Saturday, November 16, 2019

New research shows that thousands of ships in Shanghai, the world's busiest port, are falling victim to spoofing of GPS systems that has left experts baffled (Mark Harris/MIT Technology Review)

Mark Harris / MIT Technology Review:
New research shows that thousands of ships in Shanghai, the world's busiest port, are falling victim to spoofing of GPS systems that has left experts baffled  —  A sophisticated new electronic warfare system is being used at the world's busiest port.  But is it sand thieves or the Chinese state behind it?



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Geek Trivia: IBM’s Natural Language Supercomputer Watson Was Named After?

IBM’s Natural Language Supercomputer Watson Was Named After?

  1. A Psychologist
  2. A Biologist
  3. Sherlock Holmes' Sidekick
  4. IBM's First CEO

Think you know the answer?



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Enlitic, which is working on an AI-aided medical diagnostic tool that can read radiology scans, announces $25M Series B-1, following a $15M Series B in April (Derek Wallbank/Bloomberg)

Derek Wallbank / Bloomberg:
Enlitic, which is working on an AI-aided medical diagnostic tool that can read radiology scans, announces $25M Series B-1, following a $15M Series B in April  —  Health technology startup Enlitic announced it had completed a $25 million round of Series B-1 financing, valuing …



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Israel-based Pcysys, which has developed a cybersecurity risk assessment service that uses automated penetration testing, closes $10M Series A (NoCamels)

NoCamels:
Israel-based Pcysys, which has developed a cybersecurity risk assessment service that uses automated penetration testing, closes $10M Series A  —  Israeli cybersecurity startup Pcysys, announced on Wednesday that it completed a $10 million Series A funding round led by Canadian VC firm Awz Ventures …



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Chicago-based Apervita raises $22M for its cloud-based platform that enables insurers and healthcare providers to share clinical and insurance claims data (Katherine Davis/AmericanInno)

Katherine Davis / AmericanInno:
Chicago-based Apervita raises $22M for its cloud-based platform that enables insurers and healthcare providers to share clinical and insurance claims data  —  Chicago healthcare startup Apervita has raised new financing following its merger with Boston-based Qcentive over the summer.



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Loop Returns, which helps stores on Shopify handle online returns, raises $10M Series A led by FirstMark Capital (Jordan Crook/TechCrunch)

Jordan Crook / TechCrunch:
Loop Returns, which helps stores on Shopify handle online returns, raises $10M Series A led by FirstMark Capital  —  Loop Returns, the startup that helps brands handle returns from online purchases, has today announced the close of a $10 million Series A funding round led by FirstMark Capital.



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pureLiFi, which is developing optical Gigabit Li-Fi components that can be integrated into mobile devices, raises $18M Series B from Temasek, others (Annie Musgrove/Tech.eu)

Annie Musgrove / Tech.eu:
pureLiFi, which is developing optical Gigabit Li-Fi components that can be integrated into mobile devices, raises $18M Series B from Temasek, others  —  pureLifi, a light communication company founded as a spin-out of the University of Edinburgh, has raised an $18 million Series B …



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DroneDeploy, a drone mapping and analytics platform, raises $35M Series D, bringing its total raised to $90M, says it now has over 5,000 enterprise customers (Kyle Wiggers/VentureBeat)

Kyle Wiggers / VentureBeat:
DroneDeploy, a drone mapping and analytics platform, raises $35M Series D, bringing its total raised to $90M, says it now has over 5,000 enterprise customers  —  DroneDeploy, a startup developing a holistic cloud-based drone mapping and analytics platform, today announced that it's closed …



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As millions pay for premium subscriptions to have a "clean" digital media experience, privacy and freedom from advertising are gradually becoming luxury goods (Kevin Roose/New York Times)

Kevin Roose / New York Times:
As millions pay for premium subscriptions to have a “clean” digital media experience, privacy and freedom from advertising are gradually becoming luxury goods  —  Photo illustration by Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari  —  A decade ago, an internet video start …



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Microsoft to end support for Cortana apps on iOS and Android in the UK, Canada, and Australia from Jan. 31; Cortana content like reminders will stop working (Anmol/MSPoweruser)

Anmol / MSPoweruser:
Microsoft to end support for Cortana apps on iOS and Android in the UK, Canada, and Australia from Jan. 31; Cortana content like reminders will stop working  —  Recently there were rumours that Microsoft might be discontinuing Cortana on Android and iOS.  Now, a new support article published …



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5 Google Search Alternatives to Find Something New

google-search-alternatives

Google is the default search engine for most of us. But did you know you can give to charity through search engines, or even earn cryptocurrency by searching? Check out these cool alternatives to Google.

