23 February 2018

Ledger is working on new native apps for its cryptocurrency hardware wallet


 French startup Ledger is making some of the most secure cryptocurrency hardware wallets out there. But the company’s apps aren’t that great. That’s why the company announced that Ledger has been working on brand new native apps for all desktop and mobile platforms. Right now, Ledger relies on Google Chrome for its desktop apps. At some point, Google wanted to promote web apps… Read More

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A Summary of the Google Zürich Algorithms & Optimization Workshop




Recently, we hosted a workshop on Algorithms and Optimization in our office in Zürich, with the goal of fostering collaboration between researchers from academia and Google by providing a forum to exchange ideas in machine learning theory and large-scale graph mining. As part of the topics discussed, we additionally highlighted our aim to build a group similar to the NYC algorithms research team in Google’s Zürich office.
Silvio Lattanzi presenting the work of the Graph Mining team
The workshop was structured in five sessions (see the full agenda here), each consisting of talks by attendees that touched the following research areas:
Overall, it was a great day with many excellent talks and with many opportunities for discussing interesting problems. All the presentations, including videos, can be found on our workshop website, here.

Learn How to Draw People With 11 Tutorials and YouTube Videos


learn-draw-people

Drawing is a great hobby—it’s calm and meditative, it exercises your brain, and it’s something you can continue to perfect over the course of your life. And, of course, you can draw anything you want. We’ve looked at how to draw comics and manga—and now we’ll show you where you can learn how to draw people. The human body is a challenging subject. Not only is it mechanically complicated, even a small error in proportion or balance can make it look very unnatural. We’ll take a look at some of the best articles and YouTube videos that will help you...

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Microsoft and Xiaomi to collaborate on AI, cloud computing and hardware


 After Microsoft signed a deal to test Windows 10 on Xiaomi devices in 2015 and then Xiaomi bought a trove of patents to help run other Microsoft services on its devices in 2016, today the two companies announced another chapter in its collaboration. Xiaomi and Microsoft have signed a Strategic Framework Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work more closely in the areas of cloud computing,… Read More

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How to Listen to Live Radio on a Sonos Speaker


sonos-live-radio

You have thousands of songs saved on your computer, you subscribe to Spotify, Apple Music, or Google Play Music, and you’re always listening to trendy podcasts. What’s missing from your world of audio entertainment? Why, a little bit of live radio, of course. If you own a Sonos system, you can use the official app to access several live radio services. But did you know you can also tune in using a URL? Keep reading, and we’ll show you how to add radio apps to your Sonos, tell you which three apps are the best right now, and explain how...

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Google publicly launches ARCore 1.0 on 13 phones, will begin expanding Lens availability


 After playing around in the experimental phase, Google is bringing its ARCore augmented reality platform to its 1.0 release with availability on over 100 million Android devices. If you have a new Pixel phone, you may have been able to play with Google’s AR Stickers that brought Star Wars and Stranger Things into the real world. With ARCore’s launch today, developers are now able… Read More
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Google adopts a new approach to bring its AR service to China


 Google has adopted a novel way to circumvent China’s internet censorship system, which continues to block its services, after it partnered directly with three OEMs to bring its augmented reality service to the country. ARCore, the company’s augmented reality SDK for Android, launched in full today following its announcement in November. Google says there are 100 million devices… Read More
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Google Assistant is adding Routines and location-based reminders


 Alongside news of Google Assistant’s forthcoming multilingual support and the addition of more languages this year, Google also announced this morning its smart assistant would soon be gaining two new features: Routines and location-based reminders. Google has been promising Routines were in the works for some time. The feature, which lets Google Assistant users string together… Read More
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Archos announces a cryptocurrency hardware wallet (yes, Archos)


 Remember Archos? Yes, that Archos, the company that made portable multimedia players (PMPs) with below average touch screen ten years ago. The company is still around, selling cheap Android phones, cheap tablets, cheap drones and more. And yet, for the first time in many years, I’m excited by an Archos product again. The company announced (via Next INpact) a cryptocurrency hardware… Read More

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Why Installing Software Slows Down Your PC


software-slows-down-pc

When you buy a new PC, it’s screaming fast. Months later, it feels usable, but nothing impressive. After a year, you’re experiencing noticeable lag. Why? No computer comes with all the software we want pre-installed. That means we have to go out and add all the programs we need. The more we install, the more clutter that our PCs now have to manage. It doesn’t matter if you’re running Windows, macOS, or Linux, installing too many programs will eventually have an impact on your computer’s performance. But if computer’s are designed to run software, why is this the case? Software...

