The Linkielist

Linking ideas with the world

Brother locking down third-party printer ink cartridges via forced firmware updates, removing older firmware versions from support portals

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Fabled RepairTuber and right to repair crusader Louis Rossmann has shared a new video encapsulating his surprise, and disappointment, that Brother has morphed into an “anti-consumer printer company.” More information about Brother’s embrace of the dark side are shared on Rossmann’s wiki, with the major two issues being new firmware disabling third party toner, and Read more about Brother locking down third-party printer ink cartridges via forced firmware updates, removing older firmware versions from support portals[…]

UK Online Safety Act Killing games: Cult text-based zombie MMO Urban Dead is shutting down after “a full 19 years, 8 months and 11 days”

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The UK Online Safety Act passed into law in 2023, and it properly comes into effect in 2025 with the threats of millions of pounds in fines. For Kevan Davis, the solo British dev behind the text-based zombie MMO Urban Dead, the risks presented by this legislation are too great, and his browser game is Read more about UK Online Safety Act Killing games: Cult text-based zombie MMO Urban Dead is shutting down after “a full 19 years, 8 months and 11 days”[…]

US Tariffs for the EU? Then let’s get rid of the anti competitive rules the US rammed down the throat of the EU for tariff free trade

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Those were wild times, when engineers pitted their wits against one another in the spirit of Steve Wozniack and SSAFE. That era came to a close – but not because someone finally figured out how to make data that you couldn’t copy. Rather, it ended because an unholy coalition of entertainment and tech industry lobbyists Read more about US Tariffs for the EU? Then let’s get rid of the anti competitive rules the US rammed down the throat of the EU for tariff free trade[…]

Cloudflare blocking Pale Moon and other alternative browser engines

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Aside from reporting it on Cloudflare’s forum, there appears to be little users can do, and the company doesn’t seem to be paying attention. Cloudflare is one of the giants of content distribution network. As well as providing fast local caches of busy websites, it also attempts to block bot networks and DDoS attacks by Read more about Cloudflare blocking Pale Moon and other alternative browser engines[…]

Microsoft Exchange Admin Center goes down for EU users

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Microsoft’s Exchange Administration Center (EAC) has fallen over and appears to be struggling to get up. The issue affects users trying to access EAC to administer Exchange Online for their users. Users began expressing frustration about the service being down just before lunchtime in the UK. The issue appears widespread in Europe, with users from Read more about Microsoft Exchange Admin Center goes down for EU users[…]

How to stop Android from scanning your phone pictures for content and interpreting them

Posted on by Robin Edgar

process called Android System SafetyCore – which arrived in a recent update for devices running Android 9 and later. It scans a user’s photo library for explicit images and displays content warnings before viewing them. Google says “the classification of content runs exclusively on your device and the results aren’t shared with Google.” Naturally, it will Read more about How to stop Android from scanning your phone pictures for content and interpreting them[…]

Android tracks you before you start an app – no consent required. Also, it scans your photos.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Research from a leading academic shows Android users have advertising cookies and other gizmos working to build profiles on them even before they open their first app. Doug Leith, professor and chair of computer systems at Trinity College Dublin, who carried out the research, claims in his write up that no consent is sought for Read more about Android tracks you before you start an app – no consent required. Also, it scans your photos.[…]

Turning car exhausts into power: New method transforms carbon nanoparticles from emissions into renewable energy catalysts

Posted on by Robin Edgar

We have developed a breakthrough method to convert carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) from vehicular emissions into high-performance electrocatalysts. This innovation provides a sustainable approach to pollution management and energy production by repurposing harmful particulate matter into valuable materials for renewable energy applications. Our work, published in Carbon Neutralization, addresses both environmental challenges and the growing demand Read more about Turning car exhausts into power: New method transforms carbon nanoparticles from emissions into renewable energy catalysts[…]

