Author: Robin Edgar

Organisational Structures | Technology and Science | Military, IT and Lifestyle consultancy | Social, Broadcast & Cross Media | Flying aircraft

JetBlue no longer plans to offset emissions from domestic flights, will use sustainable fuel instead

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] Back in 2020, JetBlue became the first US airline to voluntarily offset greenhouse gas emissions from all of its domestic flights. That effort ends in 2023, the company announced this week. The airline now plans to effectively cut its per-seat emissions in half by 2035. For flights to take off without generating as much Read more about JetBlue no longer plans to offset emissions from domestic flights, will use sustainable fuel instead[…]

Debate Continues Over What To Do About The Fact That Starlink, Other Low-Earth-Orbit Satellite Systems Are Causing Research-Harming Light Pollution

Posted on by Robin Edgar

For years, scientific researchers have warned that Elon Musk’s Starlink low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband constellations are harming scientific research. Simply put, the light pollution Musk claimed would never happen in the first place is making it far more difficult to study the night sky, a problem researchers say can be mitigated somewhat but never fully eliminated. Musk Read more about Debate Continues Over What To Do About The Fact That Starlink, Other Low-Earth-Orbit Satellite Systems Are Causing Research-Harming Light Pollution[…]

Polestar 2 gets a 68HP power boost through a paid update, no subscription required – but you are still charged twice what you already bought

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Polestar is delivering a not-so-subtle snub to Mercedes’ subscription performance upgrade. The automaker has released an update that gives the Polestar 2’s long range dual motor variant a 68HP power boost (plus 15lb. ft. of torque) in the US and Canada for a one-time $1,195 fee. That’s far from a trivial expense, but it’s a Read more about Polestar 2 gets a 68HP power boost through a paid update, no subscription required – but you are still charged twice what you already bought[…]

Scammers Are Scamming Other Scammers Out of Millions of Dollars

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Nobody is immune to being scammed online—not even the people running the scams. Cybercriminals using hacking forums to buy software exploits and stolen login details keep falling for cons and are getting ripped off thousands of dollars at a time, a new analysis has revealed. And what’s more, when the criminals complain that they are being Read more about Scammers Are Scamming Other Scammers Out of Millions of Dollars[…]

Telegram is auctioning phone numbers to let users sign up to the service without any SIM

Posted on by Robin Edgar

After putting unique usernames on the auction on the TON blockchain, Telegram is now putting anonymous numbers up for bidding. These numbers could be used to sign up for Telegram without needing any SIM card. Just like the username auction, you can buy these virtual numbers on Fragment, which is a site specially created for Read more about Telegram is auctioning phone numbers to let users sign up to the service without any SIM[…]

Senator Urges Automakers to Keep Making Cars with AM Radio

Posted on by Robin Edgar

he Boston Globe reports that U.S. Senator Ed. Markey just sent a letter to more than 20 car manufacturers asking them to continue including AM radios in future car models — including electric vehicles: Some EV manufacturers have raised concerns even as far back as 2016 about how the battery power of an EV can Read more about Senator Urges Automakers to Keep Making Cars with AM Radio[…]

Microsoft mistake took down Exchange Online and Teams on 2/12/22

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Microsoft’s flagship cloudy productivity services are down across the Asia-Pacific region. “Our initial investigation indicates that there our service infrastructure is performing at a sub-optimal level, resulting in impact to general service functionality” states an advisory time-stamped 12:41PM on December 2. The incident means customers of Exchange Online may not be able to access the Read more about Microsoft mistake took down Exchange Online and Teams on 2/12/22[…]

Crucial Computer Program for Particle Physics at Risk of Obsolescence

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Recently, I watched a fellow particle physicist talk about a calculation he had pushed to a new height of precision. His tool? A 1980s-era computer program called FORM […] Developed by the Dutch particle physicist Jos Vermaseren, FORM is a key part of the infrastructure of particle physics, necessary for the hardest calculations. However, as Read more about Crucial Computer Program for Particle Physics at Risk of Obsolescence[…]

Grad Students Analyze, Hack, and Remove Under-Desk Surveillance Devices Designed to Track Them – at  a privacy institute!

