Spacetime is a rainbow

Prepare to have your brain fried by this latest theoretical discovery. If we had a prism capable of splitting spacetime, we'd see many variations that combine to form one big spacetime, in the same way that various wavelengths of light combine to form white light.

At least, that's the case according to a theoretical model by the University of Warsaw's Faculty of Physics. Their paper was published in the December 2015 issue of Physics Letters B.

According to the team's calculations, any model of the universe using the popular quantum theories of gravity must also include this "spacetime rainbow."

When white light is split by a prism, the colours of the resulting rainbow contain photons with different energy levels. The higher the energy level, the greater the angle of deflection. This, the team said, could be seen as the photons "sensing" the same prism as having slightly different properties.

This is where the comparison to spacetime comes in. Just as the wavelengths experience the prism differently, particles of different energies in quantum universe models experience spacetime differently.

"Two years ago we reported ... different types of particles feel the existence of spacetimes with slightly different properties," explained Jerzy Lewandowski, who led the research team.

"Now it turns out that the situation is even more complicated. We have discovered a truly generic mechanism, whereby the fabric of spacetime felt by a given particle must vary depending not only on its type, but even on its energy."

Are extreme-sports junkies still in love with GoPro

GoPro, darling of the action-cam world, just got the wind knocked out of it.

The San Mateo, California, company, which builds sturdy point-of-view cameras used by skydivers, snowboarders and other extreme athletes, has built its reputation on inspiring people to try something crazy. Who wasn't thrilled by Felix Baumgartner's skydive from a balloon floating 24 miles above earth? Or a Red Bull-fueled bicycle backflip over a 72-foot canyon?

It turns out that people like to watch but may not want to jump into the action themselves.

GoPro is cutting 7 percent of its workforce, or about 105 jobs, the company said this week. The decision follows disappointing sales of its latest device, the GoPro Hero4 Session. The company also slashed its sales estimate for the just-ended fourth quarter.

The news reflects the reality that we're not all risk takers and, more specifically, that we're not all hungry to capture on video our attempts at extreme anything. GoPro had been the dominant name in the action-camera niche for several years thanks to its affordable, easy-to-use products. But the company's financial pinch begs the question: Has GoPro peaked?

"We've argued for some time now that the market for cameras is not only shrinking, but segmenting into niche areas," said Andrew Uerkwitz, an analyst with investment management firm Oppenheimer. "The action camera is not a fad per se, but it is a limited market."

Others believe that GoPro's downturn is due purely to the company pinning its hopes for holiday season sales on the tiny Hero4 Session. The camera received mixed reviews and was originally priced at $400 when it was released in July. By December, the price tag was cut in half. Consumers' weak response to the camera was costly for the company and forced the job cuts, GoPro said.

GoPro is looking to expand its business to take on another hot trend. The company plans to release a drone, though it faces the challenge of competing with the affordable, camera-equipped drones people may have already gotten over the holidays, including those from Parrot and DJI.

The company is also attempting to turn video into a part of its business model by licensing footage shot on its cameras to media companies. In line with this, GoPro plans to release new software to make it easier for you to edit and share your videos.

Expanding the number of ways that GoPro makes money should help alleviate what Uerkwitz sees as one of the main problems with the company's business model: the long replacement cycles for the cameras. In other words, those suckers are built to last. Once you have one, you're unlikely to buy another anytime soon.

"GoPro seems to have figured this out as they have announced new products for the drone and 360-[degree] camera market," Uerkwitz said. "But until we see the launch of these products, GoPro is in a challenging position."

Double Robotics

You may not have heard of telepresence robots, but a startup called Double Robotics hopes to change that with the second generation of its device.

Telepresence robots represent you from afar, allowing you to roam corridors with co-workers, glide into offices for private chats and continue conversations in the company cafeteria. The Burlingame, California-based company wasn't the first to the technology, but it did pioneer a less-expensive approach by mounting an Apple iPad tablet atop a stalk with motorized wheels.

A person uses a computer to pilot the robot around a distant location by typing in keyboard controls. They can see what's in front of the robot by way of images transmitted from the tablet's camera back to their computer screen. At the same time, their computer's camera transmits live images of their face to the robot's tablet so people looking at the tablet can see and talk to them.

Double Robotics launched the new version of its product on Wednesday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The 35-employee startup hopes that the Double 2's features will prompt current customers to expand beyond the testing phase and attract new companies too.

"We've sold over 5,000 units now. We expect to have quite a spike with this release," Chief Executive David Cann said.

The boundaries between work and home have been blurring for years with telephones, pagers and e-mail enabling bosses to reach subordinates at all hours and allowing employees to work from home and hotels. Smartphones accelerated the trend with a constant network connection. Now telepresence robots could make remote working even more like the real thing by giving you a virtual body and face

Compared with its predecessor, the Double 2 can better navigate bumps like cords and rug edges without tipping sideways. It also drives fast enough to keep up with people walking at full speed and gets a wider-angle camera option so the pilot can see groups of six people, not just two, Cann said.

