Quantcast
Channel: Features
Viewing all 61683 articles
Browse latest View live

These are the first 17 PlayStation 4 games headed to virtual reality

$
0
0

As if virtual reality headsets weren't popping up everywhere else these days, Sony's PlayStation 4 is about to get its own VR headset. Guess what it's called! 

You guessed correctly, literally everyone — it's called PlayStation VR, and it looks like this:

PlayStation VR

It's comfortable and easy to use: just slip it over your head, like a baseball cap, and pull the screen toward your eyes.

Just like that, you've got a VR headset — a wire from the headset attaches to a small black box (with some processors and such inside), which then attaches to your PlayStation 4.

There are even motion controllers, similar to the ones used with Nintendo's Wii, called "PlayStation Move" controllers. They look like this:

PlayStation Move

But what's a VR headset without games? Nothing, that's what! And on Saturday, Sony unveiled the launch lineup of 17 games coming to PlayStation VR. Check them out below!

Sony's virtual reality headset for the PlayStation 4 is called "PlayStation VR."



The lights aren't just for show — they're used by the PlayStation 4 camera to pick up where your head is, positionally-speaking, in space.



A set of lenses are used to help trick your brain into believing that what you're seeing is reality, thus creating the sense of "presence" that's key to convincing virtual reality.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Why asparagus makes pee smell funny, and other amazing facts about everyday foods and spices

$
0
0

asparagus vegetables

Do you know which popular holiday spice can help soothe a toothache? Or why chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats?

By digging deep into the molecular chemistry of everyday foods and spices, Cambridge-based chemistry teacher Andy Brunning has the answers.

And you don't have to be a chemistry-expert to understand them.

Brunning heads the popular science website Compound Interest and recently published the book "Why Does Asparagus Make Your Wee Smell?: And 57 other curious food and drink questions."

Here are 15 of Brunning's amazing graphics about the chemistry of asparagus, cloves, coffee, nutmeg, and much more:

CHECK OUT: Humans are just starting to understand the octopus, and it's mind blowing

UP NEXT: Leading Harvard physicist has a radical new theory for why humans exist

When your doctor says don't eat grapefruit, she means it! Grapefruit contains compounds that can prevent your body from breaking down certain medications, including some statin drugs to lower cholesterol, like Lipitor, and some antihistamines, like Allegra.

Additional source: FDA



Clove oil is rich in a compound called eugenol, which has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties that can ease dental pain.



Leaves from the coriander plant are a popular ingredient in Indian cuisine. But the leaves can sometimes taste soapy. That's because they contain similar aldehyde compounds found in many soaps and lotions.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

What Richard Branson, Bill Gates, and 11 other successful people do on weekends

$
0
0

richard branson necker island

For some, the weekend's a sacred retreat from the hustle and bustle of work.

For others, the weekend is a myth — Saturday and Sunday are mere extensions of the workweek and a chance to get ahead of the competition.

Judging from the ways successful people spend their — at least theoretical — time away from work, there really is no right or wrong way to structure your weekends. It's all about striking the right balance for you.

Here's how some successful people do it.

Richard Branson hangs out on his island in the Caribbean.

While Branson tells the Telegraph he spends half the year traveling the world on business trips, he says he spends the other half on his tiny private Caribbean island, Necker.

"I know I shouldn't, but I still like to party on Friday nights," he admits. The business mogul says he dances until the wee hours of the morning to the sounds of the island's band, the Front Line, and heads to the crow's nest on his roof around 2 a.m. to watch the stars.

Despite being up late, Branson says he still wakes up early, usually before everyone else, and goes for a swim around the island.

"It's exquisitely beautiful; I'll see spotted eagle rays, giant leatherback turtles and a number of species of shark, such as nurse sharks and lemon sharks,"he tells the Telegraph. "It's not frightening; if you're swimming with sharks they don't tend to bother you at all, it's only if they mistake you for a seal that they might have a nip."

His morning swim is usually followed by a healthy breakfast of fruit salad or natural muesli, though on occasion he spoils himself with kippers or an English breakfast.

The day's activities could include tennis, kitesurfing, scuba diving, or hanging out with dolphins and whales in his tiny submarine. But Branson says afternoons are always spent on the beach, oftentimes playing chess with his kids. 

Saturday evenings consist of more partying, and Sundays include rock jumping, paddle boarding, and boat races, Branson tells the Telegraph



Elon Musk spends time with his children.

