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Government Mandate Finally Makes Unlocking Your Cellphone Through a Carrier Easy and Convenient

A government mandate that officially takes effect Feb. 11 has now created industry-wide regulations for cellphone carriers that make it easier and more convenient for you to unlock your phone.

There was once a time when it was nearly impossible to get your phone unlocked without meeting with a sketchy character in the Wal-Mart parking lot or being fortunate enough to have a tech-savvy friend of a friend who could do it for you.

Over time, carriers started dishing out offers to unlock cellphones for users whose contracts were up with their previous carriers, but it was far from being an industry standard.

Now, however, all that has officially changed.

Thanks to the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act that the president signed back in August, all cellphone carriers will have to not only provide unlocking services but also have clear regulations in place for how to do so.

The act officially extended the copyright exemption that was previously making it technically illegal to unlock cellphones.

“The industry-wide agreement mandates that carriers post clear unlocking policies online, offer to unlock prepaid phones within a year of purchase and postpaid ones after a user’s contract is up, respond to any request within two business days, and unlock phones for deployed military personnel,” The Verge reported.

So far, T-Mobile and Verizon have confirmed that they complied with the new regulations prior to the February deadline.

US Cellular, on the other hand, has a written policy that claims it is still “working towards” getting policies in place that would adhere to the government mandates.

AT&T and Sprint have also promised that their policies will now fall in line with the new mandate.

For those who aren’t interested in going through a carrier to get their phone unlocked, the new mandate has also made it easier to seek safe third-party companies who can unlock the device.

 

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#28DaysofBlackCosplay — A New Movement All Black Nerds Should Follow

As the first week of Black History Month drew to a close and you grew weary from watching the media try to pack centuries of complex historical importance into pleasantly digestible pieces (or ignore February’s significance altogether), you might feel like burnout is inevitable. But there is hope, my friend, and it looks like daily posts from cosplayer Chaka Cumberbatch of Princess Mentality Cosplay, the creator of a brand new digital movement called #28DaysofBlackCosplay.

In honor of Black History Month, a group of Black cosplayers have come together to help celebrate and promote diversity in our community. Every day, we’ll be spotlighting a different Black cosplayer – and we’re encouraging EVERYONE to join in the fun! If you or someone you know would like to be featured, simply post your picture on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc and be sure to include the hashtag #28DaysofBlackCosplay – it’s that easy.

The impact rippling through cosplay communities is huge (as of writing this article the hashtag’s influence has even caught the attention of major news outlets like CNN). I reached out to Cumberbatch recently and she answered questions as to what this united force of Black cosplayers means to her as well as the greater cosplay community.

What was the initial inspiration behind this movement?

#28DaysofBlackCosplay was initially inspired by the desire to help foster and strengthen a sense of community among Black cosplayers. It’s not easy to be a Black person in this hobby. Your costumes are considered lower quality, you are passed up for photos and opportunities, and you’re routinely made fun of online. On top of which, a lot of people don’t think there are very many Black cosplayers out there, because our work is very rarely showcased. So I thought, screw that, why don’t we get together and find a way to celebrate our own work and our own community. It really wasn’t (and still isn’t) about separating ourselves – it was more about encouraging and empowering each other. I got a group of friends together, asked them to invite any Black cosplayer they could think of, and we developed a schedule to share each other’s pictures, pages and profiles. I spent weeks compiling everyone’s information and putting it all together, and I remember I was so worried nobody would actually take it seriously or participate once the month started. It’s insane to think about that now, seeing how big the thing has become!

How do you think cosplay/nerdom fits into Black history?

I view cosplay almost as a relatively new Black culture form of performance art – in many ways, it’s very similar to music, dance and other creative outlets we use to express ourselves. Different forms of creative expression have always been part of the fabric of our culture, and I think cosplay and geekdom as a whole fits in under that umbrella. We’ve gotten a lot of flak from people claiming that it’s arrogant of us to celebrate Black cosplay during Black History Month, because cosplay isn’t important enough to Black history. But as Black nerds, Black cosplay is part of what will be our history. This is a story that we’re in the process of writing right now. It’s important to us, and it’s a part of who we are.

