Moon bases could be 3D-printed from lunar soil

3D printers could be used to help construct lunar bases with materials taken from the Moon itself. The European Space Agency (ESA) is collaborating with architects Foster + Partners to conduct research into the construction technique, and has "confirmed the basic concept." That concept involves mixing lunar material with magnesium oxide to form the base substance, then applying a binding salt that solidifies the material; inserting the printer's nozzle beneath the moon's surface allows for printing in a vacuum.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/1/3940004/3d-printed-lunar-bases

A month after Google settlement, FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz announces his resignation

Federal Trade Commission chairman Jon Leibowitz is resigning later this month. The chairman tells The New York Times that he expects to head to the private sector to focus on competition policy and privacy.

Leibowitz’s FTC recently concluded a nearly two-year antitrust investigation into Google’s business practices. The case culminated in a commitment from Google to stop scraping competitors’ sites for review content, but stopped short of including a binding consent order; a settlement that was criticized both within the FTC and by Google’s competitors for its (perceived) leniency.

Leibowitz pushed for privacy

During his two terms as chairman, Leibowitz pushed for privacy through initiatives like the W3C’s stalled Do Not...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/1/3939960/ftc-chairman-jon-leibowitz-resigning

WSJ: Sony's next PlayStation will be revealed February 20th, arrive later this year

Sony said we'd 'see the future' of PlayStation on February 20th, and it appears to be true: The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the company will not only reveal the next PlayStation at the event, but actually put the new video game console on sale later this year. According to the publication's anonymous sources, both the next PlayStation and Microsoft's next game system will compete head to head going into the holiday season.

Though Sony CEO Kaz Hirai and others had originally telegraphed that the next PlayStation might not be ready as soon as the next Xbox, it appears to have been a feint. We may see what the so-called PlayStation Orbis has to offer in as few as three weeks. In the meanwhile, you can pick through Sony's video...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3939410/wsj-playstation-orbis-ps4-will-arrive-later-in-2013

EA CEO says Wii U isn't next-gen, but pledges support for future consoles

We might not have long to wait to find out the details of new consoles from Sony and Microsoft, but one person who'll have been in the loop for a while is Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello. And, speaking on an investor call to discuss the company's Q3 financials, he gave some details about the company's plans for the new hardware.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3939092/john-riccitiello-on-wii-u-ps4-xbox-steam-box-game-violence

90 Seconds on The Verge: 'Grand Theft Auto V,' 'Warcraft' the movie, and Google Glass

"I am not burned. I'm a hamburger. I once had lettuce, tomatoes, and the love of a beautiful sesame seed bun. Now I only have two things: ketchup, and... uh... mustard. Huh? My story?

"Okay. It was never easy for me. I was born a chargrilled patty. I remember the days, sittin' on the grill with my family, sizzlin' and dancin' down in McDonald's..."

Stories of the day:

• 'Grand Theft Auto V' coming to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 on September 17th


• 'Warcraft' movie lands 'Moon' director Duncan Jones


• Google Glass headset with bone-conduction speakers revealed in FCC filing

Thanks for watching — you're basically our favorite person. Watch more 90 Seconds on The Verge at 90so.tv, on iTunes, and on YouTube!

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Intel will show off more dual-core Android smartphones at Mobile World Congress next month

Intel showed us it could create a competent mid-range smartphone with decent processing power and battery life to spare, and then the company decided to create a somewhat slower SOC for poorer countries like Africa. Next month at the Mobile World Congress expo in Barcelona, however, the chipmaker's pulling out the big guns: We'll see a bunch of Android devices with the Atom Z2580, a much faster piece of silicon.

Intel actually announced the chip a year ago, but it should be a major step up. Where last year's Z2460 had a single-core processor with the aging single-core PowerVR SGX 540 graphics and only HSPA+ radio support, the new Z2580 has two CPU cores (with two threads each), two far faster PowerVR SGX 544 GPU cores, and a speedy LTE...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3939142/intel-dual-core-atom-z2580-android-smartphones-at-mwc-2013

Samsung's new commercial spoofs the Super Bowl with the help of Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen

Last year Samsung took a shot at Apple with a Super Bowl ad for the Galaxy Note, and now the company has debuted a new spot that riffs on the licensing restrictions of the big game itself. In the commercial, Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd play two writers pitching ideas for a Samsung Super Bowl commercial — to Mr. Show and Breaking Bad's Bob Odenkirk, no less. The joke is that every single time the pair try to mention the Super Bowl itself — or any of the team names — Odenkirk has to cut them off because the names are trademarked.

