Technology news

• In wake of fiasco, Reddit CEO admits, 'We screwed up'

  06-07-2015 23:45
  
  Reddit CEO Ellen Pao has posted an apology to users and moderators following the blackout the site experienced when moderators revolted against a recent staffing decision.Moderators had switched subreddits to private in protest after news broke a few days ago that Reddit's director of talent Victoria Taylor had been let go. The moderators' actions effectively left the front page of Reddit blank and users were unable to read posts. While Reddit doesn't need to announce why or when it lets go of s
  
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• Microsoft's Groove ousts 'Xbox Music' in time for Windows 10

  06-07-2015 23:44
  
  Microsoft's response to Apple's new music service, Apple Music: Anything you can do, I can do better. The Redmond-based company today unveiled the evolution of its Xbox Music service which will come prepackaged with every copy of Windows 10. The newly branded service, called Groove, will help users "[get] into music is faster than ever with easy-to-use menus and navigation controls that work well with both mouse/keyboard, and with familiar touch gestures on touch-screen devices," accor
  
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• Review: HP Pro Slate 12

  06-07-2015 23:42
  
  IntroductionIf you're in the market for a large format, professional tablet that looks great, performs well and won't break the bank, the HP Pro Slate 12 ($529, £349, or AUS$646) is a solid option.Competing against other business tablets, like the Dell Venue 11 Pro 7000 ($700, £437, AU$800) and the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 ($699, £436, AU$800), the Pro Slate 12 offers better battery life and excellent note-taking capabilities.Although it offers less stellar specs and performance than the
  
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• Amazon's flawed cloud app won't let you backup your files

  06-07-2015 23:16
  
  Amazon launched new iOS and Android apps to access files stored on its Cloud Drive service, but don't expect to get too much from the experience. Even though the Cloud Drive apps complement Amazon's affordable unlimited digital storage, the implementation lacks a post-PC strategy. Unlike competing apps from Google, Microsoft and Dropbox, Amazon's app is read-only, lacks the ability to automatically sync content from your phone and denies users the ability to manually upload locally stored files
  
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• OnePlus Two will be pricier than the first, but not by much

  06-07-2015 22:37
  
  The upcoming OnePlus Two will be below $450. Or at least, that’s what OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has promised on the company’s Google+ page.What “below $450” will actually translate to is something we won’t know for sure until the phone is revealed in full on July 27th. But if OnePlus is being cheeky, the OnePlus Two could debut for $449. Don’t do that, OnePlus.Looking back, the OnePlus One launched in 2014 at a price of $299 (£229, about AU$320) for the 16GB Silk White model and $349 (ab
  
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• Uber to provide security for drivers in South Africa after threats from rivals

  06-07-2015 21:00 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Internet taxi firm says decision to provide security was made after ‘recent intimidation’ and protests from other taxi operatorsInternet taxi firm Uber said on Monday it was providing security for its drivers in South Africa after verbal threats from other taxi operators in the latest outbreak of friction to hit the fast-growing company.Uber drivers in Johannesburg have been targeted by meter taxi drivers and a protest was held outside Uber’s offices on Friday, local media reported. Contin
  
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• Thousands flock to 'sin free Facebook'

  06-07-2015 19:33 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A group of Evangelical Christians in Brazil has launched a social network where swearing and erotic content is completely banned.
  
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• Electric 'robocabs' would reduce US greenhouse emissions by 94% – study

  06-07-2015 19:12 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Research projecting to 2030 says self-driving taxis and specialised one-person vehicles would greatly cut inefficiencies in current human driving patterns
  Self-driving electric taxis could reduce greenhouse gas emissions from conventional car travel in the US by 94% in 2030, according to a study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.These future “robocabs” would be battery-powered and driven without human intervention, picking up and dropping off passengers using automated technologies.Co
  
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• Trolls aren't welcome in New Zealand

  06-07-2015 18:48 via bbc.co.uk
  
  People in New Zealand could be fined or sent to prison for using deliberately harmful, threatening or offensive language online.
  
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• Unity - does indie gaming's biggest engine have an image problem?

  06-07-2015 16:32 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Chief executive John Riccitiello explains why being popular with small independent studios is a mixed blessing
  Most people who play video games have played a game made with Unity – even if they don’t know it. Originally launched in 2005, this adaptable, cross-platform game engine is freely available to amateur coders and can be bought for just $1500 by small professional studios, allowing both groups to quickly develop new projects without having to build their own underlying 3D graphics tec
  
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• Review: Samsung 850 Pro 2TB

  06-07-2015 16:00 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  IntroductionPerformance or capacity. That's been the dichotomy that's dominated data storage since the first mainstream solid-state drives for PCs appeared nearly a decade ago.But now Samsung has launched the first 2TB SSDs aimed at consumers. Give it up for the Samsung 850 Pro 2TB (£750, around US$1,166, or AUS$ 1,554), tested here, and its 850 Evo (£637, around US$992, or AUS$1,320) sibling. At last, the speed of solid-state flash memory has been combined with the multi-terabyte mass storage
  
