Twitter pulls conspiracist’s verified badge after celebrity outrage

Twitter’s stricter approach to verification isn’t just taking checkmarks away from the leaders of racist groups. The social network has pulled the verified badge from conspiracy peddler Liz Conkin after Chrissy Teigen and her husband John Legend reacted to Conkin’s unsupported claims that the two were trafficking their child in a Washington, DC pedophile ring. As Teigen explained, it didn’t make sense that Twitter would verify someone who was accusing her of horrific acts, especially not when this person has nearly 50,000 followers.

Legend helped elaborate on the concerns. He noted to one of Conkin’s supporters that the bogus Pizzagate scandal “almost got someone killed” — the concern is that a Conkin devotee would believe the unsubstantiated claims at face value and threaten the couple. Legend vowed to sue Conkin if she kept making her claims.

The conspiracist deleted her posts and backtracked in a bid to avoid a lawsuit, claiming that Teigen and Legend “run in circle [sic]” with pedophiles and that they “could be victims themselves.” However, that didn’t help her case — Teigen said she still had the evidence and vowed that Conkin would be “going to court.”

We’ve asked Twitter for its comment. From a cursory glimpse, though, it looks like Conkin was a prime candidate for losing verification: her claims violated rules against “inciting or engaging in harassment.” Many of her supporters lapped up the accusations without checking the facts, and both Teigen and Legend have been harassed as a result. Twitter has previously said that it doesn’t want verification to serve as a tacit endorsement of vile behavior, and this appears to qualify.

With that said, the incident highlights a familiar pattern for Twitter: it tends to respond to an outcry when celebrities or the press draw attention to the issue. There are concerns that others might continue to abuse their verified status unless Twitter is more proactive.

YOU POSTED MY DAUGHTER AND HAVE 50,000 PEOPLE ACCUSING ME OF BEING IN A PEDO RING. I don’t care HOW you backtrack or WHAT you deleted. I have it ALL. I’m the last person you are fucking with. You are DONE with me and my family. You are going to court.

— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) December 31, 2017

Source: Gizmodo, Billboard

Gigabit LTE will give your current phone insane speeds. Here’s how it works

Despite not getting its fair share of press, Gigabit LTE is an important stepping stone between the current 4G standards and the newly-proposed 5G. Gigabit LTE is capable of delivering speeds up to 1 Gbps. In the real world, this often translates to speeds around 400 Mbps, but compared to the national averages of 23 Mbps (for mobile networks) and 64 Mbps (at home), it is a substantial improvement.

Several new technologies, both in your phone and within the towers they reach, allow us to reach these ridiculous speeds. Carrier Aggregation allows carriers to use multiple frequencies on their cell towers to send data to and from your phone, essentially widening the lanes of the highway you can use to access data.

In the real world, this often translates to speeds around 400 Mbps.

256-QAM allows more data to be transferred at one time. Continuing with the highway metaphor, this means that each truck on the highway can now carry more information and prevent that highway from getting more congested. Additional antennas on devices, known as MIMO 4×4, allow your phone to better pick up signals, thus resulting in increased speeds.

Carriers are also using License Assisted Access (LAA) to use their licensed radio waves — as well as the waves used by everyone — to increase speeds, which further pushes today’s smartphones toward the theoretical 1 Gigabit speed.

With Gigabit LTE, you can quickly download games and TV shows on the go, as well as tether multiple devices to your phone, allowing for lightning-fast internet wherever you are. The service is already pretty available, and is quickly becoming more widespread with time. More than 40 operators and 16 devices now support it, and it’s currently available in 25 countries.

It not only improves speeds for those who have it — you can actually access data online faster than you can access the data on your phone with Gigabit LTE — but it also clears up congestion by Gigabit LTE users faster. It also enhances speeds across the board and is more reliable in areas that aren’t known for having good coverage. This could be the tipping point in wireless technology, one in which mobile data will surpass broadband speeds and change the way we access information.

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OnePlus 5 beta adds the 5T’s Face Unlock feature

OnePlus really didn’t waste any time fulfilling its promise of bringing the 5T’s Face Unlock feature to the original 5. The smartphone maker has rolled out an OxygenOS beta that lets OnePlus 5 owners sign in with a quick glimpse at their phone, just like those with newer handsets. This isn’t a stable release, so you probably don’t want to install this if you can’t afford to deal with glitches, but it beats waiting weeks into 2018 to give the feature a try.

