As reported on TechCrunch. by Greg Kumparak NOTE: NOT AN ACTUAL SCREENSHOT; JUST A MOCKUP OF WHAT THE WEATHER ICONS COULD LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE While I’ve been a fan of the Chromecast since the beginning, I find myself using it more and more lately. During the work day, I end up using it for all of the random videos I want to watch but that I don’t want taking up my laptop’s screen space or taking…
As reported on Engadget. BY JON FINGAS Us humans are good at predicting how people will behave, particularly in groups, but artificial intelligence routines still have trouble dealing with much more than controlled, one-on-one discussions. They’ll be far more flexible if Microsoft’s Situated Interaction project pays off, though. The research initiative has produced sensor-equipped robots that can not only recognize multiple people, but infer their objectives and roles. Office assistants can tell who’s speaking and respond in kind,…
As reported on Engadget. BY STEVE DENT With companies like Verizon pushing into its broadband turf, Comcast may be pushing back with its own mobile network, according to a report from The Information. Insiders claim that,like Google, it’s considering a service that would work using a combination of Comcast’s million+ WiFi hotspots and leased cellular capacity from other operators. Those could include Verizon, with which it already has a deal in place for wholesale network access. In addition, it has over…
As reported on The Verge. By Rich McCormick Universal is preparing to start work on a Battlestar Galactica movie. Variety says the studio is planning to completely reimagine the sci-fi story — in which space-bound humans fend off the attacks of nefarious cybernetic Cylons as they try to find a new home — just five years after the four-season Syfy TV show drew to a close. The planned film would mark the second time Battlestar Galactica has been rebooted after the original show…
As reported on The Verge. By Rich McCormick Maryland is set to become the 17th state to decriminalize marijuana. Democratic Governor Martin O’Malley released a statement on Monday, saying he intended to sign legislation that would mean those found in possession of small amounts of the drug would not face jail time. Governor O’Malley said that the decriminalization bill had majority support in the state, and that under current state laws, few defendants in marijuana cases go…
As reported on TechCrunch. by Alex Wilhelm And then there were none: As expected, more people applied for high-skill and high-degree U.S. work visas in the first five days of the application period than there were slots. This is precisely what happened last year. This indicates that the number of high-skill and high-degree folks out there who want to come to the U.S. is far higher than the number this country is willing to accept. Each year, 65,000…
As reported on Engadget. BY JON FINGAS If you missed out on Game of Thrones‘ season 4 premiere when it first aired — say, because of the HBO Go meltdown — you’re in for a treat this week. HBO is giving all Xbox users free access to the episode between April 8th and April 14th, whether or not they’re subscribers to the premium TV service. Some cable and satellite providers are also offering gratis access through their on-demand platforms and…
As reported on Engadget. BY MARIELLA MOON That electromagnetic railgun is cool and all, but it’s not the Navy’s only wargadget in progress. Apparently, the Armed Forces branch has also been working tirelessly to improve its ship-mounted lasers and autonomous helicopters since we’d last heard about them. The new laser prototype, in particular, is a beefed-up version of what we saw in 2013. It’s capable of firing high-energy beams for $1 per shot, providing ships a low-cost alternative to weapons that…
As reported on The Verge. By Jacob Kastrenakes Google has experimented quite a bit with ways to make Maps more immersive, but no attempt yet may be as successful as its latest: Night Walk, a loosely guided tour through the streets of Marseille on one vibrant and beautiful evening. Night Walk starts you out in a small alley in the neighborhood Cours Julien and works a lot like Street View — you can look around in every direction and click wherever…
As reported on The Verge. By Arielle Duhaime-Ross Why the agency is really leveraging the crisis in Ukraine NASA ordered its officials to put an end to communications with Russian government officials and scientists yesterday. The order was leaked through an internal memo,obtained by The Verge, in which the US space agency explained that teleconferences, email exchanges, and meetings with Russian officials were to cease immediately. This ban excludes the International Space Station (ISS) — NASA sent…