Articles by Carl Velasco
Snap Inc. Will Shut Down Snapcash On Aug. 30
Snapcash will officially be punted into the sunset at the end of August, Snap Inc. has confirmed. The feature lets users split bills between friends, and also pay for explicit content.
Japan Is Trying To Develop Artificial Meteor Showers
Artificial meteor showers are coming. A Japanese startup wants to make on-demand shooting stars a thing by virtue of microsatellites that can act like meteors and burn up when they hit the atmosphere.
Facebook Is Developing Its Own Internet Satellite, Reportedly Launching Next Year
Emails between the FCC and a firm reveal that Facebook is developing satellite internet. Project Athena, proposed to launch in 2019, will provide internet to underserved areas in the world.
Is Google Fuchsia Eventually Going To Replace Android?
Fuchsia is one of Google’s most mysterious experiments, believed to be a unified operating system that could one day replace both Android and Chrome OS. Is that really what’s going to happen, though?
James Gunn Booted Out Of ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’ Franchise Over Offensive Tweets
James Gunn will not be directing ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Disney just fired him after his past tweets about pedophilia, rape, and molestation resurfaced.
Stardew Valley Multiplayer Finally Arrives This August: Check Out The New Trailer
Those who’ve been waiting impatiently for Stardew Valley to get multiplayer can finally exhale: the feature is coming this August. Multiplayer support will put farmhands on your farm, and they’ll be able to do anything you can.
Facebook Will Be More Aggressive About Its Underage Policy
In response to a documentary that revealed Facebook’s lax attitude toward verification of underage users, the company has pledged to be more aggressive about enforcing its policies on underage accounts. Going forward, they will be deleted immediately.
Google Unveils AI Technology That Makes GIFs Out Of Your Dance Moves
In Google’s latest experiment called Move Mirror, artificial intelligence looks at your various poses and searches for images just like it. Yes, it’s possible to generate GIFs of it.
LG V40 ThinQ Rumored To Arrive This October With Triple-Camera System
The LG V40 ThinQ will be launched at this year’s IFA show and officially released in October, a new report says. It will also have a triple-camera system, similar to the Huawei P20 Pro.
New Instagram Update Lets You Know If Friends Are Online
There’s no escaping it: Instagram is becoming more like Facebook after each passing update. Now, the app shows a green dot next to friends who are online.
Mark Zuckerberg Clarifies Statement About Holocaust Deniers Following Backlash: ‘I Personally Find Holocaust Denial Deeply Offensive’
Mark Zuckerberg has now clarified his recent statements on holocaust deniers on Facebook. He said he finds the idea of Holocaust denial deeply offensive and didn’t mean to defend the people who engage in it.
Omega 3, Fish Oil Supplements Useless For Heart Health, Says New Study
A new systematic review of previous omega 3 and fish oil trials found that they do very little to improve heart health. In fact, the chance of getting any meaningful impact from omega 3 consumption is one in 1,000.
Samsung Reportedly Launching $300 Bixby Smart Speaker On Galaxy Note 9 Event
Samsung’s standalone speaker is reportedly going to be unveiled next month. It’s apparently going to be billed primarily as a premium speaker, but with Bixby-powered smart features thrown in.
Joker Movie Starring Joaquin Phoenix Now Has A Release Date And Official Title
'Joker' is coming to theaters in October next year. The film will be an examination of the villain’s struggles, with Oscar-nominated actor Joaquin Phoenix playing the troubled and terrifying DC Comics character.
Gorilla Glass 6 Will Protect Your Phone Even After Dropping It 15 Times
The new Corning Gorilla Glass 6, now in production, is able to survive up to 15 drops but is only as scratch-resistant as its predecessors. It’s expected to hit the market in the coming months.
Walmart Is Thinking About Starting A Video Streaming Service To Take On Netflix
You won’t believe which company is trying to become the next Netflix. Walmart — yes, the retail chain — is apparently considering a streaming service that’ll cost less than rival offerings.
You Might Soon Be Able To Remove Your Instagram Followers
Manually removing followers might soon be a possibility on Instagram. The company has confirmed that it’s currently testing a feature that’ll allow public accounts to remove accounts from their followers pool.
Viewers Can Now React To Twitch Streamers With GIFs Thanks To Giphy
Twitch has finally added support for GIFs. Users can now access the new Giphy extension and start dropping PG-rated GIFs on their favorite broadcasters’ livestreams.
Liver Cancer Death Rates In The US Are On The Rise
The number of people who’ve died from liver cancer has increased between 2000 and 2016, as per new data by the CDC. The reason for this might not be what you’re think of, though.
The ‘Smart Downloads’ Feature On Netflix Clears Up Storage For Your Next Binge-Watch
For those who are running out of storage, Netflix’s new Smart Downloads feature is a godsend. It automatically deletes finished episodes and downloads new ones, so the binge-watching doesn’t stop.
Lesbian Superhero Batwoman Is Finally Getting Her Own Show
A live-action adaptation of 'Batwoman' is in the works. While the show doesn’t have a premiere date yet, it will center on Kate Kane, an openly gay vigilante fighting crimes within Gotham.
Samsung Unveils World’s First LPDDR5 DRAM Chip: How It’ll Change Smartphones
Samsung’s has finally spilled the beans on its forthcoming LPDDR5 DRAM, which it hopes will soon enter mass production. Compared with power-hungry current-generation memory, LPDDR5 is expected to turn down the dial on power consumption.
Lava Bomb Injures 23 People Aboard A Hawaii Boat
The Kilauea volcano in Hawaii continues to rage. This time, when its lava hit the water, it caused an explosion that sent a lava bomb flying to a nearby boat, injuring nearly two dozen sightseers.
There’s Going To Be A Live-Action ‘Rugrats’ Movie
Beloved children’s show 'Rugrats' will get the live-action adaptation treatment this 2020. Nickelodeon has also confirmed that there’ll be 26 new episodes of the series coming soon.
Instapaper Is No Longer Part Of Pinterest, Forming New Parent Company
Instapaper will soon no longer be part of Pinterest, as the read-it-later service has chosen to go independent again. Meanwhile, European users are left unable to access the service due to its noncompliance with GDPR rules.
Alzheimer’s Risk Might Go Down With The Help Of Herpes Meds
A study published last month showed a link between herpes and dementia. Now, two professors have further analyzed other studies that show similar findings, and they suggest that Alzheimer’s could one day be prevented via antiviral treatment.
Apple Struggles In India This Year With Less Than A Million iPhones Sold So Far
Apple’s journey to dominate the Indian smartphone market don’t seem to be working. Bloomberg says it has barely sold 1 million iPhones in the first half of 2018, and sales predictions for the rest of the year aren’t so positive.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer Creator Joss Whedon Is Making A Sci-Fi Series For HBO
Joss Whedon is returning to TV. The 'Firefly' creator has chosen HBO as the home of his new sci-fi series 'The Nevers,' which is about a group of Victorian women with unusual powers.
Motorola Is Finally Launching Its First Android Go Smartphone
Motorola is launching an Android Go edition of the Moto E5 Play, which will feature stock Android and apps more optimized for weaker hardware. It’s the first-ever Android Go phone from the company.
The New MacBook Keyboard Is Exclusive To 2018 Models, Says Apple
The newly redesigned MacBook keyboard will be exclusive to the 2018 MacBook Pro model, Apple has now confirmed. That means existing users who send in their MacBooks for repair won’t get it.
