Personal Tech: What Geeks are talking about from CNET

Here is the latest Personal Tech News from CNET.

For the first time in years, Microsoft Windows will demand more memory – CNET
Those with older or low-end PCs might need to upgrade to run the upcoming Windows Anniversary Update.

NASA-JPL scientists can walk on Mars with the help of HoloLens (Tomorrow Daily 369 show notes) – CNET
A collaboration between NASA-JPL, Microsoft and the Mars Curiosity rover is creating a great interactive visual aid for scientists.

Aquanta Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Aquanta teaches your water heater eco-friendly tricks by learning your personal usage patterns.

iDevices launches the Socket – CNET
This retrofit gadget will raise the IQ of your regular old light bulbs.

Solar Impulse journey delayed — but this time don’t blame the electric plane – CNET
An attempt at a record-setting sun-powered flight around the world hits a new snag. It’s not as serious as the Hawaii battery problem, though.

eBay expanding StubHub internationally with Ticketbis acquisition – CNET
With the deal, people in more parts of the world will be able to sell each other tickets to concerts and sporting events.

Former FCC chairman Powell dishes on over-regulation and Donald Trump (Q&A) – CNET
Michael Powell, who now heads a cable trade group, feels his industry is under regulatory assault.

Google assistant’s biggest question: ‘What’s my personality?’ – CNET
Giving Google’s new digital assistant a human touch will be among its top challenges.

LG OLED TVs aren’t getting any cheaper – CNET
OLED TVs belt out the best picture quality CNET has ever tested, and LG has finally released pricing information for its 2016 line. They start at four thousand dollars for the 55-inch size.

Everyday tech from Asia that I want to use every day, too – CNET
Sometimes it’s the little things — like a hands-free, germ-free way to signal a pedestrian crossing — that get you thinking about the simple lifestyle tech you could really use.

Olympus Stylus Tough TG-Tracker Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
After years of making the most rugged point-and-shoots available, Olympus is finally using that know-how to take on GoPro.

Weaponised plastic: A history of Lego violence – CNET
A study that examines the inclusion of weapons in Lego kits has found that the toy’s violence is increasing.

The LaCie Chrome desktop drive blends eye-popping style with a jaw-dropping price – CNET
Sure $1,499 (or AU$2,399) for 1TB of storage sounds expensive, but when it’s designed by Neil Poulton… no, it’s still really expensive.

UE Roll 2 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Ultimate Ears second-generation version of its popular flying saucer portable wireless speaker offers improved performance and comes in five color options.

Finally, a gadget for beer lovers who can’t pour beer – CNET
Japanese company Takara-Tomy’s “Beer Hour Stadium Foamy Head Dispenser” aims to pour beer with a perfect head of foam.

On the road: Lamborghini Aventador SV video – Roadshow
Brian Cooley drives the fastest production Lamborghini ever, the 2016 Aventador SV.

Apple making major changes to the MacBook Pro in Q4, says report – CNET
The new line of MacBook Pros will reportedly have an OLED touchscreen in place of function keys, can be unlocked with Touch ID and feature Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports.

AI-powered Watch-Bot reminds you to turn off the TV – CNET
Watch-Bot learns your household routine and reminds you when you’ve forgotten to put the milk away or turn the TV off.

Flexible patch performs like a wearable Tricorder – CNET
It attaches to the wearer’s chest and monitors vital signs, and could be used for athletes and patients with heart problems.

Ancient beer recipe found in China – CNET
A recipe found in China is one of the world’s oldest for beer, coming in at around 5,000 years.

Animal-inspired robot uses whiskers to sense the world – CNET
An odd-looking robot uses an array of whiskers to sense obstacles to avoid them.

Kenmore Pro Product Photos – CNET
Kenmore Pro Product Photos

Windows Phone market share falls below one percent – CNET
Despite a global rise in smartphone sales, Microsoft’s market share has continued to fall.

Squids, octopuses and cuttlefish are on the rise – CNET
While other areas of the ocean are languishing, populations of cephalopods have risen thanks to their adaptability.

