Articles of Interest

  • freewifislider Articles of Interest by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley
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Oculus Rift’s new piracy protection somehow made piracy even worse

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Last Friday, Oculus released a software update for the Rift that was meant to curb piracy, but it looks like it had exactly the opposite effect.

Back in April, a developer known as Libre VR released a program called Revive which allowed HTC Vive owners to play Oculus Rift exclusives on their headsets. Oculus’ update killed off Revive, but in the process of developing an updated version of the software, Libre VR stumbled upon a workaround that might have made the entire situation much worse for Oculus.

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iPhone 7 already shaping up to be Apple’s most successful model yet

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A new report from Taiwan’s Economic Daily (via Barrons) suggests that the upcoming iPhone 7 will be the monster hit Apple needs to help worried analysts forget about the current lull in iPhone 6s sales. According to the report, Apple has already asked component suppliers to prepare for a production target in the 72 to 78 million range, making it the “highest production target in about two years.”

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Whatever you do, don’t buy these smartphones

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There is nothing in consumer tech right now that’s as hot as the smartphone market, even as it nears saturation in many regions, and the real beauty of it is that there are so many options. Every company out there wants a piece of the action and they’re all looking for ways to differentiate their products, so there really is something for everyone. It’s not easy to make a choice that can truly be considered wrong since different people have different needs and wants, but there is one line of smartphones that people probably shouldn’t bother with unless they having a burning desire to dump hundreds of dollars into a dead platform.

As noted by market research firm Gartner, Windows Phone’s share of the global smartphone market actually fell below 1% this past quarter for the first time ever, market yet another stop on Microsoft’s one-way trip to smartphone irrelevance. As such, the worst mistake you can make when buying a new phone is to buy a Windows Phone, unless you’re fine with burning cash on a platform that’s on its way out.

Actually, there is one smartphone platform that somehow has an even lower share of the global market — BlackBerry OS — but it’s so low that it’s not even worth discussing anymore.

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India’s tiny space shuttle is adorably cute

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The pinnacle of the space race was the shuttle battle: America’s flew repeatedly, and Russia’s…didn’t. India is the latest country to enter the space shuttle contest, as its Reusable Launch Vehicle blasted off into space early this morning.

As these images of the 22-foot craft show, size isn’t everything when it comes to space.

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Courts use a ‘Minority Report’ crime prediction algorithm, and it’s incredibly racist

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I was somewhat surprised to learn that courts use software to predict the likelihood of criminals reoffending. But I was far less surprised to learn that the computer, much like the system it serves, seems to hate black people.

ProPublica has a new report that shines a light on the system used by Broward County, Florida. Those courts use a system made by Northpointe, a for-profit company. Various factors are inputted into an algorithm, which spits out a score that reflects an offender’s chance of re-offending within two years.

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Netflix will soon be the only place to watch new Disney and Marvel movies

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As if all the new TV shows and movies coming to Netflix in June weren’t enough, Netflix is already hyping up its entire summer slate. For June, the service has Jurassic Park and Spotlight, July brings The Big Short and Back to the Future and August’s lineup includes The Little Prince and The Fast & The Furious.

But the biggest addition comes in September, when Netflix becomes “the exclusive US pay TV home of the latest films from Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm and Pixar.”

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One-day Amazon sale drops Rosetta Stone to its lowest price ever

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Every once in a while Rosetta Stone’s $279 Power Pack software will drop to $199 on Amazon and when that happens, you’d be crazy not to get it. Rosetta Stone offers what are easily some of the best tools in the world when it comes to learning a new language. $199 is an incredible price, of course, but Amazon is outdoing itself with today’s big sale. For one day only, you can get a Rosetta Stone Power Pack in any of five different languages including American English, French, German, Italian and Spanish for just $189 shipped. What are you waiting for?

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Right now, Lyft is cheaper than the subway in NYC

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Uber and Lyft have made taking a car to get around a surprisingly affordable method of transportation. But right now, the rivalry between the two is driving prices to be ludicrously cheap.

Starting today, all weekday Lyft rides in Manhattan will be 50 percent off. And before you point out that this will screw over drivers, don’t worry — they’re getting to keep 100 percent of the non-discounted fare, with no commission going to Lyft.

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Watch a REALLY excited Android fan show off Android N’s hot new animations in slow-mo

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There are two reasons we love this new video of an Android fan showing off Android N’s hot new animations so much. First, it does a fantastic job of giving users a preview of all of the slick new animations Google baked into Android N. Transition animations might not seem like they would be a pivotal part of the overall Android experience, but we assure you they are. They add a tremendous amount to the user experience and that’s why mobile platform makers like Apple and Google put so much time and effort into their animations.

The second reason we love this video so much is because the YouTube user who made it is really excited. Like, really really excited.

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iPhones will finally get the OLED screens they deserve

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Apple’s iPhones have long used LCD screen technology, which is great, if you like settling for second-best. OLED panels are lighter, look better, and can be curved into more interesting shapes. The best Android phones have been using them for years, and according to a report, iPhones due out in 2017 will be packing OLED panels.

A Bloomberg article cites a sudden spike in demand for screen-manufacturing technology as an indicator of suppliers preparing for a big increase in demand for OLED displays, and it doesn’t take much to connect the dots.

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