Day: March 1, 2019

https://www.engadget.com/2019/03/01/hulu-and-youtube-3-million-live-tv-subscribers/

Internet-based live TV appears to be thriving after some of the novelty has worn off — at least, in some cases. Bloomberg sources claim Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV have grown dramatically in the past year, reaching a combined 3 million subscribers. Hulu reportedly grew the quickest, jumping from 450,000 users at the start of 2018 to nearly 2 million, but YouTube might not complain after surging from 300,000 viewers to more than 1 million. But what prompted the growth?

Regional availability could easily play a role. YouTube TV only became a truly nationwide service in January of this year — many of these new subscribers might be coming aboard simply because the option has reached their part of the country. They’ve also been expanding their device support over time.

Those might not be the only factors at play, however, and it’s evident that some services have fared better than others. AT&T’s DirecTV Now saw a 14 percent drop in subscribers in the last quarter of 2018 after it raised prices, but Hulu and YouTube have both been growing in spite of their own rate hikes. Even Dish’s Sling TV has lately taken to giving new customers a temporary 40 percent discount to spur adoption. As TVRev co-founder Alan Wolk explained, it may simply be that services like Hulu and YouTube TV have more appealing interfaces and don’t have the stink of direct association with cable and satellite, making them more alluring to people determined to cut the cord.

Source: Bloomberg

via Engadget http://www.engadget.com

March 1, 2019 at 01:45PM

https://www.engadget.com/2019/03/01/microsoft-excel-import-data-from-picture-android/

Microsoft recently rolled out a number of major updates to its products, including a particularly handy new feature for Excel. Using the Android version of the app, users will be able to snap a photo of a printed data table and have it converted into a digital, editable spreadsheet. The feature, which is available to Microsoft 365 subscribers, isn’t available on iOS yet but Microsoft is promising it will arrive soon.

The new import feature uses image recognition technology to identify all of the information on the page and convert it into an Excel spreadsheet in the app. It should eliminate the need to manually enter or copy data, depending on its accuracy. The feature, labeled in-app as "Insert Data from Picture," can perform the conversion from analog to digital with a single tap. Microsoft first floated the idea for this tool last year before being made widely available in the most recent update to the Android app. It’s just the latest in the company’s ongoing efforts to insert more machine learning models into its products.

In addition to the new import feature for Excel, Microsoft also introduced new security tools for Microsoft 365 products. The company will start pushing important alerts through its Authenticator app, which will make it easier for users to address potential security concerns like breaches and leaks. The Authenticator app can be used for two-step verification and to quickly view account activity to make sure everything is on the up and up. The update is available in the most recent version of the Authenticator app for iOS and Android.

Via: The Verge

Source: Microsoft

via Engadget http://www.engadget.com

March 1, 2019 at 04:18PM

https://www.geeksaresexy.net/2019/03/01/mits-mini-cheetah-robot-can-backflip-sidestep-and-balance-itself-easily-vieo/

MIT’S new mini cheetah robot is the first four-legged robot to do a backflip. At only 20 pounds the limber quadruped can bend and swing its legs wide, enabling it to walk either right side up or upside down. The robot can also trot over uneven terrain about twice as fast as an average person’s walking speed.

[MIT]

The post MIT’S Mini Cheetah Robot can Backflip, Sidestep, and Balance Itself Easily [Video] appeared first on Geeks are Sexy Technology News.

via [Geeks Are Sexy] Technology News https://ift.tt/23BIq6h

March 1, 2019 at 12:24PM

https://www.popsci.com/spacex-crew-dragon-space-iss-launch?dom=rss-default&src=syn

via Popular Science – New Technology, Science News, The Future Now https://ift.tt/2k2uJQn

March 1, 2019 at 07:19AM

https://www.autoblog.com/2019/02/28/911-calls-wisconsin-131-car-pileup/

Winter is not over yet, and neither are the dangers of driving in winter weather. According to reports, a 131-car pileup in Wisconsin cause one death and dozens of injuries Sunday. Photos, videos, and just-released 911 calls now paint a scene of chaos and panic.

The accident occurred on Interstate 41 in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, roughly in between Green Bay and Milwaukee on the east side of the state. The crash occurred during a snowstorm, which caused reported near whiteout conditions. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office released this video showing how quickly the storm was moving:

Watch for the change in visibility. pic.twitter.com/bKeJEPcRd9

— Winnebago County SO (@WCSO_Wisconsin) February 27, 2019

Police say they received more than 700 911 calls from the scene of the accident and that at least 70 people were hospitalized from injuries during the crash. Some of the 911 calls were released to the public.

“It’s like the snow blowing right across the highway and everybody is like — it’s a pileup now,” a woman involved in the accident said. “… Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God … Everybody is just crashing into us because we’re like stopped on the side. … My car’s just shaking, I don’t feel safe in the car — what do we do? Oh My God. Help us please.”

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

― Fred Rogers pic.twitter.com/wLZecxteJf

— Winnebago County SO (@WCSO_Wisconsin) February 26, 2019

It reportedly took about two hours just to stabilize the scene and get people out of the area after the morning accident. Authorities were forced to reroute hundreds of vehicles that were stuck behind the crash, and the highway was reportedly not reopened until 3 a.m. For more information, recounts, and photos, check out the

full report on CNN

.

via Autoblog https://ift.tt/1afPJWx

February 28, 2019 at 07:19PM