U.S. 4G Coverage Still World's Second-Worst, Now 30% Crappier Than 2013

U.S. 4G Coverage Still World's Second-Worst, Now 30% Crappier Than 2013

The network-analyzing super-wonks at OpenSignal have released their 2014 State of LTE report, and things aren’t looking good for U.S. smartphone users. Not only is our 4G LTE signal once again the second-slowest in the world; compared to last year’s report, it actually got more than 30% slower.

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What Are "Smart" Credit Cards, and Why Are They Coming to America?

What Are "Smart" Credit Cards, and Why Are They Coming to America?

It only took the theft of 40 million Target customer credit card details to spur Congress into finally joining the rest of the world in abandoning the highly insecure credit cards you’re used to. Starting late next year, every credit card in the United States will adopt a more secure system. Here’s what it is, and how it works.

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Do You Ever Click On In-App Advertisements?

Do You Ever Click On In-App Advertisements?

"I’ll just ignore the ads," you tell yourself whenever you choose a free app instead of paying for the no-ad version. But nobody can really ignore those ads—they’re splattered all across your screen. And somebody’s gotta be clicking on them. Is it you? You can tell us.

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In Sochi, Every Single Phone and Laptop Is Definitely Getting Hacked

In Sochi, Every Single Phone and Laptop Is Definitely Getting Hacked

Say you’re going to Sochi for the Winter Olympics. You’ve magically found a hotel that’s actually complete and not full of trash and construction equipment. Crisis averted, right? Not quite—because as NBC Nightly News’ experiment shows, your computer or smartphone could be hacked in seconds in Sochi. Hackers will be going after your computer or smartphone from the minute you land.

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Why Your Ears Keep Ringing (And What You Can Do About It)

Why Your Ears Keep Ringing (And What You Can Do About It)

Some perceive it as a high-pitched, mosquito-like squeal; others, an incessant electrical buzzing. It can even sound like unintelligible voices or music. It’s known as tinnitus, and it’s a surprisingly common affliction, affecting some 50 million people in America alone. Here’s why it happens, and how you can prevent it.

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Should Students Be Able To Take Coding Classes For Language Credits?

Should Students Be Able To Take Coding Classes For Language Credits?

The Kentucky Senate just passed a law that will let students take computer programming classes to satisfy their foreign language requirements. Do you think that’s a good move?

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Doctors Ease Peanut Allergies in Tiny Test You Shouldn’t Try at Home

Doctors Ease Peanut Allergies in Tiny Test You Shouldn't Try at Home

To a nut-allergic person, a peanut is a little grenade of discomfort and danger. So a small study published this week, showing that kids with severe peanut allergies can increase their tolerance through gradual exposure, is great news for allergic children and their caretakers. Just please, don’t try this technique at home.

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Researchers Grow New Hair From Stem Cells For the First Time

Researchers Grow New Hair From Stem Cells For the First Time

Traditionally, baldness cures involve moving hair around, either from one part of the scalp to another, or from the toupee store to your dome. This week, scientists announced a potentially revolutionary discovery in hair science: they’ve successfully turned mature skin cells into stem cells that develop into hair follicles. It’s hair-raising!

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How to Conserve Water During a Drought

How to Conserve Water During a Drought

California is facing "perhaps the worst drought that [it] has ever seen since records (began) about 100 years ago," announced Governor Jerry Brown in a recent press conference after declaring a drought emergency for the state. Here are four easy ways to minimize your water usage until the rains come again.

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Microsoft’s Building Smart Elevators That Know When You Want to Get On

Microsoft's Building Smart Elevators That Know When You Want to Get On

Smartphones, smartwatches, smart home appliances. Why not smart elevators? That’s the question Microsoft asked—and then answered, by putting a Kinect camera in an elevator, training it to recognize when people want to get on, and teaching it to open the doors automatically when needed. Smart, indeed.

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