Author: Robin Edgar

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

EU reinstates $400 million fine on Intel for blocking sales of competing chips

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The European Commission has imposed a €376.36 million ($400 million) fine on Intel for blocking the sales of devices powered by its competitors’ x86 CPUs. This brings one part of the company’s long-running antitrust court battle with the European authority to a close. If you’ll recall, the Commission slapped the chipmaker with a record-breaking €1.06 Read more about EU reinstates $400 million fine on Intel for blocking sales of competing chips[…]

Parker Probe’s path through solar blast yields unparalleled space weather insights

Posted on by Robin Edgar

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has racked up an impressive list of superlatives in its first five years of operations: It’s the closest spacecraft to the sun, the fastest human-made object and the first mission to ever “touch the sun.”   Now, Parker has one more feather to add to its sun-kissed cap: It’s the first Read more about Parker Probe’s path through solar blast yields unparalleled space weather insights[…]

Solar Sails Could Reach Mars in Just 26 Days

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A recent study submitted to Acta Astronautica explores the potential for using aerographite solar sails for traveling to Mars and interstellar space, which could dramatically reduce both the time and fuel required for such missions. This study comes while ongoing research into the use of solar sails is being conducted by a plethora of organizations Read more about Solar Sails Could Reach Mars in Just 26 Days[…]

After Seven Years, Sample Collected From Asteroid Finally Returns to Earth

Posted on by Robin Edgar

OSIRIS-REx weighs 4,650 pounds (or 2,110 kg). On September 8th of 2016, NASA first launched the spacecraft on its 3.8-billion mile mission to land on an asteroid and retrieve a sample. That sample has just returned. Throughout Sunday morning, NASA tweeted historic updates from the sample’s landing site in Utah. “We’ve spotted the #OSIRISREx capsule Read more about After Seven Years, Sample Collected From Asteroid Finally Returns to Earth[…]

Amazon Will Stick Ads on Prime Video Unless You Pay Up MOAR – wasn’t the model to pay to not have ads in the first place?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Amazon has always handled its streaming video slate a little differently than the competition. Other companies have slyly introduced a cheaper ad-free option while slowly raising prices on non-ad-based subscription tiers, Prime Video is taking a different tack. The streaming service plans to hold ad-free watching hostage, and it’s demanding a $3 ransom starting early Read more about Amazon Will Stick Ads on Prime Video Unless You Pay Up MOAR – wasn’t the model to pay to not have ads in the first place?[…]

Dutch privacy watchdog SDBN sues twitter for collecting and selling data via Mohub (wordfeud, duolingo, etc) without notifying users

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Dutch Data Protection Foundation (SDBN) wants to enforce a mass claim for 11 million people through the courts against social media company X, the former Twitter. Between 2013 and 2021, that company owned the advertising platform MoPub, which, according to the privacy foundation, illegally traded in data from users of more than 30,000 free Read more about Dutch privacy watchdog SDBN sues twitter for collecting and selling data via Mohub (wordfeud, duolingo, etc) without notifying users[…]

Google Pays $10 Billion a Year To Maintain Monopoly, US Says

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Alphabet’s Google pays more than $10 billion a year to maintain its position as the default search engine on web browsers and mobile devices, stifling competition, the US Justice Department said Tuesday at the start of a high-stakes antitrust trial in Washington. From a report: “This case is about the future of the internet and Read more about Google Pays $10 Billion a Year To Maintain Monopoly, US Says[…]

Hackers Claim It Only Took a 10-Minute Phone Call To Shut Down MGM Resorts – stock down 6% already

Posted on by Robin Edgar

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Engadget: The ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware group claimed responsibility for the MGM Resorts cyber outage on Tuesday, according to a post by malware archive vx-underground. The group claims to have used common social engineering tactics, or gaining trust from employees to get inside information, to try and get a ransom Read more about Hackers Claim It Only Took a 10-Minute Phone Call To Shut Down MGM Resorts – stock down 6% already[…]