Read more from Lauren Bullock at Black Nerd Problems

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10 Brilliant Black Mathematicians Who Never Received the Praise They Deserved

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Euphemia Haynes (Sept. 11, 1890 – July 25, 1980)

Haynes  was a mathematician and educator and the first African-American woman to earn a doctorate in mathematics from the Catholic University of America in 1943. For roughly 47 years, Haynes was a devoted math teacher in Washington, D.C. She taught at local high schools and at universities. In 1930, she taught at Miner Teachers College. While there, she served as chair of the mathematics department and the Division of Mathematics and Business Education. In 1966, Haynes was the first woman to chair the District of Columbia School Board, and during her short period there, she was vital in the integration of the D.C. public schools. 

 

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Gloria Conyers Hewitt (born Oct. 26, 1935)

Hewitt earned her bachelor’s in secondary mathematics education at Fisk University in 1956. She attended the University of Washington and received her master’s and doctorate in mathematics in 1962. One of her major career highlights was in the 1990s, when she served as chair of the mathematics department at the University of Montana. Hewitt was also one of the first Black women to be awarded a mathematics reward of any kind. She was awarded the National Science Foundation postdoctoral Science Faculty Fellowship in the 1990s.

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Confirmed Deal Between Marvel and Sony Sparks Rumors of Spider-Man, Avengers Crossover on the Big Screen

For years, comic book fans have recognized Spider-Man as one of the Avengers, but after some complex business deals granted Sony the rights to Spider-Man and his universe in the 1990s, fans feared that a big-screen crossover would never come true. Fortunately, the latest announcement by Marvel and Sony revealed that Spider-Man may finally co-exist with his fellow Avengers in upcoming films.

Spider-Man lovers received heart-stopping news Monday night thanks to a long-awaited announcement from Marvel and Sony.

After months of speculation and unconfirmed rumors, it has finally been revealed that Sony and Marvel closed a deal to bring Spider-Man into Marvel’s Cinematic Universe (MCU).

While they did not reveal which film Spider-Man will make an appearance in, the speculation and guessing games have already begun with most signs pointing at an Avengers-related movie.

In the comic books, Spider-Man joined the Avengers back in the ’90s but has yet to appear alongside any of his super-powered allies in theaters.

This latest deal not only confirms that Spider-Man will be swinging his way into the MCU, but it also revealed that the next installment of the multibillion-dollar Spider-Man franchise will be undergoing a serious creative overhaul.

“Under the deal the new Spider-Man will first appear in a Marvel film from Marvel’s Cinematic Universe,” the statement on Marvel’s website revealed. “Sony Pictures will thereafter release the next installment of its $4 billion Spider-Man franchise, on July 28, 2017, in a film that will be co-produced by Kevin Feige and his expert team at Marvel and Amy Pascal, who oversaw the franchise launch for the studio 13 years ago. Together, they will collaborate on a new creative direction for the web slinger.”

Based on Marvel’s confirmed film release dates, three likely films have surfaced as front-runners for introducing fans to the new and improved Spidey.

He could appear in Captain America 3: Civil War, which is set to be released in May 2016; Doctor Strange, which is set for release in November 2016, or Guardians of the Galaxy 2, which is set to be released in May 2017.

Fans expect that Spider-Man will be joining the patriotic hero himself, Captain America, but that hasn’t been confirmed.

Either way, Marvel is just happy to be bringing Spider-Man to his rightful home on the big screens.

“Spider-Man has more than 50 years of history in Marvel’s world, and with this deal, fans will be able to experience Spider-Man taking his rightful place among other Super Heroes in the MCU,” Marvel’s statement continued.

With Fox and Marvel having a similar deal as Sony and Marvel when it comes to the rights of X-Men, some fans were hopeful that the latest crossover deal could encourage Fox to loan out the beloved academy of mutants.

Unfortunately, there are no signs that this deal is in the works nor is it likely when considering the history between Fox and Marvel.

Sony and Marvel have had a much better relationship than the comic giant has had with Fox, so it could still be quite some time before we see the X-Men joining forces with any other Marvel fan favorites.

