Tech's biggest companies are worth ~$5T as 2019's epic stock market run wraps

Yes, we know that the Nasdaq has been setting new records and SaaS had a good year. Let's cap off this year the way it deserves to be remembered, as a kick-ass trip 'round the sun for your local, public technology company. https://ift.tt/36fWpEV from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2FfInal via IFTT...

Major new privacy law in 2020: What you need to know about the CCPA

One huge change coming in 2020 is a new data privacy law called the California Consumer Protection Act, or CCPA. And its effects will be felt far beyond the Golden State. The CCPA is basically California’s equivalent to the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR. The law, which was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown last year, grants California residents new privacy rights and consumer protections. It goes into effect at the stroke of midnight on Jan. 1, 2020. And, even if you aren’t a resident of California, it could affect you. What is the CCPA going to do?  Residents of California...

Tech that defined the decade

2020 is just around the corner, and another decade will soon come to an end. A lot has happened over the past ten years, and not all of it was pleasant: 3D television came and went, the headphone jack slowly died and the intersection of tech and politics frequently became front-page news. But amidst the downers, there was still plenty of groundbreaking tech that came about between 2010 and now that have made an impact in our lives. Here's a not-at-all-comprehensive list of a few of them. https://ift.tt/39sxb8q from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2MKMSht via IFTT...

Everything we think Apple will release in 2020

One of Apple's great virtues is its predictability. The company's annual routine hasn't changed all that much in the last five years or so, meaning fans can plan their purchases (and journalists can plan their coverage) weeks or months in advance, even without knowing every specific detail about every announcement. As such, we have a decent idea of what to expect from Apple in the new year, even if we haven't seen the fine print yet. We'll almost certainly get some combination of new iPhones, iPads, Macbooks, and Apple Watches this year, and we can even map out when we'll probably hear about...

Sharon Stone finds her Bumble account blocked, is later reinstated

The Basic Instinct actress took to Twitter to express her concerns. The dating app soon reached out to her to rectify the situation. Read more... More about Entertainment, Celebrities, Mashable Video, Bumble, and Sharon Stone https://ift.tt/2QwoOQu from Tech https://ift.tt/2FbrTAh via IFT...

In 2019 cameras got much better, but the market still crashed

For cameras and photographers, 2019 was another banner year... but for manufacturers? Not so much. Sales were down in all categories as of mid-year because everyone just uses their smartphones now. While that's pretty gloomy news, it's working out nicely for buyers, especially in the enthusiast and high-end categories. Companies like Sony, Nikon, Canon and Fujifilm are pulling out all the stops to create desirable models and are dropping prices, too. In a major milestone, mirrorless sales passed DSLRs for the first time ever. Some banner 2019 models include Panasonic's S1H, the first mirrorless...

Rock your way into 2020 with the latest JBL speaker for less than $100

TL;DR: Make every day a celebration with up to 50% off JBL speakers and headphones. Twitter has once again been taken over by tweets like "If you play 'Hey Jude' at 11:56:52 on December 31st you will hear '...better, better AHHHHH' exactly as it becomes 2020!" and people are loving it.  If you do want to enter the new year with one of the Beatles screaming, you'll need a good speaker. JBL has you covered.  From the Flip 5, their latest speaker model, to their in-ear headphones endorsed by the Greek God himself, Giannis Antetokounmpo, they have sales on it all.  We rounded up...

Did Honda’s CEO Say EVs Make No Sense? Not Exactly

2018 Clarity Electric Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo says there’s no future for EVs. Or maybe he didn’t. Comments Hachigo made recently indicate he doesn’t see “a dramatic increase in demand for battery vehicles.” Much of the confusion comes from analysis / commentary from other media outlets reacting to a recent interview with Automotive News Europe. Hachigo appears, at worst, to be honest in noting that demand sucks currently for fully electric vehicles. That honest appraisal disheartens EV-enthusiast journalists who dislike an executive who isn’t a full-on cheerleader for battery electric vehicles. Tesla...

Meet 9 of the best kitchen gadget deals we found in 2019

At the risk of being trolled by IP lovers out there, the truth is, you don't really need an Instant Pot. In fact, you don't really need many kitchen appliances on the market. But then again, what's the fun in that?  While there are always manual workarounds, appliances do regularly save you time, elbow grease, and headaches while cooking. And this ease of use is the reason why even Michelin-starred chefs will opt for cooking with devices such as a sous-vide instead of hovering over an open flame.  So if you're looking to fully trick out your kitchen in the new year, the good news...