Musk, the billionaire CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, has five sons, with whom, he told Mashable, he hangs out on the weekends.

But he also admitted at South by Southwest in 2013 that some of this "quality time" is spent sending emails.

"Because they don't need constant interaction, except when we're talking directly," he said. "I find I can be with them and still be working at the same time."



Jack Dorsey hikes and prepares for the week.

In 2011, when Jack Dorsey was running Twitter and Square full-time, the cofounder told the audience at Techonomy 2011 that, to get it all done, he gave each day a theme. This allowed him to quickly recall and refocus on the day's task once distractions were out of the way.

Dorsey said he would take Saturday off to hike and spend Sunday focusing on reflections, feedback, strategy, and getting ready for the rest of the week.

Now that he's back running both companies, there's a good chance theme days could come in handy again.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

15 tips for how to take control of stress, according to scientists

$
0
0

woman and papers stressed

Let's face it: The holidays can be the most wonderful time of year, but also the most stressful.

Whether it's a family member or a pesky in-law who always manages to make a situation uncomfortable, from now through December, there's almost no way to escape at least one stress-filled scenario.

To help you cope, here are 13 science-backed tips to keep your stress level down this holiday season.

SEE ALSO: 15 ways to stay focused all day, according to scientists

DON'T MISS: 15 healthy eating habits that work according to scientists

Make a game plan.

Staying organized will keep you from doing all of your holiday-related shopping at the last minute and give you more time to spend with your loved ones instead of scrambling for everything at the last minute.

Not only will having a to-do list reduce stress, it will help you stay more focused, according to Cal Newport, a computer-science professor and author of the book "Deep Work," which comes out in January.

Without such a list, said Newport, incomplete work can eat away at your concentration. This stems from something called the Zeigarnik Effect, which is the tendency to remember incomplete tasks.



Take deep breaths.

Sometimes, the holidays can be so jam-packed it's hard to remember to even breathe. But taking a second to step away from the kitchen or the crowd and breathe in deep may help your body handle stress a little better. The idea is to get your breath slower to activate the body's relaxation mode, with a lower blood pressure and an overall better feeling.



Scale it down.

While there is a lot of pressure to get the holidays just right, setting realistic expectations can help manage stress. A number of studies have pointed to lofty expectations as a reason for higher stress levels. Instead of stretching yourself too thin by taking on too many fancy holiday dishes, stick with manageable tasks and spend the rest of the time enjoying the company of friends and family.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A peek inside the world's first 'Olympics' for bionic athletes

$
0
0

cybathlon

The world's first Cybathlon is coming next October.

The Cybathlon is a competition for former pilots with disabilities who use assistive robotic devices. The event will debut for the very first time in October.

Over the summer, ETH Zurich, an engineering and technology university that's organizing the event, held a summer trial for the athletes.

Here's a peek inside the world's first Cybathlon and everything you need to know about it:

The Cybathlon is meant to show what people with assistive robotic devices are capable of accomplishing, while also showing barriers for people with disabilities that must be addressed, Robert Riener, the main organizer of the event, told Tech Insider.

"Most assistive technologies are not satisfactory yet, and do not provide good daily life support," Riener,who is also a professor of sensory-motory systems at ETH Zurich, said.

Cybathlon will provide an opportunity for researchers to see what kind of improvements can be made in bionic systems, Riener said. 



There are six different disciplines athletes can compete in, from the brain-computer interface (BCI) race to the powered exoskeleton race.

The other events are the powered leg prosthesis race, the powered arm prosthesis race, the powered wheelchair race, and the powered electrical stimulation bike race.



Participants in the BCI race will use the technology to control avatars in a computer game using nothing but their minds. The avatars will have to perform tasks like avoiding obstacles and accelerating.

RAW Embed

When people are hooked up to BCI technology, it gives them the ability to control an external device with their mind — sort of like mastering the force or telekinesis. You can learn more about that here.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

47 places where young people are hopelessly looking for work

$
0
0

youth iraq car bombing baghdad

Since the global financial crisis, high youth unemployment has been a problem across the world.

But even though the issue is widespread, the causes and the effects vary greatly within each country.

Business Insider took a closer look at the economic and geopolitical factors that have led to continued high youth unemployment in 47 countries, as well as some of the major regional and global trends.

Given that many of the countries on our list do not release official monthly (or even annual) economic data, we used the estimated 2014 youth-unemployment rates from the International Labour Organization.

