Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

Apple Directs Spyware Victims to Nonprofit Security Lab

2024-12-23

Instead of conducting its own investigations, Apple directs victims of suspected government spyware attacks on iPhones to the nonprofit Access Now for assistance. This approach is supported by cybersecurity experts who believe Access Now is better equipped for systematic investigation and support. Access Now's digital helpline has received 4,337 requests in 2024, becoming a crucial tool in combating spyware. While Apple also employs other security measures like Lockdown Mode, this partnership provides invaluable support for those affected by government spyware.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech Spyware

Classified Fighter Jet Specs Leaked on War Thunder Forums Again

2024-12-23

The War Thunder online combat game forums are again embroiled in controversy after a leak of classified documents related to the Eurofighter Typhoon's CAPTOR radar system. A user shared restricted material to support a claim, prompting swift removal of the content and suspension of the user. This incident highlights recurring concerns about the platform's failure to prevent repeated leaks of sensitive information. Previous leaks have included details on the Challenger 2 tank, Leclerc main battle tank, and Chinese ammunition systems. Experts warn that such unauthorized disclosures carry significant legal risks and can compromise the operational security of military platforms.

(ukdefencejournal.org.uk)

Tech classified leak War Thunder

EU Orders Apple to Enhance iPhone Interoperability

2024-12-22

The European Commission, based on preliminary findings under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), has ordered Apple to take steps to ensure interoperability between its iPhones and devices from other brands. This aims to foster competition and prevent Apple from leveraging its dominant position with iOS to restrict compatibility with third-party products like smartwatches, headphones, and VR headsets. Apple counters that this could compromise user privacy and innovation. The Commission is expected to issue a final decision around March 2025.

(www.euronews.com)

Tech EU

German Regulator Orders Sam Altman's Worldcoin to Delete Biometric Data

2024-12-22

Germany's Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision (BayLDA) has ordered World, a biometric identification project co-founded by Sam Altman, to delete user data. The BayLDA found World's data collection practices violated the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), citing significant data protection risks. World uses a device called an 'Orb' to scan irises and faces for identification. The company has appealed the decision, seeking clarification on whether its privacy-enhancing technologies meet the EU's definition of anonymization.

(www.euronews.com)

Tech

Netventory: A Fast, Single-Binary Network Scanner

2024-12-22

Netventory is a cross-platform network scanning tool distributed as a single binary, requiring no dependencies and running on Linux, Mac, and Windows. Its sleek terminal interface and powerful features make it accessible to network administrators, security professionals, and anyone needing quick network visibility. Netventory boasts multiple detection methods (TCP, UDP, ARP), port scanning, MAC address resolution, and hostname resolution, with real-time progress tracking and detailed device information. Simple commands enable network auditing, security assessments, and network management tasks.

(github.com)

Tech network scanning single binary

Something's Rotten on the Internet: Tech Giants, Streaming Services, and the Erosion of User Experience

2024-12-22

A blog post examines the current state of the internet, arguing that tech companies prioritize investor demands over user experience, manipulating user behavior through frustrating app designs, deliberately degraded search results, and pervasive ad tracking. Simultaneously, the Netflix streaming model is criticized for destroying the movie industry, its disregard for quality and manipulation of viewing data leading to a flood of low-quality content and inflated viewership numbers. The post concludes by highlighting widespread user dissatisfaction with the increasing cost and declining quality of online services, ultimately suggesting smartphones and social media in their current forms are fundamentally flawed and require significant improvement.

(www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com)

Tech internet streaming services

Reforming Clinical Trials: Accelerating Drug Development and Lowering Costs

2024-12-22

A research report from the Institute for Progress (IFP) explores reform proposals for clinical trials in the US. The report highlights how lengthy and expensive clinical trials hinder medical innovation. Nine specific recommendations are proposed, including streamlining regulations, improving clinical trial databases, and adopting risk-based monitoring, aiming to accelerate new drug development and benefit more patients by increasing efficiency and reducing costs. This reflects a positive exploration of using technology (such as AI) to improve healthcare efficiency.

(ifp.org)

Tech medical innovation

Public Bathhouses: A Sustainable Future?

2024-12-22

This article explores the sustainability of public bathhouses and their historical context. From ancient Roman bathhouses to modern shower rooms, public bathing has played different roles throughout history, fulfilling hygiene needs while also serving as social and recreational spaces. The article analyzes the high energy consumption of modern bathrooms and proposes public bathhouses as a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly alternative. It also discusses different types of public bathhouses and how to design a low-carbon, environmentally friendly public bathhouse, such as using renewable energy sources like solar and geothermal energy. Ultimately, the article calls for a reconsideration of the value of public bathhouses and their potential as a sustainable solution to address today's environmental crisis.

