TECHNOLOGY AIM

Students earn points for every 20 minutes that they avoid picking up their phones. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2FekiT9

The data-transmitting device stores multiple payment card details and can send and receive messages. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2F8pOqv

The software uses machine-learning to create computer-generated versions of people's faces. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2t6YKmy

The firm says its public share price listing could see the firm valued at $23bn (£16.7bn). from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2EZJBsX

Red Hat has announced the addition of high-density storage capabilities to its in-memory data management technology. The company has expanded an alliance with Azul Systems to build on their prior collaboration to provide entitlements for Azul Zing with JBoss Data Grid subscriptions. The arrangement will help customers meet speed and volume needs for their big data environments. The design of Azul's Zing runtime for Java supports high-performance on-heap storage, making it well-suited for JBoss Data Grid deployments that feature large in-memory data sets. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2oBQdT8

Apple's plans to open a number of healthcare centers for its employees surfaced this week. Called the "AC Wellness Network," the centers will offer "a unique concierge-like healthcare experience for employees and their dependents," according to a website Apple set up for the initiative. Apple revealed more details about its healthcare venture at the Glassdoor job website. "AC Wellness is an independent medical practice exclusively dedicated to delivering Passionate, Compassionate, and Effective Healthcare to Apple employees and their families." from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2HSZpLV

The publisher of Little Things blames Facebook's algorithm changes for the lifestyle website's closure. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2FdnMW2

Create professional-looking movies and slideshows with this powerful video editing suite. There are a lot of reasons why someone needs to have powerful video editing tools at their fingertips. Whether it’s just a collection of photos and videos to blend into a seamless file for friends and family, or a presentation on a brand-new proprietary offering for a massive shareholder and press event –  having the right tools can produce a top-notch end result while having limited, weak tools can leave you looking pretty inept. Incorporate music, create text captions, apply visual effects, transitions and more, with Movavi Video Suite. Version 5.1.0 Fortunately, the team at Movavi has released yet another highly-powerful, but easy-to-use, suite of video editing tools in Movavi Video Suite . This library of products work together to create your video from your content, enhance it with all kinds of extra and professional-quality features, convert it to practically any file type you need...

The 200-store electronics retailer is unable to secure a sale of the business, its boss says. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BXDd2E

Sega removes a "preview" of its latest video game from the PlayStation download store after realising it gave some players access to the full game. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2GThuYJ

Google battles an individual who wants information about him removed from its search engine. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2HRnqTf

The scientist who won the Nobel Prize for his work with graphene worries about research funding. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2HTNJse

Ring makes doorbells that stream videos of people approaching or ringing the front door to phones. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2CNYfxf

China's Haier reveals a smartwatch that turns the back of the wearer's hand into a display. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2GMSjHq

Marie Farmer came up with the idea during her maternity leave, and it has now led to her quitting her job. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2GOZ8bm

It's common for Linux users to hop between distributions and survey the field, and I recently reached a point where I had to seriously rethink the one I was using most of the time. Between hardware compatibility issues with my old standby and some discouraging missteps with other go-to choices, I felt the time had come to reassess my pool of preferred distributions and repopulate it from scratch. As my journey progressed, I realized that as often as I've discussed the field of Linux-based systems, I had not addressed how to pick one out. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2CMvC3J

"From the consumer point of view, when you go shopping you have people who help you and service you, and you walk away happy," said FutureProof Retail President Di Di Chan. "What we're doing is bringing the online offline, to centralize that service. It's not just the top VIP shopper who can enjoy that experience -- everyone can. ... From a retail point of view, costs are increasing -- for goods, operations and service -- but prices can't be increased too much. The only way to make up for that is to have increased efficiency." from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2FCcIiK

Scammers used stolen credentials to publish and sell books. Identity theft can take on many different forms, depending on what the criminal does with the information. Someone’s stolen credentials could be used to open a new credit card, make a large purchase, seek medical care, or even get a job in order to avoid paying taxes or losing their government benefits. Other victims have reported that thieves used their data to apply for welfare benefits, unemployment benefits, or disability. Identity thieves have found an ingenious way to launder funds through authors’ accounts on Amazon, using stolen credentials to publish a book. Brian Krebs of Krebs on Security spoke with an author who only found out about the scam when he received a government tax document for over $20,000 in book sales for a book he never wrote or published. Anyone who suspects they are a victim should email Amazon via us1099@amazon.com Tax return One author received a 1099 form from Amazon in order to file his...

