Technology: What Geeks are talking about from ABC News

NOX the robot. REUTERS/Nigel Treblin

Here is the latest in Tech News from ABC News.

Scandal-Plagued Toshiba Sells Medical Unit to Canon
Scandal-plagued Japanese electronics maker Toshiba Corp. has sold its medical unit to Japanese camera maker Canon Inc. for 665.5 billion yen ($5.9 billion)

Egypt Says Scan of King Tut’s Burial Tomb Shows Hidden Rooms
Egyptian Antiquities Minister Mamdouh el-Damaty says analysis of scans of famed King Tut’s burial chamber has revealed two hidden rooms that could contain metal or organic material

In Death, a Crow’s Big Brain Fires up Memory, Learning
Over the years, University of Washington research has found crows can recognize individual faces and pass down through generations whether that face is friend or foe

Startup Makes Virtual Reality Intuitive With Eye-Tracking
No more fiddling with remote-controller buttons or a mouse, just look: eye-tracking technology for virtual reality

Developer Drops Lawsuit Against Facebook’s Zuckerberg
A real estate developer has dropped his lawsuit against Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg over a deal involving property behind Zuckerberg’s home in Palo Alto, California

Watch: U.S. Officials: Automatic Braking Will Be in Most New Cars by 2022
Research shows automatic braking technology could prevent 700,000 crashes and 300,000 injuries per year.

Rubio’s Silicon Valley Support: Where Will It Go Next?
When it comes to showing support with donations, Marco Rubio was the Republican of choice for Silicon Valley.

Emails: Clinton Sought Secure Smartphone, Rebuffed by NSA
Request for ultra-secure government smartphone denied to then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Prehistoric Puzzle No More: Illinois Fossil a Vertebrate
Prehistoric puzzle no more: Illinois’ state fossil, the Tully monster, is a primitive fish with a precursor to a backbone

The Rocket Launch That Paved the Way for NASA
Robert Goddard launched a liquid-filled rocket on March 16, 1926.

‘President Trump’ Has Big Plans for Apple
A hypothetical President Donald Trump has big plans for Apple.

Judge Orders Chipotle to Rehire Worker Fired After Tweets
An administrative judge has ordered Chipotle to rehire a Philadelphia-area employee who was fired after criticizing the company on Twitter last year

Instagram Is Changing Your Feed: What You Need to Know
Instagram plans to radically shake up users’ feeds in the hope it will allow users to keep up with the people they care about the most.

Google’s Quirky Plans for Its New Mountain View Campus
Google has come a long way since it started in a garage.

Watch: Sony Virtual Reality Headset
Sony’s version of a virtual reality headset for PlayStation 4, will debut in October 2016.

Denmark’s Intelligence Agency Creates ‘Hacker Academy’
Denmark’s military intelligence agency says it is creating “a hacker academy” where it wants to train IT specialists who, if they graduate, will be offered employment

Bumblebees Found Coast to Coast Are Studied for Protection
Two species of bumblebees found from Alaska to North Carolina and in Canada are under consideration for protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act

Watch: Senator’s Not-So-Smooth Ride in a Self-Driving Car
Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, recounted his experience riding in a self-driving Tesla during a Senate Commerce hearing about the future of the technology.

Google Reveals 77 Percent of Its Online Traffic Is Encrypted
Google highlights security measures on its online services while FBI, Apple battle over access to encrypted iPhone

Instagram Says It Will Show Posts in Order of ‘Relevance’
Instagram users could soon notice something different in their feeds: Instead of showing users the most recent posts first, the mobile photo-sharing app says it will start giving priority to posts that each user is likely to care about most

PlayStation VR to Debut in October for Less Than Rift, Vive
Sony’s version of virtual reality will cost a few hundred dollars less than competitors when its headset is released in October

VR on the Cheap: How to Watch Without a Headset
If you’re curious about virtual reality, but don’t want to invest in a headset, you have a few options

Lord & Taylor Settles Charges of Deceptive Instagram Posts
Lord & Taylor agreed to settle U.S. government charges that it deceived customers by paying for an online article and Instagram posts to promote a new clothing line without disclosing that the posts were advertisements

GOP Files More Lawsuits Seeking Hillary Clinton Records
GOP files a flurry of new lawsuits seeking reams of government documents related to Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state

Clippers Owner Steve Ballmer and Kanye West Have a Twitter Bromance
A beautiful bromance appears to be developing on Twitter between Kanye West and Steve Ballmer, the billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Mars Mission Phones Home After Launch
The ExoMars orbiter phoned home last night after it launched on the back of a Russian Proton-M rocket and confirmed all of its systems are in good health.

