technology

Interview with Slashdot founder Rob Malda

"The stuff that’s interesting has as much to do with the technology as the information. I’m interested in the technology the government uses to spy on me. I’m interested in the fact of the anonymous file-sharing network that made the Manning stuff possible. That’s the stuff that gets to my soft, gooey center. The policy parts, I don’t feel like I have a say in that. I don’t have a voice there. I know what I want to see happen. But I don’t feel like I have a say or a voice so I choose to be interested in the technology and think about where that’s going to take us next. All that stuff never would have existed 20 years ago." Continue reading →

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Out of the box: UPS Stores to offer 3D printing

"Stratasys will provide its uPrint SE desktop machines to six UPS Stores in America for a trial programme. These machines will allow customers to bring their designs to the store and have them printed out as objects—in much the same way as people take two-dimensional digital documents to the store and have them printed on paper. The uPrint machines can produce items in plastic in a range of colours and make bigger objects in finer detail than consumer-level 3D printers. UPS expects designers, entrepreneurs, start-ups and architects seeking models to be among its customers for 3D printing services." Continue reading →

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Goodbye Cable TV, Hello Google

"This diminutive device, nearly as small as a flash thumb drive, plugs right into your TV — through the HDMI port. It can stream video content wirelessly from the Internet to your TV using an Android or iOS device, or a PC or Mac, using Google’s Chrome browser, as a remote control. Chromecast could be a really disruptive product. According to a Sandvine report, YouTube and Netflix account for an estimated 49.4% share of all peak downstream Internet traffic in the U.S. Now with Chromecast, those users can steam that Internet traffic onto their TV’s easily. For a mere $35, Chromecast can turn any television into a player for streaming Internet video content." Continue reading →

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Human-to-Rat, Brain-to-Brain Control Achieved By Neuro Scientists

"Obviously, this latter possibility would need to be effected through an explicit arrangement and agreement between two consenting humans (and not a human animal pairing, which would seem to be highly unethical, to say the least). But of course, beyond the interpersonal sphere, there is the societal sphere and the need of some societies to control their citizens. BBI is essentially mind-control, and, while there are many good and even miraculous possibilities from this technology in the not-too-distant future, if it were to come under the exclusive control of an authoritarian or autocratic government, our brave new world could easily become Orwellian." Continue reading →

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1974 PSA Warned of High Tech Surveillance State for Behavior Control

"The clip below is of a public service message warning the public on the growing use of technology and surveillance by government and corporations (though who can really tell the difference these days) to control our lives. Sure, you say. We know all about that. Snowden has conclusively shown us with leaked documentation what our government is doing to us. Ah. But the film was not made last week or even last decade; it was filmed in 1974. Watch and listen. No, really listen. This message isn’t just to warn us about the coming technological surveillance state itself, but how its construct is to be used as a form of behavioral control on a mass scale." Continue reading →

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Drive Drunk or Asleep, Wherever You Want!

"Whether you believe in the futuristic, high-speed flying capsules of science fiction or a less glamorous evolution of cruise control, one thing’s for sure: A major shift to autonomous driving technology is just around the corner. Google’s fleet of self-driving Priuses is picking up speed, driver-assistance technology is rapidly being developed and many autonomous devices already are standard in dozens of existing car models. But are we really ready to take our hands off the wheel?" Continue reading →

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New Oculus Rift cover shooter is so realistic, players warned not to lean on virtual objects

"Groundbreaking virtual reality headset Oculus Rift has been in the hands of software developers for just a few months, and already it's been used to create some incrediblesimulations and gaming experiences. But a new first-person-shooter demo may offer the most immersive experience yet, letting players duck, fire around virtual crates, and rotate their guns in their hands. 'Please be careful when playing this demo,' Lipowitz warned players on the Oculus developer forums, 'lots of people try to support themselves on the crates when they try to stand up or when leaning up against a column, but find there is nothing there.'" Continue reading →

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Poolfa.com: Evidence of an Expanding Iranian Bitcoin Community

"As Bitcoin has proven to be an asset to Iranians whose rial is suffering from high inflation and an oppressive government, it will be interesting to see how successful additional alternative cryptocurrencies fare in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Through serving the Iranian people as a news blog, forum, wiki page, pool for mining, exchange and translation service, Poolfa is in turn contributing to the Bitcoin community as a whole. With an expanded and empowered user base, Bitcoin will continue to grow in prominence in Iran, the Middle East, and the rest of the world." Continue reading →

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BitPay Partners with 3dcart, Giving 16,000 Online Merchants the Ability to Accept Bitcoin

"In a strategic move that could more than double the number of bitcoin merchants on its roster, BitPay has announced a partnership with 3dcart, a well-established eCommerce platform for online store owners. The partnership gives some major online merchants – including Bubba Gump Shrimp, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and The New York Times – the option (not obligation) to enable bitcoin payments directly through 3dcart back-end tools. BitPay gives merchants the option to accept bitcoin payments and instantly convert all, some, or none of the bitcoins into a bank deposit that clears in one business day." Continue reading →

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Coinlab to incubate Bitcoin startups

"Venture-backed Bitcoin exchange CoinLab has announced it will start to incubate new Bitcoin businesses, starting with enterprise-scale mining company Alydian. CoinLab won't be providing any capital or mentoring to existing businesses. Instead it will come up with new ideas for businesses internally, and recruit external management talent to develop the ideas. The first portfolio company CoinLab is launching is Alydian, which is the first company to offer 'multi-terahash-speed' mining systems. CoinLab has recruited former Pixelworks CEO Hans Olsen to head up the business." Continue reading →

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