Category: Tech news

 Technology has always been a critical force deeply intertwined with the evolution of cities. The development of smart cities builds upon this strong historical foundation with a digital foundation that allows cities to function more efficiently, be more responsive to community members and ultimately create better, more equitable urban environments where people thrive. Read More

 Want to attend Disrupt NY 2017 but missed the early bird ticket deadline? You’re in luck! We’re giving you a few extra days to get your hands on deeply-discounted extra early-bird Disrupt tickets, so you now have until Friday, March 3 to purchase. Extra early-bird tickets will set you back just $1,795 apiece, a full $1,200 off what they’ll cost at the door. You can get… Read More

 When Apple decided to strip its flagship phones of the headphone jack, certain people were angry. Those relying on the headphone jack for non-music things were grumpy, but so were those of us who had recently dropped hundreds of dollars on new, high-end headphones. Jack — a Kickstarter campaign in its final hours — offers reprieve to both groups. Read More

 Tech companies are preparing to go to bat for transgender rights when the Supreme Court takes on the issue next month. As Axios reports, led by Apple, a number of prominent companies will file a court brief arguing in favor of the 17-year-old lead plaintiff, transgender Virginia high school student Gavin Grimm.
Other companies that will reportedly sign on include Microsoft, Salesforce, IBM… Read More

 Michael Sayman was just 17 when Facebook hired him, but he’d already built 5 apps. Now 7 years after his first launch, the Facebook product manager has just released Show and Tell, which turns selfies and visual communication into a game. You’re given an emotion to act out, you send the video to friends and they try to guess what you’re feeling. “I made 4 Snaps about… Read More

 While there is much ink spilled over the hunt for VR’s “killer app,” over the past year a number of social apps have emerged out of the VR community that seek to highlight the unparalleled opportunities for collaboration offered by VR. One of the first to balance the potential for fun and productivity is Bigscreen. The company, which has achieved sizable popularity amongst… Read More

 FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced his intention today to block a privacy rule adopted by the Commission late last year. Citing its disharmony with existing FTC rules, Pai intends to prevent its coming into force as planned on March 2. Read More

 U.S. healthcare might learn a thing or two from the modus operandi of Google’s fleet of autonomous vehicles — the information and skills that self-driving vehicle systems must share represent compelling models and lessons that might be adapted to healthcare. Read More

 Online finance startup SoFi got its start refinancing student loans but gradually has been adding other services to members. To expand into new regions and move closer to becoming a full-service financial services company, SoFi has confirmed that it raised an additional $500 million in equity financing led by Silver Lake. Read More

 Tesla CEO Elon Musk has shared the results of his own investigation into factory working conditions at the carmaker, following accusations by employee and union advocate Jose Moran made in a Medium post earlier this month. Musk’s lengthy email was sent to all Tesla employees, and addresses all areas of concern raised by Moran, including safety, compensation and work hours. The Tesla CEO… Read More

 Tech news was heavy this week. Uber is facing a sexual harassment claim as well as a lawsuit from Google, NASA discovered planets with what could prove to be Earthlike conditions, and more information was revealed about Apple’s new Apple Park campus. These are the top stories of the week. 1. Last week, former Uber engineer Susan Fowler accused the company of sexual harassment and… Read More

 If you’ve read the latest headlines about Britain’s tech industry, you’d think the country hadn’t been rocked by the greatest political and economic uncertainty since the Second World War. Not only are UK startups raising record amounts of funding year on year, but tech giants like Amazon are investing and doubling down on the UK economy, as if the mood music was… Read More

 Layer, the messaging platform that won TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield back in 2013, is making two big announcements today: It’s raised $15 million in Series B funding, and it’s acquiring another startup, Cola. Layer makes it easy for businesses to add messaging capabilities to their iOS, Android and web products — customers include Trunk Club, Staples and Udacity.… Read More

Microsoft wrote a love letter to Apple-toting creative types, in the form of the coolest desktop PC you’ve ever seen. The post Review: Microsoft Surface Studio appeared first on WIRED.

Belkin’s $35 smart plug works with any regular wall socket, adding Wi-Fi capability and app control to any appliance in your home. The post Review: Belkin Wemo Mini Smart Plug appeared first on WIRED.