Samsung is expected to announce their new flagship phones in their upcoming event. With rumours flying around, it is impossible to dismiss the rumours that the company is introducing a new foldable phone model, even after the poor reception of the Galaxy Fold got. The rumored new foldable phone model, the Galaxy Z Flip, is a phone-sized object, smaller that the Galaxy Fold. The Verge has more details: 

The Galaxy Fold was a tablet-sized thing that folded into a phone, but the Galaxy Z Flip looks to be a phone-sized thing that can get even smaller. You can get a decent idea looking at the alleged pictures of the Z Flip, posted to Weibo, that we’ve included in this post. The Z Flip looks like most other smartphones when unfolded, but seems to fold up into a small square in a way that reminds me of a closed-up Game Boy Advance SP.

The phone’s OLED display will apparently be 6.7 inches diagonal, according to leaker Ishan Agarwal, which would make it bigger than the Razr’s 6.2-inch display.

The Z Flip may use a Snapdragon 855+ chip, says Weinbach, which offers higher peak clock speeds and a 15 percent GPU performance improvement over the non-plus Snapdragon 855 and a flagship-tier processor. The upcoming Motorola Razr has a midrange Snapdragon 710, by comparison.

Weinbach also reports that the Z Flip may have dual 12-megapixel back cameras, one wide and one ultra-wide, and that hole-punch front camera you see in photos may contain 10 megapixels, according to Ishan Agarwal. And Ajunews reported the Z Flip might be the first phone to be able to record 8K video, though it’s not clear at what quality.

The Z Flip may also have a 3,300mAh battery and support 15-watt fast charging, wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging, according to Weinbach, meaning you could be able to charge your Galaxy Buds just by placing them on the phone. (Though I’m curious which side of the phone might actually do the charging.) Weinbach also says the Z Flip may have a capacitive fingerprint sensor on its side.

image via 王奔宏 (Weibo)

It’s a shock to many that the famous, A-list celebrity Brad Pitt wore a name tag at the 92nd Oscars nominees luncheon. The actor actually didn’t wear the name tag on the red carpet, he wore it the moment he entered the luncheon. It seems that he pinned the name tag on in case someone didn’t know him (which would come as a surprise, but at least he was prepared), or someone forgot his name. The name tag read, ‘Brad Pitt. Actor in a Supporting Role, Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood’. Metro UK also reported that he was one of the few celebrities who chose to wear his name tag.

image via Metro UK

New data from the American Gaming Association estimated that more than 26 million Americans will wager money on Super Bowl LIV. This is a 15% increase from last year, with a projected amount of $6.8 billion. The increase in betting can be attributed to the increased number of states allowing legal and regulated sports betting. Fourteen states now allow sports wagering. The increase in betting in the Super Bowl is no surprise, as CNBC detailed: 

“Americans have never before had so many opportunities to wager on the Super Bowl in a safe and legal manner, and clearly, they are getting in on the action,” said Bill Miller, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association. Miller tells CNBC that bettors are beginning to migrate from the illegal marketplace. “That’s the most important and exciting dynamic,” he added.

Since May of 2018 when the U.S. Supreme Court repealed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, 20 states now offer legal and regulated sports betting. Of those, 14 states are operational allowing sports wagering. Fourteen more states are expected to legalize this year. Legalization has proven to be a windfall for states, with $17 billion wagered legally and a lot of that money means new revenue for states.

With the new frontier of legalized sports betting taking hold, more and more Americans will wager on the Super Bowl at brick-and-mortar sportsbook, a 25% increase from last year. Another 5 million will place their bet online or on a mobile platforms, a 19% increase from last year.

image via CNBC

Would you like to play as a barista/therapist for different supernatural creatures? Coffee Talk is a chill game developed by Toge Productions. With the game’s gorgeous pixel art, the soundtrack that matches the calm vibes of your coffee shop, and the aspects of being able to interact with different characters as you serve them their drinks, the game is surely appealing. The game will be out for all major platforms on Jan. 30, as Polygon details:  

Every in-game day, you’re greeted by a newspaper front page that’s littered with headlines regarding all the fantastical inhabitants of this world. Here, everything from dwarves to elves are real — and each one comes with its own politics and viewpoints, most of which will become obvious as you speak to your customers.

When patrons come up to the counter, they’ll be ready to order something that you actually have to make. Coffee Talk presents you with a variety of ingredients, which you use as the base, primary, and secondary layers of your drink, depending on what you’re concocting. For more simple drinks, you can simply look up via an in-game app; a triple-shot espresso, for example, is just a matter of selecting coffee + coffee + coffee. The game also lets you run wild with the latte art, which you can draw by hand.

image via Polygon

Cotton Branch Farm Sanctuary in Leesville, South Carolina, put out a call in a Facebook post, seeking “piggy cuddlers” to help 100 rescued pigs to learn to be comfortable with humans. The animals were rescued from an animal hoarding situation in Kentucky. Physical contact is important to help pigs adjust when they have new homes, as UPI detailed: 

"Belly scratches, cookies, sitting with and even just talking to our pig friends can get them ready for their new home," the post said.

