Technology news

• Facebook partners with Uber, takes over even more of your life - CNET

  16-12-2015 23:56 via cnet.com
  
  The social-networking giant is taking mobile apps to the next level by building ride-hailing into its Messenger service.
  
  Read more

• US Postal Service to hoverboards: You're grounded - CNET

  16-12-2015 23:36 via cnet.com
  
  The only option for mailing a hoverboard via USPS is Standard Post, which is limited to ground transportation.
  
  Read more

• Facebook lets you order an Uber as it takes over your life - CNET

  16-12-2015 23:34 via cnet.com
  
  The social-networking giant is taking mobile apps to the next level by building ride-hailing into its Messenger service.
  
  Read more

• Donald Trump wants to shut off the Internet - CNET

  16-12-2015 23:34 via cnet.com
  
  The Republican presidential candidate suggests that the US cut off Iraq and Syria from the Web.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Trump beats Republican debate partners on social media (again) - CNET

  16-12-2015 23:23 via cnet.com
  
  Donald Trump not only fares well during the GOP debate, he also gets the most mentions on Twitter.
  
  Read more

• Watch Kylo Ren take on Santa Claus in new video - CNET

  16-12-2015 23:07 via cnet.com
  
  Santa takes up arms with a candy-cane lightsaber to combat the most popular villain in film this week and proves "it's OK to be naughty in a lightsaber fight."
  
  Read more

• I fought Stormtroopers with a phone lightsaber - CNET

  16-12-2015 23:07 via cnet.com
  
  Your phone is your lightsaber and your computer is your escape route in a nifty Google Chrome Experiment game that lets you battle your way out of a Star Destroyer.
  
  Read more

• Ways to avoid spoilers before seeing 'The Force Awakens' - CNET

  16-12-2015 23:00 via cnet.com
  
  Trust your feelings and download a program to block websites with Star Wars movie spoilers. Also, you can distract yourself by playing Google's Lightsaber Escape and making Jedi-approved animated GIFs.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Apple iPhone 6C Release Date, Price and Specs - CNET

  16-12-2015 22:58 via cnet.com
  
  Will Apple replace the iPhone 5S with a newer model that keeps the 4-inch screen? Here are the odds of that happening in 2016.
  
  Read more

• EE recalls all Power Bar mobile phone chargers over fire risk

  16-12-2015 22:51 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Telecoms firm says it is aware of incidents in which devices have overheated and customers should stop using themEE has issued a recall for all its Power Bar portable chargers because of a fault that can cause overheating and a fire safety risk.The move by the telecoms firm comes just four months after an initial recall of one batch of the portable chargers amid reports they could overheat and explode. The company has now said that in order to make sure all customers remain safe, all Power Bars
  
  Read more

• 'Lost' writer plans to make his Xena happier, and maybe fans too - CNET

  16-12-2015 22:38 via cnet.com
  
  Javier Grillo-Marxuach, the man behind quirky "The Middleman," shares his vision for NBC's update of the woman-led campy-action series.
  
  Read more

• Polaroid's Cube+ camera more useful thanks to Wi-Fi video - CNET

  16-12-2015 22:30 via cnet.com
  
  This update to the original Cube camera keeps everything good about the original, but can now be controlled with a smartphone.
  
  Read more

• Ford plans to go big, go driverless in California - CNET

  16-12-2015 22:28 via cnet.com
  
  The automaker has received a permit to operate autonomous vehicles in the Golden State, and it's growing its Silicon Valley research facility, to boot.
  
  Read more

• Dear plant killers: Here's the easiest way to keep your plants alive - CNET

  16-12-2015 22:25 via cnet.com
  
  Do you have a black thumb? Here's a quick solution for getting your plants the right amount of water.
  
  Read more

• HTC One X9 pictures and alleged specs spill online - CNET

  16-12-2015 22:15 via cnet.com
  
  HTC's next big release could come in the form of another midrange Android, or so claims a Chinese website.
  
  Read more

• Ways to avoid spoilers before seeing 'The Force Awakens' video - CNET

  16-12-2015 22:10 via cnet.com
  
  Trust your feelings and download a program to block websites with Star Wars movie spoilers. Also, you can distract yourself by playing Google's Lightsaber Escape and making Jedi-approved animated GIFs.
  
  Read more

• Review: UE Boom 2

  16-12-2015 22:00 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  UE Boom 2If you've shopped for a Bluetooth speaker within the past year or so, you've probably heard of the UE Boom, or at least you should have. It won me over with its unmatched style, powerful audio and battery performance – plus a ton of features, thanks to its companion app.It only makes sense that the UE's follow-up wouldn't mess with what didn't need fixing.The UE Boom 2 is here in similar – OK, nearly identical – fashion, yet there are some cool changes that have taken
  
  Read more

• Hybrid pickups are on the way back, thanks to Ford - CNET

  16-12-2015 21:46 via cnet.com
  
  Ford's new rear-wheel-drive hybrid power train should reach production some time this decade, giving the automaker's largest vehicles a much-welcomed bump in efficiency.
  
