headline
stringlengths 8
699
| content
stringlengths 43
1.82k
| category
class label 5
classes |
|---|---|---|
OpenAI: Look at our awesome image generator! Google: Hold my Shiba Inu | Google Research has published a paper on a text-to-image AI called Imagen. The model takes a text input to generate a small image, then it does two super-resolution passes to enlarge the image up to 1024x1024 pixels. It creates new details using the original as a basis while it upscales the image. Google's tests show that people rated the images generated by Imagen better in terms of accuracy and fidelity than images generated by OpenAI's DALL-E 2. Imagen was trained using large datasets known to include inappropriate material. The model is still in an experimental phase and is not available to the public. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
zoxide (GitHub Repo) | zoxide is an alternative to the cd command that tracks the directories that are used most frequently in order to navigate to the best match. It is inspired by z and z.lua, but it runs significantly faster than both. A quick usage and installation guide is available. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Drone footage shows everything going on inside Tesla's Berlin Gigafactory | Tesla released a video taken by a drone inside the Tesla Gigafactory in Berlin. The video shows the inside of the new factory and was shot by a company called Skynamic. It shows exactly how a Tesla assembly line works. The video is available in the article. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
Spotify creates ‘Alone With Me’ AI experience with The Weeknd | Spotify has released an AI experience called 'Alone With Me' that allows users to interact with a life-like version of The Weeknd. A link to the experience is available in the article. Users will have to connect their Spotify accounts and it works best if they have a strong listening history of The Weeknd on the service. The Weeknd will talk about highlights from the user's listening data, including things like the most listened to Weeknd song, when the user first started listening to The Weeknd, and more. Spotify has also released an experience centered around Billie Eilish where fans can write a letter to their future selves. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
Apple is working on a new iPhone app with workout videos, code-named ‘Seymour’ | Apple will be releasing a new app for the iPhone that will guide users through workout routines on their Apple Watches and iPhones. The app is codenamed 'Seymour' and is the brainchild of Jay Blahnik, a fitness instructor and author that joined Apple in 2013. Seymour will launch with iOS 14 and the next version of the Apple Watch software. Fitness has been a feature of the Apple Watch since its launch, and this move brings Apple into competition with companies like Peloton who offer digital content for fitness classes with a subscription. Apple's health-tracking features are currently free. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
Unofficial APIs (GitHub Repo) | This repository contains a collection of unofficial APIs. Each link has a description of the API, the language it is written in, the number of GitHub stars it has, and the date of the last commit. The collection includes APIs for Instagram, TikTok, Robinhood, iMessage, Tesla, and more. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Parliament seizes cache of Facebook internal papers | Six4Three is a software company currently in a lawsuit with Facebook. They got some internal Facebook documents regarding the Cambridge Analytica scandal in the suit's discovery process, including confidential emails between Zuckerberg and senior executives. After Mark Zuckerberg repeatedly refused to testify before UK Parliament, Parliament used its legal powers to detain the CEO of Six4Three, who was in London for a business trip, sending a sergeant at arms to his hotel to force him to give up the documents. Parliament member Damian Collins who is leading the inquiry into fake news says "We are in uncharted territory. This is an unprecedented move but it's an unprecedented situation. We've failed to get answers from Facebook and we believe the documents contain information of very high public interest." Richard Allan, Facebook's VP of policy will testify before Parliament in a special session that Zuckerberg declined to attend. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
SnowFS (GitHub Repo) | SnowFS is a command-line app for storing graphic files with version control. It supports branches, asynchronous file hashing, fast-detection of modifications in large binaries, and more. A GIF demo is available in the repository. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
fullstack.ai (GitHub Repo) | fullstack.ai is an end-to-end machine learning project that shows key aspects of developing and deploying a real-life machine learning-based application. The example used in the project is a web-based bike trip advisor with trip time prediction. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Experimental device generates electricity from the coldness of the universe | A new device is able to generate electricity through the difference in temperatures between Earth and space. The device harvests heat as it leaves a surface and turns it into electrical energy using the same type of optoelectronic physics used for harnessing solar energy. The technology currently available is not able to capture power efficiently, with the scientists reporting that they were only able to harvest an amount of power roughly one million times less than the theoretical amount possible. However, the scientists were able to prove that the concept was valid, so further research can only improve the performance of the device. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Apple reportedly plans ‘Netflix for games’ subscription service | Apple is planning to roll out a subscription service in its app store. This will allow users to pay a monthly subscription fee to have access to a range of premium games. It is hoped that this change will encourage developers to create more in-depth, serious titles, as the hardware on Apple devices catches up to traditional consoles. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
Google launches Android 11 Developer Preview ahead of schedule for Pixel phones | Google has launched the Android Developer Preview early for the fifth year in a row. This initial Android 11 preview is earlier than previous releases, and it isn't in beta yet. The preview contains a feature set that targets a development-minded audience. A public launch is planned for Q3 2020. Some changes to Android include improved APIs for new technologies such as 5G and different display types, better privacy and security controls, and various improvements to the system experience. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
