Tech Boys

The government of Donald Trump says it has recovered about 70% of those $1200 federal pandemic relief checks that were mistakenly sent to dead people. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) said Monday the Treasury Department told GAO that roughly 70% of the $1.6 billion in economic stimulus checks mailed to dead people has now been recovered. From AP : The GAO said it could not immediately verify that amount but said its auditors were working with Treasury to determine the exact number of payments that have been recovered. Treasury is also considering sending letters to request the return of the remaining outstanding payments, but has not moved forward with that effort yet, GAO said. Treasury said it was delaying that move because Congress is considering legislation that would clarify or make changes to payment eligibility requirements. MORE at the Associated Press: Administration: 70% of relief payments to the dead recovered from Boing Boing https://ift.tt/3jxLBYY via

A Microsoft sustainability campaign creates confusion. from CNET https://ift.tt/32CSjpS via IFTTT

Black Panther director Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan, the Russo brothers, Marvel Studios and many others honor the actor, who died after a four-year fight with colon cancer. from CNET https://ift.tt/3lIZu8T via IFTTT

Searching for a great show to watch tonight? Let's round up Amazon's best gems. from CNET https://ift.tt/3hj4VIH via IFTTT

Twitter's incredibly handy "Retweets with comments" feature is getting a rebranding, as well as becoming a tiny bit more convenient to use. Earlier this year, Twitter added the option to see retweets that include a comment without having to use an automated account such as @QuotedReplies . Now the feature has been renamed, ditching the descriptive but clunky "Retweets with comments" for the cleaner "Quote Tweets."  Quote Tweets also appear between the Retweets and Likes on a tweet now, making the feature slightly less annoying to access. Previously, you had to click to see the Retweets, then click "Retweets with comments" from there. Now, you can just jump straight to the drama. Read more... More about Twitter , Retweet , Tech , and Big Tech Companies from Mashable https://ift.tt/34XgpOG via IFTTT

Facebook users in Australia could lose their ability to share news on the social network, the company is warning. The threat is the result of a proposed law from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) that would require Facebook an... from Engadget RSS Feed https://ift.tt/31LoLHf via IFTTT

Illustration by James Bareham / The Verge Facebook plans to block the sharing of local and international news stories on its platforms if legislation requiring tech platforms to pay publishers for content becomes law, the company said in a blog post Monday. “Australia is drafting a new regulation that misunderstands the dynamics of the internet and will do damage to the very news organisations the government is trying to protect,” Will Easton, managing director of Facebook Australia and New Zealand wrote in the blog post, arguing that the commission overseeing the process “ignored important facts,” including the relationship between social media and news media. “Assuming this draft code becomes law, we will reluctantly stop allowing publishers and people in Australia from sharing local and international news on Facebook and Instagram.” Easton continued. “This is not our first choice — it is our last. But it is the only way to protect against an outcome that defies logic and will hu

A man wears a shirt calling for freedom for Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, the man who allegedly shot protesters in Wisconsin, during a US President Donald Trump Campaign Rally, the day after the end of the Republican National Convention, at Manchester airport in Londonderry, New Hampshire on August 28, 2020. JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images President Donald Trump, at a press conference on Monday, defended Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old supporter charged with double homicide in connection with the killing of two men in Kenosha, Wisconsin. "That was an interesting situation," Trump said. "He was trying to get away from them, I guess, it looks like, and he fell, and then they very violently attacked him." Trump did not mention that, prior to the scene he described, authorities say Rittenhouse had already shot and killed another person, according to a criminal complaint filed on Friday. Rittenhouse was charged with first-degree reckless homicide, first-degree inten

U.S. regulatory approval for UAV delivery tests brings Amazon Prime Air closer to goal of delivery times under 30 minutes Amazon.com said Monday its drone-based delivery service has received approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that allows the company to start testing commercial deliveries with its UAV fleet. Amazon Prime Air is the company's special service delivering packages in 30 minutes or less, reports Reuters : The company joins Alphabet Inc's unit Wing and United Parcel Service Inc to receive FAA approval for drone delivery, while other smaller companies are still seeking approval. "Amazon says it is still testing drones, and doesn't say when it expects to begin making deliveries to shoppers by air," reports AP . FAA says it has given Amazon permission to operate its Prime Air delivery drones; Amazon began testing the fleet in 2013, aiming to make deliveries in 30 mins ( @annierpalmer / CNBC) https://t.co/e0XaU8YMmL http

