Geekly Update - 30 October 2020

The AskBobRankin Geekly Update

Just in time for Halloween, NASA’s Hubble telescope spotted two galaxies colliding. The resulting orange glow and bright “eyes” earned the phenomenon the nickname "Greater Pumpkin".

“What to Expect When You’re Expecting Robots: The Future of Human-Robot Collaboration,” a book co-authored by MIT grads, explores a future populated with robot overlords filling essential roles in society.

Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey and Sundar Pichai, the CEOs of Facebook, Twitter, and Google were summoned before the U.S. Senate after both Democrats and Republicans expressed concern about censorship and the spread of misinformation. If you want to know how it went, see this scene from the 1967 movie "A Guide For The Married Man".

Are 5G Towers Safe? Popular Mechanics addresses the conspiracy theories about 5G, the latest generation of high-speed cellular technology. Is it dangerous and can it actually kill you?

Take a virtual tour of the International Space Station. Google wants to help you celebrate the 20th anniversary of the International Space Station by creating an augmented reality model of the ISS that you can explore.

Microsoft really wants you to stop using Internet Explorer. Last month they force-installed the Chromium-based Edge browser via Windows Update, and within weeks, they will begin automatically redirecting Internet Explorer to Edge, if you try to access Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Microsoft Teams, and over 1,000 other websites.

This just in from the Kanye Loves Kanye Department: Kayne West’s 40th birthday present to his wife Kim Kardashian was a hologram of her dead father, in which a fake Robert Kardashian praises Kanye as "the most, most, most, most, most genius man in the whole world."

Tello is offering a special rate for new customers until October 31st. Half off for the first 3 months includes 1 GB of mobile data, unlimited minutes, and unlimited texts for $5/month.

CNET contributor Stephen Shankland spent a month this summer taking beautiful pictures around the American southwest, toting a 151-megapixel camera called The Phase One XT. Shankland’s verdict: Even though the camera delivers “exceptional image quality” at “extraordinary 14,204x10,652-pixel resolution,” the $95,000 Phase One XT “isn't for everyone.” Huh.

Confused about which expensive flagship phone to buy? Apple's new iPhone 12 comes in four flavors: Vanilla, Mini, Pro, and Pro Max. Here's how they compare to Samsung's Galaxy S20, Google's Pixel 5 and the OnePlus' 8T.

Harley-Davidson just unveiled a new bike, minus the signature loud pipes. The electric Serial 1 has pedals, not pipes, and the design is meant to evoke memories of the original “Serial Number One” motorcycle built in 1903.

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