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Mui is an interactive wooden panel that can control your smart home https://ift.tt/2CZu7n9 Forget E Ink or OLED screens. Now, the hottest new display is a piece of wood. With the Mui interactive wooden display, which is now funding on Kickstarter, you can choose a Sanded Sycamore, Cherry, Maple, or Ash panel to send and receive messages, check the news and weather, and control your smart home. Via IFTTT, it can also connect to a Google Home, Amazon Echo, Philips Hue, Sonos, and other smart home services. We got an early preview of Mui last year, and we came away impressed with its elegant design and concept. The display is activated when you touch the surface, showing a minimal menu that disappears when the panel goes back into sleep mode. Early adopters can back Mui for $499. Its price will go up to $999 when it ships, which is planned for September 2019. Mui is also offering a $999 developer version that comes with the Mui SDK and a Raspberry Pi connector so you can work with the company to develop new IFTTT triggers and actions. An “internet-connected block of wood” is a funny thought until you realize how seamlessly the display can blend into your home. Mui’s biggest strength is its ability to integrate digital platforms into everyday life in a warm, non-intrusive way. “Most homes and offices today are designed to accommodate technology, rather than to focus on the needs of humans who use the spaces,” the company writes on its Kickstarter page. “We created Mui to reverse that trend, to make digital more nature-centric.” Mui is funding now on Kickstarter, and it’s planned to ship in September 2019. As always, use your best judgment when backing crowdfunded products, as they can experience delays or fail to ship completely. Gadget News via The Verge https://ift.tt/1jLudMg October 22, 2018 at 11:03AM
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Microsoft's $7.5 Billion Acquisition of GitHub Approved by the EU https://ift.tt/2CxK03l Gadget News via gadgets - Google News https://ift.tt/2zdEA80 October 22, 2018 at 10:55AM
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Save big on iTunes gift cards in the U.S. and Canada https://ift.tt/2JbKOvM Here's a chance to get some "free" iTunes money! Buyers of apps, media, and more in the U.S. and Canada rejoice, as we have an awesome opportunity to score a saving on iTunes gift cards today for both regions. These deals are only available for a limited time, so act fast to make sure you don't miss out. American readers can pick up a $100 iTunes gift card for just $85 off via PayPal's Digital Gifts store on eBay. A 15% discount is about as good as it gets when it comes to gift cards, so it's a great opportunity to save on your favourite apps and media. The digital code will be emailed to you within a few hours of your purchase. Above the border, Canadian iTunes users can save big at Costco. Members can snag a $25 gift card for $21.49 or a $100 gift card for just $83.49. For maximum savings, it's best to opt for the $200 gift card which is just $164.99 saving you $35. These prices are limited to today only and your code will be sent to you shortly after buying. Grabbing a discount on an iTunes gift card doesn't just let you save on apps and digital music or movies from the App or iTunes Stores. You can also subscribe to services like Hulu, Apple Music, or Spotify through iTunes, and any iTunes gift cards you have redeemed can be applied to those subscriptions. If you have a favorite game on your mobile device which includes microtransactions, these savings can be passed along to those purchases, too. As always, keep your eyes locked on Thrifter for all the best U.S. deals. For more Canada-specific deals coverage, be sure to check out Thrifter CA, sign up for the Canadian newsletter and follow the team on Twitter. Gadget News via iMore - Learn more. Be more. https://www.imore.com/ October 22, 2018 at 10:54AM
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China will soon require blockchain users to register with their government IDs https://ift.tt/2ODp3Ls China’s central government has drafted a new regulation that would strip blockchains of their anonymity, requiring users to provide their real names and national ID card numbers when registering for a blockchain service. Trading Bitcoin is already banned in the country, but the policy will place significant restrictions on ongoing blockchain development. On Friday, the Cyberspace Administration of China, the country’s internet regulator, released a draft of the policy, which would also require blockchain services to remove “illegal information” quickly before it spreads among users. The services will also be required to retain backups of user data for six months and provide them to law enforcement whenever necessary. Users who break the nation’s laws will be warned, have access to their accounts restricted, or have their accounts shut down, depending on what service providers deem appropriate. The new rules are open to comment from the public until November 2nd, but it’s not clear when the policy will be enacted. It’s also less than obvious whether Beijing will take the comments into consideration and modify the policy in any way. China