Month: October 2020

Apple made ProtonMail add in-app purchases, even though it had been free for years – this App store shakedown has a long scared list of victims

Posted on by Robin Edgar

one app developer revealed to Congress that it — just like WordPress — had been forced to monetize a largely free app. That developer testified that Apple had demanded in-app purchases (IAP), even though Apple had approved its app without them two years earlier — and that when the dev dared send an email to Read more about Apple made ProtonMail add in-app purchases, even though it had been free for years – this App store shakedown has a long scared list of victims[…]

Google is giving data to police based on search keywords: IPs of everyone who searched a certain thing. No warrant required.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

There are few things as revealing as a person’s search history, and police typically need a warrant on a known suspect to demand that sensitive information. But a recently unsealed court document found that investigators can request such data in reverse order by asking Google to disclose everyone who searched a keyword rather than for Read more about Google is giving data to police based on search keywords: IPs of everyone who searched a certain thing. No warrant required.[…]

Facebook Just Forced Its Most Powerful Critics Offline

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Facebook is using its vast legal muscle to silence one of its most prominent critics. The Real Facebook Oversight Board, a group established last month in response to the tech giant’s failure to get its actual Oversight Board up and running before the presidential election, was forced offline on Wednesday night after Facebook wrote to Read more about Facebook Just Forced Its Most Powerful Critics Offline[…]

Leap Motion brings out TouchFree software – Add Touchless Gesture Control

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Touchless, hygienic interaction TouchFree is a software application that runs on an interactive kiosk or advertising totem. It detects a user’s hand in mid-air and converts it to an on-screen cursor. Easy to integrate, deploy, and use • Runs invisibly on top of existing user interfaces • Add touchless interaction without writing a single line Read more about Leap Motion brings out TouchFree software – Add Touchless Gesture Control[…]

NVIDIA Uses AI to Slash Bandwidth on Video Calls

Posted on by Robin Edgar

NVIDIA Research has invented a way to use AI to dramatically reduce video call bandwidth while simultaneously improving quality. What the researchers have achieved has remarkable results: by replacing the traditional h.264 video codec with a neural network, they have managed to reduce the required bandwidth for a video call by an order of magnitude. Read more about NVIDIA Uses AI to Slash Bandwidth on Video Calls[…]

Boom unveils the XB-1, supersonic testbed for Overture, supersonic airliner

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The “Baby Boom” is finally here. After six years of development, Boom Supersonic is unveiling its XB-1 demonstrator. The craft is the company’s first supersonic plane, designed to prove the technology ahead of a full-size airliner, Overture. […] As we reported on back in August, Boom is looking to build the first supersonic civilian airliner Read more about Boom unveils the XB-1, supersonic testbed for Overture, supersonic airliner[…]

UK privacy watchdog wraps up probe into Cambridge Analytica and… it was all a little bit overblown, no?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The UK’s privacy watchdog has wrapped up its probe into Cambridge Analytica, saying it found no hard evidence to support claims the controversial biz used data scrapped from people’s Facebook profiles to influence the Brexit referendum nor the US 2016 presidential election. There was no clear evidence of Russian involvement, either. However, the UK’s privacy Read more about UK privacy watchdog wraps up probe into Cambridge Analytica and… it was all a little bit overblown, no?[…]

Cars, planes, trains: where do CO2 emissions from transport come from?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In the chart here we see global transport emissions in 2018. This data is sourced from the International Energy Agency (IEA). Road travel accounts for three-quarters of transport emissions. Most of this comes from passenger vehicles – cars and buses – which contribute 45.1%. The other 29.4% comes from trucks carrying freight. Since the entire Read more about Cars, planes, trains: where do CO2 emissions from transport come from?[…]

