Tag: dancing

Apple will (eventually) let you remove some of its iOS apps

Apple’s iOS devices have long included apps that you’re unlikely to use (do you really need a stock tracker?), and that list only seems to be getting longer . That’s potentially a big problem, especially when the company is still shipping 16GB flagship iPhones where every megabyte counts. However, there might be some relief in sight. In a chat with BuzzFeed News , CEO Tim Cook says that his company will eventually “figure out a way” for you to remove some of those apps. You won’t get to yank all of them (that “might cause issues” with some device features, Cook says), but this could spare you from creating a folder for the bundled apps that would otherwise gather virtual dust. There’s no timetable for when this will happen, so don’t be surprised if you end up waiting a while to clean up your home screens. However, the very mention of the idea represents a shift in Apple’s stance toward bundled apps. Cook wants you “to be happy” with your gear, not to “suck up your real estate.” To him, it’s better to let you purge some software than to risk losing a customer. Filed under: Cellphones , Tablets , Mobile , Apple Comments Source: BuzzFeed News Tags: app, apple, apps, bloatware, ios, ipad, iphone, mobilepostcross, smartphone, tablet, timcook

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Apple will (eventually) let you remove some of its iOS apps

Add-on promises to stabilize video from nearly any camera

It’s possible to stabilize your phone videos through Hyperlapse , and dedicated video editors can smooth out other shaky clips with enough time and effort. But what if you want a simple way to eliminate jitters no matter which camera you’re using? SteadXP believes it can help. It’s crowdfunding a namesake device that brings three-axis video stabilization to virtually any camera, whether it’s an action cam, a DSLR or a pro-grade cinema cam. While many of these shooters have some kind of stabilization, SteadXP’s device uses motion tracking with after-the-fact software analysis to deliver the kind of graceful, movie-like stabilization that would normally require a gimbal or steadicam . And importantly, you don’t have to settle for one take on your footage. While SteadXP doesn’t play nicely with zooms and takes some time to compute the final results, you can reframe your subject to get the intended look. It’ll even suggest different trajectories (such as one that keeps the horizon level) to achieve particular effects. If you like the concept, you might want to act quickly and score a discount. SteadXP is promising a GoPro-compatible model with a €140 pledge ($159) or a DSLR/mirrorless version with a €230 ($261) pledge, but you’ll have to pay €30 more if you miss out on these early bird offerings. You won’t have to wait too long to give the stabilizer a shot, at least. Regular shipments will start in March if all goes well, and those willing to pony up additional cash (at least €200, or $227) can participate in a beta test beginning this January. If you frequently record your outdoor adventures and would rather not make viewers feel queasy, this gadget is likely worth a closer look. Filed under: Cameras , Peripherals Comments Via: The Verge Source: Kickstarter Tags: actioncamera, crowdfunding, dslr, gopro, ImageStabilization, kickstarter, mirrorless, photography, stabilization, steadxp, video

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Add-on promises to stabilize video from nearly any camera

Honda will test self-driving cars on California streets

Honda just took a big step toward getting its self-driving car technology on to American roads. The automaker has quietly received the approval needed to test its autonomous cars on California streets, letting these robotic rides venture beyond a closed-off facility in Concord. The company is relatively late to the party — Audi, Lexus and other brands have had the state’s A-OK for a while. Still, we’re not going to knock Honda when this will eventually lead to more variety in hands-off vehicles. Filed under: Transportation Comments Via: Reuters , Ars Technica Source: California DMV Tags: acura, autonomous, california, car, honda, self-driving, self-drivingcar, transportation, vehicle

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Honda will test self-driving cars on California streets

All gas stations in Russia will have to install EV charging stations

The Russian auto market is struggling recently , and falling energy prices aren’t helping the country’s oil industry, either. With the economy looking somewhat uncertain, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is taking a baby step toward a greener future by mandating every gas station in the country have an electric vehicle charger by November 1, 2016. The rule is meant to boost Russia’s dismal EV segment that currently numbers a grand total of about 500 vehicles across the vast territory, according to Autostat data cited by The Moscow Times . Unfortunately, while this mandate is trying to overturn the status quo, it already looks easy to circumvent. A major problem is that the new rules don’t specify the type of charger to install, and the government isn’t offering any financial assistance to gas station owners. Therefore, they’re expected to take the cheapest option to satisfy the law. According to The Moscow Times , the least expensive charging equipment costs the equivalent of $1, 480 to import before installation expenses. However, a site like this would take nine hours to fully power-up an EV. “We believe that the new decree could stimulate business, ” Yelena Burenina, a spokesperson for the Moscow United Electric Grid Company, said to The Moscow Times . Although, at this point practically anything would be an advancement. Just 140 EVs were sold in Russia last year and fewer than 50 in the first half of 2015. Russia’s frigid winters are considered a major hurdle for EV adoption because the low temperatures cut back their total range. Somehow, though, chilly Norway is figuring out how to make green cars sell. [Image credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images] Filed under: Transportation Comments Via: Gas2 Source: The Moscow Times Tags: autoblog, charger, DmitryMedvedev, ElectricVehicle, EV, GasStation, partner, russia, syndicated

