Author: Robin Edgar

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

‘Eventually it will just be a barcode, won’t it?’ Why Britain’s new stamps are causing outrage and upset

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Royal Mail’s stamps are finally entering the digital world, with printed codes that can be used to track letters or linked to videos. Collectors, traditionalists and royalists are not amused […] In February, Royal Mail introduced a new design for its standard stamps, which have changed so little since the launch of the Penny Black Read more about ‘Eventually it will just be a barcode, won’t it?’ Why Britain’s new stamps are causing outrage and upset[…]

Diamond’s all-electric eDA40 completes maiden flight

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Diamond Aircraft announced that it has successfully completed the first flight of its eDA40 electric aircraft. The eDA40 is an all-electric, battery-powered version of the popular DA40 light aircraft, which is one of the best-selling piston aircraft and is used by flight schools and private owners all over the world. The eDA40’s maiden flight took Read more about Diamond’s all-electric eDA40 completes maiden flight[…]

AI Creation and Copyright: Unraveling the debate on originality, ownership

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Whether AI systems can create original work sparks intense discussions among philosophers, jurists, and computer scientists and touches on issues of ownership, copyright, and economic competition, writes Stefano Quintarelli. Stefano Quintarelli is an information technology specialist, a former member of the Italian Parliament and a former member of the European Commission’s High-level expert group on Read more about AI Creation and Copyright: Unraveling the debate on originality, ownership[…]

US-EU AI Code of Conduct: First Step Towards Transatlantic Pillar of Global AI Governance?

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The European Union, G7, United States, and United Kingdom have announced initiatives aiming to establish governance regimes and guidelines around the technology’s use. Amidst these efforts, an announcement made in late May by EU Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager at the close of the Fourth Trade and Technology Council (TTC) Ministerial in Sweden revealed an upcoming Read more about US-EU AI Code of Conduct: First Step Towards Transatlantic Pillar of Global AI Governance?[…]

Android phones can now tell you if there’s an AirTag following you

Posted on by Robin Edgar

When Google announced that trackers would be able to tie in to its 3 billion-device Bluetooth tracking network at its Google I/O 2023 conference, it also said that it would make it easier for people to avoid being tracked by trackers they don’t know about, like Apple AirTags. Now Android users will soon get these Read more about Android phones can now tell you if there’s an AirTag following you[…]

More than 1,300 UK experts call AI a force for good

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An open letter signed by more than 1,300 experts says AI is a “force for good, not a threat to humanity”. It was organised by BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, to counter “AI doom”. Rashik Parmar, BCS chief executive, said it showed the UK tech community didn’t believe the “nightmare scenario of evil robot Read more about More than 1,300 UK experts call AI a force for good[…]

Firmware vulnerabilities in millions of servers could give hackers superuser status

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[…] The vulnerabilities reside inside firmware that Duluth, Georgia-based AMI makes for BMCs (baseboard management controllers). These tiny computers soldered into the motherboard of servers allow cloud centers, and sometimes their customers, to streamline the remote management of vast fleets of computers. They enable administrators to remotely reinstall OSes, install and uninstall apps, and control Read more about Firmware vulnerabilities in millions of servers could give hackers superuser status[…]

Google Urges Gmail Users to Enable ‘Enhanced Safe Browsing’ for Faster, More Proactive Protection – but also takes screenshots of your browsing habits

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Washington Post’s “Tech Friend” newsletter has the latest on Google’s “Enhanced Safe Browsing” for Chrome and Gmail, which “monitors the web addresses of sites that you visit and compares them to constantly updated Google databases of suspected scam sites.” You’ll see a red warning screen if Google believes you’re on a website that is, Read more about Google Urges Gmail Users to Enable ‘Enhanced Safe Browsing’ for Faster, More Proactive Protection – but also takes screenshots of your browsing habits[…]

TETRA Military and Police Radio Code Encryption Has a Flaw: A built in Backdoor

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For more than 25 years, a technology used for critical data and voice radio communications around the world has been shrouded in secrecy to prevent anyone from closely scrutinizing its security properties for vulnerabilities […] The backdoor, known for years by vendors that sold the technology but not necessarily by customers, exists in an encryption Read more about TETRA Military and Police Radio Code Encryption Has a Flaw: A built in Backdoor[…]

AMD ‘Zenbleed’ bug allows Meltdown-like data leakage

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AMD has started issuing some patches for its processors affected by a serious silicon-level bug dubbed Zenbleed that can be exploited by rogue users and malware to steal passwords, cryptographic keys, and other secrets from software running on a vulnerable system. Zenbleed affects Ryzen and Epyc Zen 2 chips, and can be abused to swipe Read more about AMD ‘Zenbleed’ bug allows Meltdown-like data leakage[…]

