tech

Marion, N.C. has declared the legendary creature known as Bigfoot as its official animal, nearly a month after Whitehall, New York also adopted Sasquatch as its mascot. (Credit: iStock)  (JLFCapture) Nestled at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, tiny Marion, N.C. has a population of just over 7,800. But it's the town's grand gesture that is making headlines. The small town has declared the legendary creature known as Bigfoot as its official animal, nearly a month after Whitehall, New York also adopted Sasquatch as its mascot. Bigfoot, who has reportedly been all over the country in just a short span of time (maybe he's on summer vacation til he goes back to Bigfoot school), will be honored as the town's official animal on Sept. 8, coincidentally the same day that it is hosting a Bigfoot festival to "prove" the creature's existence, including eyewitness accounts, video sightings and recordings, according to The Charlotte Observer. BIGFOOT SPOTTED CROSSING RURAL NEW … [Read more...] about North Carolina town names Bigfoot as its official animal

File photo: Silhouettes of laptop and mobile device users are seen next to a screen projection of Google logo in this picture illustration taken March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic Google has been hit with a federal lawsuit for invasion of privacy – one week after the tech giant was caught tracking iPhone and Android users’ location in spite of enabled privacy settings. San Diego resident Napolean Patacsil accuses Google in the suit of storing location data “against the express wishes and expectations of its users” in violation of California laws. Last week, an Associated Press investigation found that the location data from phones was being stored even when the “location history” function was switched off – a breach that affects more than 2 billion Android users and hundreds of millions of iPhone customers who use Google Maps. “Google expressly represented to users of its operating system and apps that the activation of … [Read more...] about Google sued for tracking users’ locations without permission

(Credit: Amazon) A legal brothel in America has built a "fully-automated" sex tape room powered by the Amazon Echo. Nevada's notorious Sheri's Ranch has kitted out the room with smart home tech, letting punters create their own smut films using voice-control. Amazon's Alexa virtual assistant is designed to help you with everyday business: checking the news, finding out the weather, or ordering a pizza. But its creators probably never intended for Alexa to become part of a brothel's full-time staff. Click on The Sun for more. … [Read more...] about Nevada brothel lets Amazon’s Alexa turn you into a pornstar

close Video Group calls for Facebook to be broken up A group calling itself Freedom from Facebook slammed the social media giant in a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission. It slams Facebook's privacy policies and suggests remedies to combat what they call Facebook's 'monopoly.' Facebook is rating users based on how "trustworthy" it thinks they are. Users receive a score on a scale from zero to one that determines if they have a good or bad reputation – but it's completely hidden. The rating system was revealed in a report by the Washington Post, which says it's in place to "help identify malicious actors". Facebook tracks your behaviour across its site, and uses that info to assign you a rating. Tessa Lyons, who heads up Facebook's fight against fake news, said: "One of the signals we use is how people interact with articles. "For example, if someone previously gave us feedback that an article was false and the article was confirmed false by a … [Read more...] about Facebook has trust ratings for users, but it won’t tell you your score

close Video Stratolaunch debuts: World's largest plane revealed Paul Allen's Stratolaunch, the world's largest plane, which is capable of delivering rockets into space has finally been revealed Nearly a year after it first emerged, the Stratolaunch, the largest plane ever built, is getting ready for its first flight later this year. The aircraft, which weighs approximately 500,000 pounds, can carry payloads up to 550,000 pounds and has a wingspan longer than a football field (385 feet), is so big that it needs two cockpits. It's powered by six Boeing 747 engines Stratolaunch Systems CEO, Jean Floyd said last year. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who is backing the project, said that when the plane takes flight, it will be an incredible experience.  "When you see that giant plane, it's a little nutty," Allen said in an interview with Wired. STRATOLAUNCH: WORLD'S LARGEST PLANE FINALLY EMERGES In the interview, Allen added that the Stratolaunch has one purpose: … [Read more...] about Stratolaunch: World’s largest plane set to take first flight

HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (Aug. 1, 2017) A Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano A-29 experimental aircraft flies over White Sands Missile Range. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Ethan D. Wagner) The Air Force has entered the next phase in its development of a new, combat-ready Light Attack aircraft designed to maneuver close to terrain, support ground combat operations and operate closely with U.S. allies in an irregular warfare scenario. The service is now entering a proposal phase for its new aircraft, designed to lead to a production contract by next year. The Light Attack planes are optimized for counterinsurgency and other types of warfare wherein the U.S. Air Force largely has aerial dominance. Given this mission scope, the planes are not intended to mirror the speed, weaponry or stealth attributes of a 5th generation fighter - but rather offer the service an effective attack option against ground enemies such as insurgents who do not present an air threat. "We must develop the … [Read more...] about New Air Force light attack plane moves quickly toward combat

File photo: MacBook Air laptops are pictured on display at an Apple Store in Pasadena July 22, 2013. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni Last week it was reported that Apple had to redesign the next MacBook thanks to Intel deciding to delay 10nm processors until 2019. That new MacBook is meant to clear up any confusion as to whether consumers should buy a MacBook or MacBook Air . However, it looks as though we're going to get a new MacBook Air, too. As Bloomberg reports, the MacBook Air refresh will see the bezels around the 13-inch display get much thinner and it will finally be Retina resolution. Beyond that, Apple is expected to keep the Air as the company's cheapest laptop, it may get even cheaper, so don't expect a laptop that can compete with the MacBook, let alone the MacBook Pro in terms of performance. The core market for the new MacBook Air is as a laptop for schools. Then we have the Mac mini , which is desperately in need of a hardware refresh. The mini has always been the cheapest … [Read more...] about New MacBook Air and Mac Mini expected this year, reports say

File photo - DNA code on screen with hand touching it  (iStock/jxfzsy) Is your DNA safe from hackers? That’s a question experts have started asking as more and more people submit DNA samples to companies like 23andMe and Ancestry.com. In most cases, you spit into a tube and mail the saliva in for genetic testing, which then reveals not only your cultural lineage but provides clues about any health risks and genetic disposition. The testing kits cost around $99. Yet, hackers know your DNA is invaluable. They can collect a sample when you throw out a used Kleenex or sip from a disposable cup. Criminals can collect the DNA sample to blackmail you later on, sell it on the Dark Web, or save it in an archive for future use. DARPA PROTOTYPES 'BREAKTHROUGH' CYBERATTACK 'HUNTING' TECHNOLOGY Joyce Lignell, a representative from TimiCoin/TimiHealth, a company that uses blockchain technology to secure your DNA, says that consumers need to approach genetic testing with their eyes … [Read more...] about Could hackers steal your DNA and sell it?

An artist’s illustration of the U.S. military’s experimental Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 (HTV-2) in flight. The Air Force recently awarded two contracts to Lockheed Martin for the development of two new superfast weapons systems, called the Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon (HCSW) and the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW).  (DARPA) The arms race is picking up considerable speed, and the United States doesn't want to get left behind. Over the past four months, the U.S. Air Force has awarded two contracts for hypersonic weapons worth a maximum of $1.4 billion to aerospace giant Lockheed Martin.  The first contract, announced in April, awards $928 million to develop something called the Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon (HCSW). And last week, the Air Force disclosed another deal, worth up to $480 million, to begin designing the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW). [The Most Dangerous Space Weapons Ever] "We are going to go … [Read more...] about US Air Force zooms ahead on 2 new hypersonic weapons plans

Microsoft said Tuesday it has uncovered new Russian hacking attempts targeting U.S. political groups ahead of the midterm elections. The company said that a hacking group tied to the Russian government created fake internet domains that appeared to spoof two American conservative organizations: the Hudson Institute and the International Republican Institute. Three other fake domains were designed to look as if they belonged to the U.S. Senate. Microsoft didn't offer any further description of the fake sites. The revelation came just weeks after a similar Microsoft discovery led Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat who is running for re-election, to reveal that Russian hackers tried unsuccessfully to infiltrate her Senate computer network. Melania Trump: Social Media Can Be 'Distracting and Harmful' The hacking attempts mirror similar Russian attacks ahead of the 2016 election, which U.S. intelligence officials have said were focused on helping to elect Republican Donald … [Read more...] about Microsoft Uncovers More Russian Hacks Ahead of Midterms