James Spellos
402 Added | 8 Magazines | 37 Likes | 4 Following | 66 Followers | @jspellos | Teacher of way cool tools.
How to navigate Facebook's privacy notifications and lock down your profile
Facebook has started asking users to go through their settings and make sure they're happy with the amount of data they are handing over.<p>That's thanks to a new European law called the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, which comes into effect on May 25.<p>That law makes it much harder for …
Social MediaRIP passwords: new web standard designed to replace login method
WebAuthn will eliminate need for passwords by moving to methods of authentication such as biometrics, says web standards controller<p>A new web standard is expected to kill passwords, meaning users will no longer have to remember difficult logins for each and every website or service they use.<p>The Web …
Information SystemsFoldable OLED display concept gives us a glimpse at the future of phones
Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) has shown off a foldable AMOLED display prototype, the likes of which we could see in upcoming folding phones.<p>The prototype appears in a short video (via <i>oled-info</i>) and while it’s clear that it’s far from a finished product, ITRI says the …
MobileThis new privacy tool would speed up your internet, too
It's no joke how much data your internet service provider can collect about you. A new service from Cloudflare aims to change that.<p>These days, you may wish you had a magic switch you could flip to keep your data more secure.<p>The misuse of Facebook user data by Cambridge Analytica is only the latest …
Privacy11 Tell-Tale Signs Your Accounts and Devices Have Been Hacked
No one likes getting hacked, and it’s generally true that the quicker you can spot something has gone awry, the better your chances of minimizing the …
Information SystemsFacebook's new privacy tools let you scrub your data, for real
Still reeling from the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook will let you delete anything from your profile or timeline and end Facebook's use of that data.<p>If you didn't care about Facebook privacy two weeks ago, you probably do now.<p>The social network has come under a hailstorm of criticism after …
Social MediaThe web will soon be a little safer with the approval of this new security standard
Hear that? It’s almost as if thousands of spooks and hackers suddenly cried out at once… The Internet Engineers Task Force has just unanimously approved a security framework that will make encrypted connections on the web faster and more resistant to snooping.<p>It’s called Transport Layer Security …
EncryptionBen is a chatbot that lets you learn about and buy Bitcoin
It’s generally a given that whenever a new technology takes off people rush into the space to build everything under the sun, and eventually natural selection kicks in and only the truly useful remain. For example, chatbots became trendy last year and we quickly began seeing chatbots for weather, …
Bitcoin CashMoviePass CEO formally apologizes for controversial location-tracking comments
‘At MoviePass, we take customer privacy extremely seriously’<p>MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe has issued an open letter apologizing for the comments he made about tracking customers’ locations earlier this month. “First and foremost, I apologize for these comments and the concern they caused. At MoviePass, …
MoviePassMcAfee reports surge in healthcare, fileless malware, and cryptocurrency mining attacks
Cybersecuirty firm McAfee is recording about 478 new cyber threats every minute, and the latest surge in attacks comes in the form of healthcare fraud, fileless malware, and cryptocurrency mining.<p>McAfee Labs’ Threat Report for March reveals a 211 percent increase in disclosed security incidents …
Uber’s self-driving trucks are now moving freight across Arizona
We’ve long known that Uber is working on developing a self-driving truck. What we didn’t know is that it’s already operating a commercial service …
Driverless CarsWaymo's new 360-degree video uses incredible visuals to explain how its self-driving tech works
By now, most of you have probably know of Waymo, Google's (or should I say Alphabet's) self-driving tech company. You probably also know that …
5 wearable notification devices that will make life so much better
Heads up: All products featured here are selected by Mashable's commerce team and meet our rigorous standards for awesomeness. If you buy something, …
Jarrod Dicker on what the blockchain can do for news
<b>For journalists</b> who are also into new technology, Jarrod Dicker has a pretty compelling CV: He was the head of product management at Huffington Post, …
