Technology

Jun
24
2021
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By Troy Warren
McAfee antivirus software creator dead in Spanish prison

McAfee antivirus software creator dead in Spanish prison

Digital, In The News, Technology,
By ARITZ PARRA, RENATA BRITO and BARRY HATTON, Associated Press Troy Warren for CNT MADRID — John McAfee, the creator of the McAfee antivirus software, has been found dead in his cell in a jail near Barcelona, a government official told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Hours earlier, a Spanish court issued a preliminary ruling in favor of the 75-year-old tycoon's extradition to the United States to face tax-related criminal charges. Security personnel at the Brians 2 penitentiary near the northeastern Spanish city tried to revive him, but the jail’s medical team finally certified his death, a statement from the regional…
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Jun
23
2021
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By Troy Warren
Microsoft prepares Windows 11 for the post-pandemic world

Microsoft prepares Windows 11 for the post-pandemic world

Technology,
Ian Sherr | CNET.Com Troy Warren for CNT   The tech giant is offering its first major Windows update in six years on Thursday. Here's why. The coronavirus has irrevocably changed how we live and work. Soon, it'll have changed our devices too. Microsoft on Thursday is set to announce the next big iteration of its Windows software and, with it, new features designed for life in the modern age. The new software, likely to be called Windows 11, will have the usual upgrades you'd expect after six years. Early leaks suggest it'll have a new look, offering more subtle pastel-like color schemes,…
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Jun
22
2021
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By Troy Warren
Mike Ford Upped to CTO at Sony Pictures Imageworks

Mike Ford Upped to CTO at Sony Pictures Imageworks

Digital, Technology, ,
BY CAROLYN GIARDINA | HollywoodReporter.Com Troy Warren for CNT He previously served as Imageworks' senior vp of systems engineering and software development, and his credits include the 'Hotel Transylvania' and 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' movies. Mike Ford has been promoted to chief technology officer at Sony Pictures Imageworks. Ford, who previously served as senior vp, systems engineering and software development, will report to Imageworks’ exec vp Michelle Grady and continue overseeing the software development and the systems engineering teams. As a visual effects supervisor at Imageworks, Ford has supervised on movies including Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation and Smurfs: The Lost Village. His credits…
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Jun
21
2021
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By Troy Warren
EXPLAINER: The significance of China’s new space station

EXPLAINER: The significance of China’s new space station

Editors Picks, In The News, Technology, ,
By Sam McNeil, The Associated Press Troy Warren for CNT JIUQUAN, China — Adding a crew to China’s new orbiting space station is another major advance for the burgeoning space power. Here’s a look at key developments: What’s the mission’s purpose? The three-member crew is due to stay for three months in the station’s main living module, named Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony. They will be carrying out science experiments and maintenance, space walks and preparing the facility to receive two additional modules next year. While China concedes it arrived late at the space station game, it says its facility is cutting-edge.…
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Jun
19
2021
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By Troy Warren
Roku CEO On Quibi Acquisition: “To Be Honest We Just Got a Good Deal”

Roku CEO On Quibi Acquisition: “To Be Honest We Just Got a Good Deal”

Digital, Entertainment, Technology, ,
BY ALEX WEPRIN | HollywoodReporter.Com Troy Warren for CNT "We are looking for shows that work well with the AVOD business model," Anthony Wood said of the company's future content plans. Roku plans to continue investing in original content, but don’t expect it to compete with Netflix or Disney. “As the scale grows, it just makes sense for us … to do some originals, and to start making some of our own content,” Roku CEO Anthony Wood said Friday. “The reason we do it is quite different than a traditional SVOD service. For those services customers pay a monthly fee, and they have to…
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Jun
18
2021
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By Troy Warren
Streaming Outdraws Broadcast TV, Nielsen Figures Say

Streaming Outdraws Broadcast TV, Nielsen Figures Say

Digital, Technology
BY RICK PORTER | HollywoodReporter.Com Troy Warren for CNT In a big break from the past, Netflix endorses the ratings service's findings on total TV usage. The notion that streaming is the new broadcasting just got a big piece of data to back it up. Nielsen has released a new measure of TV usage that shows streaming platforms pulled in a bigger share of viewers’ time in May than broadcast networks did. Netflix and YouTube alone make up 12 percent of the time Americans spend in front of their TVs, the ratings service says. Per a measurement of different platforms Nielsen is calling “The Gauge,”…
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Jun
18
2021
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By Troy Warren
Why Are Streaming Platforms Crashing Before Popular Finales?

Why Are Streaming Platforms Crashing Before Popular Finales?

Digital, Technology, ,
BY J. CLARA CHAN | HollywoodReporter.Com Troy Warren for CNT Showtime, HBO Max and Disney+ all had service outages ahead of season finales or live events, but user volume isn't always to blame. If you were on Twitter on the night of May 30, also known as the Mare of Easttown finale night, you may have believed that HBO Max failed at its one job. Dozens and dozens of viewers who were anxiously awaiting a conclusion to the Kate Winslet–starring drama shared disgruntled messages and photos of their TV screens and mobile devices emblazoned with the message, “Content Not Available.” In the streaming era, consumers have become…
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Jun
17
2021
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By Troy Warren
Spotify Launches Clubhouse Competitor and Creator Fund for Live Interactive Audio

Spotify Launches Clubhouse Competitor and Creator Fund for Live Interactive Audio

Technology
BY J. CLARA CHAN | HollywoodReporter.Com Troy Warren for CNT The service will begin giving out payouts to eligible live audio creators this summer. Spotify on Wednesday launched its Clubhouse competitor, the Spotify Greenroom, and opened up applications for a creator fund for live audio creators on the platform. The launch comes three months after Spotify acquired Betty Labs, the developer behind the social audio app Locker Room. The redesigned live audio feature, Greenroom, is available in over 135 markets on iOS and Android and will allow any Spotify user to host or participate in live rooms. Creators focused on live audio will also be able to apply for…
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Jun
17
2021
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By Troy Warren
CNN to Sell NFTs of Its Historic News Coverage

CNN to Sell NFTs of Its Historic News Coverage

Technology
BY ALEX WEPRIN | HollywoodReporter.Com Troy Warren for CNT The WarnerMedia-owned cable news channel is branching into the burgeoning NFT space with a new offering it is calling the "Vault by CNN." This … is a non-fungible token of CNN. The WarnerMedia-owned cable news channel is branching into the burgeoning NFT space with a new offering it is calling the “Vault by CNN.” Beginning in late June, the company will “mint” NFTs on the Flow blockchain of memorable moments from CNN’s 41-year history. It will then sell them to the public as digital collectibles. The first batch of news “moments” is TBD, but the company says it…
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Jun
16
2021
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By Troy Warren
Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd gen) review: Still better than an Echo Dot

Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd gen) review: Still better than an Echo Dot

Technology
Dale Smith | CNET.Com Troy Warren for CNT If you need a full-featured Alexa smart screen, get a bigger Echo Show 8. But if all you want is an inexpensive Alexa speaker, spring for an Echo Show 5. Of all the various Alexa devices, none seems so misunderstood as the lowly Echo Show 5, which Amazon updated last week with a better camera and another color option -- blue ($85 when not on sale -- a $5 decrease from the previous generation; it's £75 in the UK and currently unavailable in Australia). It's doubtful even the new chameleon-skinned Echo Show Kids…
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