Technology news

• Apple beats Samsung to top holiday phone activations - CNET

  27-12-2016 23:52 via cnet.com
  
  Consumers activated twice as many iPhones during the holidays as rival Samsung, according to new data from analytics firm Flurry.
  
  Read more

• Facebook's Bangkok explosion Safety Check was a false alarm - CNET

  27-12-2016 22:45 via cnet.com
  
  Citing "media sources," Facebook sent out a Safety Check over a bombing in Bangkok, Thailand, but it was a protester throwing fireworks.
  
  Read more

• Supermarket chain hilariously mocks Amazon - CNET

  27-12-2016 22:00 via cnet.com
  
  Commentary: An ad for France's Monoprix suggests that shopping on Amazon isn't so very convenient.
  
  Read more

• Chrome will soon mark some HTTP pages as 'non-secure'

  27-12-2016 21:23 via zdnet.com
  
  Google's first wave of security changes to convert webmasters to encrypted HTTPS target pages that ask for login data or credit card information.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Man builds working 3D-printed Chevrolet Camaro engine - Roadshow

  27-12-2016 21:14 via cnet.com
  
  Possibly the ultimate display piece unless you're able to get your hands on the real thing.
  
  Read more

• Toyota survey confirms benefits of its parking support technology - Roadshow

  27-12-2016 21:07 via cnet.com
  
  The Intelligent Clearance Sonar system is able to help drivers avoid parking lot accidents.
  
  Read more

• Carrie Fisher, true global royalty, dies at 60 - CNET

  27-12-2016 21:03 via cnet.com
  
  The actress known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars movies dies days after suffering a heart attack on an airplane.
  
  Read more

• 5 reasons why Windows on ARM could change computing -- and 3 reasons it won't - CNET

  27-12-2016 21:00 via cnet.com
  
  Microsoft cracked the code for putting full Windows on tablets and phones. Is it too little too late?
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Church accidentally prints words for rap song instead of hymn - CNET

  27-12-2016 20:45 via cnet.com
  
  Commentary: In Sri Lanka, an errant download by a younger person leads to some embarrassment.
  
  Read more

• Disney classics going to Hulu in exclusive deal - CNET

  27-12-2016 20:42 via cnet.com
  
  Hits like "Mulan," "Lilo & Stitch" and "The Empire's New Groove" will all be available on Hulu.
  
  Read more

• From sassy princess to work colleague, the Carrie Fisher I knew - CNET

  27-12-2016 20:40 via cnet.com
  
  Appreciation: Her no-nonsense attitude and rebound from life's obstacles made Carrie Fisher so much more than just an onscreen idol to CNET writer and former Lucasfilm employee Bonnie Burton.
  
  Read more

• Amazon calls 2016 holiday season its best ever; shares rise

  27-12-2016 20:15
  (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc said it shipped more than 1 billion items worldwide this holiday season, which the top online retailer called its best ever, and its shares rose 1.6 percent in afternoon trade. The Amazon Echo home assistant and its smaller version, Echo Dot, topped the best-sellers list, said Jeff Wilke, chief executive of Amazon's worldwide consumer division, in a press release. Sales of voice-controlled Echo devices were nine times more than they were during last year's holiday seas
  
  Read more

• This magical remote can control everything in your home

  27-12-2016 20:00
  
  The 'Smart Remote' from 'Sevenhugs' adapts to whatever you point atusing Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and infrared command.
  
  Read more

• Asus' latest Chromebook appears online for $499, but quickly pulled

  27-12-2016 19:25 via zdnet.com
  
  Likely due at CES 2017, Asus' new Chromebook looks to pack a full HD screen with 360-degree hinge and two USB-C ports.
  
  Read more

• We take on the ultra-challenging Gazelle Rally (Part 2) - Roadshow

  27-12-2016 19:00 via cnet.com
  
  The Gazelle Rally gets tense with stuck and broken vehicles, and a suspicion of cheating.
  
  Read more

• Come along as we rally with the Gazelles in Morocco (Part 2) video - Roadshow

  27-12-2016 19:00 via cnet.com
  
  Considered one of the toughest motorsports events in the world, the Gazelle Rally pits teams of two women against the harsh Moroccan desert. This episode features the Defender stuck in camel grass, the Morocco Taco getting a suspension problem and a suspicion of cheating.
  