As before, Face Unlock isn’t strictly secure — it’s not using depth sensors, iris scanning or other methods that reduce the chances of someone fooling the system. This is about convenience more than anything else. OnePlus doesn’t pretend otherwise, though, and it’s good to see a tentpole feature coming to a not-so-current device.

Via: Android Police

Source: OnePlus

FDA approves first shock wave device made to heal wounds

Using “acoustic shock waves” to promote healing isn’t just for Overwatch, as Sanuwave has obtained FDA approval for its Dermapace System (Pulsed Acoustic Cellular Expression = PACE). Its approval is specifically to help heal foot ulcers in diabetic patients, where damage to blood vessels and nerves can lead to reduced circulation, infection and sometimes amputation. The Dermapace mechanically stimulates the wound, which Sanuwave says promotes healing. Like several other “first” FDA approvals we’ve seen recently, this device went through the de novo review process designed specifically to get new technology on the market.

After two double-blind studies, the results showed an increase in wound healing at 24 weeks with a 44 percent wound closure rate with the real Dermapace device, vs. a 30 percent closure rate for patients treated with a fake system. Now that this device has been approved, it also opens the door for similar technology, if it can show that it’s “substantially equivalent.”

Source: FDA

Use the best car-selling apps to buy your next ride with your smartphone

Smartphones have changed every aspect of our lives, from the way we communicate to the way we order food. They’re also changing the way we shop for a car. There are dozens of applications designed to let you buy or sell a car without leaving the comfort of your couch or having to boot up your laptop. The best car-selling apps for Android and Apple devices let you research a car and while making sure you’re not buying from a swindling dealer.

CarMax

The CarMax application lets shoppers browse the retailer’s huge inventory of about 40,000 used cars scattered across the nation. The app provides key information about each model, and it also lets users compare up to 10 cars at a time. Imagine you’re hesitating between a Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a BMW 3 Series, and an Audi A4. Decisions, decisions, right? You can use the CarMax app to put the three side by side to look at specs and features.

Once you’ve found your car, you can use the CarMax app to obtain a vehicle history report, read reviews written by experts and customers, and, when you’re ready, line up financing. Can’t find what you’re looking for? No problem! You can set alerts so you get a notification when a CarMax dealer lists a model that meets your requirements.

Edmunds

Edmunds prides itself on offering the most comprehensive application for car buyers. It’s a one-stop app that lets you compare vehicles, check features and prices, and browse local listings. If you’re buying new, you can even configure your next car without leaving the app. How’s that for convenience?

The handy price calculator tool tells you how much you should expect to pay, regardless of whether you’re buying or leasing. You can also access safety, warranty, and fuel economy data. High-resolution photos and informative videos help you whittle down your options. Once you know what you’re looking for, you can use the app to contact the nearest dealer.

Used Car Search Pro

Developed by website iSeeCars, the Used Car Search Pro application boasts 59 search filters to help you find the car of your dreams. You can even search for cars based on your height; it knows which cars you won’t fit into if you’re 6’5″. The app also calculates whether you’re getting a good deal or whether you’re about to get ripped off by examining the average price of the specific make and model you’re looking at.

Users can browse through roughly 40,000 ads posted by dealers and private owners, and they can track the price of a specific car to know immediately when it gets bumped down. We like that dealers are ranked using a star-based rating system. It gives them an overall score by taking into account price competitiveness and transparency.

Hemmings Classic Cars

Hemmings is the most trusted name when it comes to buying and selling a classic car. Its app is unique because it only lets sellers list vintage cars. If you’re looking for a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, you’ve just downloaded the wrong app. If you want a 1972 Super Beetle, odds are you can find one among the roughly 20,000 ads packed into the app. There are parts, too, so you can source the missing pieces to complete your project.

As you look for your next pride and joy, you can refine your search by distance or seller type, among other parameters. The app also showcases relevant stories from Hemmings’ magazines and website so you can learn all more about your favorite car while you browse.

Instamotor

Instamotor is one of the newer apps on this list. It was designed specifically to make buying and selling a used car as easy and transparent as possible. To that end, every car listed benefits from a recall check, a fraud check, and a vehicle history report. It’s all free in a bid to give buyers and sellers much-needed peace of mind. Remember: it’s not unheard of for flood-damaged cars to hit the market after natural disasters like hurricane, and 2017 was rich in that respect.

Note Instamotor is only available in the San Francisco Bay area, Los Angeles, San Diego, Dallas, and Houston. The developers promise they’ll expand to more cities next year.

