Technology news

Whether you call it night mode or dark mode, it's a trend that plenty of websites and apps have embraced. 
Hulu is joining the party by rolling out Night Mode to all web users. It swaps the traditionally brighter colors of an interface for darker tones, like grey or black. For classic software users or fans of Slack, it's akin to changing the theme. 
Night Mode on Hulu's web version changes the whole site, from the homepage to the search box and the show pages. Switching to darker colo

Last night, The Walking Dead dealt with the heavily marketed departure of series star Andrew Lincoln in a startling, unexpected way. The way the episode handled the event didn’t make sense from a story or audience perspective, but a story from The New York Times clarifies that it did make sense from a business standpoint, because the series’ network, AMC, is preparing a trilogy of Walking Dead spin-off movies that will bring Lincoln back in his role as series star Rick Grimes.
Warni

American trucking startup Nikola Motor Company hasn’t been around for very long, but it just announced a third version of its hydrogen-electric semi geared at the European, Asian, and Australian markets. Dubbed the Nikola Tre, the new truck has a much different look from its two North American predecessors, but still promises to deliver similar specs.The Tre will use a hydrogen fuel cell to power electric motors that generate up to 1,000 horsepower, and it also offers torque vectoring. It

Bohemian Rhapsody now rules the roost as the top movie in America, as every true Queen fan could have told you it would. (Spoilers ahead for those who haven't seen it.)
And while that's great for the band's legacy — proof once again that its music has universal appeal — it also means that a surprising amount of untruths are now enshrined as the biography best known to the moviegoing public. 
SEE ALSO: That huge Live Aid scene in 'Bohemian Rhapsody'? Day one of filming.
Before yo

Seemingly every industry is finding ways to use drones in some way or another, but deep underground it’s a different story. In the confines of a mine or pipeline, with no GPS and little or no light, off-the-shelf drones are helpless — but an Australian startup called Emesent is giving them the spatial awareness and intelligence to navigate and map those spaces autonomously.
Drones that work underground or in areas otherwise inaccessible by GPS and other common navigation techniques a

Google has confirmed that it is aware of a memory management issue causing unexpected app crashes on the new Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, and it plans to fix it with an upcoming software update, according to 9to5Google.While the fix is not included in the company’s November update, which came out today, it sounds as if it should be arriving with December’s update. Google told 9to5Google that the fix should arrive “in the coming weeks” and will be designed to “keep backg

New photos have leaked of the Asus Zenfone 6 from Italian website HDBlog.it. This purportedly final design of the Zenfone 6 mirrors the leaks we saw of it last week. This also means Asus’ designers are convinced their flagship smartphone with a notch on the upper right corner is a good look.Taking a closer look, you’ll notice the only factors that are affected by the offset teardrop notch are the battery indicator and cell signal indicators. It’s an unusual design choice that

With Black Friday announcements arriving left and right, we've been a bit preoccupied with holiday season prep, making gifting lists for people, checking them twice, etc.
Macy's must have read our minds because they've released a massive sale on a ton of our top brands just because. Marketed as The Ultimate Shopping Event, you can save up to an extra 25% on tech, home stuff, kitchen gear and cookware, makeup, and more with code EVENT.
SEE ALSO: Black Friday 2018 ads are already here: Target, Koh

Google Chrome will soon step up its fight against the worst kind of ads.
An upcoming version of the browser will block *ALL* ads on websites that show abusive ads, Google announced. 
SEE ALSO: Should You Buy Google's New Pixel Phones?
With the change, Google is targeting the worst of the worst: Ads that trick users into opening new tabs or download shady files without permission. These ads are not only incredibly frustrating, resulting in a bunch of tabs you never intended to open or files

Electric scooter-sharing company Lime announced today that it’s launching a new safety campaign called Respect the Ride, which will see the company invest $3 million to educate riders on safe scooter practices, distribute helmets, and better maintain its bikes and scooters. The announcement comes just days after the company recalled some of its Segway Ninebot scooters in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Lake Tahoe due to manufacturing defects that could result in battery explosions.
Lime is as

One the eve of the midterm elections, even the kids are on edge.
Photojournalist Jake Crandall captured the son of Alabama's democratic gubernatorial nominee Walt Maddox lying down on the tarmac after arriving with his family in Montgomery on Monday.Democratic gubernatorial nominee Walt Maddox arrives in Montgomery with his family, his son, Eli, 5, is having a daypic.twitter.com/NVuDE0LQE7
— Jake Crandall (@jakevcrandall) November 5, 2018SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know to vote in the