  Read more

• Watch the mall brawls that suddenly adorned holiday shopping - CNET

  27-12-2016 18:49 via cnet.com
  
  Commentary: It used to be that fighting was an exclusively a Black Friday affair. No longer. And police say at least one brawl was organized on social media.
  
  Read more

• Police request Echo recordings for homicide investigation - CNET

  27-12-2016 18:33 via cnet.com
  
  Officers in Arkansas are hoping the smart speaker's recordings can provide some clues on a murder.
  
  Read more

• Game of Thrones was the most pirated show for the fifth year in a row in 2016

  27-12-2016 18:33 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Around 350,000 people actively shared The Winds of Winter episode right after the Game of Thrones series six finale earlier this year.
  
  Read more

• Facebook's Safety Check activated for fake Bangkok bombing - CNET

  27-12-2016 18:31 via cnet.com
  
  Citing "media sources," Facebook sent out a Safety Check over a bombing in Bangkok, Thailand. The fake news source fooled people by using a clip of a bombing from 2015.
  
  Read more

• Facebook's Safety Check feature was the latest victim of fake news

  27-12-2016 18:30
  
  Once again, fake news is having serious and terrifying implications on social media. On Dec. 26, Facebook's Safety Check feature was activated to alert locals of explosion in Bangkok, Thailand. The feature, however, was activated under false pretenses, apparently in response to a news story about a bombing that occurred in 2015. SEE ALSO: Can Facebook fix its fake news problem? The Safety Check, which came on at around 9:00 p.m. local time according to The Verge , gave those in the area the opti
  
  Read more

• Dear tech companies: Stop shipping unfinished shit - CNET

  27-12-2016 18:26 via cnet.com
  
  Commentary: If 2016 taught us anything, it's that shipping in beta is not okay.
  
  Read more

• Amazon reveals its top-selling product during 2016 holiday

  27-12-2016 18:10 via zdnet.com
  
  Amazon said it had its best holiday season ever. Unsurprisingly, Amazon's own products topped the best-sellers list.
  
  Read more

• Tesla, Panasonic ink deal for $256 million solar plant

  27-12-2016 17:54 via zdnet.com
  
  The plant in Buffalo, NY will ramp to one gigawatt of module production by 2019.
  
  Read more

• ​FinTech and Blockchain: Are banks dead?

  27-12-2016 17:19 via zdnet.com
  
  A top financial services technology executive and enterprise blockchain guru explains what you need to know.
  
  Read more

• Watch molten copper destroy a Christmas tree - CNET

  27-12-2016 17:17 via cnet.com
  
  Now that the holidays are over, it's time to say goodbye to your decorated Christmas tree in the geekiest way possible.
  
  Read more

• Trump tweets he's charitable and would beat Obama - CNET

  27-12-2016 17:13 via cnet.com
  
  Commentary: In his latest Twitter self-expressions, the president-elect explains he's given millions to charity. His charity.
  
  Read more

• Smartphones in 2017: What's in the pipeline?

  27-12-2016 17:00 via zdnet.com
  The latest rumors and trends in the smartphone industry. Apple, Samsung, and a few smaller players like OnePlus have a few tricks up their sleeves.
  
  Read more

• 2017 could be the tipping point for super efficient solar panels

  27-12-2016 17:00
  
  By: David RowanContinue reading...
  
  Read more

• Amazon says 2016 holiday season 'best-ever'

  27-12-2016 16:55
  (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc said it had its best-ever holiday season, shipping more than one billion items worldwide through its Prime membership program. The company said on Tuesday more than 72 percent of its customers worldwide shopped through mobile devices, adding that Dec. 19 was the busiest shopping day this holiday season. The Amazon Echo home assistant and its smaller version, Echo Dot, were best sellers, said Jeff Wilke, chief executive of Amazon's Worldwide Consumer division. "Despite
  
  Read more

• Amazon's best holiday season shipped over 1 billion items - CNET

  27-12-2016 16:44 via cnet.com
  
  The retailer giant broke another holiday sales record thanks to its Echo devices and last-minute Christmas shoppers.
  
  Read more

• Sylvania Smart Multicolor LED (HomeKit enabled) Release Date, Price and Specs - CNET

  27-12-2016 16:43 via cnet.com
  
  You can control Sylvania's new color-changing smart bulb using Siri voice commands straight out out of the box.
  