(solar.lowtechmagazine.com)

Tech public bathhouses

Cancer Risk Decreases with Age: Study Unveils Key Protein NUPR1

2024-12-22

A new study sheds light on why cancer risk declines after age 80. Researchers found that elevated levels of a protein called NUPR1 in older mice caused cells to behave as if iron-deficient, limiting cell regeneration and thus suppressing both healthy and cancerous growth. The same mechanism was observed in human cells. Lowering NUPR1 or increasing iron levels boosted cell growth. This discovery could lead to new cancer therapies targeting iron metabolism, particularly in older individuals, and may improve lung function in those with long-term COVID-19 effects. The study also suggests that ferroptosis-based cancer treatments are less effective in older cells due to their functional iron deficiency, highlighting the importance of early intervention. Preventing carcinogenic exposures in younger individuals is even more crucial than previously thought.

(www.sciencealert.com)

Tech cancer NUPR1 protein

Decoding the Telephony Signals in Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'

2024-12-22

A telecom hardware engineer decoded the telephony signals in a scene from Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'. The audio clip, featuring dial tones, rapid tone combinations, and an answer tone, was analyzed using spectrograms. By comparing the frequencies to known standards (DTMF, CAS R2, SS5), the engineer identified the signaling as SS5 and decoded the number as 044 1831. This analysis not only showcases the engineer's expertise but also reveals insights into the film's sound design and suggests a possible connection to a real-life London number.

(corelatus.com)

Tech signal decoding telecommunications

Unveiling Cloud Cost Savings with Bare Metal

2024-12-22

Bare Metal Savings is a tool designed to help users analyze the true cost of cloud computing. It allows users to explore potential savings by using bare metal servers compared to traditional cloud services. Frequently asked questions revolve around price calculation methodology, accuracy, savings calculation assistance, whether it runs on bare metal, its suitability for all users, CapEx vs. OpEx considerations, benchmark availability, smaller instance options, and the inability to choose specific hardware. The tool aims to empower users with a clearer understanding and control over their cloud computing expenses.

(baremetalsavings.com)

Tech bare metal server

Fastmail: Why We Stick With Our Own Hardware

2024-12-22

Fastmail, with 25 years of experience running its own hardware, details why they choose this approach over cloud services. Through careful hardware planning, in-house operational expertise, and maximizing hardware lifespan, they achieve significant cost optimization. From initial SAS and SATA drives to current NVMe SSDs and the ZFS filesystem, Fastmail continually upgrades, leveraging Zstandard compression for increased efficiency and reliability. A cost comparison of cloud storage, HDD upgrades, and building NVMe SSD servers led them to choose the latter for superior reliability, performance, cost-effectiveness, and the ability to fully utilize their internal network.

(www.fastmail.com)

Tech hardware

Kawasaki Unveils World's First Rideable Robot Goat

2024-12-22

Kawasaki has unveiled Bex, a rideable robot goat that mimics a goat's gait and can carry a rider. This innovative creation showcases Kawasaki's advancements in humanoid robotics and hints at future applications of robotics in entertainment and transportation.

(www.cycleworld.com)

Tech Kawasaki rideable robot

An Epitome of Electricity & Galvanism: A Journey Through Time

2024-12-22

This book chronicles the history of electricity and galvanism, starting from Thales's ancient observation of amber attracting light objects and progressing through key discoveries. It details the work of Gilbert, who systematically studied electrical phenomena; Grey, who differentiated conductors and non-conductors; and Du Fay, who discovered positive and negative electricity. The culmination is Franklin's proof of the identity of electricity and lightning. The text thoroughly describes various experiments and apparatus, including the Leyden jar, electrostatic generators, and lightning rods, while exploring different eras' electrical theories, offering a captivating journey through the science's evolution.

(gutenberg.org)

Tech History of Electricity Galvanism Franklin

Apache Cloudberry: Open-Source MPP Database, a Greenplum Alternative

2024-12-21

Apache Cloudberry, built by the original Greenplum Database developers, is an advanced and mature open-source Massively Parallel Processing (MPP) database. It features a newer PostgreSQL kernel and enhanced enterprise capabilities, serving as a data warehouse and supporting large-scale analytics and AI/ML workloads. Users can build from source or utilize a Docker-based sandbox for quick trials. A vibrant community provides support and encourages contributions ranging from code improvements to documentation enhancements.

