Cool Stuff Found

Prepare for 64-Bit Mac Apps With Go64

Andrew Orr ·

Go64 is a free piece of software that checks your Mac for 32-bit apps, which won’t work after macOS Mojave. Although you can do this manually with System Report, Go64 goes further. It takes an inventory of the apps on your Mac and see which ones are still 32-bit. Then, it helps you visit the developer’s website or search the web for update/upgrade information. It then keeps track of upgrade costs so you can add 64-bit apps to your budget. It’s made by St. Clair Software, makers of other great Mac apps like App Tamer, Default Folder X, Jettison, and HistoryHound. Best of all, Go64 is completely free. Download: Go64

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Futurebook is a Parody Dystopian Social Media Site

Andrew Orr ·

Futurebook is a parody social media website by Open Rights Group. It aims to give people an example of what a future without privacy would look like. Yeah, even less privacy than we have today.

Futurebook is a parody social media website designed to warn users about how changes in Government policy could negatively impact rights to freedom of expression and privacy and disrupt user experiences online.

The website features disabled comments, invasive advertising, blocked content and throttled streaming. These are all potential outcomes of UK digital policy developments after leaving the European Union.

 

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Samsung says Galaxy Fold Screen is Fixed

Charlotte Henry ·

Samsung says it has fixed the Galaxy Fold, Bloomberg News reported. The device was beset with problems when it went to reviewers.

The world’s largest smartphone maker is now in the final stages of producing a commercial version but can’t yet pin down a date to begin sales, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be identified describing an internal effort. Samsung pulled the device after several publications including Bloomberg News reported problems with test versions, such as screen malfunctions that emerged after a film on the display was peeled off… It re-engineered the hinge, pushing it slightly upward from the screen (it’s now flush with the display) to help stretch the film further when the phone opens.

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TikTok Facing UK Investigation Over Use of Child Data

Charlotte Henry ·

TikTok, the social app popular with younger users, is under investigation for the way it handles personal data. UK authorities are looking into whether it prioritizes protecting children who use it, reported The Guardian.

Elizabeth Denham, the information commissioner, told a parliamentary committee the investigation began in February, prompted by a multimillion-dollar fine from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for similar violations. “We are looking at the transparency tools for children,” Denham said on Tuesday. “We’re looking at the messaging system, which is completely open, we’re looking at the kind of videos that are collected and shared by children online. We do have an active investigation into TikTok right now, so watch this space.”

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Mars Rover 2020 Getting Laser to Blast Rocks

Charlotte Henry ·

The Mars Rover, set to head into Space in 2020, is getting an overhaul CNET reported. One of the more eye-catching conditions is a laser that can zap rocks, which is part of the new SuperCam.

What does the SuperCam do? It’s the next-generation version of the ChemCam instrument installed on NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover, which is currently going about making its own discoveries on the Red Planet. According to NASA, the instrument’s camera, laser and spectrometers “can identify the chemical and mineral makeup of targets as small as a pencil point from a distance of more than 20 feet (6 meters).” NASA intends to put the SuperCam to good use examining Martian rocks and soil, in particular to seek out organic compounds that could be related to past life on Mars.