https://ift.tt/36fWpEV from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2FfInal
via IFTTT
Tuesday 31 December 2019
Tech's biggest companies are worth ~$5T as 2019's epic stock market run wraps
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 will have the right to know what personal data is being collected about them and the right to request that this information be deleted. They will also have the right to know the details of how their data is being used, who the data is sold to or shared with, and they can request that their data not be sold to third parties. In addition, Californians will have the right to request access to their personal data. Read more...
More about California, Data Privacy, Data Protection, Gdpr, and Ccpahttps://ift.tt/2SIJozK from Tech https://ift.tt/36g9Qon
via IFTTT
Tech that defined the decade
https://ift.tt/39sxb8q from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2MKMSht
via IFTTT
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 all these things. Read more...
More about Tech, Tech, Consumer Tech, and Big Tech Companieshttps://ift.tt/2FbKbBw from Tech https://ift.tt/2FcVqJC
via IFTTT
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 Stonehttps://ift.tt/2QwoOQu from Tech https://ift.tt/2FbrTAh
via IFTTT
In 2019 cameras got much better, but the market still crashed
https://ift.tt/2tnxTmD from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2F5vzU2
via IFTTT
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 the deals happening now on Amazon. Check them out below: Read more...
More about Wireless Headphones, Bluetooth Speakers, Mashable Shopping, Waterproof Speaker, and Jblhttps://ift.tt/2tem8yZ from Tech https://ift.tt/2F7u1c2
via IFTTT
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 has shown there’s a market for pure EVs, not just hybrids, not just plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). Similarly, two decades ago, Toyota showed there’s a market for hybrids that went a mile or two on battery power, the rest of the time on gasoline (but still managed impressive mpg increases). Their dominant products sucked the oxygen out of the market for a decade or more.
What Honda CEO Hachiago Really Said
Here’s the key points from an interview of Hachigo with Automotive News Europe editors Jamie Butters and Hans Greimel, through a translator:
Q (ANE): Honda wants two-thirds of its global sales to come from electrified vehicles by 2030. What is your road to electrification when demand for hybrids and EVs is still undeveloped?
A (Hachiago ): I believe hybrid vehicles will play a critical role. The objective is not electrification, per se, but improving fuel efficiency. And we believe hybrid vehicles are the way to abide by different environmental regulations.
Q: What about full-electric vehicles?
A: Are there really customers who truly want them? I’m not so sure because there are lots of issues regarding infrastructure and hardware. I do not believe there will be a dramatic increase in demand for battery vehicles, and I believe this situation is true globally. There are different regulations in different countries, and we have to abide by them. So it’s a must to continue R&D. But I don’t believe it will become mainstream anytime soon.
What we hear from Honda’s head guy is what you’d expect to hear from pragmatic automaker: a straightforward appraisal of where the market is today. He did not, unlike other CEOs, complain that governments need to underwrite a big charging infrastructure first.
What we hear from some of our fellow editors tracking EVs is disbelief that Honda hasn’t gotten with the program. From Elektrek (“Honda CEO says ‘There Will Be No Dramatic Increase EV demand’”):
Honda EV Plus: first modern EV, 1997-99, 80-100 miles range, 300 built.
The automotive industry is operating on two completely separate alternative planes of existence. Readers of this site are familiar with the overwhelming evidence of EVs approaching an inflection point, and the last gasps of internal combustion. Let’s call that reality. And then there’s Honda’s Takahiro Hachigo, joined by executives from Toyota (and others). In their alternative universe, the inevitability of a pure-electric future is not proven. Nobody wants them.
… Nearly four decades ago, Honda introduced the first engine technology to meet US Clean Air Act standards without the need for a catalytic converter. In 1999, the Honda Insight was the first hybrid. But that’s ancient history. Today, the company remains fixated on 20-year-old technology rather than innovating for the new electric age. … At the same time, Hachigo’s latest statements are entirely out of step with the times. The imperative of global climate change is too urgent for minimal compliance and CES eye candy.
