pulse

LinkedIn amps up content, acquires newsreader Pulse

LinkedIn has been adding all sorts of content as a way to get people to spend more time on the site.

Today, the company confirmed that it's acquiring Pulse, a newsreader app that aggregates news and social-media feeds. Pulse boasts more than 20 million users who are spread across more than 190 countries and read 10 million stories a day.

LinkedIn reportedly paid $90 million. News that an deal was in the works was reported last month.

LinkedIn has been amping up its efforts to produce a reliable stream of content for its users -- and keep them coming … Read more

Fujitsu tech scans your face to take your pulse

Want an instant pulse check? Look into the lens.

Fujitsu today announced a technology that can take a person's pulse in real time using the built-in camera on a smartphone, tablet, or PC.

The system reads pulses by measuring variations in the brightness of the face thought to be caused by blood flow. It requires no special hardware and can measure pulse rate in as little as 5 seconds, positioning it as a possible tool for easy self-monitoring, anytime and anywhere, without the need for a special device. It could also be used by security teams to detect people acting suspiciously in public venues such as concerts and airports, Fujitsu says. … Read more

Google Reader is dying, but we have five worthy alternatives

Hear that? That's the sound of millions of news junkies on the Web scrambling to find an alternative to Google Reader.

As you may have heard, Google Reader will soon be no more. The search giant has announced that it will shutter its much-maligned -- though still widely used -- RSS reader, which will, no doubt, leave many users in a tizzy, searching for other ways to subscribe to their favorite RSS feeds. Sure, Google Reader may not have been the most beautifully designed product to come out of Mountain View, Calif., but it sure was convenient. And now … Read more

Google shows apps that work on Glass

CNET Update likes everything on Facebook:

The Samsung Galaxy S4 media mania continues. A video is posted of what is claimed to be the Galaxy S4, and Samsung shows a peek of the new smartphone from the shadows. But with the Galaxy S4, it's not so much about the look -- it's about the software and features. Some speculate it could have a 3D camera, based on a trademark it filed. But come back to CNET to watch the news live on Thursday at 4 p.m. Pacific, 7 p.m. Eastern.

Stories also mentioned in Tuesday's … Read more

LinkedIn to buy news app Pulse?

LinkedIn is getting ready to purchase news-reading app Pulse, AllThingsD reported today.

The app, which aggregates news and social media feeds, boasts more than 20 million users who are spread across more than 190 countries and read 10 million stories a day.

Unnamed sources told AllThingsD's Kara Swisher that the startup has had many suitors. Both Microsoft and Yahoo were talking to Pulse about an acquisition, and other companies including Facebook, Gannett and Amazon have been interested as well.

But the top contender is LinkedIn, and the two companies may announce the deal this week, according to the report. … Read more

Aussie firefighters swallowing pills that read core body temp

When the Country Fire Authority in Victoria, Australia, noticed that its firefighters were showing signs of heat stress even when their ear thermometer probes were reading normal temperatures, they decided it was time to find a better gauge in the hopes of preventing heat-related illnesses.

So they tested a smart pill on 50 firefighters evacuating 20 people from a burning medical center, and have already used the readings to change firefighter work patterns, including how long they're exposed to blazes, according to the Australian Associated Press.… Read more

FAA may change in-flight gadget rules

Keep your seat belt fastened for Tuesday's tech news roundup:

The Federal Aviation Administration has formed a committee to reconsider its policy on when electronics can be turned on during a flight. But this does not include making a cellphone call, so no worries about noisy neighbors. This group will look into how (or if) today's smartphones and tablets interfere with communication and instruments, and perhaps future electronics could have some new certification standard that marks it as safe for use during a flight.

Android users might have to thank the Apple vs. Samsung trial for speeding up … Read more

Hisense taps Google TV set-top box market with $99 Pulse

Google TV seems to be garnering more interest from hardware makers.

The latest company to partner with Google is Chinese hardware maker Hisense, which announced a set-top box called Pulse today. Like other Google set-top boxes, the Pulse will offer access to content on YouTube, Netflix, and Pandora and come preloaded with Google TV apps like Chrome, Google Play, and Search.

The Pulse will feature a double-sided remote control with a touchpad and dedicated Netflix button on one side, and a QWERTY keyboard on the other for Web search. The device will also feature a variety of connectivity options, including … Read more

Top news-reading apps for the iOS touch screen

The iPad is great for many things, but one of the best uses for me is relaxing on a Saturday and flipping through the latest news. There are plenty of basic news apps that grab all the latest headlines for you, but some offer a sleek layout that lets you browse the news using an elegant interface.

I recently reviewed Trapit for iPad, a fairly new newsreader you can train to give you the latest stories about any subject. You simply search for a keyword and Trapit makes a "Trap" of the latest news stories on that subject … Read more

DARPA seeks to speed up lasers

Have the super-scientific brain needed to develop laser technology for enhancing everything from radar scanning to X-ray machines? The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency wants you, doc.

DARPA this week called on radiation experts and other brainiacs to propose methods of efficiently controlling the electromagnetic spectrum by using ultrafast, pulsed lasers operating at optical wavelengths. It's part of DARPA's program in ultrafast laser and engineering, or PULSE. … Read more