You don’t need to quit Google cold-turkey or switch to any of these search engines immediately. Both can co-exist happily, and you can pick and choose when to use it. The idea is to try going away from Google to discover features and results that you won’t see otherwise.

1. Mojeek (Web): Search by Emotion, While Staying Private

Mojeek is a privacy protecting search engine that sorts results by emotion

Anything published on the internet gets a lot of reactions. Mojeek, an alternative to the likes of Google, says it can filter search results based on how people feel about that link. And it surprisingly works well.

There are five emotions currently available: love, wow, haha, sad, and angry.

Type your keywords and click the emoji to get search results that match the emotion. Click a different emoji and the results will change. It actually works, and you might discover links that you wouldn’t find otherwise. I found it a truly different, cool way to browse search results.

Mojeek is also a full web-crawling search engine, which means it uses its own results unlike many of the metasearch engines that repackage Google or some other search giant’s results. It is also completely private, does not track its users, and prides itself on hosting its servers with an eco-friendly partner.

The company’s founders conducted an extensive AMA on Reddit, if you want to know more about their philosophy or product.

2. Givero (Web): Raise Money for Good Causes Through Web Searches

Donate money to charity by doing web Searches through Givero

How awesome would it be if every time you searched for something on the web, the money went to a good cause instead of lining the pockets of a private company like Google or Microsoft? Well, that’s what Givero is offering to do.

The idea behind Givero is similar to Ecosia and a few other such charity-focused tech companies. How does it work? Like Google or Bing, Givero earns revenue through advertising when you use it to search for anything. But unlike the others, half of the ad revenues from these searches will be given to a charitable cause.

You can choose the causes too. This includes global organizations (Mozilla Foundation, WWF, ocean cleanup) and local Danish causes since it’s a Denmark-based website. Add a charity to your causes, and the ad revenue from your searches will be diverted to only those causes.

All you have to do is search on Givero instead of Google. This might be one of the easiest ways to change the world.

3. Gibiru (Web): Uncensored, Privacy-Protected Google Results

Gibiru gives you Google's search results while protecting your privacy and showing uncensored results that Google won't

You like Google, but you don’t like how it invades your privacy? Gibiru might be the best way for you to see Google search results while protecting your privacy. And you’ll also see some of the results that Google might censor.

Branded as an unfiltered, private search engine, Gibiru claims to have a modified version of the Google algorithm. So you will likely see the same results as you would on a Google search, and in fact, the interface is a little similar too.

But there’s a second tab called Uncensored. This tab shows links that you won’t see on Google or would be drowned into the back pages. Be warned, some of these are a bit out there, and you need to be wearing a tinfoil hat to click them.

But at its core, Gibiru does a good job of protecting your identity while doing search queries. It uses 256 bit encryption for all searches and does not keep search logs. It does not store any cookies on your device and doesn’t sell your data.

4. SearX (Web): Metasearch to Get Results From Multiple Search Engines

Search Google, Yahoo, Bing and other multiple search engines at once with SearX

Different search engines use different methods to find the best results. SearX is a privacy-friendly metasearch engine that aggregates results into one central page. It’s based on open-source software.

In the Preferences, you can set which search engines you want to use.

These include popular giants like Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo, as well as smaller names like Qwant and Startpage. In fact, you can choose specific engines for each type of search category, namely General, Files, Images, Map, Music, Videos, News, and Social Media.

The About page says SearX does not store any data, doesn’t generate a profile on your behavior, doesn’t share what you search with a third party, and can’t be used to compromise you. Website choices are saved locally on your computer, and you can clear all cookies through Preferences.