And from Jalopnik (“Ghostly Specter Of Honda’s CEO Still Not Convinced Electric Cars Are A Thing”):
Here comes Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo, rising from the dead to walk among us in the year 2019—a year in which Tesla has sold more than 255,000 cars [worldwide]—to inform us he is still not sure about this whole electric car thing, revealing himself to be not a man but a ghost of a bygone era.
Honda is also designing a modular electric car platform which they hope to have ready by 2025. Does that count as “anytime soon?” By automaker timelines, probably not, which means there’s plenty of time for more CEOs to die and rise from the dead before Honda completes its EV platform for a future it doesn’t think will happen.
One company dominated hybrid sales 20 years ago: Toyota. Now Tesla is doing the same with EVs. Four-fifths of EVs sold in the US are Teslas. After that, only Chevy, Nissan and BMW sell more than 5,000 EVs year. (Source: Statista)
The EV Market Is Good (For Tesla)
Automakers have lots of rules to follow: crash protection, safety equipment, emissions. Also they have to make money for shareholders. And stay in business. Right now, Tesla dominates battery-electric vehicle sales, controlling 80 percent (182,000) of the 228,000 pure EVs sold in 2018 in the US, which is 1.0 percent of all US sales. What’s left is table scraps. Chevy has 8 percent of the EV market (0.1 perecent of all vehicles sold), Nissan 6 percent of EVs (0.1 percent of all sales). For everybody else, it rounds to 0.0 percent unless you go to two decimal places.
Honda sold 948 Clarity BEVs in 2018. That is a small number: one of every 1,500 Hondas sold, one of every 18,000 cars sold (all brands) in 2018. Clarify is actually three vehicles: a fuel-cell car that converts hydrogen to electricity, a BEV (the sub-1,000 sales), and a plug-in hybrid. Together they accounted for 20,000 Clarity sales, but virtually all of them were PHEVs. Honda marketed the Clarity BEV as a comfortable family car (think Accord with batteries instead of gasoline). But with an EPA combined-driving range of 89 miles, it was a challenging car to sell. Honda will move into 2020 with the fuel cell and PHEV but not the Clarity EV.
Critics scoff at PHEVs as uninteresting for the long term, and they’re probably right. For. The. Long. Term. But in the US with its greater driving distances than Europe, they make sense. You can drive to and from work on electricity alone if you remember to recharge when you get home. And then on weekends you go where you want, mostly on gasoline. Meanwhile, battery technology is improving at about 20 percent a year, so four to five years from now, a 100-mile Clarity BEV could be a 200-mile Clarity. (And, okay, a 250-mile Tesla could be a 500-mile Tesla.) So Honda could lay low until 2025, rejoin the fray then, and not miss a lot of EV sales in the US. In Europe, the company may face regulatory pressure to act sooner.
The Honda E is part of a new architecture coming within five years.
Honda’s Roadmap for Electrification
Honda e, due in 2021 in Europe – Honda’s first minicar since 2001.
Honda will bring to bring to market an electric city car in 2020 called the Honda E, in the spring of 2020. At 157 inches, it’s smallish for the US market. Over the summer Honda told investors and media it’s developing a dedicated EV platform for midsize and large sedans and SUVs. The first vehicles will come to market in 2025. It’s this timeframe that has some media critics upset with Honda.
Right now in the US Honda has these alternative vehicles:
- Honda Accord Hybrid, 48 mpg city / 46 mpg highway, this from what measures as a full-size car.
- Honda Insight third-generation compact hybrid, 48 mpg city / 46 mpg highway
- Honda Clarity PHEV, BEV, hydrogen fuel cell through 2019.
- Honda CR-V Hybrid, due early 2020, targeting Toyota RAV4.
Honda appears to be intercepting the glidepath toward higher-efficiency, zero-tailpipe-pollution vehicles. Europe especially is pushing automakers toward cleaner, higher-efficiency vehicles. Honda will begin selling the retro-look Honda e next year in Europe, with a goal of at least 10,000 units a year, possibly more. The Honda e, a minicar, will allow Honda to meet EU CO2 targets in 2020 and 2021 without paying fines.