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• Review: Asus RT-AC87U

  06-07-2015 15:50 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Introduction and designWith the first generation of 802.11ac wireless routers, the Asus RT-AC68U stands apart from many of its competitors, with both great wireless performance and superb built-in software that offers plenty of functions and an intuitive, well-designed interface.Even today, it still costs a bit more than other routers, but arguably it's worth paying a bit extra for the benefits of great performance and useful and functional software.The competition is catching up now though. For
  
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• GoPro reveals new mini action cam

  06-07-2015 15:22 via bbc.co.uk
  
  US action camera-maker unveils a new smaller action camera that is waterproof without requiring a special case.
  
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• Getac T800 review: A fully rugged 8.1-inch Windows tablet

  06-07-2015 15:22 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The Getac T800 is a military-grade 8.1-inch tablet running Windows 8.1. Battery options are good, but storage capacity may be an issue for some potential buyers.
  
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• 'It's a graveyard': The software devs leaving Greece for good

  06-07-2015 14:53 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The economical turmoil affecting the country is luring its tech staff away, and many don't plan to come back.
  
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• Surveillance firm hit in hack attack

  06-07-2015 14:27 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A company that sells surveillance software is hit by a data breach.
  
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• Unseen footage of Nicolas Cage in costume for Superman Lives emerges

  06-07-2015 14:13 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Test footage from abandoned 1997 Tim Burton superhero film has been unearthed for a forthcoming documentary Never-before-seen test footage has emerged of Nicolas Cage as Superman from an infamous abandoned Tim Burton film which would have been the director’s follow-up to Mars Attacks.The 1997 video shows Cage, with shoulder-length hair, trying on a sculpted, skintight electric blue bodysuit. The actor, who appears lean and athletic even without the figure-forming effect of the outfit, asks if
  
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• Why does my phone get really hot and slow down in summer?

  06-07-2015 13:56 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Living beings aren’t the only ones who suffer when a heatwave strikes – smartphones and portable electronics hate the heat just as much as we doOverheating, sluggish, running out of energy faster than usual? Have you noticed how it’s not just you that suffers in the heat, your smartphone does too? Don’t worry, you’re not imagining it, the heat really does make a difference. Unlike people, phones can’t sweat, and while this may be good news for your pocket, it’s bad news for them. W
  
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• Hacking Team hacked: firm sold spying tools to repressive regimes, documents claim

  06-07-2015 13:46 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Cybersecurity firm has 400GB of what purport to be its own documents published via its Twitter feed after hackThe cybersecurity firm Hacking Team appears to have itself been the victim of a hack, with documents that purport to show it sold software to repressive regimes being posted to the company’s own Twitter feed.The Italy-based company offers security services to law enforcement and national security organisations. It offers legal offensive security services, using malware and vulnerabilit
  
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• Reddit revolt continues as user petition calls for resignation of CEO Ellen Pao

  06-07-2015 13:28 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Petition surpasses 150,000 users upset after firing of talent director
  Pao has apologized for handling of transition, but users unsatisfiedMore than 150,000 Reddit users have signed an online petition calling for Ellen Pao, the site’s interim chief executive, to step down. The petition arose after Victoria Taylor, the director of talent who managed the site’s popular Ask Me Anything (AMA) subreddit, was fired. Related: Reddit CEO sorry for 'letting down' users after popular subforums shut do
  
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• 20 best new Android apps and games this week

  06-07-2015 13:07 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Vessel, Medium, CloudPlayer by DoubleTwist, BitTorrent Shoot, Geometry Wars 3, Vainglory, Lego Minifigures Online and moreWelcome to this week’s roundup of the latest, greatest Android apps and games, covering smartphones and tablets.All these apps have been released for the first time – ie not updates – since the last roundup. All prices are correct at the time of writing, with “IAP” indicating use of in-app purchases. Continue reading...
  
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• Minecraft convention comes to London

  06-07-2015 12:49 via bbc.co.uk
  
  London's Docklands was home to Minecon this weekend - the global gathering for fans of the block-building video game.
  
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• Big data, mobile, and more: How to create a winning customer experience

  06-07-2015 12:30 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  If the CIO isn't focused on the customer, then tech is letting the rest of the business down.
  
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• Ubisoft chief: 'We learned from the mistakes we made with Watch Dogs'

  06-07-2015 12:12 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Yves Guillemot admits company raised expectations too high with its 2012 ambitious graphical demo of cyberpunk thrillerIn 2012, a fallow year for the E3 video game expo in Los Angeles, Ubisoft revealed its latest open-world action adventure – and promptly stole the show. Watch Dogs, a cyberpunk thriller set in an astonishingly detailed recreation of Chicago, looked amazing, with its complex lighting effects, lifelike character animation and detailed weather simulation. There was just one sligh
  
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• VIDEO: Minecraft fans get Hololens preview

  06-07-2015 11:05 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Ten thousand Minecraft fans gather in London for Minecon and a handful get to try Hololens.
  
