The Ashley Madison hack dominated tech headlines again this week, and we analyzed the leaked data to expose an interesting and sad twist to that story. That and more favorites from this week below.
Almost None of the Women in the Ashley Madison Database Ever Used the Site
When hacker group Impact Team released the Ashley Madison data, they asserted that “thousands” of the women’s profiles were fake. Later, this number got blown up in news stories that asserted “90-95%” of them were fake, though nobody put forth any evidence for such an enormous number. So I downloaded the data and analyzed it to find out how many actual women were using Ashley Madison, and who they were.
The Fembots of Ashley Madison
Now we know that almost none of the woman in the Ashley Madison database ever used the site. The question is, was this a deliberate fraud? Or was it just a dating site gone wrong?
How To Survive a Mass Shooting
As a kid, fire drills taught you fire safety. And you haven’t been killed by a fire. Your parents trained similarly for nuclear war. With 248 mass shootings in US in the 238 days of 2015, it’s time we began treating those the same way. This is how.
These Former “Students” Say Trump University Was a Scam
Did you know that Donald Trump used to have his own university? Well, “university” is a stretch: The unaccredited program offered courses and seminars on how to do real estate deals in true Trump fashion. But some of Trump’s former “students” are pretty unhappy about the education they received. In fact, some allege it was all a scam.
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Review: The Best Android Phone That Spares No Expense
The original smartphone-with-a-stylus is all grown up. It’s easily the best smartphone Samsung has ever made, and it looks and feels the part.
Dude, It’s Not a Hoverboard
Rapper Wiz Khalifa was arrested at LAX this week. What was he arrested for? If we’re to believe almost every headline, Wiz’s crime was joyriding a hoverboard at the airport. Are we finally living in the future Back To The Future II promised us?
OnePlus 2 Review: It’s Powerful, It’s Cheap, and Dangit, It’s Exciting
Even as Apple, Samsung, and Motorola are pounding out their latest flagship superphones, the OnePlus 2 is easily the most interesting handset hitting the market right now. It’s different: An ambitious, powerful phone that won’t set you back too much loot.
All the Crazy Ways Life Has Evolved to Cope with Extreme Heat
Sure, big ears help you hear better, but as the fennec foxes of North Africa know, they’re also a great way of dissipating excess body heat. Side bonus: Big ears make you so freakin’ cute humans design Pokemon in your honor.
Meanwhile in the Future: Everybody Has a Personal Drone Now
There are a million ways people might use drones in the future, from deliveries and police work to journalism. But in this episode, we’re going to talk about consumer drones — something that you or I might use for ourselves. What does the world look like when everybody with a smart phone also has a drone?
This Man Is About to Put a Robot in Your Pocket
What will it take for robots to become as common in our homes and daily lives as smartphones, TVs, and computers? Ask roboticist Tomotaka Takahashi. The famous Tokyo professor aims to be “the Steve Jobs of robotics,” by moving away from technical specs and emphasizing design, as well as pure bot charisma.