47. Libya

2014 youth unemployment rate (est.): 24.5%

Percentage of population aged 15-24 | under 24: 17.77% | 44.29%

Chronic youth unemployment was one of the issues leading to the toppling of Libya's Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

A 2014 report by the African Development Bank notes that youth unemployment continues to be high as postrevolutionary economic recovery was mostly focused on oil (which has since seen some troubles), as well as continued political instability in recent years.

Source: ILOCIA World Factbook



46. Sudan

2014 youth unemployment rate (est.): 24.9%

Percentage of population aged 15-24 | under 24: 20.5% | 60.65%.

A 2012 report by the AfDB said that an estimated 62% of students in higher education were studying humanities, while only 32% the sciences. But employment opportunities for youth are in agriculture (42%), public services (19%), and trade (19%). Employers are starting to hire foreign workers to fill the gaps.

Additionally, South Sudan's 2011 independence from Sudan was economically sticky as 75% of oil reserves are in the former, while the refineries and major pipeline remain in the latter.

Source: ILO,CIA World Factbook



45. France

2014 youth unemployment rate (est.): 25.3%

Percentage of population aged 15-24 | under 24: 11.82% | 30.48%

"After six quarters of continuous decline in youth unemployment, the situation of French youth deteriorated in 2014 leaving 24.7% of the youth labor force unemployed in the first quarter of 2015," according to a 2015 report by the OECD.

Moreover, France was only one of three countries in Europe that saw the proportion of youth with temporary jobs rise. "To a certain degree, temporary employment among youth can be viewed as an increasingly standard phenomenon in the career path," notes a report by the ILO.

Source: ILO,CIA World Factbook



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

I can't stop playing 'Monument Valley'

$
0
0

monument valley 2

My colleagues haveravedabout the mobile game "Monument Valley" since I started working at Tech Insider more than six months ago.

This weekend, I finally decided to see for myself what all the fuss was about, and I haven't been able to stop playing since I downloaded it on Friday.

Here's why:

"Monument Valley" is a puzzler — you must solve puzzles in order to move from one level to the next.



The objective of the game is to guide the princess Ida through maze-like structures.



The game is characterized by its beautiful, surreal graphics and its soundtrack. I highly encourage you to play it with headphones on or with the volume up.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

'The Leftovers' season-finale director reveals the biggest challenges of the episode

$
0
0

karaoke7 finalWarning: Spoilers if you haven't seen the finale yet

Season two of "The Leftovers" came to a close Sunday night with an episode that tied up a whole lot of loose ends while also being one of the most thrillingly entertaining of the season.

From the Guilty Remnant showing they still have a few tricks left, to Kevin (Justin Theroux) singing karaoke to save his life, this finale was so packed that we asked the director of the finale, Mimi Leder, to give us some insight.

Here she looks back on three of the biggest highlights from the episode and explains the challenges she confronted to pull them off.

SEE ALSO: 9 shows you're not watching that you should be

1. The GR taking the bridge is layered with guilt and shame

The ominous guarded bridge that brings people into the magical town of Miracle has been one of the main locations this season. But thanks to the GR's new leader, Meg (Liv Tyler), the bridge becomes the setting for the reveal of the season's biggest question: Where has Evie been?

Getting past the guards, Meg drives a trailer to the middle of the bridge and after she's apprehended Evie exits the trailer with her two friends (more of a shock to the townspeople than us, as we found out they were part of the GR at the end of last week's episode). But the GR tricks don't stop there. During Evie and her friends' standoff on the bridge, GR members embedded in the campground outside of Miracle change clothes into all white and march to the bridge. They overpower the guards and walk into Miracle with the campers following them.

"[Show creator] Damon [Lindelof] and I had many discussions on how the GR take over the bridge," Leder said. "Do they run to the bridge? Do they march? I did the GR getting to the bridge in slow motion because I wanted it to feel magical and unreal. All the layers of guilt and shame — Evie joining because of the issues with her family — are layered into that moment."



2. Justin Theroux was terrified to do the karaoke scene

"The Leftovers" has never been shy to go full "Twin Peaks" on us, and the finale showed that off perfectly with Kevin's trip back to purgatory.

Shot by John after he learns that the palm print on Evie's car the night she disappeared was Kevin's, Kevin is found back in the hotel he was in after Virgil killed him in episode seven. But this time he comes across a karaoke bar in the hotel lobby and learns the only way to get back to the living is to sing a song. Reluctantly he spins the wheel of song choices, landing on the Simon & Garfunkel song "Homeward Bound."

