Technology news

The decaying state of the United States roadway system can be costly for drivers. For companies where vehicles are central to the business model, it’s no trivial concern. Speaking before a hearing in Washington DC earlier this week, FedEx CEO Fred Smith spoke about the need for improving the nation’s roadways, and reported that his company is using twice as many tires as it did two decades ago because of the state of the the country’s infrastructure.
The House Transportation an

A volcano in Hawai’i was home to a dramatic feature last month: a ‘firehose’ of molten lava that streamed from a hole in a sea cliff into the Pacific Ocean. The creation of the stream was widely reported, and according to the US Geological Survey, the cliff has now collapsed.The massive section of the Kamokuna lava delta, located in Hawai’i’s Volcanoes National Park, initially collapsed into the ocean on New Year’s Eve. The section had been an ideal viewing pl

Sony Pictures has released its Super Bowl new teaser for its upcoming science fiction thriller, Life. The thirty-second spot certainly has an Alien-like vibe as a crew of astronauts are trapped aboard the International Space Station with a deadly alien.Along with the Super Bowl spot, Sony released a second full trailer for the film:The film is directed by Daniel Esponosa, and stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Reynolds, Rebecca Ferguson, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Ariyon Bakare as crew members aboard the Int

Netflix recently released new images of Iron Fist, its forthcoming series set in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, which leads up to its forthcoming superhero team-up season Defenders later this year. It’s a mix of promotional shots and episode stills, the best of which tease returning characters from shows like Jessica Jones. And then there’s the other kind of best, by which I mean the memeable sort.On Twitter, fans have taken notice of these inarguably bizarre shots of Danny Rand

The actual game of football is only part of the attraction of the Super Bowl. The commercials and the event’s Half Time show are the other huge draws. With Lady Gaga headlining the event this year, we’re assured that it’ll be an elaborate show, and CNN Tech is reporting that the singer’s performance will include “hundreds — yes, hundreds — of lit-up drones.”
According to sources who spoke with CNN, this is the first time that drones have been incor

In January, TMZ published a video taken on the set of A Dog’s Purpose that appeared to show the film’s handlers forcing a distressed dog into a pool of water. The video quickly went viral and prompted the cancelation of the film’s premiere while sparking protests at theaters where the film was being released. Now, an independent, third-party investigation found that the video had been edited to mischaracterize what actually happened.The video “was deliberately edited for

Every year when the American sporting event the Super Bowl approaches, people seem to ask the exact same questions:
“Who’s playing?”“What day is it?”“Who’s having a party? I really can’t after what happened last year with Stacy’s boyfriend getting overexcited and cutting his fingers off on the ceiling fan.”“Who is the musical act?”“What time does it start?”These questions are easy to answer. You can Google them,

Super Bowl weekend is always a little tough for me, because I am completely baffled by football. This isn’t a sportsball rant — I enjoy sports, even if I usually play terribly, and I like watching them, if you’re willing to count commentated arcade games as “sports.” But my high school didn’t have a football team (our homecoming court was elected during basketball season), my family mostly ignored the NFL’s existence, and my friends don’t tend to t

Elon Musk is serious about tunnels. Last night, the Tesla/SpaceX CEO provided Twitter with an update on his Tunnels venture, showing off a drilling machine in action. Earlier this week, he began work on an experimental tunnel on SpaceX’s headquarters in Los Angeles. Now, it seems that he’s considering putting his tunnels to work with another idea that he’s had: Hyperloop.
Minecraft pic.twitter.com/lU1YzJjLOZ— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 4, 2017When Musk tweeted out his

I’m honestly one of those people who enjoys Super Bowl commercials more than the actual Super Bowl. They’re not all amazing, but it really is the one time of year where commercials get elevated into something more interesting, where they’re not intent on getting to the brand slogan and sales pitch as quickly as possible and are willing to try showing you a sweet or funny or otherwise engaging story for a change.
The problem for people like me is that, depending on the group of