The deplatforming of President Trump | The tech world has come out in force against President Trump in the past week. More than a dozen companies have placed unprecedented restrictions or banned Trump from using their services. Twitter permanently banned his account and intends to reset the official @POTUS account's followers to zero before handing it to the new Biden administration. Facebook and Instagram have announced indefinite suspensions, with a minimum duration of two weeks. Other social media and eCommerce platforms have banned Trump or any activity regarding Trump. Google has removed the alternative social media app, Parler, due to a lack of moderation. Apple has sent Parler a takedown notification, saying it would remove the app unless it started filtering content that endangers safety. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
How Scientists Grew Human Muscles in Pig Embryos, and Why It Matters for Organ Transplants | Scientists from the University of Minnesota recently unveiled two sets of chimeras. One was a group of piglets, each of which carried genes from two different pigs. The other was pig embryos that developed human muscles after being transplanted into surrogate pigs. This research could lead to ways to replace lost muscle and provide an unlimited supply of organs for transplantation. Organs produced by this method will have a low risk of being rejected by patients' immune systems as the genes for the human tissue can be sourced from the patient themselves. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
SeaTunnel (GitHub Repo) | SeaTunnel is a distributed data integration platform that supports real-time synchronization of massive data. It is easy to use, flexible, and it supports low code development, real-time streaming, offline multi-source data analysis, and more. SeaTunnel can be used for mass data synchronization, integration, and aggregation, ETL with massive data, and multi-source data processing. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
python-is-cool (GitHub Repo) | This repository contains a gentle guide to Python features. Features such as lambda, map, filter, reduce, list manipulation, classes and magic methods, local namespace, object's attributes, and wild import are covered. Each topic is covered with simple explanations and examples. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Dealing with user data at your company? Get peace of mind (Sponsor) | Dealing with user data at your company? Get peace of mind . Automate your privacy operations, save time and eliminate risks with Mine PrivacyOps. A modern data privacy platform loved by a community of a million users and 1500 customer-centric companies. Enjoy seamless no-code automations, 500+ SaaS integrations, live data mapping, and a beautiful, easy-to-use interface. Give it a try for free - you can set up in just 10 minutes. | 0Sponsor
|
How to eat TensorFlow2 in 30 days (GitHub Repo) | How to eat TensorFlow2 in 30 days is a book designed to reduce the difficulty of learning Tensorflow for students and researchers. It presents the information found in the official documents of TensorFlow in a simple manner. Basic knowledge of machine/deep learning and experience with modeling using Keras or Tensorflow is recommended before reading this book. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Calico (GitHub Repo) | Calico is a utility that is cat for colors. It accepts delimited hex colors or the GPL palette format as input, and the output is highly configurable. Calico can modify the hue, saturation, and luminosity values of all colors in the palette using a primitive command language. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Chess Engines: A Zero to One (30 minute read) | A guide on how to build a chess engine from scratch. | 4Miscellaneous
|
A new plant-based material can replace plastic food packaging for keeps | A team of scientists has developed a biodegradable and antimicrobial food packaging solution that could finally put an end to the need for plastic-made food packaging items. | 4Miscellaneous
|
Yao (GitHub Repo) | Yao is a low code engine for creating web services and dashboards. It features a built-in data management system that is designed for making various management and enterprise systems. Two demo management systems created with Yao are available. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Elon Musk living in a prefab house that sells for just $50k | Elon Musk's primary home is a $50,000 prefabricated home manufactured by housing startup Boxabl. Boxabl specializes in easy-to-construct housing modules. Musk's home is roughly 400-square-foot and located near SpaceX's launch facility in Texas. He rents the house from SpaceX. Musk also owns a house in the Bay Area. A short video showing a Boxabl prefab house being set up is available in the article. | 4Miscellaneous
|
Animals Can Count and Use Zero. How Far Does Their Number Sense Go? (14 minute read) | Practically every animal ever studied can distinguish between different numbers of objects in a set or sounds in a sequence. This ability seems to be a general ability that has evolved multiple times throughout the animal kingdom. Researchers are uncovering increasingly complex numerical abilities in animals, with some displaying the capacity to grasp the quantitative concept of zero, a concept that very young children sometimes struggle with. Researchers are now trying to pin down the genetic mechanisms underlying numerical ability and have identified genes that seem to be associated with a math learning disability in humans. | 4Miscellaneous
|
Triton is the world’s most murderous malware, and it’s spreading | Triton was discovered in a petrochemical plant in Saudi Arabia in 2017, after a couple of incidents where the safety systems in the plant were triggered and caused shutdowns. The malware targets the safety systems of the plant, granting attackers remote control over the systems. Fortunately, no damage was done, but such an attack could have caused the release of toxic gases or created explosions, putting people’s lives at risk. This is the first time that a cyber attack was deliberately designed to endanger human beings, and there is evidence that the hacker group that built the malware is looking for new targets. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Ask HN: Solo devs, how do you plan your development? (Hacker News Thread) | As a solo developer, you are in control of everything in your projects, including planning and managing development. There are tools available to help in planning development, like Trello, but many developers still prefer to just use a simple .txt file with notation formatting. A lot of the time, it is mostly preference, and some developers even change tools depending on the project requirements. When planning development, it is important to also consider the social milestones. As a solo developer, building the wrong thing can be costly, so you should set checkpoints to confirm that the project is going in the right direction. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Huawei has been building a Play Store alternative in plain sight | Huawei’s App Gallery has been available on Huawei devices for a while now as an alternative to Google’s Play Store. It appears that Huawei had plans for the likely scenario that they had to stop doing business with Google, as is the situation at the moment. While the US ban on companies dealing with Huawei will damage the business, it will not completely stop developers from distributing apps to Huawei users. Using Huawei’s App Gallery, developers now have a marketplace targeted to Huawei users, with 50 million users in Europe alone. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