"Justin was terrified of singing," Leder said. "I kept saying, 'We don't want you to be a good singer, we don't even want you to sing half-good.' He did a brilliant job."

And the choice of song for the scene took some time to figure out.

"We listened to several songs, and the words in 'Homeward Bound' felt right," she said.

Leder said the song's words "...every day is an endless stream of cigarettes and magazines..." inspired Lindelof to include shots of Kevin smoking and copies of National Geographic, which were both recurring themes in season one.



3. A family finally under one roof

Family has been a major theme in "The Leftovers." And by the end of the season-two finale we see that the Murphy family has imploded while the Garvey family has finally come together. The wife of Matt Jamison (Christopher Eccleston) is awake (again), and in a moving final shot in the episode, Kevin comes home to find his whole family is there, including his son Tom (Chris Zylka) and girlfriend Nora (Carrie Coon).

"There were a lot of characters to tie up," Leder said. "I think there were 11 characters that all had to have stories that had to be wound up. It was a real challenge for me to keep it creative and cinematic and emotional. I mean, we started 20,000 years ago in the first episode with that baby finding a home. And we're in the same space and now Kevin has found his home."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

10 incredible settlements created by 'Fallout 4' players

$
0
0

In the new game "Fallout 4," you've got a role to play in rebuilding human civilization following the nuclear apocalypse.

But, rather than rebuilding civilization, many of the game's players are instead creating their dream homes. Or even dream towns! Like so:

Fallout 4

The latest game in the long-running "Fallout" series puts players in "The Commonwealth," which is essentially the Boston metropolitan area (think: Cambridge, Jamaica Plains, etc. in addition to Boston itself). "Fallout 4's" contribution to the series is a building system, which enables players to create some unbelievable settlements: places where you and other settlers can live, ranging from small homes to...well:

Fallout 4

Indeed. Here are the best player-created settlements we've found thus far, care of Reddit and Imgur and forums.

One player is building a "small" home on an abandoned barge:



It's made up entirely of shipping containers, as one does.



At least it's got a nice-ish view!



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The investor leading the deal for Keurig is quietly building a coffee empire (GMCR)

$
0
0

Douwe Egberts

The investor group that runs the biggest pure-play coffee company in the world just extended its reach.

JAB Holdings and its partners are spending $13.9 billion to buy home-brewing coffee company Keurig Green Mountain.

JAB chairman Bart Becht said in a statement: "Keurig Green Mountain represents a major step forward in the creation of our global coffee platform."

The company is the investment arm of the secretive Reimann family

The family members behind JAB are Renate Reimann-Haas, Wolfgang Reimann, Stefan Reimann-Andersen, and Matthias Reimann-Andersen. They owe their wealth to Benckiser, which is now Reckitt Benckiser, a consumer products company which owns everything from  Durex to Gaviscon

They are all descendants of Ludwig Reimann, a chemist who joined Benckiser shortly after it was founded by Johann Adam Benckiser in 1823. Reimann married one of Benckiser's daughters, and ended up owning the company after his death.

JAB continues to own a stake in Reckitt Benckiser. It also has a luxury arm which houses investments in Jimmy Choo, Belstaff and Bally, and owns perfume maker Coty.

JAB struck a deal in 2013 to buy D.E. Master Blenders 1753, and later agreed a deal with Mondelez International to combine their respective coffee businesses. That created Jacobs Douwe Egberts, which describes itself as the biggest pure-play coffee company in the world.

The holding company is led by three partners. Bart Brecht, a former CEO of Reckitt Benckiser, is chairman, while Olivier Goudet is CEO. Goudet is also chairman of Anheuser-Busch InBev. Peter Harf, a former chairman of Anheuser-Busch Inbev, is the third partner.

Business Insider breaks down JAB Holdings' massive portfolio in the java business:

JAB acquired Peet's Coffee and Tea in 2012.

JAB Holdings acquired Peet's back in 2012 for about $1 billion.



It then did a deal for Caribou Coffee.

JAB also runs Caribou Coffee Co., which it acquired in 2013 for $340 million. Caribou Coffee is based in Minnesota.



Next up was D.E Master Blenders 1753

JAB struck a deal in 2013 to buy D.E. Master Blenders 1753, which had been spun out of Sara Lee Corp. a year earlier, for $9.8 billion.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The players from Tim Duncan's 1997 NBA draft class

$
0
0

tim duncan rookie

At 39, Tim Duncan has managed to find the Fountain of Youth, playing his 19th season in the NBA.