Why Can’t We Screenshot Frames From DRM-Protected Video on Apple Devices? – or on Android in some apps?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Apple users noticed a change in 2023, “when streaming platforms like Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, and the Criterion Channel imposed a quiet embargo on the screenshot,” noted the film blog Screen Slate: At first, there were workarounds: users could continue to screenshot by using the browser Brave or by downloading extensions or third-party tools Read more about Why Can’t We Screenshot Frames From DRM-Protected Video on Apple Devices? – or on Android in some apps?[…]

These buildings use batteries made of ice to stay cool and save money

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Thousands of buildings across the United States are staying cool with the help of cutting-edge batteries made from one of the world’s simplest materials: ice. When electricity is cheap, the batteries freeze water. When energy costs go up, building managers turn off their pricey chillers and use the ice to keep things cool. A typical Read more about These buildings use batteries made of ice to stay cool and save money[…]

Trump’s Defense Secretary Hegseth Orders Cyber Command to ‘Stand Down’ on All Russia Operations

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The cybersecurity outlet The Record originally reported that under Trump’s new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, U.S. Cyber Command has been ordered to “stand down from all planning against Russia, including offensive digital actions.” The outlet cites three anonymous sources who are familiar with the matter. The order reportedly does not apply to the National Security Read more about Trump’s Defense Secretary Hegseth Orders Cyber Command to ‘Stand Down’ on All Russia Operations[…]

“Cool” years are now hotter than the “warm” years of the past: tracking global temperatures through El Niño and La Niña

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Temperatures, as defined by “climate”, are based on temperatures over longer periods of time — typically 20-to-30-year averages — rather than single-year data points. But even when based on longer-term averages, the world has still warmed by around 1.3°C.3 But you’ll also notice, in the chart, that temperatures haven’t increased linearly. There are spikes and Read more about “Cool” years are now hotter than the “warm” years of the past: tracking global temperatures through El Niño and La Niña[…]

Lenovo has a convertable T series laptop – with mouse dot

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] The ThinkPad T14s 2-in-1 is by far the most interesting of the bunch, with a new convertible body that’s similar to Lenovo’s Yoga laptops, and supports the magnetic Yoga Pen stylus. The laptop comes with up to a 14-inch, 400-nit WUXGA touch display, and inside, you can get up to a Intel Core Ultra Read more about Lenovo has a convertable T series laptop – with mouse dot[…]

The Lenovo Solar PC Concept feels like a device whose time has come

Posted on by Robin Edgar

You might be surprised to learn that the first laptop with built-in solar panels is nearly 15 years old. But to me, the bigger shock is that with all the recent advancements in photovoltaic cells, manufacturers haven’t revisited this idea more often. But at MWC 2025, Lenovo is changing that with its Yoga Solar PC Read more about The Lenovo Solar PC Concept feels like a device whose time has come[…]

PeerAuth – easy way to authenticate a real person

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Machine learning has become more and more powerful, to the point where a bad actor can take a photo and a voice recording of someone you know, and forge a complete video recording. See the “OmniHuman-1” model developed by ByteDance: discussion on X ByteDance’s paper   Bad actors can now digitally impersonate someone you love, Read more about PeerAuth – easy way to authenticate a real person[…]

Blue Ghost, a Private U.S. Spacecraft, Successfully Lands on the Moon

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Blue Ghost, a NASA-funded lunar lander built and operated by the private U.S. company Firefly Aerospace, has successfully touched down on the moon. After 45 days in space—and a pulse-pounding semi-autonomous hour-long descent to its landing site—at 3:35 A.M. EST three of the boxy, car-sized spacecraft’s four footpad-tipped legs crunched into the surface of Mare Read more about Blue Ghost, a Private U.S. Spacecraft, Successfully Lands on the Moon[…]

27-Year-Old VB4 EXE turned into Python in minutes (with Claude) – AI-Assisted reverse engineering

