Twitter may axe its 140-character limit

If you frequently find yourself needing to say more than what Twitter's 140-character limit allows, here's some good new - Twitter is reportedly working on a way to let users go beyond the current character limit.

'People familiar' with Twitter's plans say that the new product would allow people to post "long-form content to the service," according to Recode.

Of course, it isn't clear on what it will look like, or even if it will be a completely new service or a tweak to Twitter itself, but the hope is to bolster growth of the social media.

'140 Plus'

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that interim CEO and co-founder Jack Dorsey is pushing a project that is internally called "140 Plus."

The project is basically looking at the different ways Twitter could extend the 140 character limit, but again, there still isn't a clear indication yet if it will be a new product or a simply updating Twitter with a larger character limit.

And if it does extend the limit, the question would then be by how much? According to sources speaking to Recode, there has also been discussions about how the 140-character limit is measured, and possibly removing links and user handles from the count.

Extending the limit could potentially increase user growth, or at least garner more interest in the service - or it could end up annoying current users who love the limited character space.

We'll be getting in contact with Twitter for comment, but we doubt we'll get a confirmation.

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The latest HTC One A9 leak has left us disappointed

Previous leaks of the HTC One A9, otherwise known as the Aero, have been building it up to look like an exciting handset – but leaked benchmarking suggests it won't be blowing anyone away.

Benchmarking from AnTuTu suggests it'll launch with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 620 chipset inside, a 1080p 5-inch display and 3GB of RAM.

It'll come with 32GB of storage, Android 6.0 Marshmallow as standard, a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front-facing snapper, which wouldn't exactly make it the 'most powerful phone in the world' that we've been hearing about.

iPhone lookalike?

New photos have also surfaced from the Chinese social networking site Weibo. These suggest that, once again, HTC has gone with a very iPhone-influenced design, with large bezels along the top and bottom as well as a metal edge.

AnTuTu benchmarking also revealed information about the HTC One M9+, which is expected to launch before the end of the year.

If the spec leak is to be believed it'll feature a MediaTek MT6795T processor, a 2K resolution 5.2-inch display and 3GB of RAM. Like the HTC One A9 it'll have 32GB of storage, but the camera sensor will be 21MP, with a 5MP front-facing selfie shooter.

It'll also launch with the Android 5 Lollipop software on board, suggesting it may be coming a little sooner than we expected – either that, or this is some old benchmarking and it'll actually feature Marshmallow.

HTC seems to be struggling with how to respond following the lukewarm reception for the HTC One M9, and seems to be looking to Apple for inspiration – we'll have to wait and see how it pans out for the Taiwanese manufacturer.

• Our previous look at the HTC One A9

Via GForGames

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Slowing down the London Underground would make your journey shorter

Running a subway system for maximum efficiency seems like an easy job, right? You tell your train drivers to go as fast as is safely possible, and you move the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time.

But an international team of transportation researchers has found that that's not the whole story - you need to consider where people go when they leave the station. In London, a sizeable chunk of people get into cars for the last leg of their commute, which changes the calculation totally.

To get the most people home as fast as possible, it turns out that it actually makes sense to slow down the Underground a little. Why? Because delivering loads of people onto London's roads as fast as possible is a recipe for massive traffic congestion. If trains ran slower, then congestion wouldn't build up and the journey home would be much less stressful for everyone.

How much slower?

Subway trains currently run on average at 21 miles per hour. The team's calculations, performed using data from OpenStreetMap and a mathematical model, show that in London a speed of 13 miles per hour would be optimal, due to the Underground's decentralised nature.

In New York, however, the subway system is much more centralised and traffic congestion is always terrible, so it still makes sense just to run the trains as fast as possible.

"Even if these studies are still very theoretical, they show convincingly that reasoning with only one transportation mode can be extremely misleading," the researchers wrote in a paper in the journal Interface. "Policymakers cannot limit themselves to a single aspect of an urban system without risking making decisions that are locally correct but globally wrong."

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Is Windows 10 spying you? Microsoft finally speaks out

Ever since launching Windows 10, Microsoft has been dealing with allegations that the new OS allows Microsoft to monitor everything you do, including every key stroke and stylus input, and even your location data, just to name a few of the privacy concerns.

