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'Bingeable,' 'biohacking' and 'fintech' are now officially words
To say that the internet has played a massive role in the shaping of global society is a bit of an understatement, really, but one area that often gets overlooked is its influence on language. Thanks to teh interwebz (bear with me), we're all exposed to words, phrases and spellings from languages and subcultures we might never have access to otherwise, and this has opened up a whole world of linguistic joy (and loathing). Today, Merriam-Webster has added more than 840 new entries to its dictionary, a step in the continuous process of recording our ever-expanding language.
Nokia will make €3 for every 5G smartphone sold
Licensing-related patent wars are pretty run-of-the-mill occurrences for tech companies -- there's always a report of some spat or another in the news. But now Nokia, and a bunch of other giants, are taking steps to avoid future battles by publicly disclosing the licensing fees involved in its 5G technology.
Investment in renewable energy drops as fossil fuel use rises
Global investment in renewable energy is on the decline, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The energy watchdog says there's a significant contradiction between the statements governments make regarding their attitudes to renewables, and the tangible action being taken. Investment fell by seven percent to $318bn last year.
DNC launches a marketplace for digital election tools
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) wants to reposition the Democrats as politics' most pioneering party. Today, it announces I Will Run, a marketplace for software, services and training designed to make Democratic campaigns more engaging and effective in a world that's come to rely on the internet for everything, including politics.
US soccer stars to play with GPS performance trackers
FIFA has been vocal about its ideas for the future of wearable tech in soccer, and now its vision is coming to life. Statsports is set to become the official on-field performance monitoring device of US soccer, and in the biggest partnership of its kind, will distribute 6,500 Apex GPS devices to players across the men's, women's, youth, Paralympic and Beach National Teams, Development Academy clubs and NWSL.
Lincoln attempts to reinvent itself again with the Aviator SUV
Lincoln has unveiled its newest vehicle, and with it, a glimpse into the company's future. The three-row Aviator is a clear improvement on the company's last attempt to reinvent its line-up, with the MKT. The model boasts lean, tapered lines, for a start, and a roomy interior with Perfect Position seats and elegant furnishings.
Art and tech studio Eyebeam opens calls for one-year residencies
The NYC-based nonprofit tech and art center Eyebeam has opened a call for residencies. If you're a budding artist or technologist who wants to create works like the anonymous thumbdrives that cropped up around the city almost a decade ago, you can apply on Eyebeam's website.
Trump’s science and tech report focuses on deregulation
Today, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released a report on what it considers to be the Trump administration's achievements in advancing science and tech over the past year. "The Trump administration is committed to advancing technological development and conducting research and development to ensure national security, grow the economy, create well-paying jobs and improve the lives of Americans across this great nation," says the report. "Over the past year, OSTP has led coordinated administration efforts to promote emerging technologies, empower Americans to innovate and defend American technologies abroad."
Ingestible gut sensors reveal potential new immune system
Ingestible technology -- the stalwart theme of medical sci-fi -- has been in the works for decades, but now researchers are closer than ever before to taking it mainstream thanks to successful trials of gas-sensing capsules. The swallowable sensors, designed by RMIT University in Australia, could revolutionize the way gut disorders and diseases are diagnosed and treated, offering a potential game-changer for the one-in-five people worldwide who will suffer from gastrointestinal problems in their lifetimes.
FCC Chairman Pai appoints a new chief technology officer
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced that Eric Burger would be joining the commission as its new chief technology officer. He's set to take over the position this month. Burger will be replacing Henning Schulzrinne who is returning to a Columbia University professorship after serving a second round as CTO since the end of 2016. He was also the FCC CTO from 2011 to 2014.
British warships will soon have Siri-like voice controls
British warships will soon integrate Siri-like voice systems into their controls, according to the head of the UK's Royal Navy. Speaking at the Defence and Security Equipment International exhibition -- one the biggest arms fairs in the world -- First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Phillip Jones said the Royal Navy wanted to embrace the speed at which warfare is being transformed by IT, and pointed to new Type-31 frigates as an example.
$550 dock turns a smartphone into a medical lab
Smartphones can now be used as laboratory-grade medical testing devices thanks to new kit designed by the University of Illinois. The transmission-reflectance-intensity (TRI) analyzer attaches to a smartphone to examine blood, urine or saliva samples as reliably as large, expensive equipment, but costs just $550. The technology uses a high-performance spectrometer. First, a fluid sample is illuminated by the phone's internal white LED flash, then the light is collected in an optical fiber. The light is then guided through a diffraction grating into the phone's rear-facing camera, and a reading is provided on-screen.