US senators say US border control hasn't been using the right software to verify e-passports. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2HQqjUn

The breach prompts a warning from privacy watchdog to secure CCTV cameras across UK. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2GNi6PE

US First Lady Melania Trump has been mocked online for her speech about 'positive' social media habits from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2CKLaET

Vodafone and Nokia lay out plans to put a 4G mobile network on the Moon in 2019. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2otVPzp

A firm which used big data to profile US voters has been questioned by MPs as part of fake news inquiry. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2CLzGkN

A new regulation set to be enforced in April 2018 will mean UK viewers have to prove their age to access porn sites. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2F6qDjA

Diners can leave a restaurant and their bill is paid automatically via an app, in a Barclaycard trial. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BSjFfR

A parade of drones has carried jewel-encrusted handbags down a catwalk in Milan. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2FzUkr1

The story behind the photo-sharing app that has suddenly reached the top of the App Store. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2EVkeIz

Huawei says the USA wants to keep the Chinese firm out of the country because it is "too strong". from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2ovKC1m

A phone with a modified version of Android designed to keep children safe has been revealed. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2owDvoG

Click meets the Oscar nominated visual effects team behind War for the Planet of the Apes. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2F12ZkU

A pair of smart shoes has been designed to let workers keep in touch via toe-tapped codes. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2oxApke

People posting extreme far-right and Islamist views were contacted in a bid to challenge their views. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2ouCMoR

Technology is helping musicians, bands and artists get a bigger share of the revenues from their work. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2ETbR05

Samsung has raised the curtain on the latest models of its flagship Galaxy smartphones, the S9 and S9+, featuring improved imaging and audio performance. Two standout features in the 12-megapixel rear-facing camera are improved low light performance and super slow-mo video. By adding dual aperture capabilities to the camera, Samsung has boosted the unit's performance in challenging lighting conditions, allowing more light through the lens when conditions are dark and less in bright light. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2BT6xHp

The shooting at the school in Florida was devastating, and it appears clear that Russia has been manipulating public opinion in the U.S. to stoke the flames of a divisive argument on guns. What is being missed is a brewing problem that potentially could have an even more devastating impact. Competing for our eyeballs is the news that the U.S. president kissed a woman without her permission. That story has served as a distraction from far more horrendous attacks against women in the tech industry and in government. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2ozPB0f

US officials were not informed about Spectre and Meltdown flaws before details leaked to the press. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BQTsOJ

Poor encryption blamed for access to user data. Tinder’s geographically-based social networking “meet new people” model is responsible for introducing the concept of swiping right to society, but it’s also credited with a new problem: cybersecurity. Specifically it’s one of a growing number of apps and platforms whose encryption has left a lot to be desired. Only last month, experts found that poor encryption allowed anyone with the proximity and the skill set to spy on your “swipes” and access both messages and images. Now, a researcher at Appsecure has discovered a security flaw that allowed him to completely takeover a Tinder account with just a phone number (a readily available piece of information that some social media users even list in their Facebook profiles). Anand Prakash discovered that Tinder’s vulnerability when combined with Facebook’s Auto Kit allowed him to actively takeover an account. Prakash reported both issues to the respective companies, and security patches ...

Peaceful protests by tax campaign group Attac can go ahead in Apple stores in France, a court rules. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2CnEYXT

A cyber-security firm says think tanks were "very aggressively" targeted by China-based groups last year. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BOxo7v

The networks' failure to tackle cyber-bullying is damaging youngsters' mental health, a survey finds. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2orhCYv

The networks' failure to tackle cyber-bullying is damaging youngsters' mental health, a survey finds. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2CJgKmJ

The court will hear arguments about whether data held by US companies overseas can be handed to police forces from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BSMd9h

US scientists develop sensors to allow doctors to follow their patients' progress away from the clinic. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2ou2mdN

The Xperia XZ2 vibrates in its user's hand in time with action in videos games and movies. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2FxiCBI

New flagship offers super slow-mo videos, less noisy low-light photos and animated selfie emojis. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BSaU5I

Nokia's new handsets include a strong steel-framed flagship and an update to an iconic slider. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BPxw6z

Smartphone sales are falling - could the fact they increasingly have similar designs be why? from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BMX4kO