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WhatsApp users are experiencing New Year’s Eve outages

On New Year’s Eve, WhatsApp briefly experienced service outages in Europe, Asia, and South America, VentureBeat reports. Down Detector showed that the majority of service problems are concentrated in England, the Netherlands, and other parts of central Europe. The app’s service problems first started showing up on Down Detector at about 9 a.m. PT. However, a WhatsApp spokesperson informed VentureBeat that the troubles began at around 10:30 a.m. PT.

“WhatsApp users around the world experienced a brief outage today that has now been resolved. We apologize for the inconvenience,” the spokesperson stated.

However, Down Detector still shows that several areas are having service problems and recent comments on the site indicate that some users are still having issues. Earlier on Sunday, a London-based WhatsApp user said that the service had been down since 6 p.m GMT and was still not resolved.

Beyond the service issues, several commenters mentioned that they were having trouble receiving verification codes, even though WhatsApp was once again operational in their region. It remains to be seen whether these problems are isolated incidents or part of a wider trend. WhatsApp said that the service issues were resolved, but it is possible that the messaging service may have missed something.

This is hardly the first time that WhatsApp has experienced such problems. In May of this year, users on the East Coast of the United States reported that they were unable to use the app, though it was not a universal problem. WhatsApp reportedly resolved the issue within a few hours.

While fairly popular in the U.S., WhatsApp is particularly popular in other parts of the world and has earned a reputation for quality and reliability. That makes today’s news particularly bad for the company, since it is likely that many people were relying on the app to plan News Years celebrations and coordinate with friends.

Service issues aside, 2017 has been a pretty good year for WhatsApp. The messenger service has seen a growth in its user base, as well as the unveiling of several new features and services. One particularly neat feature is the ability to take back unwanted messages.

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The herp-loving A.I. bot ‘Fitch’ needs your help to learn how to identify snakes

There’s a new snake-loving website that wants to crowdsource reptile and amphibian identification, and it hopes your backyard photos can help its AI bot learn how to do it. The Verge has a rundown of What’s the Herp? and its related site HerpMapper, the products of developer Don Becker and a team of IT professionals, biologists, and herpetologists who hope to remove some of the stigma surrounding snakes and their assorted relatives.

“People kill things because they’re afraid of them,” Becker told The Verge. “The more you learn about something, the more you appreciate it.”

The AI bot is named Fitch, whose namesake, the late Henry S. Fitch, is known as the “father of snake biology.” The team is hoping the public will join in to assist Fitch in his endeavors.

Looking for a way to help improve #ComputerVision used by #CitizenScience projects from the comfort of your own home? Draw bounding boxes around amphibians and reptiles in images at https://t.co/GB48WtpV8l to support #Herpetology. #Herpmapper #WhatTheHerp pic.twitter.com/Drnu9LQyQE

— Christopher E. Smith, CWB® (@FieldEcology) December 28, 2017

You can create an account on the What the Herp site and upload your own photos, or help out by flipping through the photos already on the site and drawing boxes around the critters. Fitch is easily confused by background environments in the photos, and annotating them helps in his training. “It’s not the brightest thing in the world right now,” Becker admitted. “But it’s getting there.”

The ultimate goal is to have a way for people to identify snakes and other creatures in their backyard. “By giving people a way to identify what it is that they’re looking at, that can help dissuade people from killing it,” said Becker. They want to have at least 250 images of each species of reptile and amphibian on file, and there’s also a “Most Wanted List” to help reach that goal.

You can also quiz Fitch by sending a photo to their Twitter account, and he’ll reply with his best guess as to what the creature is.

Their companion site, HerpMapper, is a non-profit designed to collect and share data about amphibians and reptiles from around the world. Members can submit images or audio files, along with the location using GPS data.

Detailed location info is not available to the public, to help conserve sensitive or endangered species. Only partners of the site, such as state biologists, university researchers, or conservation organizations can see specific location data.

Becker admits that it’s no small challenge to try and get people to like snakes. “The biggest issue with conservation of herps is that we work with one of the most detested groups on the planet — you’re up there with spiders,” he said.

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Trivia hit HQ arrives on Android in time for New Year’s Eve event

Intermedia Labs’ live trivia game HQ has launched a little earlier than expected — and just in time to mark the end of the year, too. Anyone willing and able to download an early access app can see whether or not the formerly iOS-only title lives up to its reputation. You won’t have long to wait before you can give it a shot. HQ is holding a special New Year’s Eve game at 11PM Eastern, and there’s a chance to win as much as $18,000 if your knowledge is up to snuff.