 

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‘The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore’ Offers up Laughs — and Sincerity

The sign above the 50th Street train stop says it all: “The Nightly Show: Evenings at 11:30 p.m. after The Daily Show. No pressure.” With that two-word quip, The Nightly Show highlights what it does best: being as honest as it is clever. To fill Emmy Award-magnet Stephen Colbert’s former time slot – which just happens to be following 19- time Emmy winner Jon Stewart’s time slot – seems like a whole lot of pressure for a new comedy, yet The Nightly Show isn’t trying to fill anyone’s shoes or “replace” anybody. Instead, Larry Wilmore and his team are carving their lane through their own approach: sincerity. The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore is a breath of fresh air by being the most sincere new show in comedy… and it’s hilarious.

Black Nerd Problems sat down with three brilliant minds behind the show and asked them the tough questions the world wants to hear: Who rides with you in a zombie apocalypse?

(The answer: The zombie apocalypse team includes Richard Sherman, and four iterations of Samuel L. Jackson: Pulp Fiction Samuel L. Jackson, Mace Windu Samuel L. Jackson, The Negotiator Samuel L. Jackson and Snakes on a Plane Samuel L. Jackson.)

The main man in front of the camera, Larry Wilmore, has been in comedy a long time, and you loved his work before you even knew it was him who wrote it. Since performing at talent shows in his teens and sneaking into comedy clubs underage where he once saw comedy legend Richard Pryor, Wilmore saw signs – “indicators,” he calls them – that comedy would be the passion he would pursue in his career. That decision led him to writing for classic comedy shows like In Living Color, and later becoming the creator, writer and executive producer of The Bernie Mac Show. Wilmore spent years behind the camera before deciding to step in front, and now with his own show, he’s bringing a new feeling of candor and endearment to news-based comedy.

“We are the transfer student that was bused in from another neighborhood that everyone’s getting to know,” Wilmore said on defining the identity of The Nightly Show

Keeping with the themes of the show, Black Nerd Problems tested Wilmore with a “Keep It 100” question:

BNP: Before a new Black character joins The Walking Dead, an old Black character has to be killed. If comedy were The Walking Dead, which Black celebrity would you kill for your show to be successful? Keep in mind: the success would be on par with the person you kill. So if you kill (Bill) Cosby, your show would adopt his current public disapproval.

“I love her to death; she’s my girl, but… sorry, I’m going to have to poison (TV director and producer) Shonda Rhimes’ tea.”

The boss of “Keep It 100” did just that, and, fortunately, Wilmore won’t have to slip Rhimes the nightshade for his show to be successful. With a strong start as host, along with endless opportunities for discussing topics and highlighting new perspectives on his notably diverse panels, The Nightly Show is getting comfortable in its home on Comedy Central. Kick back on the sofa and pay attention – I expect the “transfer student” team will have Emmys of their own.

Source: Jordan Calhoun. To read more about BNP’s interview with the masterminds behind the The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore, click here

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10 of The Greatest Black Superheroes Of All Time

Growing up Black and watching Saturday morning cartoons, watching sci-fi and superhero movies was oftentimes frustrating due to the lack of identification with the characters. Often we did not see ourselves portrayed as the superhero. Image is very important to children, and by not seeing superheroes who look like them and always being portrayed as white men has an effect on a child’s self-esteem.

However, to me it seemed that comic books were always a little more progressive than mainstream media. In fact, you can trace the rise of modern Black superheroes to the civil rights movement. For example, the X-Men characters of Professor Xavier and Magneto have even been compared to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. While comics have not been a bastion of diversity, they have offered us some great superheroes to identify with as young Black children, which in turn helped to inspire the next generation of artists to create even more Black superheroes. Today, there are literally hundreds of Black superheroes and heroines across all mediums with the most iterations coming in the form of comics. Here is a list of my top 10 superheroes.

