Technology news

• Trees turn psychedelic through the eyes of a 3D laser scanner - CNET

  03-02-2016 23:45 via cnet.com
  
  A trippy image of a forest shows how the latest scanning technology is helping the lumber industry look at trees in a new light.
  
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• No, Amazon probably isn't opening hundreds of bookstores - CNET

  03-02-2016 23:43 via cnet.com
  
  The mall executive who first ignited the rumor on a conference call with investors is now walking it back.
  
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• Hands-on review: Sony A6300

  03-02-2016 23:30 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  The A6000 has been long celebrated as the mid-range APS-C warrior in Sony's line up. But, for almost as long as it's been revered, photographers have long awaited its successor. Finally, after all the rumors of a A6100 and a higher-end A7000, Sony has introduced the A6300.The Sony A6300 comes as a replacement to one of its most popular mirrorless cameras, with an improved sensor and exponentially faster autofocus speeds. What's more, Sony has upped its video game on APS-C sensors with in-camera
  
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• Google search chief Singhal to quit, to be replaced by AI head

  03-02-2016 23:24
  (Reuters) - Google parent Alphabet Inc said Amit Singhal, the longtime chief of its Internet search business, will leave the company and be replaced by the head of the technology giant's artificial intelligence business. John Giannandrea, currently a vice president of engineering, will replace Singhal, a 15-year Google veteran, once he leaves on Feb. 26. "Search is stronger than ever, and will only get better in the hands of an outstanding set of senior leaders who are already running the show d
  
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• Kik Messenger app scrutinized following 13-year-old's death

  03-02-2016 22:57
  
  ATLANTA (AP) — Kik Messenger, a smartphone app popular among younger teens, is on the defensive following the stabbing death of a 13-year-old girl in Virginia who told friends she was using Kik to connect with an 18-year-old man.
  
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• General Growth Properties CEO clarifies comment on Amazon

  03-02-2016 22:26
  (Reuters) - General Growth Properties Inc said on Wednesday that a statement concerning Amazon.com Inc made by its chief executive, Sandeep Mathrani, was not intended to represent Amazon's plans. Mathrani, responding to an analyst's question on a conference call, said on Tuesday that Amazon planned to open 300 to 400 bookstores. An Amazon spokeswoman said on Tuesday that the company does not comment on "rumors and speculation." (Reporting by Abhirup Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Robin Paxton)
  
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• Google's search business chief Amit Singhal to leave

  03-02-2016 22:12
  (Reuters) - Amit Singhal, the senior vice president of Google's Internet search business at Alphabet Inc , said he would leave at the end of the month after 15 years with the company.
  
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• Microsoft wants you using Windows 10, like it or not

  03-02-2016 21:51
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — If you're running an older version of Windows, you might suddenly find Microsoft's Windows 10 upgrade already downloaded on your machine.
  
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• In Tech: Instagram video series, billion-user club, Fitbit

  03-02-2016 20:54
  
  If a half-hour comedy is too long, how about a 15-second thriller?
  
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• Intel fails to improve proportion of black and Hispanic staff after diversity pledge

  03-02-2016 20:37 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Company reveals just 3.34% of its tech workers are African American – the same proportion as a year ago – but increased number of female employeesIntel has failed to increase its proportion of African American and Hispanic employees despite the computer chip giant making a public pledge last year that it would ensure “full representation” by 2020.The company revealed on Wednesday that just 3.34% of its tech workers are African American – exactly the same proportion
  
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• Winning Hyperloop design revealed

  03-02-2016 19:34 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Designs for passenger pods that could travel through airless tubes have been revealed by a group of MIT engineers.
  
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• Want to boost Twitter's stock price and make some money? Tweet about it

  03-02-2016 19:20 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Investors could be taking advantage of spikes in Twitter’s stock price – driven by viral rumours on the social media platform that it is about to be acquiredAnother week, another Twitter acquisition rumor – and another spike in the company’s stock. The latest rumor came through the reputable Silicon Valley trade publication the Information, which claimed that Marc Andreessen, billionaire venture capitalist and active tweeter, would be buying Twitter along with the private
  
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• Nuclear fusion energy experiment turned on in Germany

  03-02-2016 18:37
  
  Scientists in Germany have switched on a nuclear fusion experiment that they hope will provide a solution to finding clean and safe nuclear power.By: Emily Reynolds, Continue reading...
  
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• EU watchdog says needs time to study data deal with United States

  03-02-2016 17:36
  By Philip Blenkinsop BRUSSELS (Reuters) - An EU watchdog said on Wednesday it needed time to study a new EU-U.S. agreement on data transfers to determine whether the United States was committed to limiting intelligence surveillance of Europeans. Negotiators from the European Union and the United States agreed the data pact on Tuesday. It will replace the Safe Harbour framework, which a top EU court ruled illegal last year amid concerns over mass U.S. government snooping.
  