Duncan is still the anchor of the San Antonio Spurs, and has been for his entire career, proving the Spurs nailed the pick when they took him first overall in the 1997 draft.

Looking back at the draft, it's clear the Spurs won the entire thing, as Duncan stands head and shoulder above the other picks. While there are a few notable All-Stars and solid role players, none of them compare to Duncan.

It's quite a startling looking at the difference in success of Duncan's career versus some of his peers.

Take a look back at where some of those picks after Duncan landed.

The Spurs took Tim Duncan with the No. 1 overall pick, setting up a 19-year run of dominance.



Today, Duncan still mans the middle for the Spurs, who are once again championship contenders.



The 76ers took Keith Van Horn with the second overall pick.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 10 best tips about money Warren Buffett has ever shared

$
0
0

warren buffett

Warren Buffett is one of the greatest investing and business minds today. But aside from his exponential investing success, Buffett is probably most famous for his humorous insights, colorful commentary and wise advice. It's part of what makes him a perfect fit to be a finalist for the 2015 "Best Money Expert" competition, presented by GOBankingRates in collaboration with Ally Bank.

Buffett's quotes are always entertaining, but some of them provide the perfect insights into how money works and what it really takes to grow wealth. This collection of 10 quotes represents the best pieces of personal finance advice Warren Buffett has ever given.

SEE ALSO: Warren Buffett's youngest son describes what it was like being raised by a billionaire

1. Never lose money.

Warren Buffett's No. 1 piece of advice for 2016 is one he follows as closely as he can: "Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget rule No. 1." This rule applies readily to investing — if you're working from a loss, it's that much harder to get back to where you started, let alone earn gains.

2. Get high value at a low price.

"Never lose money" is an even smarter rule when paired with another Buffett principle: "Price is what you pay; value is what you get," Buffett wrote in the 2008 Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letter. Losing money can happen when the price you're paying doesn't match the value you're getting — like when you're paying high interest on credit card debt or spending on items you'll rarely use.

Instead, be like Buffett and practice frugality by looking for opportunities to get more value at a lower price. "Whether we're talking about socks or stocks, I like buying quality merchandise when it is marked down," Buffett wrote.



3. Form healthy money habits.

"Most behavior is habitual," Buffett said in a 2007 address at the University of Florida, "and they say that the chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken." Habits are changeable, but the earlier you start the better.

"I think the biggest mistake is not learning the habits of saving properly early because saving is a habit," Buffett said. Pay attention to money habits and work to strengthen those that help your finances, and break those that hurt your finances.

4. Avoid debt, especially credit card debt.

Warren Buffett built his wealth by getting interest to work for him instead of working to pay interest the way many Americans in debt do. "I've seen more people fail because of liquor and leverage — leverage being borrowed money," Buffett said in a 1991 speech at Notre Dame. "You really don't need leverage in this world much. If you're smart, you're going to make a lot of money without borrowing."

Buffett is especially wary of credit cards. His advice is to avoid them altogether. "Interest rates are very high on credit cards," Buffett once said in a news release. "Sometimes they are 18 percent. Sometimes they are 20 percent. If I borrowed money at 18 or 20 percent, I'd be broke." 



5. Keep cash on hand.

Another key to ensuring security is to always keep cash reserves on hand. "We always maintain at least $20 billion — and usually far more — in cash equivalents," Buffett said in the 2014 Berkshire Hathaway annual report. Buffett credits these reserves with helping Berkshire Hathaway stay afloat throughout the Great Recession, even as so many other businesses floundered.

Businesses and individuals alike might get an itch to put liquid cash to work through investments. "Cash, though, is to a business as oxygen is to an individual: never thought about when it is present, the only thing in mind when it is absent," Buffett said. "When bills come due, only cash is legal tender," he continued. "Don't leave home without it."

6. Invest in yourself.

"Invest in as much of yourself as you can. You are your own biggest asset by far," Buffett said, according to Inc.com. He echoed those sentiments in a CNBC interview when he said, "Anything you do to improve your own talents and make yourself more valuable will get paid off in terms of appropriate real purchasing power."

