Dec 30, 2015

Semantics 101: T-Mobile says it is downgrading video streams, not throttling them


A few days ago, we told you that YouTube’s specs don’t allow it to be one of the streaming video sites covered by T-Mobile’s Binge On feature. For those just returning from a long trip out of the country, Binge On allows covered T-Mobile subscribers to stream video from certain providers without using any of the customer’s monthly data allowance. Even though the video sharing site isn’t included in Binge On, YouTube has complained that the quality of its service is being downgraded by the carrier.


Today, T-Mobile has released a statement to DSL Reports saying that it has not slowed down … – Source



Semantics 101: T-Mobile says it is downgrading video streams, not throttling them

Bits Daily Report: Twitter Hires a New Executive in Charge of Diversity


It does not appear that criticism of the lack of inclusion in the tech industry’s work force will dissipate anytime soon.


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Bits Daily Report: Twitter Hires a New Executive in Charge of Diversity

This UK news remix sums up 2015 with brutal honesty


Cassetteboy can always be counted on to remix the news in a much more entertaining manner than what actually happened.


Via the Guardian, relive the big UK stories and names of 2015 — including the May general election, the ballad of Nick Clegg, UKIP, Jeremy Corbyn, and, of course, David Cameron and PigGate.


Thanks to 2015 for providing so much fodder.


Brilliant farmers beat the heat by building a giant water slide


Man expertly parodies all those ‘epic’ GoPro videos


Video shows 18th century bridge in north England collapsing from floods



More about Uk, News, David Cameron, Watercooler, and Videos – Source



This UK news remix sums up 2015 with brutal honesty

Indian startups, academicians join the chorus against Facebook's Free Basics


In light of the ongoing debate over Facebook’s Free Basics platform, nine major Indian startups have written to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), voicing their concern over zero rating and Internet gate-keepers. They were joined by nearly 80 Indian academicians who released a statement on the flaws in Free Basics. Taking note, TRAI has extended its deadline for comments on differential data pricing to Jan. 7.


See also: Facebook initiates blitzkrieg ad campaign for Free Basics in India ahead of Dec. 31 deadline


The TRAI petition was sent by entrepreneurs from prominent startups such as Zomato, Paytm, TrulyMadly, GOQii, Mouthshut, Flipclass, Teesort, SVG Media and Tevis Learning, in response to TRAI’s consultation paper on differential pricing for data services …


More about Facebook, India, Net Neutrality, Social Media, and Internet.Org – Source



Indian startups, academicians join the chorus against Facebook's Free Basics

Why not to trust medical advice on Google


Are you among those who log in to Google every time you are down with body ache, fever or cold, only to get more confused and scared?


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Why not to trust medical advice on Google

Foodpanda Lays Off 15 Percent Of Its Staff In India


Foodpanda, the restaurant delivery service backed by Rocket Internet, has laid off about 300 of its employees in its Indian unit. This means Foodpanda India, which launched in 2012, has lost 15 percent of its workforce. Read More


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Foodpanda Lays Off 15 Percent Of Its Staff In India

Thousands of people flock to see stinky 'corpse flower'


Would you line up to have a whiff of a flower that smelt like a rotting corpse?


An estimated 5,000 people did this week, when they queued to catch a noseful of the titan arum flower (Amorphophallus titanum) at the Mount Lofty Botanic Garden in Adelaide


See also: Brilliant farmers beat the heat by building a giant water slide


The bloom releases a smell akin to rotting flesh for only 48 hours after the flower first blooms, which takes takes at least seven years to occur. When it’s done with all the blooming shenanigans it simply collapses on itself.


Check out this time-lapse of the flower taking form on Dec. 28, 2015: …


More about Australia, Watercooler, and Plants – Source



Thousands of people flock to see stinky 'corpse flower'

New Samsung Gear S2 update is aimed at improving battery life


Samsung has started rolling out a new update to its Gear S2 smartwatch that is primarily aimed at improving the battery life of the device. Weighing in at 4.85MB, the update bumps the software version to R730TUVU1AOL3.


A quick look at the change-log (see image below) suggests that the What’s new section only lists “Battery life has been optimized”. However, the update could also include some regular bug fixes and stability improvements.


To install the update, open the Samsung Gear app on your phone and head to Settings. Once there, go to the About Gear option, and then tap the Update Gear button. This should do the…


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New Samsung Gear S2 update is aimed at improving battery life

Another contagious cancer type found in Tasmanian devils


Contagious cancers may not be as rare as thought, say scientists who have discovered a second transmissible cancer type in Tasmanian devils -a small dog-sized ferocious carnivore found in Tasmania.


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Another contagious cancer type found in Tasmanian devils

Group Commerce Startup Massdrop Is Working With Its Users To Design New Products


Massdrop‘s investors have argued that the group commerce site is more a community than a straightforward marketplace. Here’s one way that Massdrop is doing things differently — a new initiative called Massdrop Collabs.

The startup has built specialist communities for folks such as audiophiles and mechanical keyboard fans, and it offers group-buying opportunities to those… Read More


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Group Commerce Startup Massdrop Is Working With Its Users To Design New Products

A 3D-Printed Digital Sun Dial Is as Easy to Read as a Cheap Digital Watch


Try wrapping your head around this one. An …


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A 3D-Printed Digital Sun Dial Is as Easy to Read as a Cheap Digital Watch

'Final Fantasy' star Lightning will be the new face of Louis Vuitton next year


Geek chic is poised to make a big splash in 2016, and Louis Vuitton recognizes that few things are geekier than the Final Fantasy series.


The face of the French fashion icon’s spring-summer 2016 campaign is Lightning, a key character from Final Fantasy XIII and its two subsequent spinoff games. She pops up in new ads for “Series 4,” a collection that was created in collaboration with game publisher Square Enix and FFXIII main character designer Tetsuya Nomura.


See also: Modernised Asian costumes to make your geek dreams come true


Our first peek at Series 4 comes from Nicolas Ghesquière, a French fashion design and the current creative director of the house of Louis Vuitton, who posted images and a video on his …


More about Fashion, Entertainment, Gaming, Geek, and Final Fantasy – Source



'Final Fantasy' star Lightning will be the new face of Louis Vuitton next year

Google Glass Is Still a Bad Idea


Google ended its Glass Explorer program …


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Google Glass Is Still a Bad Idea