In January, author Douglas Preston released his latest book, The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story. In 2015, Preston had been part of an expedition to Honduras that located an unexplored city deep in the rain forests of the country, one that belonged to an as-of-yet unknown civilization.The book deals with the history of efforts to explore the legendary “White City,” and more recent efforts from archeologists to track down its location. The site had first been located in 2012

(Reuters) — Shares sold in a $3 billion initial public offering by the parent of Snapchat will lack voting power, testing the commitment of big asset managers in their recent fight for investor rights.
In a registration document on Thursday that it will use to pitch shares to investors, Snap Inc outlined an aggressive expansion plan for its social media network in what would be the biggest U.S. tech IPO since Facebook.
But the document shows the shares will not have voting rights – a

Lighting my home is something I only ever think about fleetingly — usually while replacing a blown-out halogen bulb — but this past week I discovered LED light bulbs and, well, I’m sorry I’m so late to this cool party.
Unfortunately, LED lights have been swept up into the whole "smart home" mess, with app-controlled dimming and hue adjustments and whatnot, making them both costlier and more complex than they need to be. So, in my mind, they’ve always been filed away

While black excellence deserves to be celebrated every day, Black History Month offers a dedicated time to pay attention to the power and resilience of the black community. 
February's celebration is a reminder to seek out stories and histories that often go overlooked — but it also serves as a call to recognize the various black leaders in our own lives.
SEE ALSO: Twitter launches Black History Month chatbot in celebration of black culture
Even though it's the shortest month of the y

Last week, we opened up the Meemim platform for the public beta. Our target was to sign up approximately 125 companies who had expressed interest in our collaboration platform. We were looking forward to adding their numbers to our books over the course of a week. Instead, we on-boarded over 500 new clients in less than a day. The experience blew us away. Admittedly, the release didn’t go as smoothly as it might have. We underestimated the demand, and our sign-up system — which is d

Cutting-edge graphics and unconventional site architecture may look pretty, but if it ultimately turns potential users away from your web page, it could be a fast track to failure. User experience is a critical element in all web development, so know that process intimately — and add an impressive new skill set to your resume — with this UI/UX Professional Designer Bundle. You can land this complete eight-class package of learning for just $39 from TNW Deals. Through these courses,

LONDON — I feel like I should make one thing clear up front: I love Pokémon Go.
SEE ALSO: Charmander and friends come to life in artist's Pokémon renderings
Since I first downloaded the game last July, I don't think a day's gone by without me opening up the app. That might sound sad to some people — probably the same people who gleefully comment "dead" every single time Niantic tweet — but that doesn't really bother me.
I still enjoy playing the game, and anyone w

Listen to the GamesBeat Decides podcast
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Watch on YouTube
Subscribe on iTunes, Google Play Music, or Stitcher.The best game of 2016 was Overwatch, according to the GamesBeat staff. But this sensation isn’t going to evaporate into memory any time soon, and that has us wondering what Blizzard’s sci-fi shooter is going to look like over the next 12 months.
On this week’s GamesBeat Decides podcast, host Jeffrey Grubb and cohost M

Warning: This post contains spoilers for the Season 2 finale of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, titled "Can Josh Take a Leap of Faith?"
There are a lot of twists and turns in the final episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 2.
But showrunners Rachel Bloom (who also stars as Rebecca Bunch) and Aline Brosh McKenna always knew exactly what line to end with:
"Josh Chan must be destroyed."
SEE ALSO: The 16 best TV shows of 2016
That's right, after two seasons of obsessing over Josh Chan — aka the reason sh

An erratic president causes unprecedented chaos in his first two weeks in office. He lashes out at Australia, threatens to invade Mexico, imposes an anti-terrorism travel ban that makes terrorism more likely, and shoots off angry missives at the New York Times when he should be coordinating a military raid from the situation room. 
That's all Donald Trump. What, did you think I was going to tell you behavior this bad was predicted in a 1986 satirical novel? 
Yes, there are plenty of Tr

