News Archives -
Intel fights Parkinson’s disease
On 19, Aug 2014 | In News | By Contrive Media
Intel fights Parkinson’s disease with wearable devices and cloud storage
Behind Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease is the second-most widespread neurodegenerative brain disorder in the world, and affects one out of every 100 people over the age of 60. Teaming up with the Read more…
Chrome Is Ruining Your Windows Laptop Battery
On 16, Jul 2014 | In News | By Contrive Media
Windows batteries, be warned.
Ian Morris writes on Forbes that Windows users who prefer Google’s Chrome web browser are inadvertently ruining their computer batteries. The problem lies in what’s called a “system clock tick rate.”
By default, a Windows PC tick rate is Read more…
Self-Driving Cars Will Transform Cities, But Could They Make Things Worse?
On 30, May 2014 | In News | By Contrive Media
For those dreaming of a world filled with self-driving cars, the future looks great — but it may not be great enough.
Google’s newly announced self-driving cars have the potential to completely Read more…
The Tech You Need To Throw a Memorial Day BBQ
On 23, May 2014 | In News | By Contrive Media
The way we throw a start-of-summer party isn’t the same as it was 30 years ago, thanks to technology.
How did our predecessors spread the word about an upcoming event without Snapchat, and how did anyone grill a perfect steak without infrared? As much as apps such as
Read more…
Be Careful: Trends Come And Go
On 14, Feb 2014 | In News | By Contrive Media
As one of the top designers on Dribbble, Jan Martin attracts many followers with his visual design skills. Unlike many designers, Jan is incredibly humble about what he has achieved. “Stop following what the visionary designers think,” he says. “There is no wrong or right way. We need to create our own things
Read more…
Shaken Like a Polaroid Picture
On 17, Sep 2013 | In News | By Contrive Media
Apple’s slump looks a lot like the decline of a certain iconic camera company.
The founder of a tech company, departing the scene, hands off to his longtime deputy. Inside and Read more…
Toss one back with Monsieur, the robotic bartender
On 12, Sep 2013 | In News | By Contrive Media
This cocktail swirling robot will most likely be the life of the party. And, obviously, its favorite drink is a screwdriver.
Sometimes getting that right ratio of tequila, triple sec, and lime for a margarita can be difficult Read more…
YouTube kicks off first-ever Geek Week in August
On 24, Jul 2013 | In News | By Contrive Media
The video site has announced a weeklong festival celebrating all things geek, from sci-fi, fantasy, and cosplay to anime, gaming, and science.
If you’re a fan of “Game of Thrones,” “Harry Potter,” or “Marvel,” you might not want to miss YouTube’s Read more…
Justice Department tries to force Google to hand over user data
On 04, Jun 2013 | In News | By Contrive Media
Secret lawsuit in Manhattan filed last month asks judge to force Google to cough up user data without a search warrant. A different court has already ruled that the process is unconstitutional.
A new lawsuit in Manhattan pitting the U.S. Department of Justice against Google offers a rare glimpse of how determined prosecutors are to defend a process that allows federal agents to gain warrantless access to user records, and how committed the Mountain View, Calif., company is to defending its customers’ privacy rights against what it views as illegal requests.
The Justice Department’s lawsuit, filed April 22 and not disclosed until this article, was sparked by Google’s decision to rebuff the FBI’s legal demands for confidential user data. It centers on the bureau’s controversial use of so-called National Security Letters (NSL), a secret electronic data-gathering technique that does not need a judge’s approval and recently was declared unconstitutional in an unrelated court case.
U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan has been assigned the New York case, which has taken place under seal, but as of last week has not made a final ruling. A law clerk for Sullivan did not immediately respond to queries from CNET this morning.
The use of NSLs is controversial because they gag the recipient: If you receive one, it’s illegal to tell anyone. They’re only supposed to be used in national security investigations, not routine criminal probes, and there’s no upper limit on the…
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Ending the headaches of Wi-Fi
On 30, May 2013 | In News | By Contrive Media
New standards will soon make getting from a carrier’s 3G or 4G network onto a Wi-Fi network a seamless and easy process. But carriers large and small still have to get comfortable with that.
Soon wireless subscribers won’t even have to think about signing on to a Wi-Fi hot spot. New standards that will be included in the latest generation of products will take the headache out of Wi-Fi.
Millions of wireless customers access public Wi-Fi hot spots every day. Some people get free access to Wi-Fi through their mobile operator and use the networks to avoid going over their data caps. Others subscribe to Wi-Fi services to get access to higher-speed data wherever it’s available. Whether you use free Wi-Fi or you subscribe to a service, getting on to whatever Wi-Fi network you are using is not always a simple and easy process. Often you have to search for a hot spot. Then you have to sign in with a username and password. And if it’s a paid hot spot, you have to enter payment credentials.
Now thanks to new technical and roaming standards that have been developed by the wireless industry, wireless users will soon be able to avoid these nuisances. From here on, accessing a Wi-Fi network will be an…
Read the whole article: Ending the headaches of Wi-Fi