Why tech workers showed up to March for Science

 Science itself may be non-partisan. But the March for Science this weekend simply couldn’t be. Demonstrators turned out in an estimated 600 cities around the world to rally for science and its role in policy-making, many tech workers among them. The march was organized after the Trump administration proposed and began to implement steep budget cuts to federal science agencies in the… Read More


Source: Tech Crunch

MakerBot’s technology of the future grapples with its rocky past

 Goshen has a small stack of papers sitting on a table beside him, should he need to consult any notes. He never actually looks over, however. After months of behind the scenes meetings, he’s got the company’s new line down, pat. His voice rarely raises above a whisper during our conversation, but he speaks thoughtfully and pragmatically. He speaks of a company that’s humbled.… Read More


Source: Tech Crunch

Books and roses

 Anyone who thinks paper books are dead has never been in a Barcelona bookshop the day before Sant Jordi. The Patron Saint festival is Catalunya’s equivalent of Valentine’s day. But as well as giving long-stemmed red roses people give books. Lots and lots of books. Some €20 million worth of books are sold (gifted) on the day itself. Read More


Source: Tech Crunch

The MWW Iconik 3 is an inexpensive automatic watch for military fans

 Manchester Watch Works aka MWW makes small batch watches that are sometimes homages to historic timepieces and are sometimes entirely new design. This model, the Iconik 3 – the third in the Iconik line – is based on the Blancpain TR-900, a military spec diver’s watch used by navies worldwide in the 1960s. These waterproof workhorses are sought after collectables and the Iconik… Read More


Source: Tech Crunch

How to make Twitter profitable

 Twitter has evolved dramatically since its founding. What the founders fully envisioned we cannot know. Nonetheless, there is one thing we do know: Many business entities have millions of followers and communicate with these followers using Twitter. This is free advertising, no ifs, ands or buts. So, here’s a proposal to radically change the economics of Twitter. Read More


Source: Tech Crunch

Is a “robot tax” really an “innovation penalty”?

 When Bill Gates recently suggested robots should pay income tax like any other employee, I didn’t immediately disagree. I applaud Gates’ bold thinking to help solve one of society’s biggest upcoming challenges: embracing automation in a way that “lifts all boats” instead of leaving large swaths of society behind. A robot tax would help offset the reduced… Read More


Source: Tech Crunch

Uber and Lyft sued for patent infringement by ‘Hailo,’ but not Daimler’s Hailo

 A company called “Hailo Technologies, LLC”, has sued both Uber and Lyft over alleged infringement of U.S. patent 5,973,619, which describes an “automated vehicle dispatch and payment honoring system.” The patent, filed by Alexis Paredes in 1997 and granted in 1999, describes a software system that allows a user to pick a means of transportation from a menu, enter in… Read More


Source: Tech Crunch

PowerRay is an underwater drone for filmmakers or fishermen

 The creator of the PowerEgg, an ovoid flying robot, has begun accepting orders for its newest creation, a submersible camera drone for home use. Dubbed the PowerRay, the waterproof device can find, attract and record fish. It operates at a depth of 30 meters, or about 98 feet, for up to four hours at a time. It is suitable for use in fresh-, salt-or chlorinated-water. The PowerRay garnered… Read More


Source: Tech Crunch

YouTube says it fixed the problem with Restricted Mode that was filtering LGBTQ+ content

 YouTube today claims to have fixed an issue with its service that was causing it to incorrectly filter content in “Restricted Mode” and hiding a large selection of LGBTQ+ videos as a result. The company had come under fire last month when it was discovered that users who turned on “Restricted Mode” – a setting that allows YouTube users to filter out the… Read More


Source: Tech Crunch