Technology news

• Home deals: LED lightbulbs for around $2, prep for fall with a leaf-blower deal - CNET

  06-10-2016 23:59 via cnet.com
  
  LED light bulbs for about $2 and the best deals on leaf blowers for fall.
  
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• Walmart tries to turn on its e-commerce game - CNET

  06-10-2016 23:51 via cnet.com
  
  The retailer plans to spend more on e-commerce and slow down store openings, in hopes of catching up to Amazon.
  
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• Police tracking social media during protests stirs concerns

  06-10-2016 23:51
  
  DENVER (AP) — Increasingly common tools that allow police to conduct real-time social media surveillance during protests are drawing criticism from civil liberties advocates, who oppose the way some departments have quietly unrolled the technology without community input and little public explanation.
  
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• New 'Planet of the Apes' teaser paints chilling view of future - CNET

  06-10-2016 23:34 via cnet.com
  
  The short teaser for the 2017 movie shows war is no joke for Caesar and company.
  
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• Boost Mobile turning its storefronts into polling places - CNET

  06-10-2016 23:04 via cnet.com
  
  Technically Incorrect: In an initiative to support voting in minority communities, Boost gives people a new place to cast their ballots on Election Day.
  
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• VR chats, Oculus Touch pricing and a next-gen headset: Everything Oculus announced at the Connect 3 conference - CNET

  06-10-2016 22:43 via cnet.com
  
  At the Oculus Connect 3 developer's conference, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Oculus execs mapped the future of virtual reality, from VR selfies to a new VR platform on the horizon.
  
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• Snapchat IPO? Firm reportedly planning offering of $25B or more - CNET

  06-10-2016 22:43 via cnet.com
  
  Snap Inc., which makes the popular photo and video app, may start selling shares by late March.
  
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• FCC's internet privacy proposal just got a little weaker - CNET

  06-10-2016 22:42 via cnet.com
  
  The agency backs away from imposing stricter data collection rules on broadband and wireless companies than on Facebook, Twitter and Google.
  
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• Sony RX100 V Release Date, Price and Specs - CNET

  06-10-2016 22:41 via cnet.com
  
  The company's multitalented prosumer compact has been dragged down by Sony's slow contrast autofocus for years. Now it has the hybrid system it deserves.
  
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• Draconid meteor shower should brighten your Friday happy hour - CNET

  06-10-2016 22:34 via cnet.com
  
  Most meteor showers require heading outside at ungodly hours, but Draco the dragon will shoot fireballs around the sky earlier in the evening.
  
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• The best Oculus Touch VR experiences we've seen so far - CNET

  06-10-2016 22:28 via cnet.com
  
  Grab, shoot, create. Here are some of the must-get apps when Oculus Touch arrives this December.
  
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• Playing catch with the Wilson X Connected Football video - CNET

  06-10-2016 22:24 via cnet.com
  
  CNET's Dan Graziano gives you a first look at the new Wilson smart football.
  
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• ​FTC to patent trolls: Stop wasting our time - CNET

  06-10-2016 22:23 via cnet.com
  
  The US Federal Trade Commission proposes reform to cut down on the frequency of patent-infringement lawsuits.
  
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• All the music, podcasts and radio services that work with Alexa - CNET

  06-10-2016 22:18 via cnet.com
  
  Amazon's Alexa speakers can stream audio from more than just Amazon Music. Below are all the streaming services that work with Alexa.
  
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• Sony A6500 Release Date, Price and Specs - CNET

  06-10-2016 21:58 via cnet.com
  
  With built-in image stabilization and touch focus for video, the A6500 addresses two of the biggest complaints about the A6300, plus a performance boost.
  
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• Disney, 'Blade Runner' are taking Oculus to Hollywood - CNET

  06-10-2016 21:52 via cnet.com
  
  Mickey and the Replicants? Facebook's Oculus is bringing cuddly Disney characters and dystopian "Blade Runner" stories to its virtual-reality system.
  
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• LG V20 preorders start tomorrow on AT&T - CNET

  06-10-2016 21:39 via cnet.com
  
  And T-Mobile will begin selling the phone on October 28.
  
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• Don't think, just do...join Apple's The Orchard - CNET

  06-10-2016 21:39 via cnet.com
  
  Apple's new program, called The Orchard, was formed to attract new marketing talent that acts first and asks questions later.
  
