Technology 
Google’s DeepMind AI beats humans at the massively complex game Go
Google cracks the code on humanity’s most complex game, paving the way for more advanced AI.
Texas police now double as debt collectors thanks to ‘free’ license plate readers
Police in Texas have signed deals with license plate reader companies that turn cops into debt collectors and give companies private financial data. The information gathered through these deals is now being monetized in a variety of ways in an … Continue reading
Flash video is ‘on life support,’ but big sites won’t let go
As a video format, Adobe Flash is almost gone for good. According to a report by Encoding.com, Flash accounted for just 6 percent of video output last year, down 15 percent from 2014. Today, it’s mainly used for legacy browsers, … Continue reading
‘Doctor Who’ is departing Netflix, at least in the U.S.
Netflix users in the United States will lose a binge-watching mainstay this month with the departure of Doctor Who. On February 1, Netflix will lose all eight modern seasons of the BBC-produced sci-fi series, along with a collection of classic … Continue reading
DARPA devotes $60M to making an implantable, wideband brain-computer interface
DARPA wants to connect our brains to the Internet. What could possibly go wrong?
FCC to take aim at outrageous cable-box costs
Cable TV subscribers could get some relief from expensive set-top-box rental fees under a proposal from federal regulators. The proposal, from Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler, would put traditional pay TV programming on a wider range of devices and … Continue reading
These electronics can monitor the brain, then dissolve and vanish
Researchers have found a method of introducing electronic sensors into the bloodstream, with the goal of monitoring swelling and damage from within the brain itself. If successful, these types of probes could guide patient treatment and improve results.
Living with Samsung Gear VR: A little something for everyone
If you’re curious about VR and have a high-end Samsung phone, Gear VR is a great way to experiment. There is plenty of content, and the user experience is very similar to what you’d get with an early Oculus developer … Continue reading
Sony reorganizes PlayStation business, establishes division as new company
Sony announced this afternoon that its reorganizing its PlayStation businesses into one group and forming a new subsidiary company. Details on why remain scarce.
Sony targets Internet of Things with $212 million buy of chip company Altair
Sony has reached an agreement to acquire chip company Altair Semiconductor in Israel for US$212 million in a bid to strengthen its offering for the Internet of Things market. Altair is a developer of modem chip technology and software relating … Continue reading