While we live on the same planet and breathe the same air (more or less), Europe feels the shock more when Russian or the Middle East countries restrict access to petroleum – the US can always “drill, baby, drill” (per Sarah Palin – and Europe is also more concerned about clean air. The US’ concern about fuel consumption and clean air depends a lot on who’s in the White House come 2021. Currently the US supports aggressive petroleum-source development and extraction.
Now Read:
- 2018 Honda Clarity Review: This Midsize Plug-In Hybrid Could Be Your Only Car
- 2018 Honda Accord Review: Way Better, and Honda Even Fixed Display Audio
- 2019 Honda Insight Review: A Better-Looking, 50 MPG Civic
https://ift.tt/2Fb8zTL from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://ift.tt/37hgZ86
via IFTTT
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 is that many top-tier appliances are on sale right now (and have price tags that rival Black Friday promotions). Read more...
More about Gadgets, Home, Food, Kitchen, and Mashable Shoppinghttps://ift.tt/2u6SJY2 from Tech https://ift.tt/2tlGPZG
via IFTTT
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 a shiny new iPhone, this charger will boost your device to 100% as long as it's Qi-compatible. It rids you the hassle of dealing with wires and safeguards your gadgets from damage thanks to short circuit and overheating protection. Typically on sale for $14.99, it's just $11.99 with the code 20SAVE20. Read more...
More about Charging Cable, Charging Stations, Mashable Shopping, Wireless Charger, and Techhttps://ift.tt/2rN5few from Tech https://ift.tt/2QCzXPR
via IFTTT
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 Constructionhttps://ift.tt/2ZCmdZi from Tech https://ift.tt/2sCiaA9
via IFTTT
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 to the phone via a special, vertically positioned connector), allowing you to get a vast amount of screen space. Read more...
More about Lg, Foldable Display, Tech, Smartphones, and Big Tech Companieshttps://ift.tt/2ZAH3Zg from Tech https://ift.tt/2ZFXSBP
via IFTTT
Monday 30 December 2019
Russia starts antitrust investigation into Booking.com
https://ift.tt/39un6aO from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2QBMLFU
via IFTTT
Uber and Postmates sue California over gig worker law
https://ift.tt/2ZBQTdg from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2Qz6Hti
via IFTTT
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 drivers, claiming its drivers are truly independent workers who don't need to be reclassified. Read more...
More about Uber, Lyft, Ride Hailing Apps, Tech, and Transportationhttps://ift.tt/36aWxFT from Tech https://ift.tt/2Qb98mY
via IFTTT
Listen to top VCs discuss the next generation of automation startups at TC Sessions: Robotics+AI
https://ift.tt/2ZBrm41 from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/37tqO2Z
via IFTTT
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 like your favorite celebrity unless you know them IRL. If you can get Timothée Chalamet into your car to record some phrases for you, by all means, please do. Read more...
More about Voice Assistants, Infotainment, Tech, and Transportationhttps://ift.tt/2u5rH3e from Tech https://ift.tt/359Cvdl
via IFTTT
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 ramps to test the robot’s weight distribution as the wheels moved up and down. The rover drove in one-meter increments for more than 10 hours.
The rover has now shown that it can operate under its own weight on Earth, so it should encounter no problems on Mars where it will weigh much less. NASA hopes this rover will cover a lot of ground on Mars — Opportunity holds the current record with 28.06 miles (45.16 kilometers), but Curiosity (upon which Mars 2020 is based) has managed a respectable 13.10 miles (21.09 kilometers).
This driving test also demonstrated the rover’s autonomous capabilities for the first time. NASA designed this robot to handle more decision-making on site rather than waiting for controllers on Earth to send instructions for each maneuver. For this reason, it has higher resolution cameras and additional processing power to create maps and run its auto-navigation software. It should have the necessary muscle, too, with its thicker aluminum wheels and titanium spokes. Curiosity’s wheels have suffered heavy damage from the sharp rocks of Mars, but Mars 2020 should be able to cover more distance before showing wear. Mars 2020 should be able to average 650 feet (200 meters) per day, which is just shy of Curiosity’s best day at 702 feet (214 meters).