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Google Assistant will support over 30 languages by year-end, become multilingual


 Google Assistant, the search giant’s answer to Alexa that lives on Android smartphones, tablets, and Google Home speakers, will expand to more languages over the course of the year, to cover 95 percent of all eligible Android smartphones, Google announced this morning. It will also soon become multilingual – meaning users who speak more than one language will be able to talk to… Read More
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The Snapchat User Revolt Hits Snap’s Share Price


Snapchat is insanely popular, especially amongst teenagers. Unfortunately, Snapchat recently rolled out a redesign that led to users revolting. There’s even a petition calling for Snapchat to reverse the update, and 1.2 million people have signed so far. The Snapchat user revolt is showing no signs of stopping either. In fact, it’s now having a direct impact on Snap’s finances. This is evidenced by the sudden drop in the company’s share price immediately after Kylie Jenner sent a single tweet… Kylie Jenner Impacts Snap’s Share Price Kylie Jenner is, for the uninitiated, one of the Kardashian klan. I only know...

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How to Filter Unpopular Opinions on Every Social Network


filter-opinions

If you feel very strongly about certain topics, social media can be a minefield. In the real world, you don’t always know the opinions your family or friends have on things like politics, religion, or other controversial issues. But online, you see everything. And sometimes it isn’t pretty. In this article, you’ll find out how to see fewer posts from the people in your life (at least your social media life) who have opinions you don’t like. Further along in this article, we’ll also explore whether or not this is a good thing. How to Filter Opinions on Facebook On...

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How to Hide Files Inside Images in Linux


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If you sometimes share your Linux PC with others, you probably want to hide personal files from nosy family and friends. You can easily hide files and folders in Linux by putting a dot (.) in front of the file or folder name. But if any of your family and friends are tech savvy at all, they will know how to view your hidden files and folders. So, you need a less obvious way of hiding files and folders. You can use a form of data encryption called steganography, which is hiding information inside a normal image file. We’re going...

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Free PowerPoint Online vs. PowerPoint 2016: Which Do You Need


powerpoint-vs-online

You have heard of Microsoft PowerPoint for creating presentations and maybe even used it before. But is the PowerPoint 2016 desktop version worth it or can you get the same experience with PowerPoint Online? Here is a comparison of the desktop versus the online version. Take a look and see which is the right one for you. Accessing PowerPoint Obviously, if you go with the desktop version, all you have to do after you install it is navigate to the application and open it. If you are interested in purchasing Microsoft PowerPoint 2016, you can do so currently for just...

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DJI Does It Again: Mavic Air Review (and Giveaway!)


Our verdict of the DJI Mavic Air:This is the smallest 4k drone we have ever flown. Buy it if you need a tiny but capable drone. Don't buy it if you're looking for a low light monster.910The Mavic Air is the follow up to the wildly popular Mavic Pro — a drone that I claimed was the best I have ever flown. The Pro is still being sold however, so the Air can be considered a sibling rather than a complete replacement. It’s also $200 cheaper than it’s Pro sibling. DJI Mavic Air Drone - Onyx Black DJI Mavic Air...

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Momo buys Tantan, China’s Tinder, for $600M as Chinese social networks consolidate


 WeChat is far and away the biggest messaging platform in China at the moment, and that is helping to drive a push among the smaller players to get together for better scale. Today, Momo, the Chinese location-based social networking app that has more recently made a big push into dating services and is traded on Nasdaq with a market cap of around $6 billion, announced that it has… Read More
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How to Make Another Calendar in Google Calendar


new-google-calendar

These days, you can find hundreds of apps and tools to help you manage your time more effectively. We’ve covered many of them here at MakeUseOf. But despite all of their bells and whistles, nothing beats a good old-fashioned calendar, and modern cloud-based calendars are better than ever. You can make multiple calendars for different parts of your life, and view them individually or in one master calendar. Google refreshed its Calendar app in late 2017, and now it’s easy to make a new one. And if you’re not sure where to start, don’t worry. We’re going to explain everything. How...