Honda global operations halted by ransomware attack | Honda has confirmed that a cyberattack has brought parts of its global operations to a standstill. Its customer and financial services are currently unavailable due to the attack. Honda likely fell victim to the Snake ransomware, a file-encrypting malware that holds data hostage until its victim pays a ransom in cryptocurrency. Honda expects its factories and plants to be brought back online soon. | 4Miscellaneous
|
Stack Overflow acquired by Prosus for a reported $1.8 Billion | Stack Overflow is being acquired by Prosus for $1.8 billion. Prosus is an investment and holding company and the primary shareholder of Tencent. Stack Overflow will continue to operate independently with the same team, same plan, and same business practices. No major changes are expected. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
These $26 million robotic dolphins are coming to a Chinese aquarium soon and they look exactly like the real thing | Edge Innovations, a New Zealand-based company, has developed animatronic dolphins that can be used in aquariums, hotels, cruises, malls, museums, and other places. The robots cost around $US26 million each and they are reported to be shockingly realistic, easily mistaken for the real thing. They weigh 600 pounds and can last up to ten hours on a single charge. The dolphins are controlled using a remote. Edge Innovations intends to develop great white sharks and sea dragons as other options in the future. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
If Facebook Wants Our Trust, Mark Zuckerberg Must Resign | Facebook will be kicking off their annual F8 developer conference on April 30, and a big chunk of the conference will likely focus on privacy. Mark Zuckerberg has been talking a lot about private communications lately and plans to integrate encryption into all of Facebook’s chat platforms. Facebook has previously been involved in many privacy breaches and slip-ups, some of which are recent or still being resolved. Critics say that Zuckerberg needs to resign before Facebook can be trusted with their privacy policies. | 4Miscellaneous
|
Telegram Pushes Ahead With Plans for ‘Gram’ Cryptocurrency | Telegram will start sending out its Gram currency to investors within two months. The 200 to 300 million global users of Telegram's messaging app will soon have access to a Gram digital wallet. Regulators are concerned that cryptocurrencies could be useful for unlawful activities and have started to shut down smaller cryptocurrency projects, citing them for violations of securities law. Telegram has developed its Cryptocurrency mostly in secret. The company has always operated with a degree of disregard for the opinions of government authorities. Its messaging app is designed to make it easy to encrypt messages between phones, making it unpopular among governments. Once Gram is released, it will be a decentralized currency, meaning that it will be controlled by a network of peers and not any one central authority. There will be no currency backing Gram, and like Bitcoin, its value will be determined by the market. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Exclusive: Tinder breaks into scripted original content, wraps filming first video series | Tinder will be launching its own original content in the form of a television series with an apocalyptic storyline that has a relationship subplot. The story will not involve Tinder's dating app. Tinder is owned by Match, who is owned by IAC, a company founded by Hollywood legend Barry Diller. Swipe Life is a lifestyle website launched by Tinder that includes articles and videos about dating and relationships. Offering original content is an increasingly popular and effective strategy for attracting devoted users as it engages customers even when they are not using a company's services. Walmart, Airbnb, and Costco are also developing original videos. It is unknown when Tinder's first series will be available or how it will be promoted. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
Reddit users are the least valuable of any social network | Reddit’s recent funding of $300 million puts the company at valuation of $3 billion. However, its 330 million monthly active users have an average revenue per user (ARPU) of around $0.30. This is significantly lower than other social networks. For example, Twitter’s ARPU sits around $9.48 and Facebook’s ARPU is around $7.37. Half of Reddit users are between 18 and 24, and Reddit plans to use its valuable demographic to appeal to advertisers. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
Mark Zuckerberg’s augmented reality | Mark Zuckerberg sees augmented reality glasses as a holy grail device that will redefine our relationship with technology. Meta is working on a first-generation device for release in 2024, with a more advanced design already planned for 2026. The devices will likely be priced higher than the company's Quest headsets as the materials will cost multiple thousands of dollars. Meta is aiming the first version at early adopters and developers, and it is not expecting high sales. More details about Meta's upcoming AR device are available in the article. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
DARPA is Eyeing a High-Tech Contact Lens Straight Out of 'Mission: Impossible' | The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is reportedly interested in a new high-tech contact lens being developed by a French team. DARPA has been looking for a high-tech eyepiece for more than a decade. The contact lens is able to relay visual information wirelessly and provide augmented vision assistance. It uses a flexible micro-battery that is able to power an LED for several hours. The lens was originally designed for medical and automotive applications, but it has also gained interest for other uses by DARPA and Microsoft. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Bill Gates orders £500m hydrogen-powered superyacht | Bill Gates has ordered the world's first hydrogen-powered superyacht for around $644 million. The Aqua ship will be a 110meter luxury vessel featuring an infinity pool, helipad, spa, and gym. It will be completely powered by liquid hydrogen, which means that it will generate water as a byproduct of the electricity that powers the ship. A diesel back-up will be on the boat as hydrogen refueling stations are scarce. The boat will be able to accommodate 14 guests and 31 crew members. It is unlikely to set sail until 2024. Gates regularly rents superyachts but has not previously owned one. He has a strong interest in alternative fuels and has pledged to donate most of his $118 billion fortune to good causes. | 4Miscellaneous
|
PHP: The Right Way (Website) | This website contains an easy-to-read, quick reference for popular PHP coding standards. It aims to introduce PHP developers to multiple options while explaining the difference in approach and use case. Many different translations are available. The website also links to tutorials and other resources. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
