Technology news

Over the last few years, the notion of passing a so-called "beer test" has become a pretty popular step of the interview process for deciding which employee candidates may be the next best cultural fit for your brand.  
Personally, after years of running a global recruitment firm, I have found that this test – if you can call it that – leads to poor hiring decisions, unintended discrimination, and often prevents a diverse workplace. 
So, what is the beer test? In a nutshell

Microsoft today announced that its most recent Windows 10 preview build lets you test out new battery-saving technology.
Not only will your Windows 10 PC run certain programs more efficiently, you can also now use a slider to decide whether to run your system at the recommended level, in a way that will preserve its battery life, or in a way that will provide better or the best possible performance.
Microsoft first dropped the slider into a Windows 10 preview in January, but it didn’t

Facebook launched React VR today, an open source JavaScript framework for building VR experiences that was announced back in October. It's based on React, which is the user interface code that powers websites like Facebook and Instagram. React VR lets you import 360 panoramic images and 3D models into a scene, add text and images, and implement interactivity with the same style of code you'd normally use to make a website.
Under the hood is WebVR, a burgeoning standard that was originally spearh

Nintendo is sending out the last shipments of the NES Classic Edition this month, and then it is discontinuing that throwback mini-console.
On this week’s episode of the GamesBeat Decides podcast, host Jeffrey Grubb and co-host Mike Minotti try to figure out why the hell Nintendo would stop making its retro gaming machine that comes with 30 classic games for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Maybe the publisher has future plans involving either a new NES Classic or the Swit

The same group that offered a free joint to Inauguration Day attendees is puff, puff, passing along the free cannabis to Capitol Hill workers.
To properly celebrate 420 in the nation's capital, on Thursday from (high) noon until 4:20 p.m., the pro-marijuana group DCMJ is handing out two free joints to members of Congress and congressional staffers, interns, and other workers — and credentialed journalists. 
The group will be passing out joints on non-federal land since the city of D.C

Justin Trudeau, the handsome, worldly prime minister of Canada seems to do no wrong, but when it comes to climate change, he's a complicated figure.
The prime minister boldly declared that "Canada is back" at the negotiating table for U.N. climate talks during a speech at the Paris negotiations in 2016, garnering a standing ovation. 
But a well-known climate activist wants the world to see through the double-speak. Never one to shy away from a fight, activist and journalist Bill McKibben to

Petsmart just snapped up pet supply site Chewy.com in what's reported to be the biggest e-commerce deal in history.
The big box store paid around $3.35 billion for the online outlet, according to Recode's sources — slightly more than the $3.3 billion Walmart spent on Jet.com in another monster online shopping acquisition last year.
The deal is also all the more notable for the fact that Petsmart itself was most recently valued at $8.7 billion when private equity investors bought it two yea

Bot maker Octane.ai will now allow bot creators to generate Facebook Messenger parametric codes to guide a user to their bot and customize the consumer’s experience.
QR codes in chat apps like WeChat have been used to make purchases, unlock unique information, or guide a user’s experience in the offline world.
Messenger Platform 2.0 launched during the F8 keynote address today, and new updates are centered on discovery, with features like scan codes and chat extensions

Spending time on the internet can be draining. But the best remedy for social media blues is built around the very people who don’t understand it: the OldPeopleFacebook subreddit, aka Cracker Bargel. It’s like dunking my brain into a warm bath. The comments are so nice it would be suspicious, if the posts in question weren’t so earnest.
This subreddit provides a beautiful roadmap for how to create a better internet through playful discussion of clueless subjects. Members submit

President Donald Trump today signed an executive order directing the government to review its polices on the H-1B visa program, as the administration says it looks to cut down on abuse in the system designed for high-skilled workers.Nearly 200,000 applications were sent in this year for the program
Nearly 200,000 applications were recently sent in for this year’s 85,000 spots in the popular program, meant to bring skilled workers from overseas to the United States. But despite a push from

Welcome to the club, Adidas. The company is the latest in a string of brands to find itself frantically apologizing for doing something stupid. 
On Tuesday, the sportswear company had its very own SMH moment after sending out a mass email about the 121st Boston Marathon, which took place on Monday.
The email in question arrived bearing the subject line: "Congrats, you survived the Boston Marathon!" Yes, four years after two pressure cooker bombs placed near the Boston Marathon's finish line

It’s time to introduce new speakers. We’ll delve into the investment climate for the gaming ecosystem with a panel moderated by Amitt Mahajan, a managing partner at Presence Capital, at our upcoming GamesBeat Summit 2017: How games, sci-fi, and tech create real-world magic. This roundtable session will examine the climate for game startups and how to get funding for them.
GamesBeat Summit 2017 will take place on May 1-2 at the historic Claremont resort hotel in Berkeley, Ca

