Technology news

• China woes hurt chipmaker Qualcomm's profit forecast

  04-11-2015 23:56
  
  Qualcomm Inc forecast first-quarter profit way below analysts' expectations as the chipmaker struggles against fierce competition from Chinese and Taiwanese rivals, and faces delays in closing new licensing agreements in China. Qualcomm's agreements with two major Chinese customers are taking longer than anticipated, Chief Executive Steve Mollenkopf said on a conference call. President Derek Aberle said some Chinese customers were "improperly withholding" royalties on Qualcomm's patents by chang
  
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• ACCC approves M2-Vocus merger

  04-11-2015 23:33 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The consumer watchdog in Australia has decided not to oppose the M2-Vocus merger because the companies do not directly compete and will therefore not inhibit future competition in the sector.
  
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• Tons of movies and TV shows hit Hulu in November 2015

  04-11-2015 23:24 via cnet.com
  
  15 James Bond titles join the streaming service along with lots of TV to watch.
  
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• Facebook revenue, profit beat forecasts; shares hit all-time high

  04-11-2015 23:16
  
  By Yasmeen Abutaleb and Lehar Maan SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Facebook Inc posted a surprisingly strong 40.5 percent jump in quarterly revenue as new advertising services and its mobile app boosted ad sales at the world's largest social network. Third-quarter profit also beat Wall Street's average estimate despite increased spending on Facebook's Messenger and WhatsApp apps and Oculus, its virtual reality business. Ad revenue grew 45.4 percent to $4.30 billion, with mobile ads accounting for 78 p
  
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• Facebook now averages over one billion users a day

  04-11-2015 23:12
  
  The social media site also made more money in mobile advertising alone than the entire business did the previous year, according to quarterly results Facebook now averages 1.1 billion users a day, according quarterly results announced on Wednesday, which also revealed the company made more money on mobile advertising alone than the whole business took in during the same period last year.When its flagship product hit the billion-user milestone on 24 August, the company took a victory lap; now tha
  
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• Call of Duty: Black Ops 3: Release date, gameplay and everything else you need to know

  04-11-2015 23:06 via cnet.com
  
  The latest entry in the Call of Duty series is all about cybernetic soldiers, increased mobility, and zombies.
  
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• Xero boosts subscriber numbers by 60 percent in September year

  04-11-2015 23:03 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Annualised committed monthly revenue growth slows as NZ$44 million net loss tracks second half 2014.
  
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• Open thread: what should Australia's national emojis be?

  04-11-2015 23:00
  
  After Finland announced it would release some national symbol emojis, what should Australia choose if it were to follow suit?The Finnish government has launched a set of 30 national emojis, including people in a sauna, a headbanger and a Nokia 3310. If Australia were to follow suit, what items should be emojified? There’s already a surfboard and a snake in the standard set, but perhaps texters would find a use for an icon depicting a meat pie, or Warnie? Removed from any context, what woul
  
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• AOL co-founder Steve Case writing book, 'Third Wave'

  04-11-2015 23:00
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — AOL co-founder Steve Case has a book deal.
  
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• As Facebook grows, look for more ads on Instagram

  04-11-2015 22:51
  
  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — If you're starting to notice more ads on Instagram, it's all part of Facebook's plan.
  
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• Edward Snowden attacks UK government over investigatory powers bill

  04-11-2015 22:48
  
  Tweets by former NSA whistleblower claim Theresa May’s plans are akin to compiling ‘a list of every book you’ve ever opened’Edward Snowden has outlined his opposition to the British government’s investigatory powers bill, arguing that Conservative politicians were “taking notes on how to defend the indefensible”.The former National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower, whose disclosure of top-secret documents ultimately led to the home secretary, Theresa
  
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• Surveillance bill triggers alarm over sweeping powers for spies

  04-11-2015 22:40
  
  Theresa May makes dramatic admission that ministers have directed firms to hand over communications data of UK citizens on day that redrafted bill is unveiled The total redrafting of UK surveillance laws was under growing challenge on Wednesday night after an initially broad political welcome gave way to alarm at the detail of the proposed sweeping powers for spies. MPs and privacy groups raised concerns about the proposed judicial oversight regime set out by the home secretary, Theresa May, who
  
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• Expedia to buy HomeAway for $3.9 billion in cash and stock

  04-11-2015 22:27
  
  (Reuters) - Online travel services company Expedia Inc said it agreed to buy HomeAway Inc, an online vacation rental marketplace operator, for about $3.9 billion in cash and stock. Expedia offered $10.15 in cash and 0.2065 in stock for each share of HomeAway held. (Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; Editing by Sayantani Ghosh)
  
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• NASA puts out open call for new astronauts to pave way to Mars

  04-11-2015 22:16 via cnet.com
  
  The agency is opening a public application window to staff its ambitious upcoming agenda of human space travel.
  