SoundCloud finally lets more musicians monetize four years later | Musicians over the age of 18, who pay Soundcloud $8 a month for hosting, and get over 5000 streams per month will now be able to monetize their music through ads on the platform. The company moves very slowly for a tech company, having rolled out a beta of this feature 4 years ago. They aren't doing very well financially, having laid off 40% of their staff last year, and they aren't expected to be profitable until 2020. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
Yes, I can connect to a DB in CSS | A recent viral tweet making a joke about recruiters with unreasonable expectations inspired a developer to write CSS code that connects to a database. This article details how the developer built the app with code and examples. The project only works in Chrome, but it will work with any SQLite database provided. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Tensorflow Course (Github Repo) | This is a repo of simple tutorials with ready-to-use code examples for learning Tensorflow. It has everything from basic arithmetic operations all the way to neural networks, so if you're looking to play around with Tensorflow, this is a great place to start! | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
iPhone 12 lineup’s pricing and release dates detailed in new leak | Details about what Apple could announce at its October 13th event have been leaked. Apple will announce four new iPhones: an iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. All four phones will have 5G support, Super Retina XDR displays, and will be able to film in the Dolby Vision HDR standard. More details about each phone are available in the article. Apple will also announce new wireless MagSafe chargers and a $99 HomePod mini. While the source of the leak has a good track record, it is always best to take rumors like this with a pinch of salt. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
A dark web tycoon pleads guilty. But how was he caught? | Eric Marques recently pleaded guilty for running a hosting service that served drug markets, money-laundering operations, hacking groups, and millions of images of child abuse. Freedom Hosting ran sites on the dark web and Marques ran his operation behind many layers of anonymity. Marques was using the Tor network, a technology that was designed to provide complete anonymity. In early August 2013, users noticed unknown Javascript code running on websites hosted on Freedom Hosting. Hours later, all of the sites went down simultaneously. The code targeted a Firefox vulnerability that could unmask Tor users, but the technicalities are still a mystery. There is a formal system for reporting vulnerabilities and deciding whether an issue should be shared. The FBI would not reveal exactly how Marques' anonymity was broken, a decision that could have wide-ranging cybersecurity implications. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Modular optical computer chip allows stackable swappable functions | Engineers at MIT have developed a modular computer chip with components that can communicate using flashes of light. Its layer components can be stacked or swapped to build chips to perform specific functions or for upgrades. They have unlimited expandability depending on the combination of layers. The technology could enable easily upgradeable electronics and reduce electronic waste. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
GIFRun (Website) | GIFRun creates high-quality GIFs from video streaming sites. Users just need to paste in the link to the video, and then they can choose when the GIF starts and adjust the length and speed of the GIF. They can also add text. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
McDonald’s will serve Beyond Meat McPlant burgers in select US locations next month | McDonald's will start selling plant-based Beyond Meat burgers in eight locations in the US starting on November 3. The McPlant has been piloted in a number of international locations already. McDonald's plans to broaden the McPlant line to include plant-based versions of chicken, pork, and egg. A list of the locations where the McPlant will be served is available in the article. | 4Miscellaneous
|
Tesla to start offering 'Enhanced Autopilot' for roughly half the cost of FSD | Tesla is offering Enhanced Autopilot in Australia for roughly half the price of the Full Self-Driving package. Enhanced Autopilot adds automated lane changes, on- and off-ramp navigation, Smart Summon, and AutoPark. It does not include city/town navigation with navigation skills. Enhanced Autopilot still requires the driver to maintain both hands on the wheel at all times. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
China starts testing digital currency as Facebook's Libra faces setback | China has started trials for its digital currency. The district of Suzhou will be paying half of its travel subsidies given to public sector workers in May using the digital currency. China plans to expand its pilot schemes to Shenzhen, Xiongan, and Chengdu. The 2022 Winter Olympic games may be used as a test for the currency. China has not yet announced an official timetable for releasing the digital yuan. However, reports indicate that the currency will be available to the public later this year. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
CPU algorithm trains deep neural nets up to 15 times faster than top GPU trainers | Computer scientists from Rice University have created an artificial intelligence software that can train deep neural networks 15 times faster on commodity processors than software that relies on graphic processors. The team built its system by recasting deep neural network training as a search problem that could be solved with hash tables. Companies can spend millions of dollars a week just to train and fine-tune their AI workloads, so the benefits of making commodity CPUs more efficient than specialized hardware cannot be understated. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
I Used Linux-Based PinePhone Daily For A Year. Here’s What I Learned! | The PinePhone is a phone designed specifically to run desktop Linux. This article details an experience of using the phone over a year. As Linux is a desktop operating system, many apps had to be developed and optimized to make the PinePhone useful as a phone. The camera on the phone takes low-quality pictures and is not capable of taking videos. While there are almost 400 confirmed working apps on the platform, this pales in comparison to the millions available on other platforms. The biggest weakness of the phone is its battery life. Turning on the phone just to check the time can cause it to drain quickly. | 4Miscellaneous
|
Bill Gates explains why we should all be optimists | In an interview with Bill Gates, climate change and technology are discussed, focusing on how technology has benefited humans. While humans have damaged the planet with our technology, there has also been a lot of positive outcomes, such as the extended and improved quality of life that almost all humans experience. Gates sees a bright future, as we build upon what we already have and continue to develop better technologies. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