Super Bowl commercials have a tradition of swapping out nondescript team jerseys or generic phrases like "the big game" in lieu of the trademarked names because doing so would cost money; Samsung would have...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3939080/paul-rudd-and-seth-rogen-spoof-the-super-bowl-in-new-samsung-commercial

Apple in talks to bring HBO Go to Apple TV, says Bloomberg

Apple is in negotiations to bring HBO Go to the Apple TV by mid-2013, reports Bloomberg , citing two people "familiar with the plans." The streaming service is already available to HBO subscribers on Apple’s other iOS devices, as well as competing living room devices like Roku and Xbox.

As noted by Bloomberg, HBO Go would be the first service on Apple TV to require some kind authentication from a cable provider. This marks a major departure for the platform, which has been completely a la carte up to this point — cord-cutters are free to subscribe to services like Hulu and Netflix without having to pay an additional cable bill.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3938926/apple-in-talks-to-bring-hbo-go-to-apple-tv

Sony says we'll 'see the future' of PlayStation on February 20th

Sony has just announced a PlayStation-related event for February 20th, and it looks like we may be getting a look at the company's new home console. In a tweet, Sony says that the PlayStation Meeting 2013 will allow us to "see the future," and an attached video teaser may even have given us a first glimpse of the hardware.

See the future: us.playstation.com/meeting2013 #playstation2013

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) January 31, 2013

Developing...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3938830/playstation-meeting-2013

NYU researchers create 'living crystals' to learn why birds flock together

New York University scientists have created what they call "living crystals" in an attempt to study why birds, bacteria, and other living organisms flock together. These crystals are made of hematite colloids — small particles consisting of iron and oxygen floating suspended in a fluid — which constantly group together, split, and return to one another when exposed to blue light. As you can see in the video below, the particles slowly drift apart when the light is turned off.

Even though the study refers to these particles as "living crystals," they're far from alive. As NYU physics professor Paul Chaikin explains to Wired , the crystals only have two of the three characteristics of life — metabolism and mobility — but the...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3938484/nyu-researchers-create-living-crystals-to-learn-why-birds-flock

California suspends $20,000 fine against Uber as it reexamines ride-sharing rules

California's Public Utilities Commission has continued its reconciliation with ride-sharing startups. After suspending a $20,000 citation against Lyft, the CPUC has done the same for Uber, saying that the company can continue to operate and won't have to immediately pay the $20,000 it racked up for "public safety violations." In the meantime, regulators will reexamine California's transportation rules, determining how to fit startups into the existing framework of insurance requirements, background checks, and other consumer protection laws.

This doesn't necessarily mean Uber or Lyft are in the clear: if the CPUC's rulemaking doesn't accommodate them, they could still be asked to stop operating. Uber is in a similar situation in New...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3938588/california-suspends-uber-fine-as-it-reexamines-ride-sharing-rules

Sony takes on 'Find my iPhone' with My Xperia beta release

While Android may have matured into a versatile and powerful mobile operating system, it's hard to overlook its lack of a first-party "Find my iPhone"-esque service for lost or stolen devices. Sony is stepping in to offer its own take on the concept with My Xperia, a service designed for owners of its particular flavor of Android phones. Sony says My Xperia will help users locate their devices and protect their data — once you've activated the app in your phone's settings, you can log in with your Google account at Sony's portal and perform a number of actions. You can locate the device on a map and force it to play a notification sound (which will override silent mode and also activate the display).

For more dire situations, you can...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3938110/sony-takes-on-find-my-iphone-with-my-xperia

HTC Thunderbolt, Verizon's first LTE smartphone, finally getting Android 4.0 update

Sure, it took over a year to get here and you can't even buy the device anymore, but Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) is finally coming to HTC's Thunderbolt. Verizon Wireless has approved a forthcoming update that will bring ICS to the carrier's first-ever LTE handset, which it stopped selling to customers months ago. Despite it's end-of-life status, Verizon apparently hasn't given up on extending the Thunderbolt's utility for anyone that's managed to hold onto one this long.

After downloading and installing software update 7.02.605.06, users will be greeted with Android 4.0.4 and version 3.6 of HTC's Sense skin. Verizon had first hoped to deliver this update to Thunderbolt owners — who've been saddled with Android 2.3 until now —...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3938526/verizon-updates-htc-thunderbolt-android-ice-cream-sandwich

Blockbuster redesigns streaming rental service with focus on building a cross-platform store

Though Blockbuster moved into the streaming space years ago, it's now making a push for a unified, cross-platform online rental service. A redesigned version of Blockbuster On Demand has showed up on Android, with versions also available for Samsung smart TVs, Roku, Mac OS X, and Windows — though not iOS. The app offers about 4,000 movies to rent in 24-hour increments for between $2.99 and $4.99; HD rentals occupy the high end of that range and can only be watched on TVs.

