extremetechlove

Thursday, 1 November 2018

Watch the Russian rocket failure that forced two astronauts to make an emergency landing

The Russian space agency Roscosmos has released footage of the failed Soyuz rocket launch that grounded a NASA astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut last month.

The two crew members were on their way to the International Space Station when the Russian-made Soyuz rocket (the only way to ferry humans to the ISS at this point in time) aborted about a minute and a half after takeoff. An official report detailing the cause of the failure is due to be published today, but Russian officials told news agencies yesterday that the problem was an on-board sensor used to track the separation of the rocket’s boosters.

The Soyuz is a multistage rocket, meaning it uses groups of engines that fire one after another to push the vehicle out of the grip of...

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Gboard brings personalized mini emojis, Apple pulls latest Watch OS video - CNET

Today's major tech stories include Gboard's introduction of look-alike mini emojis, Apple's pulling of the latest Watch OS software update and iRobot's partnership with Google that aims to improve smart home device functionality.

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iPhone XR vs. Pixel 3 camera comparison video - CNET

Does the Apple iPhone XR or the Google Pixel 3 take better photos?

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iPhone XR vs. Pixel 3: Which phone has the best camera? - CNET

Two phones. Two cameras. One winner.

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See photos from the iPhone XR and Pixel 3 - CNET

Compare these photos from the Apple iPhone XR and Google Pixel 3 to see which ones you prefer.

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Eye of Sauron watches over San Francisco for Halloween - CNET

The dark lord's eye sat atop the Salesforce Tower for All Hallows' Eve.

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Facebook political ad tools are ripe for trolling

A little form field is giving Facebook a lot of trouble.

We’ve talked in recent weeks about the new “dark money” on Facebook. Earlier this year, the company began to require advertisers to verify their identities, a task they accomplish by typing in a code that they receive via a mailed postcard.

The trouble is that when advertisers post their ads, Facebook does not require them to post their verified identity. Instead, they can type whatever they want into a free-form field. And when people can lie on Facebook, they do.

Journalists have unearthed several instances of misrepresentation to date. There was the liberal group sneakily targeting conservatives with messages about universal health care. There was the anonymous person smearing a...

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Netflix now available on Sky Q in the UK

British Satellite TV broadcaster Sky is making Netflix available on its Sky Q set-top boxes today. The Netflix integration will allow existing or new Netflix customers to get access to shows like Stranger Things, The Crown, and many more within the Sky Q interface. Sky has built Netflix directly into its TV guide, and it’s accessible from the on demand tab.

Sky Q users in the UK will be able to link an existing Netflix account to Sky, or opt for the company’s new “Ultimate On Demand” package. This new package is priced at £10 per month and includes access to Netflix and Sky Box Sets. Separately, Netflix is usually £7.99 per month and Sky Box Sets £5 per month, so there are some savings for Sky Q customers. However, Netflix in 4K will be...

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Twitter is making it easier to toggle between latest and top tweets

Twitter has begun testing a feature that will give you a shortcut to quickly switch between the latest and “top” tweets. Announcing the beginning of the trial, the @Twitter account said that a small number of users would see the new button, which gives fast access to functionality buried deep within the app’s settings menu. The company first said it was working on the feature back in September.

If you’re included in the trial you’ll see a new icon on the top right of the iOS app. Tapping it will give you an option to “Switch to latest Tweets” or “Switch to top Tweets,” allowing you to see your timeline organised in chronological order or by Twitter’s algorithm.

Sometimes you want to see the latest Tweets, first. We’re testing a way...

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iPad Pro 2018 vs. iPad Pro 2017 vs. iPad 2018: Everything that changed - CNET

Confused? Here's how the specs play out.

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Checking the tech in the 2019 BMW X4 video - Roadshow

BMW's excellent iDrive touchscreen infotainment system works well in the X4, but Apple CarPlay users may have to pay a subscription fee.

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2019 BMW X4 review: A style-first luxury crossover - Roadshow

Though it's less practical than its X3 sibling, and not as engaging to drive as we'd like, there are still many reasons to recommend the BMW X4.

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2019 BMW X4 doesn't have the most practical shape, but it's stylish and feature rich video - Roadshow

The coupe-like alternative to the X3 delivers a satisfying driving experience and a modern complement of in-car technology.

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The 2019 Cadillac ATS-V coupe packs lots of fun and performance - Roadshow

One last spin in Cadillac's twin-turbo sports coupe reminds us how much we like the ATS-V coupe offered.

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iOS 12.1 exploit bypasses the lockscreen for access to contacts

Apple released its latest iOS 12.1 update to devices earlier this week, and security researchers have already discovered a new lockscreen bypass. The exploit provides access to all contact information on an iPhone, and involves activating a FaceTime call and accessing the new group FaceTime feature to see contact information without a passcode.

This particular exploit only works on iOS 12.1, and was discovered hours after Apple released the update on Tuesday. We’ve tested this exploit and can confirm it works on iOS 12.1. It follows yet another lockscreen bypass in the previous iOS 12.0.1 update that allowed attackers to steal recent photos from a device. Both attacks require physical access to an iPhone, and are particularly troublesome...

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Amazon to open second 4-star store, bringing it to Denver area - CNET

The store, which opens Thursday, includes stuff that's 4 stars and above, are top sellers, or are new and trending on Amazon's website.

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Jaybird Tarah Pro sports headphones deliver a whopping 14 hours of battery life - CNET

The third Jaybird Bluetooth wireless sports headphone to be released in as many months, the Tarah Pro adds better battery life and some other nice new extras for $160.