A Cure for Ebola? Two New Treatments Prove Highly Effective in Congo | Two experimental treatments for Ebola have proved so effective that they are being offered to all patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The treatments have a 90 percent success rate, giving hope that the epidemic in the eastern Congo can soon be stopped. A recent epidemic that started last month has infected around 2,800 known patients, killing more than 1,800 of them. People are distrustful of health workers and underreport occurrences of the disease or hide sick family members. Both REGN-EB3 and mAb-114 are cocktails of synthetic monoclonal antibodies that are infused intravenously into the blood. When treated, less than 11 percent of patients died, compared to an over 70 percent mortality rate when untreated. The epidemic has been made worse due to violence and political turmoil in the area. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Myanmar internet providers block Facebook services after government order | Internet providers in Myanmar blocked access to Facebook and its related services after military leaders seized power in a coup. A letter posted by authorities said that the services would be blocked until February 7 for the sake of stability. Facebook had been treating the situation in Myanmar as an emergency and was taking temporary measures to remove harmful content. A Facebook spokesperson has urged the authorities to restore connectivity so that people can communicate with their loved ones and access important information. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
React Flow (GitHub Repo) | React Flow is a library for building node-based applications, from simple diagrams to complex interactive editors. It features seamless zooming and panning, different edge and node types, several event handlers, and more. React Flow is highly customizable. Examples are available. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Japan Tests Rotating Detonation Engine in Space for the First Time | Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency recently announced that it successfully demonstrated the operation of a rotating detonation engine in space. Rotating detonation engines generate a large amount of super-efficient thrust using smaller engines and less fuel. They have the potential to reduce the weight of rocket payloads and lower the costs of launch. Further development could result in a propulsion method for deep space travel. A video of the rotating detonation engine demonstration is available in the article. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Here’s everything Apple could announce at its March 8 ‘Peek performance’ special event | Apple will hold its 'Peek Performance' virtual event on March 8. The event will be live-streamed from Apple's website, its YouTube channel, and on the Apple TV app. Apple is expected to announce the iPhone SE 3, iPad Air 5, iOS 15.4, a new Mac mini, a new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air with M2 chips, and a 27-inch iMac or iMac Pro. More details about the expected lineup are available in the article. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
Facebook's upcoming AR wrist controllers will hijack your nerves | Facebook Reality Labs (FRL) has unveiled a wrist-mounted controller that reads neural impulses as they travel down the arm, translating them into commands. The device doesn't require strong neural impulses and the mere intention of movement is enough for the wristband to pick up a signal. There are more neurons dedicated to controlling the wrist and hands than any other part of the body and it is a convenient place to put a device for all-day use. FRL's device can pick up millimeter-level movements in a single finger. Video demonstrations are available in the article. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
Jetman Dubai Takeoff (4 minute video) | This video shows a man flying with a jetpack. The man launches off a platform from a standing position and slowly floats around the area. He hovers over the sea, with the waves in the water showing the force that the jetpack is using to keep the man hovering midair. The man then flies at high speed away from the camera and then up into the sky. Footage from the jetpack cameras and helmet GoPro are shown. The end of the video shows the man landing after deploying a parachute. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Tour from Space: Inside the SpaceX Crew Dragon Spacecraft on Its Way to the Space Station (8 minute video) | This video shows Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley giving a tour of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. It begins with Hurley naming the capsule 'Endeavour'. The spacecraft features touch panel interfaces and a button panel. There are two windows and an entry/exit hatch. The astronauts are in zero gravity and demonstrated a zero gravity maneuver. Tremor the plush dinosaur was selected to accompany the astronauts by the astronaut's sons. The astronauts attempted to show the view of the Atlantic ocean from the window, but it was obstructed by a reflection. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Elastic UI Framework (GitHub Repo) | The Elastic UI Framework is a collection of React UI components for building user interfaces. It provides reusable UI components that can be used throughout Elastic's web products. Elastic is accessible to everyone, flexible and composable, and well documented and tested. Examples of components are available on the full documentation site. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Simple.css (Website) | Simple.css is a classless CSS framework for making good looking websites really quickly. There are no CSS classes anywhere in the CSS or HTML. Simple.css is lightweight and fully responsive and it features a sans-serif local font stack, automatic dark mode, and sensible defaults that format standard HTML elements. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Evergreen Skills for Software Developers (GitHub Repo) | This repository contains a list of evergreen skills that can be used as an assessment of skilled software developers or engineers. The document focuses on software development best practices, cross-framework principles, and other portable skills. Trends and specific knowledge of frameworks tend to be quickly outdated and they don't reflect the real value that software developers bring to the organization. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Subway is testing out a meatless meatball sub. Here's why | Subway will be testing a new Beyond Meatball Marinara sub at 685 restaurants in the United States and Canada next month. Made with Beyond Meat's plant-based protein, the sub will be available for a limited time and is targeted at flexitarian eaters who want to eat less meat for health or environmental reasons. Several other fast-food chains have already started serving meatless versions of their foods. Sales of plant-based foods have grown 11 percent in the last year and is predicted to grow into a $140 billion industry in the next decade. Beyond's revenue rose by 287 percent over the last year, to $67.3 million in the second quarter. Impossible Foods, one of Beyond's competitors, also saw a rise in demand, resulting in a product shortage earlier this year. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Apple Co-Founder Wozniak Announces a Cryptic Space Startup | Privateer Space is a new space startup founded by Steve Wozniak. The company has not revealed much about what it does, but a business partner hinted that it may be trying to address the issue of space junk. More details about its plans are likely to be revealed at the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference this week. A short video from Privateer Space is available in the article. | 4Miscellaneous