The Engadget Podcast Ep 37: Modern Things
On this episode senior editor Chris Velazco and social media manager Evan Rodgers join host Terrence O'Brien for the last ever video edition of The Engadget Podcast. From here on out the show is going audio only, which will allow the show to bring you a wider variety of guests from all over the country and the globe. But those aren't the only changes at the site. Engadget has a new editor chief and a renewed focus on doing what it does best: Bringing you the best and most important stories in tech. For example, on this week's show the panel discusses Facebook's ongoing problem with violent videos and livestreamed crimes. They'll even try to figure out who, ultimately, should be responsible for policing such content, if anyone. Then they'll dig deep... real deep on the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. TL;DR: They're amazing phones that should be on your shortlist and might even make you forget about the Note 7 debacle.
The Engadget Podcast Ep 36: Bad and Boujee
On this episode of the Engadget Podcast senior editor Cherlynn Low and executive editor Dana Wollman join host Terrence O'Brien to talk about some recent examples of bad corporate behavior. First the trio look the most recent developments at Uber, where days without controversy are increasingly rare. After that, they turn their attention to another perennial punching bag (and soon to be newest member of the Verizon family) Yahoo. The company's troubles aren't new. In fact the panel will be discussing just the latest fallout from a scandal surrounding political prisoners in China that dates back to 2007. Finally, on the Wind Down, Cherlynn reveals that gratuitous nudity isn't what makes an HBO show and Terrence wholeheartedly endorses the chaotic and experimental "pop." Then Dana offers her review of 1986's Little Shop of Horrors.
The Engadget Podcast Ep 35: TV Party
On this episode host Terrence O'Brien is joined by executive editor Dana Wollman and (eventually) senior editor Chris Velazco. They start by looking at the current state of cord cutting and weigh the value of YouTube's new live streaming TV package. Then they'll try to figure out what the benefit is of Netflix ditching its five star rating system for a simplified option of just thumbs up or thumbs down. Obviously you can watch YouTube and Netflix on an actual television, but portable screens are an increasingly important part of the media market. How does the new 2017 iPad stack up in that world of mobile media machines? Well, pretty good if you ask Chris -- at $329 it doesn't seem to have too many competitors. Lastly the trio sign off by recommending an album that will make you cry, a movie that will make you pee your pants and book you'll die before finishing.
Motherhood, nature and technology in 'Horizon Zero Dawn'
Horizon Zero Dawn is Guerrilla Games' first original creation since releasing the original Killzone in 2004. Not only is it Guerrilla's first foray into a brand-new universe in 13 years, but it's a completely new genre for the studio: an open-world, action RPG. These are generally massive games with intricate narratives and winding sidequests, as opposed to the constrained, linear nature of most first-person shooters. In order to make sense of a story in Horizon's vast open world, Guerrilla brought on Fallout: New Vegas lead writer John Gonzalez. Gonzalez helped create Aloy, Horizon's protagonist, and the massive landscape that she inhabits -- robot dinosaurs and all.
Obama's legacy: The most tech-savvy president
When Barack Obama moved into the White House on January 20th, 2009, the federal government was in the digital dark ages. Even as late as 2011, he was complaining that the White House was 30 years behind. Among other things, Obama was the first president to carry a BlackBerry, and even so, it wasn't until 2016 that the leader of the free world was finally able to trade in his aging RIM device for a modern smartphone. And, as the president was quick to point out in an interview with Jimmy Fallon, the unnamed phone is so locked down, it's like one of those "play phones" you'd give to a 3-year-old. Despite these hurdles, Obama made it one of his priorities to modernize the federal government on everything from telecommunications policy to White House IT. He tackled infrastructure, STEM education, net neutrality and climate change in serious and substantive ways. Of course, the president's efforts weren't always a rousing success, and on issues involving privacy, spying and drone usage, he faces lingering criticism from both ends of the political spectrum. But, love him or hate him, for better or worse, when it comes to science and technology, Barack Obama has had a bigger impact than almost any president in history.
President Obama's final bill is aimed at bringing tech to DC
The last bill President Barack Obama signed before leaving the Oval Office for good establishes a permanent pathway for technology innovators and entrepreneurs to work with the federal government across a variety of industries. The Presidential Innovation Fellows program was introduced as part of a bipartisan effort in 2012, and Obama's final signature makes it permanent.
The Engadget Challenge: 2017 edition
The most ridiculous spectacle to ever grace the Engadget stage is back as the Engadget Challenge returns for 2017. This time out, we're testing to see if people's knowledge of tech companies is as deep-rooted as their love of fast food. After all, since most toddlers can identify the McDonald's logo from 30 paces, we should be able to guess Twitter from a couple of vague hints, right? Right?
Tech workers unite against a potential US Muslim registry
Employees from large organizations across the technology industry have pledged to never help build a government database targeting individuals by race, religion or national origin, in response to extreme immigration proposals from US President-elect Donald Trump. The signatories come from companies including Google, IBM, Twitter, Mozilla and NVIDIA, though they don't represent the organizations themselves.