10 of the best charging accessories are all on sale

Take stock of the chargers you've perused ever since the beginning of the smartphone era, and we can almost guarantee that you've gone through countless ones. We get it. Most chargers are shoddy, and the options that seem promising come with questionable price tags. But we're here to save you from purchasing another charger that you would just throw out in a matter of months. Below, you'll find 10 of the best charging accessories that we found this year, all of which are on sale for an extra 20% off with the code 20SAVE20. Qi Wireless Fast Charging Pad Whether you're using a sleek Samsung or...

Here’s how thinking about building on Mars can help us build better right here on Earth

Thinking about how to build things on Mars comes with a surprising advantage, according to AI SpaceFactory. The company recently won first place at NASA’s 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge with their 3D printed Martian habitat, MARSHA. A few months after the competition, TERA, AI SpaceFactory's first attempt to 3D print a home designed for Earth, is now under construction. The company believes its space construction technology could help us build sustainable and recyclable houses here on Earth, too. Read more... More about Space, Mashable Video, Mars, 3d Printing, and Construction https://ift.tt/2ZCmdZi...

LG's answer to foldable phones may be a detachable display that wraps around the phone

In the never-ending quest for increasing the screen real estate on smartphones, LG has a new idea: a case that's actually a big, foldable OLED display that can wrap around the phone.  Yes, it's a little weird.  This is according a new LG patent unearthed by Dutch outlet LetsGoDigital (via Android Central). The patent, submitted to the WIPO Global Design Database, as well as The Hague International Design System, describes a case that's essentially all screen, and can be combined with the mobile phone and used as a foldable display. It can also be set next to the phone (it connects...

Russia starts antitrust investigation into Booking.com

Booking.com has become the latest US tech company to draw the attention of Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS). On Monday, the agency said it plans to investigate the hotel and hostel reservation website for anticompetitive practices. https://ift.tt/39un6aO from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2QBMLFU via IFTT...

Uber and Postmates sue California over gig worker law

It didn't take long for tech companies to take legal action in hopes of thwarting California's gig economy labor law. Uber and Postmates have filed a lawsuit in an attempt to block AB5, which makes it harder for companies to define workers as contractors, just as it takes effect. They (along with two workers, Lydia Olson and Miguel Perez) claim the law violates both US and state Constitutions by denying the guarantees of equal protection. The companies alleged that the bill, and its sponsor Lorena Gonzalez, unfairly singled out the gig economy while letting other industries off the hook. https://ift.tt/2ZBQTdg...

New Lyft and Uber rules to know for New Year's Day

Happy New Year! Now pay up.  That's what it feels like with new fees, regulations, and taxes kicking in on Jan. 1 (on Wednesday) for ride-share trips on apps like Uber and Lyft.  In California, there's a lot to take in. A statewide change to gig job classifications, called AB5, goes into effect as soon as it's officially 2020.  That means on-demand drivers for apps like Lyft and Uber can argue they should be treated like employees with better pay and benefits, not like independent contractors. Lyft and Uber don't plan to change anything yet with how it hires, pays, and employs...

Listen to top VCs discuss the next generation of automation startups at TC Sessions: Robotics+AI

Robotics, AI and automation have long been one of the hottest categories for tech investments. Robotics are beginning to dominate nearly every aspect of work, from warehouse fulfillment, to agriculture to retail and construction. Eric Migicovsky is a General Partner a Y Combinator. https://ift.tt/2ZBrm41 from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/37tqO2Z via IFTT...

Bye, Siri. Make your car give you directions in your own voice.

Forget a random digital voice telling you to turn left in 800 feet. A new service "clones" real voices so that your mom, sister, or even you can be the one giving you directions.  It's called "My Car, My Voice," and it's built into Cerence, the voice software in many cars from Toyota, GM, Audi, Chrysler, BMW, and other automakers. It's only available for the voice assistant built into the car, not Google Assistant or Apple's Siri. To generate the voice, you need a live person to speak a series of sentences into the Cerence app in your infotainment system, which means you can't make it sound...

