Airbnb to collect taxes in more big cities

Airbnb's been struggling with numerous legal issues for a while now, and one of the biggest complaints against the service is that hosts have been using it to set up illegal hotels to avoid paying taxes. These days, Airbnb's trying to get on the good side of the law, so after getting rid of sketchy listings (in NYC, at least), it's now collecting tourist taxes in more locations. The service has been doing just that in San Francisco and Portland,...

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'Tron'-like headphones, virtual reality at Sundance and other stories you might've missed this week!

We get it. It's been a busy week. Luckily, we're here to catch you up on the release date of the Apple Watch, VR headsets in Hollywood and all the other cool stuff you may have accidentally glossed over during five days on the daily grind.'Tron'-like Glow headphones pulse to the music and your heart These glowing earbuds hope to become much more than just a gimmick. If the Kickstarter for Glow goes as planned, the Fibrance cable will pulsate to...

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Amazon's Echo lets you control iTunes, Pandora and Spotify with your voice

If you accepted an invitation to buy Amazon's Echo speaker, you've noticed that the device didn't have a vast musical vocabulary at first -- you could tell it to play iHeartRadio or Prime Music tunes, and that's about it. You'll have a better time of things from now on, though. Amazon is rolling out an update that lets you use your voice to steer iTunes, Pandora radio or Spotify on your mobile device . It's not super-sophisticated, but you no longer...

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Marriott is no longer fighting for permission to block WiFi hotspots

Marriott wants you to know that it's completely done trying to block guests' personal WiFi connections -- it has even given up convincing the FCC to give it permission to do so, a spokesperson told Engadget. The company already announced that it won't be keeping people from using their own MiFis and hotspots in hotel rooms, but its official statement at that time said it "will continue to look to the FCC to clarify appropriate security measures...

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The Pirate Bay comes back weeks after a police raid

We're starting to wonder if it's nigh-on impossible to keep The Pirate Bay down. Just weeks after Swedish police raided the bootleg file site and knocked it offline, it's back -- TorrentFreak reports that almost everything is up and running once again, complete with a phoenix graphic (above) to taunt authorities. With that said, it's not quite the same experience that many veteran users would remember. While the pre-raid content remains intact,...

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The poetry of my tweets

I'd like to think my tweets offer some cultural value and promote a better world. I consume plenty of brilliant films and scholarly articles, then reflect my learnings on Twitter multiple times a day. So when I heard there was a tool to turn my tweets into real poetry, I expected a reflection of the erudite person I've become. Unfortunately, I was painted as, well...a boob.If you kept up with Twitter this week, a series of nonsensical poems probably...

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HTC's Lollipop update won't reach every One phone on time

HTC hasn't always had success upgrading One users to the latest version of Android within its promised 90-day window, and history is unfortunately repeating itself with Android 5.0 Lollipop on the way. The phone maker is now warning that "some carrier versions" of the One M8 and M7 won't get Lollipop by the expected February 1st deadline. Reportedly, Google's rush to fix Lollipop (which emerged, shall we say, less than polished) gave HTC little...

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Casio's new iOS app turns your whistling into full-length tunes

Apps have done wonders for music creation, and now there's mobile software from Casio that aims to make it even easier. The Chordana Composer app for iPhone creates a track basked on a melody that you create by singing or whistling two bars of a tune. Casio's handiwork records you, and then automatically builds the rest of the song based on your input. This means that anyone can construct a hit without in-depth music knowledge or the ability to...

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Recommended Reading: Reliving virtual reality in the '90s

Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. A Look Back at the Doomed Virtual Reality Boom of the 90s Kyle Fowle, Kill ScreenWith the revival of VR, it's important that we take a look back to the last big push for virtual reality. Kill Screen recently dedicated an entire...

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Your BMW just downloaded a security patch

Have a BMW, Mini or Rolls Royce with the ConnectedDrive feature parked in your driveway? Maybe all three? Well, it turns out there was a bug that allowed ne'er-do-wells to manipulate it -- entirely wirelessly. According to Reuters , by simulating a fake phone network researchers at German outfit ADAC (essentially Deutschland's AAA) were able to gain access to systems governed by the platform's SIM card by spoofing a cell tower. They've even put...

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Daily Roundup: Tesla Model X, DARPA YouTube robots and more!