5. Presearch (Web): Earn Cryptocurrency Through Searches

Presearch lets you earn cryptocurrency by doing web searches

Presearch is a fun little search engine that lets you earn some cryptocurrency with every search. It’s called PRE tokens and is not of much value at the moment. CoinMarketCap values one PRE token at $0.001 USD. But hey, it’s something.

Each search gives you a few decimals of PRE tokens, with a maximum of 32 searches per day giving that payout. Presearch’s tokens can be redeemed at an online store for merchandise like stickers and beanies. But it might be wiser to stack them up and use them to buy advertising space on Presearch.

The search app itself is quite cool though. It uses its own search engine by default, but you can add shortcuts to other services like Google, DuckDuckGo, Netflix, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, etc. One click and you can search their catalogs.

Find What Google Can’t

It’s surprising to discover how many other great search engines there are. There’s Ecosia, which plants trees around the world to offset your search results’ carbon footprint. There’s Yippy, which clubs search results into “clusters” so you can find more links in the sub-category of what you’re looking for. And there are many more.

In fact, you might be shocked to know that Google can’t even find everything on the web. Heck, can it tell you which streaming service to play a movie or TV show on? No, you need a different app for that. There is much more to the world of online search results, which you can see through these alternative search engines to find what Google can’t.

Read the full article: 5 Google Search Alternatives to Find Something New



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Creators say YouTube's new labeling policy for kids' content that holds creators solely accountable are murky, as some video categories fall in a gray area (The Verge)

The Verge:
Creators say YouTube's new labeling policy for kids' content that holds creators solely accountable are murky, as some video categories fall in a gray area  —  The government could sue them for thousands of dollars  —  On Tuesday afternoon, YouTube formally announced its plan to have creators label …



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The Best Ways to Find Something New to Watch

Streaming service logos on an iPad
Ivan Marc/Shutterstock

It’s Saturday night. You’ve been scrolling through Netflix for the last 29 minutes looking for something to watch, but nothing’s catching your eye. It’s a stupid issue we’ve all dealt with, but there’s a solution. Several solutions, in fact—services designed to take the guesswork out of what should I watch tonight?

The Streaming Service Conundrum

In the age of the internet, streaming services have transformed how we watch TV and movies. Having an on-demand catalog of movies at your fingertips gives you a lot more choices in what you can watch.

All this choice, however, comes with its own problems. With an endless sea of content to watch, how do you decide what’s worth your time and what isn’t? How do you find things you’ll enjoy or that’ll resonate with you?

When you have so many choices, you start making snap judgments about how good a movie is based on its cover photo or two-sentence description. This causes people to disregard large amounts of movies and shows that, if given a proper try, might end up being their new favorite. You shouldn’t judge a movie by its cover, but when you’re flipping through Netflix looking for something to watch, it’s hard to resist.

Even still, there are ways to combat this information overload. Film recommendation sites, critic reviews, and online cinephile communities all can provide an outside opinion to help you narrow down that massive catalog—and they’ll do it based on your own personal preferences, not just which movies have cool covers with sexy fonts.

Check Film Recommendation Sites and Use Advanced Search Techniques

A man searching for something on his phone
garagestock/Shutterstock.com

If you find yourself aimlessly scrolling through Netflix unable to find something to watch, there are websites that can help narrow your search to find things that match your interests. They pull data across multiple streaming services, from critic reviews, and from audience ratings to rank and sort the vast sea of content. Some will even pick out a movie for you based on film suggestions you enter.

Here are some great ways to search for new things to watch.