Mars 2020 Rover Completes First Test Drive

NASA has inched closer to completing its next Mars rover with a milestone driving test. The team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California fired up the Mars 2020 rover and allowed to to drive around the Spacecraft Assembly Facility clean room. NASA reports the rover passed the test with flying colors, signaling it’s ready to drive on the red planet.  The still-unnamed Mars 2020 rover borrows heavily from Curiosity’s highly successful design. It has six wheels with independent suspensions, allowing it to traverse uneven terrain. In the JPL test, the team set up small staggered...

Yep, Venmo is down

Given the need to buy weed so you can get through another few days with your family, it's a bad time for Venmo to go down but here we are.  The issues first hit Venmo around 11:30 a.m. ET on Monday morning and have continued for more than two hours. Venmo is down and that's not great! Image: DownDetector.com Users trying to access their funds or pay someone for last night's pizza were met with the following error screen. Welp, Venmo pic.twitter.com/LO8bSogTqX — Marcus Gilmer (@marcusgilmer) December 30, 2019 Users are now scrambling to figure out ways to pay people in the...

Uber co-founder announces resignation from board of directors

Travis Kalanick will leave the company with $2.5 billion from Uber stock as he ventures further into new projects. Read more... More about Transportation, Mashable Video, Uber, Ride Sharing, and Travis Kalanick https://ift.tt/2u6Ow6H from Tech https://ift.tt/2tjjN64 via IFT...

While other tech giants fund housing initiatives, Amazon is opening a homeless shelter -- inside its HQ

As big tech gets bigger, industry leaders have begun making more noise about helping homeless populations, particularly in those regions where high salaries have driven up the cost of living to heights not seen before. Last January, for example, Facebook and Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, among other participants, formed a group called the Partnership for the Bay's Future that said it was going to commit hundreds of millions of dollars to expand affordable housing and strengthen "low-income tenant protections" in the five main counties in and around San Francisco. Microsoft meanwhile made a similar...

Google Pixel 4a could have a hole-punch display

Google's flagship Pixel 4 phone has only been out for two months and we're already seeing rumors about the Pixel 4a. Renders by site 91 Mobiles, based on information from reliable Twitter leaker @OnLeaks (via The Verge), shows what the Pixel 4a could look like, including a hole-punch display for the front-facing camera.  And here comes my last late #Christmas gift in form of your very first and early look at the #Google #Pixel4a! 360° video + gorgeous 5K renders + dimensions, on behalf of my Friends over @91mobiles -> https://t.co/rsvRkjVOln pic.twitter.com/sqG6J5knSR — Steve H.McFly...

Amazon wants to give you an extra $5 to spend on eBooks

TL;DR: Get $5 back in eBook credit when you spend $20 on Amazon eBooks. (Note: you have to log in to Amazon to see this particular deal, but we promise it's there.)  Don't we all have that long list of books we've been meaning to get to? Well, the time is now. After all, you'll probably want a moment to sit and relax after the craziness of the holidays and New Year's.  Luckily, Amazon is offering a $5 eBook credit (log in to see it) when you spend $20 on any of their thousands of eBook options bought between Dec. 27 and Dec. 31. If you've already spent money stocking up your Kindle,...

This Bose sale is so good, you might want to pause your vacation

There's no shame whatsoever in buying budget tech — trust us, we know how expensive it can get. One thing we don't suggest skimping on, though, is your audio equipment. We're talking headphones, speakers, soundbars; all that good stuff. When it comes to sound tech, you can't go wrong with Bose — a bunch of their devices are on sale on Amazon, all of them high-quality and worth every penny. Here's what you can get:  Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless Headphones — Save $30.95 Total freedom of movement and amazing sound quality to boot, the Bose SoundSport earbuds are a great pick for those...

A New Study Indicates Humans Self-Generate Misinformation

A delightful mess of Google-colored cables A new study into sources of misinformation suggests that humans self-generate it on a regular basis by misrecalling information they’ve previously learned in ways that fit already-existing opinions and biases. The term misinformation is specifically defined as Merriam-Webster as “incorrect or misleading information.” It is distinct from terms like disinformation, which is defined as “false information deliberately and often covertly spread (as by the planting of rumors) in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth.” One of the major differences...