Blockbuster On Demand isn't a new service, but it now looks more like a real platform in its own right, rather than an extension of Blockbuster's traditional (and struggling) storefront business. While its blue-and-yellow icon is the same as ever, the rest of the...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3938320/blockbuster-redesigns-streaming-rental-site-for-cross-platform-access

Wall Street Journal says it was also hit by Chinese hackers

Yesterday the New York Times revealed that it had suffered attacks at the hands of what it claimed were hackers from China, and today the Wall Street Journal has joined the group of victims. The Journal is reporting that its computers had been compromised by Chinese hackers, apparently to monitor the paper's coverage of China itself. The timeframe or length of these specific attacks weren't detailed, but Paula Keve — chief spokesperson for WSJ parent company Dow Jones & Co. — said in a statement that a network overhaul had recently been completed in order to enhance security. That said, the infiltration is an "ongoing issue," but Keve stressed that the company is continuing to work with authorities and security experts in order "to...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3938404/wall-street-journal-says-it-was-also-hit-by-chinese-hackers

SKINNER SIGNED TO TRYOUT

The Griffins on Thursday signed defenseman Brett Skinner to a professional tryout. Skinner, 29, has skated in 27 games with the CHL’s Allen Americans this season and ranks fourth on the team with 37 points (7-30—37).



via griffinshockey.com - News Releases http://www.griffinshockey.com/news/releases/?article_id=2380

No visor for Bertuzzi, thanks for asking

DETROIT – Todd Bertuzzi said he was fortunate after his scare Tuesday night, but don’t ask the big, bruising forward if he intends to wear a visor. “I don’t think it’s a discussion any player really wants to have,” Bertuzzi said. “I think it’s ...



via Red Wings Recent Headlines http://redwings.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=653439&cmpid=rss-roose

Microsoft lifts Xbox Live Gold requirement for Netflix's 'House of Cards' premiere

Tomorrow marks the debut of House of Cards, the latest original series from Netflix. All season one episodes will be available to watch instantly, so subscribers wil be theoretically be able to stream the entire thing in a single weekend. In fact, if you're a Silver member of Xbox Live, that's probably not a bad idea. For three days only, Microsoft has announced that it will be "unlocking" access to Netflix for non-paying users. Typically the Xbox 360 Netflix app is available exclusively to Xbox Live Gold members, which means users need to pay two subscription fees to stream content on the console. Clearly Netflix wants as many eyes as possible on its prized new show this weekend — the company has reportedly sunk $100 million into its...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3938112/microsoft-lifts-xbox-live-gold-requirement-for-netflixs-house-of

See China's cities with and without the choking smog

Since the beginning of 2013, Beijing's notoriously high pollution levels have been even higher, forcing people to remain indoors, grounding flights, and causing widespread health problems. The city's air quality was measured as "Beyond Index" on January 12th, according to the US embassy. In an interactive photo essay, The Atlantic illustrates just how bad the situation really is by letting you flip between photos of Chinese cities with and without the dense clouds of pollution. China's government will begin monitoring the pollution problem more closely next year, but state media reports that the results may not be released to the public for another three years and the country's coal consumption continues to rise.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3937970/see-chinas-cities-with-and-without-the-choking-smog

White noise: 'Euphonia' exposes the horrors of our tech-mediated reality

I first got to know Danny Madden when he would do late night editing jobs in the cubicle over from mine. While I sat slumped over my computer for hours on end, he’d get up at regular intervals to do handstands, or ride my skateboard around the Verge office. He’s a restless, nomadic artist, who has recently lived in New York, New Orleans, Africa, and currently resides near San Francisco.

His new film, Euphonia, which premieres at the SXSW film festival this year, was created on a zero budget, crewed by and starring friends and family, in his Georgia hometown.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3936886/white-noise-danny-madden-euphonia-shows-tech-mediated-reality

Google Glass revealed in FCC filing

Google has been pretty up front about its plans for Google Glass — the company said the first "Explorer Edition" of its virtual reality headset would arrive early in 2013, and now the glasses themselves have shown up at the FCC. That said, it's not clear yet that these will be the glasses that end up shipping to developers who ordered a pair back at Google I/O last summer. The glasses appear to have 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi — though one of the FCC's filings only reveals 802.11 b/n Wi-Fi, so it's hard to say for sure — and the latest Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy technology on board. Another conflict we've noticed is the charging method, as one filing lists a USB charger and another lists a "barrel" connector.

