Calling all Bay Area Belters: come hang out with fellow fans of The Expanse!

Anderson Dawes runs the OPA on Ceres Station. His belter accent—multilingual slang delivered by Jared Harris with an accent that wouldn’t sound out-of-place in Attack the Block—is a joy to listen to. (credit: SyFy)

Attention all would-be OPA members: Du sif wang wit milowda fo yam seng unte revelushang! (Translation—join us for drinks and revolution!)

This Wednesday, February 3, 2016, come join Ars’ Tech Culture Editor Annalee Newitz and me at Longitude bar in downtown Oakland, California. Not only will you be among friends and fellow fans of The Expanse, but you’ll be able to hang out and learn Belter from the man who created it—Nick Farmer, the language consultant for the show.

Farmer is well-trained in many languages, including Swedish, Spanish, and a smattering of others to various degrees. At Longitude, he’ll give all of us a basic lesson in Belter 101—a fascinating and poorly-understood (at least by us Earthers) creole.

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Calling all Bay Area Belters: come hang out with fellow fans of The Expanse!

4 intense foreplay apps to get your juices flowing

Some people say sex and smartphones don’t mix. But hear me out

No longer an intimacy killer, foreplays apps turn your smartphone into your new favorite sex toy. From controlling a vibrator, to helping you talk dirty, exploring each other’s bodies in new ways, and more, once you download these apps on your phone, getting off will better than ever.

See also: 17 dating confessions that will make you squirm with awkwardness

1. OhMiBod

Image: OhMiBod

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More about Dating, Apps, Tech, Sex, and Love – Source

4 intense foreplay apps to get your juices flowing

16 creative jewelry brands millennials will adore

In spite of what the jewelry commercials claim, not “every kiss begins with Kay.”

In fact, if you’re looking for genuine affection when gift-giving this Valentine’s Day, consider deviating from traditional chain stores

See also: 125 years of fingernail trends

Whether you’re shopping for your other half or treating yourself, we’ve gathered some of today’s most innovative accessory brands to help you make the holiday special

1Cornelia Webb

Image: @corneliawebbjewellery on Instagram

The Stockholm-based jewelry brand launched in 2005 and has been offering creative and sculptural designs ever since. …

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16 creative jewelry brands millennials will adore

Poll results: Galaxy Note5 wins platform clash vs iPhone 6s Plus and Lumia 950XL

A winner among droids, and now a winner among platforms – we give you the Galaxy Note5. Samsung’s latest in a line that started the whole phablet trend captivated the most of our readers in yet another poll this week. This time around the Note5 gathered more than half of the total votes for an uncontested 51% win.

In a more curious turn of events, the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL came in second, 5 points ahead of the iPhone 6s Plus. Persisting anti-Windows rants about lack of apps and the OS being bug-infested don’t seem to have affected the Lumia’s image in the eyes of loyal fans.

The iPhone 6s Plus has to settle for third place in our poll, which in all likelihood will mean zero to the company. After all, the most recent financial report out of Cupertino cited quarterly records in both revenue and profit, which isn’t something Microsoft’s smartphone division can brag…

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Poll results: Galaxy Note5 wins platform clash vs iPhone 6s Plus and Lumia 950XL

Mobile phone production in India reaches 100 million units

The penetration of Internet is rising rapidly and increased by 100 million in a year to 400 million, including through mobile phones.

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Mobile phone production in India reaches 100 million units

Michael Keaton dedicates SAG award to people of Flint, Michigan

Spotlight took home the Best Ensemble Cast SAG award, and the cast, including Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams and John Slattery accepted the award.

Keaton discussed how the film, about a team of journalists uncovering the horrific truths of the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse scandal, should be a lesson to people everywhere that they cannot be passive witnesses to tragedy.

See also: Idris Elba wins two SAG Awards, is too classy to drag Oscar into it

“This is not only for the survivors of this horrific situation,” Keaton said. “But for me personally, this is really for the disenfranchised everywhere. This is for every Flint, Michigan in the world. This is for the powerless. This is for the powerful who take advantage of the powerless.” …

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Michael Keaton dedicates SAG award to people of Flint, Michigan

European Samsung Galaxy S7 runs through Geekbench, matching the score of the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge

Earlier this month, the Samsung Galaxy S7 went through Geekbench with the Exynos 8890 SoC inside. This model (SM-G930W8), which is headed to North America, attained single-core and multi-core scores of 1873 and 5946, respectively. Just a couple of days ago, another version of the Galaxy S7 also was benchmarked by Geekbench. But this unit carries a different model number (SM-G930F), which indicates it is heading to Europe. It also will be powered by the Exynos 8890 SoC.

For some reason, the European model scored much lower on the benchmark test, with a single-core score of 1358 and a multi-core … – Source

European Samsung Galaxy S7 runs through Geekbench, matching the score of the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge

One Sidecar, Up With A Twist

I’m old enough that when someone says Sidecar, I immediately think of Cointreau, lemon juice and cognac, shaken and served up. What’s remarkable to me is that the folks at GM, one of the country’s most venerable industrial enterprises, heard “Sidecar” and instead saw an interesting enough opportunity to find $39 million in cash to buy a shuttered company. Read More

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One Sidecar, Up With A Twist

Mariah Carey jokes her 35-carat engagement ring is 'so heavy, I can't lift my arm'

Nope, we didn’t miss a decimal point — Mariah Carey just got engaged and with it came a 35-carat engagement ring

The singer, who is set to wed billionaire James Packer, recently showed off her huge, emerald-cut diamond center stone ring — designed by Wilfredo Rosado — on the red carpet

See also: Engagement rings are about to look a lot different

Image: Steve Granitz/WireImage

Image: John Sciulli/Getty Images for G’day USA Gala

Carey spoke with E! News about the ring, joking, “It’s so heavy I can’t lift my arm up!”

And if you wondered what kind of wedding a 35-carat ring sets the bar for, Carey promises something less extravagant. …

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Mariah Carey jokes her 35-carat engagement ring is 'so heavy, I can't lift my arm'

How the Smithsonian is restoring the original USS Enterprise to full 1967 glory

2016 is a big year for Star Trek fans—it’s the 50th anniversary of the debut of the series! To mark the occasion, there will be a new film (Star Trek Beyond) and likely initial glimpses of the forthcoming new television series. But the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is doing its part, too.

The organization is currently carrying out important restoration work on the original Enterprise model, the one that was used in the filming of all 79 episodes of the original series. The model was donated to the Smithsonian in 1974, but it was taken out of public display in September 2015 since it was in dire need of conservation.

“We’re working to both stabilize it and bring it to an appearance as people saw it in the show,” Nicholas Partridge, a Smithsonian spokesman, told Ars.

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How the Smithsonian is restoring the original USS Enterprise to full 1967 glory

How to save time online dating

Dating is a huge time suck. But it should be enjoyable, not a chore.

Before you can become more efficient, step back and look at your online dating commitment now. Estimate how much time you dedicate to perfecting your profile, editing pictures, sorting through seemingly endless matches and actually communicating with people. Then add the time you spend getting ready and traveling.

See also: 17 dating confessions that will make you squirm with awkwardness

When you do the math, just a short 45-minute coffee date with someone you may or may not like could cost you hours of your life

It’s part of the dating game, but it doesn’t mean you need to spend more time than necessary playing around. Here are the best ways to spend less time in front of a screen and more time discovering real connections.
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How to save time online dating

See all the cute body-positive dolls designed to be better than Barbie

Barbie — ridiculously proportioned Barbie — is a villain among body-image activists

Her impossible proportions have long influenced the body image of women — from the curvy girls who never saw themselves in Barbie to girls who never recognized her as an impossible ideal and strived to get her figure. The original Barbie, released in 1959, was thin — and came in a bathing suit — but she had some curves on her thighs, hips, and calves. Over the years, Barbie continued to get a tinier waist, bigger breasts, and blonder hair

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See all the cute body-positive dolls designed to be better than Barbie

MediaTek confirms bug that affects Android devices running its chipsets

MediaTek has officially confirmed the existence of a software bug that has put several Android devices running the company’s chipsets at risk. The chip-maker says the issue in question only affects Android 4.4 KitKat devices.