NASA plans to launch the rover in summer 2020 when Mars and Earth pass close by each other. It should land on Mars using a Curiosity-style rocket sled in February 2021. The Jezero crater landing site is ideal for the mission to search for evidence of ancient life, as well as current water deposits. It will even store samples that a future mission could collect for a return trip to Earth. The rover should also get a name in the next few months.
Now read:
- NASA Attaches Helicopter Drone to Mars 2020 Rover
- NASA’s InSight Lander Beams Back the Sounds of Mars
- A Vanished Martian Oasis Holds Clues to How the Red Planet Dried Out
https://ift.tt/36aWJ7Z from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://ift.tt/2MGTHk9
via IFTTT
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 year of Lord Bezos 2019. Read more...
More about Venmo, Tech, and Consumer Techhttps://ift.tt/2ZBUl7L from Tech https://ift.tt/2FcwDp3
via IFTTT
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 Kalanickhttps://ift.tt/2u6Ow6H from Tech https://ift.tt/2tjjN64
via IFTTT
While other tech giants fund housing initiatives, Amazon is opening a homeless shelter -- inside its HQ
https://ift.tt/2Qc5gSx from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2rCatcK
via IFTTT
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 (@OnLeaks) December 28, 2019 Read more...
https://ift.tt/2soO5Eo from Tech https://ift.tt/2tZRw4A
via IFTTT
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, don't worry, your purchases during the above time period will still count towards the $20. Read more...
More about Kindle, Ebooks, Amazon Books, Mashable Shopping, and Techhttps://ift.tt/37sUs8x from Tech https://ift.tt/2Q8fGCA
via IFTTT
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 who regularly visit the gym — they're sweat-and-water-resistant, and come with multiple different tips to ensure you get a secure fit. You'll even get a charging case that can get you up to five hours of play at a time. Read more...
More about Bose, Noise Canceling Headphones, Mashable Shopping, Portable Speakers, and Soundbarshttps://ift.tt/2tciTZ0 from Tech https://ift.tt/2thGAyQ
via IFTTT
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 between misinformation and disinformation is motive. Disinformation campaigns are always deliberate, misinformation can be spread in good faith.
The sources of misinformation matter a great deal if your goal is to deepen people’s understandings of facts and improve the quality of public discourse. If you think about how information is distributed, you probably picture some version of a top-down model: Something happens, eyewitnesses and journalists converge on it, and the information they collectively report filters down to all of us through whatever media we use to consume it. The education system uses more-or-less the same model.
Typically, when people think about fighting misinformation, we think about it in terms of fact-checking sources and ensuring the data in an article or textbook is as complete and up-to-date as possible. I check facts like die sizes, launch dates, and benchmark results on a regular basis to make certain that I’m writing factual data.
A new paper published in Human Communication Research suggests, however, that we’ve been overlooking a significant source of misinformation — and it’s going to be far more difficult to fix: Humans appear to self-generate misinformation even when they’ve been given the facts. This study focused on numerical misinformation — i.e., mistransmission of data related to specific factual information that study participants had been given. The fundamental goal of the experiment was to measure whether or not humans would remember numbers better if the claims they were given were consistent or inconsistent with the beliefs of the individual.
To test this, individuals were presented with data on topics like support for same-sex marriage in the US, gender preferences for one’s boss, the number of Mexican immigrants in the United States, and the total number of white people killed by police in 2016 versus the total number of black people. The individuals being tested were polled for their own pre-test expectations on these topics and the data presented to them was given in a manner that was both consistent with what individuals believed would be true or was chosen to present facts they were less likely to believe are true. Table 1, shown below, shows the framing for the experiment:
Individual polling of the test group showed that the poll results aligned with expectations, which is why this is called “schema consistent.” In the case of Mexican immigrants, people expected there to be more immigrants in 2014 than in 2007, when in fact the opposite was true. The first group of participants were asked to answer questions based on the data they had just seen. Their answers were then used to inform the questions that were shown to a second group of people. The answers from that group were used to inform the questions asked to a third group of people.