|
Cruip (HTML/CSS Templates) | These are some free, nice-looking product landing page templates. Every template has a live demo, but the site requires you to sign up with Google, Facebook, or Twitter to download them. If you're planning on launching a side project soon, these will probably be helpful. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Tech workers face a 'burnout crisis' unless employers act now | A study of IT professionals in 33 countries has found that two out of five workers are at high risk of burnout. Almost half of workers facing high levels of burnout are considering quitting their company in the next six months. The burnout is being caused by longer hours, more demanding workloads, and conflicts in work-life balance. Burnout can result in less productivity, high staff turnover, and damage to the company's reputation. It can also make organizations more vulnerable to cyberattacks. | 4Miscellaneous
|
Bodies in Seats (28 min read) | A Facebook content moderator had a heart attack and died while on the job after reporting high levels of stress, constantly fearing that he would lose his job. The content moderation site he worked at in Tampa, Florida was the worst-performing site in North America. Previous reports into these moderation facilities have shown that employees are working under sub-optimal conditions. Employees are constantly reminded that they are replaceable. Some employees who work in content moderation did not initially aim to work in the department. They were hired for other jobs and then ‘promoted’ into these roles. Others applied for jobs that promised normal working hours, bonuses, regular schedules, and a good work-life balance, but were then put into working night shifts. It seems that the company’s strategy is to fill its centers with bodies in order to moderate their content, without a care for how the person is hired, treated, or cared for after working in such a traumatizing role. | 4Miscellaneous
|
‘It’s time’: Blue Origin teases ticket sales for its New Shepard rocket | Blue Origin announced on Thursday that the company will soon be selling tickets for seats on its New Shepard rocket. People can now register their interest on the Blue Origin website. A link is available in the article. The company will announce more details on May 5. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
Holly Herndon Deepfaked Herself Into a 'Digital Twin' That Sings Any Song In Her Voice | Holly+ is an AI copy of Holly Herndon's voice that can sing any song you want it to. It can convert any polyphonic song or voice recording into Herndon's voice within minutes. Holly+ recordings can be freely released, but not commercially exploited without permission. The commercial use of Holly+ creations will be governed by a decentralized autonomous organization on the Ethereum blockchain. Token holders will be able to vote on whether creations can be commercialized and make decisions about licensing agreements. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
The struggle of using native emoji on the web (10 minute read) | Emoji are released by the Unicode Consortium every year, but operating systems don't always update them in a timely manner. This results in browsers sometimes rendering emojis using an outdated system. This article looks at the problem with displaying emojis on web pages, some possible solutions, and ideas for improving the standard so that developers can reliably use emojis on their sites. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Venezuela may have Bitcoin and Ethereum, but it’s unsure how it can use them | The central bank of Venezuela is investigating possibilities into storing cryptocurrencies after a request by Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PSDV), the state-owned oil and natural gas company, to send Bitcoin and Ethereum to the bank. It is unknown how much cryptocurrency PSDV owns and how they obtained it. If PSDV was to sell its holdings on an exchange, it would have to open itself up to the standard cryptocurrency exchange diligence checks. Venezuela's international reserves hit a 29-year low of $7.9 billion in May, and the country is facing increased international sanctions. Storing and using cryptocurrencies may help the country overcome its isolation from the global financial system. Venezuela has its own state-run cryptocurrency, El Petro. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
learngo (GitHub Repo) | This repository contains a collection of Go examples, exercises, and quizzes to accompany the Learn Go Programming: Complete Bootcamp course. There are thousands of examples. A link to the course is available. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Europe's space agency approves the Hera anti-asteroid mission | The ministers in charge of the European Space Agency have approved a $320 million mission to test whether deflection could save the planet from a rogue asteroid. The ESA and NASA will send a pair of spacecraft to a double-asteroid system called Didymos. NASA will first crash its DART probe into the smaller asteroid, Didymoon. Hera will then map the impact crater and measure the asteroid's mass. Didymoon is the size of the Great Pyramid, so it could destroy an entire city if it impacted Earth. The mission is tricky as no spacecraft has ever flown to such tiny space bodies before. An asteroid collision is an unlikely event, but it is preventable, unlike earthquakes or volcanic explosions. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Apple blocks Facebook from running its internal iOS apps | Facebook had a spyware VPN app called Onavo that got banned from the iOS App Store. Then, Facebook tried to use their special enterprise certificate (meant for internally testing apps) to distribute the app to teenagers. After this was discovered yesterday, Apple revoked Facebook's cert, essentially preventing them from testing any of their iOS apps. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
A career ending mistake | Engineering management is primarily about leading, supervising, hiring, and developing the skills of other technical people. Good managers are rare. This article gives some advice on how to be a good manager. It also discusses the decision to get into management itself. The default career destination of being a manager may not be what everyone wants. It is better to make plans for what you really want to do. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
SpaceX enters smallsat launch market with a very low price | SpaceX has announced a new, low-cost program to launch small satellites into a Sun-synchronous orbit. Satellites weighing up to 150kg can be launched into space for the price of $2.25 million. The Falcon 9 will be carrying these satellites into orbit at regularly scheduled intervals. SpaceX has previously flown rideshare missions using the Falcon 9, but these were organized by a third-party provider, Spaceflight Industries. The cost of launching a satellite with SpaceX is less than half of the cost of launching with other competitors, and the regular service means that smaller companies will be able to launch their satellites on time, rather than risk delays. The entry into the commercial market by SpaceX will put pressure into an already crowded field, and it means that foreign satellite launch options, such as the pseudo-commercial space companies in China, will look less attractive. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