First reported by security researcher Justin Case earlier this month, the bug could potentially allow an attacker to enable root access on a vulnerable device. “Root user could do many things, such as access data normally protected from the user/ other apps, or brick the phone, or spy on the user, monitor communications etc,” Case said.

For its part, MediaTek explained that the vulnerability stems from a debug feature that the chip-maker said smartphone manufacturers should have disabled before shipping the devices.

“We are aware of this issue and it has been reviewed by MediaTek’s security team. It was mainly found in devices running Android 4.4 KitKat, due to a de-bug feature created for telecommunication inter-operability testing in China,” a MediaTek spokesperson said.

“After testing, phone manufacturers should disable the de-bug feature before shipping smartphones. However, after investigation, we found that a few phone manufacturers didn’t disable the feature, resulting in this potential security issue.”

MediaTek, however, didn’t provide anymore details, just saying that the issue affects “a portion of devices” from “certain manufacturers,” and adding that it has alerted all manufacturers about the feature.

Source |…

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MediaTek confirms bug that affects Android devices running its chipsets

Four new Simple Connect pre-paid plans now available from U.S. Cellular

U.S. Cellular has announced four new plans for its Simple Connect pre-paid service. Starting at $30 a month for those sporting a basic phone, this plan comes with 500 minutes of voice, and unlimited texts. For those rockin’ a smartphone, U.S. Cellular’s pre-paid offerings start with a plan priced at $35 a month. For that money, you get unlimited talk and text, and 500MB of high-speed data. Go over that cap and your data sped is throttled to 1X. You see, there are no overage fees with the carrier’s Simple Connect Plans.

If you’re willing to go to $45 a month, you will have unlimited talk … – Source

Four new Simple Connect pre-paid plans now available from U.S. Cellular

Facebook bans private gun adverts

Private individuals will no longer be allowed to advertise guns on Facebook and Instagram after the sites announced rule changes. – Source

Facebook bans private gun adverts

How to fake a book club conversation when you haven't read the book

Well, it happened again. It’s book club time, and you haven’t read the book

We get it. Life got in the way, the novel was too long, the book was too expensive,it was a bad book choice in the first place, and you’re really just here for the free booze

See also: 19th-Century Authors Perfectly Mixed With 21st-Century Rappers

But never fear. Just because you didn’t read the book doesn’t mean that you can’t participate in the conversation, even in a — dare we say it — meaningful way.

Follow these simple steps and you’ll be on your way to getting book club drunk with a minimal amount of side eye from your peers. …

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How to fake a book club conversation when you haven't read the book

Update to Google Calendar allows you to enter an event faster using "Smart Suggestions"

Google is in the process of updating the Google Calendar app for both Android and iOS. Being added to the app is “Smart Suggestions.” With this feature, once you start typing to create a new event, you will see matching suggestions. You can pick from one of the suggestions, or keep typing. If you type “at,” you can add an address to the event, and later get directions.

Type “with” when creating the event so that you can add people to it. While this doesn’t send invitations to the people you list, it will be easier to call or message them from the event. When you tap “on,” you can leave … – Source

Update to Google Calendar allows you to enter an event faster using "Smart Suggestions"

Babylonians tracked Jupiter with sophisticated geometrical math

(credit: Trustees of the British Museum/Mathieu Ossendrijver)

Even when a culture leaves behind extensive written records, it can be hard to understand their knowledge of technology and the natural world. Written records are often partial, and writers may have been unaware of some technology or simply considered it unremarkable. That’s why the ancient world can still offer up surprises like the Antikythera Mechanism, an ancient mechanical computer that highlighted the Greeks’ knowledge of math, astronomy, and the mechanical tech needed to tie them together.

It took several years after the discovery for the true nature of the Antikythera Mechanism to be understood. And now something similar has happened for the Babylonians. Clay tablets, sitting in the British Museum for decades, show that this culture was able to use sophisticated geometry to track the orbit of Jupiter, relying on methods that in some ways pre-figure the development of calculus centuries later.

We already knew that the Babylonians tracked the orbits of a variety of bodies. There are roughly 450 written tablets that describe the methods and calculations that we’re aware of, and they date from 400 to 50 BCE. Most of the ones that describe how to calculate orbital motion, in the words of Humboldt University’s Mathieu Ossendrijver, “can be represented as flow charts.” Depending on the situation, they describe a series of additions, subtractions, and multiplications that could tell you where a given body would be.

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Babylonians tracked Jupiter with sophisticated geometrical math

The State of Digital In Iran

I don’t think anyone really understands the depth of digital upheaval Iran has experienced in the past few years. Social media and e-commerce consumption have both gone topsy-turvy in parallel to an overwhelming migration to smartphone devices. Read More

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The State of Digital In Iran

Oppo F1 Plus image shows it's differs in scale, not design

We have an image of the Oppo F1 Plus, but you’ll have to trust us on this. Mostly because the phone looks exactly like the smaller F1.

That’s no surprise, the same design has also been used for the A53 and R7/R7s/R7 lite (but not the R7 Plus).

In case you’ve missed it, the Oppo F1 Plus will be a bigger version of the camera-focused F1. The screen will grow from 5″ to 5.5″ (with resolution getting a bump to 1080p). You get an extra gig of RAM too.

Oppo F1 Plus

The F1 Plus is expected to launch in India this April for INR 27,000 ($395), a massive jump over the INR 16,000 price of the regular F1. And you still get a 13MP camera and Snapdragon 616 chipset.

Oppo has so far only teased the F1 Plus so maybe it has an ace up its sleeve. An INR 11,000…

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Oppo F1 Plus image shows it's differs in scale, not design

The 12 most WTF moments from Zayn Malik's 'Pillowtalk' music video

Warning: There’s some mildly NSFW nudity in the gifs below.

LONDON — So Zayn Malik’s new music video dropped late Thursday night, and it’s a fair bit different from the light-hearted videos he used to pump out with One Direction back in the day.

See also: Zayn Malik on One Direction: ‘I never really wanted to be there’

When you break it down, “Pillowtalk” is probably closer to a David Lynch dream sequence than it is to the cheery humour of “Best Song Ever.” From bloody tears to naked boxing, we’ve rounded up some of the strangest moments below.

1. This spiky-faced woman.

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2. This strange alien-like creature.More about Uk, Wtf, Music Video, Entertainment, and Music – Source

The 12 most WTF moments from Zayn Malik's 'Pillowtalk' music video

Apple Is Reportedly Developing Long Distance Wireless Charging For iPads And iPhones

Apple is reportedly developing technology that would allow iPhone and iPad users to charge their device without needing to plug it into the wall or place it on a charging mat. That’s according to a report from Bloomberg which claims the wireless charging tech could work over unspecified long distances. Read More

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Apple Is Reportedly Developing Long Distance Wireless Charging For iPads And iPhones

Samsung Gear S2 Classic New Edition goes up for pre-orders in UK

Less than a week after it started rolling out globally, the new edition Samsung Gear S2 Classic smartwatch – which was unveiled at CES earlier this month – is now available for pre-order in the UK.

Local online retailer Mobile Fun has both Rose Gold and Platinum finish variants listed on its website, offering them at a pre-order price of $570.99, which translates into around £400 at current exchange rates. No exact shipping date was specified though.

Over in the US, the new models were recently spotted listed on Amazon carrying a $319 price tag and shipping time-frame of 1 to 2 months. However, the listings seem to have been taken down now.

