The web is turning 30 on Tuesday, but its creator, Tim Berners-Lee, is already looking ahead to the next 30 years. In his annual letter on the web’s birthday, Berners-Lee spent less time reflecting on how the web has developed over the past three decades and instead expressed optimism about what can be achieved in the …
Read More »TimeLine Layout
March, 2019
-
11 March
Adobe Shockwave gets the ax on April 9
Adobe is retiring Shockwave. On April 9, the browser-based multimedia platform will be discontinued and the Shockwave player for Windows won’t be available for download. “As technologies evolve and the use of mobile devices has grown, interactive content has moved to platforms such as HTML5 Canvas and Web GL and usage of Shockwave has declined,” Adobe wrote on its help …
Read More » -
11 March
3D for your home is even more dead than you thought
The long drawn-out death of 3D continues. This time, it comes from chipmaker Nvidia, which said Friday it plans to stop supporting its decade-old “3D Vision.” The technology, first announced in 2009, was meant to serve as a standard for PC and gaming communities. The company made the announcement on a support page on its website. The move is the …
Read More » -
11 March
Some Pixel 3 users are reporting microphone and call
Some Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL owners are experiencing irritating issues with their phones‘ audio and call quality. Various online forum users on Reddit and Google forums described problems related to the receiving end of the call; apparently audio cuts in and out, echoes or sounds notably sharp and tinny. Audio delays where words lag and then “stack up” on top …
Read More » -
11 March
YouTube Stories adds Snapchat
From dog ears to fairy crowns to monstrous fangs, filters and AR effects are old hat for social-media selfies. Now, YouTube is jumping on the bandwagon. In this video, the glasses are virtual. YouTube In its latest release, YouTube Stories and ARCore now offer the Augmented Faces API so you can add glasses, masks, hats and other items to short …
Read More » -
11 March
Propel’s excellent Star Wars drones: On sale again for just $40
Propel’s Star Wars drones are flippin’ awesome. I own one and I’ve had the chance to dogfight with a friend who owns one. Pure geeky fun, let me tell you. They started out at $180 and have seen some pretty good sales this year — but rarely this good: For a limited time, ZDNet Academy has the Propel Star Wars …
Read More » -
11 March
WhatsApp bans people who are using knock
If you’re using a knock-off version of WhatsApp, your account might be temporarily banned from the platform. In its FAQ, the Facebook-owned messaging app says that people using modified versions of the app like WhatsApp Plus and GB WhatsApp will receive an in-app notification that their account is temporarily banned. “WhatsApp doesn’t support these third-party apps because we can’t validate …
Read More » -
11 March
Galaxy S10: How to use, what you need to know about Wireless PowerShare
When Samsung announced the Galaxy S10 lineup last month, the company also unveiled a new feature called Wireless PowerShare. The feature essentially turns your phone into a wireless charging pad that can charge another phone, smartwatch or set of earbuds. It’s a cool feature that may not be used all that often but has the potential to save the day …
Read More » -
11 March
USB 3.2 explained: Making sense of current and confusing USB standards
The trade group USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF to those who need another USB acronym) has been busy lately, from announcing the upcoming USB 4 specification to renaming the current USB standard. With the snap of a finger — OK, a white paper — USB 3.1 is now USB 3.2. And if that’s not confusing enough, the new USB 3.2 branding also encompasses …
Read More » -
11 March
John Oliver robocalls FCC to protest inaction on robocalls
John Oliver is taking on his “old friends” at the FCC once again. On HBO’s Last Week Tonight on Sunday, the comedian zoomed in on the robocalls problem, citing research that says half of mobile phone calls in the US will soon be scam calls. The Federal Communications Commission has criticized robocalling and said it’d take action on the issue. In November, …
Read More »