In a world where zombie brands like Palm and Polaroid no longer hold their original meanings, it’s refreshing to some see some old-school gadget ideas stay true. In this case, I’m talking about Psion’s legendary pocket computers from the ‘90s — whose industrial designer, Martin Riddiford, successfully crowdfunded a modern version of the tiny laptop earlier this year.As a noted physical QWERTY keyboard lover, I definitely drooled over the original Gemini PDA... but

Deadpool 2 is returning to theaters this December, but not in the way you’d expect. As previously reported, the famously foul-mouthed superhero sequel is getting a second theatrical run but as a toned-down PG-13-rated Christmas version titled Once Upon A Deadpool, according to Deadline.
As teased by star Ryan Reynolds back in September, Once Upon A Deadpool will fill in the R-rated edits with a new frame narrative that rips off / pays homage to the fan-favorite film The Princess Bride, wh

A lot can change in two years — just look at the meme taking over Twitter feeds in the day before the midterm elections.
The meme encourages people to think back to the day of the 2016 presidential election — a time when millions of Americans happily went to the polls to cast their ballots. A time when people did not constantly exist in a fiery rage of terror.
To participate, simply type the phrase, "Me voting in 2016 vs me voting in 2018," and choose two drastically different images

Myrtis Jewel Painter knows where the party's at: Taco Bell.
The 106-year-old celebrated her birthday in style at her favorite restaurant, Taco Bell, on Sunday. Taco Bell honored Painter by decorating the restaurant for the special occasion.This now 106-year-old is celebrating with tacos and Mexican pizza! Be sure to watch #azfamily tonight for Myrtis’ story! @azfamily pic.twitter.com/t3zNAlmrJM
— Samie Gebers (@samiegebers) November 4, 2018SEE ALSO: Venice's worst flood in 10 years c

Amazon is reportedly going to split its second headquarters between two cities, according to The Wall Street Journal. It’s a surprising development in Amazon's long journey to find another headquarters location. Each city location would employ 25,000 people. The decision has to do with recruiting enough talent and also preemptively addressing issues with housing and transit, the WSJ reports.Amazon still hasn’t announced where its new headquarters will be located, although The Wall S

Ariana Grande's breakup anthem has been embraced by every fandom on Twitter.
Grande dropped "thank u, next" 30 minutes before Saturday Night Live aired this weekend. Her first single since calling off her engagement to Pete Davidson, Grande takes a healthy approach to ending a relationship by thanking every one of her exes for the learning experience. 
SEE ALSO: Ariana Grande is cool with all her exes in new song 'thank u, next'
Like Twitter users do with all iconic lyrics, they turned the

China’s Tencent will soon require gamers to prove their ages and identities against police records, according to a new official statement yesterday. Under the new system, users will need to register their Chinese national IDs in order to play any games from Tencent.
Ten mobile games will get the new verification system by the end of the year, and all games offered by Tencent, including PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and League of Legends, will get the system by 2019.
Tencent has been

Apocalyptically horrendous air has descended upon India's sprawling capital territory, Delhi. 
According to November 4 measurements taken by the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, the Air Quality Index (AQI) hit 534. For perspective, the scale only goes up to 500, wherein levels are described as "Hazardous."
"534 is higher than your highest value — which is insane," Anthony Wexler, the director of the Air Quality Research Center at the University of California, said in an interview.
But, come

Instagram appears to be working on a school-based version of Stories that would only contain content from a particular school’s student body, as reported by TechCrunch.
The code for School Stories was first spotted by tipster Jane Manchun Wong, and it details a couple of features. Only people within the school’s community would be able to contribute and view their School Story. Also, School Stories would be moderated and “manually reviewed to make sure the community is safe.&r

 
The TARDIS returns!
We’re celebrating the return of Doctor Who (Sundays on BBC AMERICA) with a rundown of what makes Doctor Who the world’s longest-running sci-fi series and a unique, ever-evolving franchise with generations of fans. Whether you’re a passionate fan or a total beginner, BBC’s new DVD collections, featuring some of the most popular Doctors, will inspire you to join this epic adventure through time and space.
Doctor Who first hit television screens in