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• FCC proposal: internet providers must ask to share your data

  06-10-2016 21:37
  
  A new privacy proposal unveiled Thursday will require broadband providers like Verizon and Comcast to get your permission before sharing with advertisers what you've been doing on your phone or computer.
  
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• Instagram Stories, cloned from Snapchat, has 100M daily viewers - CNET

  06-10-2016 21:35 via cnet.com
  
  The Facebook-owned social network says the popular feature is all about "ephemerality" -- "pride of authorship" be damned.
  
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• Whirlpool WFW92HEFU review - CNET

  06-10-2016 21:30 via cnet.com
  
  Ever forget to take your clothes out of the washer? This Whirlpool model will tumble them for you for up to 12 hours.
  
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• What is fracking? Your need-to-know guide to fracking in the UK

  06-10-2016 21:22
  
  The first fracking site to open in seven years in the UK is about to become operational, but why is this way of extracting gas and oil so controversial?
  
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• What is fracking? WIRED Explains

  06-10-2016 21:22
  
  By: Amelia HeathmanContinue reading...
  
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• What is fracking and why should you care? WIRED Explains

  06-10-2016 21:22
  
  By: Amelia HeathmanContinue reading...
  
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• Snapchat parent working on IPO valuing firm at $25 billion or more: WSJ

  06-10-2016 21:22
  (Reuters) - Photo-sharing app Snapchat's parent is working on an initial public offering that could value the company at $25 billion or more, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing several people familiar with the matter. Snap Inc, which operates the app Snapchat that lets users send videos and messages that disappear in seconds, is looking to sell shares as early as late March, the Journal reported. Snapchat had been talking to investment bankers about an IPO towards the end of this year or e
  
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• Judge questions Airbnb stance on San Francisco rental law

  06-10-2016 21:18
  By Dan Levine SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A U.S. judge expressed skepticism toward a bid by Airbnb to halt a San Francisco law that imposes fines on home rental companies for processing bookings by hosts not registered with the city. At a hearing in San Francisco federal court on Thursday, U.S. District Judge James Donato said he was "concerned" with Airbnb's position because the San Francisco statute targets only bookings processed by Airbnb, not what the company publishes on its website.
  
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• A washer tailor-made for lazy laundry days video - CNET

  06-10-2016 21:18 via cnet.com
  
  Whirlpool's WFW92HEFU washer will tumble your clothes for up to 12 hours so you don't have to move them to the dryer right away.
  
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• Oculus drops price of VR-ready PCs to $499 - CNET

  06-10-2016 20:59 via cnet.com
  
  Oculus says you no longer need a pricey PC to enjoy virtual reality. But lowering the minimum spec has its risks.
  
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• Oculus party rooms let you hang out with your friends' avatars

  06-10-2016 20:55
  
  Virtual reality may soon be less of a lonely experience for Oculus hardware owners, as the company outlined how people can see each other and play together inside of virtual reality. Oculus announced a new party system during its Oculus Connect developers conference in San Jose, California, Thursday. The party system will allow friends to enter a chat system when they're inside Oculus Gear VR and Rift headsets. But it's more than just a way to make voice calls. There's a platform-wide social exp
  
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• 5 reasons not to buy the Google Pixel (and 3 reasons to snag it) video - CNET

  06-10-2016 20:46 via cnet.com
  
  Google has some really tough competition. Maybe the Pixel phone isn't up to snuff.
  
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• Oculus Touch Release Date, Price and Specs - CNET

  06-10-2016 20:43 via cnet.com
  
  Oculus finally has its motion controllers for Oculus Rift, and they're coming this year. But you might need another sensor bar.
  
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• Facebook shows how it's gonna make virtual reality social - CNET

  06-10-2016 20:40 via cnet.com
  
  Smiles, raised eyebrows and meetings on Mars: Mark Zuckerberg shows where Facebook is taking Oculus Rift.
  
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• Facebook virtual-reality investment jumps by $250 million - CNET

  06-10-2016 20:38 via cnet.com
  
  Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Oculus owner Facebook, announces an additional investment in developing VR content, bringing the total to $500 million.
  
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• Oculus Touch makes virtual reality better video - CNET

  06-10-2016 20:30 via cnet.com
  
  The Oculus Rift didn't let you reach out and grab things in VR. These controllers change that.
  