Virtual reality is poised for big business-to-business sales
Why is the allure of virtual reality in the enterprise becoming increasingly difficult to resist for many marketers? Are there real-world use cases in business-to-business (B2B) marketing today, and will these translate into sales venues any time soon?<p>While some companies are active in VR and AR in …
VR browsers are key to a more immersive web
Last month I covered what an eventful year 2017 was for the WebVR industry and also dug deeper in distinguishing between the two types of WebVR browsers, namely “WebVR-ready” versus “VR-first” browsers, that are enabling navigation for the immersive web in their own peculiar way. I also offered a …
This is Google Chrome’s built-in ad blocker and how it works, launching February 15
Google announced last year that Chrome would incorporate an ad blocker in order to improve the browsing experience on the web. Ahead of its launch tomorrow, the company has shared some of its technical details, as well as the UI ends users will see.<p>Ads will be blocked according to the Better Ads …
Every type of AR and VR explained, from Rift to HoloLens and beyond
It's only really in the last couple of years that consumer technology has really been troubled by the terms augmented reality (AR) and virtual …
WebVR is becoming WebXR to make a simple, unified framework for all devices
WebVR being a game-changer for the VR industry is a message that I’ve been eager to spread for the past couple of years. The JavaScript API that enables you to load VR experiences on your browser enjoys all the benefits that the open web has to offer an emerging tech (like no friction or walled …
Supermedium launches its virtual reality web browser backed by Y Combinator
Virtual reality’s content problem has been so frustrating for users because the medium’s promise has been that it can take users anywhere. As developers continue to build up these worlds, Supermedium is launching out of Y Combinator’s winter batch with a browser that it hopes can show people the …
Virtual RealityAlphabet launches new cybersecurity company, Chronicle, out of its X moonshot factory
Alphabet, the company you probably still wrongly refer to as “Google,” today announced the launch of Chronicle, a new cybersecurity company that aims to give companies a better chance at detecting and fighting off hackers. Chronicle is graduating out of Alphabet’s X moonshot group and is now a …
MoonSweden could be the first economy to introduce its own cryptocurrency, called the e-krona
Sweden's central bank, the Riksbank, is spearheading international cooperation on the development of officially sanctioned cryptocurrencies and could be the first to launch its own, according to a note from analysts at HSBC.<p>HSBC economist James Pomeroy sent a note to clients this week titled …
Central BanksThis ring lets you bend musical notes on a keyboard with a wave of your hand
We saw a small mountain of cool stuff at CES this week, but this one is still on my mind a few days later.<p>It’s a ring you wear while playing a MIDI keyboard. By wavering your hand or sliding your fingers up the keys, you can change the vibrato or intensity of your notes. It’s an effect perhaps best …
Electric Guitar5 ransomware detection programs that prevent data loss
Planning a proactive defense against ransomware is easier than attempting to recover after it strikes. Learn about security utilities for detecting …
RansomwareSamsung foldable smartphone production to start in November? [Update]
×<b>Update:</b> According to the Korea Herald, Samsung’s mobile chief Koh Dong-jin took a step back from the remarks he did at CES regarding foldable phones …
MobileAmazon introduces paid subscriptions for Alexa skills
After grabbing 70 percent of the voice-controlled speaker market, Amazon says it’s now opening up a way for third-party developers to make money from their voice apps, known as skills, on its Alexa platform. The company announced it has introduced the ability for customers to access premium …
Smart HomesMagic Leap finally unveils augmented reality goggles, says it’s shipping next year
After more than three years, Magic Leap has unveiled what it describes as a “creator edition” of its augmented reality system. The Magic Leap One consists of a pair of oversized cyberpunk-y goggles, a puck-shaped external computer called a Lightpack, and a handheld controller. It’s supposed to …
Augmented RealityHow to Reclaim Your Digital Privacy From Online Tracking
<i>In our new series</i> Getting It<i>, we’ll give you all you need to know to get started with and excel at a wide range of technology, both on and offline.</i> …
Princeton University