The image above shows how the system worked. The test was administered using numerical sliders to give answers and using text input. Effectively, this replicates a game of telephone — each person is transmitting the version of data they remember. Before you look at the next slide, let’s quickly review: Americans generally expect there were more Mexican immigrants in the US in 2014 than in 2007, they believe police killed more black people than white people in 2016, they prefer a male boss to a female boss, and they favor support for same-sex marriage. Now, look at what the test results showed. The values on the far left of the graph are the actual statistics, in every case. Wave 1 indicates the answers of the first group, Wave 2 the second group, etc.
When presented with data that conflicted with their own previously held beliefs, humans get really bad at math. The drop in Mexican immigrants that occurred from 2007 – 2014 reverses in Wave 1. The very first people who saw the data literally couldn’t remember the answer correctly and flipped the values, associating 2007 with fewer immigrants and 2014 with more. Importantly, these results continue to diverge when transmitted to Wave 3. In other words, it’s not just that people think that the overall Mexican immigrant population must have risen because of the passage of time. Wave 1 overestimated the number of Mexican immigrants by 900,000. Wave 3 overestimated it by 4.1 million. In this case, the initial figure of total immigrants doesn’t drop all that much and most of the inaccuracy is introduced by grossly inflated estimates of how many Mexicans moved to the US over this period.
With police shootings, Wave 1 manages to remember that more whites than blacks were shot, even if both values are wrong. Starting with Wave 2, we get the same crossover that we saw with Wave 1 — except in this case, the initial value keeps being shoved lower.
The data on police shootings shows a little more staying power. While the absolute values both moved towards reversing, Wave 1 still remembered which group was larger. By Wave 2 — remember, that’s the group that used the answers Wave 1 gave — that effect has completely reversed. This time, however, both numbers have come unmoored from their original data points in both tests.
But if you give people data they do expect, they show completely different mental patterns — not so much necessarily in terms of absolute accuracy, but at least in terms of relationships. In the case of percentage of Americans who prefer a male versus a female boss, the percentages climb towards the group-reported estimate of belief rather than maintaining the initial levels given, even though the initial percentages show clear preference for male over female bosses (aligning with general group preference). In the last case, the number of Americans who favored same-sex marriage was underestimated, while the percentage opposed declined in Wave 1 and then moved back towards the actual value.
Participants in the NIH ResearchMatch version of the study were told that numerical percentages could not exceed 100 percent in the slider version, and also told that the total number of immigrants did not exceed 20 million, which may explain some of the differences, but the charts are in general agreement.
People Remember Facts Less Well if They Disagree With Them
There are two interesting findings here. First, there’s further evidence that people literally remember facts less-well if they don’t agree with them. For all the people who claim they change their mind if confronted with facts, the reality is that people tend to change their facts, not their opinions — even when asked to answer questions about information they literally just read.
This has serious implications for how we think, as a society, about the transmission of information from one mind to another. About a year ago, I wrote a story debunking some rumors about AMD’s then-future 7nm Ryzen CPUs. At the time, some individuals were arguing that AMD’s 7nm CPUs would simultaneously deliver huge price cuts, more cores, large clock speed increases, and a giant leap in IPC, simultaneously. My debunk article wasn’t 100 percent accurate — I guessed that AMD might not use chiplets for desktop Ryzen and reserve them for Epyc instead — but the final chips AMD launched bear absolutely no resemblance to the rumored configurations.
I addressed this topic several times over six months because this set of rumors simply would not die. I bolstered my arguments with historical CPU data, long-term CPU clock scaling trends, AMD’s statements to investors, AMD’s statements to the press, and long-term comparisons on the relationship between AMD’s margins and its net profits. I discussed increasing wafer costs and how chiplets, while a great innovation, were also a symptom of the problems AMD was facing.
