Warring factions are splitting Bitcoin in 2. Here's what you need to know.

The wild world of Bitcoin is about to get a whole lot wilder. 

On August 1, 2017, the preeminent cryptocurrency is set to break in two. Two warring factions, fundamentally divided on Bitcoin's future, are coming to a head — and the impending split could either save Bitcoin or doom it.

SEE ALSO: Why Bitcoin is surging again, in plain English

The split, called a hard fork, will result in two separate and distinct cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin Core. Oh, and it also has the potential to create billions of dollars worth of new cryptocurrency out of thin air.  

But that's not what this is really about. Bitcoin as it currently stands is in trouble, and with so much money on the line opposing parties have naturally come forward with plans to save it. And, surprise, they all don't agree on the solution.  Read more...

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Let's all take a deep breath and stop freaking out about Facebook's bots 'inventing' a new language

Tesla CEO Elon Musk made headlines last week when he tweeted about his frustrations that Mark Zuckerberg, ever the optimist, doesn't fully understand the potential danger posed by artificial intelligence. 

So when media outlets began breathlessly re-reporting a weeks-old story that Facebook's AI-trained chatbots "invented" their own language, it's not surprising the story caught more attention than it did the first time around.

Understandable, perhaps, but it's exactly the wrong thing to be focusing on. The fact that Facebook's bots "invented" a new way to communicate wasn't even the most shocking part of the research to begin with. Read more...

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Spotify subscribers grow to 60 million as rumors about going public heat up

The dominance of Spotify in the streaming music space continues to grow, as the company revealed new subscriber numbers on Monday: 60 million. 

That figure is up 10 million from March, the last time Spotify released subscriber numbers. 

SEE ALSO: Kanye is reportedly cutting ties with Tidal once and for all

That massive jump in just a few months couldn't have come at a better time for Spotify, as rumors have been swirling that the company is about go public, possibly by the end of the year. 

The growth of Spotify really stands out when you consider the state of its competitors, namely SoundCloud. In recent weeks, the fate of SoundCloud has been up in the air in the wake of office closings, massive layoffs, and a general sense that the company may be on its last legs as it works to monetize its services versus the competition.  Read more...

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How the Internet Was Born: A Very Brief History

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Google is launching a built-in ad blocker for Chrome Canary

Google is making a move to upgrade your mobile browsing experience in future versions of Chrome. The search giant is finally banishing those distracting ads that make it more difficult to navigate websites on mobile device's smaller screens. 

The latest version of the Google's experimental mobile browser, Chrome Canary, includes a built-in setting that allows users to block websites from showing ads that the search giant deems to be "intrusive." The barred content includes things like pop-up ads, interstitials, and autoplay video —which have all long been some of the biggest gripes in mobile internet browsing.  Read more...

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GBoard now supports YouTube and Google Maps for faster texting

Google's smart keyboard for iPhone, GBoard, just got some serious upgrades. 

The keyboard app launched back in May with a bunch of cool features including GIF support, emoji, built-in Google Search, and Glide Typing.

Now, Google is adding even more features to GBoard that whill help you send messages faster without ever having to leave the app. 

SEE ALSO: This Is iPhone 2020

The latest GBoard update adds Google Maps and YouTube searching capabilities to the keyboard itself. Now when you press the "G Button" located in the left-hand corner of the keyboard, you'll have the option to access both Maps and YouTube. The feature makes it easier to share a location or videos with people in your contacts list. In short, you won't have to waste time jumping between apps to grab a link anymore. Read more...

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HBO gets hacked, upcoming 'Game of Thrones' episode info leaked

The leaks are coming!

HBO — the network that turned George R.R. Martin's legendary book series into your Sunday night television obsession — has been hacked, and according to Entertainment Weekly, several upcoming episodes of television series and at least one script have been obtained by the cyber attackers.

Included in the 1.5 terabytes of data acquired is an upcoming episode of Ballers and Room 104 and a script that's reportedly of the next Game of Thrones episode (Episode 4, Season 7.) The items have already been posted online and more footage is promised to be "coming soon."

SEE ALSO: This 1 image sums up just how circular last night's 'Game of Thrones' episode was Read more...

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Get a grip on your phone with this finger ring

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Never worry about dropping your phone again with the Torras finger ring. This lightweight grip will make it easy to hold your phone in a stylish way. 

The ring can rotate 360°, letting you freely adjust it at any angle you please. Hold your phone upside down or use it as a stand to watch videos.

It can be used on any device – iPhone, Samsung, iPad, whatever you want. And the adhesive is made of high quality material that you can reapply without losing the stick.

According to one Amazon customer: “I own a note 5 and it works great on getting a better grip on this behemoth of a phone... The ring also stays where you put it and does not flop down. The adhesive is pretty firm - I did take it off 1x already to move the location and it left no residue in the 1st spot and firmly held in the 2nd location - great all around here! Also great for the flat portion of the ring to use as a stand!” – Rahoe Read more...

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Affordable AirPod alternatives are a thing — and may be more fun

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Apple may have made totally wire-free, slightly odd looking earbuds "a thing," but they're not the only players in the game. 