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• Alexa can order pizzas now, too - CNET

  03-02-2016 17:15 via cnet.com
  
  Thanks to an integration with Domino's, you'll be able to order pizzas to your Super Bowl party simply by chatting with the Amazon Echo smart speaker.
  
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• Luxembourg aims to be big player in possible asteroid mining

  03-02-2016 17:10 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  European nation to back research aimed at space race to open first commercial mine of valuable metals off planet EarthLuxembourg has declared its intention to blaze a trail in asteroid mining in the hope that it will reap lucrative returns. The small country’s government said on Wednesday it would invest in space mining companies and establish a legal framework to assure those engaging in the activity that they can keep the fruit of their toils.Continue reading...
  
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• Scientists in Germany switch on nuclear fusion experiment

  03-02-2016 17:00
  
  GREIFSWALD, Germany (AP) — Scientists in Germany flipped the switch Wednesday on an experiment they hope will advance the quest for nuclear fusion, considered a clean and safe form of nuclear power.
  
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• ​Microsoft Band 2 can now last longer on GPS-assisted runs - CNET

  03-02-2016 16:58 via cnet.com
  
  A new firmware update adds a power-saving mode, with a catch
  
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• Virgin Mobile's new $40 rate plan gets you 4GB of high-speed data - CNET

  03-02-2016 16:54 via cnet.com
  
  Sprint's prepaid brand rejiggers its unlimited rate plans.
  
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• Sony's new A6300 camera adds better autofocus and 4K video - CNET

  03-02-2016 16:53 via cnet.com
  
  With a much-upgraded autofocus system, new sensor and 4K video, the A6300 sounds like a worthy update. The company also rolled out its new series of pro full-frame lenses, G Master.
  
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• Huawei Mate 8 review: A flagship phablet with great performance and battery life

  03-02-2016 16:52 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  This powerful 6-inch Android 6.0 phablet is well made, looks good and has impressive battery life. The drawbacks are relatively minor, but plentiful enough to give many potential buyers pause for thought.
  
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• How to make your headphones sound better than ever - CNET

  03-02-2016 16:47 via cnet.com
  
  The Audiophiliac on the finer points of headphone listening.
  
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• Scion is dead - Roadshow

  03-02-2016 16:19 via cnet.com
  
  The value-oriented brand has given up the ghost, but most of its models will live on with a Toyota badge.
  
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• Comcast loses fewest TV customers in 8 years

  03-02-2016 16:06
  
  Comcast is trumpeting its best year for traditional TV services in nearly a decade, even though it continues to lose TV subscribers. As the number of traditional TV customers declines across the industry, ...
  
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• All London black cabs to take card payments from October

  03-02-2016 16:05 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Drivers welcome Transport for London decision as way of combating challenge to street-hailed taxi trade from Uber All black cabs in London will be required to take credit cards and contactless payments from October, Transport for London has announced, as the taxi trade seeks to keep up with the technological challenge from Uber, the ride-hailing app.The minimum fare of £2.40 will rise across the board by 20p to cover the costs of using the new technology. Credit card companies have agreed
  
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• Marvin Minsky obituary

  03-02-2016 16:02 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Pioneer of artificial intelligence researchMarvin Minsky, who has died aged 88, was a pioneer of artificial intelligence. In 1958 he co-founded the Artificial Intelligence Project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Subsequently known as the AI Lab, it became a mecca for artificial intelligence research.His published works included Steps Toward Artificial Intelligence (1960), a manifesto that profoundly shaped AI in its earliest days, and Society of Mind (1985), which postulated
  
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• Oracle expands UK cloud data center

  03-02-2016 15:45 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Expanded Slough data center operations will help IT decision leaders "meet mission critical business objectives," it said.
  
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• Inside Bose's secret research lab - CNET

  03-02-2016 15:42 via cnet.com
  
  Bose has always taken great pride in its technical innovations and the quality of its products. But new CEO Bob Maresca is betting on a new approach to get Bose to the next level: telling people what this secretive company is all about.
  
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• This website is a search engine for Simpsons' quotes

  03-02-2016 15:38
  
  This website is a search engine for Simpsons' quotes that lets users delve into almost 3,000,000 screenshots from the longest running US cartoon.By: Matt Burgess, Continue reading...
  
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• Get a TCL 32-inch Roku HDTV for $169.99 - CNET

  03-02-2016 15:36 via cnet.com
  
  From the Cheapskate: Integrated Roku for the win! Plus: Free movies and a free Need for Speed game!
  