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Jaybird’s new Tarah Pros promise 14 hours of battery life

Google employees worldwide are walking out today to protest handling of sexual misconduct

Employees are walking out of Google offices worldwide in protest today as a storm around the company’s handling of sexual harassment cases continues to gather strength. Organizers of the Google Walkout for Real Change tell The New York Times that more than 1,500 employees, mostly women, are planning to walk out from more than 60 percent of Google’s offices at 11:10AM as timezones roll around the world.

“We don’t want to feel that we’re unequal or we’re not respected anymore,” said Claire Stapleton, a YouTube product marketing manager, to the Times. “Google’s famous for its culture. But in reality we’re not even meeting the basics of respect, justice and fairness for every single person here.”

The walkout is already taking place in Asian...

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The new horror film canon (and where to stream it)

For people with a lively interest in cinema’s rapid technolgical and cultural evolution over the past few decades, few areas are as fascinating as the horror genre. Just a few decades ago, horror films were mostly considered disreputable and schlocky. The field was dominated by cookie-cutter sequels full of masked slashers and low-rent monsters, and while many actors of note started out in horror, few willingly stayed there if they could get more prestigious work. Directors were another thing entirely, with a handful of dedicated genre enthusiasts, from George Romero to David Cronenberg, reliably cranking out memorable work — but they were usually the exception to the rule.

But rapid changes in digital effects, filmmaking, and...

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Internet freedom continues to decline around the world, a new report says

Digital authoritarianism is on the rise, according to a new report from a group that monitors internet freedoms. Freedom House, a pro-democracy think tank, said today that governments are seeking more control over users’ data while also using laws nominally intended to address “fake news” to suppress dissent. It marked the eighth consecutive year that Freedom House found a decline in online freedoms around the world.

“The clear emergent theme in this report is the growing recognition that the internet, once seen as a liberating technology, is increasingly being used to disrupt democracies as opposed to destabilizing dictatorships,” said Mike Abramowitz, president of Freedom House, in a call with reporters. “Propaganda and disinformation...

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The EU plans to test an AI lie detector at border points

Trials for AI lie detection at border patrol checkpoints are set to begin soon in the EU. The program, called iBorderCtrl, will run for six months at four border crossing points in Hungary, Latvia and Greece with countries outside the European Union, as reported by Gizmodo.

iBorderCtrl is an EU-funded project that uses AI in order to facilitate faster border crossings for travelers. The system has users fill out an online application and upload some documents, like their passport, before a virtual border guard takes over to ask questions. According to New Scientist, some of these questions include “What’s in your suitcase?” and “If you open the suitcase and show me what is inside, will it confirm that your answers were true?” Travelers...

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On bitcoin’s 10th birthday, JP Morgan CEO says he doesn’t ‘really give a shit’ about it

CBS is launching a standalone streaming network for entertainment news

CBS continues to embrace online video streaming, introducing a second standalone network today that will be dedicated entirely to entertainment news.

According to TechCrunch, the new streaming network is called ET Live, and is a project from CBS Interactive and Entertainment Tonight, which is owned by CBS TV. The streaming service is free of charge, but supported by ads — meaning you’ll have to sit through ads just like traditional TV. Unlike the Entertainment Tonight television show, which runs for 30 minutes every weekday on CBS, ET Live will carry entertainment news 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This will include “breaking news, celebrity interviews, features, behind-the-scenes and red carpet coverage, plus trends stories across...

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10 scary podcasts to listen to in the dark

As podcasting has matured as a medium, it’s grown to cover almost every genre and style imaginable, from old-school tech talk and true crime, to sci-fi and sobering historical deep dives. It’s also proven extraordinarily adept at horror, with both fictional podcasts and real-life tales offering a variety of scares, chills, and unsettling encounters. Much like traditional radio dramas, there’s a distinct intimacy to the format, one that allows talented storytellers to unnerve audiences with nothing more than sound.

For Halloween, we’ve collected some of the best and scariest podcasts to grace our smartphones. They might be brand-new shows, or long-running classics, but like a great horror movie or novel, each and every one is practically...

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Smart scares for smart people

By now, filmmakers and game designers have jump-scares down to a science. All it takes to really startle an audience is a combination of unsettling music, a protagonist or avatar creeping up on something they probably shouldn’t approach, and a big blare of sound and something moving rapidly at the screen. The formula works just about every time, to the point where a painfully clunky horror movie like Rings can get away with startling audiences just by having an umbrella open up on-screen really, really loudly.

But good horror — the kind that gets in under the skin and really sticks with you over time — usually has a psychological element, some kind of hook that plays to real, personal fears. The best horror is intelligently constructed,...

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Alexa will tell you where you can vote and give real-time election updates

In the days leading up to the US midterm elections on November 6th, Amazon’s Alexa will be able to tell users information about voter registration deadlines, polling information, and give real-time election results. Following the election, Alexa will also be able to give more details on the outcome, including how many seats each party gained, and information on specific candidates.

Alexa will be sourcing its replies from a couple of different partners Amazon’s teamed up with. In the days before the election, Alexa will be offering information on voter registration deadlines, polling places and times, and ballot information from Ballotpedia, a nonprofit, nonpartisan digital encyclopedia. On Election Day, Alexa will be getting its...

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Car Thieves Love to Strike on Halloween

When you’re a kid, Halloween is about throwing off that winter coat your mother insists you wear over your costume and getting as much candy as possible. Halloween as an adult generally means getting drunk and spending Nov. 1 trying to remember where you left your car. Be especially mindful about that last bit because…

Thursday, 1 November 2018

Wednesday, 31 October 2018

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