TECHNOLOGY AIM

The device designed to capture your dreams and offer more creative waking lives. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2MCg33M

Nissan is accused of exaggerating the benefits of its latest Leaf electric car model. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2Kxj30F

A lapsed gamer is challenged to spend a fortnight playing Fortnite to understand its appeal. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2Myy5nq

The smart software will help media groups debunk fake news and respond to reports of violence. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2N9tWrr

Peppermint 9 accomplishes something most other Linux distros don't: It melds the best components from other desktop environments and integrates them into a solid operating system. The latest release nearly completes a process begun several upgrades ago, using more Xfce elements and fewer LXDE components. Peppermint is a good alternative to the Linux Mint Xfce release with a sprinkling of Cinnamon to spice up the desktop a bit more. Peppermint also uses Ice -- a cloud and Web application management tool. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2lFd5Aa

The retailer is testing whether shoppers can buy products using an app, rather than visiting a till. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2ySumz1

Facebook has announced the end of plans to build drones that could give sustained and stable internet access to the developing world. The ‘Aquila’ Internet Drone Project has been grounded, ending Facebook’s plans to build a network of high-altitude solar-powered drones in the skies that could have given sustained and stable internet access to the developing world.  Facebook broke the news in a blog post earlier this week, saying that while the company was still committed to the original goal of bringing more people online, it would instead rely on other companies to build aircraft, and stop building its own from the projects base in the United Kingdom. The now grounded Aquila drone in flight: The wingspan exceeds that of a Boeing 737… Lofty Goals Facebook had originally intended to construct an entire fleet of Aquila drones, and provide Internet access to some four billion people around the world who currently have no internet access, or limited connectivity. “No one has ev...

Facebook and Google have manipulated users into sharing data using so-called "dark patterns," according to a report from the Norwegian Consumer Council. The practices nudged users toward accepting privacy options that favored the tech companies rather than themselves, the NCC found. Facebook and Google have no intention of providing users with an actual choice, the NCC has claimed, and their use of dark patterns constitutes a violation of the General Data Protection Regulation implemented across Europe last month. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2Mvumae

The US law is hitting the people it was supposed to protect, argue digital rights campaigners. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2KxBrKe

The ball-shaped robot that can move around in zero gravity blasts off to the International Space Station. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2KBqDed

Ryde Technologies says 2,000 "phantom bookings" have cost its drivers thousands of dollars. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2IAYoXC

Consumer watchdog the Norwegian Consumer Council says the firms give users "an illusion of control". from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2IzLCZP

British appeal court judge rules that London based Uber cars and their drivers can continue to stay on the road – for now, anyway. Uber has won its appeal against a Transport For London (TFL) decision not to renew the ride-sharing company’s license in the United Kingdom capital. Uber has been given 15 months to prove it can be trusted over safety concerns in London. However, in what could be seen as a win for both Uber and TFL, Uber has only been given a probationary 15-month license to operate in London. Earlier in the hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, the company admitted the original decision not to renew its license was correct but claimed it has since made “substantial changes” in how it conducts its business. Uber has been given 15 months to prove it can be trusted over safety concerns in London Uber no longer in proper ‘botha’ Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot, in making the ruling said that Uber were a ‘fit and proper’ transport service. Uber lost its operat...

Digital bank Monzo claims it warned Ticketmaster that data had been compromised three months ago. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2ICBBuC

The clip of baby Holden, now aged 12, has been viewed more than 1.9 million times. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2lGwQHi

The new mode, called Playground, let players practise their skills in the popular video game Fortnite. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2Kth6lV

Technology entrepreneur engages in a fresh Twitter argument over pottery of a mythical animal. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2ySaDje

India's vast engineering workforce and burgeoning start-up scene are among the advantages it enjoys. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2yM89Tp

The rapper and his business partner Jimmy Iovine lose a case over headphone royalties. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2ICczMa

Up to 40,000 UK customers may have had data stolen, the BBC understands. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2lF1alT

Network devices with better security will be hitting the market this year, thanks to Wi-Fi Certified WPA3, which the Wi-Fi Alliance launched Tuesday. The announcement paves the way for the proliferation of devices that support the new, more secure protocol for WiFi communication, which is designed to replace the 14-year-old WPA2. The new protocol adds features to simplify WiFi security, enable more robust authentication, and deliver increased cryptographic strength for highly sensitive data markets. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2ItdBdv