Tesla's Model X has been spotted in the wild; a new DARPA technology lets robots learn from YouTube videos; and Verizon is changing its policy on "supercookies." Get the details on these stories and more in the Daily Roundup.Tesla's long-delayed Model X SUV is testing in California Tesla's long-delayed Model X SUV was recently spotted in the wild. A skateboarder riding at a nearby park captured this video of the mysterious car being tested at...

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Nest is losing its tech VP and the CEO of Dropcam

Google's plan for a connected home including Nest and Dropcam lost a few family members today. Nest's Vice President of Technology Yoky Matsuoka and Dropcam cofounder Greg Duffy have left for other ventures, according to The Verge's sources. Matsuoka's joining Twitter while Duffy's next move isn't known at this point. Nest and Twitter, for their part, offered us an official "no comment" when we asked for confirmation of the departures. Matsuoka's...

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Google makes Earth Pro available to virtual travelers for free

While we're sure Google Earth works just fine for your daily virtual 'round-the-world travels, the Pro version comes with some really useful features -- even better, it's now completely free. Google Earth Pro, which used to cost an eye-watering $399 per year, gives you the tools to measure 3D buildings and other locations, print high-resolution screenshots, view demographic and traffic layers, and even record your virtual trips. To use it for free,...

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Chicago's subways are getting speedy LTE data

Just because you have cellular service in the subway doesn't mean you have good service -- in many cases, your data goes in the dumps when your train ventures underground. That won't be a problem in Chicago for much longer, though. The city has reached a deal with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon that will have the carriers paying to bring LTE data to Chi-town's subway tunnels. When the upgrade is complete sometime later this year, you should...

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Aziz Ansari's new Netflix stand-up special debuts March 6th

If you're a big fan of comedy specials that are unique Netflix, the latest from the man behind Parks and Recreation's Tom Haverford is on the way. On March 6th, Aziz Ansari: Live at Madison Square Garden will premiere at 12:01 AM PT. The title is another Netflix original from Ansari, whose first, Buried Alive, debuted back in 2013. Other stand-up specials from the comedian are available through the internet service too, including Intimate Moments...

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This art dealer wants to hang an indie game on your wall

Dutch art dealership and gallery Cook & Becker has been selling fine art prints from video games for a few years now. Thanks to partnerships with companies like Capcom, Naughty Dog, DICE and BioWare, it's offered artwork from critically acclaimed titles like The Last of Us, Mass Effect, Okami, and Mirror's Edge. Now, it's wooing indie developers into its ranks with a new initiative called the Cook & Becker Indie Program. The first fruits...

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Woman in India rape case sues Uber

A woman who claims she was raped by an Uber driver in New Delhi last month has filed suit against the US-based car-sharing company. In a civil complaint filed yesterday in California, the unnamed woman, who's referred to as "Jane Doe," said the company put its bottom line ahead of ensuring rider safety -- especially its female passengers.The suit claims the company lacks systems to properly track Uber rides in progress and doesn't adequately screen...

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ESPN offers standalone subscription for the Cricket World Cup

Talks of ESPN's standalone options are nothing new, and for the 2015 Cricket World Cup, the network is offering a cable-free standalone subscription. Access to the event's six-week slate of 49 matches will cost viewers $100 for viewing on the web. Teams from 14 countries begin competition on February 13th, and if you're interested, sign-ups go live on the 3rd. As you might expect, the subscription includes access to all the action via iOS and Android...

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Google Now finally pulls in data from your favorite apps

At long last, Google Now will now support third-party apps. That means that in addition to serving you helpful information like when your next appointment is and how long it'll take you to get to the airport, Google's predictive search app will now push data from third-party apps too. The list for supported third-party apps at launch is long -- almost 40 at current count -- and include notable apps such as Airbnb, Lyft, The Guardian and Pandora....

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Uber gets a thumbs up on data security from privacy auditors

The results from Uber's six-week-long external privacy audit, spurred on by several high profile security controversies, are in. And, surprisingly, the final report looks positively rosy for the on-demand taxi company . "Uber has dedicated significantly more resources to privacy than we have observed of other companies of its age, sector, and size," auditors from the law firm Hogan Lovells said in a statement. That's not exactly what you'd expect...