  Read more

• 11 technologies to watch in 2017

  27-12-2016 15:47
  
  Much like The Force, technology surrounds us, penetrates us and binds together our galaxy, which is why it’s so hard to identify which technologies might have the most significant impact in the coming year. SEE ALSO: What you should expect from the iPhone in 2017 What we can count on in 2017 is that a myriad of innovations will arrive. Some will alter our lives with the tectonic force of an earthquake. Other will sneak in quietly and change things in gentle, almost unnoticeable ways. My go
  
  Read more

• Luxury phone from China has crazy specs and a 7,000mAh battery

  27-12-2016 15:33
  
  One way to solve the battery life issues plaguing smartphone users ( (so, basically, everyone) these days is to go bigger. China's Gionee has done exactly that: its new luxury phone boasts a pretty outlandish 7,000mAh battery paired with some really good specs.  The Gionee M2017 is a 5.7-inch smartphone in a metal and leather case that, while fatter than your regular phablet, still manages to look quite elegant despite that enormous battery.  SEE ALSO: A $7 smartphone is launching in I
  
  Read more

• Samsung gets wacky: High-tech skin care, a Post-It printer and more - CNET

  27-12-2016 15:28 via cnet.com
  
  A smart button for kids, new TV services and a device that stabs tiny needles into your face are among the interesting gadgets from Samsung in 2017.
  
  Read more

• Child uses sleeping mom's fingerprints to buy Pokemon gifts - CNET

  27-12-2016 15:25 via cnet.com
  
  When you want to buy $250 worth of Pokemon presents, desperate times call for desperate measures.
  
  Read more

• Here’s what it’s reaaaally like to own Hatchimals

  27-12-2016 15:04
  
  The hottest toy of the holidays isn't as great as you think. This year, Hatchimals — hatch-able electronic eggs that hold furry little interactive creatures — were at the top of so many holiday wish lists that they became impossible to find in stores. Many parents tried and failed, but when it came time to hatch the re-vamped Furbys, some who were lucky enough to score the toys discovered a horrible reality: Their Hatchimals were either demonic or dead. Bum bum bummm... SEE ALSO: How
  
  Read more

• We're safer than ever before, and it's all thanks to technology

  27-12-2016 15:00
  
  By: Tom GashContinue reading...
  
  Read more

• Recycle old tech, sell unwanted gadgets video - CNET

  27-12-2016 15:00 via cnet.com
  
  In today's tech news, make way for all those new holiday gifts by recycling or selling older devices.
  
  Read more

• CNET asks: In 2017, which comic book film are you most excited to see? - CNET

  27-12-2016 15:00 via cnet.com
  
  Next year will have some standout films, but we want to know which one specifically tickles your fancy.
  
  Read more

• GE Transportation CEO Jamie Miller: Digital transformation requires a human touch

  27-12-2016 14:43 via zdnet.com
  
  As industrial companies undergo a digital transformation, they can't discount the value of their employees' depth of knowledge, says GE Transportation CEO Jamie Miller.
  
  Read more

• Google's free Wi-Fi to reach 200 railway stations in India in 2017

  27-12-2016 14:13
  
  Google is gearing up to bring millions of more Indians online next year.  SEE ALSO: Inside Google's plan to conquer India's internet users Google and state-run internet service provider RailTel will push their free Wi-Fi internet to another 100 railway stations in India next year, said Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.  Google and RailTel partnered earlier this year and announced plans to bring free internet to 400 railway stations across India. The two announced last week that their Wi-
  
  Read more

• Year's Best: 5 of our favorite economy cars of 2016 - Roadshow

  27-12-2016 14:00 via cnet.com
  
  Despite the overwhelming preponderance of crossovers, economical sedans and hatchbacks are still an excellent value, and they're pretty good to drive, too. Here are some of our favorites.
  
  Read more

• Smart gadgets need security. Startups, that's your cue - CNET

  27-12-2016 14:00 via cnet.com
  
  CES will feature lots of companies making "internet of things" products -- and shaping the future of IoT security.
  
  Read more

• Dear tech companies: Stop shipping unfinished crap - CNET

  27-12-2016 14:00 via cnet.com
  
  Commentary: If 2016 taught us anything, it's that shipping in beta is not okay.
  
  Read more

Follow @TechnologyUKnws on Twitter!