John McAfee, the eccentric founder of McAfee Security products has said that he has survived an alleged attempt by “enemies” to kill him by using poison. According to his own Twitter feed, the technology pioneer, known for his increasingly bizarre behavior and serious allegations regarding the death of his neighbor in Belize, among others, shared images of himself purportedly lying in a hospital bed recovering from his ordeal. A recent picture of John McAfee, apparently in happier times…. Poisoned? According to the man himself he was. In a startling series of tweets , McAfee said his alleged poisoners were “incompetent enemies” Mr McAfee told The Independent Newspaper last recently that he was living in fear of his life. “My enemies ma[n]aged to spike something that i ingested. However, I am more difficult to kill than anyone can possibly imagine. I am back…I apologise for my three day absence but I was unconscious for two days at the Vidant Medical Centre in North Carolina an...

Swann Security acknowledges it sent clips from inside a family's home to the wrong person's app. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2tHAlkr

Computing 1980s-style is to be shown off in BBC archive intended to inspire new generation of coders. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2yN7XDl

With all the options for VPNs it can be tough to pick just one, so we’ve narrowed it down to the top five. In the current climate of ever-present hacking threats, record-setting numbers of data breaches, and outright privacy blunders by some of our most trusted platforms (looking at you, Facebook), using a virtual private network, or VPN, just makes sense. Combined with the fact that many platforms offer freemium models, there’s no reason not to deploy a VPN, even if you only use it for your most sensitive activity like online banking or sharing work files with a colleague. Why do I need a VPN? Of course, VPNs aren’t just about security , although that’s one of the most enticing features. They also allow you to choose where your connection begins, which is a huge plus for accessing content that is perfectly legal back home but blocked while you’re abroad. In light of the attacks on net neutrality in the US, we can expect to see a logical increase in VPN use as consumers try to acce...

The girl's mother shot the man after he smashed his way into their house with a brick, police say. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2MZTM0U

The taxi hailing firm has been granted a 15-month licence to operate in the capital. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2N23NKY

Millions of scam sites use characters that look like English letters, research into international domains reveals. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2KqihCR

Apple plans to expand its audio product line next year with new AirPods, HomePods and possibly studio-quality over-the-ear headphones. The new generation of AirPods will feature noise cancellation, be water resistant, and have greater range, according to a report citing people familiar with the developments. "If Apple is making those changes, they're just competitive upgrades," said Paul Erickson, a senior analyst with IHS Markit. "Everybody else is already doing those things for earbuds in the $150 to $200 price range." from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2yJOsLV

Neo Nazis and other closely associated extremists surge to Google Plus with some ‘plus’ communities having hundreds or thousands of followers in their circles. At least somebody’s still using it? News has emerged this week, that following a severe crackdown by mainstream social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter,  Neo-Nazis and other extremist groups have found a new home in Google’s own social media attempt to rival to Facebook, Google Plus. The move follows in the wake of last year’s purge and exodus on extremist content and groups that posted and shared hate speech, and racist rhetoric, in the aftermath of the Chalottesville protests in Virginia, USA. At the ‘Unite the Right’ rally, a protester was killed by a car driven into a crowd by a right-wing supporter. The same level of scrutiny wasn’t levelled at Google Plus however. According to the UK Independent newspaper ’s coverage of the story, “Google acknowledged the issue by saying it had “more to do” in order to p...

3 free alternatives to Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp that take privacy seriously. Matters of data privacy and consent to the use of personal information on messaging and social media platforms have been very much in the news, lately, following the involvement of Facebook in the scandal with Cambridge Analytica. During that affair, initial reports suggested personal information from around 50 million Americans and at least one million UK users was harvested through various channels from Facebook, and then shared illicitly with US-based data management firm Cambridge Analytica. The final tally of victims has since been confirmed at over 87 million users worldwide. Data gathered from Facebook via a personality app developed by Cambridge University researcher Aleksandr Kogan drew information about Facebook users and their friends including their activities, locations, check-ins, photographs, likes, politics, religion, and relationship status. Whistle-blower Christopher Wylie disclos...

