Technology news

• Puma training robot lets you compete against Usain Bolt's championship records

  30-04-2016 23:36
  
  Sports apparel brands are increasingly finding ways to create wearable tech that enhances the training experience, but one new piece of technology takes that dynamic to a new level by adding robots. See also: Google's bipedal robot reveals the future of manual labor The Puma BeatBot is a small, box-shaped automated device that literally races against humans to help them improve their running times. Image: Puma Equipped with an accelerometer, infrared sensors that help it follow the lines on a tr
  
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• At last! A cat collar that translates meows into human speech - CNET

  30-04-2016 22:00 via cnet.com
  
  Technically Incorrect: The Catterbox sounds wonderful. You might ask, however, how the collar knows what the cat is saying.
  
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• Take a look back four generations of Toyota Prius (pictures) - Roadshow

  30-04-2016 21:59 via cnet.com
  
  As the world's first mass-produced hybrid enters its fourth generation and approaches its 20 year anniversary, Roadshow takes a look back at the Prius' roots.
  
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• Apple insists you're saying its product names all wrong - CNET

  30-04-2016 21:35 via cnet.com
  
  Technically Incorrect: In an illuminating Twitter conversation, Apple's Phil Schiller says you should never pluralize Apple product names.
  
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• Apple to examine iPhone of Florida teens lost at sea - CNET

  30-04-2016 20:55 via cnet.com
  
  The water-damaged phone could hold clues to the fate of the boys, whose families had initially disagreed as to how the device should be dealt with.
  
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• 5 can't-miss apps: Rex, Kamcord, 'Loop Mania' and more

  30-04-2016 20:28
  
  With Apple and Facebook both dropping their latest earnings reports and new rumors around the next generation Apple Watch, you may have missed some of this week's best new apps. See also: 7 hidden features in the latest Snapchat update Each weekend, we round up a few of our favorite new and updated apps. This week's list includes an app to find podcast recommendations, an app to help you register to vote and an app with a new take on live streaming. Check out the gallery below to see our top pic
  
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• This smart collar delivers the dumb idea of giving your cat a human voice

  30-04-2016 19:24
  
  Because your cat doesn't already hate you enough, why not strap a gadget around its neck and give it even more reasons to look upon your human form with disdain. That's the only cat conclusion we can come to after watching the YouTube commercial for a device called the Catterbox, a cat collar that supposedly turns cat meows and purrs into human speech. Of course, the device isn't sold as actually translating cat mews into human words, rather, the device appears to trigger pre-recorded human phra
  
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• Tom Sachs' biggest, baddest boom boxes (pictures) - CNET

  30-04-2016 18:47 via cnet.com
  
  Look and behold: the Brooklyn Museum hosts a collection of DIY boom box art.
  
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• Boom box art exhibition ghetto-blasts Brooklyn Museum - CNET

  30-04-2016 18:47 via cnet.com
  
  The Audiophiliac scoots over to the Brooklyn Museum to get an earful of Tom Sachs' outrageous boom boxes.
  
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• Apple Watch hack lets you put Windows 95 on your wrist

  30-04-2016 18:05
  
  We love to see examples of how powerful current everyday technology is compared to the tech of just a few decades ago, but this might be the best example we've seen yet. See also: This is how hard it was to send email in 1984 Software developer Nick Lee pulled off the ultimate Apple Watch hack: getting it to run Windows 95. In the video's description, Lee compares the Apple Watch's 520 MHz processor, 512 MB of RAM, and 8GB of internal storage to the meager processer and memory specs offered by '
  
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• Upping the ante with the Audio Technica ATH M70x headphones - CNET

  30-04-2016 17:47 via cnet.com
  
  The Audiophiliac dons the Audio Technica ATH M70x, and likes what he hears.
  