Herschel captures the chaotic beauty of newborn stars – CNET
The European Space Agency’s Herschel Observatory has captured snapshot of space that looks like an impressionist painting.

Facebook says probe found no evidence of Trending Topics bias – CNET
Social-networking giant says it could not substantiate charges it suppressed conservative news stories but announced changes to the feature to reduce human risk of bias.

Facebook sorry for rejecting ad featuring plus-size woman – CNET
Ad featuring outspoken advocate for body acceptance was initially rejected because it depicted body parts in an “undesirable manner.”

Artificial intelligence: Getting as good as the real thing – CNET
Three of the biggest names in AI see the field changing the way we live.

Lyft’s new Scheduled Rides might help you make your flight – Roadshow
Now you can schedule a Lyft trip ahead of time.

Facebook trying out continuous live streaming – CNET
Puppycams are just one of the uses cases for a nonstop streaming feature the social network is testing on its live video platform.

Get the full version of Minecraft running on a Raspberry Pi – CNET
Don’t want to mess around with the less capable Minecraft Pi? Here’s a workaround to get the real deal on your Pi.

NASA is using HoloLens to explore Mars (Tomorrow Daily 369) video – CNET
NASA and Microsoft team up to help researchers experience Mars through HoloLens; also, a handheld microwave for cooking on the go that fits in a backpack.

Google’s Project Soli: Controlling devices using hand gestures video – CNET
Google demos Project Solis at I/O. The prototype technology lets users control devices like a smartwatch or alarm clock using simple hand gestures.

OtterBox Universe case system: It’s a whole new world for iPhone accessories video – CNET
OtterBox has partnered with several smartphone accessory manufacturers to create a new platform for iPhone accessories. See the Universe in action.

OtterBox’s Universe Case System is set to shake up the iPhone accessories market, one snap at a time – CNET
OtterBox has partnered with a number of accessory makers to create a new platform for iPhone accessories. CNET goes hands-on with it.

Buy your ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’ tickets on Snapchat this week – CNET
From now until opening day Thursday, fans can order tickets through an ad in Snapchat’s Discovery section.

Grow vegetables in your kitchen with this easy DIY growing system – CNET
Indoor growing systems can be a great way to have fresh produce at your fingertips. Systems like Foop and Grove Ecosystem can be a bit pricey, though. You can make your own growing system in a few hours for much less.

How to play Mirror’s Edge Catalyst five days early – CNET
Get hands-on time with DICE’s open-world free-running game early.

President Obama’s at the next table, but Hanoi diners don’t give a pho – CNET
During a weeklong trip to Asia, the president dined with chef Anthony Bourdain in Vietnam for an episode of “Parts Unknown” that will air in September.

Project Ara: Google’s vision for the future of the smartphone video – CNET
Google lead engineer Rafa Camargo gives a demo of its modular smartphone concept, Project Ara. The prototype phone lets you swap in interchangeable parts by popping them in and out.

Uncharted 4’s sales surpass 2.7 million in first week – CNET
The fourth entry in the series makes a strong debut, but falls short of Uncharted 3’s record.

5 easy ways to fix fraying cables – CNET
It’s a fact of life. Cables break, usually at the worst times possible. However, these easy steps can breathe some extra life into your most commonly used cables.

Facebook buys Two Big Ears and makes its VR audio tool free – CNET
Facebook repackages the Scottish company’s VR audio platform as “Facebook 360 Spatial Workstation” and makes it free.

The Division 1.2 patch notes include new raid, loot changes, and more – CNET
See the complete patch notes for The Division’s major update coming out tomorrow.

Take a behind-the-scenes look at ‘Top Gear’ with the ‘Extra Gear’ aftershow – Roadshow
Hosted by car-vid legend Chris Harris and former CNET employee Rory Reid, it’s bound to be a good’un.

Old habits die hard: New study shows we still love taking the wheel – Roadshow
According to the latest University of Michigan transport study, it’ll be a while before self-driving tech takes hold.