Google today announced the launch of Web Designer, a new tool for building interactive HTML5 sites and ads. The company first hinted at this launch in June, but had been quiet about it ever since. Web Designer, which Google calls a “professional-quality design tool,” is now officially in public beta and available for download for Mac and Windows. As Google notes in today’s announcement, Web Designer was developed to allow advertisers to easily create HTML5 ads for mobile and desktop. Until recently, Google argues, advertisers “didn’t have the tools they needed to easily develop content fit for today’s cross-screen experiences” and Web Designer aims to be the tool to create these experiences. While this ad pedigree shines through across Web Designer (the default layouts are for DoubleClick rich media ads and AdMob mobile ads, for example), there is nothing in the tool that would prevent you from building interactive single-page sites and animations for other purposes, as well. Some of the features, however, are currently only available for ads, though Google says it plans to expand these tools for other purposes in the future. At its core, Web Designer is a visual tool, but you can also delve right into the JavaScript and CSS to fine-tune different aspect of your site. Indeed, Web Designer allows you to manipulate all of your code directly in a built-in editor and lets you quickly preview your creations in every browser you have installed on your machine. The tools come with all the usual visual design tools you’re probably familiar with. Some of the more interesting ones Google has developed for Web Designer include a pen tool for free drawing, as well as a timeline for managing your animations. Web Designer also features the ability to create 3D content using the power of CSS3, as well as a set of pre-built components for galleries, maps and embedded YouTube videos. For animations, one of the core features of the application, Web Developer features a Quick mode for building animations scene by scene and an advanced mode that gives designers more control over each of the elements on the page.
via TechCrunch
Google Launches Web Designer, A Visual Tool For Building Interactive HTML5 Sites And Ads
NSA May Not Be Collecting Your Location Data From Telco Dragnet… Because It Gets It From Your GPS
As we noted last week, Senator Ron Wyden has been repeatedly asking the intelligence community about whether or not they’re tracking the location on any Americans, and the intelligence community has steadfastly avoided giving a straight answer (as they do). Specifically, he was asking about whether or not the NSA has in the past, or has plans to, get location data on Americans in bulk. The NSA’s Keith Alexander did his "under this program" two step, in which he insists that they are not doing so under this program and at this time. That leaves open other programs and at other times.
Earlier today, we discussed the NYT’s coverage of how the NSA has set up its own shadow social network, including information from Americans (none of which involves a warrant). In that piece, they describe how location info is part of what’s included:
A 2009 PowerPoint presentation provided more examples of data sources available in the “enrichment” process, including location-based services like GPS and TomTom, online social networks, billing records and bank codes for transactions in the United States and overseas.
At a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Thursday, General Alexander was asked if the agency ever collected or planned to collect bulk records about Americans’ locations based on cellphone tower data. He replied that it was not doing so as part of the call log program authorized by the Patriot Act, but said a fuller response would be classified.
So, apparently they are getting GPS data. And if they were getting it from TomTom and other GPS services, then you have to imagine that they might now also include GPS data from the phones that so many of us carry around today. GPS data is even more accurate than cell-site data. And, of course, the data in "this program" appears to mostly come via Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act. The program that Keith Alexander was referring to in his remarks was the dragnet collection of business records under Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act. So, it’s not difficult to see how Alexander might be technically "accurate" with the "not this program" dance, even as lots of Americans’ location data is being sucked up via GPS (and potentially cell-site locations) under 702…
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via Techdirt.
NSA May Not Be Collecting Your Location Data From Telco Dragnet… Because It Gets It From Your GPS
COPDOTS Anti-theft tools | Theft deterrent | Technology for Law enforcement
Which Is The Largest Science Fiction Starship?
DeviantART member DirkLoechel recently updated his starship size comparison table, which includes ships from many popular science fiction favourites like Star Wars, Star Trek, Babylon 5, Farscape, Titan A.E., and Battlestar Galactica. If you and your mates are constantly arguing over the sizes of starships, this handy cheatsheet will decisively end the debate. Head over to DeviantART for the full resolution image.
Read the full article: Which Is The Largest Science Fiction Starship?
Which Is The Largest Science Fiction Starship?
Here’s a Massive List of Stuff You Can Ask Siri to Do in iOS 7
Siri got a ton of improvements in iOS 7 and a bunch of new features as well. Now, you can ask it all sorts of things, from launching apps to getting sports scores. Redditor Cheeziz_Chrust put together a list of pretty much everything you can ask Siri these days.
The list includes some common questions, like the time, sending a text, or getting directions. In fact, Siri has all kinds of new tricks up its robotic sleeves these days. You can now ask for specific sports scores, the weather, how many calories are in food, to turn on specific settings, make a note, and plenty more. My favorite? Have Siri search your mail for you with a query like, "Show email about dinosaurs." Cheeziz_Chrust’s list doesn’t include everything, but it’s a pretty good place to start.
Everything you can ask Siri in iOS 7 | Reddit
via Lifehacker
Here’s a Massive List of Stuff You Can Ask Siri to Do in iOS 7
Universities struggle to make patents pay
Surfeit of unlicensed intellectual property pushes research institutions into unseemly partnerships.
via NatureNews – Most recent articles – nature.com science feeds
Universities struggle to make patents pay
I Can’t Stop Watching This Supercut Of Idiotic Pedestrians
Italian gun grease
I have been using various Italian Gun Grease products for about 6-months now, and I can say that these are hands down the best gun lubes I’ve ever used, and I’ve tried just about everything out there. Tactical lube The first product I tested from IGG is their “tactical” lube, and there is nothing quite[…..]
via AllOutdoor.com
Italian gun grease
Learn the Complete History of the Web with This Timeline
So how does this whole world wide web thing work? Cables, man. Websites, h tee tee pees and computers. And it’s all a pretty new thing, right? Well not quite, the history of the web is a lot longer than you’d expect. John Allsopp of Web Directions created a timeline showing the "key dates, browsers, technologies and ideas in the history of the World Wide Web" that dates back to 1910 and goes right up until today. Even if you consider yourself a professional Internet surfer, you’ll probably learn a thing or two cruising through the timeline here. [Web Directions via The Presurfer]
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via Gizmodo
Learn the Complete History of the Web with This Timeline