Game of Thrones star Kristian Nairn is saying a lot more than "Hodor!" these days. 
The Northern Ireland native, known for acting in HBO's Game of Thrones and for his DJ sets on his "Rave of Thrones" tour, is speaking out for same-sex marriage in his country. In an interview with Northern Ireland's Belfast Telegraph Tuesday, he said he hopes the country will embrace marriage equality like Ireland and the rest of the UK. And he might even get politically involved to help make it happen.
SEE

GUEST: Chatbots were simple in the beginning, often limited to web browser pop-ups that could only send straightforward greetings like “Hi, how are you?” to website visitors.
Because of AI and cloud technology, chatbots are no longer just a nice-to-have greeting tool, but a key element in fostering a more engaging customer experience for businesses across every industry. By tapping into deep learning technologies, these tools learn, converse, and understand the world similarly to the

Scientists are diving deep off the coast of Antarctica to help protect whale feeding areas.
But they're not jumping into the frigid Southern Ocean themselves. Instead, a team of researchers has attached non-invasive sensors and cameras to the backs of humpback and minke whales.
The project, supported by World Wildlife Fund's Australia office, has gathered a bounty of information so far, including when, where, and how whales eat krill; what their social lives are like; and how they're able to bl

Wet Hot American Summer Fantasy Camp is the first officially licensed game based on the comedy-film-turned-Netflix-series about the kids and councilors at a raunchy summer camp. The tabletop game, which features caricatures of the film’s many stars — including Amy Poehler, Janeane Garofalo, and the unaging Paul Rudd — is a bit more complicated than what you’ll find in your parents’ board game closet.
The game is a fantasy role-playing tabletop game for three to five

Yahoo ($YHOO) reported its first-quarter earnings on Tuesday, revealing that it generated $1.37 billion in revenue, a 26 percent increase, and a non-GAAP earnings per share of $0.18.
Wall Street analysts had been expecting $1.23 billion in revenue with an EPS of $0.08.
Shares in the company closed the day up 0.36 percent at $47.56 and in after-hours trading continues to increase (up 0.40 percent at time of writing).
“Our Q1 performance reflects solid financial and operational exe

HBO Go is still one of the best ways to watch HBO content if you (or a family member) happen to have a cable subscription. Unfortunately, it hasn’t ever been the best app to navigate, forcing you to dig through its library just to get to the next episode of Game of Thrones. Thankfully, that’s changing today. With the latest update, the app finally makes it easier to pick up where you last left off or keep watching your favorite show without needing to touch your smartphone.
What user

Spoilers for the 25-year-old Reservoir Dogs movie: I always thought Mr. Orange deserved a better fate than being shot by a random stranger.
Reservoir Dogs: Bloody Days will help me keep him alive when it hits PC on May 18 (with an Xbox One release later this year). Based on the classic Quentin Tarantino flick, Bloody Days reimagines the events of the film (and adds other game-specific missions) as a top-down shooter with a time-traveling twist from Big Star Games. Using the characters and crimin

The Roadie Tuner is one of those feel-good Kickstarter success stories that makes the whole experiment worth it. It's a quirky solution to a common problem, and it actually shipped to its backers! The tuner works by pairing with a smartphone to listen to the string you're plucking, and then robotically rotating your instrument's tuning peg until the string is in tune. It didn't change the world, but it worked well and removed some of the stress of the tuning process.
Now Roadie is back for round

Last month, The Hollywood Reporter announced a movie deal for a novel called Change Agent, a sci-fi thriller about genetic engineering that was released today. If everything goes right, Change Agent could be a must-see sci-fi blockbuster along the lines of Minority Report, blending clever philosophizing with non-stop action. It's about an Interpol agent who's given the face and body of a wanted criminal, through rogue gene editing that could make the very concept of individual identity obsolete.

His Memphis Grizzlies lost the game, but coach David Fizdale definitely won the internet. 
So, uh, take that for data! 
SEE ALSO: How Derek Jeter's once-mocked startup became a sports media powerhouse
Fizdale's Grizzlies faced the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night in the opening game of their first-round NBA Playoffs series. Memphis mounted a furious comeback after getting blown out early but ultimately fell to the Spurs, 96-82. 
In his post-game press conference, Fizdale went off

Not even a full week after the release of DAMN., Kung Fu Kenny delivers again. No, it's not another album—but if you love Don Cheadle then this just might be better. 
The actor and Kendrick Lamar battle back and forth to the ferocious song "DNA," which appears on his latest studio album. Lamar is handcuffs in the midst of a polygraph test while Cheadle interrogates him.  
“Kendrick Lamar, two first names, huh," Cheadle says in the video, directed by Nabil Elderkin. "What t

Residents in Amherst, New York have been on a wild goose chase for more than a month looking for a Canada goose walking around with an arrow through its neck. 
Yes, you read that correctly. There's an actual arrow stuck in a goose's neck. And the goose is still alive and kicking and balancing her long neck pretty well between the two sides of the killing contraption.
SEE ALSO: 10 Disney animals we would totally date
According to the local ABC affiliate, animal groups are still unable to ca