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] graduate students at Northeastern University were able to organize and beat back an attempt at introducing invasive surveillance devices that were quietly placed under desks at their school. Early in October, Senior Vice Provost David Luzzi installed motion sensors under all the desks at the school’s Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering Complex (ISEC), a facility Read more about Grad Students Analyze, Hack, and Remove Under-Desk Surveillance Devices Designed to Track Them – at  a privacy institute![…]

RIVM Study: ‘Perception of General Aviation in Netherlands’

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management wants to know how residents aged 16 and older in the Netherlands experience their living environment. In that context, it was investigated whether people experience nuisance from the noise caused by GA (“small aviation”). T he research shows that people experience little inconvenience from small aircraft. Most of the Read more about RIVM Study: ‘Perception of General Aviation in Netherlands’[…]

As US, UK Embrace ‘Age Verify Everyone!’ French Data Protection Agency Says Age Verification Is Unreliable And Violates Privacy Rights

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] We’ve already spent many, many words explaining how age verification technology is inherently dangerous and actually puts children at greater risk. Not to mention it’s a privacy nightmare that normalizes the idea of mass surveillance, especially for children. But, why take our word for it? The French data protection agency, CNIL, has declared that Read more about As US, UK Embrace ‘Age Verify Everyone!’ French Data Protection Agency Says Age Verification Is Unreliable And Violates Privacy Rights[…]

Square Enix paid mobile games To Be Completely Disappeared With Studio Shutdown

Posted on by Robin Edgar

It’s a lesson that apparently keeps needing to be re-learned over and over again: for far too many types of digital purchases, you simply don’t own the thing you bought. The arena for this perma-lesson are varied: movies, books, music. And, of course, video games. The earliest lesson in that space may have been when Read more about Square Enix paid mobile games To Be Completely Disappeared With Studio Shutdown[…]

Scientists simulate ‘baby’ wormhole in quantum computer

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] Researchers have announced that they simulated two miniscule black holes in a quantum computer and transmitted a message between them through what amounted to a tunnel in space-time. They said that based on the quantum information teleported, a traversable wormhole appeared to have emerged, but that no rupture of space and time was physically Read more about Scientists simulate ‘baby’ wormhole in quantum computer[…]

LastPass breached again

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In keeping with our commitment to transparency, I wanted to inform you of a security incident that our team is currently investigating.  We recently detected unusual activity within a third-party cloud storage service, which is currently shared by both LastPass and its affiliate, GoTo. We immediately launched an investigation, engaged Mandiant, a leading security firm, Read more about LastPass breached again[…]

Scientists produce nanobodies in plant cells that block emerging pathogens – using plants to grow bodies that block Covid (and more?)

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) recently announced that plants could be used to produce nanobodies that quickly block emerging pathogens in human medicine and agriculture. These nanobodies represent a promising new way to treat viral diseases, including SARS-CoV-2. Nanobodies are small antibody proteins naturally produced in specific animals Read more about Scientists produce nanobodies in plant cells that block emerging pathogens – using plants to grow bodies that block Covid (and more?)[…]

Disney Made an AI Tool That Automatically De-Ages Actors

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] To make an age-altering AI tool that was ready for the demands of Hollywood and flexible enough to work on moving footage or shots where an actor isn’t always looking directly at the camera, Disney’s researchers, as detailed in a recently published paper, first created a database of thousands of randomly generated synthetic faces. Read more about Disney Made an AI Tool That Automatically De-Ages Actors[…]

Players are boycotting Nintendo and Panda events in the wake of Smash Bros tournaments being instacanceled by Nintendo

