Month: January 2024

Swarovski’s smart binoculars identify the birds, butterflies, mammals, you’re looking at and mark something to share with whoever you give the binocs to next

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Swarovski has turned up at CES 2024 in Las Vegas with its first ever pair of smart binoculars that will identify the bird you’re looking at. All you have to do is point the gear at a bird and make sure the view is in focus, and then press down an action button. Within a Read more about Swarovski’s smart binoculars identify the birds, butterflies, mammals, you’re looking at and mark something to share with whoever you give the binocs to next[…]

Ancient cities discovered in the Amazon are the largest yet found

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Aerial surveys have revealed the largest pre-colonial cities in the Amazon yet discovered, linked by an extensive network of roads. “The settlements are much bigger than others in the Amazon,” says Stéphen Rostain at the French National Center for Scientific Research in Paris. “They are comparable with Maya sites.” What’s more, at between 3000 and Read more about Ancient cities discovered in the Amazon are the largest yet found[…]

eBay Sent Critics a Bloody Pig Mask and more. Now It’s Paying a $3 Million Fine

Posted on by Robin Edgar

eBay agreed to pay out a $3 million fine—the maximum criminal penalty—over a twisted scandal that saw top executives and other employees stalking a couple in Massachusetts who published a newsletter that criticized the company. The harassment campaign included online threats, sending employees to surveil the couple’s home, and mailing them disturbing objects—including live spiders Read more about eBay Sent Critics a Bloody Pig Mask and more. Now It’s Paying a $3 Million Fine[…]

Drivers would prefer to buy a low-tech car than one that shares their data

Posted on by Robin Edgar

According to a survey of 2,000 Americans conducted by Kaspersky in November and published this week, 72 percent of drivers are uncomfortable with automakers sharing their data with advertisers, insurance companies, subscription services, and other third-party outfits. Specifically, 37.3 percent of those polled are “very uncomfortable” with this data sharing, and 34.5 percent are “somewhat Read more about Drivers would prefer to buy a low-tech car than one that shares their data[…]

a shadowy spy looking at people using airdrop on a subway station

Apple knew AirDrop users could be identified and tracked as early as 2019. Still not fixed.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Security researchers warned Apple as early as 2019 about vulnerabilities in its AirDrop wireless sharing function that Chinese authorities claim they recently used to track down users of the feature, the researchers told CNN, in a case that experts say has sweeping implications for global privacy. The Chinese government’s actions targeting a tool that Apple Read more about Apple knew AirDrop users could be identified and tracked as early as 2019. Still not fixed.[…]

Augmental Mouthpad – bluetooth tongue operated trackpad for your phone, PC, fits like a mouth roof retainer

Posted on by Robin Edgar

  The MouthPad^ is a tongue-driven interface that controls your computer, smartphone, or tablet via Bluetooth. Virtually invisible to the world, but always available to you, it is positioned across the roof of your mouth to put all of the power of a conventional touchpad at the tip of your tongue   Source: Augmental – Read more about Augmental Mouthpad – bluetooth tongue operated trackpad for your phone, PC, fits like a mouth roof retainer[…]

US wants private sector AI exempt from Human Rights laws. EU pushes back.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] The Council of Europe, an international human rights body with 46 member countries, set up the Committee on Artificial Intelligence at the beginning of 2022 to develop the Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law. […] The most consequential pending issue regards the scope of the convention. In Read more about US wants private sector AI exempt from Human Rights laws. EU pushes back.[…]

Airlines United and Alaska find loose bolts on Boeing 737 Max 9 planes after window blowout

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Alaska Airlines and United found loose parts on multiple 737 Max 9 aircraft, they have said, referring to the Boeing model grounded after a panel blew off an Alaska Airlines-operated plane mid-flight over the weekend. The industry publication Air Current reported that United found discrepant bolts on other parts on at least five panels that Read more about Airlines United and Alaska find loose bolts on Boeing 737 Max 9 planes after window blowout[…]

HP sued (again) for blocking third-party ink from printers via security updates

Posted on by Robin Edgar

HP has used its “Dynamic Security” firmware updates to “create a monopoly” of replacement printer ink cartridges, a lawsuit filed against the company on January 5 claims. The lawsuit, which is seeking class-action certification, represents yet another form of litigation against HP for bricking printers when they try to use ink that doesn’t bear an Read more about HP sued (again) for blocking third-party ink from printers via security updates[…]