Jump-start your smart home with this Echo Dot and Philips Hue bundle — save $35

TL;DR: Start putting together your smart home with this Echo Dot and Philips Hue smart lighting bundle — now 44% off on Amazon; just $44.99. We humans are lazy by nature — sometimes all we want to do is curl up on the couch and watch some Disney+, so no wonder so many of us want to build out a smart home setup. You haven't known true peace until you've scheduled your robot vacuum to clean, checked your to-do list, and got lost in your latest playlist without having to move a muscle.  If that sounds good to you, this Echo Dot and Philips Hue bundle is a great start to your smart home essentials...

Being a YouTube creator is hard. Here are the top tools to grow your channel.

It’s never been a better time to become a YouTuber. Sure, the earliest creators had a head start building their channels and monetizing accounts is harder now. But there are more people watching YouTube videos now than ever before.  The online video behemoth is the world’s second biggest search engine, trailing only its parent company, Google. More than 2 billion people visit the site each month and that’s only counting users logged into their YouTube account. While covering YouTube for Mashable and managing channels myself, I’ve tested a number of third-party tools that can help creators...

Elon Musk details SpaceX progress on latest Starship spacecraft build and flight timelines

The holidays might be a time of slowed activity for most companies in the tech sector, but for SpaceX, it was a time to ramp production efforts on the latest Starship prototype – "Starship SN1" as it's called, according to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. This flight design prototype of Starship is under construction at SpaceX's Boca Chica, Texas development facility, and Musk was in attendance over the weekend overseeing its build and assembly. https://ift.tt/39qdgH5 from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2MBm9E3 via IFTT...

Sharon Stone gets on Bumble, gets blocked after users report her profile as fake

Online dating ain't easy if you're a celebrity.  Sharon Stone learned that the hard way when she created a profile on online dating app Bumble, only to get blocked because, essentially, no one believed it was really her. "Your account has been blocked because we've received several reports about your profile being fake," said the message Stone has received from Bumble, according to a screenshot she posted on Twitter.  I went on the @bumble dating sight and they closed my account. 👁👁 Some users reported that it couldn’t possibly be me! Hey @bumble, is being me exclusionary ? 🤷🏼‍♀️ Don’t...

2019 Africa Roundup: Jumia IPOs, China goes digital, Nigeria becomes fintech capital

2019 brought more global attention to Africa's tech scene than perhaps any previous year. Here’s an overview of the 2019 market events that captured attention and capped off a decade of rapid growth in African tech. The story of the year is the April IPO on the NYSE of Pan-African e-commerce company Jumia. https://ift.tt/2tiyvdb from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2F1BzNL via IFTT...

Become an elite digital marketer in 2020 with this $39 course bundle

TL;DR: Become a digital marketing whiz with The 2020 Full Stack Digital Marketing Certification Bundle for $39, a 98% savings.  While you can always learn to code and build websites, there are definitely other ways to make good money on the internet in 2020 – like digital marketing, for example. Digital marketing professionals are crazy in-demand these days, and you can make a solid starting salary using the digital platforms you're on every day. You just need to learn all the hidden tricks lying beneath the surface. Since digital marketing has expanded pretty drastically over the past...

10 of the best audio products of 2019 are on ridiculous sale right now

We're merely days away from 2020 – the year of perfect vision, lucidity, and precision. Besides getting your goals in line and your finances in order, there are some other things in your life that could use some clarity – like your music, for example. If you're still tethered to wired headphones, listening to your Spotify playlists on an old boombox with one working speaker, or holding onto your ancient MP3 player, it's time to upgrade your listening experience. You deserve to hear clear, pristine audio in the year 2020. Check out some of our favorite wireless headphones and Bluetooth speakers,...

Indian tech startups raised a record $14.5B in 2019

Indian tech startups have never had it so good. Local tech startups in the nation raised $14.5 billion in 2019, beating their previous best of $10.5 billion last year, according to research firm Tracxn . Tech startups in India this year participated in 1,185 financing rounds -- 459 of those were Series A or later rounds -- from 817 investors. https://ift.tt/2QtaNmJ from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2ZzXtB3 via IFTT...

Data leak by IoT device maker Wyze exposes personal information of 2.4 million people

Smart home device company Wyze has confirmed that personal data gathered from millions of users was left exposed on the internet for weeks, including email addresses and health data.  The breach was discovered by security consulting firm Twelve Security and confirmed by IPVM, both posting blogs about it on Dec. 26. According to Twelve Security, the compromised data gathered from 2.4 million people included users' emails, nicknames given to cameras, Wi-Fi names, health data like weight and gender, and information on users' Wyze devices.  The report has since been confirmed by Wyze's...