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• Apple shares perk up after strong report from iPhone chip supplier

  06-10-2016 20:28
  By Noel Randewich SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Shares of Apple Inc rose 1 percent on Thursday after German supplier Dialog Semiconductor Plc said its quarterly revenue were higher than expected, adding to recent enthusiasm about demand for the newest iPhone. With global demand for smartphones on the wane, Apple is counting on the iPhone 7 to help wrest market share from rival Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and limit an expected decline in annual revenue. Apple accounted for about 80 percent of Dialog's
  
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• Samsung's exploding Note 7 nightmare continues with replacement phones video - CNET

  06-10-2016 20:27 via cnet.com
  
  The safety of replacement Note 7 phones is under question after a reportedly new model caught fire aboard a Southwest Airlines plane, leading to the evacuation of the flight.
  
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• Hyundai dips into crazy for its nitrous-fed SEMA concept - Roadshow

  06-10-2016 20:25 via cnet.com
  
  Maybe, one day, Hyundai will actually translate some of that fun over to its road cars.
  
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• Oculus drops the price of VR-ready PCs to $499 - CNET

  06-10-2016 20:22 via cnet.com
  
  Oculus says you no longer need a pricy PC to enjoy virtual reality. But lowering the minimum spec has its risks.
  
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• Behind the shot: Kids being kids, even after the horrors of war - CNET

  06-10-2016 20:22 via cnet.com
  
  Commentary: CNET's Andrew Hoyle was struck by the resilience of children uprooted by war, now living in makeshift shelters in Germany.
  
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• FCC revises internet privacy rule proposal - CNET

  06-10-2016 20:18 via cnet.com
  
  The agency is backing off an earlier proposal that would have imposed much stricter "opt-in" data collection requirements on broadband and wireless companies than internet companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Alphabet's Google.
  
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• Oculus says its new $50 earbuds sound as good as $900 earphones

  06-10-2016 20:17
  
  Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe introduced a new pair of earbuds that connect to the Oculus Rift VR headset called Oculus Earphones at Oculus Connect 3. They cost $49 and provide an audio experience that's as great as $900 earphones, Iribe said. The earbuds ship on Dec. 6. SEE ALSO: Oculus is building standalone VR headset that doesn't need a phone or PC Iribe challenged Rift owners to compare the Oculus Earphones' audio quality to a pair of high-end earphones. In addition to the new earbuds, Oculus al
  
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• 10-speed automatic helps Ford F-150 achieve impressive fuel economy - Roadshow

  06-10-2016 20:17 via cnet.com
  
  It's only a hair ahead of the competition, but it's ahead nevertheless.
  
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• Battlefield 1 has spectator mode and screenshot-taking tools on PS4, Xbox One, PC - CNET

  06-10-2016 20:15 via cnet.com
  
  EA announces more new features for the upcoming World War I shooter.
  
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• Mark Zuckerberg teases wireless Oculus VR headset - CNET

  06-10-2016 20:09 via cnet.com
  
  Somewhere between phone-based VR and the wired, PC-connected Oculus Rift, Zuckerberg introduces a peek at something new.
  
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• Your Oculus avatar can pull a sword out of thin air and take a VR selfie video - CNET

  06-10-2016 20:07 via cnet.com
  
  At the 2016 Oculus Connect 3 keynote, Mark Zuckerberg showed off a live VR chat with the Oculus Rift.
  
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• Pixel won't share Google Assistant with other Android phones - CNET

  06-10-2016 20:06 via cnet.com
  
  Key features will be available only on Google's new Pixel phone.
  
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• Oculus' new experience 'Ka' takes VR to a different plane - CNET

  06-10-2016 20:01 via cnet.com
  
  The 13-minute Cirque du Soleil film feels like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" wore drag to a Thunderdome battle on an aircraft carrier slowly going over Niagara Falls.
  
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• GameSpot's The Lobby: Does Modern Warfare hold up? video - CNET

  06-10-2016 20:00 via cnet.com
  
  Infinite Warfare is on its way. The GameSpot crew debate the Modern Warfare remaster and the Call of Duty legacy.
  
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• Verizon drones head for the skies - CNET

  06-10-2016 19:46 via cnet.com
  
  After a series of successful tests, Verizon unveils a program that connects drones to its wireless network.
  
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• Oculus is building standalone VR headset that doesn't need a phone or PC

  06-10-2016 19:46
  
  There are two kinds of VR headsets right now: smartphone-based ones like the Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream View, and PC-based ones like Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. The two offer low-end and high-end VR experiences, respectively. There's really nothing in the middle yet, but at the Oculus Connect 3 developer conference, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced plans to change that. He believes self-contained, standalone VR headsets that don't need a phone or a PC will occupy that space and reve
  
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