Text-to-3D model startup Luma raises $43M in latest round

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Luma, a generative AI startup building software that transforms text descriptions to corresponding 3D models, just raised $43 million (£34 million) in a series-B funding round led by Andreesen Horowitz, Nvidia, and others. Founded in 2021 by CEO Amit Jain, a former systems engineer working on computer vision at Apple, and CTO Alex Yu, a Read more about Text-to-3D model startup Luma raises $43M in latest round[…]

Swatting a cancer hospital’s patients after hack is now a thing

Posted on by Robin Edgar

After intruders broke into Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center’s IT network in November and stole medical records – everything from Social Security numbers to diagnoses and lab results – miscreants threatened to turn on the patients themselves directly. The idea being, it seems, that those patients and the media coverage from any swatting will put Read more about Swatting a cancer hospital’s patients after hack is now a thing[…]

Samsung debuts transparent MicroLED screen

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Samsung showcased its transparent MicroLED display side-by-side next to transparent OLED and transparent LCD models to really highlight the differences between the tech. Compared to the others, not only was the MicroLED panel significantly brighter, it also featured a completely frameless design and a more transparent glass panel that made it easier to see objects Read more about Samsung debuts transparent MicroLED screen[…]

Biophotons: Are lentils communicating using quantum light messages?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] Curceanu hopes the apparatus and methods of nuclear physics can solve the century-old mystery of why lentils – and other organisms too – constantly emit an extremely weak dribble of photons, or particles of light. Some reckon these “biophotons” are of no consequence. Others insist they are a subtle form of lentil communication. Curceanu Read more about Biophotons: Are lentils communicating using quantum light messages?[…]

Google password resets not enough to stop malware that recreates login tokens

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A zero-day exploit of Google account security was first teased by a cybercriminal known as “PRISMA” in October 2023, boasting that the technique could be used to log back into a victim’s account even after the password is changed. It can also be used to generate new session tokens to regain access to victims’ emails, Read more about Google password resets not enough to stop malware that recreates login tokens[…]

23andMe tells victims it’s their fault that their data was breached. DNA data, it turns out, is extremely sensitive!

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Facing more than 30 lawsuits from victims of its massive data breach, 23andMe is now deflecting the blame to the victims themselves in an attempt to absolve itself from any responsibility, according to a letter sent to a group of victims seen by TechCrunch. “Rather than acknowledge its role in this data security disaster, 23andMe Read more about 23andMe tells victims it’s their fault that their data was breached. DNA data, it turns out, is extremely sensitive![…]

Twitch Is Being American Strange and Bans Implied Nakedness In Response To ‘Nudity Meta’

Posted on by Robin Edgar

As December 2023 was underway, some streamers cleverly thought to play around with Twitch’s restrictions around nudity, broadcasting in such a fashion that implied they were completely naked on camera. Twitch, in response, began banning folks before shifting gears to allow various forms of “artistic nudity” to proliferate on the platform. However, after immediately rescinding Read more about Twitch Is Being American Strange and Bans Implied Nakedness In Response To ‘Nudity Meta’[…]

two people holding hands watching a pc screen. On the screen is a robot painting a digitised Bob Ross painting

Generative AI Will Be A Huge Boon For The Public Domain, Unless Copyright Blocks It

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A year ago, I noted that many of Walled Culture’s illustrations were being produced using generative AI. During that time, AI has developed rapidly. For example, in the field of images, OpenAI has introduced DALL-E 3 in ChatGPT: When prompted with an idea, ChatGPT will automatically generate tailored, detailed prompts for DALL·E 3 that bring your idea to life. Read more about Generative AI Will Be A Huge Boon For The Public Domain, Unless Copyright Blocks It[…]

Developing An App For Reduced-Gravity Flying

Posted on by Robin Edgar

You’ve likely heard of the “vomit comet” — an rather graphic nickname for the aircraft used to provide short bursts of near-weightlessness by flying along a parabolic trajectory. They’re used to train astronauts, perform zero-g experiments, and famously let director Ron Howard create the realistic spaceflight scenes for Apollo 13. But you might be surprised Read more about Developing An App For Reduced-Gravity Flying[…]