June, 2016

• 8 June

  New Nest CEO reportedly says company is not for sale

  

  Since Nest co-founder Tony Fadell said last week that he’s leaving the smart-home device company, there’s been speculation about the company’s future. One question was whether Alphabet, the parent company of both Nest and Google, was putting Nest up for sale. Not so, according to a report Wednesday by The Verge. “Nest is not for …

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• 8 June

  An insanely great speaker for tiny rooms

  

  I’ve always had a thing for high-performance speakers that come alive in small rooms. The best ones are invariably small, and the Dynaudio Emit M10 monitor ($799, £499, AU$1,099 per pair) definitely qualifies as tiny, it measures a mere 6.7 by 11.5 by 9.5 inches (170 by 292 by 240 mm), and it’s offered in black or white satin lacquer …

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• 8 June

  ​What is it like in their shoes? Get onstage with ‘Hamilton’ in Facebook 360

  

  The cast of Hamilton have gathered on stage (and on Facebook) for a teaser performance ahead of the Tony Awards this Sunday, performing one of the hits of the Broadway musical in an awesome 360-degree video. Billed to be the big winner of this year’s Tonys, fans queue every day outside the Richard Rogers Theatre on West 46th Street desperately …

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• 8 June

  Get notified when the Amazon Echo goes on sale

  

  Been eyeballing an Echo? Amazon’s voice-activated speaker continues to gain features and earn fans, with newer models like the Echo Dot and Echo Tap aiming to expand the platform’s reach. However, Amazon stubbornly continues to price the Echo at $179.99, which puts it out of reach for many a gadget lover. The device has gone on sale exactly twice since …

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• 8 June

  Apple’s Siri can’t even understand Woz

  

  Steve Wozniak thinks artificial intelligence is the future — but Apple’s Siri digital assistant isn’t quite there yet. “Sometimes Siri doesn’t get the words right, and I’m pissed,” the Apple co-founder said, while noting that Google Now and other voice assistants aren’t perfect, either. “It’s not like a perfect human yet, but I want to get there,” Wozniak said Wednesday …

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• 8 June

  Google reportedly plans to shake up Play Store subscriptions

  

  Apple isn’t the only one making big changes to how it does business on its app store. Google is testing a tweak to its Play Store, where people can find apps to download onto phones that run Google’s Android mobile software. The change gives app makers a bigger cut of subscription sales, according to a report Wednesday by Recode. Right …

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• 8 June

  France launches anti

  

  Heading for Euro 2016? A new app from the French government will help keep you informed about potential terrorist attacks during the high-profile football tournament. SAIP (Système d’alerte et d’information des populations) is designed to help keep people safe during the UEFA Euro 2016 soccer tournament kicking off on Friday in France. Because it’s an official government project, users can …

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• 8 June

  Buff photo of ‘Justice League’ actor J.K. Simmons pumps up internet

  

  JK Simmons may be the voice of the yellow M&M in commercials, but he’s not sitting around munching bowls full of them. If you think you’re too old to pump iron, be prepare to have your mind changed. When you work with superheroes, you gotta look the part. Simmons, 61, will play Commissioner Gordon in 2017’s “Justice League Part One,” …

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• 8 June

  Some Jaybird Freedom headphones have left and right earbuds reversed

  

  Now playing: Watch this: Jaybird Freedom: next-gen wireless sports headphone slims… 2:09 A Twitter user named Joe contacted me the other day about a problem he was having with his new Jaybird Freedom in-ear Bluetooth sports headphones. He said the sound of the left and right earbuds was reversed. Or as he put it: “Right is left & left is …

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• 7 June

  Where can you vote? This f*&%ing site can help

  

  Now playing: Watch this: Snapchat is getting really serious about voting selfies 1:25 Finding your polling location is frustrating. Is it the church on the corner? Is it really that weird neighbor’s garage? It is the Post Office? And strange district definitions can mean a polling place right next to your house may not be where you vote. What’s a …

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