Now, let me be clear. I’m not arguing that everyone who read those stories was somehow automatically obligated to agree with me. My prognostication record is anything but perfect and reasonable people can disagree on how they read broad industry trends. There’s a difference, however, between “I think 7nm clocks might come in a little higher than you do,” and “I think AMD will simultaneously slash prices, slash power consumption, and revolutionize semiconductors with generational performance gains we haven’t seen in almost a decade,” despite the fact that there was literally no evidence to support any of these positions.
If you showed up to argue the former, or something that even reasonably looks like it, I’m not talking about you. I’m talking about the vocal minority of people who showed up to argue that AMD was about to launch the Second Coming in silicon form. Those who didn’t predict my firing often suggested I’d be writing a tearful apology at some later date.
My point in bringing this up isn’t to rehash old arguments or toot my horn. My point is that there’s a real life example of this very phenomena that you can go and read about. I don’t know where these rumors started, but once they took hold, they proved quite tenacious. As good as Ryzen is — and 7nm Ryzen is great — the rumors about it were better than the CPU could ever possibly be. When confronted with this, some people got angry.
Short of giving the planet some in-depth training in overcoming cognitive bias, it’s not clear how to reduce the spread of person-to-person misinformation, and the authors conclude that more study is needed here. As important as it is to ensure the factual accuracy of primary sources, the fact that humans appear to generate misinformation in an effort to make that data align with pre-existing schemas means focusing solely on the primary source problem will never address its full scope.
Now Read:
- Technology Enables ‘Fake News.’ Can It Help Stop It, Too?
- YouTube, Like Facebook, Ignored Toxicity Warnings in Favor of ‘Engagement’
- No One Wants to Talk About How Completely We Were Lied to
https://ift.tt/2SChdCE from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://ift.tt/39rOOoI
via IFTTT
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 — plus, it's $35 off right now. Read more...
More about Echo Dot, Smart Lighting, Mashable Shopping, Smart Speakers, and Philips Huehttps://ift.tt/2F7RxWq from Tech https://ift.tt/366lguO
via IFTTT
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 run their channels. If you’re a YouTube creator or even thinking of starting a channel, here are some of the tools I think you should check out. Read more...
More about Video, Youtube, Creators, Youtubers, and Techhttps://ift.tt/2sxBwXd from Tech https://ift.tt/2ZDTGT7
via IFTTT
Elon Musk details SpaceX progress on latest Starship spacecraft build and flight timelines
https://ift.tt/39qdgH5 from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2MBm9E3
via IFTTT
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 shut me out of the hive 🐝— Sharon Stone (@sharonstone) December 30, 2019 Read more...
https://ift.tt/37k5U61 from Tech https://ift.tt/357jybh
via IFTTT
2019 Africa Roundup: Jumia IPOs, China goes digital, Nigeria becomes fintech capital
https://ift.tt/2tiyvdb from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2F1BzNL
via IFTTT
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 few years, you're going to need to know more than just how to set up an Instagram account. And this 2020 Full Stack Digital Marketing Certification Bundle can help you on your way to greatness. Read more...
More about Digital Marketing, Mashable Shopping, Online Courses, Certification, and Techhttps://ift.tt/2SBnnmn from Tech https://ift.tt/2QaJsGV
via IFTTT
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, all on sale for an extra 20% off. Enter the coupon code 20SAVE20 at checkout and you'll find it hard to pass up these great deals. Read more...
More about Audio, Wireless Earbuds, Speakers, Mashable Shopping, and Techhttps://ift.tt/2F3ysoe from Tech https://ift.tt/354ZOFb
via IFTTT
Sunday 29 December 2019
Indian tech startups raised a record $14.5B in 2019
https://ift.tt/2QtaNmJ from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2ZzXtB3
via IFTTT
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 co-founder and chief product officer Dongsheng Song, who said in a Dec. 27 forum post that user data was left exposed from Dec. 4 to 26. According to Song, human error was to blame for the breach. Read more...