Go Grandmaster Reflects on Losing Series to Google’s Computer
It’s not easy losing to a computer.

Watch: Amazon Pay-By-Selfie
Instead of typing in a password, Amazon may allow users to snap a photo of themselves to make a purchase.

200 Lawyers Slam UK Govt Plan for Online Spying Law
More than 200 lawyers have urged the British government to overhaul a proposed spying law that gives police unprecedented powers to look at the Internet browsing histories of everyone in the country

Site of 1503 Shipwreck Tied to Vasco Da Gama Found off Oman
Archaeologists say they’ve discovered site where ship from Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gamma’s fleet sank in 1503

Go-Playing Program AlphaGo Defeats Human Champion 4:1
Google’s Go-playing computer program defeats human champion again in final match sealing a 4:1 victory

Fossil Find Sheds Light on How Evolution Produced T. Rex
A dinosaur find in Central Asia is shedding light on how the massive T. rex and its tyrannosaur cousins evolved from much more modestly sized creatures

Amazon Files Patent to Let You Complete a Payment With a Selfie
No need for a password — the transaction of the future could be completed by simply taking a selfie.

Watch: Human ‘Go’ Champ Pulls Off Consolation Win Against Google Computer
Go Grandmaster Lee Sedol scored his first victory against the AlphaGo computer program in the ancient Chinese board game.

Stunning New Look at Total Solar Eclipse From Space
NASA and NOAA’s Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR)captured stunning images of last week’s solar eclipse as it swept across the Pacific Ocean.

European, Russian Space Agencies Launch Mission to Mars
The European Space Agency has begun the first stage of a 2-part mission to explore Mars and hunt for signs of life on the red planet

Mars Probe Launches on Mission to Find Signs of Life
It will take ExoMars seven months to reach the Red Planet.

Human ‘Go’ Champion Pulls Off Win Over Google’s Computer
In the battle of man versus machine, humans scored a rare victory when Go Grandmaster Lee Sedol won a consolation round against Google’s AlphaGo computer program.

Smartphone ‘Voices’ Not Always Helpful in Health Crisis
When it comes to offering help in a health crisis, your smartphone’s virtual voice helper might not be very helpful

Why ‘Pi Day’ 2016 Is Extra Special
A date like this one won’t come around for another 100 years.

Watch: 160314_atm_techbytes_video

Durability Tests: Samsung Phones Survive Water, Not Falls
A new study finds that Samsung’s new phones are water resistant, as claimed, though audio was distorted after 30 minutes of dunking

Extremely Rare Whales Make Big Showing in Cape Cod Bay
Endangered right whales increasingly are frequenting Cape Cod Bay, enticed by the fine dining possibilities of its plankton-rich waters

Ship Used to Find Titanic Headed to Mexican Navy
The ship that oceanographer Robert Ballard used to discover the wreck of the Titanic is headed to the Mexican navy

What Investigators Found About Germanwings Pilot Suicide
French air accident investigators spent a year analyzing remains and interviewing experts about how and why Germanwings co-pilot Andreas Lubitz intentionally crashed a passenger jet into the French Alps, committing suicide and killing 149 others

Germanwings Crash: French Investigators Urge Regular Screening of Pilots’ Mental Health
Germanwings crash: French investigators urge regular screening of pilots’ mental health

Germanwings Crash: French Investigators Urge New World Rules on Medical Reporting About Pilots
Germanwings crash: French investigators urge new world rules on medical reporting about pilots

French Investigators: Doctor Referred Germanwings Co-Pilot to Psychiatric Clinic 2 Weeks Before Crash
French investigators: Doctor referred Germanwings co-pilot to psychiatric clinic 2 weeks before crash

French Experts: Germanwings Pilot Was Using Anti-Depressants When He Crashed Jet Into Alps
French experts: Germanwings pilot was using anti-depressants when he crashed jet into Alps