New  Center for Humane Technology  created by former Google, Mozilla, and Nvidia leaders, aims to help ‘addicted users’.  “I don’t have a problem… I can stop anytime I want to…” Those words have become a part of the pop-culture vernacular, synonymous with a tongue-in-cheek point about overconsumption. And while a number of “addictions”– everything from coffee to This Is Us  — are nothing more than our favorite non-sacrifice, sometimes the most ordinary things can actually be considered obsessive. One much-debated addiction is technology. There are two ends of the spectrum, and a number of experts have weighed in at various points along the line. Is technology addiction real? Or is it a matter of self-centered behavior and a downright rude compulsion to look at a screen instead of your tablemate? Few people argue the veracity of internet pornography addictions or online gambling addictions, so is a social media addiction any less real, or less harmful? Everything ...

Conservatives on Twitter have been fulminating over their losses of followers measured in the thousands, a consequence of the network's unannounced lockout earlier this week of suspected bot accounts. Among those objecting to the move are some high-profile figures known for expressing extreme right-wing views, including Michael Flynn Jr., son of the disgraced former national security advisor to Donald Trump; white supremacist Richard Spencer; Infowars editor Paul Joseph Watson; and NRA TV host Dan Bongino. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2CDVeQe

German newspaper Bild am Sonntag has alleged that it has uncovered documents that purport to show that investigators in the US have found “several software functions that helped Daimler cars pass emissions tests”. According to the paper, Daimler has been using software that is very similar to that used by  Volkswagen  in the now infamous 2015 case in which VW ended up with massive fines, and loss of credibility and respect. The company is still involved in fighting several lawsuits around the globe for its own emission beating software fraud. For its part, Daimler has, unsurprisingly, played down the serious allegations made by the German paper, and have said that the US authorities were well aware of the allegations, but haven’t taken any action. Daimler has played down the allegations made by German paper, Bild am Sonntag Questions asked Bild am Sonntag also reported that the use of emissions test-beating software was widely known in Daimler, claiming that engineers...

Brave Software , the company behind the Brave Browser, has announced that it’s launching up to a million dollar referral program designed to reward online publishers and YouTube Creators. Brave is using the promotion in the hopes it will speed up adoption of the Brave Browser and grow its users base from its current 1.4 million active monthly users. For every successful referral, creators will receive Basic Attention Tokens, (BAT), worth approximately $5 each, but only after referral users use Brave on a regular basis for a whole month. The Brave referral program. Courage not a necessary prerequisite. Faster, more private The idea is that once new users try out Brave they will like it and find it a “faster, more private browser”, and keep it as their browser of choice. The process for creators is simple and straightforward. “They invite their users to download Brave (via Twitter, Facebook, links on their YouTube channels, or a campaign badge on their site) after activating the ...

The president said violence in video games had a big influence on how youths view the world from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BMLk1V

Concerns about time spent online are widespread, but knowing how much is 'OK' is difficult. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BIA1aK

BT must make it easier for rivals to use its telegraph poles to install fibre broadband, Ofcom says. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2GClE7g

The Endless OS is a distro with its own adapted desktop environment based on Gnome 3, and with an even simpler and more streamlined user experience. Although it looks and feels a lot like an Android shell running on a PC, Endless OS is a fully functional Linux distro designed to be easy to install and very simple to use. The latest version's features include automatic updates, improved launch speed for applications, and some Flatpak programs from the Flathub community repository rather than Endless' custom repository. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2sJfErm

Shares in Snapchat's owner sink after the reality TV star tweets her criticism of the messaging app. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2HFo4Dq

Uber has launched a new service that lowers ride-sharing costs for customers willing to walk to and from designated locations. Express Pool became available this week in several participating cities. Passengers must walk a short distance to a pickup intersection. They are then dropped off at another designated spot, close to their final destination. Customers appreciate the cost savings of normal ride-sharing, but many would like the benefits that come with having designated pickup and dropoff locations, said Uber spokesperson Kaitlin Durkosh. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2sJTFQZ

The US rocket company puts up two satellites to test technologies for a broadband mega-constellation. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2GBl5dS

A newly designed microchip will reduce the power consumption on public-key encryption devices by 99.75%, but increase speed by 500%, according to researchers at MIT. The Internet Of Things (IoT) may have been touted as a positive thing with lots of potential when it first came on the scene, but as anyone who regularly reads the news here on FileHippo.com, security has been something of an issue to say the least. (While admittedly many of the issues have been associated with users of IoT, but manufacturers and designers are not without blame either.) But security on IoT devices may have just been handed a new weapon by security researchers at MIT. They’ve built a new chip. Specifically, they’ve built a new chip that is hardwired to perform public key-encryption , but that only uses 1/400th of the power that software enabled public-key encryption uses. As well as that it only consumer about 10% of the memory, and runs 500 times faster than current equivalent software run encryption se...