How does the brain interpret computer languages? | Researchers studying how the brain interprets code found that the multiple demand network, a part of our brain responsible for intense mental tasks, was most active when reading code. The multiple demand network is spread across the frontal and parietal lobes of the brain. Reading Python code activated both the left and right sides of the multiple demand network. The brain does not appear to process code like language or maths, but as its own thing. | 4Miscellaneous
|
Google lowers Play Store fees for subscriptions and music streaming apps | Google has announced that more categories of apps will be eligible to pay significantly less than the usual 30 percent fee. Subscription-based apps will now pay a 15 percent fee. Ebooks and on-demand music streaming services are now eligible for fees as low as 10 percent. Google will determine at their discretion which music streaming apps will be eligible for lower fees. The new fee structure may encourage developers to switch over from one-time payments to subscriptions. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
SVG Favicon Maker (Website) | This site makes it easy to create an SVG favicon from a letter or emoji. Users can customize the font, color, and background, then download the favicon as an SVG or PNG file or copy the HTML code. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
3D-printed coral reef condos get 2 fins up from fish | Coral reef systems are suffering due to acidification across the globe. Many fish depend on these reefs to provide shelter from predators. A team from the University of Delaware printed 3D models of coral based on 50 iPhone images taken from all angles. When tested, fish showed no preference between real coral and 3D models of coral. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Sidewalk Labs launches Pebble, a sensor that uses real-time data to manage city parking | Since Sidewalk Labs shut down its $1.3 billion tech-enabled real estate project in Toronto a year ago, it has focused on developing smaller-scale solutions that can be used to improve cities. It has since unveiled Delve, a tool to create optimal design plans for urban projects, and Replica, a platform that can simulate scenarios in the real world. Sidewalk Labs recently announced the Pebble, a vehicle sensor that can help manage parking in cities by providing real-time parking and curb availability data. It doesn't use cameras or collect identifying information. The sensors could help cities run better by providing data to address blindspots about how people actually use parking spaces. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
Sony announces next-gen VR headset for the PS5 | Sony has announced that it is working on a next-generation VR headset for the PS5. It will feature an improved field of view, higher resolutions, and a single cord. A new VR controller is also in development. Development kits for the next-gen VR headset will be issued soon. The headset will not be released in 2021. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
Report: Spotify claims it “overpaid” royalties, wants a refund from songwriters and publishers | Spotify claims that it overpaid royalties to musicians in 2018 due to the Royalty Board’s ruling on family and student plan subscribers. Family plans are to be treated as 1.5 subscribers per month, and student plans are equal to 0.5 subscribers per month. Spotify will not require all royalties to be paid back immediately. Instead, it will extend the recoupment period to the end of 2019, and deduct the sum of the overpaid royalties from this year’s payouts. Spotify has been criticized for the move as they are taking advantage of a change in the law that they are currently fighting against. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
Microsoft opens its Windows store up to third-party app stores | Microsoft has opened up its app store to allow third-party apps to integrate into the Microsoft Store. Third-party storefront apps will have their own product detail pages so that users can easily find and install them. Amazon and Epic Games will be available on the Microsoft Store over the next few months. Microsoft's more open app policies have resulted in many popular apps being listed in the store. Except for games, developers are allowed to keep 100 percent of revenue from apps if they use alternate payment platforms. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
Kubernetes Failure Stories (GitHub Repo) | Interesting concept, this is a collection of things going terribly wrong with Kubernetes, so you can learn from other peoples' mistakes without having to make them yourself! | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
World's First Lion Cubs Born Using Artificial Insemination | Scientists have successfully used artificial insemination on lions for the first time, yielding two healthy new cubs. This is great news because the African lion is considered "vulnerable" while the West African lion subpopulation is considered critically endangered and the Asiatic lion is considered endangered. The African lion population is estimated to have decreased from 1.2 million in 1800 to 18,000 in 2018. This tool is essential to keeping the species alive, and may also be tweaked to be usable on other large endangered cats like cheetahs. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
The Four Innovation Phases of Netflix’s Trillions Scale Real-time Data Infrastructure (28 minute read) | This article discusses the four phases of Real-time Data Infrastructure's iterative journey in Netflix. It discusses the business motivations, unique challenges, strategy bets, and use case patterns learned along the way. The article was written by Zhenzhong Xu, a founding engineer on the Real-time Data Infrastructure team who later led the Stream Processing Engines team. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Awesome CTO (GitHub Repo) | This repository has a list of resources for Chief Technology Officers, with an emphasis on startups and hyper-growth companies. Topics include hiring, management, architecture, technology, marketing, and more. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Inside Apple’s Top Secret Testing Facilities Where iPhone Defences are Forged in Temperatures of -40C (23 minute read) | Apple tests its chips for security and privacy flaws in a special facility on its campus. When designing a product, Apple abides by a 'privacy by design' philosophy, where everything is created with privacy as a priority. Apple also follows a 'privacy by default' policy, which means that they won't allow data gathering unless there is a real need for it. Unlike software, chips can't be updated after they leave production, so Apple tests their chips in extreme conditions to make sure that they are able to keep customer information safe no matter what happens. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