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Airbnb Plus Offers Luxury Rentals for Travelers


Airbnb has been in business for 10 years now, and to celebrate its 10th anniversary, the company has launched Airbnb Plus. This is a new brand for accommodations that can meet 100 different criteria, and are therefore likely to please discerning travelers. There are millions of places to stay listed on Airbnb, ranging from cheap and cheerful to expensive and exquisite. The problem is you don’t always know what you’re going to get. Airbnb Plus is the company’s way of highlighting its absolute best properties. These Really Are the Best Properties Airbnb Plus offers a selection of homes that Airbnb...

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Snap CEO Evan Spiegel got a $637 million bonus last year


 Snap’s stock investors haven’t made much money since the company went public last year, but CEO Evan Spiegel still got a hefty payday. According to an SEC filing, he was granted an RSU of 37,447,817, which vested at the time of the IPO. In other words, that was worth nearly $636.6 million. His salary for the year was $98,078, and he had over $1 million in other benefits, so all in… Read More
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You Don’t Need a Fidget Spinner but You Do Need the App


fidget-spinner-apps

Fidget spinners. They’re the kind of thing you hate because everyone you see has one, until you buy one. Then you hate it because you can’t stop using it. Or maybe you refuse to buy one, but you’re insanely curious what all the hype is about. Or possibly you don’t want to buy one because, let’s face it, those little innocent-looking toys can be rather dangerous. Just check out how all these people got hurt. Not to worry. The following mobile and web apps are all centered around virtual fidget spinners. Some are simulators, and some are actual arcade games....

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Amazon Alexa Routines: Everything You Need to Know


amazon-alexa-routines

If you’ve got an Amazon Echo, and you’ve configured it for multiple users, changed the wake word, or configured package tracking, then you may be wondering what’s next. Routines are one thing that can really make your home feel smart. We’ve previously discussed Philips Hue automations, so today we’ll be taking a look at some of the best routines you can set up right now on your Amazon Echo. Echo (2nd Generation) - Charcoal Fabric Echo (2nd Generation) - Charcoal Fabric Buy Now At Amazon $99.99 What Are Alexa Routines? Alexa routines are a simple but powerful tool. A routine...

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Snap stock sinks as Kylie Jenner says she doesn’t use Snapchat anymore


 At this point, if you haven’t accepted the celebrity influence of the Kardashian/Jenner machine, you probably haven’t been paying attention to pop culture at large. Snap is definitely paying attention. Yesterday, Kylie Jenner tweeted a pretty brutal takedown of Snapchat with the nonchalance that only a celebrity who has mastered social media better than most can do. Read More
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Uber Express Pool Is Just Like Taking the Bus


Uber has launched a new service called Express Pool. This is an extension of the existing Pool service which lets riders save money by sharing an Uber with others. Uber Express Pool could save you even more money than the regular Pool, but there is a downside. For all of its faults, Uber has grown to be ubiquitous in many countries, but especially in the United States. However, not everyone can afford to get an Uber home from a night out. So Uber is trying to find ways to bring prices down to compete with public transport. Wait Longer and...

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Facebook says it’s clarifying its ad metrics


 Facebook is looking to clean up and clarify the way advertisers measure their campaign performance. Over the past couple of years, the company has had to acknowledge multiple mistakes in its ad metrics. Last fall, researchers even pointed out that Facebook’s purported reach was greater than the US Census population in every state. So making these kinds of tweaks (and taking other steps… Read More
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How to Cast Local Media From Windows to Chromecast


stream-windows-chromecast

Google Chromecast turns any TV into an internet-connected smart TV. And with it, the TV can also talk to your PC. Some simple apps can cast movies, music, and photos from your hard drive to the TV, bypassing the internet. Note: The Chromecast requires an active internet connection to run. While these programs use your local Wi-Fi network, the Chromecast itself won’t work if you don’t have internet. What You Will Need Google Chromecast: The original Chromecast, Chromecast 2.0, and Chromecast Ultra with a normal setup will all work with this guide. Windows computer: The guide works with both desktops...

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