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All gas stations in Russia will have to install EV charging stations

California Unemployment office says Uber driver was an employee

If you ask Uber, none of their drivers are employees — just independent contractors who happen to use their network to get fares. If you’ve been watching the news though, you know some drivers disagree: filing lawsuits both in California and the UK for the right to be recognized as employees. Those drivers just got some vindication, by way of the California unemployment office. According to the Employment Development Department, at least one former Uber driver qualifies for unemployment benefits. According to Reuters , the EDD decided that a former Uber driver in southern California was an employee; the decision was held up twice by a administrative law judge when Uber appealed. Apparently, Uber’s control over the driver was a deciding factor — the company gets to define fares, bar drivers from picking non-Uber passengers and can even charge drivers a cancellation fee for choosing not to pick up a fare. That’s “in fact an employer / employee relationship, ” according to the decision. Uber says this ruling doesn’t have any impact on pending litigation, but it’s certainly a feather in the hat of drivers who want a more traditional relationship with the company. We’ll have to wait and see how that turns out as the class-action lawsuit moves forward. Filed under: Misc , Transportation Comments Source: Reuters Tags: edd, lawsuit, uber, unemployment

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California Unemployment office says Uber driver was an employee

3D-printable files of TSA master baggage keys are out for download

If you never trusted your luggage lock much to begin with, then you’re going to warily look at it in suspicion from now on. Some security enthusiasts took that photo of TSA’s master baggage keys that The Washington Post published and turned them into 3D-printable CAD files — in fact, they’ve recently uploaded them on GitHub , making them freely available to everyone. The person who released the files told Wired that while he tried to be as accurate as he could, he didn’t exactly expect the keys to work. Thing is, at least one of them did work: Bernard Bolduc, who describes himself as a “Unix wizard and security geek” on Twitter printed out a key and tried it on his TSA-approved lock. The result? He told Wired it took him one try to open the lock even though the key was made of common PLA plastic using commercially available printer. He didn’t even have to tweak the design in any way. We can assume that the rest of the files can be used to print out keys that can open other types of locks that the TSA uses to check baggage at airports. Sure luggage locks were never really lockpick-proof, but it’s still unfortunate how the agency made it even easier for thieves to open travelers’ suitcases. OMG, it’s actually working!!! pic.twitter.com/rotJPJqjTg — Bernard Bolduc (@bernard) September 9, 2015 [Image credit: Getty/Zoonar RF] Filed under: Misc Comments Source: GitHub Tags: 3dprint, security, tsa

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3D-printable files of TSA master baggage keys are out for download

BlueCross BlueShield hack may have exposed data for 10 million customers

Another week, another major institution falls victim to hackers. This time, it’s New York-based heathcare provider Excellus BlueCross BlueShield : the company says that more than 10 million personal records of its customers were exposed to hackers in an attack it discovered this past August. The company discovered the attack early in the month, but after doing more investigation it turned out that it actually took place way back in December of 2013. The investigation showed that the hackers could have accessed personal information including “name, date of birth, Social Security number, mailing address, telephone number, member identification number, financial account information and [insurance] claims information.” While all of this information could have been exposed to hackers, the company isn’t sure exactly what may have been revealed. The investigation thus far hasn’t shown any evidence of what data was stolen and whether it was used in any nefarious way, but Excellus is still offering its customers the now-commonplace two years of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection. Unfortunately, hacks against healthcare providers are hardly a rarity at this point. An attack on Premera , another arm of BlueCross, was revealed in March of this year, putting the data of 11 million customers at risk. And just a month earlier, Anthem was hacked — the database accessed in that breach contained the info of a whopping 80 million customers, though only a portion of those were believed to have been accessed. [Image credit: Shutterstock] Comments Source: Excellus BlueCross BlueShield , Democrat & Chronicle Tags: BlueCrossBlueShield, hack, healthcare

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BlueCross BlueShield hack may have exposed data for 10 million customers

Where does the Apple ‘command’ icon come from? Would you believe… a Swedish castle?

At Tested , exploring the origins of a keyboard symbol familiar to Apple computer users. Turns out it traces back to Borgholm castle in Sweden. In Sweden, the shape of the castle became a symbol used in street signs to indicate a point of interest or attraction. [via Buffer ] Read the rest

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Where does the Apple ‘command’ icon come from? Would you believe… a Swedish castle?

MRSA is from Morningside Heights

The majority of community acquired (i.e., not caught in a hospital) cases of antibiotic-resistant staph can be linked to a single strain of the bacteria. And, now, scientists have pinpointed where that strain first evolved. It’s from the upper west side of Manhattan .

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MRSA is from Morningside Heights