Source 1 2 |…

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Samsung Gear S2 Classic New Edition goes up for pre-orders in UK

BlackBerry offering free accessories worth $99 with Priv

If you are planning to purchase BlackBerry’s debut Android-powered smartphone Priv, here is some good news: for a limited time, the Canadian company is offering free accessories worth $99 with the handset.

The accessory bundle includes a Leather Smart Flip Case in black and Sync Pod with 1.2m USB cable. “Think of it as our way of saying ‘thank you’ for remaining loyal members of #TeamBlackBerry through the years,” BlackBerry said in a blog post.

As already mentioned, it’s a limited time offer, which ends February 24 (11.59pm PST). In addition, the company is also offering deals on its Passport smartphone – head to the Source link below to learn…

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BlackBerry offering free accessories worth $99 with Priv

This is how you live stream on Facebook

Are you ready to live stream on Facebook?

After rolling out first to celebrities and then to a relative handful of regular users, Facebook’s live video streaming feature is now a part of everyone’s Facebook experience.

See also: GoPro’s integration with Periscope is a live-streaming dream come true

It’s easy to use and will be familiar to anyone who has tried Twitter’s Periscope, but don’t expect hoards of viewers the first time you fire up your Facebook live stream.

Here’s a real world look at how to use it and what it’s like.

Finding It

You won’t find a large “Broadcast Now!” button on Facebook. In fact there’s no indication anywhere that you can do anything beyond your traditional posts. Live stream video is sort of hidden under the Status icon. …

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This is how you live stream on Facebook

Susa Ventures Looks to Raise $50 Million Second Fund

Susa Ventures, a 2.5-year-old, seed-stage firm with offices in San Francisco, New York, and L.A. , is looking to raise up to $50 million for a second fund, two years after raising a $25 million debut fund. The SEC filing is here. Susa has four general partners: Eva Ho, who was most recently the VP of marketing and operations at venture-backed Factual and a senior product marketing manager… Read More

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Susa Ventures Looks to Raise $50 Million Second Fund

Amazon Tanks 11% After Reporting Q4 Miss With $1.00 EPS, $35.7B Net Sales

Amazon is down 11% after-hours after reporting stronger-than-expected sales. The Seattle-based retail company reported net sales of $35.7 billion for the fourth quarter of 2015 with diluted earnings of $1.00 per share. The street was expecting a gain of $1.56 per share on sales of $35.98 billion.

North America continues to be the company’s bread-and-butter with net sales of… Read More

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Amazon Tanks 11% After Reporting Q4 Miss With $1.00 EPS, $35.7B Net Sales

A "more innovative, more attractive" Moto smartphone is launching this July in the US, says Lenovo exec

Not long ago, we heard a few things about the Moto smartphones that are expected be released this year, including the fact that all should feature fingerprint scanners, and screens of at least 5 inches. We also heard that Lenovo (which bought Motorola Mobility from Google in 2014) is ditching Motorola branding from upcoming high-end smartphones, replacing it with Moto (or Moto by Lenovo). Now, we have info about a specific Moto handset that’s bound to hit the US this summer.

The Wall Street Journal reports that, while talking about growth opportunities in emerging markets, Lenovo … – Source

A "more innovative, more attractive" Moto smartphone is launching this July in the US, says Lenovo exec

This Bradley Cooper lookalike had the best time at Sundance

Some people take an opportunity when they see one

Earlier this week, Sundance Film Festival-goer Sean Cassity posted a photo to Instagram of him posing with actor Bradley Cooper … only to realize after copious Instagram comments that the other guy wasn’t the Oscar-nominated actor at all. He was just some dude who happened to look remarkably like Bradley Cooper

See also: ‘Dazed and Confused’ at Sundance: 12 things we learned from Richard Linklater

This could be a coincidence — but reports have also surfaced about a Bradley Cooper lookalike running around Sundance, sneaking into parties using his sneaky …

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This Bradley Cooper lookalike had the best time at Sundance

Man awkwardly interrupts couple having sex in a car, lives to tweet the tale

LONDON — Twitter is not normally a place for stories longer than a few sentences, but this British writer’s tale of how he accidentally discovered two strangers having sex while out walking his dog is the perfect exception.

See also: This Londoner’s post-date text message exchange is so awkward

It all started when UK-based writer Joe Craig took to Twitter Wednesday to hint that something big had happened to him the night before.

The stage was set, the anticipation was built, and when Craig finally came out with his story in the early hours of Thursday morning, it certainly didn’t disappoint. …

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Man awkwardly interrupts couple having sex in a car, lives to tweet the tale

Wikipedia editors make trustee resign

After nearly 300 Wikipedia editors sign a vote of no confidence, Arnnon Geshuri steps down as a trustee of the site’s governing body. – Source

Wikipedia editors make trustee resign

Samsung Issues Fourth-Quarter Results, Expects Earnings To Slow This Year

Samsung Electronics warned investors today in its fourth-quarter earnings report that its next two quarters will be weakened by economic issues and a softer IT market. The Galaxy smartphone maker said it expects profits to remain flat during the first six months of 2016, but hopes for a recovery in the second half of the year. Read More

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Samsung Issues Fourth-Quarter Results, Expects Earnings To Slow This Year

Flat earth conspiracy from B.o.B. explained (and obviously debunked)

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Flat earth conspiracy from B.o.B. explained (and obviously debunked)

Facebook Sales Soar 52%, Eclipsing Forecasts

The quarter was another blockbuster for the social media company, and its shares jumped in after-hours trading.

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Facebook Sales Soar 52%, Eclipsing Forecasts

Shelf Helps You Find The Best Products People Actually Use

A newly launched startup called Shelf wants to make it easier for people to discover great products, without having to first read through tons of online research or consumer reviews. Instead, the company has built a social platform that lets users automatically keep track of their own inventory of purchases, and selectively share this information with friends. The idea is to bring… Read More

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Shelf Helps You Find The Best Products People Actually Use

EMC CEO Tucci Maintains Deal With Dell Still On Track To Close Later This Year

EMC CEO Joe Tucci, responding to an analyst’s question on this morning’s earnings call about the status of the Dell deal, let it be known in no uncertain terms that the deal is going forward as planned. Responding to a question (which starts at around the 39 minute mark) from Maynard Um of Wells Fargo, Tucci admitted that there has been a lot of noise about possible pitfalls in… Read More

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EMC CEO Tucci Maintains Deal With Dell Still On Track To Close Later This Year

Watch Microsoft Venture’s London Accelerator Right Here

TechCrunch is pleased to host the live video stream of the Microsoft Ventures London Accelerator demo day. Watch the presentations right here starting at 3:30p GMT. The event is private so this live stream is the only way for the general public to watch the event. Ten companies will take the stage and present their company to a group of investors. Microsoft Ventures launched in 2013 in a bid… Read More

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Watch Microsoft Venture’s London Accelerator Right Here

AppDirect Acquires Tech Support Platform Radialpoint

AppDirect, the well-funded marketplace for selling cloud services, today announced that it has acquired the Montreal-based tech support company Radialpoint. Based on this acquisition, AppDirect also today announced the launch of a number of premium support options. These include premium support for Microsoft’s Office 365, as well as a cloud and IT helpdesk, and a new consumer… Read More

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AppDirect Acquires Tech Support Platform Radialpoint

A Health Insurer Lost Six Hard Drives Holding Data About 1 Million Customers

The health insurer Centene has admitted that it’s performing an “ongoing comprehensive internal search” for six hard drives. Sadly, those hard drives contain personal details about 1 million of its customers. Oops.

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A Health Insurer Lost Six Hard Drives Holding Data About 1 Million Customers

Cook says to expect history in April when iPhone sales will show a year-over-year decline

Apple has never reported a year-over-year quarterly decline in iPhone sales. It came close today when reporting its fiscal first quarter earnings. Apple sold 74.8 million handsets during the October through December time frame, a mere 300,000 more than the 74.5 million it sold in the same quarter last year.