  • JustWatch: JustWatch is one of the most comprehensive search tools for streaming services. This site searches through more than 85 services from Netlflix and Youtube to HBO and iTunes. After searching for a show, the site will show you information about it and everywhere you can find it.
  • Flickmetrix: This search website compiles the catalogs of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Searches can be done by year, genre, average rating, and even the number of critic reviews. The site also allows users to create watchlists, mark favorites, and recommend movies.
  • Date Night Movies: This is a unique website for when you can’t agree on what to watch with someone. You both input something you like or want to watch, and the site will suggest alternatives related to both options.
  • What Movie Should I Watch Tonight: This is another website that lets you browse movies from the Netflix and Amazon Prime Video catalog at the same time. You can search titles by genres, service, and for recent shows even by year.
  • Netflix-Codes: Netflix search functions aren’t always the greatest, and the categories it divides movies and shows into can be broad. All titles on Netflix are given special sub-genre codes that divide movies into more specific categories. These are hidden from the user, but if the code is typed into the search bar, it brings up the hidden category.

Read Critic Reviews and Film Ratings

A man holding a book titled "Movies A-Z" and some popcorn
RTImages/Shutterstock

When a movie is still in theaters, you’ll hear about how well it’s doing at the box office and whether or not it’s getting good reviews. After movies are moved to streaming services though, the ratings aren’t always displayed in front of you. There are thousands of titles to watch, and you only have so much time. Reading critic reviews and paying attention to ratings is a good way to weed out shows and movies you won’t enjoy.

Here are some popular review sites to check how movies are being received.

  • IMDb: IMDb is one of the biggest databases of movie reviews and rating lists. The site is filled with information on box office statistics, awards, and film events. It is the one-stop-shop for finding information on films and shows.
  • Metacritic: Another popular website that offers a similar function to IMDb, Metacritic compiles critic reviews and audience ratings that give movies and shows a score between 0 and 100. The site also has reviews on video games and music.
  • Rotten Tomatoes: Rotten Tomatoes is the last of the three main movie-review sites. Movies are rated on a scale of 0 to 100, but if a show is rated below 60, it’s considered rotten. If the movie is above 60, it’s considered fresh. This makes it easy to make quick judgments about the quality of a movie or show, which can be either a good or bad thing depending on how you’re using it.

Join an Online Community

The reddit app open an older iPhone
Satori Studio/Shutterstock

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What Does “TBH” Mean and How Do You Use It?

The letters TBH in a big, comic-styled font.
acidmit/Shutterstock

You’ve probably seen people throwing around the phrase “TBH,” but what does it mean? This expression has been around for quite a while, but its meaning has changed somewhat over time.

“To Be Honest” or “To Be Heard”

In most situations, TBH is used as a direct abbreviation for “to be honest.” It’s an initialism that gained traction in the late 90s or early 2000s, and its origins are closely associated with internet forums, internet relay chat (IRC), and text-message culture.

TBH is usually placed at the beginning or the end of a sentence to convey a feeling of frankness. If someone wants to be candid about an opinion, they could say “TBH, I hate video games.” Of course, TBH can also be used as a tool for bluntness, flattery, or insult. You could lift somebody up with a comment like “TBH, you’re a strong and genuine person” or bring them down with “TBH, I hate your taste in movies.”

Seems pretty straightforward, right? Well, TBH lives a secret life among teenagers. Some kids understand TBH as an abbreviation for “to be heard”—a catchall term for social interactions that are confessional in nature.

There’s even a genre of social media posts called “TBH posts” where kids ask for their blunt opinions of each other. Teenagers might say “like this post for a TBH,” or “TBH for TBH” with the intention of handing out (or receiving) blunt opinions. These opinions are usually meant to be complimentary or humorous, but they can also be intentionally hurtful or abusive (these are teenagers we’re talking about, after all).

From TBH and Back Again

As we mentioned earlier, TBH (to be honest) became a common phrase during the late 90s or early 2000s. It was probably used in IRC or SMS conversations to convey a sense of honesty or candor before spreading onto message boards and websites. The first Urban Dictionary entry for TBH was added in 2003, and (according to Google Trends) the word didn’t hit the big time until 2011.

The teenage definition of TBH (to be heard) has a similarly vague history. It’s safe to assume the phrase (along with phrases like “TBH for TBH”) began cropping up on websites like Facebook and Tumblr around 2010. At least, that’s when question-answer sites like ask.fm were trendy.