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• The American muscle car that wirelessly charges your phone while doing donuts

  30-04-2016 17:00
  
  With a 455-horsepower V8 engine, Chevy's 2016 Camaro SS is definitely an American muscle car, but can it wirelessly charge a smartphone while doing donuts? Mashable 's Transportation Reporter Nick Jaynes jumped into Chevy's new beast to find out.More details: http://on.mash.to/1WxiJjZ
  
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• 11 hidden features in Android 6.0 Marshmallow

  30-04-2016 16:48
  
  Every release of Android brings with it improvements and fixes, many of which make your phone more secure from hackers and add new, useful features. Some are easy to spot and others not so much. Though Android N is on the horizon, that doesn't mean Android 6.0 Marshmallow is on its way out. If you still haven't updated to Marshmallow (assuming your device supports it), now is as good a time as ever. With our help, you'll be able to unlock more from your Android phone running Android 6.0 Marshmal
  
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• Welcome to Tokyo's Akihabara Electric Town, with the craziest gadget stores you'll ever see - CNET

  30-04-2016 16:45 via cnet.com
  
  Once a Mecca of cheap electronics and gadget goodness, Akihabara has become something different, but no less incredible, and is still home to perhaps the largest electronics store in the world.
  
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• Take a tour of Tokyo's crazy Akihabara Electric Town and massive Yodobashi Camera (pictures) - CNET

  30-04-2016 16:45 via cnet.com
  
  Tokyo's Akihabara Electric Town was once a legendary haven for cheap electronics. Now it's something a bit different. A bit more. Here's a tour.
  
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• The Apple Watch: Year One

  30-04-2016 16:41
  
  This week was the official one-year anniversary of the Apple Watch. I've owned one for almost all of that time, and — like many tech journalists and gadget commentators — I believe it's worth reflecting on what the Apple Watch has meant to the tech world, the wearables category, and Apple. I didn’t actually get my Apple Watch until May 5. The reasons for that 11-day delay have to do with poor band choices and a a big chunk of FOMO, but 51 weeks is still enough ti
  
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• It's now much cheaper to use your phone in Europe

  30-04-2016 16:05
  
  The EU-imposed reduction in roaming charges that we reported on earlier this week comes into effect today, Saturday 30 April, so the majority of us should see a drop of around 75 percent in the cost of calls, texts and data in Europe.From June 2017 you won't have to pay anything extra at all as you travel between EU countries, but this is the first stage in the "phased removal" of the additional charges. It affects all 28 countries in the EU.Your phone company can now charge you a maximum of 3p
  
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• Interview: The meteoric rise of NASA's social media program

  30-04-2016 16:00
  
  Page 1I once had to make a concerted effort to hunt down news and images from NASA, but now it seems like I couldn't escape the it even if I tried. Take last week, when I saw several of my friends retweet an image of a purple nebula from NASA's Twitter account to honor Prince's passing. Or consider when I was half a world away in Buenos Aires last month, only to find my Argentine host urging me to check out a photo astronaut Tim Kopra had just posted of the city from the International Space Stat
  
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• Chevy's Camaro SS can wirelessly charge a phone... while doing donuts

  30-04-2016 16:00
  
  Video: Nichi Hoskins The Camaro nameplate is about a synonymous with American muscle as NASA is with space travel and the Twinkie is with indestructibility. With the sixth-generation Camaro, though, Chevy has massaged more into the iconic pony car than just burliness. Chevy furnished it with lots of technology, too. SEE ALSO: The 2016 Chevy Cruze proves affordable cars don't have to be boring To underscore that point, here are just a few tech treats offered on the SS: It can be a 4G LTE Wi-Fi ho
  
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• What Apple Music can learn from Tidal - CNET

  30-04-2016 15:00 via cnet.com
  
  Commentary: The streaming music service co-owned by Jay Z, Beyonce and Kanye West can teach Apple a thing or two about thinking outside of the box.
  
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• How to turn your living room into a high-tech paradise

  30-04-2016 15:00
  Your personal cinematic paradiseIt's not about the money, money, money.You want the very best TV, projector, router and more for your den, but you don't have a wealthy benefactor who's going to stump up the thousands they'll cost. Thankfully though, top tech doesn't have to cost top dollar.For every eye-wateringly brilliant, wallet-busting 4K OLED TV there's a same-sized LED TV that's still going to wow 99% of viewers; why pay for a whole-house video distribution system when your pocket money wo
  
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• UE's excellent waterproof Bluetooth speaker is discounted to $50 - CNET

  30-04-2016 14:25 via cnet.com
  
  UE's Roll speaker, which started out at $100, is now $50 at Best Buy.
  