With most analysts calling for Apple to sell 54.6 million iPhone units this quarter, that would represent a decline from the 61.2 million that Apple sold in the same quarter last year. And this afternoon, none other than Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed that history will be made during Apple’s … – Source

Cook says to expect history in April when iPhone sales will show a year-over-year decline

Singalong to Siri

Maths problem inspires duets with iPhones – Source

Singalong to Siri

FBI thwarts machine gun attack at Milwaukee Masonic Temple

The FBI says it thwarted a Milwaukee man’s sick plot to carry out a mass shooting at an area Masonic temple.

The agency announced the arrest of Samy Mohamed Hamzeh, 23, on Tuesday on several gun charges and alleged he was planning to carry out the machine gun attack, and hoped to kill at least 30 people

See also: FBI investigates Kent State professor over reported ISIS links

Hamzeh had been under investigation since September 2015, and in October 2015, according to the FBI, he “planned to travel to Jordan, enter the West Bank, and conduct an attack on Israeli soldiers and citizens living in the West Bank.” …

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FBI thwarts machine gun attack at Milwaukee Masonic Temple

Squirrel drinking a McDonald's shake is lovin' it

Milkshake Squirrel is at it again and this time his target is a nice, frothy McDonald’s beverage.

The little critter will do anything to get that last sip. He will inspire you to never give up on your dreams.

‘Meow the Jewels’ video will haunt your dreams. Your dog’s too.

New ‘House of Cards’ teaser will have you digging for clues

Kids give their opinion on Adele and it is brilliant

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Squirrel drinking a McDonald's shake is lovin' it

My Little Pony sued over font dispute

Toymaker Hasbro is being sued by a fonts company over allegations it used a typeface to market its My Little Pony products without permission. – Source

My Little Pony sued over font dispute

The Motorola Droid Turbo 2's screen is virtually impossible to crack

Motorola’s Droid phones have always been geared towards utility. The original Droid catered to typing enthusiasts with a QWERTY keyboard that slid out and the Droid Turbo had up to 48 hours of battery life. The Droid Turbo 2 continues that focus on utility.

A Verizon-exclusive, the Droid Turbo 2 has the same long battery life as its predecessor, but also a “shatterproof” screen that’s virtually indestructible

See also: The new Moto 360 isn’t perfect, but it’s one pretty smartwatch

For a carrier-branded smartphone, the Droid Turbo 2 is quite attractive. In typical Motorola fashion, the phone doesn’t follow its competitors down the thin and light path. Rather, the phone’s thick and has a good weight to it in your hand. The Droid Turbo 2 feels like a phone that can survive a deadly drop. …

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The Motorola Droid Turbo 2's screen is virtually impossible to crack

This Is What Happens When You Let a Neural Network Design Fonts

Neural networks are increasingly …

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This Is What Happens When You Let a Neural Network Design Fonts

Microsoft releases new Lumia 550 firmware update

A new update for the Windows 10-powered Lumia 550 smartphone has been quietly released by Microsoft. The update bumps the firmware version of the handset from 15461.48007 to 15503.21007, while the OS version remains the same.

What’s worth mentioning here is that the update is reportedly only available through the Windows Device Recovery Tool, meaning it isn’t currently rolling over-the-air (OTA). Keep in mind that if you use the the Windows Device Recovery Tool to update your device, you’ll lose all your data.

There’s currently no official information on what the update includes, although given that it’s already available via the recovery tool, an official announcement (followed by an OTA roll-out) shouldn’t be far…

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Microsoft releases new Lumia 550 firmware update

HTC One M10 (Perfume) seemingly headed to AT&T, could resemble the One A9

Last month, we told you that HTC’s next flagship smartphone could be called HTC Perfume, and should be launched running Android 6.1 Marshmallow with Sense 8.0 UI. Most likely, Perfume is just a codename for the rumored HTC One M10, which is expected to be officially unveiled in the near future, possibly in March (if not at MWC 2016 in February).

According to a screenshot revealed by Evan Blass (aka @evleaks), the Perfume / One M10 is headed to AT&T. Of course, this should not come as a surprise, since we’re expecting all major US carriers to sell HTC’s new flagship smartphone at … – Source

HTC One M10 (Perfume) seemingly headed to AT&T, could resemble the One A9

Zach Sims Of Codecademy On Running A Company That (Still) Doesn’t Charge Users

Though the four-year-old online platform Codecademy now teaches employable tech skills to 25 million users around the globe, it never has and still doesn’t charge for its services, choosing to remain focused on growth before eventually getting into what CEO Zach Sims describes as a “prosumer” business.

In today’s market, that’s an unusual stance to maintain. Read More

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Zach Sims Of Codecademy On Running A Company That (Still) Doesn’t Charge Users

Leaked Snapchat Code Hints at New Voice and Video Chat Features

Snapchat’s in for a serious makeover, if these screenshots discovered in the mobile app’s existing code are to be believed.

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Leaked Snapchat Code Hints at New Voice and Video Chat Features

TechCrunch Giveaway: Win 2 Tickets To The RSA Conference

The folks at RSA want to give one TechCrunch reader a pair of full conference passes to the RSA Conference 2016 in San Francisco (a $4,590 value). The tech conference runs from February 29 – March 4 in San Francisco at the Moscone Center. The winner will have access to over 400 sessions, will be able to explore over 500 exhibitors and watch the top 10 finalists battle for the title of… Read More

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TechCrunch Giveaway: Win 2 Tickets To The RSA Conference

Why Glenn Close wants to talk to you about her depression

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Why Glenn Close wants to talk to you about her depression

Israel high-tech sector raises record $4.4 billion in 2015

Israel’s high-tech sector raised a record $4.43 billion in 2015, up 30% from 2014, the Israel Venture Capital (IVC) Research Center said.

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Israel high-tech sector raises record $4.4 billion in 2015

Praise for photograph of female firefighter breastfeeding

The Country Fire Authority are being praised after sharing a photograph of a volunteer fire fighter breastfeeding her baby.

On Monday, the CFA posted a photo of Angela on its Facebook and Twitter accounts. Angela is wearing her firie outift, feeding her baby while smiling to the camera. “One of the many faces of CFA in 2016,” the post reads. “This photo of Angela, a proud mum and CFA volunteer was taken at a community event. No fires nearby and a safe environment for her child.”

See also: ‘Still Not Asking For It’: Striking topless photographs call for end to rape culture

More than 19,000 people had liked the photo just five hours after it was posted. The majority of commenters posted positive messages to the mum who sacrificed her time to save the homes of others. It isn’t clear which community Angela volunteers in …

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Praise for photograph of female firefighter breastfeeding

Facebook needs more friends for new Sports Stadium initiative - CNET

Not only is it hard to find Facebook’s new Sports Stadium feature for its iPhone app, but it may be lonely once you do.

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Facebook needs more friends for new Sports Stadium initiative - CNET

Guy Kawasaki On Startups, Entrepreneurship And The State Of Social Media

One of Guy Kawasaki’s recurring pieces of advice to entrepreneurs is to create a mantra, not a mission statement. A mantra is three or four words that captures the essence of your organization e.g. Wendy’s: healthy fast food or FedEx: peace of mind. Guy even created a helpful mantra that sums up his career as the chief evangelist at Apple, now chief evangelist at Canva, a… Read More

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Guy Kawasaki On Startups, Entrepreneurship And The State Of Social Media

How I Raised A $1 Million Seed Round When I Was 9 Months Pregnant

The last time I needed a doctor’s note was in elementary school. That was, until last September — I needed a note from my OBGYN proving I was only 31-and-a-half weeks pregnant so I could board a plane to San Francisco with fair odds I wouldn’t give birth to a mile-high baby. I was in the middle of raising a $1 million seed round for my startup, Honey. I was excited about… Read More

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How I Raised A $1 Million Seed Round When I Was 9 Months Pregnant

Best Apps and Games of the Week

These are some of the best apps and games that came out this week.