Developing...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3938182/google-glass-revealed-in-fcc-filing

Amazon's online store appears to be down, mobile apps unaffected

Amazon appears to be having some reliability issues today, as the company's website has been down for some time for a large number of users. Amazon.com has been giving visitors "service unavailable" messages for at least the past half an hour, though multiple refreshes on the site have gotten it to load sporadically for us. Fortunately, Amazon's mobile apps appear to be unaffected, so if you really need to buy something from the retail giant, we suggest you use your smartphone. We've reached out to Amazon for comment and will update this when we have more information.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3938168/amazons-online-services-down-mobile-apps-unaffected

The Vergecast is live at 1:30PM PT / 4:30PM ET / 9:30PM GMT!

If BlackBerry doesn't want to be called Research in Motion anymore, maybe The Vergecast should take that brand instead. Let's not worry about legalities for now and just brainstorm for a bit. It's research... and it's always in motion. We're always in motion — we are beholden to the linear passage of time, of course. But is our "research" happening in motion? Maybe it's not "research" so much as it is "shenanigans." Maybe we can just buy part of the name — "in motion," which is 2/3 of the words, 3/5 of the syllables, and 1/2 of the letters (spaces not included) - and call it "Shenanigans in Motion."

Eh, you know what? The Vergecast isn't half bad. Let's stick with it.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3937776/the-vergecast-for-january-31

In Tettix's 'Solace,' the concept art is the game

Plenty of notgames and exploration titles already exist mostly to make a philosophical point, tell a story, or showcase beautiful work in other areas. So really, why bother to go beyond the conceptual stage? Musician Tettix has decided that's the way to deal with Solace , a "game" composed entirely of concept art and music. Each song in his new album inspired art from a different level, and Tettix says he can "see the composition and concepts of the game with great clarity. But you can imagine whatever you like." Far be it from us to weigh in on whether games can be art, but Tettix may have inadvertently found the single greatest way to sidestep the debate, while creating some excellent music along the way. Solace is truly cross-platform...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3937824/tettix-solace-game-is-made-of-concept-art

Pirates beware: Kim Dotcom's Mega isn't the safe haven he says it is

Kim Dotcom — the infamous, indefatigable internet entrepreneur with an unidentifiable European cadence and the bravado of a Bond villain — is back in our lives. Exactly a year after his website Megaupload was shut down due to charges of copyright infringement, Dotcom has come out with a new venture called Mega.

Mega is ostensibly a cheap way to store files online, offering an insanely generous 50 GB of space for free. It also offers some additional security to protect your data from prying eyes, although the effectiveness has been challenged. Dotcom and his cofounders ran one of the world’s most influential hubs for the market in pirated movies, so of course the new Mega has started attracting pirates — although not as many as you...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3933774/kim-dotcoms-new-site-mega-is-a-flop-with-pirates-and-heres-why

Motorola job listing confirms 'X-Phone' project in the works

Late last year, The Wall Street Journal reported that Google and Motorola were working on a new phone and tablet with the code names "X Phone" and "X Tablet." These devices were said to be the first true collaboration between the companies since Google purchased Motorola Mobility earlier in the year, and allegedly focused on superior cameras and incorporated bendable screens and ceramic materials. Today, a job posting for a Senior Director of Product Management for Motorola on LinkedIn more or less confirmed that the company is working on something called an 'X-Phone.' The listing, now removed, detailed the duties of the position, which would oversee the launch of a new device and deal with carrier relationships when bringing it to...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3937810/motorola-job-listing-confirms-x-phone-project

Apple loses bid to revive Galaxy Nexus sales ban

Last year a judge granted an injunction on Samsung's Galaxy Nexus as part of a new round of legal battles between Apple and Samsung — a sales ban that was then reversed by an appeals court last October. Apple had asked the court to reconsider, but Reuters is now reporting it has has been denied. In an order today, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit noted that it was rejecting Apple's request for an en banc review — a reconsideration of the sales ban by all nine judges of the Appeals Court. It's important to note that such a review is rare, so the move doesn't come as a complete surprise.