But finally today, Microsoft has addressed these concerns in a blog post - at least, to some degree.

In the post, Microsoft executive VP Terry Myerson first explained that though the company does collect information, users are "in control with the ability to determine what information is collected."

And if you're worried about the information that it does collect, Myerson explained that the data collected "is encrypted in transit to our servers, and then stored in secure facilities."

The types of data

While device IDs, device types and crash logs are collected, Myerson explained that content and files from devices are not included with this type of data collection, adding that none of the data collected can be used to identify any user.

In terms of personalization data, which includes things like learning which is your favorite sporting team or common words that you use for text completion suggestions, Myerson says you are able to tell Windows 10 what types of data you are willing to share with Microsoft.

"Note that with new features like Cortana which require more personal information to deliver the full experience, you are asked if you want to turn them on and are given additional privacy customization options," Myerson wrote in the blog post.

Finally, Myerson also clarified that Windows 10 does not scan your files and emails so that it can target ads, adding a little jab at other companies.

"Unlike some other platforms, no matter what privacy options you choose, neither Windows 10 nor any other Microsoft software scans the content of your email or other communications, or your files, in order to deliver targeted advertising to you."

The blog post doesn't answer all our questions about user privacy on Windows 10, but it is a good sign that it is at least addressing the issues, like the creepy Family Settings option.

If you do have more concerns, Myerson is inviting you to get in touch - you can make suggestions through the Windows Feedback app or head over to the company's support page if you are having problems with one of your privacy settings.

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The new Dell XPS 15 is expected to be dramatically lighter

If you were a fan of last year's Dell XPS 15, you'll be excited by the specs leaked for next year's model.

The enhanced laptop, which will reportedly once again feature Dell's Infinity Edge borderless screen, will weigh only 3.7 pounds (1.7 kg). This is a nice reduction from last year's model, which weighed 4.1 pounds (1.88kg).

Like most other premium laptops set to be released later this year, the XPS 15 is expected to feature Intel's sixth-generation Core i5 and Core i7 Skylake processors, an upgrade over last year's fourth generation processor.

What else?

Similar to last year's model, the higher-end XPS 15 is expected to feature a QHD+ 3840x2160 resolution touchscreen. The entry-level model will feature a full HD (FHD) 1920X1080p non-touch display.

According to the leak, the laptop will also come with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M graphics card, 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB of SSD storage.

In terms of connectivity, you'll get two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI output, full SD card reader and Bluetooth 4.1.

What you should know before buying

We love last year's version of the XPS 15. It is a well-balanced machine that has a gorgeous screen. However, we weren't impressed by its 3 hour and 30 minute battery life, or its price tag, which is about $150 more expensive than the MacBook Pro. Hopefully Dell, and the new Intel processors, can bring the next-generation XPS 15 a few more hours of productivity on a single charge.

US residents will be able to order the WQHD+ version of the XPS 15 starting this week, the report says. The touchscreen version of the laptop will start at $1,800 and max out at $2,200.

The FHD model, and all European versions of the XPS 15, will be released later in the year. However, it is immediately unclear when the releases will happen.

We have reached out to Dell and we will update the piece if we hear back.

• Via: WinFuture

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NASA confirms water on Mars, increasing chance of alien life

Mars has long been known as our barren sister planet but today, NASA scientists have announced they have found flowing water on the red desert planet.

NASA and the Nature Geoscience journal released their findings on a Live Stream announcement stating that the long, dark streaks found on Mars are a telltale sign of still flowing water on the Martian surface.

These dark features, some of which span 5 meters wide and 100 meters long, were originally discovered in 2010. Over the last few years eight scientists have been analyzing their light signature and now have concluded that the streaks contain mineral salts that easily absorb moisture.

Judging by images of Martian cliffs taken from orbit, NASA scientists theorize the liquid water runs down canyons and cater walls during the summer months on Mars. Eventually these dark streaks dry up as the planet's surface cools in autumn.

The only question is where does the water come from? Astrologists suggest it may originate from underground water contained in ice or salty aquifers. Another likely theory could be the water condenses into a liquid from Mars' atmosphere.

To this day, Earth is still the only planet in the known universe with liquid H2O on its surface and so finding out flowing water once exists on Mars is huge. Beyond the geological discovery, dramatically increases our chances of finding extraterrestrial life. If life on Earth is any indication, water is the central building block to all animals, bacteria and everything else alive today.