Music Memos

Apple released a new app for its iOS devices. Called Music Memos, the app is essentially a recorder app to record your voice or instruments. The app can differentiate between the two, and when it detects instruments it can also detect the instrument and the tempo and then provide a suitable drum and bass background that goes with what and how you’re playing. The app is designed for musicians to quickly record their ideas wherever inspiration strikes in high quality uncompressed files that can be organized and shared with others or backed up and synced on iCloud.

Price: Free

Download: iOS

Adobe Voice

Another recorder app, this time from Adobe. Adobe Voice was previously iPad exclusive but v2.0 now also brings it to the iPhone. Adobe Voice lets you record your voice and then adds images and a suitable background track to it to create a quick animated video in very few steps. This can then be used in a presentation, whether it’s in an office meeting or a classroom.

Price: Free

Download: iOS

CornerTube

CornerTube is a picture-in-picture YouTube app for the iPad. It allows you to play a YouTube video anywhere in a floating window. The app scans your clipboard for any YouTube video links. Any copied links immediately appear in the app widget in Notification Center. Tapping it instantly opens the video in a floating window. It also adds an option in the share sheet, so if you find a YouTube link somewhere, just share it to the app to open it in a window. The app works with older iPads, such as iPad Air, and iPad mini 2, so you don’t need the latest model to use picture-in-picture.

Price: $1.99

Download: iOS

Kickstarter

Kickstarter finally has an Android app. Now you can find and back all those crazy, weird ideas without having to use the mobile site on your Android device.

Price: Free

Download: iOS • Android

I Have no Mouth, And I Must Scream

I Have no Mouth, And I Must Scream is a point and click adventure game that released on the PC back in 1995. Based on a novel of the same name, the game takes place in a post apocalyptic world 109 after a supercomputer named AM wiped out humanity. The last five survivors are immortal, who are being tortured by AM for eternity. Not exactly a fun, light hearted story but the game is known for its puzzles, story, and atmosphere. It’s a bit long in the tooth visually but otherwise worth a shot.

Price: $3.99

Download: iOS •…

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Best Apps and Games of the Week

The Startup Landscape For Cybersecurity Companies In Israel

There are more than 300 cybersecurity companies operating in Israel, making it an industry second only to the U.S. in size. In 2014, exports by Israeli cybersecurity companies reached $6B, equating to approximately 10% of the global cybersecurity market. In 2015, we expect that percentage to increase as the number of startups grew almost 25% over 2014, with 81 new cybersecurity startups founded. Read More

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The Startup Landscape For Cybersecurity Companies In Israel

The End Of The Big Venture Formula

Well, do I have the deal of the century for you! Investors – the smartest investors in the world – are throwing billions at it!

The price can only go up! People are flocking from around the globe to get their share! Time is very limited, so you have to act now!

It’s so exciting, I even forgot how to use normal punctuation!!!

Then there’s the crash and suddenly, the… Read More

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The End Of The Big Venture Formula

Poll results: Note5 wins our first 5.7" three-way fight

We concluded last week’s three-way shootout with a question which one of the smartphones you liked best, and the results are in. The Nexus 6P, LG V10 and Samsung Galaxy Note5 put up quite a fight, much like they did in the shootout itself, but Samsung’s phablet emerged victorious.

Gathering 42% of readers’ votes, the Note5 had a comfortable advantage over the other two. For all the V10’s strong points, not limited to its camera and build, and the Nexus 6P stock Android appeal, the Note5 is arguably the most well rounded of the bunch, hence the overall win.

The battle for the silver was a much closer one. Only 2% split the V10 and the 6P and for a while there it could have gone either way. Eventually though, LG’s phablet edged ahead.

The Note5 returns this week for the tri-platform throwdown, and we’ll be offering you the chance to have your say on the matter, so stay…

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Poll results: Note5 wins our first 5.7" three-way fight

The heart rate monitors on the Fitbit Charge HR and Fitbit Surge are accurate, says Consumer Reports

Earlier this year, a class-action lawsuit was filed by owners of the Fitbit Charge HR and Fitbit Surge. The suit claims that the heart rate monitors on the two fitness trackers are flawed and that compared to a user’s actual heart rate, the Fitbit devices had readings that were off by “a very significant margin, particularly during exercise.” But an impartial observer, namely Consumer Reports, had tested the pair and had found that the heart rate monitor on both units was accurate.

The magazine decided that it would behoove them to repeat the testing. And you want to know what changed? Absolutely … – Source

The heart rate monitors on the Fitbit Charge HR and Fitbit Surge are accurate, says Consumer Reports

3 inmates escape LA-area jail by cutting through tunnels, rappelling from roof

LOS ANGELES — Three inmates escaped from a Southern California maximum-security jail by cutting through half-inch steel bars and rappelling from the roof by a makeshift rope, authorities said Saturday as they continued hunting for the men, who include an alleged killer.

“It was very well-thought-out and planned,” Orange County sheriff’s Lt. Jeff Hallock said Saturday at a news conference.

See also: El Chapo’s back in jail — and it’s the same one he escaped from

The inmates were last seen at 5 a.m. Friday at the …

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3 inmates escape LA-area jail by cutting through tunnels, rappelling from roof

Donald Rumsfeld launches gaming app - CNET

Technically Incorrect: The former defense secretary is invading the tech world with Churchill Solitaire, an app he claims aids strategic thinking.

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Donald Rumsfeld launches gaming app - CNET

[Deal Alert] Best Buy Offers A Free Samsung Gear VR With The Purchase Of A Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+, Or Note 5, Today Only

Samsung’s Gear VR headset hasn’t become quite as popular as Google’s Cardboard system, but not for lack of technical worthiness – Samsung’s version is more sturdy aesthetically appealing than cobbled-together headsets that have become the status quo. But if you have a compatible Samsung phone and some disposable income, it’s still a great way to hop on the VR bandwagon. If you’re in the market for a new Samsung phone and you live in the US, Best Buy is offering a free Gear VR with the latest flagship Samsung devices today.

Read More

[Deal Alert] Best Buy Offers A Free Samsung Gear VR With The Purchase Of A Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+, Or Note 5, Today Only was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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[Deal Alert] Best Buy Offers A Free Samsung Gear VR With The Purchase Of A Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+, Or Note 5, Today Only

Samsung Galaxy S7 to launch on March 11th?

A tweet from Evan Blass disseminated by the tipster on Friday, reveals that the Samsung Galaxy S7 will have its U.S. release on Friday, March 11th. We expect to see the new flagship phone unveiled on February 21st during Samsung’s Unpacked 2016 event. That happens to be the day before the 2016 Mobile World Congress kicks off in Barcelona.

The latest rumors call for the Samsung Galaxy S7 to carry a 5.1-inch screen with a 1440 x 2560 resolution. Depending on where you live, the phone will be powered by either the Snapdragon 820 chipset (US. and China) or the Exynos 8890 SoC (for the rest of … – Source

Samsung Galaxy S7 to launch on March 11th?

8,000 flights canceled as East Coast blizzard shows it means business

Airlines have canceled more than 8,000 flights into, out of, and within the U.S. because of the East Coast blizzard causing record snowfall and serious coastal flooding.

On Friday, airlines canceled 3,100 flights, with another 4,256 canceled on Saturday as of 10 a.m. ET, according to FlightAware. Cancelations for Sunday have already topped 1,200. Cancelations were expected, but are likely to increase through the weekend due to heavier snow than was anticipated as of Friday afternoon.

