Super Bowl XLIX to be livestreamed by NBC

In what has become a tradition since 2012 , the Super Bowl will be streamed online again this year . The kind gesture, which is free of charge to anyone in the US, comes courtesy of NBC — the network that started the trend of livestreaming The Big Game. For Super Bowl XLIX , set to take place on February 1st in Arizona, NBC plans to have an 11-hour block of video coverage over the internet, including pre-game analysis, the popular halftime show and an all-new episode of the primetime series The Blacklist . As Variety points out , the Peacock channel intends to heavily promote its TV Everywhere efforts during the stream, hoping to drive demand for services like the NBC Sports Live Extra app — one that typically requires a pay-TV login. Online viewers can watch Super Bowl XLIX, between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots , on NBC’s website as well the Sports Live Extra application. The latter option, however, is only going to be available for tablets, since Verizon owns the rights for smartphones streams via the NFL Mobile app . For people overseas, NFL GamePass could be a solution, both for live or on-demand streaming , but you’ll have to pay a small fee if that’s how you plan to consume the biggest game of the season. [Image credit: Associated Press] Filed under: Internet , HD Comments Source: Variety

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Super Bowl XLIX to be livestreamed by NBC

And Now, Every Single User Interface In Star Wars: A New Hope 

Star Wars: A New Hope hit theaters in 1977— the same year that Apple moved from a garage to a real office building and Microsoft hired its first official employees. And the fact that it came out as consumer computers were truly hitting the mainstream shows. Read more…

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And Now, Every Single User Interface In Star Wars: A New Hope 

Google (and Friends) Just Invested $1 Billion in SpaceX Internet

Following earlier reports that Google was finalizing a $1 billion investment in Elon Musk’s zany new space internet project, SpaceX has confirmed a new round of funding worth—you guessed it—$1 billion. The new investors include not only Google but also Fidelity, Founders Fund and others. The new investors now own slightly less than 10 percent of SpaceX’s new venture. Read more…

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Google (and Friends) Just Invested $1 Billion in SpaceX Internet

A Brief History of the Rubber Band

Cheap, reliable, and strong, the rubber band is one of the world’s most ubiquitous products. It holds papers together, prevents long hair from falling in a face, acts as a reminder around a wrist, is a playful weapon in a pinch, and provides a way to easily castrating baby male livestock … While rubber itself has been around for centuries, rubber bands were only officially patented less than two centuries ago. Here now is a brief history of the humble, yet incredibly useful, rubber band. Read more…

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A Brief History of the Rubber Band

Los Angeles’ subway is getting cellphone service and WiFi

A few cities in the US have wireless service in their subway systems , but not Los Angeles. Take a trip to Wilshire Boulevard, for example, and you’ll stay incommunicado until you’re back above ground. You won’t be out of touch for too much longer, though. The city and InSite Wireless have started deploying both cellular service and WiFi at subway stations, beginning with the Red Line. The launch will be modest early on, with four stations getting WiFi by May and cellular service coming in August. LA’s plans are much more ambitious in the next couple of years, however. A second wave should get both the Purple Line and more of the Red Line up and running by June 2016, while the Gold Line railway’s tunnels should be connected by March 2017. As is often the case with these kinds of upgrades, transportation officials see wireless as both a convenience and a necessity. It’s not just for checking Facebook while you’re on your way home from work; you won’t miss important messages that could make you change course, and you might just save a life if you can call 911 without having to leave the station. Some Angelenos will no doubt abuse their newfound freedom (like making you listen to their way-too-loud phone conversations), but it could be worth the sacrifice if the service keeps you in contact with the outside world at a crucial moment. [Image credit: Frederick Dennstedt, Flickr ] Filed under: Cellphones , Transportation , Wireless , Networking , Mobile Comments Via: The Verge Source: Los Angeles Daily News

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Los Angeles’ subway is getting cellphone service and WiFi

Marriott plans to bring Netflix to your hotel room TV

The next time you’re on a trip, you may have something to watch on the hotel room TV besides the usual so-so channels and on-demand movies. Marriott has confirmed to Bloomberg that it’s trialing access to streaming services like Hulu, Netflix and Pandora on TVs in eight of its hotels. It’s not certain what the company will charge (if anything) if it launches this feature in earnest, although it’s reportedly mulling a few options that include a “premium” internet tier with TV streaming on top of the usual WiFi. That last choice might not be very popular when you can already curl up on the bed with your laptop at no extra cost. Having said this, Marriott hasn’t committed to anything yet — there’s a lot left to decide before you can watch House of Cards on a big screen during your vacation. Filed under: Home Entertainment , Internet , HD Comments Via: The Verge , Lucas Shaw (Twitter) Source: Bloomberg (Daily Transcript)

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Marriott plans to bring Netflix to your hotel room TV

FDA Approves Implantable Vagus Nerve Disruptor For Weight Loss

The L.A. Times reports that for the first time since 2007, the FDA has approved a weight loss device (as opposed to a weight-loss drug), an implantable device called the Maestro Rechargeable System. Using electrical leads implanted just above the stomach and a regulator carried under the skin near the ribcage, the device suppresses signals carried by the vagus nerve. … The device adopts a variant of a “neuromodulation” technique long used in the treatment of epilepsy: by applying intermittent bursts of electrical current to the vagus nerve, it disrupts the signals that prompt the stomach to relax, expand and prepare for an influx of food. … The FDA approved the use of the device in adult patients with a body mass index, or BMI, between 35 and 45, who have at least one other obesity-related condition, such as type 2 diabetes. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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FDA Approves Implantable Vagus Nerve Disruptor For Weight Loss

Amazon Plans To Release 12 Movies a Year In Theaters and On Prime

An anonymous reader writes “Amazon has announced that it will begin to produce and acquire original movies for theatrical release and early window distribution on Amazon Prime Instant Video. From the article: “This is a big move from Amazon, as it seeks to narrow the theatrical release window to between four and eight weeks. It can often take up to a year for films to land on subscription video-on-demand (SVoD) services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video, however they do typically land on DVD/Blu-ray within around four months. Production for the aptly titled ‘Amazon Original Movies’ program will kick off in 2015, and plans are afoot to create around a dozen original titles for release in cinemas each year.” Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Amazon Plans To Release 12 Movies a Year In Theaters and On Prime