Web design news

• Building Clusters with Serf

  15-01-2021 11:16 via fly.io
  https://fly.io/blog/building-clusters-with-serf/
  
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• Facebook to lift ban on political ads on Thursday

  03-03-2021 21:42 via thenextweb.com
  
  Facebook will lift its ban on political ads in the US on Thursday, the social media giant said on Wednesday. The company imposed the temporary ban after the November 2020 presidential election to curb the spread of misinformation in the aftermath. It will now resume advertising on “social issues, elections or politics,” Facebook announced in a blog post: We’ve heard a lot of feedback about this and learned more about political and electoral ads during this election c
  
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• Oh great, now Netflix is copying TikTok too

  03-03-2021 20:52 via thenextweb.com
  
  By now we’ve seen that once a new social media format becomes popular, every app wants to copy it. We saw it happen after everyone and their mothers copied Snapchat’s ephemeral Stories, and now we’re seeing it happen with TikTok-style short videos (which themselves are just copies of OG Vines). Sometimes though, these features even leave the realm of social media platforms. Case in point: even Netflix is copying TikTok now. The company today officially unveiled a feature calle
  
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• Necromancy: Scientists built a robot that can hear through a dead locust’s ear

  03-03-2021 18:41 via thenextweb.com
  
  A team of scientists from Tel-Aviv University have successfully given a robot the ability to hear sounds through the use of a dead locust’s ear. What? Seriously. A university press release highlighting the team’s work had this to say: Researchers at Tel Aviv University report that they have successfully connected the ear of a dead locust to a robot that receives the ear’s electrical signals and responds accordingly. The result is extraordinary: When the researchers clap once,
  
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• Nosy AI reads a 300-year-old sealed letter — without opening it

  03-03-2021 16:33 via thenextweb.com
  
  Scientists have used an algorithm to read an unopened letter written 300 years ago — without breaking its seal. The note had been securely shut through an archaic process known as “letterlocking.” The method was used to secure written communications for centuries before the widespread adoption of envelopes in the 1830s. The intricate system of folds, tucks, and slits effectively turns the paper into its own envelope. Often, the notes were then sealed and ri
  
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• EV battery degradation: A tale of triumph over anxiety

  03-03-2021 15:59 via thenextweb.com
  
  Welcome to SHIFT Basics, a collection of tips, explainers, guides, and advice to keep you up to speed with mobility tech. Step aboard and buckle up, partner — because it’s story time. My first properly close encounter with an electric vehicle was back when BMW launched its i3. I remember seeing that car roll silently onto the showroom floor, thinking it was some kind of personal transportation system from the future. As interested drivers sashayed into the showroom on the opening ni
  
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• These fun STEM learning kits will get the kids busy for hours while you’re on Zoom calls

  03-03-2021 15:00 via thenextweb.com
  
  TLDR: These cool STEM learning kits for kits will have them building a whole array of neat gadgets, robots, art, and more. Since it’s too cold for kids to go outside right now, that means lots of hours cooped up inside the house. And after basically a year of kids being cooped up inside the house, we’re sure the novelty wore thin a long, long time ago. Parents, you’ve got to keep ‘em engaged in something or they’ll overrun you and tear you apart. Thankfully, we&rsq
  
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• The race to net-zero is on — but no one wins if we take shortcuts

  03-03-2021 13:39 via thenextweb.com
  
  With the 2050 deadline looming, the switch to electric is now inevitable. But we’d be fools to believe that the journey will be easy. So, in the wake of a surge of carbon neutrality announcements from car manufacturers, and continued uncertainty about what constitutes credible net-zero targets, Polestar is calling for action over aspirations. Green intentions and opaque promises all sound impressive, but climate neutrality isn’t open to interpretation. Either something is, or it isn
  
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• WhatsApp is reportedly working on ‘disappearing images’ — about fucking time

  03-03-2021 13:26 via thenextweb.com
  
  Last year, WhatsApp introduced an ephemeral messages feature. However, these messages last for seven days, which is a really long time for something that should disappear after sending. Thankfully, the chat app is working on a new mode that lets you send ephemeral images, and those disappear as soon as you leave the chat. The feature is currently under development, according to WABetaInfo. So settle down you giddy little thing. But, it’ll land on both iOS and Android versions, and that&rs
  
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• What’s sampling rate? And why does it matter for music?

