He Was, And Will Always Be, Our Friend: Remembering Leonard Nimoy : NPR

In 1966, when Leonard Nimoy was offered a minor role on a new space drama, he was thrilled. As he told Archive of American Television: "You have to understand that prior to Star Trek I never had a job that lasted longer than two weeks in any TV show or movie. Never. Two weeks — max. And here I was, looking at a season of work."

The actor beloved for his role as the pointy-eared half-human, half-Vulcan died of lung disease at his home in Los Angeles on Friday. He was 83.

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Nimoy flashes the famous Vulcan salute at the 2013 premiere of Star Trek: Into Darkness. He originally based the gesture on a Jewish blessing.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Before he became an interplanetary sex symbol, Nimoy was a two-bit character actor knocking around Hollywood. He tended to play a lot of ethnic roles — Cherokees, Basques, Mexicans, Russians, Italian-Americans.

He Was, And Will Always Be, Our Friend: Remembering Leonard Nimoy : NPR

Skip the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro and go for the Surface Pro 3 instead | Windows Central

"A few days ago, I managed to pick up a Yoga 3 Pro to review for the site. See my unboxing and tour here if you missed it. I am still feeling out the ultra slim Ultrabook, but I can already answer one question for you. If you are choosing between buying the Surface Pro 3 and the new Yoga, you should pass on the Lenovo.

This conclusion is not to say the Yoga 3 Pro is bad, but rather I so far find it underwhelming. Let us compare."

Report: Apple poaching Samsung staff for future projects

"Another official provided more details, adding that, “former Samsung workers are given greater independence to proceed with their tasks. Apple prefers to use Samsung’s chip experts because they are very diligent, mission-oriented and are prepared to acquire new knowledge” and then pointed out that the individuals seduced by the dark side don’t have any real language difficulties working at Apple.

'Microsoft Surface Pro 4' Release Date, Specs & Price: October Release Set, See Details of Launch, Pro 3 Promo & Trade-In Program [Rumors] : News : Realty Today

"Based on a recent report by PC Advisor, the site analyzes the Surface Pro 4 will hit the shelves by October 2015 for a number of reasons. First of all, with the launch of the new Windows 10 in time for the year end shopping season, it'd be beneficial for the company to release a portable device sporting the new OS."

Neill Blomkamp's 'Alien' movie gets the greenlight, as seen on Instagram - CNET

In space, it seems everyone can hear you Instagram. After posting concept art for his dream "Alien" movie on Instagram, Neill Blomkamp has officially got the gig, as 20th Century Fox gives the film the green light.

According to Variety and Blomkamp himself -- on Instagram, of course -- the "Alien" sequel will be his next film. It will be developed alongside prequel "Prometheus 2" and both will be produced by the series progenitor Ridley Scott.

Neill Blomkamp's 'Alien' movie gets the greenlight, as seen on Instagram - CNET

How 'Interstellar' Advanced Black Hole Science | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

How 'Interstellar' Advanced Black Hole Science | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

Toshiba Chromebook 2 review: Finally a Chromebook worth buying - Pocket-lint

Samsung Could Roll Back Its Own Software And Embrace Microsoft For Galaxy S6 | TechCrunch

We’ve already heard reports that Samsung could be pumping the breaks on TouchWiz with its next flagship, but a new report from the generally accurate SamMobile today says that it will also be removing most of its in-house pre-loaded software from the Galaxy S6, and instead offering a host of Microsoft’s smartphone apps pre-installed. If true, this is one of the surest signs yet that Samsung is rethinking its mobile strategy in a way that truly plays to its strengths and minimizes its weaknesses.

Per the report, Samsung will be reducing the performance impact of TouchWiz, as well as sticking closer to stock Lollipop in some regards. But the big news is that it will remove “all” of its pre-installed apps, which presumably means things like S Voice, S Health, S Note and others. These will still be available, and will offer more colourful redesigns, but they’ll reside in the Samsung Galaxy Apps store as optional downloads, instead of something you get on the device out of the box (and can never truly remove).

Samsung won’t be stripping pre-installed software altogether, though: Instead, it’ll offer Microsoft’s revamped suite of productivity apps, including OneNote, OneDrive, Office Mobile (complete with a free 365 subscription of indeterminate duration) and Skype. Given Microsoft’s success in reinventing its software offerings for the mobile platforms of its ostensible competitors, this should prove far more beneficial to users than offering them Samsung’s generally unimpressive equivalents.

