Tom DeLonge on Why UFO Research Just Might Save Mankind

Tom DeLonge

Rolling Stone:

But since DeLonge parted ways with Blink-182 in 2015, his interest in extraterrestrials has become more than a hobby. “The more I got into it, the more I realized it was all real,” he tells Rolling Stone. “Then I was like, ‘OK, what am I going to do about it?'” So he started spreading the word. He began creating a multi-part, multi-platform rollout of an entirely new philosophy, one based on the theory that aliens have been visiting Earth for most of our species’ existence – and the only way for us to have a prosperous future on the planet is if we take that into account, and soon.

That sure is a headline.

Verizon Announces New Name Brand for AOL and Yahoo: Oath

The New York Times

The new digital media devision of Verizon that will include Yahoo, AOL, and The Huffington Post will be called Oath, The New York Times reports:

The brand will apply to the digital media division of Verizon after it buys Yahoo’s internet assets for $4.48 billion, a deal that is expected to close by the end of June. But do not count the legacy brands out just yet: Yahoo, AOL and The Huffington Post will continue to exist and operate with their own names — under the Oath umbrella.

Sort of a who’s who of internet companies from two decades ago. Maybe they should buy MySpace too?

Spotify Premium Users Will Get Some Albums Two Weeks Before Free Users

The Verge:

Spotify has agreed to a new licensing agreement with Universal Music Group, the companies announced today. As part of the deal, Spotify has agreed to allow new albums from Universal artists to be restricted to its premium service for up to two weeks moving forward, confirming our report from last month. Spotify will also pay slightly less to UMG in royalty fees, according to sources close to the situation.

The Mac Pro Lives

Apple

John Gruber, writing at Daring Fireball:

Apple is currently hard at work on a “completely rethought” Mac Pro, with a modular design that can accommodate high-end CPUs and big honking hot-running GPUs, and which should make it easier for Apple to update with new components on a regular basis. They’re also working on Apple-branded pro displays to go with them.

And:

Regarding iMacs, Schiller also said that new iMacs are in the works, slated for release some time this year (no specifics other than “this year”), including “configurations of iMac specifically with the pro customer in mind and acknowledging that our most popular desktop with pros is an iMac.”

Nice. I love my 5K iMac, it’s the best desktop computer I’ve ever owned. (And now we have fodder for all the tech podcasts for the next six months in anticipation, and for the six months after when the results aren’t perfectly tailored to each individual.) I’m just glad that the rumors of the Mac’s demise seem to have been greatly exaggerated.

Marco Arment’s Bluetooth Headphones Mega-Review

Marco Arment has published his mega-review of Bluetooth headphones:

My criteria for this review is what someone seeking good all-around headphones today probably wants:

  • Bluetooth
  • Closed-back for isolation, ideally with active noise cancellation (ANC)
  • Portable enough to fit in a small bag; suitable for listening at a desk, bringing on an airplane, and wearing outside
  • Definitely under $500, and ideally under $300

For everyday use I’ve been using AirPods for the past few months and absolutely love them. I listen to almost exclusively podcasts or audiobooks with them, but they’re fine for music.1 If you’re looking for where to start with Bluetooth headphones, this is a good resource.


  1. Most of the time if I’m listening to music it’s playing via speakers or I’m at my computer where I use a wired pair of headphones.

Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon Say You Shouldn’t Worry About Gutting of Internet Privacy Rules

The Verge

Jacob Kastrenakes, writing for The Verge:

Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon published blog posts this morning responding to the backlash they’ve been receiving since Congress voted to revoke a strong set of internet privacy rules that would have prevented internet providers from using or sharing their customers’ web browsing history without permission. The companies take different approaches when responding, but the takeaway from all three is that they think customers should stop worrying.

Ah, yes, trust the giant company, what could go wrong?

Smart TV Hack Embeds Attack Code Into Broadcast Signal—No Access Required

Technology

Dan Goodin, writing for Ars Technica:

The proof-of-concept exploit uses a low-cost transmitter to embed malicious commands into a rogue TV signal. That signal is then broadcast to nearby devices. It worked against two fully updated TV models made by Samsung. By exploiting two known security flaws in the Web browsers running in the background, the attack was able to gain highly privileged root access to the TVs. By revising the attack to target similar browser bugs found in other sets, the technique would likely work on a much wider range of TVs.

Twitter Ditches the Egg

Twitter

Twitter is getting rid of the egg avatar. Harry McCracken, writing at Co.Design:

Starting today, however, the egg is history. Twitter is dumping the tarnished icon for a new default profile picture–a blobby silhouette of a person’s head and shoulders, intentionally designed to represent a human without being concrete about gender, race, or any other characteristic. Everyone who’s been an egg until now, whatever their rationale, will automatically switch over.

I’m super excited to have these weird Dot candy looking silhouettes call me names.

The New Twitter @-Replies Suck

Twitter

Sarah Jeong, writing for Motherboard:

Twitter has rolled out its new @-replies to me about three or four times now, ambushing me with its unspeakable badness on the iPhone app or web Twitter. Today it rolled out for everyone and it makes me want to throw all my devices at a wall.

Thank god for Tweetbot, because this is horrible.

MLB.com Launch Personalized App Icons on iOS 10.3

Sarah Perez, writing for TechCrunch:

The MLB.com At Bat and NHL iOS applications have been updated today to take advantage of one of the new, but still under-the-radar features available in the just-launched version of Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS 10.3: personalized home screen icons. That’s right — you now can replace either of these apps’ default icon with one featuring your favorite team’s logo instead.

Clever.

Joss Whedon in Talks to Helm Batgirl Movie

Variety is reporting that Joss Whedon is in talks to write and direct a Batgirl movie:

Whedon is nearing a deal to write, direct, and produce an untitled Batgirl pic for Warner Bros. as part of its DC Extended Universe.

No other producers are currently attached. Toby Emmerich, president and chief content officer of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, is overseeing with Jon Berg and Geoff Johns. The new project originated in the past month.

Mark Hoppus Talks Encores and March Madness

Mark Hoppus

Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 sat down with USA Today to talk about the band performing at the Final Four this year:

Even as a songwriter, and a member of Blink, we’ll play a song and I’ll think about what was going on in my life when we wrote the song, some of the earlier albums and earlier stuff was kind of like when you see pictures of yourself in junior high and you’re like ‘wow I wish hadn’t worn that.’ Looking back at some of the lyrics I wrote, they were pretty sophomoric. But even still, that’s where I was then.

Speaking of the Final Four, I’m pretty much in “anyone but UNC” mode now.

We’ve Got Some New Clouds

Clouds

The world’s cloud authority has classified a dozen new types of clouds:

The existing classifications have been reviewed and all have been retained. Several new, formal cloud classifications have been introduced. These include one new species (volutus), five new supplementary features (asperitas, cauda, cavum, fluctus and murus), and one new accessory cloud (flumen). The species floccus has been formally recognized as being able to occur in association with stratocumulus. The separate section on Special Clouds has been removed, and the cloud and meteor types previously discussed within this section have been integrated into the cloud classification scheme as cataractagenitus, flammagenitus, homogenitus, silvagenitus, and homomutatus.

This is the first time this has happened in thirty years, and I learned today there’s a cloud authority.