  Much was made during the Republican Convention of the lack of a party platform. The media characterized this as a capitulation to the Cult of Trump phenomenon, but the questioned begged was: so what? If you’re running as a candidate to disrupt the status quo…. But beneath the media framing, an important question emerges. What exactly is the platform we need to emerge from the toxic situation we find ourselves in? For months, if not years, the technology industry has been working on a new platform to succeed the previous one. Mobile would seem to be that fundamental shift from the desktop world of Windows and PCs. The twin dominance of powerful phones by Google and Apple has created a new language of notifications and streaming video perfectly timed for the devastating pandemic. Our devices are now the front lines for managing the struggle to stay alive for our loved ones, the economy, and our future. Zoom is of course the poster child for all that it enables, and certainly what

Illustration by James Bareham / The Verge Facebook plans to block the sharing of local and international news stories on its platforms if legislation requiring tech platforms to pay publishers for content becomes law, the company said in a blog post Monday. “Australia is drafting a new regulation that misunderstands the dynamics of the internet and will do damage to the very news organisations the government is trying to protect,” Will Easton, managing director of Facebook Australia and New Zealand wrote in the blog post, arguing that the commission overseeing the process “ignored important facts,” including the relationship between social media and news media. “Assuming this draft code becomes law, we will reluctantly stop allowing publishers and people in Australia from sharing local and international news on Facebook and Instagram.” Easton continued. “This is not our first choice — it is our last. But it is the only way to protect against an outcome that defies logic and will hu

Image via XDA-developers Google’s Chromecast is a fantastic way to fling streaming video from phone to TV — but these days, you can often get a Roku Streaming Stick or Amazon Fire Stick with a dedicated remote control for the same money. But what if Google launched an Android TV dongle with its own remote control for the same $50 you’d pay for a high-end Roku or Fire stick? That’s exactly what 9to5Google seems to have discovered , thanks to a new Home Depot leak. The home improvement story briefly listed a Google “Sabrina” for $49.99, and 9to5Google ’s sources were able to provide pictures of that price tag in the Home Depot’s internal systems as well. Sabrina, of course, would be that Android TV dongle that leaked in June , only to seemingly appear again at the FCC just last week , ahead of a rumored “summer” launch alongside the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G . Mind you, summer is now “fall” since Google already said that’s when the phones will actually come out . We can’t be 100 per

Weather postponed the launch Sunday, but SpaceX will go for its 10th Starlink launch in 2020 on Thursday. from CNET https://ift.tt/3jzJOCC via IFTTT

President Trump's executive action starts tomorrow, although some employers won't be ready. from CNET https://ift.tt/3jvHBrZ via IFTTT

Everything you need to know before you take off. from CNET https://ift.tt/31IG37W via IFTTT

The studio remembers the Black Panther actor, who died Friday at 43. from CNET https://ift.tt/3bigEoL via IFTTT

Your child needs a comfortable face mask created with their specific proportions in mind. Luckily, you can easily find lots of fun sizes and styles online. from CNET https://ift.tt/3jxeR29 via IFTTT

Commentary: The groundbreaking device is impressive, but where is the data? from CNET https://ift.tt/32X2l5x via IFTTT

A second $1,200 maximum check from the IRS still seems possible, but some large questions remain. The original CARES Act can offer clues as to what a second round of payments might look like. from CNET https://ift.tt/32LZsEx via IFTTT

TikTok is making it easier for creators to turn looped video streams into pure American profit.  The embattled social media company announced Monday that it had entered into a new partnership with the customized online merch platform Teespring . The integration will allow creators to include links to their Teespring products directly in their videos. TikTokkers with hearty followings already frequently link to personal merchandise stores in their bios. Selling merch like clothing, as well as digital tutorials or templates, is a popular way for independent creators to earn cash from the people who consume their content for free. The new Teespring integration builds on what creators are already doing themselves with an official and more streamlined tool. Read more... More about Commerce , Tiktok , Tech , Consumer Tech , and Social Media Companies from Mashable https://ift.tt/2GfnLD8 via IFTTT

Twitter’s ever-evolving approach to conversation on its platform has another tweak, as now you’ll see a Quote Tweet button in between the count of Retweets and Likes when you zoom in on a particular tweet. The standardized quote tweet arrived about f... from Engadget RSS Feed https://ift.tt/34RAo1d via IFTTT

Image via XDA-developers Google’s Chromecast is a fantastic way to fling streaming video from phone to TV — but these days, you can often get a Roku Streaming Stick or Amazon Fire Stick with a dedicated remote control for the same money. But what if Google launched an Android TV dongle with its own remote control for the same $50 you’d pay for a high-end Roku or Fire stick? That’s exactly what 9to5Google seems to have discovered , thanks to a new Home Depot leak. The home improvement story briefly listed a Google “Sabrina” for $49.99, and 9to5Google ’s sources were able to provide pictures of that price tag in the Home Depot’s internal systems as well. Sabrina, of course, would be that Android TV dongle that leaked in June , only to seemingly appear again at the FCC just last week , ahead of a rumored “summer” launch alongside the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G . Mind you, summer is now “fall” since Google already said that’s when the phones will actually come out . We can’t be 100 per