More about Smart Homes, Internet Of Things, Data Breach, Data Leaks, and Wyzehttps://ift.tt/369Gg3Y from Tech https://ift.tt/2ZymxIy
via IFTTT
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
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 29, 2019 Read more...
https://ift.tt/35bjpDz from Tech https://ift.tt/2ZBmlbO
via IFTTT
It's The Jons 2019!
https://ift.tt/37hJx1a from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2F5l2IA
via IFTTT
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 Brazil say he and they wouldn't have won election without YouTube. Read more...
More about Youtube, Radicalization, Conspiracy Theories, Extremism, and Recommendationshttps://ift.tt/35b9ZrH from Tech https://ift.tt/2SA9GUU
via IFTTT
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 to most personal computers at the time — which used command line interfaces that were too technical for many users to understand— the Mac adopted a much more user-friendly graphical interface (GUI). It featured plenty of things that even the most novice computer user today understands intuitively — pointers, menus, scroll bars, windows, icons, and typefaces. Read more...
More about Tech, Apple, Design, Fonts, and Typographyhttps://ift.tt/2SCaRDs from Tech https://ift.tt/2ZADbHr
via IFTTT
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 Doorbell Camera ($99 Value) Read more...
More about Smart Home, Security Cameras, Home Security, Mashable Shopping, and Techhttps://ift.tt/2Q3yHpI from Tech https://ift.tt/2ZzZq0w
via IFTTT
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 with all steering wheel and pedal sets, as well as all consoles, and can easily be stored when not in use. Currently on sale for $249 (usually $277), it's available for $199.20 when you use the code 20SAVE20. Read more...
More about Gadgets, Home, Kitchen, Mashable Shopping, and Techhttps://ift.tt/3672cN7 from Tech https://ift.tt/366GgS1
via IFTTT
Google Search now lets you add movies and shows to a 'Watchlist'
https://ift.tt/2sybrr5 from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2MDlRwy
via IFTTT
Saturday 28 December 2019
Sony lands patent for a new PlayStation controller design
https://ift.tt/2SA6usc from Yahoo Tech https://ift.tt/2SwLLWe
via IFTTT
Tesla 'killers' that failed miserably
In 2010, the future of electric vehicles looked wide open. The terrain was rocky, but fertile; full of opportunity, if you could make it through the technical and consumer crags.
Now, 10 years later, things look different. Established car companies like General Motors and Porsche are elbowing for their share alongside startups like Rivian and Byton. But one company is inarguably both the trailblazer and master of EVs: Elon Musk’s Tesla.
In the first half of the decade, headlines frequently predicted doom for the fledgling company. When any new all-electric vehicle idea came out, critics were quick to anoint it with the label “Tesla killer,” no matter car type, range, or level of luxury. Those labels didn’t stick, however: Tesla is still alive and well. In fact, is "affordable" sedan, the Model 3, made up an eighth of all EV sales worldwide this year. It dominates. Read more...
More about Tesla, Porsche, Electric Vehicles, Best Of The Decade, and Techhttps://ift.tt/39gLKM5 from Tech https://ift.tt/2ZGmnPH
via IFTTT
This bundle of online courses has your New Year's resolutions covered
TL;DR: Get interview skills, nutrition advice, tips on how to start a podcast, and more with the Ultimate Life Hacker Master Class Bundle, on sale for $28 with code 20SAVE20.
Maybe your New Year's resolution isn't as Insta-friendly as reading a book a month or learning how to cook new dishes regularly. Maybe you simply want to get your life together, and you wouldn't be alone.
Getting your life on track for 2020, and trying all the things (eating better, landing a dream job, being a more productive human, public speaking more confidently) is possible — it just takes dedication and investing in the right resources to help you out. Read more...
More about Career Advice, Life Hack, Online Learning, Mashable Shopping, and Techhttps://ift.tt/37kyUeb from Tech https://ift.tt/2ZujvVG
via IFTTT
How to become a real estate investor without going broke
TL;DR: The real estate market can be volatile, but Mashvisor (no relation to Mashable) acts as your assistant by analyzing properties across the country. A lifetime subscription is regularly $1,499, but using code 20SAVE20 signs you up for $31.20 — a 97% savings.
