This week on the Gadget Lab podcast, Alexa gets hardware and software updates, and Twitter goes long.
Daily Archives: September 29, 2017
Emilio Ferrara has been thinking about botnets for over a decade. As the first social networks climbed out of the mire, he noticed that they were very easy to game. Now, it seems, all of those early tools have finally been weaponized.
I spoke to Ferrara about his research work as well as his fascinating study that found that Twitter bots can be used for good. In this episode of Technopia we… Read MoreResearcher Emilio Ferrara talks about the rise of fake news ...
Apple's leaving 32-bit apps behind with its iOS 11 update, but saying goodbye to 32-bit apps does more good than harm
iOS 11 Is Killing 32-Bit Apps. But This Is Good ...
Facebook has its own version of Apple’s Face ID. If you get locked out of your Facebook account, the company is testing a way to regain access by using your face to verify your identity. That could be especially useful if you’re somewhere that you can’t receive two-factor authentication SMS, like on a plane or while traveling abroad, or if you lose access to your email… Read MoreFacebook tests facial recognition for account recovery
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to Xcode, a small Czech team called Brightify has created Reactant, a framework that makes it easy to program iOS apps. The system is a Swift-based framework that offers live-reload of code, allowing you to add elements on the fly as you program. “The Reactant architecture dictates how to structure an iOS project from start to finish. It… Read MoreReactant is a new native framework for iOS apps
TechCrunch has learned that Apple has acquired a small French startup called Regaind, according to multiple sources. As always, Apple is very quiet when it comes to acquisitions, but it’s always interesting to learn more about Apple’s interests. We’ve reached out to Apple and the company sent us the following statement: “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time… Read MoreApple quietly acquired computer vision startup Regaind
The SNES Classic Edition is out today, and is probably currently en route to those lucky enough to have scored a pre-order, and being picked up by bleary-eyed fans who set up early at game store locations around the world. Reviews have been almost universally positive for the small console, which is not surprising, so a lot of folks will probably also be in the market for accessories –… Read More8bitdo’s new wireless controllers are perfect for your new SNES ...
The Federal Aviation Administration announced new rules for drone use around key US landmarks including monuments and dams. Under the new restrictions, drones are not to fly within 400 feet of the designated landmarks. The FAA says these rules we...
FAA outlaws drone use around 10 US monuments and dams
It’s been a busy year for Sphero, with the release of products like R2-D2, Spider-Man and Lightning McQueen. But the robotic toy startup is still making non-licensed, non-tie in products too — including the Sphero Mini, its most affordable toy yet. “We wanted to make Sphero products accessible to everyone,” said co-founder and Chief Software Architect Adam Wilson. The… Read MoreWith the Sphero Mini, you get a robotic ball for ...
It takes more than just toggling the little buttons in the Control Center.