Just in time for back to school season, Microsoft has made a few slick updates to Office 365, intended to help users get more out of their pen-based digital notes. Building on the beta launch of Windows Ink, OneNote has added new ink effects, a repla…
Source: Engadget – Microsoft OneNote can help solve your math homework
Monthly Archives: August 2016
Michigan mulling bill to allow driverless cars on public roads
A Google self-driving car. (credit: Google)
A Michigan senator has introduced a bill that would make it legal for driverless autonomous vehicles to roam the streets of his state. Tomorrow, a committee on economic development will hold a hearing to discuss the bill, which has support from both Democrats and Republicans in Michigan’s senate.
The bill would keep a lot of the autonomous research and development that’s going on in Michigan in the state, and it could bring in other companies seeking to test out their driverless cars without human operators at the steering wheel.
“I want to make sure we plant the flag here and we maintain the lead in terms of automotive research and development,” Mike Kowall, the Republican state senator who introduced the measure, told CNN Money.
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Source: Ars Technica – Michigan mulling bill to allow driverless cars on public roads
PlayStation Now Streaming Service Available On Windows PCs
Earlier this month, Sony announced PlayStation 3 games would be coming to Windows. Specifically, the company would be bringing its PlayStation Now game-streaming program to Windows PCs. Today, the service has officially launched and is available on Windows PCs. TechCrunch reports: “A 12-month subscription to PlayStation Now will run you $99.99 as part of a limited-time promotion to celebrate the PC launch. Normally, a PS Now subscription will run you more than double that. What does PlayStation Now actually provide? Access to a library of over 50 ‘Greatest Hits’ games, which include popular titles like Mafia II, Tom Raider: GOTY edition, Borderlands and Heavy Rain. There’s also over 100 console exclusives available to PC users for the first time, and a total library north of 400 games.” If you’re interested, you can download the app here. A USB adapter is set to go on sale September 6 that will allow you to use a DualShock 4 wireless controller with your PC.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – PlayStation Now Streaming Service Available On Windows PCs
Man Tries To Rob Convenience Store With Machete, Shopkeeper Produces Scimitar
In a clear case of life imitating art (in this case the “That’s not a knife” scene from Crocodile Dundee), this is a video of a guy trying to rob a convenience store with a machete, only to be thwarted by the storeowner, who produces a much larger scimitar and chases him out (previously: a shopkeeper with a machete scaring off a would-be robber with a gun and a man who successfully robbed a 7-11 with a Klingon sword). I’m not even sure he really needed the sword though, you’d think he could have whacked the guy with his giant balls. Cheers to you, Mr. Always Keep A Scimitar Behind The Register.
It’s weird, you’d think just swinging his balls at him would have been enough.
Source: Geekologie – Man Tries To Rob Convenience Store With Machete, Shopkeeper Produces Scimitar
I Played Battlefield 1's Beta, And Got Run Over By A Horse
Battlefield 1 is having a beta on the Playstation 4, Xbox One, and PC. For now, it’s available to Battlefield Insider members before opening to everyone else tomorrow morning, August 31th. I was very skeptical heading into things; the entire series feels tired and the World War One setting didn’t interest me. But after getting some time with the game, I’m cautiously optimistic.
Source: Kotaku – I Played Battlefield 1’s Beta, And Got Run Over By A Horse
Remains of the Day: Sonos Speakers to Get Voice Control With Amazon Echo
Sonos is opening up their speakers to work with Amazon Echo and Spotify. Starting next year, you’ll be able to control playback on Sonos speakers with voice commands through Alexa-enabled devices.
Source: LifeHacker – Remains of the Day: Sonos Speakers to Get Voice Control With Amazon Echo
More of Sierra's classic adventure games come to Steam
Sure, Sierra’s biggest adventure game titles (such as King’s Quest and Space Quest) have been around in their original forms on Steam for a while, but many gamers remember playing a lot more than that. What about arresting perps in Police Quest, or s…
Source: Engadget – More of Sierra’s classic adventure games come to Steam
Why We Can't Tell How Your Car Will Perform On That New Earth-Like Exoplanet
Recently, the scientific community was all excited because a new exoplanet was discovered, and this one is in the coveted “habitable zone” that makes real estate so valuable, and it’s even pretty close by! It’s called Proxima Centauri b, and I want to know how well my car is going to drive when I get it there. Sadly, we just can’t say yet.
Source: Gizmodo – Why We Can’t Tell How Your Car Will Perform On That New Earth-Like Exoplanet
Google Integrates Cast Into Chrome, No Extension Required
An anonymous reader writes from a report via VentureBeat: On Monday, Google announced Google Cast is now built right into Chrome, allowing anyone using the company’s browser to cast content to supported devices without having to install or configure anything. The Google Cast extension for Chrome, which launched in July 2013, is no longer required for casting. The report adds: “Here’s how it works. When you browse websites that are integrated with Cast, Chrome will now show you a Cast icon as long as you’re on the same network as a Cast device. With a couple of clicks, you can view the website content on your TV, listen to music on your speakers, and so on. In fact, Google today also integrated Hangouts with Google Cast: Signed-in users on Chrome 52 or higher can now use the ‘Cast…’ menu item from Chrome to share the contents of a browser tab or their entire desktop into a Hangout.” The support document details all the ways you you can use Google Cast with Chrome.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Google Integrates Cast Into Chrome, No Extension Required
Ever, Jane Will Bring Jane Austen's Wit To An MMORPG
Talking—and talking well—is the weapon of choice in the MMO Ever, Jane. In its open beta, the Jane Austen-themed game, not to be released for another year, brought me back to a time when graphics, game mechanics and avatar customization were secondary to how well virtual-world residents could write.
