Blu settles with FTC over allegations of lax user data security

Unlocked mobile phone retailer Blu has settled with the FTC over allegations that it didn't protect consumers from a Chinese company that farmed their data and misled users about the extent of it. The device maker won't get slapped with a fine, but a...

'Stardew Valley' finally lets you farm with your friends

Stardew Valley fans, take note: You can finally put your friends to work in the farming sim, whether you have them hack away at your errant rocks, plant seeds or partner with you at the Flower Dance. The long-awaited multiplayer beta has finally arri...

Chinese authorities claim they can read deleted WeChat messages

China is clearly fond of its far-reaching surveillance, but it's making some particularly boastful claims. An anti-corruption watchdog in Hefei claimed that a division in a nearby city managed to obtain a "series of deleted WeChat conversations" fro...

Facebook data dispute reportedly prompts WhatApp founder's exit

WhatsApp's CEO Jan Koum posted on Facebook that he's leaving the company he helped found. But sources told The Washington Post that he's splitting after clashing with the messaging service's parent company, Facebook, over its desire to use WhatsApp's...

Video: Larry Harvey and JP Barlow on Burning Man and tech culture

Larry Harvey, founder of the counterculture festival Burning Man, passed away this weekend. He was 70. Harvey created a movement and contributed to the flowering both of counter-culture and, ultimately, of tech culture. Both he and John Perry Barlow, who also passed in February this year after a long period of ill health, were huge […]

WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum confirms he’s quitting Facebook

“It is time for me to move on . . . I’m taking some time off to do things I enjoy outside of technology, such as collecting rare air-cooled Porsches, working on my cars and playing ultimate frisbee” WhatsApp co-founder, CEO, and Facebook board member Jan Koum wrote today. The announcement followed shortly after The Washington Post reported […]

Malaysia’s fake news law has already led to a one-month jail sentence

The Malaysian law criminalizing the spread of fake news was enacted less than three weeks ago and the country has already charged an individual for violating it. Danish citizen Salah Salem Saleh Sulaiman was arrested and charged with spreading false...

Covee uses blockchain to allow experts worldwide to collaborate

Solving complex data-driven problems requires a lot of teamwork. But, of course, teamwork is typically restricted to companies where everyone is working under there same roof. While distributed teams have become commonplace in tech startups, taking that to the next level by linking up disparate groups of people all working on the same problem (but […]

This eco-friendly phone booth solves the biggest problem with open plan offices

Open plan offices are increasingly popular, and can be found in a diverse array of workplaces: from premium headphone manufacturers, to even international spy agencies. But they’re also, let’s face it, pretty awful. Proponents of the open-plan office design fête the fact that it permits greater collaboration — if you can see your co-workers, it’s easier to strike up a conversation with them and share new ideas. That’s good for company culture. However, the downsides more than outweigh that, as open plan offices are hugely distracting. Your productivity suffers if your concentration breaks whenever someone sneezes, or strikes up an…

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Stardew Valley multiplayer lets you turn your friends into laborers

Popular farming sim and Harvest Moon clone Stardew Valley has finally added the multiplayer mod. Now you can basically turn your friends into unpaid workers on your farm. It’s good fun as long as you’re not too concerned about the game’s story. Stardew Valley 1.3 update beta is now available for testing on Steam! Instructions here: https://t.co/zz4EGwGuHm — ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) April 30, 2018 Multiplayer is one of several features which developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone has been promising for two years. The game itself has changed radically since launch, adding new builds, maps, romantic interests, and items. If nothing else, the game is a study…

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Alexa exec calls it quits after five years at Amazon

After a five year stint at Amazon, Charlie Kindel — an exec instrumental to Alexa's stunningly effective home invasion — has called it quits. In a post on his personal blog published earlier today, Kindel cited the intense, frenetic pace...