(github.com)

Tech open-source database Greenplum alternative

The Hidden Engineering of Wildlife Crossings

2024-12-21

The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, a $92 million project near Los Angeles, is the world's largest wildlife crossing of its kind. This article delves into the engineering behind these vital structures, addressing the challenges of habitat fragmentation, noise pollution, and wildlife-vehicle collisions caused by roads. It explores various design aspects, including site selection, crossing types (underpasses, overpasses, culverts), fencing strategies, and attracting animals to use the crossings. The article highlights the different crossing behaviors of various species and corresponding engineering solutions, such as elevated bridges for large animals and culverts for smaller ones. Design considerations include animal behavior, topography, vegetation, and ensuring the crossings blend seamlessly into the landscape, minimizing human-wildlife conflict.

(practical.engineering)

Tech Wildlife Crossings Engineering Ecology

Spotify's Shady Secret: Fake Artists and Inflated Play Counts Exposed

2024-12-21

A year-long investigation reveals Spotify's deceptive practices. A program called "Perfect Fit Content" (PFC) involves partnerships with production companies to create and promote fake artists and tracks, artificially inflating play counts to reduce royalty costs and boost profits. These fake tracks, often ambient, classical, electronic, jazz, or lo-fi, are strategically placed in playlists designed for background listening. The Spotify CEO's significant stock sales around the time of the revelations further fueled controversy. This scandal raises serious concerns about transparency and fairness in the music industry, prompting calls for congressional investigation and a more transparent music streaming ecosystem.

(www.honest-broker.com)

Tech music streaming royalties

Qualcomm Wins Arm Licensing Dispute

2024-12-21

A Delaware jury ruled in favor of Qualcomm Inc. in its legal battle with Arm Holdings Plc, finding that Qualcomm did not breach a license agreement for chip technology acquired through its $1.4 billion purchase of Nuvia Inc. in 2021. Arm claimed Qualcomm used the technology without paying higher licensing fees. While the jury found Qualcomm didn't violate the agreement, they couldn't reach a verdict on whether Nuvia itself breached the license, leaving that question open for a later retrial. The ruling is significant for Qualcomm's position in the mobile chip market.

(www.bloomberg.com)

Tech Chip Licensing

The Winkel Tower: A Unique WWII Air Defense Structure

2024-12-21

In the early 1930s, German architect Leo Winkel designed a unique above-ground air raid shelter, the Winkel Tower. Unlike traditional underground bunkers, its sloped roof was designed to deflect bombs, minimizing the risk of explosion. This innovative design significantly reduced construction costs and time, while the ground-level detonation allowed for pressure wave dissipation. Patented in 1934, approximately 200 Winkel Towers were built throughout Germany during WWII. Many preserved towers now enjoy monument protection.

(www.arcanumurbex.de)

Tech air raid shelter

Webb Telescope Discovers Young Galaxy Resembling Early Milky Way

2024-12-21

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has made a groundbreaking discovery: a galaxy nicknamed 'Firefly Sparkle,' existing around 600 million years after the Big Bang, with a mass similar to that of our own Milky Way in its early stages. This galaxy, magnified by gravitational lensing, showcases ten distinct star clusters, providing unprecedented detail about early galaxy formation. Researchers found the 'Firefly Sparkle' is actively forming stars, with its uneven distribution of star clusters indicating a future of mergers and growth. This discovery offers invaluable insight into the evolution of galaxies in the early universe.

(science.nasa.gov)

Tech James Webb Space Telescope Galaxy Formation Early Universe

Google Proposes Remedies in DOJ Search Distribution Case

2024-12-21

Google strongly disagrees with and will appeal the Department of Justice's (DOJ) ruling in the search distribution lawsuit. Ahead of an April 2025 hearing, Google submitted its own remedies proposal, focusing on contracts with browser and Android device makers. The proposal aims to give browser companies and device makers more flexibility in choosing default search engines, while ensuring compliance with the court's order and avoiding harm to consumer privacy and US tech leadership. In contrast, the DOJ's proposal is seen as overly interventionist and potentially harmful to consumers and US tech competitiveness.

(blog.google)

Tech

Retro Revival: Bringing a Tandy Coco Back Online with FujiNet

2024-12-20

This article details the author's journey in connecting an old Tandy Coco computer to the internet using the FujiNet project, an ambitious open-source initiative aiming to be the only peripheral needed for vintage computers. The author faced challenges during the assembly process, including soldering difficulties, hardware bugs, and software compatibility issues. Despite these hurdles, they successfully connected to the internet and ran various applications, including an ISS tracker and games. The experience highlights the vibrancy of the open-source community and the potential of retrocomputing, showcasing the fun of hardware repair and software development.

