If you missed out on our exclusive Anker DashCam deal earlier this month, here’s another (slightly more complicated) chance to save.
Source: Gizmodo – Here’s Another Chance to Save On Anker’s Brand New DashCam
Monthly Archives: May 2017
US Interceptor Missile Successfully Intercepts Test ICBM, Says Pentagon
An anonymous reader writes: The Pentagon has confirmed that the U.S. interceptor missile it launched has successfully intercepted the test ICBM fired from the Marshall Islands. From an ABC News report detailing the intercept test: “The ground-based interceptor launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California shortly after 3:30 p.m. EST Tuesday. The U.S. will launch an ICBM-class target from the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, 4,200 miles away. If successful, the kill vehicle, or intercept, will collide with the ICBM test target midcourse over the Pacific Ocean later today. The ground-based interceptor system is mainly designed to counter a North Korean missile threat, but a U.S. official said Tuesday’s test has been planned for years and is coincidental to North Korea’s increased missile testing this year. This will be the 18th test of the ground-based interceptor. The last one, in June 2014, was the first success since 2008. The system is nine for 17 since 1999 with other types of target missiles. An ICBM target has never been tested before.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – US Interceptor Missile Successfully Intercepts Test ICBM, Says Pentagon
Essential Home is an Amazon Echo Competitor That 'Puts Privacy First'
In its bid to take on Apple, Google and Amazon, Essential has unveiled “Home,” a new intelligent assistant that it hopes owners will be proud to show off. From a report: Essential Home is the new intelligent assistant with round “auto-display” just announced by Andy Rubin’s new venture. It can be activated with a question, a tap, or even a “glance,” according to Essential, and it’s designed to never intrude upon the home. In that way Essential calls it “an entirely new type of product” but it mostly borrows ideas from existing products in an attempt to outdo them. Essential Home lets your control your music, ask general interest questions, set timers, and control your lights — capabilities we’ve seen from Google and Amazon — only Essential promises to do it better, somehow. It’s like Google Home or Amazon’s Echo series of assistants only without the “boxes, tubes, or strange lights.” It’s like Nest but it doesn’t try to make your home smart by anticipating your needs — it suggests certain behaviors instead. “In the end people decide,” says Essential. Earlier today, the company also announced the Essential Phone. Unlike the Essential Phone, however, much about the Essential Home is not know. It is expected to ship in a few months.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Essential Home is an Amazon Echo Competitor That ‘Puts Privacy First’
New Shadow Brokers 0-day subscription forces high-risk gamble on whitehats
Enlarge / Gambling. (credit: Jamie Adams)
The mysterious group that over the past nine months has leaked millions of dollars’ worth of advanced hacking tools developed by the National Security Agency said Tuesday it will release a new batch of tools to individuals who pay a $21,000 subscription fee. The plans, announced in a cryptographically signed post published Tuesday morning, are generating an intense moral dilemma for security professionals around the world.
On the one hand, the Shadow Brokers, as the person or group calls itself, has in the past released potent hacking tools into the wild, including two that were used to deliver the WCry ransomware worm that infected more than 200,000 computers in 150 countries. If the group releases similarly catastrophic exploits for Windows 10 or mainstream browsers, security professionals are arguably obligated to have access to them as soon as possible to ensure patches and exploit signatures are in place to prevent similar outbreaks. On the other hand, there’s something highly unsavory and arguably unethical about whitehats paying blackhats with a track record as dark as that of the Shadow Brokers.
“It certainly creates a moral issue for me,” Matthew Hickey, cofounder of security firm Hacker House, told Ars. “Endorsing criminal conduct by paying would be the wrong message to send. Equally, I think $21k is a small price to pay to avoid another WannaCry situation, and I am sure many of its victims would agree with that sentiment.”
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Source: Ars Technica – New Shadow Brokers 0-day subscription forces high-risk gamble on whitehats
Google Plans End To PNaCl Support In Favor Of WebAssembly
The Portable Native Client (PNaCl) ecosystem hasn’t been too vibrant for executing native code in web-browsers given its lack of adoption outside of Google/Chrome and other factors. With WebAssembly seeing much broader adoption and inroads, Google is planning to end PNaCl…
Source: Phoronix – Google Plans End To PNaCl Support In Favor Of WebAssembly
First Person Footage Of A Kiteboarder Flying From One Body Of Water To Another
This is some first-person footage of kiteboarder Sam Light (presumably Bud Light’s brother) flying around having the time of his life. It actually made kiteboarding look fun and easy, and not the terrifying, death-defying experience I’m sure it is in real life. Just like the cowboys of the wild west, I don’t want to die with my boots on, and definitely not with a board strapped to my feet. I want to die in my sleep like a normal person with a sleepwalking problem and a balcony door that doesn’t lock.