moved to ban domestic bitcoin exchanges last year, including all initial coin offerings and launches of digital currencies. In February, it eliminated cryptocurrency trading altogether by banning foreign exchanges, although the development of blockchain technology was still allowed. But the government’s policies on blockchain have been more favorable in the past. A July internet industry report from the South China Morning Post and 500 Startups Greater China found that the Chinese government was supportive of blockchain services — at least on the local level. Being technologically forward-thinking, startup central Shenzhen and Alibaba’s hometown of Hangzhou established large blockchain funds. It now appears that this aspect of forward thinking will come with some additional caveats that challenge one of blockchain’s core advantages: privacy and anonymity. These kinds of restrictions can already be seen within China’s mobile payments industry. Unlike PayPal, WeChat Pay requires users to register with a bank card or a national ID for over 1000 RMB ($143.99) in order to use the service. Weibo and other web services have a similar policy: you’re prompted to enter a Chinese phone number at minimum. There have been two notable instances this year where Chinese users were able to subvert state censors through the blockchain. In April, student activists took to the Ethereum blockchain to post an open letter about sexual assault and harassment that was written by a student who had been threatened by her college not to talk. In July, Chinese internet users who were angry about low-quality vaccines published a viral news article on the blockchain in order to preserve it from censorship. Both the letter and article are still available on the blockchain, likely to the chagrin of internet regulators. Gadget News via The Verge https://ift.tt/1jLudMg October 22, 2018 at 10:48AM
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Time to try the Instant Pot Ultra pressure cooker on sale for $120 today https://ift.tt/2POwlbZ The Instant Pot Ultra 8-quart 10-in-1 programmable pressure cooker is on sale for $119.95 as part of Amazon's daily deals. This pressure cooker normally sells for around $180 and has never sold for less than $140 before. The drop to $120 marks a new low, even if it is temporary. Today's deal makes it cost the same as the 3-quart version. An eight-quart pressure cooker makes a lot of food. If you regularly cook for six or more people, then go for it. With 10 different uses, this pot can be a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, cake maker, egg cooker, saute, steamer, warmer, and sterilizer. Some of the features include an altitude adjustment, cooking indicator, and steam release. The pot's embedded microprocessor monitors pressure, temperature, time, and more. Users give it 4.4 stars based on 1,561 reviews.If you need some ideas on what to do with it, this Instant Pot cookbook we've shared before is free right now on Amazon. This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for more details. Gadget News via iMore - Learn more. Be more. https://www.imore.com/ October 22, 2018 at 10:42AM
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eBay launches a new smartphone trade-in service with instant payouts https://ift.tt/2AmkvjU eBay announced its new Instant Selling program for smartphones today, which will allow users to list their old phone on the platform and immediately receive an eBay voucher in return. eBay says it’s offering higher return rates than Gazelle, EcoATM, AT&T Trade-in, Apple Give Back, and Verizon Trade-in. For a 64GB unscratched, unlocked iPhone X, for example, you can get up to $490 on Gazelle, $260 on EcoATM, $450 through AT&T Trade-in, $525 through Apple Give Back, and $500 through Verizon Trade In; eBay values the iPhone X at $679. For a 64GB unscratched Samsung Galaxy S8, you can get $185 through Gazelle, $85 through EcoATM, $180 through AT&T Trade-in, and $185 through Verizon. (Apple doesn’t accept the S8.) eBay offers $271. eBay seems to pay more for both devices, but you should definitely shop around to determine where you might get the most for your phone. Also, obviously, you have to decide whether you actually want an eBay voucher. Eligible phones right now include:
The company says it’ll add T-Mobile, Sprint, Google Pixel, and select LG products to that list in November. If you’re interested in checking out what your device might be worth on eBay, you can visit ebay.com/s/phone and enter your device information. If you keep following through, you’ll be prompted to upload photos and then accept the terms to ship your device to eBay. The company put out a video showing how the service works. You can watch it below: Gadget News via The Verge https://ift.tt/1jLudMg October 22, 2018 at 10:41AM