The dispute in question is based around Apple's '604 patent, which both the company and the district court believe is infringed by...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3937606/apple-loses-bid-to-revive-sales-ban-on-samsung-galaxy-nexus

CNET loses CES awards following Dish Hopper controversy; DVR named 'Best In Show'

The Consumer Electronics Association has issued a press release awarding the Dish Hopper with Sling DVR the coveted "Best of Show" award at CES 2013. As The Verge reported and CNET later confirmed, the Hopper had been voted to win CES's top award by the editors of CNET, before executives at CNET's parent company CBS vetoed the vote due to CBS's ongoing lawsuit against Dish.

Yesterday, CEA president and CEO Gary Shapiro sharply criticized CBS's editorial interference with T's technology coverage in an op-ed in USA Today , and announced the CEA would be "considering [its] legal options under [its] agreement with CNET." Today, the CEA officially ended CNET's role in choosing the Best of Show award at CES, and announced it would issue a...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3937476/cnet-loses-ces-awards-following-dish-hopper-controversy-dvr-named

Inside the US military's tactical IRC system

First used by the military in the 1990s, online chat systems like IRC have become an indispensable part of tactical communication. Public Intelligence has collected a series of documents about how the protocol is used for calling in support, targeting enemies, and checking in on orders. While chat allows for quick communication even with limited bandwidth, it presents the same challenges civilians see: short messages can be ambiguous or confusing, as in one case where a "large band of hungry camels" ended up being reported as a potential enemy vehicle sighting until the issue was cleared up.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3937516/inside-the-us-militarys-tactical-irc-system

Apple discontinuing Mac Pro in Europe on March 1st due to regulatory standard changes

It would be fair to call Apple's Mac Pro the black sheep of the company — in the last few years, the professionally-focused computer has only received one minor spec bump — but now it sounds like it'll be going away altogether in Europe. However, its not for the reasons you might expect: according to MacRumors , the Mac Pro will be discontinued on March 1st because the current model does not meet a new European regulatory standard. While the computer will still be available outside of Europe, and excess stock of the model can still be sold off, no new shipments of the Mac Pro as it is currently configured will be able to occur.

MacRumors received a copy of the note that was sent to European distributors regarding the...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3937442/apple-discontinuing-mac-pro-in-europe-over-regulatory-standards

Beautiful interactive map illustrates every underwater internet cable

TeleGeography has released the revamped 2013 version of its submarine internet cable map, and it's way better-looking and significantly more informative than the previous version. The new map illustrates 232 in-service and 12 planned cables alongside a number of useful insets, charts, and infographics. Along the top, the map details cable hubs in New York, New Jersey, Egypt, Cornwall, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo, and the bottom has a timeline of global submarine cable history, beginning in 1997. The bottom left corner shows the amount of bandwidth being used per country and total capacity of the underwater cables.

In a blog post, TeleGeography says the design was inspired by antique maps and star charts such as Maury's New Complete...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3937246/beautiful-interactive-map-illustrates-every-underwater-internet-cable

'The Facebook Card' takes the social network's Gifts initiative offline

Hot on the heels of its fourth quarter earnings report yesterday afternoon, Facebook has announced The Facebook Card, a new part of its online Gifts platform intended to be yet another revenue stream for the social network. What makes the Facebook Card different from any old gift card is that you can gift somebody money to multiple stores on one card. For example, you could give a friend $50 to Target and $50 to Sephora without giving them two separate cards — and all Card balances are manageable through Facebook's mobile app.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3937110/facebook-card-gift-card

China calls NYT hack accusation 'groundless' as Symantec deflects blame for intrusion

China is staunchly denying a report from The New York Times that suggests its military colluded with hackers to launch a four-month cyber attack against the US newspaper. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei took a harsh tone in responding to the NYT's accusations. "The competent Chinese authorities have already issued a clear response to the groundless accusations made by The New York Times," he told reporters earlier today. "To arbitrarily assert and to conclude without hard evidence that China participated in such hacking attacks is totally irresponsible. The intrusion, which has been described as consistent with other hacks supposedly led by the Chinese military, targeted a journalist responsible for authoring a report analyzing the...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3937106/china-calls-new-york-times-hacking-story-groundless

Amazon bets on The Jim Henson Company and 'Blue's Clues' creator for new kids' shows

Streaming video companies are increasingly pushing their own content, and Amazon's Studios program has outlined a set of new potential shows — this time, for children. Amazon will be producing pilots for five new shows, all aimed at kids and complementing the six comedy pilots it greenlit last month. As with Netflix's growing stable of original series, some high-profile names are involved: Teeny Tiny Dogs is produced by The Jim Henson Company and created by Rugrats and Aeon Flux director Howard Baker, and "interactive art adventure series" Creative Galaxy is being made by Blue's Clues co-creator Angela Santomero. There's also Oz Adventures, a series about the children of Wizard of Oz characters, a stop-motion series called Tumbleaf,...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3937042/amazon-studios-announces-new-childrens-show-pilots