Posted on by Robin Edgar

n the wake of Nintendo being Nintendo and unceremoniously canceling the Smash World Tour, one of the year’s biggest esports tournaments dedicated to all things Super Smash Bros., copious folks in the game’s community have come out in protest. Casual fans, pro players, long-time commentators, and even other tournament organizers, from AITX eSports to Beyond Read more about Players are boycotting Nintendo and Panda events in the wake of Smash Bros tournaments being instacanceled by Nintendo[…]

Telegram shares users’ data in copyright violation lawsuit to Indian court

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Telegram has disclosed names of administrators, their phone numbers and IP addresses of channels accused of copyright infringement in compliance with a court order in India in a remarkable illustration of the data the instant messaging platform stores on its users and can be made to disclose by authorities. The app operator was forced by Read more about Telegram shares users’ data in copyright violation lawsuit to Indian court[…]

More Details On China’s Exotic Orbital Hypersonic Weapon Come To Light

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] This information was included in the Defense Department’s annual Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China report, more commonly known as the China Military Power Report (CMPR), which serves as an assessment of China’s current defense strategy and military capabilities. While the CMPR analyzes a wide array of Chinese military advancements, Read more about More Details On China’s Exotic Orbital Hypersonic Weapon Come To Light[…]

Eufy Cameras Have Been Uploading Unencrypted Face Footage to Cloud

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Eufy, the company behind a series of affordable security cameras I’ve previously suggested over the expensive stuff, is currently in a bit of hot water for its security practices. The company, owned by Anker, purports its products to be one of the few security devices that allow for locally-stored media and don’t need a cloud Read more about Eufy Cameras Have Been Uploading Unencrypted Face Footage to Cloud[…]

Nintendo Shuts Down Smash World Tour – worlds largest e-sports tournament – out of the blue

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The organisers of the Smash World Tour have today announced that they are being shut down after Nintendo, “without any warning”, told them they could “no longer operate”. The Tour, which is run by a third party (since Nintendo has been so traditionally bad at this), had grown over the years to become one of Read more about Nintendo Shuts Down Smash World Tour – worlds largest e-sports tournament – out of the blue[…]

A Modchip To Root Starlink User Terminals Through Voltage Glitching

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] this modchip-based hack of a Starlink terminal brings us. [Lennert Wouters]’ team has been poking and prodding at the Starlink User Terminal, trying to get root access, and needed to bypass the ARM Trusted Firmware boot-time integrity checks. The terminal’s PCB is satellite-dish-sized, so things like laser fault injection are hard to set up Read more about A Modchip To Root Starlink User Terminals Through Voltage Glitching[…]

Rolls-Royce successfully tests hydrogen-powered jet engine

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Britain’s Rolls-Royce (RR.L) said it has successfully run an aircraft engine on hydrogen, a world aviation first that marks a major step towards proving the gas could be key to decarbonising air travel. The ground test, using a converted Rolls-Royce AE 2100-A regional aircraft engine, used green hydrogen created by wind and tidal power, the Read more about Rolls-Royce successfully tests hydrogen-powered jet engine[…]

Europe Won’t Allow Mercedes’ EV Performance Subscription Fee, For Now

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Mercedes raised some worried eyebrows with its recent announcement to offer additional power for its EVs via subscription. For electric EQE and EQS models, Mercedes will bump their horsepower if customers pay an additional $1,200 per year. However, that’s going to remain a U.S. market service only for the time being, as Europe currently won’t Read more about Europe Won’t Allow Mercedes’ EV Performance Subscription Fee, For Now[…]

This VR video player lets you watch videos in 6dof + Touch things with your hands (haptic feedback) – VR has found it’s porn case

Posted on by Robin Edgar

*Quest 1, 2, pro standalone only atm, PCVR coming soon* Touchly lets you watch any VR180 video in 6dof and interact with the environment. Standard playback in most VR formats is also supported.And it’s out now for free in the App Lab! https://www.oculus.com/experiences/quest/5564815066942737/ Note: Videos need to be processed with our converter beforehand to be Read more about This VR video player lets you watch videos in 6dof + Touch things with your hands (haptic feedback) – VR has found it’s porn case[…]