Tech Water Cooler

Humans land spacecraft on a comet for first time ever

The Philae lander has become the first spacecraft to successfully land on a comet, in a landmark moment for the European Space Agency.

The probe completed the incredibly complex manoeuvre on Wednesday after being deployed from the Rosetta spacecraft earlier in the day. The probe’s mission on the comet will be to ultimately help us understand more about the origins of our Solar System and the development of Earth and other planets. Check out the action as it happened

Head-controlled smartphone is perfect for the disabled

The Sesame Phone is a smartphone designed specifically for the mobility impaired. It uses computer vision technology to allow the user to access any app simply by moving their head. Sesame Phone is the latest example of how gesture and facial recognition technology are turning things like smartphones and tablets into vital communication devices for people with special needs. Check it out here

Spotify defends its model following Taylor Swift’s exit

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has hit back at Taylor Swift’s decision to remove her music from the streaming service in a lengthy blog post, in which he explains how Spotify adds value to the music industry, rather than detracting from it. He says that what he is trying to do at Spotify is “build a new music economy” that works for the artists. Spotify, he says is the biggest driver of growth in the music industry – “the number one source of increasing revenue, and the first or second biggest source of overall music revenue in many places”.

Urban Outfitters rolls out further beacon tech

However, unlike other retailers who push offers at smartphone-wielding consumers, the beacons plug into the Urban On loyalty program, a section in the app that gives shoppers rewards and access to events. Initially, Urban Outfitters has pinpointed three areas to focus its mobile efforts around: the checkout line, fitting rooms and the entrance. When smartphone-wielding shoppers first enter the store, a push notification prompts users to check-in via social media to unlock an offer. Then in the fitting room, beacons are being used to churn out user-generated content about products. Shoppers are prompted to take selfies and post them to Instagram with the hashtag #UOonYou for a chance to be featured on Urban Outfitters’ website.

Whatsapp Update lets you know if your message has been read

Individuals can now know when exactly a message was received, read or played on Whatsapp through the ‘Message Info’ screen, which can be accessed by holding down on that message. The subtle change (a double blue tick) now makes it harder for individuals to not reply instantly after reading a text, as the blue indication will still be shown even if the ‘Last Seen’ timestamp is turned off.

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