Take a tour of 'BioShock: Infinite's' floating city of the past, Columbia

At its core, a BioShock title must promise two things: aphoristic philosophical pontification and opportunities for increasingly creative murder. Creator Ken Levine's success is due in no small part to his ability to strip the nuance of real life down to a series of beautiful set pieces, and our latest look at Columbia, the floating city of BioShock: Infinite, is a prime example. It's a distillation of technological magic, freak shows, early 20th-century nationalism and religious revival, gruff and burly shooter protagonists, and the clear instructions that may, as in the original BioShock, expose free will for the lie it is. And yes, there are so, so many ways to destroy. Plenty of us are excited for the game's release later this year,...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3936912/tour-bioshock-infinite-floating-city-columbia

This amazing Kickstarter-funded sci-fi film hides its low budget with movie magic

Kickstarter has long been a breeding ground for unique experiments in technology and, in the case of amazing science fiction short C 299,792 km/s , film. The project was originally funded in December 2011, and the impressive 15-minute film was made on a budget of just $40,000. Part mock-educational documentary, part science fiction adventure, C 299,792 km/s follows Lieutenant Commander Malleck's attempt to commandeer the Kestros IV warship for her own purposes.

In an interview with Wired , producer and co-writer Otto Stockmeier shares some of the techniques he and director Derek Van Gorder used to make the low-budget film shine. By taking advantage of the low-light capabilities of digital cameras, the team used dim, colored lights to set...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3936840/watch-this-kickstarter-funded-science-fiction-film-C-299-792-km-s

'Star Wars' producer: 2015 release not certain, 'The timetable we care about is getting the story'

Since word first broke of Disney's $4.05 billion acquisition of Lucasfilm, the estimated release date for the forthcoming Star Wars: Episode VII has been 2015 — but according to Lucasfilm co-chair Kathleen Kennedy that may not be set in stone. The Hollywood Reporter has an extensive profile on Kennedy, covering her long-standing collaboration with Steven Spielberg and including how she convinced director J.J. Abrams to take the Episode VII job. She describes a clandestine meeting with the filmmaker and the writers on the project last December. According to Kennedy, Abrams was "flipping out" when he learned that Toy Story 3 scribe Michael Arndt and The Empire Strikes Back screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan were involved.

When pressed on the...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3934648/star-wars-producer-2015-release-not-certain-kathleen-kennedy

'The New York Times' says hackers attacked its systems for months, suspects Chinese military

The New York Times has published a wild account of a four month-long hack, reportedly originating in China, that compromised its computer systems and targeted its reporters. The report suggests that the attack may have been politically motivated, and that it may have been conducted by the Chinese military. The hack has since been shut down, but several important questions remain unanswered.

The Times says that it received warnings from Chinese government officials in response to an investigation into the wealth of prime minister Wen Jiabao's relatives. Following the warnings, the publication asked its ISP — AT&T — to monitor its network for attacks. The Times says that on October 25th, the day its investigation was published, AT&T...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3935516/new-york-times-infiltrated-by-chinese-hackers

'Warcraft' movie lands 'Moon' director Duncan Jones

Duncan Jones will take the director's seat for Legendary Pictures' live-action World of Warcraft movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter . Jones made his directorial debut with 2009's Moon, an independent sci-fi drama starring Sam Rockwell. Jones followed Moon with 2011's Source Code starring Jake Gyllenhaal. As THR notes, Jones has leaped into the big leagues with the Warcraft job: the budget for the film is reportedly expected to be upwards of $100 million. (Source Code was made on a $35 million budget.) THR says that the film is expected to start in 2013 and debut in 2015 — which is now shaping up to be a big year in fantasy and sci-fi.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3935226/world-of-warcraft-director-duncan-jones

'Westeroscraft' could be the best-looking 'Minecraft' world ever made

Plenty of mind-boggling Minecraft creations have sprouted up since the game's launch in 2011, but it's difficult to look away from this Game of Thrones-themed world. The team behind "Westeroscraft" has painstakingly worked to recreate a continent in George R. R. Martin's fantasy world, and some of the team's beautiful work (image gallery here) has been feverishly shared on the web. A Reddit user claiming to be a Westeroscraft creator posted that the team just finished working on Kings Landing — a city that they say features 3,000 unique buildings with fully-decorated interiors. But the best news is that the makers of Westeroscraft plan to turn the currently-private game into a "giant, open world RPG with quests and NPCs."