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• Hearthstone retires 150 cards and introduces a limited format

  03-02-2016 15:20 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  The collectible card game is trying to balance accessibility for new players with pleasing the hardcore gamersHearthstone, the collectible card game from Blizzard, is about to undergo its biggest shake-up to date, with more than 150 previously released cards being declared illegal in standard games.Cards from the first two expansion packs to be released, July 2014’s Curse of Naxxramas and December 2014’s Goblins vs Gnomes, will no longer be playable in normal games. They will, howeve
  
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• The Fitbit Alta is a low-key fitness tracker with smartphone alerts video - CNET

  03-02-2016 15:00 via cnet.com
  
  CNET's Dan Graziano gives you a first look at the newest member of the Fitbit family.
  
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• Hackers and defenders continue cybersecurity game of cat and mouse

  03-02-2016 15:00 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Europe's cybersecurity agency details the biggest threats.
  
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• Fitbit Alta Release Date, Price and Specs - CNET

  03-02-2016 15:00 via cnet.com
  
  The $130 Alta is Fitbit's replacement for the Charge fitness band. We put it through its paces to see if there was substance under the style.
  
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• Broken Sword just achieved an unusual Guinness World Record

  03-02-2016 15:00
  
  The Broken Sword series turns 20 this year, and it's getting a Guinness World Record to celebrate.By: Matt Kamen, Continue reading...
  
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• Microsoft taps into AI with SwiftKey app acquisition - CNET

  03-02-2016 14:50 via cnet.com
  
  Hundreds of millions of people already use the predictive-keyboard app, but Microsoft's real interest lies in its artificial intelligence.
  
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• T-Mobile BlackBerry Priv: Second look reveals keyboard and Hub are compelling

  03-02-2016 14:47 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  It seems the BlackBerry Priv I tested in November had hardware issues. A new device from T-Mobile and software updates radically altered my view on BlackBerry's first Android smartphone.
  
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• Why we won't trust robot cars until they drive just like us

  03-02-2016 14:40 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Eight separate research projects into autonomous vehicles will receive financial support from the UK government, including one which aims to make autonomous cars drive more like humans.
  
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• North America, China power GM to record $9.7b annual profit

  03-02-2016 14:36
  
  DETROIT (AP) — Strong earnings in North America and China and a reversal of fortunes in Europe powered General Motors to a record net profit of $9.7 billion last year.
  
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• Plumbago: How Microsoft is building new app for notes, stylus doodling

  03-02-2016 14:27 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Microsoft appears to be preparing a new note-taking and doodling app that is designed to work with devices that support a stylus.
  
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• NSA merging anti-hacker team that fixes security holes with one that uses them

  03-02-2016 14:15 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  US spies will have to choose between keeping hackers out or acting like them to gather intelligence, going against recommendation of computer security experts A reorganization of the National Security Agency could increase pressure on US spies to choose between keeping hackers out – or acting like them to gather intelligence.This week, the NSA is expected to announce an internal reshuffling that will merge its defensive and offensive cybersecurity missions, two former US officials said.Con
  
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• By 2020, more people will own a phone than have electricity - CNET

  03-02-2016 14:05 via cnet.com
  
  The proliferation of mobile phones will continue as mobile data traffic jumps tenfold over the next four years, according to a study by Cisco.
  
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• Bose's new beat - CNET

  03-02-2016 14:05 via cnet.com
  
  Bose has always taken great pride in its technical innovations and the quality of its products. But new CEO Bob Maresca is betting on a new approach to get Bose to the next level: Telling people what this secretive company is all about.
  
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• These Serena Shades get along with Siri video - CNET

  03-02-2016 14:00 via cnet.com
  
  Lutron's HomeKit-compatible window dressings will smarten up your home for a steep price.
  
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• Serena Remote Controlled Shades review - CNET

  03-02-2016 14:00 via cnet.com
  
  Lutron's Serena Shades work with HomeKit, but aren't quite worth the price tag
  
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• Why are YouTube stars so popular?

  03-02-2016 13:59 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  With millions of subscribers, top YouTubers such as Zoella have huge, passionate audiences. Here’s a handy guide to help you understand their popularityBritish vlogger Zoella has just reached the milestone of 10m subscribers to her main YouTube channel, but she has a long way to go to catch its most popular creator PewDiePie, who is about to pass 42m.They’re just two of the most prominent YouTube stars. In October 2015, online-video tracking firm Tubular Labs reported that there were
  
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• Nintendo reveals launch details of first smartphone game

  03-02-2016 13:54
  
  Nintendo has revealed how it will be rolling out its first smartphone game and new player account system in the UK.
  The game, Miitomo, is more of a communications app, allowing players to "engage" with each other by answering light-hearted questions and having their Miis -- Nintendo's super-deformed avatars, introduced on the Wii -- visit. It's set to be the first of five mobile titles that Nintendo is developing in conjunction with Japanese mobile giant DeNA, but potentiall
  
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• Watch Bose's incredible electromagnetic car suspension system in action video - CNET

  03-02-2016 13:48 via cnet.com
  
  Bose spent years developing the ultimate suspension system that offered a super smooth, magic-carpet like ride. It was a technical success but a commercial flop. See why.
  
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