Listening in on your XR11 remote from 20m away

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Guardicore discovered a new attack vector on Comcast’s XR11 voice remote that would have allowed attackers to turn it into a listening device – potentially invading your privacy in your living room. Prior to its remediation by Comcast, the attack, dubbed WarezTheRemote, was a very real security threat: with more than 18 million units deployed Read more about Listening in on your XR11 remote from 20m away[…]

Nvidia unveils $59 Nvidia Jetson Nano 2GB mini AI board

Posted on by Robin Edgar

New Jetson Nano mini AI computer The Jetson Nano 2GB Developer Kit, announced this week, is a single-board computer – like the Raspberry Pi – though geared towards machine learning rather than general computing. If you like the idea of simple AI projects running on a dedicated board, such as building your own mini self-driving Read more about Nvidia unveils $59 Nvidia Jetson Nano 2GB mini AI board[…]

Europe’s top court confirms no mass surveillance without limits

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Europe’s top court has delivered another slap-down to indiscriminate government mass surveillance regimes. In a ruling today the CJEU has made it clear that national security concerns do not exclude EU Member States from the need to comply with general principles of EU law such as proportionality and respect for fundamental rights to privacy, data Read more about Europe’s top court confirms no mass surveillance without limits[…]

Smart male chastity hack could lock all dicks up permanently, require grinder to unlock. Also tells anyone where you are

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Smart Bluetooth male chastity lock, designed for user to give remote control to a trusted 3rd party using mobile app/API Multiple API flaws meant anyone could remotely lock all devices and prevent users from releasing themselves Removal then requires an angle grinder or similar, used in close proximity to delicate and sensitive areas Precise user Read more about Smart male chastity hack could lock all dicks up permanently, require grinder to unlock. Also tells anyone where you are[…]

The IRS Is Being Investigated for Using Bought Location Data Without a Warrant – Wait there’s a company called Venntel that sells this and that’s OK?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The body tasked with oversight of the IRS announced in a letter that it will investigate the agency’s use of location data harvested from ordinary apps installed on peoples’ phones, according to a copy of the letter obtained by Motherboard. The move comes after Senators Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren demanded a formal investigation into Read more about The IRS Is Being Investigated for Using Bought Location Data Without a Warrant – Wait there’s a company called Venntel that sells this and that’s OK?[…]

Facebook revenue chief says ad-supported model is ‘under assault’ – boo hoo, turns out people like their privacy

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Facebook Chief Revenue Officer David Fischer said Tuesday that the economic models that rely on personalized advertising are “under assault” as Apple readies a change that would limit the ability of Facebook and other companies to target ads and estimate how well they work. The change to Apple’s identifier for advertisers, or IDFA, will give Read more about Facebook revenue chief says ad-supported model is ‘under assault’ – boo hoo, turns out people like their privacy[…]

Apple, Facebook, Google, Amazon Are Monopolies: Antitrust Committee

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Just as you suspected, Big Tech is dominated by monopolies, a House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee found. After more than a year of investigating Apple, Facebook, Google, and Amazon’s behavior, lawmakers released a 449-page report with their findings on Tuesday, complete with recommendations that the four companies be broken up to make the market more competitive. Read more about Apple, Facebook, Google, Amazon Are Monopolies: Antitrust Committee[…]

SmartShooter ‘Automatically’ Shoots Drones Out of the Sky using Colt personal gun

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Air Force was already familiar with the possibilities of the ‘SmartShooter’ smart aiming system. The only thing that was unknown was whether it is also effective in combination with the Colt C7 5.56mm long-range automatic rifle. Operation The system uses video analysis. A shooter aims his weapon at the target with the SmartShooter. So Read more about SmartShooter ‘Automatically’ Shoots Drones Out of the Sky using Colt personal gun[…]

Former Patent Litigator Becomes Federal Judge And Begins Advertising For Patent Trolls To Come To His Court (And They Have In Droves)