At airports in Washington, D.C., and New York City, whiteout conditions made it impossible to operate flights. …

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8,000 flights canceled as East Coast blizzard shows it means business

The blizzard blanketing the East Coast is a stunning giant in this view from space

The massive storm dumping snow from Georgia to New York is just as beautiful from space as it is for those waking up to the fresh powder outside their doors.

Astronaut Scott Kelly, currently aboard the International Space Station as part of a year-long mission, tweeted a view of the storm from his window this morning.

See also: Witty blizzard brand tweets are coming as fast as the snow

In the photo, a massive cluster of clouds can be seen blocking out much of the east coast, while the blurry lights of big cities shine through below

Kelly reminded his followers that the end of the storm was still several hours off. When the space station passed over the midwest shortly after, he Tweeted a photo of skies beginning to clear over the bright lights of Chicago, with clouds visible over the east in the distance …

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The blizzard blanketing the East Coast is a stunning giant in this view from space

Punk life: Behind London's 40-year obsession

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Punk life: Behind London's 40-year obsession

Judge Lucy Koh to preside over second Apple-Samsung damages retrial which starts March 28th

Samsung paid Apple $548 million last month to cover the whittled down damages originally awarded to Apple in 2012. However, there is still the matter of $399 million in damages awarded to Apple that Samsung tried to get overturned on appeal. But Sammy’s petition for a hearing en banc (heard by all judges who sit on the court’s bench) was denied. The case was sent back to district court where the retrial will take place.

The court has requested that both rivals file a list of the witnesses that they plan on calling during the trial. The lists were turned into U.S. District Court for the Northern … – Source

Judge Lucy Koh to preside over second Apple-Samsung damages retrial which starts March 28th

Forget flowers, send your Valentine a Star Wars bouquet

If you’ve got a special Star Wars fan in your life this Valentine’s Day—or just hate the fact that flowers eventually die—you’re in luck.

Retailer ThinkGeek completely upped the gift-giving game Friday with the debut of its plush Valentine’s Day bouquets, which include three officially licensed Star Wars-themed versions

See also: Luke Skywalker’s ‘Empire Strikes Back’ blaster is for sale, but it’ll cost you

For everyone looking to ride the wave of Star Wars frenzy all the way through Feb. 14, there are a few super cute and cuddly options: the Darth Vader and Storm Trooper-themed “…

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Forget flowers, send your Valentine a Star Wars bouquet

Latest WhatsApp build reveals Facebook linking option

Ever since Facebook acquired WhatsApp back in 2014, not much has changed to the popular messaging platform beside the addition of voice calls between users. It and Facebook have stayed separate entities up until now.

New leaks reveal that WhatsApp is also planning to allow cross communication between Facebook and WhatApp accounts.

When messing with root commands, version 4.12.413 of WhatsApp shows the option of linking a WhatsApp account with a Facebook account to “improve Facebook experiences”.

We aren’t quite sure what the possible benefit of this is. Perhaps there will be shortcuts to post on a WhatsApp contact’s timeline, though this is entirely my own speculation.

Coincidentally, in the same week, WhatsApp dropped its subscription fees in pursuit of gaining even more users.

Maybe Facebook can use WhatsApp features that are exclusive to Facebook users as incentive for them to create a Facebook profile as this is where the company makes revenue.

Only time will tell, but WhatsApp is definitely up to something big.

Source |…

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Latest WhatsApp build reveals Facebook linking option

This Weekend's Storm Will Be a Bizarre Mix of Floods, Ice, Wind, and Up to Three Feet of Snow

The great storm is finally here. What can we expect? The …

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This Weekend's Storm Will Be a Bizarre Mix of Floods, Ice, Wind, and Up to Three Feet of Snow

1TB Core i7 Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book now on sale along with gold Surface Pen

Today Microsoft has started selling a new version of both its Surface Pro 4 tablet and the Surface Book (pictured below). In both cases, the company has paired a 6th generation Intel Core i7 processor with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

You can already purchase the models in the US and Canada. In this configuration, a Surface Pro 4 costs $2,699, while the Surface Book is priced at $3,199.

Finally, Microsoft is bringing a gold-colored Surface Pen to Canada, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the US. Obviously in this case there aren’t any internal changes, just a different hue being introduced. As such, the price for the gold Surface Pen is the same as for the black, blue, or silver models, namely $59.99.

Source | Via 1 • Via…

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1TB Core i7 Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book now on sale along with gold Surface Pen

Facebook confronts online hate in Europe-wide campaign - CNET

The social network is increasing the moderation of its site as part of anti-extremism campaign designed to kill hate speech with kindness.

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Facebook confronts online hate in Europe-wide campaign - CNET

High doses of cocaine 'can cause brain to eat itself'

Using high doses of cocaine triggers brain cells to eat themselves, new research has found. The findings were revealed after scientists gave high doses of cocaine to mice. Cell death was also detected in mouse pups whose mothers received cocaine while pregnant.

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High doses of cocaine 'can cause brain to eat itself'

Stop taking photos, and go inside the most Instagrammed site in Australia

The Sydney Opera House may be Australia’s most Instagrammed location, but the iconic opera halls have failed to entice people to come inside — and now it is on a mission to change that.

The architectural masterpiece and UNESCO World Heritage Site was designed by Jørn Utzon and officially opened after much controversy in 1973. Today, it is the crowning jewel of Sydney Harbour and the most geo-tagged site on Instagram in Australia

See also: Twitter’s Australia Day emoji revealed: A koala that has partied too hard

Image: The Sydney Opera House

There would only be a handful of tourists who have visited Sydney and not taken a snap of the impressive white sails of the Sydney Opera House. In fact, …

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Stop taking photos, and go inside the most Instagrammed site in Australia

MyChonny is the Asian-Australian YouTube star stepping onto the big screen

There are only a handful of YouTube stars who have made the switch to television and film, names including EpicMealTime’s Harley Morenstein, singer Troye Sivan and comedian Bo Burnham.

Australian YouTuber MyChonny, real name John Luc, is the latest to make the switch. The YouTuber has 2.3 million subscribers globally, and unlike many who’ve made the jump before him — he’s not playing a bit part or an extra in a movie

He is also doing his bit to challenge Australia’s well-known lack of cultural diversity in film, TV and theatre.

See also: …

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MyChonny is the Asian-Australian YouTube star stepping onto the big screen

$243 for a 2nd gen. Moto X, also, 2nd gen. Moto G w/dock for $100

Best Buy looks like it’s trying to get rid of its Moto X inventory. It is offering the 2nd generation Moto X 16GB in Black for $242.99 before sales tax. This price should last until Saturday, as any changes to Best Buy’s pricing are usually made overnight for Sunday.

Good luck finding any in-store though, as the ‘store pick up’ option is not available through the website. You may be able to find one if you call your local store. Though, you are more likely to not find one.

B&H Photography also has the 2nd generation Moto G on its website going for $99.99 before taxes and includes a free Belkin Charger Dock. B&H’s website even lets you choose between the worldwide variant and the US variant which only differ in cellular bands.

The Moto X 2nd gen. features a 5.2 inch AMOLED 1080p screen with a Snapdragon 801 processor. It has a 2300 mAh battery, 13 MP rear-facing camera, and Motorola’s own Moto Display which pulsates notifications on the actual screen.

Note that the Moto X does not have a microSD card slot, so you’ll be stuck with only 16GB of internal storage. Motorola only decided to include a microSD card on the 3rd generation of its ‘X’ line.

The Moto G 2nd gen. features a 5 inch 720p LCD screen and an 8MP rear camera. Motorola’s Moto G was among the best performing smartphones in sales numbers around the globe. Motorola made some great hardware and hope that Lenovo has plans to keep it that way.

Source 1 (BBY) | Source 2 (B&H) |…

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$243 for a 2nd gen. Moto X, also, 2nd gen. Moto G w/dock for $100

Leaked LG G5 diagram shows new design, volume buttons on the side

LG is apparently going to unveil the G5 at MWC next month, ahead of its usual schedule for G-series smartphone launches. The company is said to finally be ready to tackle its Korean competitor Samsung head-on. Samsung will be revealing the Galaxy S7 at MWC, and so LG wants its G5 to directly compete with that.