Real estate investing, as a concept, is basically as simple as playing Monopoly. In order to succeed, you purchase properties, avoid bankruptcy, and generate rent so you can purchase more properties.
If you don't thoroughly vet a property before committing, though, you could wind up broke. Yikes.
Mashvisor (no relation to Mashable) takes the hardest part — finding rental properties that will actually continue to provide a return — and builds it into a service that's as easy to navigate as Zillow. It turns three months of research into about 15 minutes by analyzing nationwide real estate, and you can lock down a lifetime subscription for less than $32 with code 20SAVE20. Read more...
More about Business, Real Estate, Apps And Software, Mashable Shopping, and Techhttps://ift.tt/2tYWMFM from Tech https://ift.tt/2rzpQ5L
via IFTTT
Growing a beard? These are the best beard trimmers.
Whether you want your face constantly nestled in a cozy, luscious beard, or want every single follicle eradicated from your beautiful mug, the fact still stands: You need to take care of your facial hair. And by "take care of it," we mean trim it. Shape it. Tidy it up. Do whatever it takes to not look like a scraggly mess — because if your face isn't looking its best, you're not going to feel your best.
To do that, you're going to need a good beard trimmer — and thankfully, most of the best ones are actually really affordable. What makes a good beard trimmer, though? How do you find the best one for you? Well, we'll tell you. Read more...
More about Travel, Grooming, Mashable Shopping, Gifts For Him, and Beard Trimmers
BEST FOR KEEPING A LITTLE BIT OF STUBBLE
Brio Axis TrimmerIf you need a portable, lightweight trimmer that can achieve an ultra-close shave, you can't go wrong with the Brio Axis.
- Battery life: 90 minutes
- Attachments: N/A
BEST HYBRID TRIMMER
Philips Norelco OneBladeEven though it mimics the look of a traditional razor, this trimmer is anything but — and won't cut you during usage.
- Battery life: 45 minutes
- Attachments: Three assorted stubble combs
BEST OVERALL
Philips Norelco Vacuum Beard Trimmer Series 7200The Philips Norelco's vacuum and comb length dial features help it edge out the competition — and it won't break the bank.
- Battery life: 80 minutes
- Attachments: Three combs and one precision trimmer
BEST FOR CREATING SHARP LINES
Bevel TrimmerIf you want accuracy and power, the Bevel will give you both at a near-professional capacity.
- Battery life: 8 hours
- Attachments: N/A
BEST ATTACHMENTS
Remington PG6171This trimmer is good for a person who wants options — with 11 pieces, there's an attachment for whatever you need to do (you get a travel kit, too).
- Battery life: 3 hours
- Attachments: Full-sized trimmer, detail trimmer, detail foil shaver, nose, ear and eyebrow trimmer, 5 combs, an adjustable comb, and a storage/travel pouch
BEST BUNDLE
Braun MGK3060This Braun bundle has all the attachments and combs you'll need to keep your face fresh and in shape — it even comes with a free traditional wet razor, too.
- Battery life: 60 minutes
- Attachments: Four combs, detail trimmer, ear and nose trimmer
BEST BUDGET PICK
Gillette Waterproof Beard StylerPerfect for the self-aware facial-hair-wearer that prefers minimalism over the more fancy grooming products.
- Battery life: Battery-powered — lasts up to a month
- Attachments: Three length combs, one Gillette Fusion5 blade
BEST FOR BODY HAIR
Lawn Mower 2.0If you want to tidy up more than just your facial hair, the Lawn Mower will keep your whole body in check — *without* hurting your most sensitive of areas.
- Battery life: 60 minutes
- Attachments: Two adjustable blade guards
BEST FOR DETAIL WORK
Wahl Micro GroomsmanThe perfect companion to a more expensive beard trimmer, this mini detailer is meant for cleaning up the spots that your larger device might have missed on the first pass.
- Battery life: Battery-powered — lasts up to one month
- Attachments: One nose and ear trimmer, one precision trimmer
https://ift.tt/39mLFXa from Tech https://ift.tt/3679UqC
via IFTTT
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)