(www.leadedsolder.com)

Tech internet connectivity

Parker Solar Probe to Make Historic Dive into Sun's Atmosphere

2024-12-20

After six years of traveling through space, NASA's Parker Solar Probe is poised to make history on Christmas Eve, plunging into the Sun's atmosphere at an unprecedented speed, coming within 3.8 million miles of the solar surface. This daring mission aims to unravel the mystery of the solar wind's origin, a question that has puzzled scientists for over half a century. The probe is equipped with cutting-edge materials, including heat-resistant titanium-zirconium-molybdenum alloy and sapphire crystal tubes, to withstand the extreme temperatures exceeding 2,500° Fahrenheit. This groundbreaking endeavor promises to shed light on the solar wind and its impact on our solar system.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Parker Solar Probe Solar Wind Solar Atmosphere

UK Electricity Bills Soar: High Subsidies and Grid Investment Lag

2024-12-20

High UK electricity bills aren't solely due to wholesale power costs. A recent analysis reveals that network costs and green energy subsidies are major drivers. Twenty years of stagnant grid investment now necessitate urgent expansion, skyrocketing network costs. Contracts subsidizing renewables will continue increasing bills, while past subsidies, like the Renewables Obligation and Feed-in Tariff, failed to adjust quickly enough to falling renewable energy prices, locking in massive long-term costs. The author suggests reducing grid dependence or improving grid utilization as pathways to lower future electricity bills.

(climate.benjames.io)

Tech UK electricity bills energy subsidies grid investment

California Orders Uber to Fingerprint Drivers for Teen Rides

2024-12-20

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) ruled that Uber must fingerprint drivers for its teen ride-hailing service, Uber for Teens, to continue operating in the state. This decision stems from safety concerns regarding unaccompanied minors. While Uber has historically resisted fingerprint-based background checks, the CPUC cited the importance of protecting children from potential sexual offenders. The ruling significantly impacts Uber's operations, while competitor HopSkipDrive, which already employs stricter safety measures including fingerprinting, supports the decision. The added cost of fingerprinting may lead to higher prices for Uber's teen ride service.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech teen rider safety fingerprint background checks

Walmart Pilots Body Cameras for Employee Safety

2024-12-20

Walmart is testing body cameras for its employees in select stores to deter conflict and theft. While the company won't disclose specifics, photos have emerged showing employees wearing the cameras and charging stations in stores. The initiative, currently a pilot program in one market, prioritizes employee safety over loss prevention. This follows a trend among retailers to enhance security, with companies like TJX and Greggs also adopting similar measures. The move comes after over 200 violent incidents at Walmart stores in 2023, according to a worker rights group.

(petapixel.com)

Tech Walmart body cameras employee safety

Major Math Error Corrected in Black Plastic Study; Authors Say It Doesn't Matter

2024-12-20

A study reporting toxic flame retardants from electronics in black plastic household products, including kitchen utensils, contained a significant mathematical error. The initial findings suggested exposure levels were near the safety limit, causing public alarm and prompting articles advising people to discard their kitchenware. A correction revealed the actual exposure is far below the safe limit. While the overall conclusion—that flame retardants significantly contaminate plastic products—remains, the study also found contamination is uncommon, affecting only a minority of products.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech flame retardant black plastic math error correction

One Click, Half a Million Lost: Sophisticated Crypto Phishing Scam Exploits Google Services

2024-12-20

Two victims lost nearly $500,000 in cryptocurrency after clicking on a fraudulent Google account recovery prompt. Scammers used a real Google phone number, forged Google security emails, and tricked victims into clicking a Google prompt on their phones, gaining control of their Gmail accounts. One victim's mistake was storing a picture of their cryptocurrency wallet's seed phrase in Google Photos, giving the scammers easy access to their funds. This incident highlights vulnerabilities in Google's authentication system and the sophistication of scammers using Google services for high-tech phishing attacks.

(krebsonsecurity.com)

Tech phishing cryptocurrency security google authentication

Warning Future Generations: The 10,000-Year Challenge of Nuclear Waste

2024-12-20

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico faces a daunting task: communicating the dangers of nuclear waste to future generations 10,000 years from now. The impermanence of language and symbols proved challenging. Experts explored various solutions, from genetically engineered "ray cats" that glow near radiation to a forbidding "landscape of thorns." Ultimately, the most enduring warning might be woven into cultural narratives and belief systems, creating a lasting legend like that of the "ray cats" to warn future people of the danger.

(99percentinvisible.org)

Tech nuclear waste future warning cultural transmission

Clinical Trials Bottleneck: Culture, Regulation, and Innovation Stalled

2024-12-20

This blog post explores the high costs and inefficiencies of clinical trials. The authors argue the root problem lies in industry culture—an overemphasis on safety that neglects the risks of inaction. This leads to regulatory overreach, such as restrictions on patient compensation and slow adoption of innovative methods (like risk-based monitoring). The post calls for a cultural shift, increased transparency, and policy adjustments to incentivize innovation, ultimately speeding up drug development.

(www.writingruxandrabio.com)

Tech clinical trials regulation

Category: Tech