  03-03-2021 11:40 via thenextweb.com
  
  Do you keep hearing people talk about sampling rate in music? But aren’t certain what that actually is?? Well, friend, you’ve come to the right place. On a fundamental level, sampling rate is a result of the digitization of audio. While analog sound waves are continuous, digital music is made up from lots of small data points played one after another. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Sampling rate in audio is literally the number of “samples” taken per se
  
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• Crazy scientists think weird and gloopy hydrogen ‘toothpaste’ is the fuel of the future

  03-03-2021 11:26 via thenextweb.com
  
  While battery electric vehicles are stealing much of the low-emission driving limelight at the moment, hydrogen power is still being explored as a future fuel. And who would have thought it would look like weird gray sludge. Some believe that hydrogen is the better long term option for low-emission vehicles, as its very energy dense and can refuel a vehicle in minutes — much like a conventional gasoline car. However, it does come with some caveats. Hydrogen is very difficult to store, and
  
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• Avoid the culture shock: 5-step plan to transition from employee to entrepreneur

  03-03-2021 10:10 via thenextweb.com
  
  Ask any entrepreneur and they’ll tell you that the first step to success is to start. Yet, so many people still feel trapped in life’s rat race, dreaming of a life where they are in charge. But if so many dream of it, why do so few actually take the leap? Because it’s a massive shock. I took the leap and ditched my 9-to-5 for the entrepreneurial 24/7. It was far from being easy, but it’s the best decision I ever made — and if you’re contemplating it, I encour
  
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• Border control systems are gearing up to use facial analysis tech — what could go wrong?

  03-03-2021 07:47 via thenextweb.com
  
  Developments in global border control technologies are providing innovative ways to address issues relating to migration, asylum-seeking and the introduction of illegal goods into countries. But while governments and national security can benefit from this, advanced surveillance technology creates risks for the misuse of personal data and the violation of human rights. Technology at the border One of US President Joe Biden’s first actions was to introduce a bill that prioritizes “sm
  
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• DJI’s new FPV drone goes 87 mph and looks stupid fun

  03-03-2021 02:31 via thenextweb.com
  
  DJI today announced its first real entry into the first-person view (FPV) drone category — and it’s quite different from any of the company’s other drones. Capable of going 140 kph (87 mph) but still offering many of the smart features available on the company’s other drones, the DJI FPV looks like a fun option for experienced drone pilots and newcomers alike. It’ll cost you a pretty penny though, at a starting price of $1,299. For those not familiar, FPV dron
  
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• Twitter now lets Android users try its Clubhouse-like Spaces

  03-03-2021 00:14 via thenextweb.com
  
  Twitter has been publicly testing its Clubhouse competitor, Spaces, for several months now, but it’s been exclusive to iOS users. Starting today, Android users can get it on the fun. Android folks, our beta is growing! starting today you will be able to join and talk in any Space. SOON you’ll be able to create your own but we’re still working out some things. keep your 👀 out for live Spaces above your home tl — Spaces (@TwitterSpaces) March 2, 2021 Like Clubhouse
  
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• Armored Brigade’s latest DLC makes it a must-play for armchair generals

  02-03-2021 22:41 via thenextweb.com
  
  Publisher Slitherine and developer Veitikka Studios’ excellent tactical-level strategy war game Armored Brigade recently got its third DLC and it’s a serious game changer. Billed as a “Nation Pack” featuring playable forces from the Netherlands and Czechoslovakia, the impact the latest DLC has on gameplay and overall enjoyability feels incredibly understated. And that’s all thanks to the inclusion of the title’s first linear campaign. But, before we get there
  
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• New research indicates the whole universe could be a giant neural network

  02-03-2021 20:18 via thenextweb.com
  
  The core idea is deceptively simple: every observable phenomenon in the entire universe can be modeled by a neural network. And that means, by extension, the universe itself may be a neural network. Vitaly Vanchurin, a professor of physics at the University of Minnesota Duluth, published an incredible paper last August entitled “The World as a Neural Network” on the arXiv pre-print server. It managed to slide past our notice until today when Futurism’s Victor Tangermann publis
  
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• National security commission led by ex-Google CEO urges US to ignore calls to ban autonomous weapons

  02-03-2021 20:17 via thenextweb.com
  
  An official report created for President Biden and Congress has urged the US government to reject calls for a global ban on AI-powered autonomous weapons, as any commitments from Russia or China “likely would be empty ones.” The recommendation was made by US National Security Commission for AI, a panel headed by ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt and former deputy secretary of defense Robert Work. Work had previously said that the US has a “moral imperative” to ex
  
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• 6 steps to build a data-driven company, according to experts

  02-03-2021 15:38 via thenextweb.com
  
  Over the past year, businesses have had to quickly adapt and adjust to new and varied patterns of customer behavior as their previous models were thrown off course.  Those who accelerated their analytical capabilities were better able to handle huge changes in user behavior and the economic environment, as data analytics became, “an essential navigation tool,” according to senior partners at McKinsey. 2020 told us loud and clear that it would be foolhardy to always assume prior
  
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• Volvo pledges to go ‘all-electric by 2030,’ following other manufacturers

  02-03-2021 15:24 via thenextweb.com
  
  Volvo has become the latest car giant to commit to making only electric vehicles. The Swedish automaker said on Tuesday that it plans to exclusively sell EVs by 2030. All petrol and diesel engines — including hybrids — will be phased out from its lineup by that date. “There is no long-term future for cars with an internal combustion engine,” said Henrick Green, Volvo’s chief technology officer. “We are firmly committed to becoming an electric-only car maker a
  
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• Surprising growth strategies to boost your digital marketing campaigns in 2021