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• Review: Jawbone UP2

  06-07-2015 09:08 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Introduction and DesignPutting the technical guts of a gadget into a newer, shinier body is a long-held tradition in the consumer technology industry. While the UP2 looks a lot like the UP3 in terms of its newer wristband design, from a feature perspective it's almost entirely the same as the UP24 that it has replaced.Just like the UP24, the UP2 will track your steps and sleep and display your performance on the UP app, but lacks the more advanced sensors found on Jawbone's top-of-the-line fitne
  
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• VIDEO: Control a robot with your thoughts

  06-07-2015 09:06 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Scientists have developed a method through which people can control a robotic arm with their mind.
  
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• iPhone 6 interest wanes in South Korea after Galaxy launch

  06-07-2015 08:41 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  A report by the South Korean government has found that Samsung remains the country's number one choice for smartphones, despite the launch of Apple's iPhone 6 and 6 Plus late last year.
  
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• Hawk the Slayer is back – and he's brought his mindsword

  06-07-2015 08:00 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  They wanted to make a medieval Fistful of Dollars. They ended up with a cult hit that triggered the sword and sorcery boom. Now, Hawk the Slayer is set to return – with better fights and special effects, but still plenty of cheeseBack in 1980, Terry Marcel kicked off the cinematic sword and sorcery boom that would give us Excalibur, Conan, Dragonslayer and Willow with a low-budget opus called Hawk the Slayer. Shot in six weeks in Buckinghamshire for £600,000, it featured the handsome but
  
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• Batman: Arkham Knight review – fitting end to masterful trilogy

  06-07-2015 08:00 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  (PS4, Xbox One, Warner Bros, cert: 18)Rocksteady’s masterful Arkham trilogy comes to a close with a game so far from the cramped, knotty, Bafta-winning original Asylum as to be nigh on unrecognisable. Where Asylum took place entirely in the titular madhouse, in City, the Caped Crusader took to the skies and streets of Gotham to deal justice to his collection of nemeses. Now, in Knight, the basic idea is the same – the open-world setting has grown, the already impressive visuals have been pol
  
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• Art Academy: Atelier review – step-by-step guide to drawing and painting

  06-07-2015 08:00 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Wii U, Nintendo, cert: N/A, out nowAnother intriguing direction for the Wii U here, with Art Academy: Atelier offering a good basic toolkit for learning to paint and draw. It does so through rather charming lessons that communicate the fundamentals of visual art in a laid-back, step-by-step format. Each stage features detailed explanations and animations that do an admirable job of explaining concepts such as the rule of thirds or colour theory.The Wii U gamepad, it has to be said, is slightly a
  
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• ​Shangahi consumer watchdog takes Samsung, Oppo to court: Report

  06-07-2015 06:50 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  According to reports, the Shanghai Consumer Rights Protection Commission has found that Samsung and Oppo were pre-installing apps on its smartphones, without informing consumers, which infringes on consumers' rights to know.
  
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• ​Shanghai consumer watchdog takes Samsung, Oppo to court: Report

  06-07-2015 06:50 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  According to reports, the Shanghai Consumer Rights Protection Commission has found that Samsung and Oppo have been pre-installing apps on its smartphones without informing consumers, infringing on consumers' right to know.
  
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• Alcatel-Lucent signs China Mobile, China Unicom deals for 8.12b yuan

  06-07-2015 06:28 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Alcatel-Lucent has secured 4.53 billion yuan with China Mobile and 3.59 billion yuan with China Unicom in two separate contracts to bring the Chinese infrastructure in line with the country's industry and information technology guidelines by 2017.
  
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• Warrnambool fire plan sees Telstra cut carbon emissions

  06-07-2015 04:38 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Telstra has implemented all recommendations from a report into a fire that took out the company's Warrnambool exchange in 2012.
  
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• ​MYOB CEO shrugs off pressure from competitors

  06-07-2015 03:59 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  MYOB CEO Tim Reed explains that the company is well positioned to compete with the growing competition in cloud accounting software marketing, including its biggest rival, Xero.
  
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• Hillary Clinton accuses China of widespread hacking

  06-07-2015 02:47 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Hillary Clinton has told her Democratic party supporters that China is 'trying to hack into everything that doesn't move in America'.
  
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• Who will have the courage to build the future again?

  06-07-2015 01:08 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  This generation's best minds and our purveyors of capital are focused on the wrong things. If we change that, future generations could marvel at what we accomplish.
  
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• Encryption's holy grail is getting closer, one way or another

  06-07-2015 00:53 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Working with encrypted data without decrypting it first sounds too good to be true, but it's becoming possible.
  
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• New life for old software as Customs border project falters

  06-07-2015 00:50 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  After spending NZ$104 million to replace legacy system CusMod, New Zealand Customs says it remains an important tool.
  
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