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Self-driving school bus project shut down by the government https://ift.tt/2yU1pQ6 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has shut down a self-driving school bus project in Florida, calling it “unlawful.” It’s one of the most forceful interventions by the Department of Transportation in the early days of autonomous vehicles. The news was first reported by Jalopnik. The North American arm of international transportation company Transdev was using one of its pod-like electric autonomous shuttles — called the EasyMile Easy10 Gen II — to carry up to 12 school children at a time. The test was taking place in Babcock Ranch, a tech-forward community in Florida that claims to be the country’s first solar-powered town. A spokesperson for Transdev could not be reached for comment. Transdev was granted permission in March to import the shuttle for “testing and demonstration purposes,” according to the NHTSA. It has also operated autonomous shuttles in Babcock Ranch since the beginning of the year. But the government says Transdev never mentioned plans to use the shuttle as a school bus, though the company widely promoted the effort. “School buses are subject to rigorous Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards that take into account their unique purpose of transporting children, a vulnerable population,” the agency writes. Transdev’s early version of the pilot program had the shuttle pick up kids at a designated area and drop them off at school, all while traveling at around eight miles per hour (with a safety supervisor on board). Ultimately, according to Transdev, the goal was to make the service more demand-responsive, offering door-to-door rides via an app. The intervention from the NHTSA is one of the first we’ve seen from the agency, which has taken a fairly hands-off approach to regulating the development and testing of self-driving veh dating back to the Obama administration. “Innovation must not come at the risk of public safety,” Heidi King, deputy administrator of the NHTSA, said in a statement. “Using a non-compliant test vehicle to transport children is irresponsible, inappropriate, and in direct violation of the terms of Transdev’s approved test project.” Lisa Hall, a spokesperson for Babcock Ranch, said in a statement to The Verge that students have only been able to ride the shuttle on specific days. Otherwise, they walk or ride bikes to school. “They will be disappointed as they have enjoyed being ‘pioneers’ of this new technology, and I am sure look forward, as we do, to resolving any concerns or misunderstandings about this project,” Hall says. “The shuttle is being piloted as public transportation offered by the community for the convenience of our residents. Safety has been and continues to be our top priority.” Gadget News via The Verge https://ift.tt/1jLudMg October 22, 2018 at 10:41AM
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Germany calls for global minimum tax on large tech companies https://ift.tt/2R7D9RV German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz has called for a global minimum tax on large technology companies, The Telegraph reports, and it's a move aimed at ensuring tech firms pay taxes in the countries in which they generate revenue rather than only in the countries where they're headquartered. "We need a worldwide minimum tax level that no state may go below," Scholz told Welt am Sonntag. "We require coordinated mechanisms which prevent the displacement of revenues to tax havens." Large companies like Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon have tended to establish European headquarters in countries with low corporate tax rates, such as Ireland and Luxembourg. But that hasn't stopped other countries, including France, Italy and the UK, from pursuing tax revenue that they feel they're owed. Germany's call comes as Europe is considering an interim tax on revenue generated by digital companies within the European Union. Under the plan, firms earning at least €750 million globally and €50 million inside the EU per year would be subject to a three percent tax until a more long-term solution was put into place. While Germany was a strong backer of the interim tax initially, it has since called for debate on the plan. Scholz has worked with France and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development on the global minimum tax plan. However, even if other nations back the standard, it would take quite some time to implement. In the meantime, France's Finance Minister, Bruno Le Maire, who has led the push for the EU interim tax, is calling for the EU to make a decision on how to tax these large tech companies by the end of the year. And Austria, which currently holds the EU presidency, has put the issue at the top of its agenda. To accommodate those, like Germany, that are seeking a global minimum tax agreement, France has proposed a sunset clause for the EU digital tax plan, which would end the tax once a global strategy is reached. Via: The Telegraph Gadget News via Engadget http://www.engadget.com October 22, 2018 at 10:36AM
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iPhone XR won't just buoy holiday quarter, but the beginning of 2019 as well https://ift.tt/2ytmr8V Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is seeing better pre-order demand for the iPhone XR than the iPhone 8, with the analyst noting that other supply chain and retail monitors may be misinterpreting consumer behaviors. Gadget News via AppleInsider - Frontpage News http://appleinsider.com October 22, 2018 at 10:17AM new gadgets https://ift.tt/2NUEzxb
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