Those returns are big, too. "Anything you invest in yourself, you get back ten-fold," Buffett said. And unlike other assets and investments, "nobody can tax it away; they can't steal it from you." 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

17 gifts your dad actually wants this holiday season

$
0
0

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

8ec10373 edf3 4292 9df3 8fa20e1dd8f6Shopping for Dad can be frustrating. When it comes to gifting, your conversation probably goes something like this: "Dad, what do you want for Christmas?""I don't know. You don't have to get me anything." 

If you're drawing a blank on what to buy the father figure in you life this holiday season, we found 17 presents to help inspire you. They run the gamut, from premium earbuds to leather wallets, from old-school turntables to fly fishing kits. Scroll down and see if anything catches your eye. 

 

SEE ALSO: 17 gifts your mom actually wants this holiday season

MORE GIFTS: 20 laptop bags that are stylish and professional

DON'T MISS: The 23 best-looking watches to give and get for under $500

A leather wallet

Wallets are one of those items that get a lot of wear and not a lot of care in return. There's a good chance Dad's is coming apart at its seams or bulging uncomfortably from his back pocket. Or, maybe it's in some other sad state of affairs.

If that's the case, the note sleeve wallet from Bellroy will be a welcome improvement to whatever his back pocket currently holds.

 

Bellroy Note Sleeve Wallet, $89.95.



A turntable for all of his vinyl records

Listening to vinyl records is popular again.If Dad's thinking of dusting off his collection and buying a new player, the Audio-Technica AT-LP60 is a simple, well-receivedintroduction to the turntable concept. It sounds great, it cleans up nicely, and using it is as easy as plugging in, popping in a record, and hitting start.

 

Audio Technica AT-LP60 Fully Automatic Stereo Turntable System (Silver), $98.



A watch with a canvas strap

Your dad already has a nice leather watch for the office. Get him a casual one he can wear outdoors and on the weekends — Daniel Wellington watches are both stylish and affordable.

 

Daniel Wellington Classic Oxford Watch, 40mm, $89.55.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These 5 companies will dominate driverless cars

$
0
0

A visualization of how lidar mapping works.

There's been quite the arms race for driverless cars, with many companies declaring that their technology will hit markets by 2020.

But a recent report released by Juniper Research, a mobile and digital market research firm, has listed the top five players that are most likely to bring self-driving cars to consumers.

The automakers were scored on the follow categories: time spent developing related technologies; first live test and other trials conducted; the number of miles tested on public roads; the size of the fleet; media coverage; employees working on autonomous projects; and future opportunities.

Some companies that were selected based on those factors were then interviewed by Juniper's research team to finalize the ranking, a Juniper Research spokesperson told Tech Insider. 

Here's a look at the top five players, according to the report. 

SEE ALSO: 20 million driverless cars may be on the road by 2025

5. Apple

Apple has been notoriously hush about even confirming plans about creating a car. We have no knowledge of first trials or subsequent tests, and any tests that have been performed were on a former military facility (not public roads).

However, the California Department of Motor Vehicle did tell Tech Insider earlier this year that it had met with Apple to discuss rules for testing autonomous vehicles on public roads

The Wall Street Journal also reported earlier this year that Apple is gearing up to ship its first electric car in 2019, but that it would not be self-driving. 

Given that media coverage is a category for assessing Juniper's ranking, Apple coming in as a top leader does make some sense. But we'll have to wait until the company reveals more about its driverless car plans to know how it will actually stack up against its competitors. 



4. Tesla

Tesla is pushing to gets its driverless cars to market first and has already made some impressive progress. 

The company rolled out its semi-autonomous Autopilot system in October, which gives Tesla cars driverless capabilities like highway autosteer, automatic lane change, and self-parking.

Elon Musk also said earlier this year that he plans to have fully autonomous vehicles out in three years. That's earlier than most companies, who are currently running on a 2020 timeline.

Most recently, Musk said via Twitter that he was ramping up Tesla's Autopilot efforts and was looking to hire "hardcore software engineers."



3. Daimler

Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, ranks third on the list and has made a lot of progress developing the technology. 

Mercedes-Benz big-rig recently made history by driving itself on a public road (pictured above).

Thomas Weber, Daimler head of development, told Reuters in 2013 that the company wanted "to be the first to launch autonomous functions in production vehicles." 

"You can be sure we will accomplish that in this decade," he added, showing Daimler as a serious contender.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

12 vintage photos that show the chaos of airports as 'the golden age' of air travel came to an end

$
0
0

LAX_054

During air travel's "golden age," passengers flew in style — sitting in large, comfortable seats, eating gourmet food, and drinking custom cocktails while they relaxed on the way to their final destination. 