  02-03-2021 15:20 via thenextweb.com
  
  We’re still reeling from 2020, a year that came in and bulldozed over perfectly crafted consumer behavior insights, trampled over forecasts and projections, and made us question and re-question whether brands can and should weigh in on social issues. 2021 will (yet again) bring something different.  Will the vaccine rollout result in a steady reopening of businesses? Will there be a post-pandemic economic boom? Will another year in sweatpants lead to the rise of an underground trade
  
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• SEO tools like SEONIFY help unlock the mystery of Google’s search rankings

  02-03-2021 15:00 via thenextweb.com
  
  TLDR: With the SEONIFY SEO Tools and Visitor Analytics tools, website managers can both increase site traffic and form a better upstanding of those who engage with their pages. Understanding the intricacies of Google search algorithms are a lot like watching the tide roll in. It’s unpredictable. It’s constantly shifting. And everything you know and see is only defined by everything you don’t know and don’t see. Earlier this month, Google’s own internal search guru
  
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• Microsoft announces AI-powered Teams speakers with titanic transcription abilities

  02-03-2021 15:00 via thenextweb.com
  
  At its Ignite conference today, Microsoft announced plans to release AI-powered speakers for Teams calls. The company will release these devices in a private preview later this year. These intelligent speakers will use seven mic arrays to identify up to 10 speakers in a Microsoft Teams room. The speakers will use AI to put the names and timestamps of these 10 people in the live transcript of the meeting. So, even if you can’t see some people, you’ll be able to identify who&rsqu
  
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• Maquette is a neat puzzle game that packs an emotional punch

  02-03-2021 14:27 via thenextweb.com
  
  Can a video game make you cry? It’s cliche as old as time. I think it was Steven Spielberg who talked about it in the late 90’s. Infamous game industry charlatan Peter Molyneux was obsessed with the concept around the same time. It was discussed so much back then, that the discourse itself made me want to cry. Surely people cried when Aeris died in Final Fantasy VII, others might have cried when Mario found out that the princess was in another castle. All that is to say that everyon
  
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• Uber: Is this the beginning of the end for the ride-hailing Goliath?

  02-03-2021 14:19 via thenextweb.com
  
  Uber is having a torrid time, and I can’t help but feel that this is an inflection point for the ride-hailing giant. It either has to set off on a new path towards fairness for its workers, or this point, right here, right now, will mark the beginning of its end. Those who have followed Uber’s so-called “disruption” of the taxi market, will know the constant debate between drivers and the “app platform” over the fairness of its algorithm, and how it pays its
  
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• Solar panels in the Sahara could boost renewable energy — but raise temperatures worldwide

  02-03-2021 12:48 via thenextweb.com
  
  The world’s most forbidding deserts could be the best places on Earth for harvesting solar power – the most abundant and clean source of energy we have. Deserts are spacious, relatively flat, rich in silicon – the raw material for the semiconductors from which solar cells are made — and never short of sunlight. In fact, the ten largest solar plants around the world are all located in deserts or dry regions. Researchers imagine it might be possible to transform the world&
  
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• With its ambitious ‘right to repair’ rules, the EU wants your TVs to last a decade

  02-03-2021 12:41 via thenextweb.com
  
  When I buy a TV or a refrigerator, how long will it last? Three years? At least. Five years? That’s good. A decade? That’s the dream. Well, I don’t live in the EU or the UK, but a new law passed by the European Parliament will force consumer electronics makers to make some appliances — including TVs, refrigerators, washers, and hairdryers — repairable for a decade. We’ve all faced this problem where we couldn’t open an appliance because i
  
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• Chatbots that resurrect the dead: legal experts weigh in on ‘disturbing’ technology

  02-03-2021 12:02 via thenextweb.com
  
  It was recently revealed that in 2017 Microsoft patented a chatbot that, if built, would digitally resurrect the dead. Using AI and machine learning, the proposed chatbot would bring our digital persona back to life for our family and friends to talk to. When pressed on the technology, Microsoft representatives admitted that the chatbot was “disturbing” and that there were currently no plans to put it into production. Still, it appears that the technical tools and personal data are
  
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• Your leadership style needs a user manual — here’s how you do it

  02-03-2021 10:37 via thenextweb.com
  
  A few years ago I read an article that advocated for managers to create their own user manual to share with their new team or co-workers. It struck me as a great idea given how much time we spend trying to figure each other out when we work together for the first time. The manual would provide a more explicit description of your character, personal values, and how you like to work with other people. The idea would be for you to share it with when you start working with new team members to help
  
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• Twitter will ban you for spreading COVID-19 vaccine misinformation

  02-03-2021 09:20 via thenextweb.com
  
  As vaccines are rolling out across the world, Twitter wants to curb misinformation related to it by introducing a new strike system. The company said repeated offenders — accounts with five strikes against them — will get banned permanently. Last December, Twitter said that it’ll start removing tweets with harmful misinformation related to the coronavirus vaccines; the company said today it has deleted 8,400 such posts to date. Starting today, the social network will begin to
  
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