Technology news

• EU wants Google, Microsoft to be more transparent about ads in search results

  15-04-2016 23:14
  
  The European Union’s digital chief says he is worried about how clear some search engines are when displaying advertisements in search resultsThe European Union’s digital chief wants search engines such as Alphabet Inc’s Google and Microsoft’s Bing to be more transparent about advertising in web search results but ruled out a separate law for web platforms. European Commission vice-president Andrus Ansip, who is overseeing a wide-ranging inquiry into how web platforms con
  
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• GM recalls nearly 1 million pickup trucks in the US for seat belt problems - Roadshow

  15-04-2016 23:00 via cnet.com
  
  Thankfully, there have been no reports of crashes or injuries related to this problem yet.
  
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• If Moses could breakdance: A modern video take on Passover - CNET

  15-04-2016 22:38 via cnet.com
  
  Israel's Technion uses tech tricks to tell the story of the holiday, 2016-style. This definitely isn't your grandma's haggadah.
  
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• AMC abandons plan for texting-friendly theaters after wave of backlash

  15-04-2016 22:38
  
  Two days after head of AMC Theatres mulled openly about allowing texting in movie theaters, he says he’s heard audience opinion ‘loud and clear’Oops. The idea lasted about as long as a Snapchat text: the head of AMC Theatres mulled openly about creating texting-friendly movie theaters to appeal to smartphone-addicted youngsters. Two days later, after a backlash on social media, the company says it’s leaving the idea on “the cutting room floor”. Adam Aron, who
  
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• Toothy 'Jaws' shoes put the fear of sharks into your footwear - CNET

  15-04-2016 22:20 via cnet.com
  
  Relive the heart-pounding, sharky thrills of "Jaws" in the form of some harmless shoes.
  
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• Apple's phone recycling program struck serious gold

  15-04-2016 22:15
  
  Liam, Apple's iPhone-disassembling robot, made a mint this year as the company revealed that its recycling initiative raked in millions of dollars in reusable materials that could've wound up in a landfill.The information was released as part of Apple's annual Environmental Responsibility Report, divulging the company's practices, policies, and plans in accordance to how they impact the environment. Thecompany claims that last year alone, 61,357,800 pounds (approximately27,831,430 kilos) of stee
  
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• Mirror's Edge Catalyst dev explains why abilities are locked - CNET

  15-04-2016 22:07 via cnet.com
  
  DICE says new system helps people free-run better as Faith.
  
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• You should uninstall QuickTime for Windows (CNET Update show notes) - CNET

  15-04-2016 22:06 via cnet.com
  
  Even the US government warns Apple's video player is unsafe. Also, say goodbye to your iTunes Allowance, and OS X may soon become MacOS.
  
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• Delphi has a new 48-volt mild hybrid system and two automakers are already interested - Roadshow

  15-04-2016 22:05 via cnet.com
  
  Mild hybrids might not bring a whole load of electrification to the table, but the benefits are still quite apparent.
  
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• Monster's Adidas Adistar in-ear wireless headphone: Better than Beats for less video - CNET

  15-04-2016 22:01 via cnet.com
  
  Find out why Monster's $100 Adidas-branded wireless sports headphone is an appealing option for fitness use and everyday wear.
  
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• Hands-on review: ViewSonic VX2475Smhl-4K

  15-04-2016 21:50
  
  While some laptops are still sporting 1366 x 768 (WXGA) screens, the world of desktop computing has rapidly moved on beyond full HD (1920 x 1080) to embrace a number of resolutions. However, one res in particular is likely to dominate in the very near future as TV and computing needs converge.4K or Ultra HD (UHD), in our context, refers to a monitor that can display 3840 x 2160 pixels, more than eight million dots, a fourfold improvement on what full HD can achieve and nine times what HD reached
  
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• You should uninstall QuickTime for Windows video - CNET

  15-04-2016 21:46 via cnet.com
  
  Even the US government warns Apple's video player is unsafe. Also, say goodbye to your iTunes Allowance, and OS X may soon become MacOS.
  
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• Virtual Reality Check: A look at the 10 best VR experiences

  15-04-2016 21:43
  
  LOS ANGELES (AP) — After spending time with the recently released consumer editions of the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive virtual reality systems, here are the 10 best VR titles out now:
  
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• Red Dead Redemption 2 game map reportedly leaked - CNET

  15-04-2016 21:42 via cnet.com
  
  Verified sources claim it is an art direction map for Red Dead Redemption 2.
  
