Places and Things

Apple is now the world’s most valuable publicly traded company Apple is now the world’s most valuable publicly traded company, passing Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco. As of close of business Friday, Apple has a market valuation of $1.84 trillion, while Saudi Aramco’s is $1.76 trillion, according to CNBC. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/31/21350154/apple-worlds-most-valuable-company-saudi-aramco

Why Are Blue Whales So Gigantic? “We are truly living in a time of giants.” Lofty language like this doesn’t happen often in scientific literature. But the person who wrote them, biologist Jeremy Goldbogen, understands: When it comes to writing about whales, the scale and mystery of their lives can be difficult to overstate. Continue Reading . . . https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-are-blue-whales-so-gigantic/

Google is now making it easier to find Black-owned businesses Google is launching a new tool that allows businesses to identify themselves as Black-owned through the company’s Maps and Search listings. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/31/21348990/google-black-owned-businesses-maps-search

Google parent company Alphabet sees its first revenue decline in history Google parent company Alphabet warned in last quarter that it was expecting to see the impact of coronavirus in the second quarter results, and it was: the company saw its first revenue decline in its history. But it managed to beat Wall Street’s revenue expectations. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/30/21345014/google-youtube-alphabet-revenue-decline-q2

Oh hey, they make Baby Yoda ears for your Echo Dot now Attention fans of Star Wars, The Mandalorian or just Baby Yoda: if you own a third-generation Amazon Echo Dot, OtterBox has a stand that bestows your device with the likeness of The Child. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/baby-yoda-ears-echo-dot-200525326.html

Peacock has added 10 million customers since April Comcast’s new Peacock streaming service has added 10 million customers since its limited launch in April and national launch in mid-July. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/30/21345031/comcast-peacock-cable-second-quarter-earnings-customers

How to watch NASA launch its next rover to Mars today On Thursday morning, NASA is scheduled to launch its next rover to Mars, the beginning of a years-long mission to figure out if the Red Planet ever hosted life. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/30/21346536/nasa-mars-2020-perseverance-rover-launch-watch-live-how-to

A stowaway helicopter on NASA’s Mars rover will attempt the first flight on another world When NASA’s latest Mars rover, Perseverance, launches this week, the robot will have a tiny stowaway on board: a small box-shaped helicopter. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/29/21339544/nasa-mars-helicopter-ingenuity-perseverance-rover-flight-date

Strongest Evidence Yet Shows Air Pollution Kills As California’s Camp Fire raged in 2018, soot and other pollution filled the skies. Particulate matter concentrations widely surged above 12 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3), pushing them into the Environmental Protection Agency’s “unhealthy” range. Continue Reading . . . https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/strongest-evidence-yet-shows-air-pollution-kills/

Sony α7S III: Hands-On & First Impressions The new and exciting features found in the Sony α7S III provide creators with limitless possibilities to create. Several had already had the opportunity to test out the α7S III in advance of its announcement and are sharing their first impressions of the camera online. Continue Reading . . . https://www.mikezpix.net/post/sony-α7s-iii-hands-on-first-impressions

Movies Anywhere is the latest service to add a viewing party feature Movies Anywhere is rolling out a new “Watch Together” viewing party feature for its movie locker apps, allowing multiple users to sync up and enjoy a film together. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/28/21345413/movies-anywhere-viewing-party-feature-watch-together-screen-pass-lending-app

Rite Aid used facial recognition in secret across hundreds of its stores Drugstore chain Rite Aid secretly deployed facial recognition software across a network of security cameras in hundreds of locations in the US, according to a new investigation from Reuters published on Tuesday. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/28/21345185/rite-aid-facial-recognition-surveillance-spying

Cuphead gets a creepy stop-motion trailer to announce surprise PS4 launch Cuphead, the hard-as-nails run-and-gun platform game, is coming to the PlayStation 4 today. Studio MDHR announced the game’s arrival on Sony’s console with a fun (and kind of creepy) stop-motion trailer featuring Cuphead and the evil King Dice. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/28/21345128/cuphead-sony-ps4-launch-stop-motion-trailer

CES will go ‘online only’ for 2021 The Consumer Technology Association has announced that CES will no longer go ahead in January 2021 as previously planned. CES is the world’s biggest consumer technology show, dominating much of the news agenda at the start of the year. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/ces-2021-las-vegas-cancelled-143036671.html

Sony Announces World’s First CFexpress Type A Memory Card With High-speed Performance and Tough Durability – Today, Sony Electronics Inc. announced a new generation of media — the world’s first CFexpress Type A memory cards, in both 80GB and 160GB, (CEA-G80T and CEA-G160T) as the most recent addition to Sony’s TOUGH specification cards. Continue Reading . . . https://alphauniverse.com/stories/sony-announces-world-s-first-cfexpress-type-a-memory-card-with-high-speed-performance-and-tough-durability/

Sony Announces The α7S III: Redefining The Possibilities For Creatives Key Features Newly developed BIONZ XR™ image processing engine with eight times more processing power and a brand new 12.1-megapixel (approx. Continue Reading . . . https://alphauniverse.com/stories/sony-announces-the-a7s-iii-redefining-the-possibilities-for-creatives/