Kong: Skull Island, the second entry in Warner Bros.’ “MonsterVerse,” which also includes 2014’s Godzilla, as well as the upcoming film Godzilla: King of Monsters (2019), and the inevitable Godzilla vs. Kong (2020), hit theaters just over a month ago.
Now, as reported by Deadline, there will be a not-totally-related King Kong TV show called King Kong Skull Island. It will reportedly feature “a female-led, multicultural ensemble that delves into the wonders and horro

Mark Zuckerberg cares about a few things: his family (including his dog Beast), live video and VR, and destroying Snapchat. 
SEE ALSO: No assholes allowed at Facebook's big conference
The 32-year-old billionaire CEO made that clear in his keynote during Facebook's annual F8 developers conference. When most of the world was seeing flashing headlines on CNN about a man who leveraged Facebook to show off and confess to a murder, Zuckerberg talked about a future where augmented reality —

PRESS RELEASE: NAPA VALLEY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–April 18, 2017– Blockchain, Bitcoin, and token solutions company Tokenly announced today that it will launch its initial trial of Blockchain-based music service token.FM in early May and open a Series A round. token.FM is a direct-to-fan platform, the first to leverage Blockchain technology to address existing media challenges and empower the future of media distribution and fan relationships. Artists control their pricing, dis

Apple is making its GarageBand, iMovie, and iWork (Pages, Keynote, and Numbers) apps totally free for all Mac OS and iOS customers as of today. In late 2013, Apple began offering the software for free to anyone that purchased a new Apple device — either a Mac or iPhone / iPad — on or after September 1st, 2013.Owners of older hardware who wanted to install the apps had to pay for them. iMovie and Garageband were $4.99 for iOS, according to 9to5Mac, and the iWork apps were each $9.99.

The handwringing over Netflix's 13 Reasons Why continues, with an Australian mental health organization and fellow-Netflix cast member who plays 'Barb' from Stranger Things coming out with concerns about the subject matter of the show.
Soon after 13 Reasons Why premiered on the streaming site on March 31, the Netflix original sparked a great deal of discussion surrounding sensitive issues such as depression, rape, and suicide. The show retells the suicide of a teenage girl, Hannah (Katherine Lan

Ubisoft is giving wannabe hackers a new reason to return to San Francisco.
The publisher released the No Compromise downloadable content pack for its open world hacking game Watch Dogs 2 for PlayStation 4 today (Xbox One and PC players will have to wait until May 18). No Compromise is the third part of the game’s $40 Season Pass. It’ll cost you $10 separately. Developers use season passes and DLC packs as a way to keep players engaged months after a game’s release —

Facebook just showed the world some big plans. CEO Mark Zuckerberg kicked off its F8 developer conference with a new mission focused on community, some obvious movie references, and tons of dad jokes.
After the scattershot intro, Facebook got to business — revealing the new tools and platforms for its developer community, which foreshadow where the company and its family of apps are going. Here's everything you need to know about what Facebook revealed on Day 1 at F8:
Augmented Reality Pla

This here is Sally. It’s a machine created by Chowbotics Inc. that’s designed to put together various kinds of salads in about 60 seconds. The machine weighs about 350 pounds, and is initially aimed at businesses such as co-working spaces or supermarkets for what’s essentially a smart salad vending machine to offer to visitors. According to a report by Bloomberg, Chowbotics will soon shrink the device down to a size that’s appropriate for households.
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Facebook just announced a bunch of changes to Messenger, with the highlight being new ways for apps to integrate with it. And while it’s not available yet, one of the standout partners announced was Apple Music.
Near the end of his presentation at Facebook’s F8 conference this afternoon, David Marcus, head of Messenger, said, “I’m really excited to share with you that Apple Music will soon be on the platform as well.”
Listen without leaving Messenger
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In many ways, Mark Zuckerberg is like your dad.
He insists on ever-increasing control of your internet experience.
He tells bad jokes.
At Facebook's F8 developer conference held Tuesday held in San Jose, Zuckerberg opened the show with a series of increasingly rough one-liners.
via GIPHYFirst up: He shared a few of his best F8/The Fate of the Furious crossover jokes. 
1: "We are gathered here at the second biggest event called F8 this week," he joked. "We probably should have seen this comi

Google just made becoming Superman in virtual reality a lot easier. 
How so?  
The search giant finally answered the requests of many VR users by opening Google Earth VR up to Oculus Rift users, and the update includes Oculus Touch controller support. 
SEE ALSO: Oculus Rift promised us the future of VR. Here's what really happened.
For the uninitiated, Google Earth VR takes the stunning 3D rendered landscapes and buildings available on the desktop version of Google Earth and allow