These Live Translation Earbuds Are $157

Posted on by Robin Edgar

These Mymanu CLIK S are a pair of bluetooth earbuds that pair with an app on your phone to offer live translations of over 37 languages, including Spanish, German, French, Japanese, Arabic, Chinese, Finnish, Thai, Korean, and Japanese. The earbuds cost $157, and the app is included. Obviously, these earbuds can be ideal for international Read more about These Live Translation Earbuds Are $157[…]

The maestro: The man who built the biggest match-fixing ring in tennis

Posted on by Robin Edgar

On the morning of his arrest, Grigor Sargsyan was still fixing matches. Four cellphones buzzed on his nightstand with calls and messages from around the world. Sargsyan was sprawled on a bed in his parents’ apartment, making deals between snatches of sleep. It was 3 a.m. in Brussels, which meant it was 8 a.m. in Read more about The maestro: The man who built the biggest match-fixing ring in tennis[…]

Google Chrome’s Privacy Sandbox: any site can now query all your habits

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] Specifically, the web giant’s Privacy Sandbox APIs, a set of ad delivery and analysis technologies, now function in the latest version of the Chrome browser. Website developers can thus write code that calls those APIs to deliver and measure ads to visitors with compatible browsers. That is to say, sites can ask Chrome directly Read more about Google Chrome’s Privacy Sandbox: any site can now query all your habits[…]

Clever Camera Trick Allows view of Sun’s Corona

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[…] Using Solar Orbiter’s Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI), the team of scientists behind the mission was able to record part of the Sun’s atmosphere at extreme ultraviolet wavelengths. The last-minute modification to the instrument involved adding a small, protruding “thumb” to block the bright light coming from the Sun such that the fainter light of Read more about Clever Camera Trick Allows view of Sun’s Corona[…]

China Breached Microsoft Engineer Account Compromised the Email Accounts of US Officials – By finding key in crash dumps

Posted on by Robin Edgar

An anonymous reader shared this report from Bloomberg: China-linked hackers breached the corporate account of a Microsoft engineer and are suspected of using that access to steal a valuable key that enabled the hack of senior U.S. officials’ email accounts, the company said in a blog post. The hackers used the key to forge authentication Read more about China Breached Microsoft Engineer Account Compromised the Email Accounts of US Officials – By finding key in crash dumps[…]

MGM Resorts Hit By Cyberattack; Hotels and Casinos Impacted

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] On Monday, local news outlets in Las Vegas caught wind of various complaints from patrons of MGM businesses; some said ATMs at associated hotels and casinos didn’t appear to be working; others said their hotel room keys had stopped functioning; still others noted that bars and restaurants located within MGM complexes had suddenly been Read more about MGM Resorts Hit By Cyberattack; Hotels and Casinos Impacted[…]

Google taken to court in NL for large scale privacy breaches

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Foundation for the Protection of Privacy Interests and the Consumers’ Association are taking the next step in their fight against Google. The tech company is being taken to court today for ‘large-scale privacy violations’. The proceedings demand, among other things, that Google stop its constant surveillance and sharing of personal data through online advertising Read more about Google taken to court in NL for large scale privacy breaches[…]

BMW Ends Heated Seat Subscriptions Because People Hated It

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Last year, BMW underwent media and customer hellfire over its decision to offer a monthly subscription for heated seats. While seat heating wasn’t the only option available for subscription, it was the one that seemed to infuriate everyone the most, since it concerned hardware already present in the car from the factory. After months of Read more about BMW Ends Heated Seat Subscriptions Because People Hated It[…]

Kokoon / Philips Sleep Headphones (Designed for Ultimate Comfort)

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Philips and sleep specialists Kokoon have partnered to create an unparalleled sleep headphone. The Philips Sleep Headphones, powered by Kokoon, blends sleep science and ergonomic know-how with Philips’ century-long reputation for crafting top-notch products. […] Experience a comfort revolution. After numerous nights of testing, our team has crafted an earbud that flawlessly conforms to the Read more about Kokoon / Philips Sleep Headphones (Designed for Ultimate Comfort)[…]