Animal Crossing’s next summer update adds dreaming and cloud saves The promised second summer update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons is coming very soon, and it brings with it some exciting changes. According to Nintendo, the two big gameplay additions are the ability to dream and new fireworks shows. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/28/21344877/animal-crossing-new-horizons-august-update-dreaming-cloud-backup

Nikon Announces the Full-Frame Z5 With a Sub-$1500 Price Last week, Nikon officially unveiled the Z5, an addition to the full-frame Z-mount mirrorless lineup that had previously only included the Z6 and the Z7. Continue Reading . . . https://www.mikezpix.net/post/nikon-announces-the-full-frame-z5-with-a-sub-1500-price

a7S III Camera Launch: The Way Forward | Shot on a7S III | Alpha Films | Sony Alpha Universe Available for pre-order at participating dealers for $3,498. Continue Reading . . . https://www.mikezpix.net/post/a7s-iii-camera-launch-the-way-forward-shot-on-a7s-iii-alpha-films-sony-alpha-universe

How to set up Microsoft Teams for personal life Microsoft recently started rolling out Teams for personal life in preview. Rather than a separate app, Teams for personal life is what appears when you sign into Teams with your personal Microsoft account on a supported device. Continue Reading . . . https://www.windowscentral.com/how-set-microsoft-teams-personal-life

Nikon Z50 firmware update captures pets' eye portraits, among other goodies Following the launch of the new Z5, Nikon has released a wave of firmware updates for its existing family of three Z-mount mirrorless cameras.  The Nikon Z50 can now detect dogs' and cats' eyes and faces, in addition to those of humans, thanks to firmware version 2. Continue Reading . . . https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/nikon-z50-firmware-update-captures-pets-eye-portraits-among-other-goodies

Mel Gibson was hospitalised with coronavirus in April The actor Mel Gibson spent a week in hospital after contracting coronavirus earlier this year, his representatives have confirmed. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph Australia, the spokesperson said: “He tested positive in April and spent a week in the hospital. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/jul/24/mel-gibson-hospitalised-coronavirus-

A security breach opened up access to a genealogy site’s DNA profiles Over the weekend, a security breach changed the permission settings on millions of profiles in GEDmatch, a DNA database used by genealogists. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/gedmatch-cyber-attack-exposed-dna-police-190130728.html

Pro Workflow Part 2: Andy Best Breaks Down His Camera Settings For Landscapes In Part 1 of his Pro Workflow, Alpha Collective member Andy Best (@andy_best) shared how he scouts locations for landscape shots and chooses which gear he’ll need to prep and pack. Continue Reading . . . https://alphauniverse.com/stories/pro-workflow-part-2--andy-best-breaks-down-his-camera-settings-for-landscapes/

Google's latest search feature helps you buy a house If you’re planning to buy a house, then congratulations and good luck — it can be a daunting process. To make it a bit easier, Google has teamed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to create a new mobile Search feature. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/google-search-mortgage-cfpb-house-buying-tips-130027455.html

Sony’s wearable air conditioner is pretty cool I’ve lived in Japan for nearly twelve years, and I’m still not used to the awful summers. Between the high temperatures and suffocating humidity, stepping outside in July and August feels like being slowly cooked in a sous vide pot. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/22/21333837/sony-reon-pocket-hands-on-wearable-air-conditioner-japan

Twitter disables video in Trump retweet after Linkin Park files copyright complaint Twitter confirmed that it removed a campaign video President Trump had retweeted Saturday over a copyright complaint. The Linkin Park song “In the End” was featured in the background of the video, which included images of President Trump and excerpts from his inauguration speech. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/19/21330154/twitter-disables-video-trump-retweet-linkin-park-takedown-copyright

Sony Announces Expanded Capability of Camera Remote Software Development Kit (SDK) for Third Party Developers  SAN DIEGO – July 16th, 2020 – Sony Electronics Inc. has announced an updated version 1.01 for their Camera Remote Software Development Kit, expanding the functionality and versatility of the SDK for developers and integrators. Continue Reading . . . https://alphauniverse.com/stories/sony-announces-expanded-capability-of-camera-remote-software-development-kit--sdk--for-third-party-developers/

DJI’s Osmo Pocket gimbal camera drops to $250 on Amazon If you’re sick of taking shaky smartphone videos or want to improve the video quality on your vlog, now might be the time to invest in DJI’s Osmo Pocket gimbal camera. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/dji-osmo-pocket-gimbal-camera-sale-discount-140521235.html

How to stream Peacock Peacock is here. The last of the major 2020 streaming services to launch, Peacock looks to unite NBC’s shows, Universal’s films, and original content into a single service that will put a much bigger emphasis on live, curated content than nearly any other competing service. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/21324215/peacock-nbc-universal-comcast-app-how-to-watch-download-price-subscription-stream-shows

Apple and Ireland win European appeal over multi-billion tax deal Europe’s second-highest court has ruled that Apple’s so-called “sweetheart deal” with the Irish tax authorities was not illegal. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/apple-ireland-tax-eu-092712520.html

