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Twitter pushes trending news to the top of your feed
As Facebook fights its own fake news problem, Twitter looks like it's interested in finding more ways to push news content to its microblogging service. According to a report at BuzzFeed, Twitter has confirmed that it is testing new algorithm-curated timelines when big events happen, then putting tweets from news organizations and other users at the top of your timeline. So far, Twitter says humans are involved in story selection, but a Twitter spokesperson told BuzzFeed that it could be come only algorithmic in the future.
The software Stephen Hawking uses to talk to the world is now free
For almost 20 years, Intel has been building technology to help Stephen Hawking communicate with the world -- and now the company is making the same software the world renowned physicist uses to write books, give speeches and talk available to everybody. For free.
Stephen Hawking is hosting a week-long Q&A on Reddit next week
Have a question for one of the smartest men on the planet? Mark your calendar: on Monday July 27th at 8am ET, Stephen Hawking will be taking questions from the public in his first ever Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything). If you can't make it Monday, don't worry about it, he'll be answering questions for over a week -- a first for the forum's Q&A community.
World Science Festival kicks off June 2nd in NYC
If you're in the New York City area during the upcoming week, you really might want to think about trying to score yourself some tix to the World Science Festival. We've never been ourselves, and we have to say that our interest -- based on the description of the events -- is seriously piqued. The Festival was started Brian Greene (the physicist, not the guy from 90210) and his wife, and will run from June 2nd to the 6th. It will kick off with a gala event featuring Stephen Hawking, and will host a wide variety of talks over the week, covering topics like the science of sound, the science of Star Trek, and whether or not it's possible that we're all holograms. We're hoping to try to hit at least one of these events ourselves (though we do have a busy week ahead), but we suggest you check out the source link for full details yourself.
Stephen Hawking unveils the most morbid, amazing $1.8m clock you'll ever see
We'll warn you in advance, this is only for those who dig the weird, all things Stephen Hawking or clock-making in general. This £1 million ($1.83 million) timepiece took seven years to completely construct, and the initiative was led by inventor John Taylor who designed it in tribute to John Harrison (only the world's greatest clockmaker, it's said). The bizarre Corpus Clock visually explains that it relies on grasshopper escapement to function, and to let you know that time can never be regained once lost, that beast on top actually gobbles down time every 60th second. Oh, and every hour, on the hour, the sound of a "chain dropping into a wooden coffin" is played to really pound home the "time is a destroyer" concept. Thanks for the reminder, Dr. Grim.[Via Switched]
Hawking reveals HomeRemote Pro monitoring solution
Merely months after Hawking finally got its act together and began shipping out the HomeRemote, the firm is already upping the ante with a new model at CES. Logically dubbed the HomeRemote Pro, this iteration weds IP and Z-Wave technologies to enable users to control lighting, access control, video monitoring, climate control and entertainment -- and that's just for starters. The system also touts a new web server-based system that reportedly "allows for true plug and play installation," and yes, there's already a slew of peripherals (lamp / appliance modules, door sensors and motion detectors) ready to snag as you futilely attempt to quell your paranoia. Users can grab their own starter kit while looking over a shoulder next month for $200, and considering that you can keep an eye on things even from a cellphone, you really won't ever have to wave goodbye when leaving home.
Hawking starts shipping the HomeRemote Z-Wave / Wi-Fi home controller
It took them a year and a half, but Hawking Technologies has finally started shipping the HomeRemote, that net-enabled Z-Wave controller that can be acessed via any web browser -- even a cellphone browser. Looking a little sleeker than before, the $229 box serves as the master controller for all those Z-Wave devices you have in your house, and runs a slick web interface so you can turn your lights on and open the garage door from anywhere in the world. Add in the $179 HomeRemote camera and the system will also stream video -- we're not sure how good it'll look over "any cellphone web browser" but Hawking says it'll work just fine. Make sure to check the read link for Hawking's hilarious promo video in which the video feature is used to futilely monitor a dog eating a shoe -- down, Fluffy!
Stephen Hawking's going Zero-G on April 16th
It's not quite a ride on Branson's Virgin Galactic but Stephen Hawking is finally getting his chance to leave terra firma. The world famous theoretical physicist has hitched a ride with Zero-G on April 16th. The specially modified 727-200 will take off from the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The craft will perform a number of parabolic maneuvers in flight to create a Mars-like, moon-like, and zero-g gravity experience -- a flight lasting 90 minutes in total. A brief history of time, indeed. [Warning: PDF link][Via The Inquirer]
Hawking's HNC290G wireless webcam sets itself up
Not that a top-5-percenter like yourself really needs your gear to set itself up, but it's always a nicety to save yourself a few minutes doing the configuration dance when your device can do it for you. Hawking's new HNC290G Net-Vision 802.11g wireless camera does that whole UPnP thing to throw up its live 30fps video stream automagically, making it ever easier for you to surveil your abode (or, if need be, surveil someone else's). Expect to ring it up for $130 come August 4th.
Hawking's Wireless-108G MIMO for Macs
While rumors of a MIMO or otherwise high-speed networking tech to replace Apple's aging Airport Express wireless networking products have been bandied about, actual products still do a bit more to actually boost networking speeds. Hawking Technology's new Hi-Gain Wireless-108G aims to do just that, though from the looks of it they don't offer a compatible 108G wireless card to take full advantage of the speed boost. The router is rather equipped to get the most out of a multi-user 54G network by boosting range up to 3x, stabilising connections and penetrating dead zones. Of course, most MIMO routers claim a similar collection of enhancements, and Hawking's compatible Hi-Gain range-boosting adapters are merely 54G, but it might be just the bump your network needs until those Airport ExpressErer products come along.