The Grammys will consider that viral song with Drake and The Weeknd AI vocals for awards after all

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The person behind an AI-generated song that went viral earlier this year has submitted the track for Grammy Awards consideration. The Recording Academy has stated that such works aren’t eligible for certain gongs. However, Ghostwriter, the pseudonymous person behind “Heart on My Sleeve,” has submitted the track in the best rap song and song of Read more about The Grammys will consider that viral song with Drake and The Weeknd AI vocals for awards after all[…]

A US senator has a grip on the Confirmation Process for Military Officers and is using it to blackmail the government

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Senator Tuberville’s blanket hold on general officer nominations reaches its six-month anniversary this week. This all seems to have started with a reckless idea dreamed up by a staffer with no experience in the Senate who then left the Senator’s employment after taking credit for it in a Washington Post exposé. From its shaky foundations, Read more about A US senator has a grip on the Confirmation Process for Military Officers and is using it to blackmail the government[…]

Grasping entropy: Teachers and students investigate thermodynamics through a hands-on model

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Though a cornerstone of thermodynamics, entropy remains one of the most vexing concepts to teach budding physicists in the classroom. As a result, many people oversimplify the concept as the amount of disorder in the universe, neglecting its underlying quantitative nature.   In The Physics Teacher, researcher T. Ryan Rogers designed a hand-held model to Read more about Grasping entropy: Teachers and students investigate thermodynamics through a hands-on model[…]

Microsoft to stop forcing Windows 11 users into Edge in EU countries

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Microsoft will finally stop forcing Windows 11 users in Europe into Edge if they click a link from the Windows Widgets panel or from search results. The software giant has started testing the changes to Windows 11 in recent test builds of the operating system, but the changes are restricted to countries within the European Read more about Microsoft to stop forcing Windows 11 users into Edge in EU countries[…]

Big Tech failed to police Russian disinformation: EU study

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[…] The independent study of the DSA’s risk management framework published by the EU’s executive arm, the European Commission, concluded that commitments by social media platforms to mitigate the reach and influence of global online disinformation campaigns have been generally unsuccessful. The reach of Kremlin-sponsored disinformation has only increased since the major platforms all signed Read more about Big Tech failed to police Russian disinformation: EU study[…]

TV Museum Will Die in 48 Hours Unless Sony Retracts YouTube Copyright Strikes on 40 – 60 year old TV shows

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Rick Klein and his team have been preserving TV adverts, forgotten tapes, and decades-old TV programming for years. Now operating as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, the Museum of Classic Chicago Television has called YouTube home since 2007. However, copyright notices sent on behalf of Sony, protecting TV shows between 40 and 60 years old, could shut Read more about TV Museum Will Die in 48 Hours Unless Sony Retracts YouTube Copyright Strikes on 40 – 60 year old TV shows[…]

Mozilla investigates 25 major car brands and finds privacy is shocking

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] The foundation, the Firefox browser maker’s netizen-rights org, assessed the privacy policies and practices of 25 automakers and found all failed its consumer privacy tests and thereby earned its Privacy Not Included (PNI) warning label. If you care even a little about privacy, stay as far away from Nissan’s cars as you possibly can Read more about Mozilla investigates 25 major car brands and finds privacy is shocking[…]

Experts Fear Crooks are Cracking Keys Stolen in LastPass Breach

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In November 2022, the password manager service LastPass disclosed a breach in which hackers stole password vaults containing both encrypted and plaintext data for more than 25 million users. Since then, a steady trickle of six-figure cryptocurrency heists targeting security-conscious people throughout the tech industry has led some security experts to conclude that crooks likely Read more about Experts Fear Crooks are Cracking Keys Stolen in LastPass Breach[…]