Since 1998, a patent on the connection of sexual-stimulant devices to computers, phones, or tablets has stunted innovation in the sector. The patent strictly protected the—arguably overly broad—idea behind the “method and device for interactive virtual control of sexual aids using digital computer networks.” The owners of the patent, in the eyes of analysts and competitors, seemed to own it solely to troll smaller companies …
Category: Tech
How Lava Lamps Are Helping in the Fight Against Hackers
One timestamped relic is now helping a web security firm fend off the most skilled hackers: lava lamps. Believe it or not, the shapeshifting novelty invented in 1963 is experiencing another renaissance. Cloudflare is filming a lava lamp—along with a pendulum in London and a Geiger counter in Singapore—and then using the shots to randomly generate pixels for a “super-powered cryptographic key.” The reason for …
Getty Images Develops AI to Help Newsrooms
As newsrooms churn out stories quicker than ever, photo editors are tasked with putting in the final touches without much hesitation. To meet the content standards of modern audiences, and the pace of the content creators, Getty Images is developing an Artificial Intelligence that will present the most applicable images by simply scanning the text–no longer are strenuous searches required. When the AI finishes its …
Sonos Creates New Bell for the Stock Exchange
When challenged with changing the chime, the team wanted to give it some soul
This morning, for the first time in the Nasdaq bell’s 18-year history, a brand new sound will kick off trading. Created by the talented sound experience team at Sonos (made up of music producers, sound designers, scientists and audio engineers), the new chime has “some soul wrapped around it,” says Chris Jenkins, who explains the main goal was to make a provocative sound. After much …
France to Ban Smartphones at Schools
It began in 2017: French officials imposed a law that limited how frequently and in what manner employers may contact employees outside of office hours. Now, the French government is setting their sights on schools. Smartphone-less students, they believe, will improve classroom efficiency, effectiveness and, on a broader level, preserve the “sanctity” of the classroom and learning experience. This new law will, however, make “exceptions …