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison in late August, chancellor Rebecca Blank and Foxconn chairman Terry Gou announced the largest industry research partnership in the school’s history. The Taiwanese tech giant would invest $100 million in the school and help establish a new research facility for the College of Engineering. “UW–Madison and Foxconn share a commitment to pushing the boundaries of knowledge through interdisciplinary research and we are deeply grateful for Chair

I mean, it's not like Facebook could have known the Trump campaign ad was a transparently racist attempt to gin up anti-immigration sentiment just days before the midterms. Right?
After first approving the ad, which depicted a convicted murderer and falsely linked him to a group of migrants fleeing violence in Central America, for paid promotion, the Palo Alto-based social media company thought better of it Monday and decided that the race-baiting spot didn't actually meet its high standards.&nb

If there’s one thing I love, it’s a game that can give me a true emotional reaction, even when I think I know where it’s going. And I love Red Dead Redemption 2. Few games in recent memory have felt as full of promise as this one. The pre-release material promised an expansive, rich experience as an outlaw, telling the tragic tale of the Van der Linde gang’s descent into anarchy. And, for the most part, the finished game has delivered on that — with a few smal

This is You Won't Regret It, a new weekly column featuring recommendations, tips, and unsolicited advice from the Mashable culture team.Doing anything special on Tuesday, November 6, 2018? If you live in the United States and are registered to vote, you absolutely should have plans. Why? Because it's Election Day.
In case you haven't been watching the news, following the dozens of campaigns across the nation, listening to celebrities and activists call for action, or keeping up with politics the

Apple has released a new watchOS 5.1.1 update, which fixes the last update’s issues with bricking users’ Apple Watches. The latest watchOS update includes more than 70 new emoji released with iOS 12.1, new full-screen color watchfaces, and support for group FaceTime audio for up to 32 people.
watchOS 5.1 was released and quickly pulled last week, after users reported the update rendered their watches unusable during the installation. Affected users had no options other than calling

One of the latest fads to wash onto the shores of YouTube comes from TikTok, a grander version of Musical.ly that gives users an array of editing options to make short, Vine-like videos. In one corner of YouTube, TikTok’s biggest fans upload challenge compilations and weekly updates, each playing like a more elaborate Vine supercut — something you can watch on repeat without getting bored. Type in “TikTok compilation” into YouTube’s search bar, and thousands upon t

Today is just another day online. It’s also a day when we received news of a new Nook tablet from Barnes & Noble. The Nook 10.1” costs $129.99 and has the line’s largest display ever at — you guessed it — 10.1 inches. That IPS display is 1920 x 1200 pixels with 224 ppi. It goes on sale on November 14th. Some other specs to note:32GB of expandable storageUp to 8.5 hours of battery life
Wi-FiCharges over Micro USB 2.0 and includes a headphone jack
2-megapixel rea

Just a few days before the midterm elections, Georgia’s Republican gubernatorial candidate and secretary of state, Brian Kemp, accused Georgia’s Democratic Party of hacking into the state’s voter registration base. It was a controversial move that is already generating concerns regarding conflicts of interest. Kemp’s office has yet to provide any evidence in support of these claims, and with mere hours left before the final votes are cast, it’s unclear what his mot

Facebook is gearing up for the holiday season by launching a small number of pop-up shops around the United States.The company announced today that it will open pop-ups with more than 100 brands in nine different Macy’s locations. The 100 brands’ products will be available for purchase through the pop-up shops, and they are some of the “most-loved brands” on Instagram and Facebook, according to a blog post on the company’s website. Some of those brands include Love

Ad Content from AT&TSigns of America’s transition to a low-carbon economy are everywhere. In urban areas, electric buses are joining city fleets. In the suburbs, charging stations for electric vehicles sit prominently next to gas pumps. And in rural parts of the country, wind turbines gently dot the expansive countryside.A new era of sustainability is on the way. This emerging era is about more than simply moving away from fossil fuels — it’s a sweeping change that touches

Lenovo is the next company to get into cashier-less convenience stores, following Alibaba, Walmart-owned Sam’s Club, JD, and Amazon. The hardware maker launched a cashier-less store in Beijing last week that sells Cup Noodles, juice boxes, and other small snacks.To enter the “Lenovo Lecoo Unmanned Store,” customers wave to a tablet with a camera, which uses facial recognition to identify their account profile. Then, like Amazon Go’s system, customers can browse, pick up