It's that time of year again — when sports bars hit full capacity and nail-biting tension runs high. If you're looking to forget about politics and focus on the Super Bowl, then you might need a few apps on the sidelines.
SEE ALSO: Budweiser turned a classic '90s Super Bowl ad into a Snapchat game
From helping you find the perfect beer with your appetizers to letting you watch muted TV in a public place, these apps will help you maximize your Super Bowl experience.
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Thought you could get away from the Donald on Super Bowl Sunday? You're wrong. 
You can put money on how many times the bombastic reality star/businessman-turned president will tweet during the big game. Not only that, you can even bet on what he will say in those 140 characters.
SEE ALSO: High school student tells Betsy DeVos exactly how her policies would hurt her
"Obviously anything Trump says or does gets a lot of media attention," Bovada.lv head oddsmaker Pat Morrow told MLive.com

If I were to ask you to name a living scientist, who would be your choice? A hashtag that went viral on Twitter today is aimed at expanding your range of options: #actuallivingscientist.The thing is, most people can’t name a living scientist — at least, according to a 2013 survey of 1,000 American adults: 70 percent of them failed to do so. That suggests the public — people who pay taxes to support scientific research — likely don’t know much about who they’re

(Reuters) – Chief executives of major U.S. companies huddled with President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday and some of them expressed concern about a travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries traveling to the United States.
Business leaders said afterward that the group, which included Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan Chase and Indra Nooyi of PepsiCo, discussed bank rules, tax reform, and objections to Trump’s week-old ban.
Some companies are worried that the trave

A Twitter thread is offering some hope for Muslims and others disheartened in the week since Donald Trump's immigration and travel ban was signed.
SEE ALSO: Actors' acceptance speeches at SAG awards turn into protest against Trump Muslim ban
The True American author Anand Giridharadas shared a story Friday in tweet form, prefacing that his 14-tweet thread "will solve none of our large problems but might make you smile." Some joy is a welcome relief as social media becomes an ever darker place in

Trump is just two weeks into his presidency but already gamblers are rushing to bet on his impeachment.
Online betting site Paddy Power is offering odds as low as 2:1 that Trump will be impeached in his first term. That's cut in half from before his inauguration, when they stood at 4:1, Fast Company reports.
SEE ALSO: Trump’s Muslim Ban could have doomed Apple
If you think Trump will be impeached in the first six months of his presidency, meanwhile, the site is offering 6:1 odds. For 2017,

Anyone who has ever dealt with a cable company’s customer service department knows that the industry is stuck in 1995 — or perhaps in the ninth circle of… well, you know where.
But it’s 2017. We no longer need to be beholden to cable companies. As alternative options to traditional cable packages become more ubiquitous, streaming services have brought us into the 21st century. Today, the number of cord-cutters ditching Big Cable for more customizable, flexible options is

Brooklyn is home to some strange sights — rainbow bagels, unicorn lattes — and now there's a new bizarre offering: a minivan chock full VHS tapes of the 1994 movie Speed.
SEE ALSO: Can you help solve this creepy internet mystery?Hi uh there's a minivan parked on my block that has a couple dozen VHS tapes of the motion picture SPEED on the dashboard pic.twitter.com/xXlMAnigHw
— Emily Hughes ✨ (@emilyhughes) February 2, 2017
@emilyhughes I saw that van in Greenpoint in Jun

uBeam is a bit of a mystery in Silicon Valley. The wireless charging company claims to have developed a way to charge electronic devices using ultrasonic waves, for truly cord-less charging regardless of what surface your smartphone is touching. The company has been criticized for avoiding detailed discussions and demonstrations of its technology, drawing comparisons to disgraced blood-testing company Theranos.But yesterday, uBeam showed off its wireless charging tech at the Upfront Summit in Lo