The Latest: Antidepressants Found in Co-Pilot’s Remains
France’s air accident investigation agency says Germanwings co-pilot Andreas Lubitz was using antidepressants when he crashed the plane carrying 150 people into the Alps

French Aviation Experts to Release Germanwings Crash Report
French air accident investigators are issuing a report about what led to the March 2015 Germanwings jet crash _ and will give their recommendations to prevent a repeat scenario

Human Go Champion Scores 1st Win Over Machine After 3 Losses
A champion Go player has scored his first win over Go-playing computer software after losing three straight times

Alaska Scientists Continue Researching Seabird Death Mystery
Federal scientists continue to investigate the die-off of one of the northern hemisphere’s most abundant seabirds, the common murre

Go-Playing Software Beats Human Champ for 3rd Straight Time
Google’s Go-playing software has defeated a human champion for the third straight time to clinch the best-of-five series and establish its superiority in an ancient Chinese game long thought to be the realm of humans

Scott Kelly Retiring From NASA After Spending Last Year in Space
Scott Kelly is retiring after his year-long mission in space.

Year-in-Space Astronaut Hangs up His Spacesuit, Retires
Scott Kelly decides after a year on space that he’s going to hang up his spacesuit and retire from NASA

Google Is Hitting the Road _ Literally _ for User Feedback
Google is about to embark on an old-school search, swapping its Internet algorithm for a custom-built van that will cruise across the U.S. to find out how people use its online services and react to new features

Lawyer: Russian Man’s Laptop Tampered With
Lawyers for a Russian man charged with hacking into U.S. businesses and stealing credit card information are asking a federal judge to throw out evidence taken off his laptop computer

Obama Addresses Annual Technology Festival in Texas
President Barack Obama is asking tech enthusiasts to use new tools and innovation to “tackle big problems in new ways.”

Watch: NASA Successfully Fires Rocket Designed for Deep Space Missions
The engine is one of four powering NASA’s Space Launch System, which will provide a combined 2 million pounds of thrust, eventually launching humans on long-haul missions to an asteroid and to Mars sometime in the 2030s, according to NASA.

NASA Successfully Fires Rocket Designed for Deep Space Missions
NASA has cleared another milestone in its eventual quest to send humans on deep space missions.

FDA: No Significant Impact From Test of Modified Mosquitoes
The Food and Drug Administration says a field trial releasing genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys would not harm humans or the environment

AdBlock’s Ironic Approach to World Day Against Cyber Censorship
AdBlock, the browser extension that is known for blocking annoying advertisements, is taking an ironic approach to celebrating World Day Against Cyber Censorship.

Apple’s March Event: New Tech That Could Be Unveiled
Over the past year, Apple has introduced super-sized iPhones, but the company’s next release could be getting smaller.

Watch: Daylight Saving: The Basics
What you need to know about falling back and springing forward.

Watch: Apple to Make Big Announcement on March 21
Apple fans are expecting a new smaller iPhone to be unveiled.

Ford Establishing Subsidiary to Invest in New Mobility
Ford establishing Silicon Valley-based subsidiary to invest in new mobility like car sharing

Panel: Finding Climate Fingerprints in Wild Weather Is Valid
National scientific panel said science has progressed enough they we can see global warming’s fingerprints on certain wild weather events

Kodak Moments App Seeks to Separate Precious Photo Memories
A new Kodak app seeks to separate special photographic moments from snapshots of lunch and commutes on other social networks

Capital One to Let Users Pay Bills Via Amazon’s Echo
Capital One has teamed with Amazon to let owners of Amazon’s Echo smart speaker system pay their bills and get other account information through voice commands

US Rebuts Apple Claim on Password Reset in iPhone Case
FBI says San Bernardino probe not undermined by decision to reset password on iCloud account

US Secretary: Teddy Bear’s Inspiration off ‘Threatened’ List
U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell says the bear that inspired teddy bears is off the list of threatened species

Correction: Hawaii-Zika Fears Story
Hawaii’s strong anti-pesticide sentiment, tropical conditions and understaffing in the Department of Health are part of the many challenges facing the teams that fight dengue fever

Feds Invest Nearly $7M in Small Business to Boost Clean Tech
The U.S. Department of Energy is investing nearly $7 million in 33 small businesses across the country in hopes of building partnerships with federal labs that can speed up the development of clean energy technology

Yahoo Snubs Activist Shareholder With 2 New Directors
Yahoo brings in 2 new directors likely to rankle activist shareholder seeking seats on the company’s board

Google Gives Developers Early Peek of Its Future Android Update
Android N includes improved battery life and multitasking support.