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'Heavy Rain' creator's earliest cinematic game gets remastered

If you missed out on the cult classic Indigo Prophecy (("Fahrenheit" in Europe), the first stab at a pseudo-cinematic game from Heavy Rain developer Quantic Dream, you've now got a good reason to give it a spin. A revamped version of the title has just landed on iOS and Steam (with support for Windows, Mac, and Linux) for $10, sporting better graphics and no censoring (nudity and sex scenes were cut from the original US import). While it's not...

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Google's 3D-sensing Project Tango is no longer an experiment

Yet another project is graduating from experiment to proper part of Google. Only two weeks ago, Glass left the confines of the Skunk Works-like Google X and became its own division headed up by Nest co-founder Tony Fadell. Now Project Tango, the 3D-sensing and -mapping concept, is moving on from the ATAP (Advanced Technology and Projects) labs to become a part of the company proper. Unfortunately what that means for the technology or what products...

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Vine Kids delivers family-friendly video loops

Let's be honest: Kids are really easy to entertain. Give 'em something that makes noise and flashes some pretty colors and they're set. And that's pretty much what Vine does, ad infinitum. There's sounds, and sites and it loops forever or until the kid swipes down to the next clip. The only issue is, not everything on Vine is what you'd call "family friendly." Chances are you've got at least one foul-mouthed coworker that's always posting six-second...

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Verizon Wireless will let you dodge those sketchy 'supercookies'

Living a wholly private life on the internet is getting to be impossible, but months of thinkpieces and public outcry finally seem to have done a little good where one company is concerned. According to the New York Times , Verizon Wireless is giving its customers the option to fully opt out of the quiet, advertiser-friendly web tracking it's been conducting for the better part of two years. Alas, there's no word yet on just when that change will...

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Tesla's long-delayed Model X SUV is testing in California

It may look like a Prius that's been vomited on by Mad Max, but the vehicle you see in the clip below is probably Tesla's long-delayed Model X SUV. You see, when companies begin stress-testing vehicles, they dress them down with a dodgy paint job and go riding out a deserted airfield, like the one at the old naval base in Alameda. No amount of weird paint, however, could disguise the latest all-electric vehicle to roll off the production line,...

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Tesla doubles the size of its Supercharger network in the UK

The last time we checked in with Tesla's UK roll-out, the company had opened three new Superchargers in London, bringing its grand total for the British Isles up to nine. It promised that within six months, Model S owners would be able to drive the length of the UK on its ultra-fast chargers alone. A tough promise to keep, but one that it's now starting to deliver on; in just under three months, Tesla has more than doubled the size of its network...

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Soundcloud's latest iPad app is good for listeners, bad for creators

Soundcloud likes to keep its apps looking sharp -- this much we know. It was only just recently that the music service gave its iPhone app a bit of spit and polish. This time it's the iPad version's turn. Unsurprisingly, a lot of the design-DNA from the smaller iOS app carries over to the tablet version, but it comes with some functional tweaks too. The music-player's waveform isn't just simplistic, it's functional (touch to play, pause, skip etc)....

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Microsoft's white space internet aims to improve education in Ghana

Microsoft has long been championing TV white space internet for use in places conventional types of connections don't reach, even in places that don't even have access to electricity. After a pilot program that brought white space broadband to some African universities, Redmond is now making it available to anyone in Ghana. The company has collaborated with local provider Spectra Wireless to launch what it claims is the "first commercial service...

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British thieves stole DVDs from a supermarket by mailing them home

Before we start, we know that crime is wrong and that theft is a serious issue. That said, the lengths some people will go to steal a few DVDs is pretty entertaining. Thieves at a Walmart-owned ASDA supermarket in Cheshire, England managed to evade security after they began packing movies and other stolen goods into envelopes. Instead of walking out with the goods, where they'd be instantly apprehended, they came up with the clever idea to send...

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Google agrees to make its privacy policy clearer in the UK

Three years ago Google merged more than 60 privacy policies into one gargantuan document, in the hope it would be simpler and more readable for its customers around the world. Some people were skeptical of the changes and, despite Google's best efforts to explain itself, the company was pulled into an investigation with European regulators. Since then both sides have been debating back-and-forth, with Google proposing new changes and the EU's assigned...

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