During a time of impassioned protests, controversial policies, and steadfast political resistance, the people of Trump's America and those standing in solidarity across the globe are coming together in unique ways to make a difference.
The stark change in political tides has reignited an otherwise subdued form of communication amongst the many scrambling to organize, and fighting to stay informed: the sharing of Google Docs.
Though the simple word processing tool—which allows users to easi

Android may get a wee bit uglier this spring.
Google will discontinue its beloved Google Now Launcher app on March 1, according to an email to phone manufacturers published by Android Police Friday. 
While the company will allow phone-makers to bring Google Now features into their own launchers via "Search Launcher Services," this is probably a net loss for Android loyalists. A launcher app, usually used to change the default design of a phone’s operating system, can change the look a

Snap Inc. is the shiniest thing on Wall Street right now. But it wasn't always like that.
As recently as a year ago, Snapchat was a roll-your-eyes startup. To the biggest names in tech, advertising, and media, Snapchat was "too confusing"—just a "sexting" app and simply "overhyped." 
SEE ALSO: Our first look at Snapchat's biggest risks and most powerful enemies
Chris Sacca, an early stage investor in Uber, Twitter, Instagram and Kickstarter, had been approached by the company in its y

Another gaming company is downsizing its staff.
Perfect World Entertainment, the publisher responsible for Star Trek Online, Neverwinter, and other massively multiplayer online role-playing games, has confirmed to GamesBeat that it has laid off fewer than 30 employees. Included in the cuts was some of the community-management team on Star Trek, but the company claimed that this won’t affect development on its games.
A Perfect World spokesperson provided GamesBeat with the following stateme

In January Amazon said that it plans to hire 100,000 more workers in the next 18 months, which received a fair amount of attention in the news. But it turns out that’s right in line with Amazon’s current hiring habits.According to the company’s fourth quarter earnings report released yesterday, Amazon’s full-time and part-time employees, excluding contractors and temp workers, jumped from 230,800 thousand at the end of 2015 to 341,400 at the end of 2016.Amazon’s hea

Newly appointed FCC chairman Ajit Pai reversed a number of his predecessors’ actions this afternoon, including shutting down a series of inquiries into net neutrality violations.
While those were the more attention-grabbing changes, Pai also took actions that suggest he’s planning to alter Federal Communications Commission programs that subsidize broadband for schools and low-income families.
One order reverses a small expansion of the FCC’s Lifeline program, which offers $9.25

Microsoft wants you to have the latest and greatest Skype experience. If you want the old Skype, well, uh, tough.
The company said today that starting on March 1 — less than 30 days from now — people will no longer be able to sign in to version 7.16 of Skype for Windows desktop and older versions, and version 7.18 of Skype for Mac and older versions thereof.
“If you’re one of those users, all you’ll need to do is download the new update,” the Skype team said i

Medium is turning a new page in its business.
The digital self-publishing platform will release a consumer subscription product in the next month, Medium CEO Ev Williams announced at the Upfront Summit Thursday. 
SEE ALSO: Digital media is brutal, and Medium's Ev Williams just showed why
"Please subscribe," Williams said on stage. "This quarter, the goal is to launch the first version. It's going to be an upgrade to your Medium experience."
The news comes almost a month after Medium laid of

The big red balls outside of Target stores are supposed to protect shoppers from runaway cars, but what is there to protect shoppers from runaway balls?
Shopper Eileen Grady's Nissan Rouge was dented by one of the 2-ton boulders when a pickup truck dislodged it, and the rogue ball rolled into the side of her moving car. 
SEE ALSO: Target launches mobile payment system — because you definitely needed another app
In surveillance footage recovered by the parking lot camera of the Paramus

"Bowling Greens" across the U.S. are deep in mourning for a tragedy that killed approximately zero people in what Donald Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway very mistakenly called a massacre on TV Thursday night.
SEE ALSO: This might be Kellyanne Conway’s most ‘alternative fact’ yet
In a moment steeped strongly in "alternative facts," Conway said during an interview on MSNBC's Hardball that two Iraqi refugees were behind the "Bowling Green massacre" — an event that never happe