Mulan heads to Disney Plus, Ridley Scott has a new HBO Max series, The Boys are back on Amazon Prime and more. from CNET https://ift.tt/3gKNfEZ via IFTTT

President Donald Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan June 28, 2019. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters The Justice Department made an effort to curtail the 2017 investigation into Russian election interference, The New York Times reported Tuesday. Former Justice Department and FBI officials told The Times that former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein secretly narrowed the investigation by ordering special counsel Robert Mueller to conduct the investigation as criminal, not counterintelligence. Citing journalist Jeffrey Toobin's book that first reported their conversation, Rosenstein told Mueller: "I love Ken Starr. But his investigation was a fishing expedition. Don't do that. This is a criminal investigation. Do your job, and then shut it down." The Times report comes after a bipartisan report by the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee  found that former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was a &quo

Here are the best smart home devices for your yard. from CNET https://ift.tt/32GkvYN via IFTTT

If your current office chair is causing you pain, it might be time for an upgrade. from CNET https://ift.tt/3hHnLcY via IFTTT

CBS All Access just released the first teaser for 10-part miniseries The Stand , based on the post-apocalyptic fantasy novel by Stephen King. In The Stand , groups with opposing ideas of what society should be clash in the wake of a deadly pandemic, leading to significant repercussions for humanity's future. The book was originally released in 1978, but its themes are unsettlingly relevant to 2020. The Stand 's 30-second trailer doesn't give away much, mainly featuring people wandering eerily abandoned streets or experiencing emotional distress. We do get a good look at Whoopi Goldberg as spiritual leader Abagail Freemantle though, as well as Alexander Skarsgård's supernaturally powered Randall Flagg. Read more... More about Trailers , Stephen King , Cbs All Access , The Stand , and Entertainment from Mashable https://ift.tt/32ElHfn via IFTTT

The most capable computer on board a UK fighting platform, the F-35 jet, can perform 400 billion operations per second. You could find better in a truck from WIRED UK https://ift.tt/2YOKblb via IFTTT

Tenet is finally out. But it's not Nolan's best (at least, in our opinion) from WIRED UK https://ift.tt/3jxF80n via IFTTT

If your new normal means an e-bike commute to work, we have the kit for you from WIRED UK https://ift.tt/3hNKZy0 via IFTTT

AirAsia’s Tony Fernandes is expanding into banking, music and e-payments to help tackle the travel slump. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/31HAbMf via Technology

FILE - In this Feb. 6, 2020 file photo, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers holds a news conference in Madison, Wis. Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' administration is moving ahead with plans to buy 10,000 ventilators and 1 million protective masks in the fight against the coronavirus. The effort comes after Evers' administration had clashed with Republican lawmakers over whether he needed their permission to make such purchases. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP, File) Associated Press Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers asked President Donald Trump in a letter to "reconsider" his visit to Kenosha, saying he is concerned Trump's "presence will only hinder our healing." In a letter sent to the White House Sunday, Evers wrote that he was also concerned that an in-person visit from the president "will require a massive re-direction" of resources to support his visit "at a time when it is critical that we continue to remain focused on keeping

Face masks are a crucial weapon in the fight against the spread of coronavirus. But if you're Lady Gaga, they're also a weapon in the fight against being boring. You didn't think Mother Monster was going to come to the MTV Video Music Awards to serve you a plain square of fabric, did you? No, Ms Stefani Germanotta came prepared . She stepped out onto the VMAs' distanced drive-in stage to accept Artist of the Year, Collaboration of the Year and Song of the Year for "Rain On Me" with Ariana Grande, and the first-ever Tricon Award, whatever that was. And she had a fresh and wildly extra outfit each time, and an extra mask to match. Read more... More about Lady Gaga , Vmas , Face Masks , Entertainment , and Music from Mashable https://ift.tt/3lAKRnE via IFTTT

Bill Pugliano/Getty Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway disclosed a $6 billion bet on five of Japan's biggest trading companies in a press release on Sunday night . The billionaire investor's company revealed that it owns just over 5% of Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Itochu, Marubeni, and Sumitomo. "I am delighted to have Berkshire Hathaway participate in the future of Japan and the five companies we have chosen for investment," Buffett said in the statement. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories . Warren Buffett marked his 90th birthday on Sunday by revealing a $6 billion investment in five of Japan's largest trading companies. The famed investor's Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate has built passive stakes of just over 5% in each of Itochu, Marubeni, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, and Sumitomo over the past 12 months, it said in a press release . Its National Indemnity subsidiary made the investments and will officially notify Japanese regulators o