Wednesday, June 04, 2014

Facebook's New Feature Has Users Thoroughly Creeped Out

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/facebooks-new-feature-creeped-out-users-2014-6

Facebook Listens

Facebook recently rolled out a new feature that's leaving some users speechless and others running to sign a petition to have it removed, news.com.au reports.

The social network's new quirk allows its mobile app to turn on your smartphone's microphone, listen in on what's around you. Facebook identifies the music or TV shows it hears, and can tell the world you're currently "Listening to Iggy Azalea" if it hears you bumping "Fancy."

The opt-in feature has many users creeped out. More than half a million have flocked to sign a sumofus.com petition to have the new gimmick axed from the app.

"Tell Facebook not to release its creepy and dangerous new app feature that listens to users’ surroundings and conversations," the petition urges. "Facebook says it'll be responsible with this feature, but we know we can't trust it."

At a time when privacy concerns run rampant Facebook's new feature seems to go against the trend. In May Microsoft announced you'll be able to buy an Xbox One without the similarly creepy always-on Kinect watching and listening to your every move.

The sumofus.com petition is a little less than 200,000 signatures away from its goal: 750,000. Perhaps if it reaches that mark Facebook will actually listen to its users.

SEE ALSO: The most popular apps in the U.S. right now

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Non-Safari iPhone browsers will soon have access to Appleâs full-speed Javascript engine

Source: http://gigaom.com/2014/06/04/non-safari-iphone-browsers-will-soon-have-access-to-apples-full-speed-javascript-engine/

One of the most obvious drawbacks of Apple’s approach to iOS development has been the fact that no browser except for Safari could tap into Apple’s fastest Javascript engine. Not only did this decision prevent standalone browser apps like Chrome from running at full speed, it also hampered apps like Twitter that need to open a lot of URLs. As noted in Re/code, this is changing in iOS 8: Apps using the latest WebKit interface will have access to Apple’s Javascript engine. Hopefully, this means users will soon be able to also set a new default browser as well, but we’ll see: iOS 8 may be significantly more open than previous versions, but Apple’s not going to radically change overnight.

Related research and analysis from Gigaom Research:
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Lego's Getting Three More Female Scientist Minifigs

Source: http://lego.gizmodo.com/legos-getting-three-more-female-scientist-minifigs-1586081172/+ericlimer

Lego's Getting Three More Female Scientist Minifigs

Human girls can be scientist of all stripes, and they should have toys that encourage them to do so. That's why it's awesome that Lego ideas just greenlit three new female Lego scientist minifigs—an astronomer, a paleontologist, and a chemist—for an August 2014 release. Yay!

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Bluetooth-Controlled LED Bulbs That Create Their Own Wireless Network

Source: http://gizmodo.com/bluetooth-controlled-led-bulbs-that-create-their-own-wi-1585962628

Bluetooth-Controlled LED Bulbs That Create Their Own Wireless Network

Coincidentally timed with Apple's WWDC HomeKit announcement, Samsung has revealed a new line of smart LED lightbulbs that communicate with your phone, and each other, using a mesh Bluetooth network they automatically create.

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Monoprice Just Gave the 3D Printer a Crazy Price Cut

Source: http://gizmodo.com/monoprices-just-gave-the-3d-printer-a-crazy-price-cut-1586188765

Monoprice Just Gave the 3D Printer a Crazy Price Cut

With many machines well over the $2,000 mark, 3D printers are still mostly sequestered to use by professionals. Monoprice, the cut-rate technology powerhouse, is slicing more than a few hundreds off the price point with a 3D printer that costs $1,200.

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