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10. Spawn (Al Simmons)

Spawn first appeared in 1992. A CIA agent devoted to black ops. Once there, he began to question the morality of what his agency was doing. Murdered by his partner in a blazing inferno, Simmons’ soul was sent to hell because he had knowingly killed innocents during his days in the CIA. Simmons made a deal to sell his soul in order to avenge his murder and see his wife. Spawn is ranked 60th on Wizard magazine’s list of the “Top 200 Comic Book Characters of All Time,” 50th on Empire magazine’s list of “The 50 Greatest Comic Book Characters” and 36th on IGN’s 2011 “Top 100 Comic Book Heroes.” Spawn was featured in an animated HBO series, a feature film and several video games.

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9. Spider-Man (Miles Morales)

He first appeared as Spider-Man in August 2011. The inspiration for the character was taken from both U.S. President Barack Obama and American actor Donald Glover. Following the death of Peter Parker, a teenager of Black Hispanic descent, Morales, is the second Spider-Man in the Ultimate Marvel Universe. However Morales isn’t the character used for the Disney XD show Ultimate Spider–Man. However, he does appear in a third season storyline in which Parker travels through various parallel universes and encounters those dimensions’ versions of Spider-Man, including Morales, who is voiced by rapper/actor Glover. “Spider-Man” writer Brian Michael Bendis has stated that he favors incorporating Morales into the Spider-Man feature films. Miles Morales appears as a playable character in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online, Spider-Man Unlimited and Lego Marvel Super Heroes.

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Samsung Privacy Policy Sparks Concerns That Smart TV Could Be Eavesdropping on Consumers

The debate over privacy concerns with new technology is a debate that has been happening consistently over the years, but the privacy policy for Samsung’s Smart TV is adding an interesting new element to the conversation.

In the pursuit of advanced, personalized technology, many consumers have agreed that some privacy will have to be sacrificed, but just how much privacy should be sacrificed is still up for debate.

Devices today are able to track our locations, monitor our behavior and even learn our personalities, but should they also be allowed to listen in on our personal conversations and collect that information?

That’s the question taking over the Web after Samsung’s privacy policy for its Smart TV advised consumers to think twice about having those personal conversations around the TV when the voice recognition feature is active.

“Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party through your use of Voice Recognition,” the privacy policy reads.

That statement sent many consumers into a panic.

It certainly isn’t the most privacy-invading device out on the market, but it does seem to be an admission from one of the largest tech giant’s that its TV can and will be eavesdropping on your conversation if you’re not careful.

With that being said, Samsung released a statement to TechCrunch to insist that anyone concerned about the voice recognition technology has nothing to worry about.

Samsung pointed out that consumers can easily deactivate the voice recognition feature and they could also disconnect the Smart TV from their Wi-Fi network.

These two steps would essentially eliminate the TV’s eavesdropping capabilities.

For those who do want to use the voice recognition feature, Samsung claimed that they do not “retain voice data or sell it to third parties.”

“If a consumer consents and uses the voice recognition feature, voice data is provided to a third party during a requested voice command search,” the statement read. “At that time, the voice data is sent to a server, which searches for the requested content then returns the desired content to the TV.”

Some social media users, however, weren’t content with the statement thanks to yet another interesting sentence in the privacy policy — one that some argue is an admittance that there is a possibility that something could go wrong with the attempt to protect consumers’ privacy.

“Samsung is not responsible for these providers’ privacy or security practices,” the policy concludes.

In all fairness, it’s the type of statement that is included in nearly every privacy policy and was included because a team of lawyers thought it was necessary, not because the company genuinely believes that there is a good chance things could go haywire and leave consumers’ private information in the hands of malicious third parties.

Either way, the policy adds more fuel to a quickly spreading conversation that is extremely necessary.

In today’s computer-driven world, everything from our cellphones and tablets to our cars and home thermostats has the ability to essentially spy on consumers.

With so few guidelines and regulations tailored to such new technological advancements, consumers’ fears about what this means for the protection of their privacy are justified.

So as tech giants race to be the first ones to push out new devices with new features, they will still need to take the time to ask themselves what these new features mean for consumer privacy and how can they protect customers.

If not, growing consumer mistrust could lead to an interesting shakeup in the tech space.