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• Publishing platform Medium may be blocked in China, reports say

  15-04-2016 21:21
  
  Blogging site possibly inaccessible since early this week after post about Panama Papers leak, which China internet regulators have moved to censor reports aboutA US-based online publishing platform, Medium, has been blocked in China, according to users and tests by Reuters, the latest service to apparently be affected as Beijing exerts greater control over the internet. Medium, which allows users, including companies and media outlets, to post blogs that readers can annotate, has been inaccessi
  
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• Uncharted 4's real-time cutscenes are 'profound,' dev says - CNET

  15-04-2016 21:17 via cnet.com
  
  Naughty Dog explains how PlayStation 4's power made A Thief's End a better, richer game.
  
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• Kobe beats the Warriors... on Twitter video - CNET

  15-04-2016 21:13 via cnet.com
  
  On a historic night for basketball, the Black Mamba tops Twitter.
  
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• Texas bars Facebook, Twitter for prisoners - CNET

  15-04-2016 21:07 via cnet.com
  
  Technically Incorrect: The state is seeking to clamp down on inmates who access social media either through illegal smartphones or through family and friends.
  
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• The 404 Show 1657: Kindle Oasis, texting during movies, Avatar sequels (podcast) - CNET

  15-04-2016 21:02 via cnet.com
  
  Today Jeff and Russ check out the new Amazon Kindle Oasis, discuss the AMC texting debacle, and examine the need for more Avatar movies.
  
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• Obama urges more consumer choices for cable TV set-top boxes

  15-04-2016 20:56
  By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Friday weighed in on the debate over allowing consumers to switch from pricey cable television boxes to less expensive devices, urging regulators to set an example for the rest of government on how to boost competition. Consumers can spend nearly $1,000 over four years renting cable set-top boxes. Allowing consumers to chose devices or apps they can own could mean quick savings, according to the administration.
  
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• Shipwrecked silk dress survives 400 years under water - CNET

  15-04-2016 20:55 via cnet.com
  
  A 17th century gown excavated from a shipwreck looks like it could be put on and worn to the ball.
  
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• Here's when Dark Souls 3's first DLC is coming - CNET

  15-04-2016 20:53 via cnet.com
  
  Plus, developer thanks fans for feedback and says it's ramping up efforts to improve the overall game experience.
  
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• Peer into the smart home of Lowe's Iris (pictures) - CNET

  15-04-2016 20:50 via cnet.com
  
  The Iris by Lowe's Second Generation Smart Home system features a robust catalog of devices and lots of ways to customize them to your liking.
  
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• New 'e-skin' tech turns your body into a walking display - CNET

  15-04-2016 20:50 via cnet.com
  
  New "e-skin" technology would literally make it possible for you to wear emojis and more on your sleeve.
  
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• Why does Facebook want me to chat with dumb robots? - CNET

  15-04-2016 20:42 via cnet.com
  
  Hope you weren't expecting artificial intelligence!
  
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• Gutless wonders: The least powerful cars you can buy today - Roadshow

  15-04-2016 20:38 via cnet.com
  
  Frankly, it's incredible how many high-horsepower vehicles are available in showrooms today. From the Mercedes-AMG S63 with 577 horsepower, to the Dodge Challenger Hellcat packing 707 horsepower, there's no shortage of cars flaunting jaw-dropping outputs. But then there's the other end of the spectrum, with a handful of vehicles battling it out for the lowest horsepower title. The race for the back of the pack is just as slow as you'd imagine.
  
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• You can play Oculus-exclusive games on HTC Vive with this simple hack - CNET

  15-04-2016 20:30 via cnet.com
  
  Just don't expect them to work very well.
  
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• Gears of War 4 beta - 14 minutes of Team Deathmatch video - CNET

  15-04-2016 20:28 via cnet.com
  
  14 minutes of our Gears of War 4 BETA Multiplayer test run in the Dam map and playing as the Swarm.
  
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• AMC U-turns; texting in theaters now on 'cutting room floor'

  15-04-2016 20:21
  
  LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oops. The idea lasted about as long as a Snapchat text: the head of AMC Theatres mulled openly about creating texting-friendly movie theaters to appeal to smartphone-addicted youngsters. Two days later, after a backlash on social media, the company says it's leaving the idea on "the cutting room floor."
  
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• Iris by Lowe's Second Generation review - CNET

  15-04-2016 20:20 via cnet.com
  
  The second-generation Iris by Lowe's Smart Home system shows a lot of promise but doesn't feel finished.
  
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• 3 reasons to buy (and not to buy) the $200 HP Stream 11 video - CNET

  15-04-2016 20:04 via cnet.com
  
  The HP Stream 11 is a Chromebook competitor
  
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• Gears of War 4 multiplayer plays it safe (for now) - CNET

  15-04-2016 20:03 via cnet.com
  
  First-time Gears developer The Coalition adds new modes, mechanics, and weapons to the foundation laid by the original game.
  