Netflix’s The Old Guard keeps the summer blockbuster alive It’s been a strange summer for movies. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/21323386/the-old-guard-netflix-palm-springs-hulu-streaming-summer-blockbuster

24 Sony Camera Settings There are 24 Sony camera settings you need to know about. My friend Jason Vong compiled all the FAQs from various groups into one video. Hopefully it will help you understand your camera better. Continue Reading . . . https://sonymirrorlesspro.com/24-sony-camera-settings/

How the new coronavirus surges compare to New York City’s peak The Big Apple was the worst epicenter in the U.S. Now, it has rivals everywhere. Continue Reading . . . https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/07/how-new-coronavirus-surges-compare-new-york-city-peak-cvd/

The Far Side returns after 25 years, and it’s all digital Gary Larson just released new comics for The Far Side, the first strips since January 1995. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/21317458/far-side-new-comics-creator-gary-larson-25-years-digital-tablet

The Best Sony a7R IV Accessories If you are the lucky owner of the Sony a7R IV or perhaps thinking about purchasing one soon, then you might also be wondering which are the best accessories to pair with this 61MP beast. Continue Reading . . . https://www.alphashooters.com/cameras/a7riv/accessories/

Animals Use Social Distancing to Avoid Disease In Brief Despite how unnatural social distancing may feel to people, it is very much a part of the natural world, practiced by mammals, fishes, insects and birds. Social animals stay apart, changing behaviors such as grooming to stop the spread of diseases that could kill them. Continue Reading . . . https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/animals-use-social-distancing-to-avoid-disease/

Supreme Court says government debt collectors can’t robocall your cell anymore The US Supreme Court has upheld a federal ban on robocalls to cellphones from 1991, and it struck down a provision that exempted government-debt collectors. The ruling concerns the 1991 Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), which prohibited “almost all robocalls to phones. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/7/21316518/supreme-court-robocalls-ruling-us-government-debt-collectors

Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro tests positive for COVID-19 Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has tested positive for COVID-19, he announced today. He is 65 years old. Over the weekend, he attended a US Independence Day event with US Ambassador Todd Chapman. Neither Bolsonaro nor Chapman wore a mask at the event. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/7/21178192/brazil-president-bolsonaro-covid-19-positive-test-coronavirus

Apple Card's new web portal lets you pay your balance on a PC You’ll no longer have to be entirely dependent on the Wallet app for your Apple Card transactions. The tech giant has launched a web portal for its credit card, giving you a way to pay your balance online even if you don’t have or have lost access to your phone. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/apple-cards-new-web-portal-lets-you-pay-your-balance-on-a-pc-043100907.html

iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 beta download: How to install the developer beta today Apple announced iOS 14, iPadOS 14, TVOS 14 and WatchOS 7 in June and broke the news that the Mac lineup will eventually ditch Intel processors, switching to Apple's Arm silicon, similar to the kind of chip that powers your iPhone ($699 at Apple), sometime next year. Continue Reading . . . https://www.cnet.com/how-to/ios-14-ipados-14-beta-download-how-to-install-developer-beta-today/

Wireless Tethering Your Sony a7rIV Jason Etzel put out a great video showing you how to easily wirelessly tether your Sony a7rIV. Continue Reading . . . https://www.mikezpix.net/post/wireless-tethering-your-sony-a7riv

34 TIPS & TRICKS FOR SETTING UP YOUR SONY A7R IV With the launch of the highly anticipated Sony a7R IV 61 MP mirrorless camera (Initial Impressions), there are going to be a lot of people rushing to set up their new camera so they can get out into the field and begin to use it as soon as it ships. Continue Reading . . . https://www.mikezpix.net/post/34-tips-tricks-for-setting-up-your-sony-a7r-iv

My First 2 Months with the Sony a7R IV this was a great read for a review is the Sony Alpha 7R IV by Matt K Back in July, Sony announced the a7R iv and it caught everyone by surprise. Nobody expected a 61 megapixel camera, including me. Truth be told, at first I wasn’t sure I needed it. Continue Reading . . . https://www.mikezpix.net/post/my-first-2-months-with-the-sony-a7r-iv

Sony Product Advisory: These Popular SD Cards Can Corrupt Your Footage Four days ago, Sony quietly issued a product advisory for three of its SD card product lines that could potentially corrupt your video footage when used. The company will replace these cards for free if your serial number is affected. Continue Reading . . . https://www.mikezpix.net/post/sony-product-advisory-these-popular-sd-cards-can-corrupt-your-footage

Tech billionaire Peter Thiel may ditch Trump because he thinks Trump will lose Billionaire Peter Thiel, the most famous Trump supporter in tech, is distancing himself from the president’s reelection campaign. Thiel fears President Donald Trump will lose the race, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/2/21312154/peter-thiel-trump-2020-election-campaign-shying-away-distancing

A high-tech glove can translate sign language with 99-percent accuracy Researchers at UCLA have developed an inexpensive, high-tech glove that can translate sign language into written and spoken words on a smartphone (via Fast Company). The system works in real time and can interpret 660 American Sign Language signs with a promising 98.63 percent accuracy. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/ucla-glove-sign-language-translator-134846711.html