"We think bringing these new features out will make people feel more confident to roll this out to more novice employees and make it a standard part of telecommuting policy," he said.

The first-generation product cost $2,500, but accessories raised the price to $3,500. The Double 2 is $3,000 including the accessories.

Eventually, telepresence robots could be used for entertainment and recreation, not just for business and education. But a more immersive experience would be better for those potential uses. That's why Double Robotics is eyeing virtual reality technology that would let the operator of a telepresence robot see a 3D world, as well as improving sound.

Man watches on phone as home is robbed

Technically Incorrect: A New York man reportedly gets a phone alert telling him his apartment has a burglar. He observes his stuff getting stolen.

Technically Incorrect offers a slightly twisted take on the tech that's taken over our lives.

The thing about notifications is that they can bring you bad news.

Do you want bad news? Worse, do you want to watch bad news happening, especially if it's happening right inside your home?

In Danny Wheeler's case, he wanted to know. As the New York Post reports, he used a security system and app called Canary. It tells you when nefarious beings are roaming inside your house.

So it was that at lunchtime on Tuesday he received an alert telling him there were intruders at his apartment on Second Avenue and East 81st Street in Manhattan.

Not only that, the Canary system also transmitted images of the action. Wheeler told the Post he immediately dialed 911. He said: "I was making my way [home] watching the entire video like a madman in the cab."

He posted the video to YouTube. It shows a man in a Yankees hat coming in and then letting another man in through a window.

They didn't stay long, however. A neighbor noticed the intruders on the fire escape and asked them what on earth they thought they were doing. In a New York manner, I imagine.

Wheeler says that the film stars got away with around $500 worth of jewelry. The NYPD wasn't immediately available for comment, but Wheeler believes that the Canary system helped the police. Indeed, he said that an officer recognized one of the men.

He blamed his own apartment for the break-in, though. He told Gothamist: I pay stupid amounts of money to rent this apartment and a shoddy window is the reason [I'm] here right now."

In his review, CNET's Ry Crist thought that the $250 Canary system has excellent camera quality, but its motion sensor is so sensitive that it is "borderline unusable."

Wheeler, though, said he's glad he at least saw what had happened, rather than arrive home to find things missing and a mess.

At the time of writing, the two intruders are still somewhere out there.

Lyft partners with China's largest ride-hailing service

Uber may have some competition in China from its US rival as Lyft links up with Didi Kuaidi to let travelers use their apps interchangeably.

Ride-hailing company Lyft has long been considered small potatoes compared with its rival Uber. Yes, Lyft is in 65 cities in the US, but Uber is in more than 300 cities in 60 countries. Yes, Lyft is valued at $2.5 billion, but Uber is valued at more than $50 billion.

But that could change soon and quickly.

San Francisco-based Lyft announced Wednesday that it's partnered with Didi Kuaidi, the largest ride-hailing service in China. These two companies both provide services that let drivers connect with passengers via a smartphone app. The partnership will link the two companies' apps, allowing passengers to use their usual app while traveling abroad just like they would at home. Didi is also investing $100 million in Lyft.

"Didi Kuaidi is the clear market leader in China and has invaluable local expertise," Lyft co-founder and President John Zimmer said in a statement on Wednesday. "In today's rideshare environment, where every region presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities, partnering with the homegrown leader is the winning approach to Chinese expansion."

While solely in China, Didi owns a massive share of the overall ride-hailing market with a presence in more than 360 cities and a valuation of $16 billion. The service says it has more than 5 million drivers (Uber has around 1 million) and gets 10 million ride requests per day. The allegiance of Didi and Lyft could pose a serious threat to Uber, which has set its sights on China over the past few months with grand plans for expansion there.

China's massive population of 1.35 billion and growing middle class have created a lucrative market for Uber to capitalize on. In June, CEO Travis Kalanick reportedly sent a letter to investors that said Uber will invest more than $1 billion for its China expansion during 2015. And last week, he announced Uber plans to spread its service to 100 additional cities in China within the next 12 months.

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However, Uber has faced roadblocks from Chinese regulators. In May, local authorities visited Uber's offices in Guangzhou and Chengdu to investigate whether it was operating an unlicensed (and thus, illegal) taxi operation. And earlier this year, China's Ministry of Transport called for tighter laws against unlicensed taxis, specifically referring to apps like Uber. Uber didn't respond to request for comment.

Didi, on the other hand, works with government regulators before launching in local cities. Making nice with regulators has become Didi's competitive advantage in China and why it's been able to add so many new cities in such a short amount of time.

In the past, Lyft has said that it had no immediate plans to enter the international market and now it's clear what its expansion plans are. During a press conference on Wednesday, Zimmer wouldn't say if the company intends to partner with local companies in other countries, like India's Olacabs or Singapore's GrabTaxi. But he did say, "Our vision to connect people in communities with better transportation was never just about the US."

