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A white paper published by an Israeli security firm on Tuesday describes 13 vulnerabilities allegedly affecting AMD chips currently being shipped to customers. In a statement, AMD said it is investigating the report “by a company called CTS Labs” but raised concerns over the way in which the firm disseminated its white paper, which was…
Police agencies are increasingly using advanced technologies to fight crime, including biometrics, auditory detection, and even virtual reality. One of the most controversial tools is “predictive policing,” which has long been accused of reinforcing racial biases. But a team of researchers from Indiana University, UCLA, and Louisiana State University found the practice, and its effects…
One-time Star Trek star William Shatner wants you to know that he does not support Flat Earth thinking. The “British Flat Earth Association” today tweeted an image depicting Shatner’s face along with the quote “I was fooled by science, the Earth is flat” and the date April 15, 2017. That came with the text “Great…
3D printers haven’t quite ushered in a new industrial revolution, but every day it seems there’s another irrational reason why you might consider buying one. As this soothing timelapse reveals, if you’ve got the patience to wait almost ten days, you could 3D print yourself an impressive replica of the Millennium Falcon in a single…
Over a six-year period, Microsoft upheld only one of the 118 gender discrimination complaints it received from female employees, according to court filings, Reuters reported on Tuesday. In total, the company received 238 complaints of discrimination or sexual harassment between 2010 and 2016, the court filings say. Microsoft is being sued by several former employees…
Mo Norai has worked in Silicon Valley for a decade. He’s done stints at Google, Twitter, Facebook, and Apple, but only as a contract worker, meaning he has missed out on the tech giants’ storied perks, benefits and job security. So when he was approached last April by a recruiter from a company called Tech…
Just when you thought Facebook was getting out of the news business, it’s… getting into the news business—but with video! The social network reportedly plans to test out a news video section for its Watch tab, which will begin rolling out this summer, Axios reported on Tuesday. To do so, Facebook will partner with around…
A Toronto therapist who attempted to “treat” homosexuality in his male patients has been found guilty by his peers of sexual misconduct. Earlier this month, the Discipline Committee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) determined that Melvyn Iscove, 72, had engaged in multiple acts of “professional misconduct,” including the sexual abuse…
The extraterrestrial and fringe science research group founded by former Blink-182 member Tom DeLonge has released what is purportedly declassified Pentagon footage of a Navy pilot observing an unidentified flying object. “What the fuck is that thing,” someone in the video says, “Wow, what is that, man?” The research group, To The Stars Academy of…
It’s a sad fact that Americans aren’t getting any healthier. So it’s not really a surprise that Fitbit has created the Ace, a kids’ activity tracker that could help parents combat childhood obesity. That said, the idea that parents should be injecting one more gadget into their kids’ lives still seems a bit weird. Designed…
Citing a risk of melting or starting fires due to overheating, Amazon has voluntary issued a recall on six AmazonBasics-branded portable chargers. Those models were sold between late 2014 and mid 2017, the Verge reports, and the emails sent to affected customers claim Amazon is performing the recall “in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product…
Before the Nintendo Switch, iPhone, and even the Game Boy, the 1986 Sony Watchman was my first gadget obsession. When the digital TV switchover happened a few years ago, my handheld TV was relegated to a drawer as there’s now nothing to watch on it. But that’s why I’m super excited to see that someone…
I haven’t asked for a lot from Fitbit over the years. Really only one thing. I would like another Pebble—a gorgeous smartwatch that lasts for days, has a healthy selection of apps, and isn’t sized to fit the wrist of a seven foot tall, 300-pound football player. Finally, I think, Fitbit might be giving me…
Yesterday, British prime minister Theresa May said that Russia had 24 hours to respond to accusations that it had poisoned a former spy in Salisbury using an extremely rare nerve agent. But today, Russia’s foreign minister said that it would not cooperate without getting samples of the nerve agent. “Russia is ready to cooperate in…
Today, President Trump heads to the US-Mexico border near San Diego—his first trip to California as president. Trump will examine the eight prototypes for his infamous border wall and meet with agents of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), an agency that recently released a propaganda video titled, “Walls Work.” And it’s just as ridiculous…
White supremacist carnival barker and sometimes-literal punching bag Richard Spencer, whose ongoing college tour has seen plummeting attendance as the number of potential audience members willing to be seen in his presence diminishes, might call it quits on the whole thing since it’s not “fun” anymore now that “antifa is winning.” In an interview with…
Singapore-based mobile chip manufacturer Broadcom’s $117 billion bid to acquire its US rival Qualcomm—what might have been the largest tech deal in history—was shot down by the White House on Monday, with President Donald Trump allegedly making the decision over unspecified national security risks. In a statement to CNBC, the White House wrote on behalf…
Jake Paul, the vlogger known for his tremendous popularity among teens (and for being the single worst neighbor in the state of California) decided to step back from his life of stunts and opulence to tackle a serious subject he knows nothing about: school shootings. Specifically, he’d like to stop them from happening. Paul seems…
Until bus service arrived in 2013, Arlington, Texas was the largest city in the nation without public transportation. Residents have repeatedly voted against measures that would bring mass transit to the area and now the city is killing its bus service in favor of a ridesharing startup. Via lets riders book a trip in a…
Dustin Sloan and Trenton Charlson might not be household names, but if you spend too much time on the internet, you might recognize some of their creations. Last year they upgraded a tricycle with a chainsaw engine, and this year they’ve crammed the gas-powered engine from a log splitter into a Power Wheels Barbie Jeep…