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Reddit post detailing how someone took a 27-year-old visual basic EXE file, fed it to Claude 3.7, and watched as it reverse-engineered the program and rewrote it in Python. It was an old Visual Basic 4 program they had written in 1997. Running a VB4 exe in 2024 can be a real yak-shaving compatibility nightmare, Read more about 27-Year-Old VB4 EXE turned into Python in minutes (with Claude) – AI-Assisted reverse engineering[…]

A Nasal Spray for Concussions Shows Early Promise

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The best treatment for a hard knock on the head might someday involve a quick sniff of a nasal spray. Researchers have found early evidence in mice that an antibody-based treatment delivered up the nose can reduce the brain damage caused by concussions and more serious traumatic injuries. Scientists at Mass General Brigham conducted the Read more about A Nasal Spray for Concussions Shows Early Promise[…]

This Gesture Sensor Is Precise, Cheap, Well-Hidden

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In today’s “futuristic tech you can get for $5”, [RealCorebb] shows us a gesture sensor, one of the sci-fi kind. He was doing a desktop clock build, and wanted to add gesture control to it – without any holes that a typical optical sensor needs. After some searching, he’s found Microchip’s MGC3130, a gesture sensing Read more about This Gesture Sensor Is Precise, Cheap, Well-Hidden[…]

Mozilla updates updated TOS for Firefox and is now more confusing but does not look private

Posted on by Robin Edgar

On Wednesday we shared that we’re introducing a new Terms of Use (TOU) and Privacy Notice for Firefox. Since then, we’ve been listening to some of our community’s concerns with parts of the TOU, specifically about licensing. Our intent was just to be as clear as possible about how we make Firefox work, but in Read more about Mozilla updates updated TOS for Firefox and is now more confusing but does not look private[…]

Microsoft begins turning off uBlock Origin and other extensions in Edge

Posted on by Robin Edgar

If you use the uBlock Origin extension in Google Chrome or Edge, you should probably start looking for alternative browsers or extensions—either way. A few days ago, users noticed that Google had begun disabling uBlock Origin and other Manifest V2-based extensions as part of the migration to Manifest V3. Now, Microsoft Edge appears to be Read more about Microsoft begins turning off uBlock Origin and other extensions in Edge[…]

e-taste allows you to send flavours in VR

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] This work reports a bio-integrated gustatory interface, “e-Taste,” to address the underrepresented chemical dimension in current VR/AR technologies. This system facilitates remote perception and replication of taste sensations through the coupling of physically separated sensors and actuators with wireless communication modules. By using chemicals representing five basic tastes […] Gustation, an essential component of Read more about e-taste allows you to send flavours in VR[…]

Payday from hell as several Brit banks report major outages

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The UK is full of unhappy workers that are unable to manage their payday cash amid online service outages at a host of major banks. Downdetector indicates trouble at Lloyds Bank, Halifax, TSB, Nationwide, First Direct, Bank of Scotland, and Barclays, although the latter’s woes appear to have been resolved since the surge of complaints Read more about Payday from hell as several Brit banks report major outages[…]

Citigroup erroneously credited client account with $81tn in ‘near miss’ due to really atrocious UI

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Citigroup credited a client’s account with $81tn when it meant to send only $280, an error that could hinder the bank’s attempt to persuade regulators that it has fixed long-standing operational issues. The erroneous internal transfer, which occurred last April and has not been previously reported, was missed by both a payments employee and a Read more about Citigroup erroneously credited client account with $81tn in ‘near miss’ due to really atrocious UI[…]

Ultrathin films are revolutionizing electrical conductivity

Posted on by Robin Edgar

What if your electronic devices could adapt on the fly to temperature, pressure, or impact? Thanks to a new breakthrough in downsizing quantum materials, that idea is becoming a reality. In an article published this month in Applied Physics Express, a multi-institutional research team led by Osaka University announced that they have successfully synthesized an Read more about Ultrathin films are revolutionizing electrical conductivity[…]