Technology
By Flipboard News Desk | A curated selection of Technology news.
U.S. senators seek punishment if China's ZTE violates deal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican and Democratic U.S. senators introduced a bill on Tuesday that would reimpose sanctions on China’s ZTE Corp (0763.HK) (000063.SZ) if it does not fully comply with U.S. laws and an agreement with the Trump administration that ended stiff restrictions on the …
ChinaSenate passes Music Modernization Act
The House must approve the bill once again before it’s signed into law by President Trump<p>The US Senate has approved the Music Modernization Act of 2018, S.2334, with unanimous consent, bringing the first reform for music licensing in 20 years on the cusp of becoming law. The companion version in …
Donald TrumpWeWork Settles With New York, Drops Broad Employee Non-Compete Clauses
The shared-office rental company WeWork agreed to drop a blanket and broad non-compete agreement it required of its employees in a settlement with …
EmploymentApple shares its own iPhone XS review roundup, focusing entirely on the positives
Today was iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max review day – meaning the first reviews of Apple’s latest smartphones hit the web. As we noted this morning in our roundup, the story was pretty consistent among reviewers: a small update from the iPhone X, and it might be best to wait for the XR.<p>Now, Apple has …
TechnologyYouTube merges Gaming with main site after standalone app fails to impress
Google today announced it’s shuttering YouTube Gaming, replacing it with a page on the main site. The company is hoping that the Gaming page, while not very dissimilar to the Gaming site, will help bring more viewers and content creators together now that they aren’t being forced to shuffle between …
TechnologyThe sequel to HQ Trivia is a Wheel of Fortune-style word game
This one's for the word birds.<p><i>HQ Trivia</i> hit our phone screens around a year ago, promising us sweet cash money in exchange for our general knowledge skills. Since then it's kept up momentum, partnering with big name franchises and leveraging a social network-like model, in a bid to prove it's not …
TechnologyThe Gap Table: Women own just 9% of startup equity
Even bigger than the salary gap that sees women earn $.82 on the dollar is the equity gap. A new study from Carta and the ex-Twitter female investor group #Angels reveals that women make up 35 percent of startup equity-holding employees, yet own just 20 percent of the equity. That means they own …
Startups1% of wallets hold 55% of the world’s Bitcoin, research shows
More than half of the entire Bitcoin circulating supply is controlled by cryptocurrency whales, and 42 percent of them didn’t sell during peak crypto-mania.<p>Blockchain research unit Diar has put together some interesting data that suggests less than 1 percent of all wallet addresses control $100 …
CryptocurrencyCybersecurity firm: More Iran hacks as US sanctions loomed
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An Iranian government-aligned group of hackers launched a major campaign targeting Mideast energy firms and others ahead of U.S. sanctions on Iran, a cybersecurity firm said Tuesday, warning further attacks remain possible as America re-imposes others on …
U.S. PoliticsVankyo’s Leisure 410 LED projector is bright, brilliant, and budget-friendly
When it comes to purchasing a projector for your home theater there’s usually only one important question for consumers: How much do you have to spend? Because, typically, inexpensive projectors don’t perform well. The idea of, let’s say, a $99 projector that’s bright, clear, and capable of working …
Tech TrendsMCU heroes could get their own shows on Disney's streaming service
Variety reports stars from the movies would carry their roles over onto TV.<p>We still don't have an official name for the streaming service Disney is working on to compete with Netflix, but a new rumor from <i>Variety</i> suggests there will be plenty of Marvel content on it. According to the report, Disney …
TechnologyMicrosoft introduces HoloLens to businesses through Dynamics 365 apps
(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp announced on Tuesday new AI and mixed-reality applications for its Dynamics 365 online business software, putting to use its augmented-reality goggles HoloLens for businesses.<p>The additions to its cloud-based software came two years after HoloLens was launched.<p>The new AI …
TechnologyThere’s a new Fire TV Stick sale on Amazon, and it’s not just for Prime members
Amazon ran a sale for almost two weeks that dropped the price of the Fire TV Stick from $40 to $25 for Prime members. If you’re not a Prime member, …
TechnologyGoogle's prototype Chinese search engine links searches to phone numbers
Google’s secret prototype search engine for China reportedly links users’ mobile phone numbers to what search terms they’ve used.<p>This feature would allow the Chinese government to simply associate searches with individuals, thereby putting Chinese citizens at increased risk of government repression …
Human RightsAmazon helps others make accessories for Echo speakers
The Alexa Gadgets kit enables smart toys, chimes and more.<p>There aren't many Echo-oriented accessories beyond Amazon's own Echo Button, but that's about to change very shortly. Amazon has released a beta Alexa Gadgets Toolkit that lets hardware brands make Echo-focused Bluetooth accessories that …
TechnologyGet ready for Amazon’s Alexa in your microwave
Amazon wants you to have Alexa everywhere. A speaker in your living room, a screen in your kitchen for recipes, a smart home controller in your …
Living RoomsGoogle, Microsoft, and Amazon drool over Chinese AI market while Apple woos Trump
The US and Chinese governments have spent the last year setting the table for a trade war, but don’t tell big tech.<p>Apple’s looking pretty smug now that President Trump’s agreed to relax some of the impending tariffs on Chinese goods – specifically those that would have made it more expensive to …
Tim CookRobot jellyfish could save the world’s coral reefs
The world’s coral reefs are in dire need of some love. Global warming and ocean temperature spikes have left massive stretches of vital coral reefs …
