:10 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The initial launch of Apple Music has skipped the Chinese mainland, but in future faces stiff competition from local music-streaming services Tencent and Baidu, which shoulder high-cost royalties in order to provide low-cost services to consumers.
  
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• Optus rolls over on data

  03-07-2015 03:08
  
  The loss of unused prepaid data at the end of every month is one of the great tragedies of our time. When we think of all the meals un-Instagrammed, the Facebook statuses yet to be liked, and the YouTube cat videos left unstreamed, it's enough to make us weep.It seems Optus has decided to take up this important cause and do something about it, so from July 5 it will be introducing My Prepaid Monthly Plus.This new plan will enable users to rollover up to 10GB of data from one month to the next, p
  
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• Muckleston to hand over the reins at Microsoft NZ

  03-07-2015 02:28 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Barrie Sheers selected to lead Microsoft NZ as Paul Muckleston moves into a new role.
  
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• South Australian government signs iiNet for cloud services

  03-07-2015 02:01 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  iiNet will provide cloud services to three agencies of the government of South Australia on a consumption-based pricing model, the company has announced.
  
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• UK Information Commissioner’s Office reports rise in spam calls and texts

  03-07-2015 01:52
  
  Watchdog says most nuisance communications related to accident claims, green energy, payday loans and lifestyle surveys More than 180,000 complaints were made about commercial nuisance calls and texts last year, according to new figures. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) noted a 12% rise in complaints about spam communications in 2014/15, compared with the previous year. The watchdog’s annual report said it had issued five fines relating to marketing calls and texts totalling &poun
  
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• VIDEO: Robot suit lets paralysed soldier walk

  03-07-2015 01:39 via bbc.co.uk
  
  James Johnson, who was paralysed in Afghanistan, is using an exoskeleton to walk again as part of a pioneering programme.
  
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• VIDEO: Inventors propose giant robot duel

  03-07-2015 01:39 via bbc.co.uk
  
  BBC Click's Marc Cieslak looks at some of the best of the week's technology news.
  
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• VIDEO: Controlling a 'cyborg' cockroach

  03-07-2015 01:39 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Researchers hope cockroaches could access disaster zones which humans cannot reach
  
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• VIDEO: Cars designed to be slept in

  03-07-2015 01:01 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Vehicle design students at the Royal College of Art have been re-imagining the kind of cars that will be possible in an era of driverless transport.
  
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• Africa's video game makers dreaming big

  03-07-2015 01:01 via bbc.co.uk
  
  How Africa's games makers plan to make it big
  
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