Obama praises book that slams his White House for its Google relationship

As he has in years past, the 44th President of the United States just released a list of his favorite music, movies, TV shows and books of 2019. And as in years past, the main thing about Obama’s favorites are that he has pretty good taste. His movie list, for example, is full of solid choices, and he's careful to point out the one case where's he's biased: Next up are my favorite movies and TV shows of 2019. Of course, there’s also American Factory, a film from our own production company, Higher Ground, that was recently shortlisted for an Oscar. Here’s the full list: pic.twitter.com/PEcgwotcxm —...

It's The Jons 2019!

In other words it was another perfect year for The Jons, the annual award which celebrates dubious tech-related achievements, named, in an awe-inspiring fit of humility, after myself. To Adam Neumann, who presided over the spectacular rise and even more spectacular fall from grace of WeWork, which proudly launched its proposed IPO this year and promptly saw most of its valuation (and its cash) disintegrate in a sea of eyebrow-raising stories about delusional irresponsibility and the harsh realities of actual business. To Masayoshi Son, whose widely announced dreams of a $108 billion Vision Fund...

Does YouTube radicalize users? This study says not —but it's deeply flawed.

A new study of YouTube's algorithm attracting mainstream attention this weekend claims that the online video giant "actively discourages" radicalization on the platform. And if that sounds suspect to you, it should.  The study flies in the face of everything we know about YouTube's recommendation algorithm. There has been plenty of evidence that it pulls users down a rabbit hole of extremist content. A 2018 study of videos recommended to political viewers during the 2016 election found that an overwhelming majority were pro-Trump. Far-right allies of the authoritarian Jair Bolsonaro in...

Why Apple, Google, and other big tech companies create their own fonts

After its famous 1984 Super Bowl commercial, Apple officially unveiled the Macintosh 128k, the "the computer for the rest of us." The Mac revolutionized personal computing. And it was Apple designer Susan Kare’s job to create digital fonts and icons to usher in this new age.  "I was a typical customer that they were trying to attract, someone for whom the graphical side of it would have been attractive," Kare told a technology historian in 2000. "I didn’t really have much computer experience, but even then I found the rudimentary Mac more appealing to me than the Apple II." Compared...

15 deals on home security cameras that can help keep you safe

Home security cameras don't only exist to record your late-night drunken shenanigans or alert you when your Amazon package is finally waiting for you at the door. While those are unintended perks of having a camera, don't ever forget their core function: Keeping an eye on what's happening in and out of your home. To ring in the new year — and the brand new decade — invest in security cameras to keep your home safe and sound. Below are 15 worthwhile options, all of which are on sale for an extra 20 percent off for a limited time with the code 20SAVE20. RemoBell S: Fast-Responding Smart Video...

12 totally random but cool deals you should snap up this week

Black Friday, Cyber Week, and Green Monday have all come and gone. But there's no need to pay full price just because you missed out on the major deal days. We've rounded up 12 of the sweetest deals we could find on everything from action cameras to kitchen essentials. Just be sure to enter the code 20SAVE20 at checkout to score the lowest price possible. Playseat Challenge racing video game chair With integrated wheel and pedal mounts, and a compact, foldable design, the Playseat Challenge is the perfect racing seat for gamers who want a complete setup but have little space to spare. It's compatible...

Google Search now lets you add movies and shows to a 'Watchlist'

Your Google Search results may now be a lot more helpful when it comes to keeping track of all the shows and movies you're keeping an eye on. The tech giant has rolled out a new card for the mobile results page that lets you add TV series and film titles to a "Watchlist" and a "Watched" bookmarks collection, 9to5Google has discovered. https://ift.tt/2sybrr5 from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2MDlRwy via IFTT...

Sony lands patent for a new PlayStation controller design

A new PlayStation controller may be in the works at Sony HQ. The tech giant has secured a prototype for a new controller design on December 26th, according to Polygon, which found its documentation on the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) database. Based on the illustrations on the website, the new design looks pretty much like the current DualShock 4 controllers, except it doesn't have a PS button and there are two additional buttons on its backside. https://ift.tt/2SA6usc from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2SwLLWe via IFTT...