Senate Democrats plan to push rollback of FCC’s new net neutrality rules in May

One of the several ways opponents of the FCC's new net neutrality rules plan to push back is to use the Congressional Review Act to nix the Commission's order before it has a chance to take effect. Although Democrats in the Senate are currently one vote short of success, they plan to force the vote soon anyway, perhaps as early as mid-May.

Google adds user reviews to help you decide on Assistant apps

Beyond automating your home through Routines and sending money to a friend, the capabilities of Google Assistant are expanding rapidly. So you don't waste time trying out lousy features, Google is letting users now post reviews on Assistant apps and...

Iran tells ISPs to block Telegram

Iranian officials have called for ISPs to block both the mobile and desktop versions of Telegram in the country. ISPs are also reportedly being instructed to block the messaging service in a way that can't be bypassed by a VPN. Reuters reports that I...

Discovering that deckhands make great waiters — and why this matters

Breakthroughs in HR tech are not only giving employers game-changing tools with which to enhance processes and attract the best talent, they’re also solving longstanding labor gremlins, such as gender pay parity and blind hiring.

Spam filters and AI help figure out what animals do all day

The pond-dwelling Hydra is not a very complex little animal but it does have a complex repertoire of moves that aren’t clear until after extensive human observation. Examining these moves took a long time and scientists were never sure that they had seen all of them. Now, thanks to an algorithm used to catch spam, […]

DNC launches tech marketplace for Democratic candidates

The Democratic National Committee is trying to help Democrats regain the pole position as the tech-savviest political party in the U.S. After getting Trumped in the 2016 election (pwned on security, data analysis and at the polls), the DNC is launching I Will Run, a marketplace for software, services and training to upgrade the campaigns […]

There’s something called Bacoin now

To paraphrase a saying popularized by countless dorm room stoners: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you use the hype around decentralized crypto economies to sell bacon.” The latest example of this age-old adage comes to us from Oscar Meyer and involves their exciting new cryp-faux-currency, Bacoin. […]

Chinese government admits collection of deleted WeChat messages

Chinese authorities revealed over the weekend that they have the capability of retrieving deleted messages from the almost universally used WeChat app. The admission doesn't come as a surprise to many, but it's rare for this type of questionable data collection tactic to be acknowledged publicly.

Twitter nabs live ESPN shows in new Disney deal

It's not just TV networks like Fox that are promising a host of live Twitter shows. Disney and Twitter have struck a deal that will bring a range of live shows to the social network. The pact will cover Disney's "entire" portfolio of entertainment,...

TSA's thirst for Instagram fame pays off with three Webby awards

Who do you think would win Webby awards for its social media marketing prowess? A cutting-edge brand that resonates with the young crowd? A superstar who can break the Internet with one picture? Actually, it's... the TSA. Yes, the same agency tha...

What’s coming to Netflix in May: Michelle Wolf's weekly talk show

While we still want a complete list of what's leaving Netflix, at least the streaming service provides a heads-up for what's in store. In May, we'll get a slew of new shows and old favorites, including additional seasons of The Unbreakable Kimmy Schm...

Fitbit partners with Google to send health data to doctors

Fitness wearables are about to become even more valuable thanks to a partnership between Fitbit and Google's Cloud for Healthcare. According to a report at TechCrunch, Fitbit will be able to send health data to doctors, who will then be able to monit...

Viacom launches studio dedicated to shows for YouTube and Facebook

Viacom has come a long, long way from the days when online video was seemingly its mortal enemy. The media giant has formally launched Digital Studios, a wing dedicated to (you guessed it) original internet shows. The initial programs in the works ar...

Tumblr and Etsy among those posting ‘red alerts’ for net neutrality

Fight for the Future has announced another day of action aimed at encouraging support of a Congressional vote to overturn the FCC's removal of net neutrality protections. In December, the FCC voted to overturn Obama-era net neutrality protections, a...

A fond farewell to our sister sites in Germany and Spain

When I started at Engadget in 2010, I saw the site as an opportunity: a publication with millions of readers that would pay me to write for a living. After months of rigorous training and countless hours spent in IRC with some of the most genuine and...