  Read more

• Google gets in on the Star Wars fun with clutch of interactive easter eggs

  16-12-2015 21:01 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Ever wanted to wield a lightsaber through your browser, interact with droids via Cardboard VR or explore a map with a stormtrooper? Help you Google canGoogle has continued to roll out easter eggs inspired by Star Wars: The Force Awakens, including a way to fight stormtroopers on your computer, as fans prepare to head to movie theaters for midnight showings.There’s also the Google Search text crawl – search for the words “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” (no quot
  
  Read more

• Fall asleep while binge-watching? Netflix smart socks save your spot - CNET

  16-12-2015 20:51 via cnet.com
  
  Netflix solves one of binge-watchers' greatest problems with a tutorial for how to make socks that pause shows when you fall asleep.
  
  Read more

• Mercedes-Benz goes out with the old SLK and in with the new SLC (pictures) - CNET

  16-12-2015 20:39 via cnet.com
  
  The 2017 Mercedes-Benz SLC-Class updates more than just its name, packing some light aesthetic enhancements, new powertrains and a dash of new tech.
  
  Read more

• 2017 Mercedes-Benz SLC-Class Release Date, Price and Specs - CNET

  16-12-2015 20:39 via cnet.com
  
  A new name, a new look and a decent number of small updates underpin the next iteration of Mercedes-Benz's smallest roadster.
  
  Read more

• California outlines regulations to allow self-driving cars on the open road

  16-12-2015 19:43 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  The draft regulations, issued almost a year late, will allow manufacturers to operate or lease – but not sell – self-driving cars to the publicCalifornia finally issued draft regulations for the public operation of self-driving cars on Wednesday, almost a year after it was supposed to. If they are adopted, manufacturers will be able to operate or lease – but not sell – self-driving cars to the general public for the first time in the US.The draft regulations require all v
  
  Read more

• We're not remotely ready for a zombie apocalypse, prof says - CNET

  16-12-2015 19:40 via cnet.com
  
  Technically Incorrect: A Kent State professor calls for research and funding to prevent the spread of zombie infections. Naturally, she's making a real-world point.
  
  Read more

• Glowing new 'Ghostbusters' cast photo stacked with proton packs - CNET

  16-12-2015 19:34 via cnet.com
  
  Get ready to fight some phantasms with an official "Ghostbusters" cast photo showing the banshee-battling women in full battle regalia.
  
  Read more

• Stephen Colbert reveals he persuaded Harrison Ford to be Han Solo again - CNET

  16-12-2015 19:10 via cnet.com
  
  Technically Incorrect: Few, if any, knew this until Tuesday night. It's something of a shocker.
  
  Read more

• Your complete guide to Apple's iCloud Drive - CNET

  16-12-2015 19:04 via cnet.com
  
  Apple's online storage solution is called iCloud Drive. It syncs and stores your files across Apple devices, and yes, there's even a Windows version.
  
  Read more

• Netflix relaunches Windows 10 app for PCs, tablets - CNET

  16-12-2015 19:01 via cnet.com
  
  The new version will work and look the same on Windows 10 PCs and tablets and soon on mobile phones too.
  
  Read more

• Old school meets new school: Yamaha A-S801 integrated amplifier - CNET

  16-12-2015 18:47 via cnet.com
  
  Audiophiles on the lookout for a midprice integrated amp will find a lot to like in Yamaha's A-S801.
  
  Read more

• VIDEO: A $5,900 chair for the office

  16-12-2015 18:46 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A San Francisco firm creates a robotic chair designed to help you stay focused while working.
  
  Read more

• My inner 10-year-old and I review 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' - CNET

  16-12-2015 18:46 via cnet.com
  
  CNET's Rich Trenholm calls on his loquacious younger self to see if "Star Wars: The Force Awakens", a galactic greatest hits, can live up to the film's endless hype.
  
  Read more

• Spotify can play DJ at your next party - CNET

  16-12-2015 18:45 via cnet.com
  
  A new feature called Spotify Party plays a lineup of professionally picked tunes and lets you choose your music based on the mood you're hoping to set.
  
  Read more

• Amazon UK tells some customers to trash their hoverboards - CNET

  16-12-2015 18:44 via cnet.com
  
  The company said certain hoverboards sold on its site were unsafe due to noncompliant electrical plugs.
  
  Read more

• Red light, green light: Philips Hue reverses course on third-party bulbs - CNET

  16-12-2015 18:38 via cnet.com
  
  After outcry over a software update that stopped users from adding other brands' bulbs to their Hue setups, Philips is re-opening its smart lighting system to third-party LEDs.
  