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3935086/westeroscraft-minecraft

Tumblr updates iPhone and iPad app with mature '17+' rating

It's been a rough couple of weeks for iOS apps, with both 500px and Vine getting attention for allowing access to adult material. 500px was even pulled for a week before returning with a new 17+ rating — and now it appears the Tumblr iOS app has been updated with a mature rating as well.

Version 3.2.4 of the app, released today, lists "Small bug fixes" as the only change made — but users updating to the new version are finding themselves faced with a dialogue box, forcing them to confirm that they're 17 or over if they wish to update the app. Checking the App Store page for the app itself reveals the 17+ rating. Google has a cached version of the App Store page for version 3.2.3, which lists a rating of 4 and up.

It's not clear if...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3934944/tumblr-updates-iphone-and-ipad-app-with-mature-17-rating

T-Mobile reportedly set to follow Sprint's prepaid strategy with nationwide GoSmart launch

T-Mobile has been testing a prepaid MVNO named GoSmart in a limited number of markets, and according to FierceWireless , the carrier plans to expand the service nationwide in February. There's no official word on nationwide pricing, but GoSmart currently features three monthly service tiers: a $30 plan with unlimited voice and text messaging, a $35 plan with the same plus unlimited web browsing, and a $45 plan with unlimited voice, text, and up to 5GB of 3G data. Existing customers have a choice between a low-end Alcatel feature phone, or a SIM kit that can be used with an unlocked GSM device.

T-Mobile's move into the prepaid market follows close competitor Sprint, which offers prepaid plans at similar price points through its MVNOs,...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3934922/t-mobile-sprint-go-smart-prepaid-mvno

Wii U TiVo integration and Google Maps reportedly delayed from planned January launch

Nintendo's TVii service for the Wii U launched a little later than the console itself, and one of its key features was missing when it did. TiVo integration was absent, but it was supposed to be added by the end of January, but it looks like it'll be delayed again. Engadget reports that TiVo integration for US users has been delayed beyond January and will instead come sometime in "early 2013." While users can certainly still take advantage of most of what TVii offers at the moment, those with TiVo units will likely be a bit frustrated by this new delay.

That's not the only service-related delay Nintendo has to report today, either. Google Maps was scheduled to be available to users for free from January through March, but it sounds...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3934218/wii-u-tivo-integration-and-google-maps-delayed

Formerly Nokia-owned luxury brand Vertu may soon launch an Android phone

Vertu, the super-high-end phone maker formerly owned by Nokia, may be preparing to announce its first Android phone. After an initial rumor posted by blogger Eldar Murtazin, the generally more reliable Blog of Mobile has found information about a device tentatively called the "Vertu Ti." According to specs recently listed at the Bluetooth SIG, the Ti (identified with the code RM-828V) would run Android 4.0.4, while benchmark listings and other certification pages indicate it has an 800 x 480 screen, 1.5GHz processor, and NFC. Whatever the specs, the real value of any Vertu phone would lie elsewhere — the company usually incorporates leather, gems, and precious metals into its designs, which are some of the most ridiculously opulent on...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3933942/vertu-may-be-planning-a-luxury-android-phone

90 Seconds on The Verge: BlackBerry 10, Windows Phone 7.8, and Netflix vs. HBO

Tell me where is fanboy bred.

Or in the heart or in the head?

How begot, how trollishèd?

It is engendered in replies,

With hazing fed, and comment dies

In the charging cradle where it lies.

Let us all ring fancy's knell

I'll begin it.-Ding, dong, notification alert.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3934322/blackberry-10-windows-phone-7-8-netflix-90sotv

Gabe Newell says Apple is the Steam Box's biggest threat

Valve's Steam Box may be a challenger to consoles as we know them, but Gabe Newell said today that Apple is the company's biggest threat in the living room, Polygon reports. During a lecture given at the University of Texas, Newell said that "Apple has gained a huge amount of market share, and has a relatively obvious pathway toward entering the living room with their platform." He said "I think that there's a scenario where we see sort of a dumbed down living room platform emerging — I think Apple rolls the console guys really easily." Valve's challenge, Newell explains, is to make progress getting a PC in the living room, and to "figure out better ways of addressing mobile." Valve could have an uphill battle to get there, but based...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3934496/valve-gabe-newell-apple-steam-box-threat

Siri Eyes Free mode coming to 2013 Honda Accord, two Acura models later this year

Honda has announced that support for Siri's Eyes Free mode will be coming to the 2013 Accord and Acura RDX / ILX models "later this year." The auto manufacturer says car owners will need to take eligible models to their local dealer for an optional installation that enables the special Siri mode, which lets drivers use Apple's personal assistant while keeping their hands on the steering wheel. Additionally, Eyes Free prevents your iPhone's screen from lighting up when active, cutting back on unnecessary distractions.

