Jamie Condliffe

Dumb Human Errors Can Undermine the Security of Encrypted Communication Apps

You might think that because you use an expensive secure phone or encrypted messaging app like Signal your privacy is guaranteed. Sadly, you may have overestimated the abilities of the humans at each end, whose screw-ups when using the schemes can render them redundant. Technology Review reports that experiments performed at the University of Alabama…

Apple’s Reportedly Opened a Secret Lab to Develop New Screen Tech

Apple has opened a secretive laboratory in Taiwan to develop new LCD and OLED screen technologies for its devices, according to a report by Bloomberg. The new facility is said to be home to at least 50 engineers, and is situated in a “remote science park” with “no external signs of Apple.” The plant was…

This Chrome Extension Will Block Star Wars Spoilers For You

When Star Wars starts screening for the masses later this week, the internet is going to be full of spoilers. Hell, after last night’s premiere, it probably already is. But don’t worry: this Chrome extension will keep you safe. Called Force Block, the extension will “block pages containing spoilers from Star Wars: The Force Awakens,…

This Microscope Creates Near-Real-Time Nanoscale Video of Chemical Reactions

It’s relatively easy to create highly detailed images of even molecule-sized structures if you can keep them still—but if they move, you’ve little chance. Now, a new kind of microscope is allowing researchers to create video of nanoscale processes in near-real-time. A team from MIT has created a new kind of atomic force microscope—a device…

Twitter Is Warning Users They May Be Targets of ‘State-Sponsored’ Hacks

Twitter has sent an email to a number of its users to explain that their accounts may have been the target of “state-sponsored hackers.” Coldhak, a Canadian non-profit, received a copy of the email and posted it to Twitter. The email explains: “As a precaution, we are alerting you that your Twitter account is one…

WSJ: Samsung Galaxy S7 Will Have Pressure-Sensitive Screen, Fast Charging

When Samsung’s Galaxy S7 arrives in March, it may borrow one of the iPhone 6S’s biggest new features. The Wall Street Journal reports that the company plans to add a pressure-sensitive display to the new handset. The newspaper explains that, according to “people familiar with the matter,” the phone may also feature a fast-charging USB…

Apple Won an Exclusive Taylor Swift Concert Streaming Deal

Yesterday, Apple announced that its Music service will have the exclusive rights to stream a concert film from Taylor Swift’s current world tour. When her 1989 world tour concert video goes public on December 20th, there will be only one place to watch it. And that place will be Apple Music. According to Re/code, you…

BBC iPlayer Is Now Available on Apple TV

BBC’s iPlayer has been conspicuous in its absence from the Apple TV for years. Today, finally, that’s changed. The BBC announced in October that iPlayer was headed to Apple TV “in the coming months,”and it’s kept its promise in time for the holidays. The new app provides the ability to stream BBC content on-demand, much…

A New AI System Passed a Visual Turing Test

A team of researchers from MIT has developed an artificial intelligence system that can fool human judges into thinking it’s a person when it comes to drawing unfamiliar letter-like characters. You can think of the experiment, detailed in the new issue of Science, as a kind of visual Turing Test. The software and a human…

Tokyo Is Fighting Rogue Drones With Its Own Net-Carrying Drones

Fight fire with fire, so they say. Clearly Tokyo officials have been listening to that advice, because their police force is launching a fleet of net-carrying drones that will locate and capture other rogue drones being flown by members of the public. The BBC reports that the new squad of police drones will be used…

Researchers Have Made Socks That Use Urine to Create Electricity

Your urine may be of more use kept about your person. At least, that’s what a team of researchers from the University of the West of England think, because they’ve made a pair of socks that use the liquid to generate electricity. The new sock contains a network of integrated tubes that can hold up…

The Paris Climate Negotiations Will Extend Into the Weekend

Despite pulling another all-nighter, world leaders have been unable to reach a firm consensus over their climate negotiations in Paris. It’s now expected that an agreement won’t be signed before Saturday. The French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who’s chairing the talks, says that “things are moving in the right direction,” according to the BBC, and…

Yahoo Mail Now Manages Your Entire Gmail Account Too

Yahoo has added a new feature to its Mail app that allows you to integrate your entire Gmail account into the webmail service — even enabling you to search and find attachments. The feature doesn’t just drag recent messages to your Yahoo inbox. Instead, it accesses your entire Gmail archive. That means you can search…

Split-Screen Multi-Tasking May Finally Hit Android

In a Reddit AMA, Android and Chrome UX director Glen Murphy has explained that his team is working on some ways to make Android more productive — including split-screen multi-tasking. Taking to Reddit, Murphy explained that Google is working on the feature that’s appeared on Windows tablets since 2012 and finally made it to iOS…

You Can Listen to the New Season of Serial Right Now

It’s been a year since the first season of Serial reached it conclusion. But now armchair detectives everywhere can immerse themselves in the new, second season because you can download the first installment right now. The new episode, Dustwun, is available on the Serial website and iTunes. The servers seems pretty bogged down right now,…

These Are the Best Microscopic Videos of 2015

Every year, Nikon’s Small World in Motion Competition rounds up the best microscopic videos from scientists across the world. The results are always strange, beautiful and oddly compelling. Watch them here. In fact, if there’s any unifying theme to this year’s winners, it’s that they’re all a bit… icky. The winner shows one kind of…

Cygnus Looked Suitably Festive For the Astronauts Aboard the ISS

Yesterday, the Cygnus cargo spacecraft safely made it to the International Space Station. But as it did so, it was lit up a little bit like a Christmas decoration. Astronauts Scott Kelly pointed out that the astronauts got a “delivery in time for #Christmas decked w[ith] festive lighting,” and tweeted this picture to show us.…

You Can Now Pay at Wal-Mart Using Your Mobile

Wal-Mart is joining the mobile payment movement. But instead of embracing existing Android and Apple systems, you’ll have to use the store’s own app if you want to purchase your stuff without taking your wallet out. Wal-Mart Pay—perhaps not the most original of names—works with any iOS or Android device, because you just need to…

In a video published on YouTube, GoPro has revealed that its forthcoming drone will be called Karma. Whether it’s good or bad, we’ll have to wait and see.

Can You Solve a UK Intelligence Agency’s Christmas Puzzle?

What better way to celebrate the holidays than a fiendishly difficult puzzle. Well, that’s what one of the UK’s intelligence agencies, GCHQ, reckons—which is why the Christmas card it’s been sending out features this infuriating puzzle. Can you solve it? This grid-shading puzzle is, however, just the start. “By solving this first puzzle players will…