Disney loses a bid to stop movie rental company Redbox from reselling download codes for its films. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2sHd70w

The Wembley Arena in London will host the next CS:GO Major Championship, one of the biggest eSports events in the world. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2F1nNMN

The UK's Treasury Committee has launched an investigation into the risks and rewards of digital money. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2ohY3Cd

One of the most vocal critics of AI quits the ethics board as Tesla utilises the technology. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BKZtN6

Jared Taylor's lawyer claims the suspension of his client's account is a form of Twitter censorship. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2ohATeZ

Players run their own fake news empire so they can learn how misinformation is spread. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2HBZjYN

A US rocket enthusiast is looking to blast himself into outer space to test an age-old theory. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2HxgLxr

More often than I'd care to admit, I feel the seconds, minutes, and hours of a day slip into the ether before I realize it's happening. When it's time for bed and I try to take stock of my day, it's difficult to recall exactly how I spent my time. As someone who would like to be more efficient and productive, I think Timeflip seems like a terrific way to keep track of where all that precious time goes. It's a 10-sided, die-like device that you simply turn to log the activity you're engaged in at a given time. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2CbJOHI

Suse recently entered an agreement to expand its relationship with Amazon Web Services, allowing Suse Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications to be sold directly on the AWS Marketplace. AWS customers that are running SAP workloads on Suse Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications -- a leading platform for SAP Hana and SAP S/4Hana -- will get integrated and streamlined support from AWS and Suse under the agreement. AWS customers will be able to buy the Suse Linux Enterprise on demand, so they will pay only for what they use. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2GxW3fA

Right-wing users claim their beliefs have been discriminated against by the crackdown. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BJ8JkT

Facebook dramatically loses lawsuit and could end up facing total fines of some $156,000,000 (100 million euro) if it continues to break the country’s privacy laws by tracking its users on third-party websites. The high profile case against the social-media giant was brought by Belgium’s privacy watchdog, who claimed that Facebook was acting illegally by tracking web users without their explicit consent even after they opened new webpages. The court based its verdict on evidence presented by the Belgium watchdog into Facebook’s use of tracking scripts, cookies, plugins, invisible pixels and Like buttons. Facebook have been fined for tracking anyone who uses their website and storing that information. Tracking data It is understood that Facebook had collected tracking information on everyone who used its website, regardless of whether they had an account or not. Anouk Devenyns, the judge in the case said: “The court has comes to the conclusion that Facebook does not inform...

Frank admission from White House on source of ransomware attack… Finally. In a shocking turn of events, the White House has formally acknowledged Russia’s role in the NotPetya malware attack that was responsible for astronomical financial and service losses. The very short and to-the-point statement issued seven months after the worm was unleashed intimates that the function of the attack, carried out by the Kremlin, was to further destabilize the tense situation in the Ukraine. What’s lacking from the statement, however, is any sort of mention that Russia was also targeting the US or American industry with this attack. That lack of direct acknowledgment speaks volumes about attitudes towards Russia, the Kremlin, and Putin himself, in light of the current presidential administration’s favorable view of Russia. So…many…captions…all of them libellous! (Photo by Carlos Barria) Sanctions Last year, Congress voted almost unanimously to impose sanctions against Russia for interferin...

The cuckoo only comes out once a millennium. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2CBONNn

Vivaldi could be the best internet browser most people have never heard of. And that’s hardly surprising, as in internet terms, it’s relatively new. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try it out. You really should, as it’s rather good. Vivaldi is a feature rich web browser that excels at customization, with an initial interface reminiscent of Opera and is based on the same Chromium based open-source platform that runs Chrome. This is a browser built from the ground up to deliver a distinctly individual user experience. Vivaldi looks great and is all about giving you the ability to cookie-cutter your browser whatever way you want Fast and customizable Vivaldi is fast, there’s no denying that fact; but then most browsers are pretty fast these days, so that’s not such a surprise. Where it comes into its own however, is the way it allows for distinct personalization, allowing you to setup and customize the interface of the browser to your own needs and desires. Customization...