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• The wildest experiences at Silicon Valley's Virtual Reality expo (pictures) - CNET

  30-04-2016 14:00 via cnet.com
  
  Over 100 VR companies descended on San Jose, California this week to show off some amazing projects. Here's a look inside SVVR 2016.
  
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• Go speed gamer, go! - CNET

  30-04-2016 14:00 via cnet.com
  
  From CNET Magazine: Twitch fans love watching speedrunners blast through their favorite video games in record time.
  
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• Huawei P9 review - CNET

  30-04-2016 13:45 via cnet.com
  
  The great camera and slim design are in the Huawei P9's favour, but not the clunky Android software.
  
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• 9 special experiences to share with long-distance moms

  30-04-2016 13:06
  
  If you'll be far away from mom this Mother's Day, fear not. You can still give her a special experience from afar. Go beyond the "Have a good one!" phone call and plan a fun day with your mom, with a little help from technology.  Image: Mashable Composite, Jordan McQueen SEE ALSO: Woman plans perfect Mother's Day surprise, delivery note ruins it Just like picking out any other gift or experience, think about what your mom would appreciate in particular. Everyone is different, so do whatever
  
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• Supercars, cup cars, small cars and big cars: Our week on Instagram - Roadshow

  30-04-2016 13:00 via cnet.com
  
  But you'd know all this already if you were following us on Insta.
  
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• Nissan recalls over 3 million US vehicles for airbag issues - Roadshow

  30-04-2016 13:00 via cnet.com
  
  This airbag recall has nothing to do with the Takata recall, but it's no less troublesome.
  
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• Skoda Superb Estate car review – ‘It looks like a cartoon character with a friendly moustache’

  30-04-2016 12:00
  
  This made me immediately like it, and I didn’t stopThere’s something about the exterior of the Skoda Superb estate, the curve of its nose and the shape of its grill, that makes it look like a cartoon character with a friendly moustache – maybe the Lorax. This made me immediately like it, and I didn’t stop, all the way from the parking space I could never fit into to the motorway I was pleasantly tooled up for. Even though it makes the most sense on a long j
  
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• Android apps might hit Chromebooks video - CNET

  30-04-2016 10:50 via cnet.com
  
  Comcast is buying Shrek, Nintendo announces its next console and everything else you need to know
  
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• A popular toymaker's website is giving visitors ransomware

  30-04-2016 10:07
  
  Ransomware, a type of malware that holds your computer hostage until you pay a certain amount of money, seems to be getting more popular since it sprouted up in large-scale form in 2013. The website of Maisto International, a toymaker that primarily sells model vehicles and remote control vehicles, is playing host to some ransomware, Malwarebytes wrote Thursday. On the maisto.com homepage, malicious files can download themselves onto visitors' computers via something called Angler. SEE
  
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• An end to ‘bill shock’ as EU mobile roaming charges are slashed

  30-04-2016 07:59
  
  Taking your phone on holiday used to lead to debts running into the thousands. But that’s about to changeControversial roaming charges holidaymakers pay to use their mobile phones in another European country will come down dramatically from today, and are set to disappear altogether from 2017 following EU intervention.For several years the European commission has been battling with the big mobile providers to force through cuts to the cost of making cross-border calls and using data in ano
  
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• Best tech gear for dad under $100 - CNET

  30-04-2016 05:45 via cnet.com
  
  Don't have a ton of money to spend on dad? Fear not, there's plenty of good tech gear available for less than $100.
  
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• Need new luggage? Rolls-Royce will sell you this 6-piece set for $45,854

  30-04-2016 03:24
  
  What do you think the nickname for a Rolls-Royce roller bag might be? A "roller roller?" No, really, I am asking. You tell me. SEE ALSO: Beverly Hills plans to use autonomous vehicles for public transportation On Friday, Rolls-Royce unveiled a six-piece luggage set made for jet-set Rolls-Royce owners who want to bring the elite elegance of their motorcar with them while they travel. The $45,854 set isn't just rebadged Louis Vuitton luggage; it was created specifically for Rolls-Royce. Image
  
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• 'Game of Thrones' is a big part of our cultural Lexicon - CNET

  30-04-2016 02:42 via cnet.com
  
  Podcast: We've returned! And we're so ready to discuss Lexicon and "Game of Thrones," so beware all the spoilers.
  
