Author Archives: Carol Edwards

As concern over the very real dangers posed by screen addiction grows, tech companies are slowly beginning to do what was once unthinkable: create features that are meant to actively discourage people from using their services.

Google became the latest tech giant to undertake such an effort this week, when it announced its upcoming Android P update will launch with a slew of features specifically designed to combat the most addictive qualities of our devices. 

Soon our phones will be able to politely remind us when we’ve spent too much time binge watching, automatically switch on “Do Not Disturb” is some situations, and help us focus on “meaningful engagement” (whatever that means).  Read more…

More about Tech, Google, Artificial Intelligence, Google I O, and Google Assistant

 It was the “mm-hmm” heard round the internet. 

At Tuesday’s Google I/O keynote talk in Mountain View, California, CEO Sundar Pichai introduced the gathered developers to Google Duplex — a version of Google Assistant that will make actual phone calls for you and, in the process, trick the person on the other end of the line into thinking she’s talking to a real-life human. Yes, verbal mm-hmm ticks included. 

While currently limited to certain tasks like booking appointments, we shouldn’t expect AIs like Duplex to remain that way. As Google Principal Scientist Greg Corrado made clear at a Wednesday keynote addressing the future of artificial intelligence, what we saw Tuesday is only the beginning.  Read more…

More about Google, Artificial Intelligence, Google Io, Google Io 2018, and Google Duplex

Listening to music can have a profound effect on your state of mind — which could be part of the reason we buy headphones like they’re candy. Listening to music (or podcasts, or audiobooks) can be an integral part of getting through that daily commute or transatlantic flight.

But if the incessant sound of jet engines, the distracting laugh of a coworker in the next cubicle, or the deafening bang of nearby construction seems to prevent you from reaching that euphoric place, the best solution is to invest in some noise-cancelling headphones. 

More about Headphones, Earbuds, Bose, Noise Cancelling, and Mashable Shopping

Read more…More about Mashable Reels, Business, and Other

Yeah, it’s 2018 and this is still happening. 

Monica Lewinsky called out a faux pas on Twitter on Wednesday after she was uninvited from an event. 

The former White House intern and anti-bullying activist says she was invited to an event about social change — considering she’s an ambassador for several bullying prevention organizations and a board member on another, she is an ideal guest. But when former President Bill Clinton planned to attend, Lewinsky’s invitation was allegedly revoked. 

According to the Huffington Post, the offender was Town & Country Magazine, which held its Philanthropy Summit on Wednesday. Read more…

More about Twitter, Metoo, Culture, and Web Culture

It’s the Magic Shell from hell.

A truck containing 12 tons of liquid milk chocolate overturned on a Polish highway on Wednesday, coating the road in sticky candy goop. Now, crews are struggling to clean it all up because it’s hardening onto the asphalt. Fun!

According to the New York Times, the secret weapon for this type of situation is hot water, which is now being sprayed onto the street to re-melt the chocolate. Cleanup is expected to take several hours, which we bet people in cars are thrilled about.

More about Europe, Weird News, Culture, and Web Culture

Uber is flying high above its street-level ride-hailing business.

At its annual Elevate summit in Los Angeles Tuesday, the rideshare company detailed its aviation goals to launch electric flying taxis within the next five years. 

The service, dubbed UberAir, aims to move rides to the sky, so Uber is partnering with the U.S. Army’s research arm and NASA to make it happen.

Uber’s partnership with the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), within the Army Research Lab, is focused on researching the tech needed to propel the company’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.  Read more…

More about Nasa, Uber, Aviation, Flying Cars, and Us Army

Get ready to re-learn how to use Android.

That’s because, after two years of very boring updates, Google’s making major changes to its Android operating system, and one in particular may take a lot of getting used to: switching between apps.

With Android P, app switching (what Google officially calls “Overview”) is unlike any previous version of Android. 

Instead of having its own dedicated button, you now swipe up from the bottom of the screen. And the list of apps is displayed horizontally, instead of stacked vertically. 

In short: It’s now almost identical to the iPhone X. Read more…

More about Tech, Google, Android, Apps And Software, and Iphone X

Siri has some catching up to do. 

As the day-one Google I/O keynote came to a close Tuesday in Mountain View, California, it was clear that the tech giant had left the right impression on the developers in attendance: Specifically, one of awe. Of particular note was the wide range of tasks handled by Google Assistant — tasks that, at present, Apple’s Siri could only dream of (could Siri dream). 

Want Google Assistant to make a phone call for you? Perhaps book a haircut appointment by having an actual conversation with a real human? No problem, that feature was demoed today and will be available to users “as an experiment” in the coming weeks.  Read more…

More about Siri, Google Io, Google Assistant, Google Io 2018, and Tech

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is still on top, but other parts of the Facebook universe have gotten shuffled around.

Zuckerberg will now oversee three core groups within products and engineering: “Central product services,” “new platforms and infrastructure,” and “family of apps,” according to a report from Recode. The business, design, and other sides of the business will remain untouched. 

Facebook confirmed all the leadership changes, but wouldn’t comment on the decisions. Back in January, Zuckerberg said he wanted to fix the social media platform as part of his New Year’s resolutions. 

Within the family of apps, Facebook-owned products like Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Facebook are overseen by chief product officer Chris Cox. Everything but Instagram also has new heads. WhatsApp CEO cofounder Jan Koum left last week and has been replaced by Chris Daniels. Read more…

More about Facebook, Instagram, Mark Zuckerberg, Whatsapp, and Messenger