As far as what's in it for Didi, company President Jean Liu said at the press conference Wednesday that her goal is to continue innovation in the ride-hailing industry and that Lyft is the best partner for that. She noted that Lyft was the first company to let passengers hail drivers using their own personal cars and it was also the first to introduce a carpooling service.

"We think the Lyft and Didi partnership together will open a new global era for the ride-share industry," Liu said. "When we work together we will be able to push the evolution of this industry to the next level."

Apple Wants to Transform Your Doctor Visits

Apple (AAPL) is looking to transform your relationship with your doctor.

On Wednesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook and other top executives spent the first 10 minutes of their live event to talk about how the new Apple Watch is going to change health care.

“Just months ago, we started selling Apple watches to customers, and it’s already changing lives,” said Cook, who added that the smartwatch is “making days better” for its users by getting them moving again.

Now, the company is looking to take it to the next level by partnering with leading hospitals and designing new software platforms like Healthkit and ResearchKit in hopes of turning Apple into a central repository for clinical data and trials.

During a live demonstration, Apple Executive Jeff Williams demonstrated how the Apple Watch helps doctors track their patients and prioritize their schedules using an app called AirStrip, which was designed for health care providers.

Dr. Cameron Powell, one of the co-founders of the app, also took to the stage to explain how physicians can use their smartwatches to monitor patient vitals and even check an unborn baby’s heartbeat with their Sense4Baby technology

According to AirStrip’s website, Sense4Baby was designed to improve the way doctors treat high-risk pregnancies by providing real-time, remote information directly from the patient’s body (aka their wrist) to the healthcare providers.

Expecting mothers can monitor their contractions and even hear the baby’s heart rate on their watch. They can also send their vitals to their doctor using their smartwatch and receive private responses directly.

The user is authenticated throughout the experience as long as the watch remains on their wrist.

Health care continued as a clear theme of Apple's event when executives introduced their new iPad Pro. During a live demonstration, another doctor used an app to show how it can help doctors explain knee injuries through a digital skeleton.

5 best sites to find a job

Finding a new job can sometimes feel like full-time work. You have to update your résumé, write cover letters and keep your fingers crossed for a callback. But first you have to find places to apply.

Whether you're re-entering the job market after a leave of absence, or seeking a better fit with a new company, the Internet is the best tool in your job-hunting arsenal. We've combed the Web looking for the best places to start your job search. Here are five sites to kick your job hunt into high gear.

Indeed

Kick off your search with Indeed. It claims to be the biggest job site in the world, with about 800,000 new listings posted on the site each week.

Indeed's search works a lot like Google. Find jobs by typing the keywords into the What/Where box at the top of the page. You can narrow or widen your results by clicking "Refine your search."

Save searches and have Indeed email you new job leads every morning that match what you're looking for. You can also use the handy Indeed app on the go.

Be sure to check out the upload résumé feature. It converts your résumé into a webpage with a unique link, making it easy to share with prospective employers. Need help improving your résumé? Read this tip before you spend any money.

2. Simply Hired

Of course, you don't want to just use one job-posting site. Simply Hired is another great option. It has more than 9 million listings that it pulls from thousands of company sites and job boards.

Create an account to save searches and receive daily or weekly email alerts. A new mobile app lets you search, save and apply to jobs right from your smartphone.

If you're looking for a company that shares your values, check out Simply Hired's Special Searches. It lets you narrow your search to companies that are friendly to new graduates, veterans, working moms, 50-plus workers and more.

3. CareerBuilder

Want to land a position in corporate America? CareerBuilder works with more than 300,000 employers, including 92 percent of the Fortune 100.

You can store up to five different versions of your résumé, making it easy to apply for different positions. You can also choose to make a résumé public or private. That comes in handy if you don't want your current employer to know you're job hunting.

There's also a free mobile Jobs app that lets you apply for position with just two taps of a finger. Other free resources include career tests, a salary calculator and résumé writing tips.

4. Net-Temps

Not getting anywhere in your job search? With dozens or hundreds of people applying for every open position on the market competition is tough. You might be making some basic mistakes in your résumé or interviews that are hurting your chances.

Pay a visit to Net-Temps and its well-stocked Career Advice section. Career Advice contains hundreds of helpful job-hunting articles. These articles are written by recruiters and industry professionals, so they know what works in job-hunting and what doesn't.

Résumé writing and interview preparation are just the beginning. Tips on career advancement and finding a job after college are also available. You can find information on negotiating your salary, and dealing with layoffs, too. There are articles to help anyone get a job, or help you keep the one you have.

5. Glassdoor

Job hunting isn't just about finding a company that will hire you; you need to find a company you want to work at. When you find an enticing job posting, you want to find out everything you can about that particular company.

Glassdoor takes you beyond boilerplate job descriptions and offers an insider glimpse of the hiring process at thousands of companies. Employees and other job seekers anonymously post company reviews, interview questions and salary and benefits information.

Have your eye on a particular job? Glassdoor’s Inside Connections tool combs through your network of Facebook friends to help you uncover potential referrals inside a specific company. In a competitive job market, a referral from a friend or colleague can make all the difference.