To ensure the G5’s success, LG has been rumored to have significantly altered the design when compared to past G-series devices, including the G4 from last year. And now a leaked diagram for the G5 confirms just that.

As you can see, the G5 is probably going with a fully metallic build, given the cutouts on the back. It will also have its volume buttons on the side, something that hasn’t been seen in the G line since the Optimus G from 2012. On the other hand, the power button stays on the back, underneath the camera, yet this time around it will come with a built-in fingerprint scanner. A single speaker is on the bottom side of the device, while the 3.5 mm headset jack is up top.

The G5’s dimensions will allegedly be 149.4 x 73.9 x 8.2 mm. These make it taller yet narrower than its predecessor. Past rumors have talked about it featuring a 5.6-inch QHD touchscreen, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC at the helm, a 20 MP rear camera, and an 8 MP selfie snapper.

Source 1 (in Hebrew) • Source…

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Leaked LG G5 diagram shows new design, volume buttons on the side

Adam Driver's cat doppelgänger is just as chill looking

Every human has their celebrity doppelgänger. But not every human is able to see themselves in cat form — unless you are the lovable weirdo who is Adam Driver

Over the weekend, xoJane editor Marci Robin came across this cat at the Monmouth County SPCA that looks curiously like the Star Wars actor. Same ears, same nose. We’re guessing the same sardonic sense of humor.

See also: Imam opens his warm mosque to Istanbul’s stray cats and kittens

No news yet whether this cat will make it to the big screen, too — but if there be a word, it will be YES.

Tell me this cat at @TheMCSPCA doesn’t look like Adam Driverpic.twitter.com/OmtGnOWxyG

— Marci Robin (@MarciRobin) …

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Adam Driver's cat doppelgänger is just as chill looking

iPhone 6s Plus vs. Lumia 950 XL vs. Galaxy Note5 vs. LG V10: Blind shootout

The last blind shootout got us in a competitive spirit, so let’s do another one. This time we bring in the Apple iPhone 6s Plus and the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL and carry over the LG V10 and Samsung Galaxy Note5 from last time.

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iPhone 6s Plus vs. Lumia 950 XL vs. Galaxy Note5 vs. LG V10: Blind shootout

Finally! Whatsapp removes $1 annual subscription fee

Since forever, Whatsapp Messenger has been charging its users a humble annual fee ($1 or £1, depending on market) due after the first year of usage. This ends today: the Facebook-owned messenger goes completely free and slashes any and all annual fees.
Nearly a billion people today use WhatsappThe annual fee for the right to use Whatsapp has been a relic of the past that seemed particularly strange in a global market full of free solutions like Facebook Messenger, Skype, Viber and countless others.
Whatsapp explains that the official reason … – Source

Finally! Whatsapp removes $1 annual subscription fee

The 1958 stabbing that nearly killed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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The 1958 stabbing that nearly killed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

How to enable and edit the keyboard shortcuts on the BlackBerry Priv

In this article, we’ll show you how to set up and use keyboard shortcuts on the BlackBerry Priv.
One of the main features of BlackBerry’s first Android smartphone, the Priv, is a slide-out physical keyboard. As you’d imagine, hardware buttons are perfect for those who spend their days tapping away at emails and reports.
As it turns out, however, the keyboard can be used for more than just writing. For instance, you can use the keyboard as a quick-launch mechanism for your apps, which is a trick that the manufacturer has migrated from its previous … – Source

How to enable and edit the keyboard shortcuts on the BlackBerry Priv

So You Want to Join The Empire: Storage And Care of Stormtrooper Armor

It’s been a couple of weeks since our last look at armor building: after The Force Awakens, I needed to take a bit of a break from armor construction, but there is something that we can chat about in the meantime: storage.

…

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So You Want to Join The Empire: Storage And Care of Stormtrooper Armor

Check out this view from Hillary Clinton's podium at tonight's debate

Wanna get in Hillary Clinton’s head for a minute?

Here’s what it looks like at Clinton’s podium at tonight’s Democratic primary debate

Post from RICOH THETA. – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA

You can get a sense of how it might feel to be under the bright lights on national television in this 360-degree image, provided first to Mashable by YouTube, a debate co-sponsor along with NBC News.

See also: Hillary Clinton just told South Carolina Dems they’re her firewall. They loved that.

Additionally, you can also rotate the image around to see where the exits are so you can make a quick beeline for the bathroom and …

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Check out this view from Hillary Clinton's podium at tonight's debate

Will 2016 See The End Of Closed-Source Politics?

As the presidential primary campaigns heat up across both parties, voters are increasingly gravitating toward outsider candidates like Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, Ted Cruz and Ben Carson — candidates promising to shake up the establishment, with the credentials (or lack thereof) to back it up. But of all the issues gaining traction around the debates and campaign stops, one that is… Read More

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Will 2016 See The End Of Closed-Source Politics?

HTC targets January 25th to start sending out Android 6.0 to the T-Mobile HTC One (M8)

A week from tomorrow is January 25th and that is the date when T-Mobile subscribers sporting the HTC One (M8) could start receiving Android 6.0 via an OTA update. A tweet sent out on Friday by Mo Versi, HTC’s VP of Product Management, said that the update is still in the lab. He added that there is a January 25th target for its dissemination.

This could be the last major update for the HTC One (M8), which was launched with Android 4.4 pre-installed back in March, 2014. Since then, the phone has been updated to Android 4.4.3 and Android 5.0, Android 6.0 brings with it Doze, which extends … – Source

HTC targets January 25th to start sending out Android 6.0 to the T-Mobile HTC One (M8)

New phones of the week

This week we got phones ranging from 4.5″ to 5.5″, each of them ranking high on feature and low on price. Xiaomi kicked things off with the Redmi 3, a phone that barely crosses the $100 mark, but brings an all-metal body, a 5″ display, octa-core chipset and a surprisingly big 4,100mAh battery for its 8.5mm of thickness.

A few days later the company launched the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3… no, not this one, this one. The 5.5″ phablet aimed at the international market and swaps the Helio chipset for a Snapdragon 650 and upgrades the camera to 16MP along the way.

On the other end of the size scale is the Samsung Galaxy J1 (2016), which tiptoed into official status. It has a 4.5″ screen (Super AMOLED), a quad-core chipset and a 5MP camera. Its official price tag of $135 is $10-$20 above what can be found with a bit of shopping.

The Lenovo Lemon 3 competes with the Redmi 3 with a 5″ screen (with a higher resolution, 1080p) and a similar just-over-$100 price tag. It has a 13MP camera and the same Snapdragon 616 chipset.

The Asus Live is another 5-incher. It’s heading to Brazil where tech gets a hefty markup. The phone features a 720p display, 8MP camera, two SIM slots and a built-in digital TV…

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New phones of the week

Zinnia is first flower grown in space

The first flower has finally bloomed in outer space. Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly has tweeted a photo of the first ever flower grown in space on Saturday. The flower was grown as part of an experiment that Nasa astronauts are conducting on how plants grow in microgravity.

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Zinnia is first flower grown in space

Second largest black hole detected in Milky Way

Astronomers have detected signs of a black hole with a mass 100,0o0 times that of Sun around the centre of our galaxy Milky Way. The team assumes that this possible “intermediate mass” black hole is a key to understanding the birth of the supermassive black holes located in the centres of galaxies.

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Second largest black hole detected in Milky Way

Daredevil little girl uses a Nerf gun to extract her loose tooth

It’s so exciting when you finally have a loose tooth that’s ready to go under the pillow — the only problem is getting the thing out

Clearly, little Addy was tired of wiggling her loose tooth around, and desperate times call for desperate measures. So her dad had the brilliant idea of attaching her tooth to a Nerf gun and firing it across the room. Luckily, Addy’s tooth was most of the way out already.