All of that changed with the passing of the Airline Deregulation Act in 1978. Carriers were finally free to choose their own routes and set competitive ticket prices. It was the last nail in the coffin of air travel's "golden age," flooding airports with a record-breaking number of passengers.

As air travel suddenly became more affordable and accessible to the common man, photographer and directorJohn Brian King was living near Los Angeles International Airport and experimenting with documentary photography. He captured the airport's arriving passengers in the early '80s, which he has compiled in a new book, LAX: Photographs of Los Angeles 1980-84.

King was drawn to the chaos that airports naturally create. "People are in an unusual state [at the airport]. They have just woken up after flying for ten hours, lost their luggage, or are waiting for a loved one. I enjoyed photographing people in this state against a backdrop of government-architectural dystopia, which was LAX in the early 1980s," he told Business Insider. 

SEE ALSO: 23 vintage photos from the glory days of aviation

Airline deregulation led to the creation of a "hub-and-spoke system" which aimed to maximize aircraft use and increase the passenger load for each flight. Commercial airlines designated certain major airports as their "hub," making them a connection point to lesser-frequented airports known as the "spokes." Today, LAX is a hub for five airlines: American, United, Alaska Airlines, Great Lakes Airlines, and Virgin America.



During the decade that followed, oil prices dropped by 60%, and ticket prices dropped — both of which led to more travelers choosing to fly rather than drive to their destinations.



In 1980, LAX accommodated 74% of the passenger traffic that arrived in southern California on domestic flights. There were competing airports in Burbank, San Diego, and Orange County.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This history-making model made a public appeal to Victoria's Secret to walk the runway

$
0
0

Denise Bidot swimsuits for all unretouched 1

The Victoria's Secret show airs on December 8 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

The retailer infamously does not showcase curvier models.

This summer, plus size model Denise Bidot told The Daily Mail that she'd love to be a Victoria's Secret model. That would make her the first plus-size woman to strut Victoria's Secret's iconic (if over-the-top) runway and to pose its famed catalogs.

But even though Bidot will not be strutting the runway this year, the curvy model has already been making history, and she's encouraging people to embrace themselves — no matter their size or their stretch marks.

Find out more about the stunning model.

SEE ALSO: 19 models who made history for H&M, Sports Illustrated, and more

Bidot was raised by a single mother.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/uD-hjGAsqy/embed/
Width: 658px

Source: Latina



She watched her mother diet constantly, and that helped shift the way she thought about beauty and size. "I didn't want to go through that, and I didn't want my children to through that either. It's crazy, because now I'm a size 14 and my mom is a size 14! She comes to shows with me, and I think it has been helping her throughout the whole process. I am still honored to be able to help my mother gain her confidence — along with all women in the world," she said to Latina.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/7t57dYgsla/embed/
Width: 658px

Source: Latina



Bidot's family all had traditional jobs — they were doctors and lawyers, she said in an interview with Latina. She told Latina that she wanted to do things differently — so she asked her mother if she could go to Los Angeles for a week instead of having a quinceañera. By the time she was 18 years old, she had moved there to pursue acting.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/s-s8DTgshV/embed/
Width: 658px

Source: Latina



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 8 best hamburgers around the world

$
0
0

foie_gras_burger

Is there any food more quintessentially all-American than the hamburger? Whether you like it with or without cheese, topped with everything under the sun or kept pure and simple, one thing is for certain: Beef patties are a staple of American cuisine.

And much like you can find foods from almost every country in American restaurants, eateries in other nations have added burgers to their menus as well.

While some stay faithful to American-style burgers, others put their own twists on the classics.

Let’s take a trip around the world and explore some of the best hamburgers you’ll find in every corner of the Earth.

SEE ALSO: The best burger in every state

Taqueria dos Parados: Monterrey, Mexico

Starting south of the border, the burgers at this standing-room-only joint are famous for being among the best in the city. The beef patties are grilled over hot coals and served Mexican-style, on fresh buns with spicy house-made salsa, bacon, cheese and ham. The result is a rich and delicious concoction that may make any American burger pale in comparison



Foie Gras Burger: Au Pied de Cochon, Montreal

Heading north into Canada, you’ll find some of the most decadent dishes anywhere at Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal; however, one of the most popular items on the menu is the PDC Burger: A venison patty topped with foie gras, maple-cured pork belly, cheddar cheese, port and red-wine-infused mayonnaise, balsamic sauce and marinated onions served on a white bun. It’s an explosion of flavors unlike anything you’ll ever taste.