3 Governors Ask EPA for Review After Chemical Found in Water
The governors of New Hampshire, New York and Vermont are urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to review and issue new safe drinking water guidelines regarding a chemical that’s shown up in water systems and in private wells

Google Provides Early Peek at Next Android Operating System
Google is previewing the next version of its Android operating system 2 months ahead of schedule in an effort to get the upgraded software on more mobile devices

US: Probable Cause That Locked Phone Has Evidence of Attack
The Justice Department says there’s “probable cause” that a locked iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino killers contains evidence of the eventual attack

Peeple App for Rating Humans Debuts With More Positive Approach
Peeple, the app that lets humans rate each other, made waves when it was in beta testing for its plan to unleash a five-star reviewing system on humans.

NASA Targets New Date for Mars Drilling Mission
A mission to drill beneath the surface of Mars was initially set to launch this month but it being postponed two years.

Facebook Acquires Masquerade, an App for Silly Selfies and Videos
Facebook is set to get sillier with the company’s latest acquisition, Masquerade, a face-swapping app that allows users to send hilarious selfies and videos.

Apple Planning Product Launch on March 21
Apple has announced its next product launch event will be on March 21

Apple Confirms March 21 Event and Offers a Clue
Apple fans can expect a springtime surprise.

Watch: Fast Facts About Lunar Eclipses
Find out why the moon turns blood-red during the celestial event.

Watch: Google Gives Android Users a Sneak Peek at Its New Operating System
The beta preview of “Android N” has several new features including a split-screen mode.

‘Spring Break for Nerds’ Kicks off Friday in Austin, Texas
At South by Southwest Interactive, an annual tech festival dubbed “Spring Break for nerds,” eyes are on virtual reality, online privacy and, of course, the latest hot apps

4 Tech Tools to Hack Your Sleep
Technology can sometimes be a distraction when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep but it can also be used in a beneficial way.

All About Go, the Ancient Game in Which AI Bested a Master
The rules of Go, the ancient Chinese board game that is the focus of a man-vs-machine battle this week, are beautifully simple, but actually playing it is anything but

Google’s Machine Wins 2nd Go Match Against Human Player
Google’s Go-playing machine has scored a second victory in a Go match against a top human player

Honda Rolls out Fuel Cell in Japan, to Lease 200 First Year
Honda has rolled out a new fuel cell vehicle, the first of its kind to be a five-seater

Photos Show Damage When Google Self-Driving Car Hit City Bus
Newly released photos show the damage done when a Google self-driving car bumped into a Mountain View, California, city bus on Valentine’s Day.

Cloud Seeding: How Humans Can Modify the Weather
Los Angeles officials used cloud seeding on Monday for the first time since 2002.

Feds: Still Hope for El Nino Drenching Southern California
El Nino so far has drenched parts of California, but not the south

NASA Tests Crucial Heat Shield Technology for Future Mars Mission
NASA’s solution for helping a manned mission to Mars return safely to Earth looks like a giant inflatable donut.

NASA Salvages Mars Mission That Should Have Launched by Now
NASA is salvaging a robotic Mars-landing mission that should have been under way by now

‘Clash of Clans’ Maker See Strong Sales and Profit
“Clash of Clans” maker Supercell sees surge in pre-tax profit in 2015 to $964 million on strong sales

This Wearable Device for the Blind Can Recognize Surroundings
Gadget is worn on the shoulders, uses cameras, vibrations and speakers to guide.

The Latest: Yellowstone Bison Start to Head to Slaughter
Yellowstone National Park has started shipping its famous wild bison to slaughter in response to concerns by the livestock industry over a disease carried by the animals

APNewsBreak: Video Shows Google Self-Driving Car Hit Bus
Newly released video shows the moment a Google self-driving car learned the hard way not to tussle with a public bus

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