There’s no mention of when a polished version of HQ will reach Android, although Intermedia has been scrambling to fix bugs to get the app ready ahead of its public test.

HQ is ultimately a simple game at its heart: it’s an elimination-based challenge where progressively harder questions whittle down the contestant pool from hundreds of thousands to just a handful. The allure is the live, schedule-based nature of gameplay. Instead of interacting with faceless software by yourself, you’re participating in a shared experience with a real host (usually fan favorite Scott Rogowsky). And of course, the possibility of winning cash adds real stakes that wouldn’t be present if you were simply competing for points or bragging rights. There’s no telling whether or not HQ will last once the novelty wears off, but the addition of Android could help its chances.

Via: 9to5Google

Source: Google Play

China halts production of 553 car models over fuel efficiency

The new year is proving to be a headache for some car makers in China. As of January 1st, the country has suspended production of 553 car models that didn’t meet its fuel efficiency standards. Some of these come from partnerships with foreign heavyweights, including Beijing Benz Automotive, Chery and FAW-Volkswagen. It’s not certain how soon those companies might restart production lines, although that likely involves finding powertrains that meet fuel consumption targets.

There were signs that this crackdown was coming. Regulators had said earlier in December that they would gradually impose stricter emissions standards on new cars, and they recently extended EV tax credits through 2020. Moreover, China hasn’t been shy about wanting to eventually ban all fossil fuel cars. Automakers know they can’t continue the status quo if they want to continue doing business in China, and that means more efficient engines, hybrids and ultimately pure electric cars.

The production freeze stands in sharp contrast to the US. The recently passed Republican tax plan doesn’t include a measure that would have taken away the EV tax credit, but the incentives to move to eco-friendly cars are far from guaranteed to survive when the current administration is determined to protect fossil fuels at all costs. China, meanwhile, is aggressively pursuing greener cars because it has little choice. Air pollution is a serious threat in China, and anything it can do to reduce fossil fuel use can have a tangible impact on the health of its residents.

Via: Reuters

Source: Xinhuanet

The best new music: James Blake, SiR, Jonny Greenwood, and more

Every week, there are thousands of new songs hitting the airwaves — and it’s just too much for your two ears to handle. With all those options, you can’t be wasting your time on tracks that deserve a thumbs-down click — you want the best new songs to stream right now.

But don’t worry, we’re going to save you the hassle. We listen to some of the most-hyped and interesting songs each week, and tell you which are worthy of your precious listening time.

Here is the best new music to stream this week. And don’t forget to subscribe to our Spotify page for a playlist of our weekly picks, which can also be found at the bottom of this post. Not sure which streaming service is best for you? Check out our post about the best music streaming services, or go in-depth and learn the differences between Apple Music and Spotify to better weigh your options.

James Blake — Vincent

Acclaimed British electronic musician James Blake went fully acoustic for this cover of Don McLean‘s Vincent, a live take that was recently shot at Conway Studios in Los Angeles. Blake gently begins the tune with piano before adding his soft and raspy vocals to the mix, a combination that proves cathartic and contemplative.

SiR — Something Foreign (featuring Schoolboy Q)

Top Dawg Entertainment signee SiR recently released this music video for his song Something Foreign, a two-and-a-half-minute clip that features the singer under smoky streetlights. The song itself is a punchy soul number with a guest verse from label mate Schoolboy Q that provides listeners with a good idea of what SiR’s debut album — due in early 2018 — should sound like.

Jonny Greenwood — House of Woodcock

Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood has a very successful side career as a film composer, and is now on his fourth straight collaboration with famed director Paul Thomas Anderson. This song from Anderson’s latest film, Phantom Thread, shows the true classical depth of Greenwood’s talent, with woody piano and gorgeous orchestral accompaniment that paint a vivid picture in the mind of the listener, no film required.

The Barr Brothers — Burn Card (Live on KCRW)

This fresh take from Montreal-based folk outfit The Barr Brothers demonstrates the live musical talent of the band, thanks to perfectly layered vocals, acoustic and slide guitars, and upright bass. “How do you steal what you really want when what you really want is free?” asks the song to begin its second verse, a thoughtful question to ponder as we turn the page on the year.

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard — The Last Oasis

Those looking for a floaty bit of physchedelia to take them away from their dull winter reality will find just what they’re looking for inside the latest track from Australian rockers King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. Synthesizers and washed-out drums are joined by funky doubled voices on the song, which quickly carries your brain to a vibrant, faraway land.

That’s it for now, but tune in next week for more songs to stream, and check out the playlist loaded with our recent selections below:

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