Keep going for the dizzying video.
Source: Geekologie – First Person Footage Of A Kiteboarder Flying From One Body Of Water To Another
This Teen Is Restoring the Showbiz Pizza Robots That Creeped You Out As a Kid
If you were a child of the ’80s, if there wasn’t a Chuck E. Cheese’s location in your town, odds are you celebrated a birthday or two at Showbiz Pizza while the animatronic band Rock-afire Explosion performed. To some, it’s a creepy memory they’d rather not revisit. But to others, it’s a piece of pop culture history…
Source: Gizmodo – This Teen Is Restoring the Showbiz Pizza Robots That Creeped You Out As a Kid
How to Tell Someone They Smell Bad
You’ve got problems, I’ve got advice. This advice isn’t sugar-coated—in fact, it’s sugar-free, and may even be a little bitter. Welcome to Tough Love.
Source: LifeHacker – How to Tell Someone They Smell Bad
Uber engineer Levandowski, accused of massive theft from Google, has been fired
Enlarge / Anthony Levandowski, VP of engineering at Uber, speaking to reporters at the Uber Advanced Technologies Center on September 13, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (credit: ANGELO MERENDINO/AFP/Getty Images)
The Uber engineer at the center of the company’s litigation with Waymo, Anthony Levandowski, has been fired.
Levandowski’s termination was made clear in an internal e-mail and reported earlier today by The New York Times. An Uber spokesperson confirmed the news to Ars Technica.
Google’s self-driving car division, Waymo, sued Uber in February, claiming that Levandowski downloaded more than 14,000 files while he was a Google employee, including trade secrets. Uber has not denied that Levandowski may have taken files but maintains that its self-driving car technology was built independently from the ground up. The company says Google’s files didn’t make their way to Uber.
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Source: Ars Technica – Uber engineer Levandowski, accused of massive theft from Google, has been fired
Keep Your Personal Data Out of Google Search
Google’s been making strides toward the creepy over the past few weeks. Last week the company figured out how to tie real-world credit card transactions to its own advertising network to further its ad platform effectiveness. This week, Google has started experimenting on some user’s search pages: they’ll take your…
Source: LifeHacker – Keep Your Personal Data Out of Google Search
Here's What It Looks Like to Get Attacked by a Bear
So you’re doing some hunting in Canada and all you have is a bow and arrow. And then, suddenly, a black bear appears in the distance and starts charging straight at your face. What do you do? You scream—scream and hope for the best.
Source: Gizmodo – Here’s What It Looks Like to Get Attacked by a Bear
World's First Working Emissive QLED Screen Unveiled
Samsung already has QLED screens out, but those evidently employ the lesser of two existing technologies: photoluminescent and electroluminescent. BOE’s new QLED screens utilize the latter, which is emissive, meaning that the sub-pixels light themselves and no backlight is required, making them similar to OLED. Electroluminescent QLEDs have some exclusive advantages such as better color gamut and cheaper production, however. Unfortunately, it will be at least five years until these “true” QLEDs take off.
Electroluminescent QLED is an emissive technology, like OLED and plasma before it. That means each sub-pixel generates its own light instead of relying on a backlight and is able to shut off completely. This results in ultra-deep black levels as well as an ability to display extremely sharp contrast transitions such as individual stars in a starfield without blooming and halo artifacts. The demonstration of a functional electroluminescent QLED is tremendous news for AV enthusiasts who are eagerly awaiting the next generation of flat panel TV technology. This flavor of QLED promises the same “infinite” contrast as OLED while offering (theoretical) advantages in terms of longevity, color gamut, and peak luminance.
