Source: http://gizmodo.com/report-a-bunch-of-illegal-websites-seized-by-the-fbi-w-1659935037
The dark web owes the FBI a thank-you. It turns out that during its recent mass seizure operation
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/11/17/artificial-intelligence-magic-tricks/
You might not have to be a professional magician to come up with clever tricks in the near future. Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have developed artificial intelligence that can create magic tricks (specifically, those based on math) all on its own. Once their program learns the basics of creating magic jigsaws and "mind reading" stunts, it can generate many variants of these tricks by itself. This could be particularly handy if you like to impress your friends on a regular basis -- you could show them a new card trick every time without having to do much work.
The best part? You can try some of these computer-generated tricks yourself. The 12 Magicians of Osiris magic jigsaw is available as a web pack, and you can download the Android component for one card trick, Phoney, from Google Play. Neither will give you as much satisfaction as developing tricks from scratch, but they're proof that computers can do more with math than solve equations.
Filed under: Science
Via: Phys.org
Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/mica-bracelet-release-date-price-photos-2014-11
Intel and Opening Ceremony have just announced their new luxury smart bracelet will be launching in early December for $495.
The MICA bracelet is designed to look like a fashion accessory more than a gadget, as the companies emphasized when the device was initially unveiled in September.
It'll be sold through Barney's and Opening Ceremony, both online and in-store.
The MICA, which stands for "My Intelligent Communication Accessory," comes with a screen on the inside of your wrist rather than the outside to keep your messages private.
The companies have also announced that MICA will be compatible with Facebook and Google, which means you'll be able to see notifications from Facebook, Gmail, and Google Calendar, right on your wrist. It'll also be able to show text messages and Yelp notifications.
Many smartwatches offer this same functionality at a much cheaper price point, but there are two key differentiators that make the MICA more expensive than it's competitors.
First, it's capable of connecting to the internet on its own without having to work through your smartphone. That $495 price tag includes two years of wireless data service from AT&T. So, your MICA bracelet will have its own phone number that you can give out to only those you'd want to message you on the device.
It's meant to sort of provide a quick, convenient way to talk to people you contact most frequently rather than replacing your phone.
Second, the MICA is being marketed as a luxury accessory, which means it's made of high-end materials such as watersnake skin leather, pearls from China, tiger's eye stones from Africa, and other gems.
The MICA is expected to last two days on a single charge, but that will vary with usage.
The MICA is one of the few tech devices that is targeted towards women. Most smartwatches are big and bulky, which don't make them ideal for smaller wrist sizes. Apple seems to be trying to address this problem with its upcoming watch, which will be available in two sizes when it launches next year.
SEE ALSO: FORGET THE APPLE WATCH: Here's The Wearable Gadget You Should Buy If You Really Care About Fitness
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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/11/17/chromebooks-nyc-schools/
It's no secret that Chromebooks have been on the rise, especially in grade schools, and now Google has just scored another pretty big win. New York City officials just formally approved the use of Chromebooks in public schools. In a blog post, Hal Friedlander, Chief Information Office at the New York City Department of Education, said that he chose to give Chromebooks the OK in part because some schools were already using Google Drive and other Apps for Education. In addition, Friedlander cited all the reasons Google has been pushing Chromebooks to schools in the first place: They're easy to integrate into existing IT systems, they don't require any additional training for staff and it's easy for the IT department to manage. So no surprises there. Developing...
Source: Google
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/11/17/times-square-digital-billboard-really-really-big/
New Yorkers passing through Times Square will see (whether they want to or not) the biggest, most expensive digital billboard (at least in the US) when it turns on this Tuesday night. The screen is big enough to run a whole block, from 45th to 46th Street along Broadway, and is made up of 24 million pixels. (To contrast, 4K TVs weigh in with around 8 million pixel, although the scale here is massively different.) Oh yeah, it's also eight stories high. According to the New York Times, the cost of this prime advertising real estate comes in at over $2.5 million for four weeks. Google, a company that has the means, will take over the big screen as the debut advertiser until 2015. But we can go bigger: LG's already using the world's biggest billboard in Saudi Arabia, which is 820 feet long.
[Image credit: Richard Perry/The New York Times]
Filed under: Displays
Source: NYT
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