XSStrike (Github Repo) | XSStrike is a next-generation Cross Site Scripting detection suite with four hand written parsers, an intelligent payload generator, a fuzzing engine and a fast crawler. It's written in Python, people seem very excited about this project so if you're into security you might want to check it out. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Go read this harrowing story about the team cleaning up Airbnb’s biggest disasters | Airbnb spends around $50 million annually in payouts to hosts and guests. Most of the money is paid out for property damages, but there are many other incidents where the company has settled cases to prevent negative media attention. This article links to another that discusses the workings of Airbnb's safety team, the group that cleans up after Airbnb users' most horrific experiences. It includes interviews with Airbnb employees on how they balance helping customers and protecting Airbnb's public image. | 4Miscellaneous
|
Awesome WAF (GitHub Repo) | A Web Application Firewall (WAF) is a security policy enforcement point between a web application and the client endpoint. This repository contains a large amount of information regarding WAFs, including definitions, how to detect, evade, or bypass WAFs, tools for exploring WAFs, and links to more information. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk lays out ambitious deadline for BFR-built Mars Base Alpha | Elon Musk sent out two tweets regarding SpaceX's Mars Base Alpha. The first was a digital rendering of what Mars Base Alpha might look like, and in the second he said that the base would probably be built by 2028. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Newly Designed 'Smart' Insulin Could Majorly Improve Type 1 Diabetes Treatment | Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the body's immune system destroys the cells that are responsible for regulating insulin levels in the blood. Diabetics can control the condition by injecting insulin, but it can be difficult to balance the right amount of insulin in the body. Scientists from the School of Medicine at Indiana University have redesigned the insulin molecule so it only activates in the presence of a simple carbohydrate, opening up a way for removing much of the guesswork in treating diabetes. It is still only a proof of concept, but similar approaches have been shown to be effective in rat studies. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Scientists Built a Particle Accelerator Smaller Than a Human Hair on a Chip | The world's largest particle accelerator is a structure that extends 17 miles long. Scientists have just developed the world's smallest particle accelerator at 30 microns across, which is about half the width of a human hair. The particle accelerator was designed to be installed on a chip and will open up possibilities in materials science, chemistry, and medicine. It is called a dielectric laser accelerator (DLA), and the technology could lead to cheaper and more compact X-ray machines, radiation machines, industrial scanning equipment, and many other devices. The DLA was designed by a computer. It still needs improvement, and it will be a few more years before the DLA will be practical. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Exclusive: Alibaba-backed startup AutoX applies for driver-less test permit in California | AutoX, a Hong Kong-based company founded by a former Princeton professor, has applied for a permit to drive self-driving vehicles without an in-car backup driver in California. If successful, AutoX will be able to test self-driving cars with only a remote human operator as a backup. AutoX is currently one of four firms that hold a license to test carrying passengers in the presence of a human backup driver. Waymo is the only company so far to have a license for testing without a safety driver. Other companies such as Uber and General Motors are vying for breakthroughs in the self-driving vehicle market. AutoX counts China's Dongfeng Motor Group and Alibaba among its main investors. It has deployed 100 RoboTaxi vehicles in 10 cities including Shenzhen, Shanghai, and San Jose. US regulators have been clamping down on Chinese tech players looking to come to the United States. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
China reportedly found massive amounts of uranium at a depth of 10,000 feet | Nuclear authorities in China have discovered rich uranium deposits at depths of almost 10,000 feet. The discovery could increase the country's total reserves of uranium 10-fold to more than two million tonnes. Uranium was thought to concentrate mainly in shallow, geophysically stable areas, but recent finds by China have been more than 4,920 feet below the surface in regions that have experienced large tectonic movements. A new method for detecting uranium developed by China could help other countries find hidden uranium deposits. | 4Miscellaneous
|
US cyberattack reportedly hit Iranian targets | The US reportedly hit Iranian targets with a cyber attack on the same day that airstrikes were called off against Iran. An ‘intelligence group’ that is closely tied to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard was the target of the cyber attack, which was crippling to Iran’s military command and control systems but did not result in any loss of life. Iranian missile systems were also targeted. The attack took several weeks to plan and was meant to be a response to recent attacks on oil tankers and US drone aircraft. Cyber attacks from Iran have become increasingly common. It is unclear what the total impact of the US cyber attack will be, but tensions are likely to increase, especially since Trump plans to impose additional sanctions on Iran. | 4Miscellaneous
|
Celebrating Imgur's Next Chapter | Imgur has been acquired by MediaLab. The image-sharing site reaches 300 million people and is home to one of the largest single independent communities online. MediaLab owns a range of internet brands, including Whisper, Kik, and WorldStarHipHop. Its resources and shared services will help the Imgur team add new features and tools and help grow the site. | 1Big Tech & Startups
|
Reality is for the birds: New VR simulator lets people 'fly' over cities of the world | Somniacs AG is a startup that offers a VR setup that aims to fulfill the common human dream of flying. Users lie on their front on the machine with their arms spread out. They are able to choose from a range of scenarios and locations. For example, users can choose to fly over New York City or fly over a prehistoric landscape filled with animated dinosaurs. A sea-turtle edition is to be released in the near future. Birdly was first produced in 2014 and around 50 units have been sold primarily to museums and other institutions in North America and Europe. While no Japanese company has purchased a machine, one was exhibited at the Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies in Chiba. VR is a rapidly growing industry with active usage in fields outside of gaming, such as in sports training. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
|
Subsets and Splits
No saved queries yet
Save your SQL queries to embed, download, and access them later. Queries will appear here once saved.