Discussion
Source: [H]ardOCP – World’s First Working Emissive QLED Screen Unveiled
This Seven-Blade Razor Set Would Be a Great Father's Day Gift For $14
Dorco, the best deal in razor blades, is offering an insane discount on their seven-blade (yes, seven) Pace 7 razors today. Just use promo code KINJA530A at checkout, and you’ll get the handle and eight cartridges in a fancy gift box for $14, plus free shipping. Even if you don’t need it for yourself, this could make…
Source: Gizmodo – This Seven-Blade Razor Set Would Be a Great Father’s Day Gift For
Musings about Martin Holladay's Musings of an energy nerd (book review)
Everybody who designs or builds houses should read this book, but it needs a bit of an edit.
Source: TreeHugger – Musings about Martin Holladay’s Musings of an energy nerd (book review)
Uber Fires Executive Accused of Stealing Google's Self-Driving Car Secrets
According to The New York Times, Uber has fired Anthony Levandowski, the former head of its self-driving car project who is accused of stealing some 14,000 documents from Google’s Waymo and using that information as the technological basis for Uber’s self-driving cars. TechCrunch reports: During the court proceedings, Levandowski exercised his Fifth Amendment rights to avoid providing testimony or handing over evidence regarding his use of proprietary data from his time at Google. Uber had previously warned that Levandowski could face consequences for his lack of compliance with his employment requirements at the company. Uber confirmed via a spokesperson that Levandowski was terminated following months of the company attempting to have him comply with and assist its own internal investigation into the matter, and had set a clear deadline for him to do so. Uber also noted that Eric Meyhofer, who stepped in when Levandowski was removed from his role leading ATG in April, will continue to lead the team and take over Levandowski’s direct reports.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Uber Fires Executive Accused of Stealing Google’s Self-Driving Car Secrets
'Genital Jousting' takes its phallic silliness to the beach
If you didn’t think Devolver Digital’s Genital Jousting’s phallic gameplay was ridiculous enough, you’re in for a treat. The studio has released a Wet Hot Summer Update (what else would they call it?) for the title that adds season-appropriate modes…
Source: Engadget – ‘Genital Jousting’ takes its phallic silliness to the beach
Meet American Gods' Vulcan, an Old God Turned New
It’s to be expected that in adapting a book into a television show, some new characters are going to show up. On American Gods, Vulcan (Corbin Bernsen) is now in the very interesting position of being a old god who has found a way to glut his need for worship in America as, partially, a new god.
Source: Gizmodo – Meet American Gods’ Vulcan, an Old God Turned New
One In A Million: Very Impressive Paper Airplane Toss
I said one in a million in the title but the odds are actually probably better than that. Maybe one in a thousand, or even a hundred maybe — I don’t know, I suck at odds and still spend three-quarters of my paycheck playing Powerball. Still, the airplane toss is impressive. Plus the Youtube uploader added R. Kelly’s ‘I Believe I Can Fly’ as the soundtrack, turning a video that was already an 8 into an 11. Not all heroes wear capes.
Keep going for the video.
Source: Geekologie – One In A Million: Very Impressive Paper Airplane Toss
Canceled Halo Chronicles is finally detailed in epic Halo oral history
(credit: 343 Industries)
The Halo game series received its first-ever comprehensive oral history on Tuesday, courtesy of Waypoint contributor Steve Haske. The post includes a whopping 35,000 words on the series’ history told by 16 major members of the Bungie and Halo development teams.
It’s a juicy warts-and-all read, which I recommend whether you’re a Halo fan or not, but it also includes the most detail ever revealed about the biggest cancellations in the series’ history: the game Halo Chronicles and its attached Peter Jackson film.
Chronicles began life for Bungie as a contractual obligation, which former Bungie music producer Marty O’Donnell described as one of “three buckets” (the others being Halo 3 and Halo Reach). The game would go on to be co-produced by Jackson’s new video game studio, Wingnut Interactive, with key Bungie staffers helping with planning, writing, and prototyping.
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Source: Ars Technica – Canceled Halo Chronicles is finally detailed in epic Halo oral history
5 Useful Things to Do With Your Microwave That Aren't Nuking a Hot Pocket
Microwaves don’t have the best culinary reputation. We associate them with frozen convenience meals and bleak office lunch rooms That’s too bad, however, because the ol’ science oven can save you a lot of time and effort.
Source: LifeHacker – 5 Useful Things to Do With Your Microwave That Aren’t Nuking a Hot Pocket