TechnologyData61 partners with Hensoldt Cyber for defence systems cyber protection
Announced during D61+ LIVE, the partnership is expected to secure cyber-physical systems through Data61's seL4.<p>Data61, the innovation arm of the …
Cyber-attacksFacebook Accused of Allowing Bias Against Women in Job Ads
Facebook has been criticized in recent years over revelations that its technology allowed landlords to discriminate on the basis of race, and employers to discriminate on the basis of age. Now a group of job seekers is accusing Facebook of helping employers to exclude female candidates from …
TechnologyTesla under investigation by US justice department after Elon Musk tweets
More bad news is piling up for Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of the electronic car company Tesla. Tesla is now under investigation by the US justice department over statements the company and Musk made last month.<p>Bloomberg first reported the DoJ has opened a criminal inquiry into statements …
Technology (Australia)Google’s Work Insights helps businesses better understand how they work
At an event in Tokyo, Google today announced the launch of Work Insights, a new tool that gives businesses more insights into how their employees use the company’s G Suite productivity tools and how teams collaborate using those tools.<p>In addition, Google is also launching its investigation tool for …
G SuiteIt looks like Samsung’s foldable phone won’t have Gorilla Glass whenever it actually launches
At this point, we still don’t have a firm idea of when Samsung’s foldable so-called Galaxy F smartphone will finally arrive — whether it will land in …
TechnologyAttorney General blasts cryptocurrency exchanges
It's not just the hacks and outright scams that make cryptocurrency a risky investment.<p>According to a report from the office of the New York state …
New York StateOregon using Facebook to remind inactive voters to register
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — In this era of manipulators using social media to interfere in elections, Oregon officials moved Tuesday to use Facebook to bolster participation by reminding as many as hundreds of thousands of inactive voters to update their registration.<p>"Utilizing cutting-edge technologies to …
Social MediaResearchers find hints of Israeli spyware around globe
LONDON (AP) — Researchers say an increasingly notorious brand of Israeli surveillance software is being used further afield than previously known, with possible infections detected around the globe.<p>The internet watchdog Citizen Lab says it has used an internet survey technique to identify suspected …
TechnologyErectile pharmacy app Roman raises $88M to launch ‘quit smoking’ kit
Roman is a rocket ship, and I’m not talking about how it sells Viagra and Cialis. Less than a year after launching its cloud pharmacy for erectile dysfunction with $3 million in funding and a five-person team, Roman has grown to seventy team members and a revenue run-rate in the 10s of millions — …
StartupsGoogle Maps for CarPlay in iOS 12 is now available
Google Maps for CarPlay in iOS 12 is now available with version 5.0 out now on the App Store. Apple released iOS 12 just yesterday which enables third party maps apps to offer their own mapping data for CarPlay.<p>Google-owned Waze is also bringing CarPlay support in an upcoming update. Prior to …
Google MapsParts of a ‘Virtual’ Border Wall, Built With the Tech Behind Driverless Cars
DEL RIO, Tex. — In this tiny town at the edge of South Texas brush country, a black steel fence runs along the Mexican border. About 15 feet high and topped by small metal spires that bend toward Mexico, it stretches west from a Border Patrol checkpoint for about a mile and a half. Then it …
BusinessNest doorbell locks man out of his home after mistaking his Batman shirt for an intruder
One of Nest Hello's best features is it's ability to recognize strangers and lock the door, providing its users with a sense of safety and security. …
TechnologyThere’s no going back now: YouTube fully commits to vertical video with new ad format
If you weren’t sure about vertical video before, you can be sure about it now. Vertical videos aren’t going anywhere.<p>YouTube just announced last week …
Mobile DevicesShopify offers iOS 12's AR features to its 600,000 stores
The ecommerce platform is taking advantage of Apple's AR Quick Look features.<p>iOS 12 made a lot of strides in terms of augmented reality, thanks to the addition of features like AR Quick Look. This allows users to place 3D objects using AR, and now ecommerce platform Shopify is taking advantage of …
AppleRent the Runway opens physical store in San Francisco
Rent the Runway, the fashion startup that began as a rental service for special occasions and has since evolved over the last couple of years into a service for people also looking to spice up their everyday wear, just opened up its fifth physical, standalone location. The new location, in downtown …
StartupsIndigo Raises $250 Million to Bring Tech to Big Agriculture
Bacteria-based agriculture is starting to become big business. On Tuesday startup Indigo Ag Inc. announced it had raised $250 million from investors, …
OrganismsInstagram will use ads to help users register to vote
The company is partnering with TurboVote to help users get voter registration and polling location information<p>Today, Instagram announced that it’s starting a new campaign to help encourage users to register to vote, using ads in both users’ feeds and Stories to offer an easy link with information …
TechnologyReview: HP’s Chromebook x2 could convince me to go all-in on Chrome OS
Fans of the Pixelbook will want to check out this $599 detachable alternative.<p>As the public embraces Chrome OS, OEMs have begun to incorporate …
TechnologySamsung contest lets you ‘squad up’ w/ Ninja on Fortnite, 10,000 V-Bucks for Galaxy Note 9, Tab S4 buyers
Fortnite is on Android and Samsung has gone all out with promotions for the game. Today, the company is announcing a new contest with the game, as well as some new perks for Galaxy Note 9 and Tab S4 buyers…<p>Samsung has partnered with Fortnite’s biggest name, the popular streamer Tyler Blevins, known …
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