Misplace or break your phone? No cell signal? Have no fear. You can still text away with a computer via WiFi.
Texting from a laptop has its perks: it's (usually) free, typing is easier and faster, and best of all, you can look busy when you're not.
Here are five different ways you can text from your laptop.
1. Text through email
If you know your friend's phone number and cellphone provider, you can easily deliver a text through email. Text by email: Combine your friend's phone number with t

Brand new week, brand new TV? 
If you're in the market for a 4K TV and are on the hunt for a sale, then you're in luck. We've gathered the best deals from Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and the Samsung Store on 4K smart TVs, featuring top name brands like Sony, LG Electronics, Samsung, Sharp, and more.
Starting with TVs that are 40+ inches, Samsung's Flat 40-inch 4K UHD 7 Series Smart TV is on sale for $377.99 on Amazon, while Sony's 49-inch Class LED X900F Series Smart 4K Ultra HD TV is priced

Last week on The Walking Dead, it appeared that the show had taken a step in a bold new direction. Press releases had announced that series star Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) would depart the series well ahead of the expected midseason finale send-off. And then it looked as if new showrunner Angela Kang had opted to kill Rick off even before the announced date. It was quick, clean, and surprising — a stark contrast to the show’s tradition of milking key dramatic moments to the point

November usually means two things: Hot deals and cold mornings. 
Lucky for you, we're here to help with both.
The Ninja Coffee Bar Auto-iQ Brewer with Glass Carafe is on sale for $79, which is $70 off the original $149 price.
If you're looking for a flexible coffee maker, the Ninja could become your best friend for early mornings and late night work sessions. It has a multi-serve dial that will let you set the size, from a single cup to the full carafe, depending on how much coffee you want

You might be hard-pressed to point to a service that productively combines the use of augmented reality (AR), machine learning, and blockchain – but that doesn’t seem to bother IBM. The company has filed a patent application for a complex AR gaming system, designed to steer players away from potentially dangerous physical spaces. To this end, IBM intends to use machine learning and blockchain tech to build this new system. But does this approach make sense? Well, let’s dig int

A freshly-upgraded SpaceX ship and its crew just went through dramatic dress rehearsals, running through how they’d rescue injured astronauts after they return to Earth. When SpaceX starts ferrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station next year, the company’s ocean vessel Go Searcher will be tasked with recovering SpaceX’s crewed Dragon capsules that splash down in the Atlantic. The ship is now equipped for a worst-case-scenario with medical treatment facilit

Leave it to Amazon to begin Black Friday shopping festivities a few weeks early. Like Target, Amazon has already started cutting prices on several of its own devices, and it’s introducing several more discounted products on a rotating basis.As its daily Black Friday sales continue, we’ll be adding and removing items in order to reflect what’s currently available. We’ve also included the deals that have been confirmed by Amazon to arrive later in November. Use it to plan

Social network Gab, a less-moderated alternative to Facebook or Twitter that’s popular among far-right figures, is back online after losing its domain registrar and hosting service. The site resumed operations on Sunday, slightly more than a week after a Gab user allegedly shot and killed 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue, prompting several companies to stop working with the site.
Gab went offline on October 28th, following news reports that shooter Robert Bowers maintained a site profi

America's biggest team sport, meet the world's biggest esport. 
In a match that was bound to happen sooner or later, the NFL and Fortnite have joined forces. It's not a full-blown seasonal theme, but starting on Nov. 9 at 7:00 p.m. ET, players will be able to buy NFL-themed outfits (i.e. team uniforms) from the in-game store.
All 32 NFL teams will be represented, along with a 33rd Fortnite-specific look. Players will also be able to choose which number appears on their jersey, from 0-99.The

On this day we congratulate Nate Silver, who has discovered that it is frustrating when a man explains your own area of expertise to you.
On Sunday, the FiveThirtyEight editor-in-chief logged on to complain about "dudes (it's almost *always* dudes) who spend 15 minutes on something you've been studying for 10+ years and act like they've solved Fermat's Last Theorem."
And the women of Twitter said, "yup."You've just described being a woman in a tweet.
— Maria Robinson (@mduaime) November 4,

Election Day is tomorrow, November 6th, in the United States, and the 2018 midterm elections are likely going to be some of the most contentious elections in recent history. While President Donald Trump isn’t up for reelection yet, the House of Representatives and Senate are in play for both parties, along with gubernatorial races, attorney general elections, and marijuana legalization initiatives in four different states.
It’s a lot to take in, but the internet is here to help. Her