A dog robot that can open doors has been taught a new skill: overcoming human interference. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2onHKml

Images of the firm's forthcoming flagship phone are revealed ahead of its Barcelona debut on Sunday. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2CcaVCn

Visionary Chinese company has released footage of manned test flights of its one-seater and two-seater vehicles. Jet packs, flying cars, self-cleaning houses… it was all supposed to be EPCOT-style wave of the future by now. And while companies have certainly made a lot of headway into those and other innovations, the 21st century is far from the futuristic visions we had for this era a few decades ago. One company is bringing some of those innovations to the table right now, though. Chinese company Ehang announced its passenger drones back in 2016, and now has released footage of manned test flights of its one-seater and two-seater vehicles. The 184 does contain controls, but the goal is far more like a self-driving car: get in, strap in, punch in (the selected flight path and destination). Ehang has successfully conducted manned test flights of its one-seater and two-seater vehicles. Game changer? Do we ever envision the day that everyone owns an Ehang 184 or two, using them t...

The company says that only internally used engineering test cars have been affected. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2EXJFIH

Within an hour of the shooting at a Florida High School, divisive messages began pouring out of Twitter accounts believed to be controlled by Russia. At a rapid speed, messages reportedly began flooding Twitter using popular hashtags to exploit the rampage by a lone gunman with an assault rifle at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Prior to the shooting, many of the same accounts had been focused on Special Counsel Robert Mueller III's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2onhZm8

Institutions that fail to report the results of drug trials will be named on a new website. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2ERJqz1

The Starling Jet is due to launch in six years time at a cost of £8m. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2Fi7gBF

MPs launch an inquiry into the impact of social media and screen-use on young people's health. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2Gul0bU

The emergence of a tech behemoth transforms its hometown. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2CarUoC

Woman notices her sister is suffering from a stroke while they spoke on a FaceTime call. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2EHOr9J

AI could be used by rogue states, criminals and terrorists for malicious purposes in the near future. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2oey52f

A survey found over half of 18-25 year olds were using the same password for lots of online services. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2EGW9B6

The visual effects team behind the film has been nominated for an Oscar. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2EGFrSl

The "Petro" is intended to help country's crumbling economy evade tough US sanctions. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2odYBsz

Russian bots are believed to have taken part in debate about gun control following Florida shootings. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2EW41SQ

An entrepreneur makes an app that lets her have conversations with a virtual version of a deceased friend. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2ol9Jmz

The vice-president of ads is criticised for tweeting Russian-bought ads were not designed to sway the US election. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2HxaHVG

Messages containing a letter from India's Telugu language caused devices to crash. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2ECgDyS

US firm's clients told to update their settings and lock down data before it is stolen. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2EHjAhX

Federal Communications Commission Chairman, Ajit Pai, is under investigation by the Comission’s own watchdog, but surprisingly enough, not over the dismantling of Net Neutrality Rules… Instead, the FCC Inspector General has launched an inquiry into a massive media deal that Ajit Pai helped to make possible, last year. According to a story in the New York Times , Pai vocally led the calls last April for his agency to raise the limits of television broadcasters, in relation to the number of stations they owned. The rules were changed , and a mere three weeks later, Sinclair Broadcasting announced a near $4 billion deal to take over Tribune Media, a move only made possible by the rule changes. The chairman of the FCC everybody. Landmark Last year, Sinclair Media’s CEO, Chris Ripley, called Ajit Pai’s relaxation of the media ownership rules a “landmark” development for both his company and the industry. The FCC and Justice Department are widely expected to approve the merger l...