A woman holds up a flip phone and an iPhone. She looks toward the flip phone---toward a long departed era...
metamorworks/Shutterstock

Anyway, the alternative definition of TBH flew under the radar until 2015 or 2016, when morning news shows and publications like Business Insider reported on it as a potential form of bullying. Facebook must have noticed the trend, as the company purchased a question-answer app called TBH in 2017. The app, which failed, was targeted toward teenagers and followed a weird kind of quiz format.

Sadly, the teenage definition of TBH is currently on the way out. It has lost traction on Google Trends, it hasn’t appeared in any Business magazines, and Instagram’s Story Stickers have effectively streamlined the process of asking your friends for a TBH.

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Facebook's AI team details XLM-R, a natural language model which translates between 100 languages, but struggles with the limits of existing computing power (Tiernan Ray/ZDNet)

Tiernan Ray / ZDNet:
Facebook's AI team details XLM-R, a natural language model which translates between 100 languages, but struggles with the limits of existing computing power  —  Facebook AI research's latest breakthrough in natural language understanding, called XLM-R, performs cross-language tasks …



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Friday, November 15, 2019

A look at how the internet deviated from its sunny, American, all-devouring vision of mass empowerment, and why today it doesn't mean the same thing to everyone (Bill Wasik/New York Times)

Bill Wasik / New York Times:
A look at how the internet deviated from its sunny, American, all-devouring vision of mass empowerment, and why today it doesn't mean the same thing to everyone  —  The Internet Dream Became a Nightmare. What Will Become of It Now?  —  “Hey, everyone!” the world's eighth-richest man said …



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Geek Trivia: Which Classic Board Game Was Originally Paper Based?

Which Classic Board Game Was Originally Paper Based?

  1. Trivial Pursuit
  2. Monopoly
  3. Checkers
  4. Battleship

Think you know the answer?



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Verizon releases a Stream TV device running Android TV, heavily featuring YouTube TV, with none of Verizon Media's properties promoted and Netflix app blocked (Janko Roettgers/Variety)

Janko Roettgers / Variety:
Verizon releases a Stream TV device running Android TV, heavily featuring YouTube TV, with none of Verizon Media's properties promoted and Netflix app blocked  —  Verizon has an answer to Roku, but it's not talking much about it: The mobile carrier quietly released a new streaming device …



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Jimmy Wales' WikiTribune, which launched as a crowdfunded news site in 2017, relaunches as WT:Social, a donor-funded social networking and "news sharing" site (Tim Bradshaw/Financial Times)

Tim Bradshaw / Financial Times:
Jimmy Wales' WikiTribune, which launched as a crowdfunded news site in 2017, relaunches as WT:Social, a donor-funded social networking and “news sharing” site  —  Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales has quietly launched a rival to Facebook and Twitter that he hopes will combat “clickbait” and misleading headlines.



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Spotify confirms it is testing real-time lyrics synced to music in its mobile app for some users; the feature appears below the playback controls during testing (Sarah Perez/TechCrunch)

Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Spotify confirms it is testing real-time lyrics synced to music in its mobile app for some users; the feature appears below the playback controls during testing  —  With the launch of iOS 13, Apple added perfectly timed live lyrics to its Apple Music app.  Now Spotify may do the same.



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Guild Education, a female-led Edtech startup, raises $157M Series D at a $1B+ valuation led by General Catalyst with Emerson Collective and others participating (Tony Wan/EdSurge)

Tony Wan / EdSurge:
Guild Education, a female-led Edtech startup, raises $157M Series D at a $1B+ valuation led by General Catalyst with Emerson Collective and others participating  —  The education technology industry has given birth to its newest unicorn, one that wants to connect employees at Fortune 1000 corporations …



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Cybrary, a crowdsourced freemium cybersecurity training platform for enterprises that says it has 3M individual users, raises $15M Series B (Duncan Riley/SiliconANGLE)

Duncan Riley / SiliconANGLE:
Cybrary, a crowdsourced freemium cybersecurity training platform for enterprises that says it has 3M individual users, raises $15M Series B  —  Online cybersecurity career development startup Cybrary Inc. today said it has raised $15 million in new funding to accelerate the growth of the company's online workforce development platform.



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