The team was close to qualifying for a lucrative tournament when it was hit with the ban. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2Mq55ye

Major outlets including the LA Times and the New York Daily News remain inaccessible to Europeans, a month after GDPR came into effect. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2KoWgHw

Voters "need to know who is targeting them and how", the Electoral Commission says. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2K85h8E

Neo Nazis and other closely associated extremists surge to Google Plus with some ‘plus’ communities having hundreds or thousands of followers in their circles. At least somebody’s still using it? News has emerged this week, that following a severe crackdown by mainstream social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter,  Neo-Nazis and other extremist groups have found a new home in Google’s own social media attempt to rival to Facebook, Google Plus. The move follows in the wake of last year’s purge and exodus on extremist content and groups that posted and shared hate speech, and racist rhetoric, in the aftermath of the Chalottesville protests in Virginia, USA. At the ‘Unite the Right’ rally, a protester was killed by a car driven into a crowd by a right-wing supporter. The same level of scrutiny wasn’t levelled at Google Plus however. According to the UK Independent newspaper ’s coverage of the story, “Google acknowledged the issue by saying it had “more to do” in order to p...

3 free alternatives to Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp that take privacy seriously. Matters of data privacy and consent to the use of personal information on messaging and social media platforms have been very much in the news, lately, following the involvement of Facebook in the scandal with Cambridge Analytica. During that affair, initial reports suggested personal information from around 50 million Americans and at least one million UK users was harvested through various channels from Facebook, and then shared illicitly with US-based data management firm Cambridge Analytica. The final tally of victims has since been confirmed at over 87 million users worldwide. Data gathered from Facebook via a personality app developed by Cambridge University researcher Aleksandr Kogan drew information about Facebook users and their friends including their activities, locations, check-ins, photographs, likes, politics, religion, and relationship status. Whistle-blower Christopher Wylie disclos...

Wimbledon and IBM are using artificial intelligence systems to automatically edit the tennis action. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2lvZefk

IBM just showcased Project Debater, and it just won against a top human debater using actual facts. We need the production version of this tool yesterday. Fake news is getting worse. We have always had issues with politicians and con artists trying to convince us down is up and to get us to do things that, were we informed, we'd never do. It won't be long before criminals will be using artificial intelligence tied to information they have bought from a social network to better take our hard-earned cash from us or change our government. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2tD92aW

However, the company warned that no piece of technology can provide a foolproof verification system. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2yGcV4Z

Tana Mongeau's TanaCon event had to be shut down when too many people turned up. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2K67Ojz

The restaurant's action against President Trump's press secretary kicked off a battle on its review page from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2MVD2rm

The Westworld game is a "rip-off" of the Fallout Shelter title, alleges Bethesda in its legal papers from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2txef40

Privacy campaigners say 5.1 million Britons have had their voices stored without permission. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2txYqKA

A court will decide if the taxi app firm is "fit and proper" to hold a licence to operate in the capital. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2KekxwG

Music played on YouTube will finally be included in the Top 40, the Official Charts Company says. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2Kla0QB

Stewart Butterfield's life as a Silicon Valley heavyweight is a world removed from his upbringing on a commune in remove Canada. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2MWgZ40

Europe’s new rules on data have had a devastating effect on businesses that rely on email marketing, according to a new report just published by CNBC. The European Union’s new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) hasn’t even been in effect for a month, but according to the newly published research the advent of GDPR is killing the email marketing game, as much as anything because consumers haven’t been opening the emails that ask them to stay opted in to continue receiving further correspondence. Worryingly for email marketing as a whole, (but not the people who receive the emails), GDPR is having an effect worldwide,  CNBC reported that up to 38% of Americans have ignored emails outright, with a large proportion of consumers using them as a chance to unsubscribe from email lists without any effort on their part. The European Union’s new General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, went into effect on May 25 Large email lists have in recent years been turned into asset...

Facebook has announced new tactics to reduce the spread of fake news. Its efforts will include combining technology with human reviewers to identify and remove fake accounts; partnering with fact-checkers; and promoting news literacy. Facebook will expand its fact-checking programs to new countries, scrutinize photos and videos more closely, and increase the impact of fact-checking through new techniques that could include identifying duplicates and using Claim Review. It will monitor repeat offenders more closely and take actions as necessary. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2tlIKdY

The site will let video-makers charge fans a monthly fee for exclusive content. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2yzfJk1

The police report suggests the safety operator was streaming The Voice just before a fatal collision. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2tsH8yo

Adding or removing the colour cyan can have an impact on sleep, according to biologists. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2yseiE2

The Linux Foundation's 2018 Open Source Technology Jobs Report shows rapid growth in the demand for open source technical talent, with Linux skills a must-have requirement for entry-level positions. Linux coding is the most sought-after open source skill. Linux-based container technology is a close second. The report provides an overview of open source career trends, factors motivating professionals in the industry, and ways employers attract and retain qualified talent. This year's report features data from more than 750 hiring managers. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2Ia26HR