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• Firefox blocks ads from tracking you

  04-11-2015 22:14 via cnet.com
  
  The browser's Tracking Protection tool stops websites from following your activity, causing some ads to not show up on the page. Also, Samsung deals with security bugs in the Galaxy S6 Edge, and Microsoft tests Cortana on iPhones.
  
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• The other Rock: Gibraltar's tunnels, Bond movie locations and more (pictures)

  04-11-2015 22:01 via cnet.com
  
  Countless miles of tunnels hold tremendous history beneath the Rock of Gibraltar, while the surface was the location for the opening of Bond's "The Living Daylights." Here's a full tour.
  
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• Tour the Rock of Gibraltar: WWII tunnels, Bond movie location and more

  04-11-2015 21:59 via cnet.com
  
  The Rock of Gibraltar juts out into the Mediterranean from the bottom of Spain. The iconic rock there has been a key military stronghold for centuries. Laced with tunnels, history and a location for a Bond movie, here's a full tour.
  
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• NZ Post to integrate parcel and mail systems, target e-commerce

  04-11-2015 21:59 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Sick of parcels being delivered when you are out? NZ Post has a plan for that.
  
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• Home Depot gives shoppers early access to Black Friday appliance deals

  04-11-2015 21:40 via cnet.com
  
  The retailer has cut the prices of many large appliances ahead of Black Friday.
  
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• GE fridge with Keurig Brewing now available for purchase

  04-11-2015 21:36 via cnet.com
  
  The GE Café Series Refrigerator features remote control and a Keurig K-Cup coffee brewer, and you can get it at Lowe's.
  
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• VIDEO: High-speed drone swerves around threats

  04-11-2015 21:34 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Researchers in the US are teaching high-speed drones how to avoid obstacles in their flight path at very short notice.
  
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• Airbnb gets a victory from San Francisco voters

  04-11-2015 21:18 via cnet.com
  
  A ballot initiative in the city would have imposed restrictions on short-term housing rentals.
  
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• Sensitive instrument hunts for water in interstellar space

  04-11-2015 21:08 via cnet.com
  
  Where there's water in the universe, there might be life. SEPIA, an instrument mounted on a telescope in the Chilean desert, might help astronomers find both.
  
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• Go behind the scenes of Harry Potter prequel 'Fantastic Beasts'

  04-11-2015 21:04 via cnet.com
  
  Entertainment Weekly posts an exclusive series of images from J.K. Rowling's official "Harry Potter" prequel, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."
  
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• Hyundai spins off Genesis luxury brand, promises six new models by 2020

  04-11-2015 21:00 via cnet.com
  
  The goal is to compete with the world's top luxury offerings, and the new sub-brand will be given substantial autonomy to deliver on that promise.
  
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• These 5 tips will change the way you brew coffee at home

  04-11-2015 20:52 via cnet.com
  
  Even a drip coffee machine can brew a cup with an artisanal flavor.
  
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• Foil your cat's bathroom attacks with 3D-printed toilet-paper guard

  04-11-2015 20:51 via cnet.com
  
  Stop your furry, little criminal mastermind from shredding your all-important toilet paper with the help of a sliding guard that deflects claws before they cause damage.
  
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• Review: Updated: Sony A7 II

  04-11-2015 20:45 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Key featuresUpdated: Sony adds impressive new features with firmware 2.0 on November 18 2015, including uncompressed 14-bit raw shooting and phase detect autofocus for Alpha A-mount lenses.The improved raw file recording means the A7 II can capture higher quality raw image data. It won't affect photographers who shoot in the JPEG format, but it could be a useful step up for those who like to shoot raw files and process them later on a computer.The A7 II's phase detection autofocus system previou
  
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• You can now sign up to test Microsoft's Cortana app for iOS

  04-11-2015 20:37 via cnet.com
  
  Microsoft is looking for iPhone users who want to test its personal assistant, Cortana.
  
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• A bigger-screen laptop that weighs less

  04-11-2015 20:17 via cnet.com
  
  This new-to-you laptop brand offers a premium experience, but also a premium price.
  
