How to run Linux in a window inside Chrome OS, and more for Sunday, March 8, 2015

How to run Linux in a window inside Chrome OS Kevin C. Tofel Mar 8 2015, 7:29am PDT Thanks to a handy set of scripts, you’ve long been able to install an instance of Linux on a Chromebook and switch between the two platforms with a simple keypress. What if you could run Linux inside the Chrome OS environment in its own window, though? […] Read More » Apple event preview: Apple Watch, Apple Watch, maybe a MacBook Kif Leswing Mar 8 2015, 6:00am PDT On Monday, Apple is holding a special event starting at 10 a.m. PT. Gigaom will be there to liveblog, and you can stream the video online from a Mac or iOS device. Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t provide an agenda for its special events, so we had to come […] Read More » The future of industrial IoT might be wearables Cormac Foster Mar 8 2015, 6:00am PDT We all know IoT is going to be huge, and as with most technology, the industrial IoT will eventually eclipse its consumer equivalent. But it is certainly in no rush. From smart socks to smart homes, consumer tech is flying off the shelves, but industrial IoT […] Read More » How the internet of things will power the Intelligence Age Guest Column Mar 7 2015, 12:00pm PDT We’re currently shifting from the Information Age to the Intelligence Age. The Intelligence Age will be characterized by autonomous communication between intelligent devices that are sensitive to a person’s presence and respond by performing a specific task that enhances that person’s lifestyle.  The shift is driven […] Read More » Why my iPhone is the best watch I’ve ever owned Geoffrey Goetz Mar 7 2015, 9:00am PDT In the past, I tried my best to use Apple’s iPod Nano as a watch. Charging it each and every night, syncing it to my Mac, even strapping it to my arm with a custom watch band case. In the end everything I tried did not work […] Read More » Hands on with the HTC Valve Vive virtual reality headset Signe Brewster Mar 7 2015, 9:00am PDT When people put on a virtual reality headset for the first time, they almost always try to do two things: look at their hands and walk around. It’s a natural impulse, but an ability VR headset makers have shied away from because of the technical challenge […] Read More » Mobile recap: iOS Android Wear; Pebble Time Steel; Huawei Nexus Kevin C. Tofel Mar 7 2015, 6:20am PDT In the final run up before the Apple Watch launches, an interesting rumor made the rounds: Google is allegedly working on bringing Android Wear watch support to iPhones. On the surface that may sound odd: Why would Google even consider such a thing? The reality is: […] Read More » Report: Android OS coming to virtual reality headsets Signe Brewster Mar 6 2015, 5:01pm PDT Google has reportedly hired a team to build a version of the Android operating system for virtual reality headsets, the Wall Street Journal reports. Vice president of product management Clay Bavor and engineering director Jeremy Doig are leading the VR team, which includes “tens of engineers,” according […] Read More » What Apple Watch does, in Tim Cook’s own words Kif Leswing Mar 6 2015, 1:53pm PDT On Monday, Apple will officially launch the Apple Watch, its first completely new product since the iPad was introduced in 2010 as well as its first major launch under CEO Tim Cook. Gigaom will be covering what Apple has in store live from the Yerba Buena Center on Monday. But Apple […] Read More » After drivers revolt, Lyft apologizes and extends $1000 promo Carmel DeAmicis Mar 6 2015, 1:00pm PDT After incurring the wrath of its driver community, Lyft has changed how it’s handling the promised $1,000 bonuses to new drivers. Since the company failed to process some applications in time, it’s extending the paperwork processing deadline until March 13th so people aren’t shut out from their reward. […] Read More » How PayPal uses deep learning and detective work to fight fraud Derrick Harris Mar 6 2015, 12:32pm PDT Hui Wang has seen the nature of online fraud change a lot in the 11 years she’s been at PayPal. In fact, a continuous evolution of methods is kind of the nature of cybercrime. As the good guys catch onto one approach, the bad guys try to avoid […] Read More » Wiper thinks messaging apps could be the key to bitcoin payments Kif Leswing Mar 6 2015, 12:01pm PDT Wiper, an ephemeral messaging app that launched in 2014, has a reputation as a Snapchat clone, but it’s actually closer to Line, which uses over-the-top messaging as a platform to sell stickers, games, and other entertainment and services. Taking a kitchen-sink approach to messaging apps, Wiper […] Read More » Apple reportedly wants to get rid of free on-demand music Janko Roettgers Mar 6 2015, 10:53am PDT Love free stuff? Then you won’t like Apple’s new music subscription service, which the company is expected to launch later this year. Apple is planning to launch the service without a free tier, and instead plans to charge every user after a limited free trial, according […] Read More » US firm runs mass copyright shakedown in Canada Jeff John Roberts Mar 6 2015, 7:48am PDT When Canada’s new copyright rules went into effect in January, critics feared that someone would use them to run settlement extortion schemes of the sort that have long plagued the American legal system. Those fears have proved to be justified. This week, a second U.S. company has come into Canada, apparently using an […] Read More » Why Apple Watch apps should be usable in 10 seconds or less Kevin C. Tofel Mar 6 2015, 7:02am PDT As Apple reportedly prepares developers to ready the first batch of Apple Watch apps, the company is setting a guideline: Try to keep your app usable in 10 seconds. That tidbit comes from Bloomberg in advance of next week’s “Spring Forward” Apple event where the new watch is […] Read More » FTC’s Brill sees consumer consent as key for health, finance apps Jeff John Roberts Mar 6 2015, 6:30am PDT When normal people use a new app, they don’t wade through hidden service terms. Many just click “OK” and hope for the best. This might be fine for a game of Candy Crush, but it can be risky in the case of apps that monitor things like your bank account or […] Read More » Decentralized webmail outfit Mailpile scraps beta program for now David Meyer Mar 6 2015, 6:25am PDT When I wrote about the decentralization movement a year back, one of the big pro-privacy hopes was Mailpile, which is ambitiously trying to build a user-friendly yet rock-solid encrypted webmail system with a hybrid desktop/in-browser approach. On Friday, Mailpile’s Bjarni Rúnar Einarsson announced the rejection of […] Read More » The music industry’s broken business could change in 2015 Jeff John Roberts Mar 6 2015, 5:00am PDT The music business has been screwed up for a hopelessly long time, but change is afoot: Congress, courts and the Justice Department are all poised in coming months to shake up how companies and consumers pay for music. The big question, though, is whether this flurry of activity […] Read More » Hands on with Sony’s Project Morpheus virtual reality headset Signe Brewster Mar 6 2015, 3:45am PDT The big guns are coming for virtual reality, and they know what they are doing. A hands-on demo with Sony’s Project Morpheus proved it really is a comfortable, stylish and mighty option among the growing number of VR headsets. I’m already hungry for more time on […] Read More » Review: Mophie Juice Packs for iPhone 6, 6 Plus Kevin C. Tofel Mar 5 2015, 12:40pm PDT To many iPhone owners, Mophie’s Juice Packs are the standard when it comes to handset battery cases. No, Mophie isn’t the only company in this market, but over the past few years, its Juice Pack line has become popular as a way to both protect an iPhone and […] Read More »