Art

The hometown of British surveillance gets the Banksy treatment

As reported on The Verge. By Aaron Souppouris A new a piece believed to be the work of street artist Banksy has emerged in the English town of Cheltenham. It touches on themes Banksy has explored before, namely the “surveillance state,” with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. The untitled artwork subverts a phone booth and satellite dish, adding shady Dick Tracy-esque men that are assumedly listening in on phone calls. As well as appropriating existing objects to…

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Culture Story

#Love: Thanks, Porn

As reported on TechCrunch. by John Biggs As a modern married male, the times spent alone with my computer and a box of tissues are, in some ways, the best times. That is not to say the manifold pleasures of family life and the wild menagerie of mere existence aren’t amazing, but a body likes to be alone. For this I thank porn. While there is no doubt that there are dark corners of this industry…

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Hardware Dev Tablet

Wall Mount MagBak Turns Your iPad Into A Fancy Magnet

As reported on TechCrunch. by Catherine Shu The MagBak claims to be the world’s thinnest mount for the iPad. Indeed, the entire kit consists of a wall holder  (called the MagStick) that is only slightly thicker than pencil and a strong but thin magnetic grip which adheres to the back of the tablet. The latest version of the MagBak, which is available for the Air and Mini models, is on Kickstarter and has already raised nearly double its $15,000 goal with…

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Hardware Dev

This tiny generator can power wearable devices using your body heat

As reported on Engadget. BY MARIELLA MOON Many wearables have decent enough battery life, but you know what’ll make them even better? If we never have to recharge them at all. That’s why researchers have been developing small power sources that can generate electricity using body heat, including a team from the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. This particular group has designed a new light and flexible generator made out of thermoelectric (TE) substances printed on glass…

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Security

What is Heartbleed, anyway?

As reported on Engadget. BY JOSE ANDRADE If you’re an IT professional, gadget blogger or token geek in your circle of friends, chances are, you’ve been hounded relentlessly over the past couple of days about “this Heartbleed thing.” “Do I need to update my antivirus?” “Can I login to my bank account now?” “Google already fixed it, right?” We’ve heard them all, but the answers aren’t all that clear or simple. In an attempt to take the pressure…

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History

‘Gospel of Jesus’s Wife’ likely isn’t a modern forgery, scientists claim

As reported on The Verge. By Amar Toor  Analysis suggests that the controversial fragment is indeed ancient, but not everyone is convinced A controversial document that suggests that Jesus of Nazareth had a wife is most likely ancient and not a modern forgery, according to a paper published today in theHarvard Theological Review. The papyrus fragment, known as the “Gospel of Jesus’s Wife,” has been the subject of widespread debate since it was discovered in 2012 because it…

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Google

Google Lets Anyone In The U.S. Become A Glass Explorer For $1,500 Starting April 15

As reported on TechCrunch. by Darrell Etherington Google isn’t doing its consumer launch of Glass just yet, but it is doing the next best thing: Opening up the Glass Explorer program to anyone in the U.S. starting April 15. That’s right, as of next Tuesday, any American resident can grab a Google Glass unit for $1,500 plus applicable taxes, and these will ship with your favorite shade or Glass-specific frame included, too. The program opens its doors…

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Government

US Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius To Resign

As reported on TechCrunch. by Alex Wilhelm Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is resigning. President Obama, according to the New York Times, has selected Sylvia Mathews Burwell of the Office of Management and Budget as her replacement. Secretary Sebelius became a household name following the catastrophic launch of Healthcare.gov, the government’s portal to provide a marketplace for private health insurance during the rollout of the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. Despite that flop of national proportions, the…

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Business Retail Sales

Staples is launching an in-store 3D printing service

As reported on Engadget. BY SEAN BUCKLEY First it sold select 3D printers in stores, then it sold print-by-mail services in Europe — now Staples is offering US customers a chance to print objects on-demand and on-site. The company’s launch event is focusing on the fun side of 3D printing, serving up action figures and personalized Starfleet officers to walk-in customers, but Staples says it hopes the service will catch the attention of small businesses. Customers will have access to up…

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Android Application Google

Chrome beta for Android makes it easy to send web video to Chromecast

As reported on Engadget. BY JON FINGAS You no longer have to engage in some hidden setting gymnastics just to send web videos from Chrome for Android to your Chromecast. Google has rolled out a Chrome 35 beta that lets you deliver “some” clips from the browser to a Chromecast-equipped TV. The company hasn’t said just which videos are compatible, but it notes that YouTube support is rough around the edges. Even if your favorite media site is broken, you can…

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