  Read more

• How well do you know George Lucas? Take this quiz to find out - CNET

  16-12-2015 18:22 via cnet.com
  
  How much do you know about the man who created Star Wars? Besides the fact that he's named George Lucas
  
  Read more

• Deliveroo and Crowdcube join Tech City UK’s rising stars

  16-12-2015 18:17 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Food-delivery firm and crowdfunding site among 15 companies inducted into government-backed Future Fifty scheme for fast-growing start-upsDeliveroo, the upmarket food-delivery group, and the Crowdcube crowdfunding site are among 15 firms tipped as potential stars of the UK’s digital economy by Tech City UK, a government-backed organisation.The companies have been inducted into the Future Fifty programme, which aims to support fast-growing tech firms and help them to the next stage. Continu
  
  Read more

• The 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4x4: Pavement is a necessary evil video - CNET

  16-12-2015 18:16 via cnet.com
  
  While the pavement is not the Tacoma's natural habitat, it does just fine getting you to the fun of the dirt.
  
  Read more

• Review: Updated: TiVo Bolt

  16-12-2015 18:14 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  TiVo Bolt reviewUpdate: The TiVo Bolt can now access Hulu directly through an app, and has recently partnered with the WWE Network to bring current, classic and live events to the digital video recorder.Original review below...In the early aughts, TiVo pioneered a new technology called digital video recording (DVR) that captured the spirit of watching television. It freed entertainment from the shackles of time, and gave viewers the ability to watch content on their own terms. It would take near
  
  Read more

• Worst cell phone names of all time (pictures) - CNET

  16-12-2015 18:00 via cnet.com
  
  What the heck were phone makers thinking with the monikers they gave these handsets? We name and shame.
  
  Read more

• This is the smallest image ever printed

  16-12-2015 17:57
  
  It may not look like anything special, but this image is actually the world's smallest printed picture. By: Emily Reynolds, Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Jimmy Fallon and the 'Force Awakens' cast sing a Star Wars medley - CNET

  16-12-2015 17:54 via cnet.com
  
  Fallon and band The Roots join Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Gwendoline Christie and Lupita Nyong'o for an a cappella tribute to Star Wars.
  
  Read more

• Review of the year - Tech Weekly podcast

  16-12-2015 17:53 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  The Guardian tech team nominate 2015’s winners and losers in techFrom the highs of Fallout 4 to the lows of the Talk Talk hack, from the troubled birth of the Apple Watch to the apparent death of Google Glass, it’s been a year of ups and downs for tech.So what were the biggest news stories? Who were the technology winners and losers? What were the best gadgets? The most irritating memes? Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• UK retailers recall hoverboards following government advice

  16-12-2015 17:42 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Retail ombudsman says items should be returned and vendors can be held liable under Consumer Protection ActBritain’s biggest retailers have recalled hoverboards after the government told consumers to think twice about buying them as Christmas gifts and new figures showed that a large number of unsafe devices have been shipped to the UK.A spokesman for National Trading Standards said that of over 38,000 devices inspected between 15 October and the end of last week, more than 32,000 were dee
  
  Read more

• Spotify Party can make your playlists for you

  16-12-2015 17:21
  
  Planning a party is hard work. You've got to decide who to invite and who to leave out, how much booze you should buy and who's going to clean up when it's all over. On the plus side, though, you no longer have to worry about the music -- Spotify's got it sorted for you.By: Emily Reynolds, Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Ford GT will be the first production car with a Gorilla Glass windshield - CNET

  16-12-2015 17:18 via cnet.com
  
  Corning's lightweight, heavy-duty glass isn't just for your smartphone.
  
  Read more

• Sentri review - CNET

  16-12-2015 16:30 via cnet.com
  
  The Sentri home security system packs a camera, a siren, a motion detector, and all sorts of environmental sensors into its sharp-looking frame.
  
  Read more

• AUDIO: 'Thief recognition' CCTV on trial in UK stores

  16-12-2015 16:29 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Could face-recognition cameras that warn business owners when known thieves enter their premises help tackle crime?
  
  Read more

• Netflix returns 'House of Cards' to office on March 4 - CNET

  16-12-2015 15:27 via cnet.com
  
  The political drama is back for a fourth season following a rough first term in office for the new president.
  
  Read more

• First impressions of the Moto 360 Sport fitness-focused Android Wear smartwatch

  16-12-2015 14:47 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The Moto 360 is just the second Android Wear smartwatch with integrated GPS and a focus on fitness. I took it for a short 3.3 mile run, along with three other wearables.
  
  Read more

• Get a portable jump-starter and charger for $35.99 - CNET

  16-12-2015 14:42 via cnet.com
  
  From the Cheapskate: Practical? Check. Multi-purpose? Check. On sale? If you're a Cheapskate reader...check! Plus: FOUR bonus deals!
  
  Read more

Follow @TechnologyUKnws on Twitter!