Samsung Could Roll Back Its Own Software And Embrace Microsoft For Galaxy S6 | TechCrunch

Arthur C. Clarke Accurately Predicted The Rise Of Google, Skype, E-mail -- In 1976

Science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke shared his thoughts about the Internet and e-mail, search engines and smartwatches, all in one interview.

It was some 40 years ago.

The year was 1976, and Clarke sat down to chat about his vision for the future at a conference on futurism and technology organized by AT&T and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The Internet as we know it was years away, home computers were extremely rudimentary, and the development of handheld cellphone technology was still very much in its nascent stages. Yet, Clarke, with total confidence, was somehow able to accurately predict the rise of such technological advances like the iPhone, Skype and Google.

Not everything Clarke prophesied has come to pass -- for instance, said that people of the future would only travel for pleasure and not for business. But a good many of his visions were extraordinarily spot-on.

This week, AT&T released archival footage of Clarke’s 1976 interview. Here are some of his most prescient predictions:

Arthur C. Clarke Accurately Predicted The Rise Of Google, Skype, E-mail -- In 1976

Interview with author/futurist Arthur C. Clarke, from an AT&T-MIT Confer...

Toshiba Chromebook 2 Review

NASA: 'MEGADROUGHTS' COMING

Dell Venue 8 7000 Review - Full Review and Benchmarks

If you're looking for a truly premium Android tablet, the Dell Venue 8 7000 has a lot to offer, including a sleek design, gorgeous screen and long battery life. Its RealSense Snapshot camera has a lot of potential but, at least right now, could use some better and more accurate software.

If you're looking for a high-end, 8-inch tablet that's a little cheaper, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 costs $50 less and has a screen that's also stunning. If you like Apple's iOS operating system and its larger selection of tablet apps, consider the Apple iPad mini 3. However, if you want cutting-edge camera technology in a high-end Android tablet, the Dell Venue 8 7000 is an excellent choice.

- See more at: http://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/tablets/dell-venue-8-7000#sthash.T6C48Vr3.dpuf



Dell Venue 8 7000 Review - Full Review and Benchmarks

Forgotten Apollo moon artifacts found in Neil Armstrong's closet - CNET

Astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the moon when he traveled 240,000 miles on NASA's Apollo 11 mission in 1969. He passed away in 2012, but left behind a legacy full of space, adventure and scientific inspiration. He also left behind a wealth of physical materials related to his travels. A purse full of rare artifacts is now in the spotlight as the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum shares details of a hidden piece of space history.

The Apollo Lunar Surface Journal, a NASA archive dedicated to preserving and sharing information about NASA's moon missions, has a page dedicated to a white cloth bag that Carol Armstrong, the astronaut's widow, found in a closet after his death.

Forgotten Apollo moon artifacts found in Neil Armstrong's closet - CNET

Which wireless carrier is king? One testing firm weighs in - CNET

The flood of different TV commercials touting the fastest, most reliable and newest wireless network may have your head spinning about which carrier actually offers the best service. It turns out Verizon Wireless is once again the top dog.

That's according to network-testing firm RootMetrics, which sent a small army of testers, who covered nearly 300,000 miles across the country, to compile data for its US mobile network performance review, which sums up US carrier performance in the second half of 2014.

Verizon, the nation's largest wireless carrier, again edged out AT&T on overall performance, winning out on reliability, speed, data, call quality and text messages. Sprint, meanwhile, improved its call quality and text messages, while T-Mobile saw its data and speed scores jump.

Which wireless carrier is king? One testing firm weighs in - CNET

Apple Watch Preview - CNET

Apple Watch Preview - CNET

Dell Venue 8 7000 review - CNET

Dell Venue 8 7000 review - CNET

Chancellor Carmen Fariña Changes New York City Schools’ Course - NYTimes.com

"Many principals said they felt they were getting more support now than they got under the Bloomberg administration. In interviews, principals cited the emphasis on collaboration among schools, the new professional development programs being offered and the fact that schools are no longer assessed primarily on their students’ test scores as examples of a more collegial, less punitive atmosphere.

“The feeling is less threatening,” said Kenneth Zapata, the principal of I.S. 75 Frank D. Paulo on Staten Island. Although the students at I.S. 75 score better on state tests than the citywide average, Mr. Zapata said the Bloomberg administration’s school report cards put principals in competition with one another because schools received points based on how much their students improved on the tests compared with students at similar schools.

“Not pitting us against each other, but that we’re all in it together, sharing best practices — to me, that’s the one thing that’s changed the most,” Mr. Zapata said."