Next time, maybe just let the Tooth Fairy handle it.

That time Alan Rickman and David Bowie crossed paths on ‘The Simpsons’

Super cool grandma couldn’t care less about your Yeezy shoes

Little girl is not fooled when tricky dad tells her about weird thing called ‘snow’

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Daredevil little girl uses a Nerf gun to extract her loose tooth

[Bonus Round] Ancestor, Defenders 2, The Pit, Galactic Nemesis, Rocket Ski Racing, TMNT Portal Power, And Wild Kratts Baby Buddies

Welcome to the latest entry in our Bonus Round series, wherein we tell you all about the new Android games of the day that we couldn’t get to during our regular news rounds. Consider this a quick update for the dedicated gamers who can’t wait for our bi-weekly roundups, and don’t want to wade through a whole day’s worth of news just to get their pixelated fix. Today we have a gorgeous platformer, a well-received tower defense sequel, a spunky endless runner, a retro take on Space Invaders, a simple and goofy racer, and two surprisingly decent licensed games.

Read More

[Bonus Round] Ancestor, Defenders 2, The Pit, Galactic Nemesis, Rocket Ski Racing, TMNT Portal Power, And Wild Kratts Baby Buddies was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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[Bonus Round] Ancestor, Defenders 2, The Pit, Galactic Nemesis, Rocket Ski Racing, TMNT Portal Power, And Wild Kratts Baby Buddies

Louis CK has a logical explanation for why he's waiting to do more 'Louie'

PASADENA, California — Bad news: Louis CK is no closer to having a new season of Louie ready for viewers’ eager eyes than when we last got an update

The good news: The delay seemingly isn’t a result of his disinterest in doing another season; it’s kinda of because he’s been ridiculously busy

See also: Fancy clown Zach Galifianakis wants to put his best nose forward in ‘Baskets’ promo

Or, as the comedian puts it, he hasn’t had a lot of time to think about it

“You have to be able to put other things completely aside when you’re not thinking about them,” he told reporters Saturday at a panel for FX’s upcoming comedy Baskets. “So I’ll have a Baskets day and I’m not thinking about these other things.” …

More about Television, Comedy, Entertainment, Tv, and Louis C.K. – Source

Louis CK has a logical explanation for why he's waiting to do more 'Louie'

iTunes Radio will no longer be free; only paid Apple Music subscribers will be able to access it

Apple has announced that it will begin charging for its iTunes Radio service from this month’s end. Launched back in 2013 alongside the iOS 7 and available only in the US and Australia, the service has been free (ad-supported) all this while.

Image credit: Eric Risberg/Associated Press

However, that will change as starting January 29, it’ll become paid. Further, you’ll only be able to access the service – which competes with Pandora – if you’re a paid Apple Music subscriber. For those who aren’t already aware, Apple Music costs $9.99 a month.

“We are making Beats 1 the premier free broadcast from Apple and phasing out the ad-supported stations at the end of January,” the Cupertino-based company said in a statement.

“Additionally, with an Apple Music membership, listeners can access dozens of radio stations curated by our team of music experts, covering a range of genres, commercial-free with unlimited skips. The free three-month trial of Apple Music includes…

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iTunes Radio will no longer be free; only paid Apple Music subscribers will be able to access it

Man finds his lobster by proposing to girlfriend in an elaborate 'Friends' style

All of the Friends would approve of this proposal.

When Londoner Mitesh Jadva decided to propose to his girlfriend, Anisha Patel, he wanted to incorporate her favorite show, Friends, into the memorable affair.

See also: An inside look at London’s epic pop-up ‘Friends’ exhibition

After a romantic dinner, the couple headed to a nearby park as sunset, where Jadva had decked out a spot with the famous, orange Central perk couch, twinkly lights and a few people to sing the 90’s sitcom theme song.

We can’t hear what he said in his proposal, but we really hope he said that he’ll be there for her.

BONUS: ‘Friends’ starring hamsters is your new favorite sitcom …

More about Viral Videos, Videos, Friends, Marriage, and Proposals – Source

Man finds his lobster by proposing to girlfriend in an elaborate 'Friends' style

Microsoft announces Xbox One 1TB Tom Clancy's The Division Bundle; available for pre-order

Microsoft has announced a new Xbox One bundle. Dubbed Tom Clancy’s The Division, the bundle includes 1TB Xbox One console, Xbox One wireless controller with 3.5mm headset jack, Tom Clancy’s The Division full game download, and 14-day Xbox Live Gold trial.

“Create your own powerful agent to take back New York City from dangerous factions during a deadly pandemic in Tom Clancy’s The Division, an online, open world RPG experience like no other,” the description read on the bundle’s page on Xbox website. “Team up with friends in co-op on Xbox Live, acquiring new skills and weapons as you investigate the source of the virus and engage in fierce battles together.”

Carrying a price tag of $399, the bundle is now up for pre-order on the Microsoft Store – it is expected to start shipping on March 8. The game is also up for pre-order, with a beta test beginning later his month. Those in the US who pre-order the bundle will also get a code to access the beta test.

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Microsoft announces Xbox One 1TB Tom Clancy's The Division Bundle; available for pre-order

Channel your inner Gatsby as fashion returns to the 1920s

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More about Uk, Fashion, London, Lifestyle, and Men S Fashion Week – Source

Channel your inner Gatsby as fashion returns to the 1920s

Paytm, MobiKwik, Oxigen's plan to keep your money safe

Fraudulent transactions through mobile wallets are estimated at about 1% of the market at present and experts expect them to rise to more than 2%.

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Paytm, MobiKwik, Oxigen's plan to keep your money safe

Lumia 950 also back in stock at US and Canadian Microsoft Stores

Just days after the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL returned to the company’s online stores in the US and Canada, the device’s smaller cousin Lumia 950 is also back in stock in both countries.

As for the price, the 5.2-inch, Windows 10-powered device carries a tag of $549 in the United States, while over in Canada, it will set you back CAD 749, which is around $515 at current exchange rates.

What’s worth mentioning here is that despite being in stock, the phone won’t ship immediately – both listings currently show a shipping date of February 8, 2016.

Source 1…

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Lumia 950 also back in stock at US and Canadian Microsoft Stores

Ted Cruz trolls New Yorkers with fake apology for his attacks on their values

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A day after ripping into Donald Trump’s “New York values” onstage in the latest GOP debate, Ted Cruz trolled the New Yorkers who want an apology.

“Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton and Andrew Cuomo and Bill de Blasio have all demanded an apology and I am happy to apologize,” Cruz told reporters after an event at the University of South Carolina. “I apologize to the millions of New Yorkers who have been let down by liberal politicians in that state.”

See also: Ted Cruz attacks Donald Trump’s ‘New York values,’ Trump responds with 9/11

Cruz didn’t go after Trump — or New Yorkers — during the event itself. But he leaned hard into highlighting his conservative Christian views, an implicit contrast with the more secular Trump as he looks to rally voters in the deeply religious southern state. …

More about Donald Trump, Us World, Politics, Ted Cruz, and 2016 Campaign – Source

Ted Cruz trolls New Yorkers with fake apology for his attacks on their values

What We Use, 2016 Edition: The Stuff Cameron Can't Live Without

In 2012, we started a series called “What We Use,” where we, the AP staff, talked about the stuff that we can’t live without. It started off as something where we just discussed our Android devices and computers, but last year we took that a step further (at Artem’s request, no less) and discussed a lot more than that, basically covering everything that we love in our lives. The most important stuff to us, as people.

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What We Use, 2016 Edition: The Stuff Cameron Can’t Live Without was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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What We Use, 2016 Edition: The Stuff Cameron Can't Live Without