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• Apple extends iPhone production cut for another quarter: Nikkei

  15-04-2016 19:52
  (Reuters) - Apple Inc will continue its reduced production of iPhones in the quarter ending June in light of sluggish sales, the Nikkei business daily reported, citing parts suppliers notified of the plan. Apple apparently does not plan to make enough of the newly launched iPhone SE model, the Nikkei report said. Shares of some Apple suppliers also fell following the report.
  
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• Whew! There will be no texting in AMC movie theaters after all - CNET

  15-04-2016 19:36 via cnet.com
  
  Thank goodness. The nightmarish specter of theaters full of texting millennials won't come true at the AMC theater chain.
  
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• Virtual Reality Check: Reporter spends week with VR system

  15-04-2016 19:35
  
  LOS ANGELES (AP) — I'm no stranger to virtual reality.
  
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• Farsighted Lowe's Iris needs more time to develop video - CNET

  15-04-2016 19:34 via cnet.com
  
  Iris by Lowe's could be a good smart home system someday, but it isn't one right now.
  
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• EU wants more transparency in web search results

  15-04-2016 19:32
  By Julia Fioretti BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's digital chief wants search engines such as Alphabet Inc's Google and Microsoft's Bing to be more transparent about advertising in web search results but ruled out a separate law for web platforms. European Commission Vice-President Andrus Ansip, who is overseeing a wide-ranging inquiry into how web platforms conduct their business, said on Friday the EU executive would not take a horizontal approach to regulating online services. "We wi
  
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• Best gaming PCs for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive - CNET

  15-04-2016 19:30 via cnet.com
  
  We've tested the best high-end VR-ready computers for virtual reality headsets.
  
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• AP Explains: Privacy wars pit tech firms vs. the feds

  15-04-2016 19:28
  Companies like Apple and Microsoft are pushing back against government surveillance in the courts, arguing that federal authorities have gone too far in obtaining chats, emails and other private information ...
  
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• Google Drive adds just one checkbox, and that makes all the difference - CNET

  15-04-2016 19:27 via cnet.com
  
  Commentary: Storage capacity limits can hold back the power of cloud computing, but Google just cut the cloud loose.
  
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• Get started with Fitbit Alta - CNET

  15-04-2016 19:12 via cnet.com
  
  You've opened Fitbit's latest tracker, put it on and powered it up...now what?
  
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• Smart lock 101: What you need to know before you buy - CNET

  15-04-2016 18:42 via cnet.com
  
  Here are some things to keep in mind before you shell out hundreds for a new lock.
  
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• Top 4 things you need to know before you buy a smart lock video - CNET

  15-04-2016 18:39 via cnet.com
  
  Thinking about upgrading to a smart lock? Here are some things you need to ask yourself first.
  
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• Microsoft has new AI that can 'read' photos and create captions for them

  15-04-2016 18:39
  
  CaptionBot is the latest piece of AI to come out of Microsoft’s research lab.
  
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• Cybersecurity of critical infrastructure is a 'mess' and nations must cooperate to fix it, warns Eugene Kaspersky

  15-04-2016 18:30 via zdnet.com
  
  Kaspersky Lab CEO tells ZDNet that despite potential political tensions, it's in everybody's interest to work together to protect power plants and turbines from hackers.
  
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• Twitter gentrification, LSD brains: Podcast 263

  15-04-2016 18:14
  
  
  We find out how social media data can be used to spot what areas of London are being gentrified and speak to the lead researcher on a major new study into the effects of LSD on the brain.By: WIRED.co.uk, Continue reading...
  
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• Track-day video star: BMW adds GoPro integration to M Laptimer app - Roadshow

  15-04-2016 18:01 via cnet.com
  
  Now it's even easier to pretend like you know what you're doing on the track.
  
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• 85 million Takata airbag inflators could still face recall - Roadshow

  15-04-2016 17:46 via cnet.com
  
  Thus far, 28.8 million of the Japanese company's inflators have been recalled in the US.
  
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• Gaming excitement and HTC's new superphone (CNET UK podcast 477 show notes) - CNET

  15-04-2016 17:36 via cnet.com
  
  The year's most exciting video games are up for discussion this week, along with HTC's new phone and the beautiful 'Jungle Book' remake.
  
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• Does Tesla have a serious safety issue with the Model X's giant windshield? - Roadshow

  15-04-2016 17:29 via cnet.com
  
  Some owners are reporting cases of double vision at night, which could be rather problematic.
  
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