Apple first unveiled Siri Eyes Free at last year's WWDC, announcing that over nine automakers (including Honda) had signed on as partners for the initiative. Now we know which specific car models will be receiving the...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3934236/siri-eyes-free-coming-to-2013-honda-accord-acura-rdx-ilx

Mark Zuckerberg: 'I want to dispel this myth that Facebook can't make money on mobile'

Facebook today announced its fourth quarter (Q4) earnings report for 2012, which included some key findings. For the first time ever, more people are using Facebook on mobile each day than on desktops. In fact, 157 million people worldwide are using Facebook only from mobile devices — a number the company can't afford to ignore. On the company's earnings call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg seems to get it. He said, "There is no argument. Facebook is a mobile company."

As you might expect, as more people flock to mobile, so has the company's ad revenue — 23 percent of which now comes from mobile, compared to 14 percent just a few months ago, and 0 percent a year ago before Facebook mobile ads existed."I want to dispel this myth that Facebook...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3934052/mark-zuckerberg-q4-earnings-myth-that-facebook-cant-make-money-on-mobile

Why on Earth did BlackBerry hire Alicia Keys?

Step, if you will, into the shoes of Thorsten Heins. Your company is on the defensive, struggling for third place in one of the most bloodthirsty marketplaces there is. You've got just a few more chances to show consumers you're worth their money. Your back is to the wall. What do you do?

The answer, as we learned this morning, is to hire Alicia Keys as your new creative director. That's not all they did, of course. (There were a few new phones, if we recall correctly.) But the choice reveals a lot about where BlackBerry is as a company, and it's not good news.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3934122/why-alicia-keys-for-blackberry-10

Massive NASA-funded airship prototype takes off for the first time

Earlier this month, Aeroscraft — a 36,000-pound airship prototype — successfully lifted off for the first time at its California hangar. Funded by DARPA, NASA, and the US Department of Defense, the 230-foot long lighter-than-air vehicle's frame is made of aluminum and carbon fiber, and is covered in a reflective Mylar skin. The Aeroscraft works by pressurizing helium — the gas is heavier when condensed, causing the Aeroscraft to sink, and when released, the helium displaces heavier air and lifts the blimp-like aircraft.

The Aeroscraft uses about one-third of the fuel of conventional aircraft, and because it can lift off and land vertically, it has no need for runways or ground personnel. This means that it could be used to deliver...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3933910/massive-nasa-funded-airship-prototype-takes-off-for-the-first-time

With major apps in the bag, Instagram could be BlackBerry's next big score

One of the surprising stories from today's BlackBerry 10 launch was just how many apps the newly-renamed company landed: over 70,000. More importantly, it managed to snag important, big-name apps like WhatsApp and Skype. It's an essential metric for BlackBerry — a lack of apps hobbled Windows Phone out of the gate and continues to keep users from switching. The story of how BlackBerry got the support of so many large development houses is a mix of tenacity, courtship, and perhaps a little bit of muscle. As good as that story may be for BlackBerry's developer relations team, there's still one app in particular that is usually name-dropped when discussing whether a platform truly has the apps it needs for a successful launch: Instagram.

...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3933874/major-apps-instagram-blackberrys-next-big-score

Ride-sharing startup Lyft reaches agreement with California regulators, readies Los Angeles launch

Last year three ride-sharing services received cease-and-desist orders from the California Public Utilities Commission, but today one of the services — Lyft — announced it has reached an agreement with the state's regulators. Lyft made the announcement in a blog post, stating that the interim agreement allows Lyft to continue operation while the CPUC continues developing new regulations for ride-sharing applications and services.

The CPUC's original concerns had stemmed from the fact that Lyft and similar services weren't adhering to the same standards as taxis and similar pre-existing services — what it terms "charter-party carriers." The argument from the likes of Lyft and Uber has been that their services don't operate under...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3933914/ride-sharing-startup-lyft-reaches-agreement-with-california-regulators-los-angeles-launch