Mapetla: Jo’burger In Dublin

When you’re reviewing your options for Dublin hotels you may want to find a spot close to Jo’burger, a popular burger joint. With a whimsical 1970s-inspired theme the place is fun, but the real stars are the burgers, made from organic beef, lamb or fish. Order the Mapetla, a patty served with beetroot salad and relish, or the Zondi, served with chili, green curry mayonnaise and coriander.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The crazy way patterns are put on phone cases is like nothing you've ever seen

$
0
0

phone case water printing

The way patterns are put on phone cases is absolutely mesmerizing.

Patterns are put on phone cases through a type of printing, but you won't be able to do it with your Inkjet at home.

The process it called hydrographics, sometimes known as water transfer printing.

It's basically printing with water, and works on pretty much anything, from toys to helmets. 

HG Arts, a company that makes hydrographic printers, showed us how the process works.

INSIDER is on Facebook: Follow us here

First, blank phone cases act as a clean slate.



The phone cases are then suspended above a pool of water.



A thin sheet made of polyvinyl alcohol is printed with the desired pattern, then rolled over the pool of water.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Unforgettable photos from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor

$
0
0

pearl harbor, december 7. 1941, naval air station airfield

Under the South Pacific sun on December 7, 1941, troops serving the US fleet at Pearl Harbor began a calm Sunday morning unaware that Japanese bombers were headed toward America's most important Pacific base.

There, like a string of pearls draped across the docks and waterfront, was the majority of the US's naval might.

The devastating Japanese onslaught began at 7:48 a.m., eventually killing 2,402 Americans and wounding many others, sinking four battleships, and damaging military airfields.

The Pearl Harbor attack spurred America into World War II, leading ultimately to Allied victory over the Japanese in the East and Nazis and other Axis powers in the West. 

Here are photographs from the attack and its immediate aftermath.

Kamelia Angelova contributed to this report.

SEE ALSO: 'We were lucky': Pearl Harbor vet describes how he survived the infamous attack

On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, an attack planned by Admiral Isoroku Yamamotoa was carried out to demobilize the US Navy. This picture shows one of more than 180 planes used in the attack.



At 7:00 a.m., an Army radar operator spotted the first wave of the Japanese planes. The officers to whom those reports were relayed did not consider them significant enough to take action. This photo shows an aerial view of Battleship Row in the opening moments of the raid.



The Japanese hit most of the US ships in Oahu before 8:00 a.m. Here a Japanese plane flies over Pearl Harbor while black smoke rises from the area.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

4 email apps you should be using instead of the one that comes with your phone

$
0
0

Microsoft Outlook iPhone app

On Monday, Dropbox announced that it would shut down Mailbox, the popular email app that it bought in 2013 for about $100 million.

But this means that many people who rely on Mailbox, including me, will have to find another email app.

I love Mailbox because you can "snooze" emails so they disappear from your inbox until later, and quickly archive and delete messages to empty your inbox. 

Fortunately, there are a handful of other good email apps to use when Mailbox is officially shuttered in February. 

SEE ALSO: Dropbox is shutting down one of the most beloved email apps

Inbox from Google

Inbox is a relatively new email app from Google. 

The app has a lot of features to help make email more manageable. For example, it highlights important parts of emails — reservation times, ticket information, photos, shipping information, etc. — so you don't always have to open actual messages. 

It also groups together similar messages, like promotions, which make them easier to delete, and allows you to create reminders on a to-do list. 

And like Mailbox, Inbox also lets you snooze emails for later. 

Available on: Android and iOS



Outlook from Microsoft

My colleagues love the Outlook iPhone app.

Outlook filters the most important emails to your "focused" tab. You can also quickly swipe to archive, delete, or "reschedule" (aka snooze) an email for later. You can also quickly arrange your inbox just by emails that have attachments. 

Steven Tweedie, Business Insider's tech editor, earlier this year called it "the best email app out right now."

Available on: Android, iOS, and Windows Phone



Spark from Readdle

Spark is another great email app. Like many of the apps on this list, it filters the important messages and groups the ones that aren't so important. It also allows you to snooze emails for later and swipe to archive and delete messages.

You can also use Spark to notify you when you receive important emails.

Available on: iOS



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Viewing all 61683 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images