Source: Kotaku – Ever, Jane Will Bring Jane Austen’s Wit To An MMORPG
Four Things That Will Get Your Computer Use Monitored at Work
If you weren’t already aware, there are people in your company’s IT department that can see all if they need to. Most of the time, they’re busy with other things, but these four activities will likely put you under the microscope
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Source: LifeHacker – Four Things That Will Get Your Computer Use Monitored at Work
SETI researchers investigate an unusual signal
The hunt for alien life might have turned up something special. A Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence team using Russia’s RATAN-600 radio telecope (above) is investigating an unusually strong signal from a star 95 light years away, in the Hercu…
Source: Engadget – SETI researchers investigate an unusual signal
A New Doctor Strange Video Finally Gives Us Some More Insight Into the Villains
Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange is only about two months away, but we don’t really know much about the movie. This new video featurette provides a few more hints at what awaits us in November.
Source: io9 – A New Doctor Strange Video Finally Gives Us Some More Insight Into the Villains
It's now easier to create and customize Snapchat Geofilters
If you’re one to continually try out Snapchat’s On-Demand Geofilters to spruce up your snaps, starting today you’ll be able to edit and place themes and designs straight from within the On-Demand website before you purchase your Geofilter.
Source: Engadget – It’s now easier to create and customize Snapchat Geofilters
Deus Ex Gets Air Vents All Wrong, According To An Architect
The Deus Ex series is known for a lot of things: cyberpunk conspiracy intrigue, player choice, overcoming life’s cruel obstacles by stacking hella boxes, etc. But mainly, it’s known for air vents. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to understand how they work.
Source: Kotaku – Deus Ex Gets Air Vents All Wrong, According To An Architect
Well Hello There: Buckle-On Fashion Dinosaur Tails
These are the Tell Tails buckle-on dinosaur tails available from fashion retailer ASOS. They come in black (currently sold out) and green and cost around $40. They attach around your waist via an adjustable elastic strap and plastic buckle. Obviously I just bought one and have been staring at myself in the mirror for the last half hour. Not gonna lie, I’m feeling pretty sexy. “Put some pants on.” Dinosaurs don’t wear pants. “You’re not a dinosaur, just a creep drooling at himself in the mirror wearing a cheap dinosaur tail.” Now you wait just a minute — $40 isn’t cheap.
Keep going for a shot of the other color.
Source: Geekologie – Well Hello There: Buckle-On Fashion Dinosaur Tails
FBI Director Says Prolific Default Encryption Hurting Government Spying Efforts
SonicSpike quotes a report from ABC News: FBI Director James Comey warned again Tuesday about the bureau’s inability to access digital devices because of encryption and said investigators were collecting information about the challenge in preparation for an “adult conversation” next year. Widespread encryption built into smartphones is “making more and more of the room that we are charged to investigate dark,” Comey said in a cybersecurity symposium. The remarks reiterated points that Comey has made repeatedly in the last two years, before Congress and in other settings, about the growing collision between electronic privacy and national security. “The conversation we’ve been trying to have about this has dipped below public consciousness now, and that’s fine,” Comey said at a symposium organized by Symantec, a technology company. “Because what we want to do is collect information this year so that next year we can have an adult conversation in this country.” The American people, he said, have a reasonable expectation of privacy in private spaces — including houses, cars and electronic devices. But that right is not absolute when law enforcement has probable cause to believe that there’s evidence of a crime in one of those places, including a laptop or smartphone. “With good reason, the people of the United States — through judges and law enforcement — can invade our private spaces,” Comey said, adding that that “bargain” has been at the center of the country since its inception. He said it’s not the role of the FBI or tech companies to tell the American people how to live and govern themselves. “We need to understand in the FBI how is this exactly affecting our work, and then share that with folks,” Comey said, conceding the American people might ultimately decide that its privacy was more important than “that portion of the room being dark.” Comey made his remarks to the 2016 Symantec Government Symposium. The Daily Dot has another take on Comey’s remarks, which you can read here.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – FBI Director Says Prolific Default Encryption Hurting Government Spying Efforts
Reel out this solar-powered LED lighting solution for off-grid illumination & charging
This solar + battery + LED light combo aims to be the future of portable light & power.
Source: TreeHugger – Reel out this solar-powered LED lighting solution for off-grid illumination & charging
BitTorrent app once again linked to Mac malware
The developers of Transmission can’t catch a break. Just months after their BitTorrent app was linked to the first known instance of Mac ransomware, security researchers at ESET have pinpointed another form of malware taking advantage of Transmission…
Source: Engadget – BitTorrent app once again linked to Mac malware
The Same Microbe That Led to Black Death Also Caused a Huge Plague Centuries Before
Centuries before the Black Death decimated the population of Western Europe, an earlier plague epidemic took out over 50 million people (about 15 percent of the population) in the Byzantime empire. A team of German scientists has confirmed that the two plagues were caused by the same bacterium, albeit genetically different strains.
Source: Gizmodo – The Same Microbe That Led to Black Death Also Caused a Huge Plague Centuries Before