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• 'Boom!' Prince Harry one-ups the Obamas on Twitter - CNET

  30-04-2016 02:16 via cnet.com
  
  A little transatlantic trash talk raises awareness for the upcoming Invictus Games.
  
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• Joe Biden lost $10 betting a Cadillac was quicker than a Tesla

  30-04-2016 02:12
  
  It was old school versus new school. And new school won. SEE ALSO: Ford's Tesla Model 3 competitor could be called the 'Model E' Vice President Joe Biden visited the Vatican recently, and, in true Biden form, he placed a bet before meeting with one of the Cardinals. You know, as good Catholics do. Specifically, Biden bet a New York Times  correspondent, Gardiner Harris, which was faster: a Cadillac or a Tesla. He relayed his loss to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary o
  
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• 'Ghostbusters' trailer ranks among 'most disliked' videos on YouTube - CNET

  30-04-2016 02:02 via cnet.com
  
  The Internet gives Sony Pictures a big thumbs-down, with the trailer garnering almost half a million votes. But, YouTube users appear to be even more averse to Justin Bieber videos.
  
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• Email Debt Forgiveness Day: whittle down your inbox without the apologies

  30-04-2016 01:32
  
  If you’re one of those people who have been putting off responding to messages and are feeling the burden of guilt, here’s your quick chance to make amends“Adulthood is emailing ‘sorry for the delayed response!’ back and forth until one of you dies” – so the viral tweet goes.If this sparks recognition – and a twinge of guilt – the second annual Email Debt Forgiveness Day on Saturday offers the chance to make amends. Continue reading...
  
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• Leica's new crazy expensive digital camera doesn't have an LCD screen

  30-04-2016 01:24
  
  A digital camera with no LCD screen? Who the heck would buy such a camera in 2016? That's the question, Leica surely asked itself when it decided to create the M-D (Typ 262), its newest rangefinder-style digital camera, which doesn't come with any kind of display on the back. SEE ALSO: Sony A6300 blows every mirrorless camera away with insane speed and 4K If you believe Leica's spiel, a camera without a screen distills "photography in its purest form." A screen, apparently distracts the photogra
  
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• Star Wars Day bonuses revealed for Battlefront, The Old Republic - CNET

  30-04-2016 00:44 via cnet.com
  
  EA outlines what special events are taking place between now and May 4.
  
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• Microsoft wants to connect all your favorite apps with Flow

  30-04-2016 00:44
  
  There are so many different apps, programs and services we use on a daily basis, or even a minute-by-minute basis. Navigating through all those different things, while important, can be annoying. Email, texts, Twitter, Slack, Google Drive and Dropbox are just a few examples, and being able to condense that list down would be a huge help. Microsoft made Flow to do just that, allowing you to connect apps and services and automate portions of your workflow, easing the need to check each thing every
  
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• GameSpot's The Lobby: Mirrors Edge Catalyst Beta--Our Verdicts video - CNET

  30-04-2016 00:42 via cnet.com
  
  The GameSpot crew discusses the parkour movement of Mirrors Edge Catalyst and the beta's sanitized aesthetic. Watch for their verdict.
  
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• Facebook hit with lawsuit over plan to issue new stock

  30-04-2016 00:38
  A Facebook Inc shareholder filed a proposed class action lawsuit on Friday in a bid to stop the company's plan to issue new Class C stock, calling the move an unfair deal to entrench Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg as controlling shareholder. The lawsuit, filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery, comes two days after the social networking company announced its plan to issue the shares. The rejiggering of Facebook's share structure, effectively a 3-for-1 stock split, follows the 31 year-old's anno
  
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• Samsung cooks up crazy prototype gadgets like VR camera necklaces, helmet speakers - CNET

  30-04-2016 00:35 via cnet.com
  
  But we're not going to be able to buy these anytime soon. The gadgets and software come from its C-Lab that lets employees experiment.
  
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