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Image credit: NASA/JPL

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iPhone 6S just smashed a big record, but can Apple keep the momentum going?

Every new iPhone release seems to break records, and the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus launch is no exception. Both new phones have sold 13 million units in just three days after launching and are still selling fast.

When the iPhone 6 went on sale last year, Apple broke the previous record by selling 10 million units by the end of the weekend it went on sale.

This year the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus was on sale in 12 countries whilst the year before was restricted to just 10 on the first weekend.

Smashing it again

"Sales for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have been phenomenal, blowing past any previous first weekend sales results in Apple's history," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO.

"Customers' feedback is incredible and they are loving 3D Touch and Live Photos, and we can't wait to bring iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus to customers in even more countries on October 9."

It shows even though the S has been considered a smaller step than last year, with a lot less interest than last year's model, there's still a lot of hype around the phone - and the proof is in the numbers.

• Read our review of the iPhone 6S

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Updated: Supermoon lunar eclipse: how to see the rare blood moon tonight

Update: The supermoon lunar eclipse is tonight! Read on for full details.

A supermoon lunar eclipse is taking place Sunday night/Monday morning, and if you miss your chance to see it you'll have to wait until 2033 for the next one.

Here are the important details: at 5:11pm PT/8:11pm ET on September 27 (1:11am GMT September 28), a shadow will begin to cast over the floating orb. By 10:11pm ET, a total eclipse will have begun, and it will peak at 10:47pm ET.

The eclipse is expected to last 1 hour and 11 minutes. Under clear skies, people in North America, South America, Europe, Africa and parts of West Asia and the eastern Pacific will be able to see the moon as it's overtaken by the Earth's shadow.

The event is so rare, the last supermoon lunar eclipse took place in 1982, according to NASA. There have only been five supermoon lunar eclipses since 1900.

What is a supermoon lunar eclipse?

It's pretty phenomenal that a lunar eclipse is taking place in conjunction with a supermoon. To achieve supermoon status, you need a full moon. Done. Now, as the moon makes its closest approach to the Earth (the moon's orbit is elliptical), it will look up to 14% larger in diameter than normal.

On Sunday/early Monday, the supermoon will be behind the Earth, passing into its shadow. The moon typically reflects sunlight, which results in its usual white glow, but during the eclipse, sunlight will only make it to the moon indirectly through the Earth's atmosphere. Every color except red will be filtered out, resulting in the "blood moon" color we recognize during lunar eclipses.

If skies are still light or cloudy where you live, or you're stuck inside, NASA is live streaming the eclipse starting at 8pm ET until 11:30pm ET. There will also be a feed coming in from the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, Adler Planetarium in Chicago, Ferbank Observatory in Atlanta and other locations.

And in a sign NASA has taken its social media game to a whole new level, a NASA solar physicist will talk about the eclipse and answer questions submitted through Twitter using the hashtag #askNASA.

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Wikimedia founder sees another 1 billion phone users in the next 5 years

Jimmy Wales greatest life's work has been creating a free, online encyclopedia for everyone, and so it was a bit surprising to see Wikipedia founder to launch a phone network earlier this summer.

On stage at the Social Good Summit in New York, Jimmy Wales explained it was created in a hope to connect the world and help further important causes. Like other carriers, The People's Operator is an MVNO network that offers prepaid and post-paid cell phone plans and mobile internet contract. However, as an added wrinkle 10% of all customer's bill goes towards a charity of their choice.

Wales explained that most carriers will take this 10% of their revenue to create flashy commercials and giant billboards, The People's Carrier's goals are to help more people around the world.

"It's not going to change the world in any sort of fundamental way," Wales expounded. "But I'm hoping to raise billions of dollars for good causes."

The next wave

Furthermore, Wales highlighted how a $40 Android phone with the same capabilities of the first iPhone coming to market will have huge technological implications for developing worlds in the next few years.

"The next one billion people are about to come online in the next five years and this is going to empower a huge number of people," he explained.

Using the Arab Spring that occurred a few years ago as a key example, Wales said technology will be instrumental for the "rise of social activism from [groups] who previously didn't have a way to organize of research the facts."

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