"We need to socialize them so they can eventually bond with the herd leader," meaning their new owners, Costner told The State newspaper.

Costner said the sanctuary is currently in the process of finding new homes for the 100 pigs as family pets.

image via Cotton Branch Farm Sanctuary

The Department of Transportation has released proposed changes to the current rules for service animals on planes. One of the proposed changes is to prohibit emotional support pets on the plane. Only specially trained service dogs qualified as service animals will be allowed on the plane, as The Huffington Post detailed: 

The DOT would also prohibit airlines from refusing a service animal solely on the basis of breed. Delta Airlines has a controversial policy of prohibiting “pit bull type dogs” on its flights.

Passengers wanting to ride with Fido would instead have to fill out a federal form attesting that their dog is trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. The dog would need similar proof of good behavior, good health and having the ability to not relieve itself or do so in a sanitary manner.

“Today’s [Notice of Proposed Rulemaking] is intended to ensure a safe and accessible air transportation system,” the department said in a statement.

The changes follow concerns raised by travelers with disabilities, airlines, flight attendants and airports. These concerns include passengers falsely identifying their pets as service animals, the department said.

Previous incidents involving emotional support animals and planes include people trying to fly with a peacock, a hamster, a pig and a squirrel .

image via wikimedia commons

Keto dieters will no longer have to restrain themselves or find an alternative dessert to a good helping of ice cream. Halo Top announced the introduction of a new series of keto ice cream. The ice cream series comes in seven flavors, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Berry Swirl, Jelly Donut, Chocolate Cheesecake, Caramel Butter Pecan, Banana Pie and White Chocolaty Macadamia Nut. USA Today has more details: 

The dessert company says the Keto Series is lower in calories than regular ice cream without sacrificing flavor. Which is good news for those looking to ditch the extra carbs and calories.

The ice cream includes “ultra-filtered skim milk” and the pints have net carbs ranging from 5 to 10 grams, calories from 410 to 630 and protein from 17 to 22 grams. The serving size of the keto-friendly ice cream is two-thirds of a cup and calories range from 134 to 210 per serving.

“Our brand is focused on making delicious dessert that everyone can feel good about eating, and these new flavors allow us to do that for our fans looking to limit their sugar intake,” Meg Graeff, senior brand manager of Halo Top, said in a news release.

image via USA Today

Supposedly, this stray cat had been trapped inside a wall for two years, while one of the building residents had been feeding her through a small hole. Her rescue is heartwarming story, but I suspect that the cat had another exit somewhere and chose to live in the wall because it's a warm enclosed space with an occasional rodent -and cat food. If she were really trapped, she would have walked out of the hole he was feeding her through. Still, it's good that she has a proper home now. -via Digg

In the beleaguered region of Kashmir, high in the Himalayas, people drink a unique green tea that's a fairly bright pink. Kashmiri chai contains tea, salt, baking soda, spices, and milk, and is often served topped with crushed nuts. There's nothing pink in that ingredient list, but the particular way it is made caused it to turn pink. It's an acquired taste.

Charles von Hügel, an Austrian explorer who wrote an extensive account of his travels in Kashmir during the 1830s, was one of the first westerners to give the world his unvarnished opinion of pink tea. “The taste is like that of a strong soup made out of scorched flour,” he wrote. Even Kashmiris acknowledge that salty tea is an acquired taste. Journalist Scaachi Koul joked that the tea is “one of our worst culinary contributions to the world and we should be ashamed.”

However, the recipe changes at lower altitudes, and the Kashmiri chai offered at your local cafe contains little to no salt. Read about this unique tea and how it gets that pink color at Atlas Obscura.

Sure, you can get a custom license plate that spells out words to show how unique and stylish you are. But only in Vermont will a poop emoji an option for trend-setters.

We may see that someday if the Vermont state government passes a bill which would make that state the first in the nation to permit emojis on its license plates. USA Today reports:

The bill, proposed by state Rep. Rebecca White, says symbols could be added “in addition to the distinctive number assigned by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles or the numerals and letters selected by the registered owner of a vehicle as a vanity 12 plate." [...]

It’s unclear which emoji are included in the proposition, but the most popular emoji, in general, are the face with tears of joy, the red heart, the smiling face and the rolling on the floor laughing face, according to the Unicode Consortium, which sets the international standards for characters, including emoji.

-via Aaron Starmer | Photo: Dick Mansfield

Never get drunk with friends. But if you do, make sure you never pass out, especially if there are cameras nearby.