More than 25% of local authorities had computer systems breached from 2013-17, campaigners say. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2FgCAk7

Campaigners say the law needs to change to make it easier for police to take action. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BDGG64

The 200-store electronics retailer hopes that a deal might be done as early as this week. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2FfCvNv

After addressing the topic of sexual harassment and misconduct in Silicon Valley last month, I finally got my hands on a copy of Brotopia , an eye-opening new book, and a lot of executives should be happy I did not pursue my career in law enforcement. Otherwise I would be working my butt off to get them off the streets behind bars. Everyone connected to tech should read this book. Specifically, for investors, it will give you insights into a level of extreme avoidable risk that has not been factored into the market -- at least not yet. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2EOwTw9

Facebook has admitted that is officially testing out a ‘ downvote’  button in a new system similar to the one that Reddit and other social media sites have been using for years. The ‘downvote’ option suddenly appeared in several users feeds last week in the comments section of posts within Facebook Memories and pre-selected Facebook groups. According to the DailyBeast.com (who were the first to break the story) a Facebook representative initially denied when questioned that the social media giant was testing anything whatsoever to do with a dislike or downvote button, despite the abundance of screen-shot evidence… before explaining exactly why it was testing the new feature… “We are not testing a dislike button. We are exploring a feature for people to give us feedback about comments on public page posts. This is running for a small set of people in the US. only”, said the representative. Facebook forced to reveal trial of new ‘downvote’ option, after years of saying it woul...

Apple, Cisco Systems and other big tech names disclose their plans. When the current US administration voted to enact a massive tax cut plan , a lot of people were outspoken about its shortcomings. The general theme seemed to be that it created more of the “trickle-down economics” that experts have warned simply doesn’t work. The average working person’s life won’t change in any way, while the owners of these massive corporations will benefit in the billions of dollars. In theory, the tax cuts are supposed to result in more money being given to the workers themselves. A few companies did provide some highly publicized Christmas bonuses, but even more companies announced massive layoffs instead. Just what will the tech giants do with these juicy tax cuts? IRS deal One tech giant, Apple, initially issued a statement to the effect that it would be bringing billions of dollars to the economy and hiring as many as 20,000 new US employees over the next five years. However, industry ex...

Matthew Falder blackmailed victims into sending sexual images that he then shared on the dark web. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2GsYOz0

The 70-storey tower would be 90% wood and have trees and other foliage on every level. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2sEO0vw

Investigations are launched after a helicopter reportedly crashed after swerving to avoid a consumer drone. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2Ffh5QL

People wishing to take out ads naming political candidates will be sent a verification code in the post. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2EQohVL

The government invites churches to let their spires be rented to improve the UK's mobile coverage. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2C3awlu

The named Russians are indicted along with three Russian companies by special counsel Robert Mueller. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2F9InYY

HTT has announced an agreement with an Ohio agency to launch a study on creating its first interstate hyperloop project in the U.S., connecting Chicago and Cleveland. The agreement with the Northern Ohio Area Coordinating Committee puts in motion a regional feasibility study, to be carried out in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Transportation. Various routes have been identified for the hyperloop service, which would operate a super high-speed system to accommodate transport at more than 700 miles per hour. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2sGx73J

School will be rebranded as Mary Jackson Elementary School in honor of NASA aeronautical engineer. Students at Jackson Elementary School in Salt Lake City, Utah, will have to learn to deal with a major change to their school’s name. It will now be known as… Jackson Elementary School. In a unanimous decision following gauging the interests of the community, the school board has voted to change the longtime name. This might seem like a non-issue to some, but the chance involves exactly which Jackson the school will be named after. Its original full name was Andrew Jackson Elementary School, but citing years of outcry over the character and actions of the former President, the school will be rebranded as Mary Jackson Elementary School in honor of NASA’s– and the country’s–first African-American female aeronautical engineer. Hidden figures Given more widespread recognition in the recent film Hidden Figures , Mary Jackson not only paved the way in the engineering field, she did so by u...

Facebook is ordered to stop tracking people without consent, by a court in Belgium. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2EudwVO

TfL considers women-only Uber Pool option from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2Evyrrg

The search giant will remove features from its image search to appease Getty Images. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2GkA7Vj

The controversial YouTube ‘star’ Logan Paul hasn’t done enough yet to deserve to be banned from YouTube, the video sharing site’s Chief Executive Officer has said. Logan Paul has been severely criticized in recent months for the content shown in videos he has created and shared on the site, but his actions have not been enough for him to be banned, said Susan Wojcicki, last week at Recode’s Code Media conference in Huntington Beach, California.  “We do terminate accounts all the time,’ she claimed. “We do have a three strikes rule, and if somebody violates three times, then we terminate those accounts,” she said. Logan Paul… A thousand words in one picture, and none of them good? You decide Controversial Paul has regularly courted a certain level of criticism for many of the videos he has posted. I n January, however many thought he went too far after he posted a video online showing the body of a man who had killed himself in a forest in Japan. The video received mi...