Posted on by Robin Edgar

For years, you may recall that we would write about the insane nature of forum shopping for patent trolls, in which the trolls would flock to the federal courts in East Texas. Going back nearly 15 years, we wrote about how East Texas courts became grand central for patent troll cases, leading to all sorts Read more about Former Patent Litigator Becomes Federal Judge And Begins Advertising For Patent Trolls To Come To His Court (And They Have In Droves)[…]

Ring glitch results in global ding dong ditch: Doorbells keep going off with no one pushing them.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Amazon-owned smart home appliance maker Ring has won the world record for biggest game of “ding dong ditch” after a software glitch broadcast erroneous doorbell chimes to countless users yesterday. The global game of Ring and run (as it’s known in the US) coincided with software issues that prevented owners from viewing archived footage or Read more about Ring glitch results in global ding dong ditch: Doorbells keep going off with no one pushing them.[…]

Tokyo Stock Exchange breaks new record. Sadly, not a good one… its longest ever outage

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Tokyo’s Stock Exchange (TSE) went offline for most of Thursday, its longest-ever outage and a very unwelcome one as it is the world’s third-largest bourse, when measured by market capitalisation. The exchange yesterday morning posted news that “a technical glitch occurred to distribution of market data,” and the market therefore stopped all trading. Later in Read more about Tokyo Stock Exchange breaks new record. Sadly, not a good one… its longest ever outage[…]

US govt wins right to snaffle Edward Snowden’s $5m+ book royalties, speech fees – and all future related earnings

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The US government’s Department of Justice has won its multi-million-dollar claim to Edward Snowden’s Permanent Record book royalties as well as any future related earnings. A federal district court in eastern Virginia this week ruled that Uncle Sam was entitled to the proceeds of Snowden’s bestseller, an estimated $5.2m, and “any further monies, royalties, or Read more about US govt wins right to snaffle Edward Snowden’s $5m+ book royalties, speech fees – and all future related earnings[…]

Grindr security flaw let anyone take over any accounts easily

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Grindr, one of the world’s largest dating and social networking apps for gay, bi, trans, and queer people, has fixed a security vulnerability that allowed anyone to hijack and take control of any user’s account using only their email address. Wassime Bouimadaghene, a French security researcher, found the vulnerability and reported the issue to Grindr. Read more about Grindr security flaw let anyone take over any accounts easily[…]

Many ways to optimise your HOTAS set up at home: desk and chair mounts

Posted on by Robin Edgar

We are living in a golden age of flight and space simulation, with Flight Simulator, Star Wars Squadrons just out and Elite Dangerous and No Mans Sky fully established and finally Star Citizen playable to some degree. This means you can take out that old flight stick and throttle and TrackIR 5 that have been Read more about Many ways to optimise your HOTAS set up at home: desk and chair mounts[…]

Microsoft Exchange Online goes down – again

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Microsoft’s Exchange Online service fell over in the early hours of this morning.The company’s status orifice initially figured that the problem mainly affected users in India as its engineers noted the wobbling at around 0700 BST. Just under an hour later Microsoft had to admit it was another global outage.It is the latest in what Read more about Microsoft Exchange Online goes down – again[…]

Indian Startups Explore Alliance and Alternative App Store To Fight Google’s Monopoly

Posted on by Robin Edgar

More than 150 startups and firms in India are working to form an alliance and toying with the idea of launching an app store to cut their reliance on Google, five people familiar with the matter told TechCrunch. The list of entrepreneurs includes high-profile names, such as Vijay Shekhar Sharma, co-founder and chief executive of Read more about Indian Startups Explore Alliance and Alternative App Store To Fight Google’s Monopoly[…]

Help spot planets for NASA or Oxford

Posted on by Robin Edgar

. The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), which launched in 2018, has snapped hundreds of thousands images of the night sky using its four cameras in the hopes of finding exoplanets. That’s too much data for professional astronomers to pore over, and NASA doesn’t trust computer-vision algorithms to do all the work, so they’ve decided Read more about Help spot planets for NASA or Oxford[…]