An Australian gentleman describes the incident:

My mate had been out in the sun all day decided to have a snooze so the other lads stacked the giant Jenga on his head and he didn't wake up he sat there for at least half an hour with the game perched upon his noggin.

-via Geekologie

The quest for immortality has been a theme in many novels, myths, movies, and TV series. Immortality has been an object of desire for real people from the past, too. Genghis Khan, in his old age, wanted to know how to gain immortality. The Chinese drank mercury, thinking that this would make them live forever.

We might not be able to achieve immortality in this life, but that doesn’t mean that we’re giving up on looking for ways to improve our physical body, which is called biohacking.

As an umbrella term, biohacking is broad and covers many people and behaviours. At its most simple, biohacking just means do-it-yourself experimental biology to enhance health. In practice, it can mean using an app to track your sleep patterns, or taking supplements, all the way to subjecting yourself to untested operations.

Zoltan Istvan, a 2020 Republican running for the presidency, is an example of a biohacker. He calls himself a “transhumanist”.

“As a transhumanist,” explains Istvan, “I’m someone that wants to merge my body with machine parts. I want to become a cyborg to become a more complete, stronger, and perfect living entity.”

While Istvan can be considered an extreme biohacker, there are people like Geoffrey Woo, the co-founder and CEO of HVMN (health via modern nutrition) who can be considered to be on the other side of the spectrum.

For Woo, biohacking isn’t just a hobby but a value system: “I think it’s worthwhile to encourage people to have self-responsibility and agency over their own health and their own lives.

More about this over at the South China Morning Post.

(Image Credit: EliasSch/ Pixabay)

Do you want to be a content moderator on YouTube? You might as well think over that decision again, because if there was something that that work can guarantee you, it would be a negative effect on your mental health. Content moderators, according to The Verge have received legal warnings which state that the job not only may negatively affect their mental health; it could cause PTSD as well. Yikes!

Social media sites are increasingly informing employees of the negative effects of moderation jobs following several reports on harrowing working conditions, including long hours viewing violent and sexually exploitative content with little mental health support. Before accepting a job with Accenture, a subcontractor that works with several social media companies and manages some YouTube moderators at a Texas facility, employees had to sign a form titled “Acknowledgement”, the Verge reported.

More about this over at The Guardian.

(Image Credit: geralt/ Pixabay)

Social skills are essential to any human being. After all, all of us are social beings, and no one can survive on his own. As the old saying goes, “no man is an island.” With this in mind, it is therefore ideal that we develop social skills at a young age. This skill, however, is entirely different from topics like math and science; it is a skill we learn “on the job.”

When you’re a child, you can learn how to manage conflict, make friends and navigate groups by doing it.

But what if you didn’t get the chance to refine this skill on your childhood? Fortunately, the New York Times gives us some tips on how to socialize with other people. Topics such as constructively confronting someone, and making friends as an adult are discussed.

Check it out over at the site.

(Image Credit: Pixabay)

We see a lot of lists of the best horror films. The lists are subjective as to how the authors decided on the standards for a movie to be included in their rankings. This subjectivity and variety of standards makes the lists on the Internet quite different from each other. How about a list created using science? A new study imaged people’s brains as they watched horror movies. Not only were they able to rank the scariest movies through this study, they were also able to discover what makes horror movies so scary, as RT details:

Any list of best movies is sure to be controversial – just ask the people who run the Oscars. But this one is brought to you by science – based on a study by a team of neuroscientists at the University of Turku in Finland, published this month in the scientific journal NeuroImage. 

First, they used Rotten Tomatoes, AllMovie and IMDb to come to a list of 100. They then had hundreds of volunteers, many of them horror movie fans, complete a survey asking them to rate the 100 movies on a scale of 1 to 10 for scariness and quality. (Incidentally, if you would like to take part in the survey, it is still active: Part 1 is here and Part 2 here.)

the survey was only part of this study, mainly a way of selecting the films. The researchers went all out on this study, and had 40 volunteers watch horror movies while hooked up to an MRI to scan their brain activity. They watched trimmed-down versions of The Conjuring 2 and Insidious, selected for their high place in the table, but also because they contained over 20 jump scares (or ‘acute threatening events’) apiece.

What they found rings true for any horror movie fan. Essentially, there are separate brain pathways for two main types of movie-induced fear: ‘sustained fear’, or a slow burning increase in tension, and ‘acute fear’, which is a fright or a jump scare. 

During tension-building scenes, for instance when the soundtrack goes quiet and the protagonist is investigating a sinister place, our visual and auditory centres fire up so as to strain for any faint movement or sound in the darkness. Upon a jump scare, however, the threat evaluation and decision-making centres in the brain light up, similar to the ‘fight-or-flight’ response.

image via wikimedia commons