If you get bogged down with brand names, you’ll miss out on some of the coolest and most affordable listening technology available today. The TREBLAB X11 Wireless Earphones are exemplary of this technology, and when you’re rocking a pair while working out, commuting, or kicking back, you’ll wonder why you ever lived the wired life at all.

Don’t let their discreet profile fool you — the TREBLAB X11s pack some serious sonic power. Their HD drivers provide deep, thrumming bass and crisp treble, plus their passive noise cancellation maintains clarity in noise-polluted areas. Use both buds for the traditional, immersive stereo listening experience, or a single earpiece if you need to give the outside world part of your attention. Feel free to don them at the gym too; their secure, flexible, and sweat-proof ear fins are perfect for active use. Read more...

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If you’re thinking about building an iOS 11 app, the time is now

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This fall, Apple will release iOS 11, an update the company claims, “sets a new standard for what is already the world’s most advanced mobile operating system.” In other words: #humblebrag. 

Whether or not the statement will hold true remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that Apple’s latest will provide coding nerds with a host of new toys to play with, plus new ways to make major cash. iOS 11’s new file infrastructure, multitasking features, and robust customization options bring the mobile operating system one step closer to rivaling the experience of Apple’s desktops.  Read more...

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After 'Pokémon Go' Fest disaster, Niantic delays events in Europe

Pokémon Go developer Niantic is taking its mistakes to heart and delaying a handful of upcoming events so they don't turn out like the first-ever Pokémon Go Fest in Chicago.

Previously announced Pokémon Go Safari Zone events in Denmark, Czech Republic, Sweden, and The Netherlands that were scheduled for August are postponed until "a date later in the fall," Niantic said in a blog post this weekend. The August event in Japan and the September events in France, Spain, and Germany are still going to take place as scheduled.

SEE ALSO: Disastrous 'Pokémon Go' Fest ends with anger and refunds

Although Pokémon Go Fest wasn't specifically mentioned in the blog post, it's clear that the problems associated with it inspired the delay for August's events. Attendees experienced long lines and many had difficulties connecting to the game's online servers, essentially ruining the whole point of the event.  Read more...

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Ouch! A former Google exec just dissed Android photography big time

Android phones might have larger screens, bigger batteries, and headphone jacks, but there's one thing the iPhone has going for it that's consistent every year: better cameras.

It's not just Apple fans that thinks so, either. In a post shared on Facebook, ex-Google SVP of Social Vic Gundotra declared the iPhone 7 Plus's photos taken with its Portrait mode "stunning" and the "end of the DSLR for most people." He then blamed Android's open source design for its photography shortcomings. Ouch.

SEE ALSO: Everything we know so far about Google's Pixel 2

The iPhone 7 Plus's Portrait mode is really impressive — the dual cameras and image signal processor crunch billions of computations on each photo where the "depth effect" is applied — but Android phones like the Galaxy S8 and Google Pixel have caught up in other ways. Hell, the OnePlus 5 even apes the iPhone 7 Plus's dual cameras and Portrait mode. Read more...

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Amazon is so dominant that even successful retail startups are playing its game

Tuft & Needle is a success story, growing over the last five years to push a new model of e-commerce that's upending traditional bedding sellers. Now, it's heading for the big time with a big expansion of its own brick and mortar stores. 

Who does a successful startup call when its making such a big move? Amazon, of course. 

Starting with a forthcoming showroom near Amazon's Seattle home base, Tuft & Needle plans to launch 30 locations across the country by 2020. Each storefront will prominently feature the Amazon logo emblazoned under Tuft & Needle's own brand—and be stocked with Amazon gadgets to bolster the experience. Read more...

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Criminal gang act like they're in 'The Fast and the Furious' while stealing iPhones from moving truck

It sometimes feels like the world is driven by iPhone lust. But would you ever imagine people so thirsty for iPhones that they're willing to break into a moving vehicle to steal them?

That's exactly what a group of five motivated thieves did to an iPhone delivery truck in the Netherlands about a week ago.

SEE ALSO: Say goodbye to those fake likes: Huge click farm discovered in Thailand

According to the Associated Press, five Romanian men were arrested on Saturday under suspicion of stealing $590,000 worth of iPhones from a moving vehicle. 

The men, aged 33 to 43, hopped in a van and reportedly tailed a delivery truck. Then they did something you probably thought only happened in the movies.  Read more...

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These ingenious inventions will make summer so much better

Want to make your summer relaxation goals a reality? Look no further than this kick-ass list of gadgets, accessories, and rideables that will super-charge your summer adventures. Read more...

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These interchangeable slip-on shoes can match any outfit

'Switch' are modular slip-ons that allow the user to quickly swap between colors and potentially reduce closet space. Read more...

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Scramble to download VPN apps as they vanished from Apple's China App Store

As VPN apps started to disappear from China's iOS App Store over the weekend, users in the country were frantically downloading as many as they could.

On Saturday, Apple pulled the rug out from under Chinese iPhone users' feet, by taking down VPN apps from the App Store.

VPN apps allow people to access websites that China blocks at an ISP level. This includes popular sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and all of Google's services including Gmail and search.

The move means China was successful in pressuring Apple to comply with its growing stranglehold on data freedom in the country, and comes amid a broader ongoing crackdown on social media users. Read more...

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