Google, Apple, Facebook, Uber, Airbnb, Lyft, Tesla, and YouTube are among those weighing in. When it comes to the political sphere, the business sector plays an obvious role. After all, the decisions made in the halls of government have an impact on the ways businesses operate. But several tech firms are inserting themselves in a new issue simply for the humanity–or lack thereof–behind it. For those unfamiliar, the US government has instituted a zero-tolerance policy on foreigners entering the southern border of the country with children. There’s a lot of confusion online, much of it on both sides of the issue: yes, the policy that allows the government to separate children from their parents is several presidential administrations old, but was established to fight the epidemic of human trafficking. Image courtesy of Council on Foreign Relations The current administration has admitted that the new 100% enforcement of this policy–to take every child away from every person attempt...

When a machine decided Ibrahim Diallo no longer worked at his office there was little any human could do. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2K9FV9C

The company says Brian Krzanich is leaving because of "a violation of Intel's non-fraternisation policy". from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2lpK8b8

Amazon's latest gambit for taking over your living room is the Fire TV Cube. It works in much the same way as the Fire TV stick, but with the added impact this time around of stuffing in a smart speaker with the familiar tones of the Alexa voice assistant. You can use it to play whatever you want to see in up to 4K resolution from various streaming services. All the usual suspects are here, like Netflix and HBO Go, but sadly, there's no native YouTube app, thanks to a tiff between Amazon and Google. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2MJbKEM

Big brands including Sony and Uniqlo had worked with Daryl Aiden Yow because of his online fame. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2tmikcn

Security experts warns the fake apps look realistic but in fact only make money for scammers. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2M7Xowy

There are "no plans" for virtual reality on Xbox One X after all, Microsoft confirms. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2lkGcse

Burger King offering a reward to women who get pregnant by players adds to wave of sexism. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2K1nfW9

Perhaps the better question is: Is it time to switch back to Firefox? One of our staff members takes the plunge and uses Firefox Quantum for a month to see what all the fuss is about. If you’ve never used Firefox before, or you jumped ship to another browser in the last few years, then Firefox Quantum is well worth downloading and installing. It’s fast, privacy oriented, endlessly customisable, easy to use, easy on the battery, and in many respects is better than its main competitor, Chrome.  It’s also packed with well thought out and helpful features. Firefox Quantum: Better than Chome? We think so Chrome may have just lost its sparkle Google’s Chrome may be the world’s most popular web browser, but it might be time to admit that just because Chrome is the biggest browser out there, doesn’t mean it’s the best, anymore. It may be hard to believe now, but anyone who can remember the web back in 2010 will remember that Mozilla’s Firefox was a pretty big player. Back then, it ...

The World Cup 4K HDR trial is being extended to Wimbledon - Sky Q viewers will also benefit. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2I7Wyxq

Scientists are celebrating the birth 70 years ago of a machine that kick-started the modern computer age. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2ti13kg

In an exclusive interview with Newsbeat its boss says: "We want to make sure we're a positive force". from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2K4utbW

The RemoveDebris satellite will trial technologies for snaring broken hardware drifting in orbit. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2JVh6z7

IGTV allows users to create long-form videos in portrait mode that can be up to an hour long. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2lnI0Ru

Tesla says it has suffered "significant" damages as a result of the alleged theft. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2K72g7B

Some logistics and mobility industry heavyweights have formed a group committed to improving the lives and opportunities of working Americans through adoption of autonomous vehicles. Its roster includes the American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota Motor North America, Uber and Waymo. "Our autonomous vehicle future will bring many significant benefits for society, but we also must remember that it may change the way many of us work," said PTIO Executive Director Maureen Westphal. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2M7ARQt

“Don’t read the comments… don’t read the comments…” By and large, the comments section of most news, videos, or social media posts can easily devolve into a cesspool of anti-humanity. However, one aspect to leaving an opinion online can actually serve a purpose for other users: online reviews. All reported fraud and comment-padding aside, sites like Yelp and Amazon have been very helpful to other consumers. They give the public the option to remain informed before making a purchase or giving a business their patronage. Unfortunately, too often, the only comments come from those who’ve had a bad experience, as far too many people don’t take the time to leave a positive note. Facebook, which makes a lot of money selling advertising space to third-parties and injecting those ads into your news feed, has announced a new plan to curb some companies who fail to live up to standards. Third-parties that pay for ads on Facebook can have their ads removed if consumers who’ve clicked through ...