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• Take a closer look at that Halloween 'skull' asteroid

  04-11-2015 20:16 via cnet.com
  
  The asteroid that buzzed past Earth on October 31 looked like a skull at first blush, but new NASA images show another side to the space rock.
  
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• ​Pebble CEO: Soon, most watches sold will have computing smarts

  04-11-2015 20:01 via cnet.com
  
  Eric Migicovsky believes smartwatches will be the norm in a few years. And yes, he thinks Pebble can fend off competition from the Apple Watch.
  
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• 5 VR films that will change the way you see cinema

  04-11-2015 18:40
  
      A wave of film-makers are turning VR into a new form of storytelling. Here are WIRED's top five VR films. By: Oliver Franklin-Wallis, Continue reading...
  
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• UK unveils powers to spy on web use, raising privacy fears

  04-11-2015 18:34
  By Michael Holden and Kate Holton LONDON (Reuters) - Britain unveiled plans for sweeping new surveillance powers on Wednesday, including the right to find out which websites people visit, measures ministers say are vital to keep the country safe but which critics denounce as an assault on freedoms. Across the West, debate about how to protect privacy while helping agencies operate in the digital age has raged since former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden leaked details of mass surveil
  
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• Is your job threatened by robots? Martin Ford has the answer

  04-11-2015 18:30
  
  Is your job threatened by robots? Martin Ford has the answerBy: Martin Ford, Continue reading...
  
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• Fancy a sauna? Or a headbang? Finland launches national 'emojis'

  04-11-2015 18:22
  
  By Jussi Rosendahl HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finland has rolled images of a couple in a sauna, an old Nokia phone and a heavy-metal music fan as part of its own set of national "emojis", or symbols to be used in digital communication. Billing the use of national symbols for themed emojis as a world first, the government plans to publish the full set of 30 in December -- for anyone in the world to download -- on its promotional website (www.finland.fi). "The Finland emojis were designed with a tongue-
  
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• Lift off: when will elevators finally reach the 21st century?

  04-11-2015 18:20
  Skyscraper heights have long been constrained by 19th-century lift technology. Thyssenkrupp wants to change this with its maglev Multi. Will it get off the ground?By: Adam Higginbotham, Continue reading...
  
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• Get a quad-core HP desktop for $269.99

  04-11-2015 18:12 via cnet.com
  
  From the Cheapskate: This stylish tower packs 8GB of RAM, a 2-terabyte hard drive and more.
  
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• Acura revives a Legend for Luda' at SEMA (pictures)

  04-11-2015 18:05 via cnet.com
  
  Honda's luxury subsidiary Acura take the stage at SEMA 2015 to showcase customized sedans ranging from a decades-old Legend to new and wild ILX.
  
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• Monoprice's $14.99 on-ear headphone is almost too good to be true

  04-11-2015 18:02 via cnet.com
  
  The Audiophiliac is known for his high-end tastes, but he found a lot to like about the new Monoprice Hi-Fi Lightweight On-Ear Headphones.
  
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• In 2016, beauty will make a comeback in design and architecture

  04-11-2015 17:59
  
  In 2016, beauty will make a comeback in design and architecture.By: Stefan Sagmeister, Continue reading...
  
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• Will UK spy bill expose porn habits?

  04-11-2015 17:39 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The UK government wants internet companies to log which websites their users visit, raising questions about how safely that data will be guarded.
  
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• Nasa is looking for new astronauts -- here's how to apply

  04-11-2015 17:24
  
  Nasa's next generation of astronauts could help pave the way to Mars. And almost anyone can apply.By: Emily Reynolds, Continue reading...
  
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• CNET Magazine, Winter edition, is a force to be reckoned with

  04-11-2015 17:19 via cnet.com
  
  This holiday season is loaded with magic: a new "Star Wars" film, Disney's updated Infinity video game and scores of hot tech gifts for the gadget hounds in your life.
  
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• Saunas and metal rockers: Finland to launch national emojis

  04-11-2015 17:10
  
  HELSINKI (AP) — Finland is launching a series of 'national emojis' that include people sweating in saunas, classic Nokia phones and heavy metal head-bangers.
  
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• ​Rolling robots give your face a presence far away

  04-11-2015 17:07 via cnet.com
  
  Telecommuters and long-distance students have bought 5,000 Double Robotics telepresence robots to bring a more human touch to long-distance electronic interactions.
  
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• With Disney Infinity, it really is a small world after all

  04-11-2015 17:05 via cnet.com
  Walt Disney is hoping to remake the toy industry by creating video games that interact with them. Here's how they do it.
  
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