Mercedes: Pay us again to unlock full accellaration on EQS and EQE – yes you already own the hardware.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Mercedes-Benz has new finalized pricing on its vexing “Acceleration Increase” subscription revealed last year that can eke out more electric performance — without any physical modification — from the automaker’s current EQE and EQS EV models, Car and Driver reports. The updated Acceleration Increase pricing starts at $60 per month, or you can save about Read more about Mercedes: Pay us again to unlock full accellaration on EQS and EQE – yes you already own the hardware.[…]

AI shows classroom conversations predict academic success

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Who would have thought in-class, off-topic dialog can be a significant predictor of a student’s success in school? Scientists at Tsinghua University had a hunch and decided to deep-dive into how machine learning and AI may help an under-studied segment of the education pool: K-6th grade students learning in live, online classes. By analyzing the Read more about AI shows classroom conversations predict academic success[…]

Tesla directors agree to return $735 million following claims they were massively overpaid

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Elon Musk, Larry Ellison and other current and former members of Tesla’s board of directors will return $735 million to settle claims that they massively overpaid themselves, Reuters has reported. The deal wraps up a saga that started in 2020 stemming from a lawsuit filed by a police and firefighter retirement fund challenging stock options Read more about Tesla directors agree to return $735 million following claims they were massively overpaid[…]

Paris 2024 Olympics: Concern over French plan for AI surveillance

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Under a recent law, police will be able to use CCTV algorithms to pick up anomalies such as crowd rushes, fights or unattended bags. The law explicitly rules out using facial recognition technology, as adopted by China, for example, in order to trace “suspicious” individuals. But opponents say it is a thin end of the Read more about Paris 2024 Olympics: Concern over French plan for AI surveillance[…]

Dual wavelengths of light shown to be effective against antibiotic-resistant superbug bacterium

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Scientists have combined two light wavelengths to deactivate a bacterium that is invulnerable to some of the world’s most widely used antibiotics, giving hope that the regime could be adapted as a potential disinfectant treatment. Under the guidance of project leader Dr. Gale Brightwell, scientists at New Zealand’s AgResearch demonstrated the novel antimicrobial efficiency of Read more about Dual wavelengths of light shown to be effective against antibiotic-resistant superbug bacterium[…]

Spain antitrust watchdog fines Amazon, Apple $218 million for collusion and exclusion

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Spain’s antitrust watchdog on Tuesday said it had imposed fines worth a total 194.1 million euros ($218.03 million) on Amazon (AMZN.O) and Apple (AAPL.O) for colluding to limit the online sale of devices from Apple and competitors in Spain. The two contracts the companies signed on Oct. 31, 2018 granting Amazon the status of authorized Read more about Spain antitrust watchdog fines Amazon, Apple $218 million for collusion and exclusion[…]

‘Taco Tuesday’ is no longer a copyrighted phrase – wait you can copyright a phrase like that?!

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Taco Bell succeeded in its petition to remove the “Taco Tuesday” trademark held by Taco John’s, claiming it held an unfair monopoly over the phrase. Taco John’s CEO Jim Creel backed down from the fight on Tuesday, saying it isn’t worth the legal fees to retain the regional chain’s trademark. “We’ve always prided ourselves on Read more about ‘Taco Tuesday’ is no longer a copyrighted phrase – wait you can copyright a phrase like that?![…]

UK buys 3 radar E-7 planes for 90% of the price of original 5, creating huge capability gap, shows how broken procurement is

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The United Kingdom’s deal to buy three, rather than the previously planned five Boeing E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft for the Royal Air Force “represents extremely poor value for money” and “an absolute folly.” Those are among the conclusions of a report published today by the U.K. Defense Committee, a body Read more about UK buys 3 radar E-7 planes for 90% of the price of original 5, creating huge capability gap, shows how broken procurement is[…]

Stability AI releases Stable Doodle, a sketch-to-image tool

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Stability AI, the startup behind the image-generating model Stable Diffusion, is launching a new service that turns sketches into images. The sketch-to-image service, Stable Doodle, leverages the latest Stable Diffusion model to analyze the outline of a sketch and generate a “visually pleasing” artistic rendition of it. It’s available starting today through ClipDrop, a platform Read more about Stability AI releases Stable Doodle, a sketch-to-image tool[…]

Research group develops biodegradable film that keeps food fresh for longer

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[…] a film made of a compound derived from limonene, the main component of citrus fruit peel, and chitosan, a biopolymer derived from the chitin present in exoskeletons of crustaceans. The film was developed by a research group in São Paulo state, Brazil, comprising scientists in the Department of Materials Engineering and Bioprocesses at the Read more about Research group develops biodegradable film that keeps food fresh for longer[…]

AI System Identified Drug Trafficker by Scanning Driving Patterns

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Police in New York recently managed to identify and apprehend a drug trafficker seemingly by magic. The perp in question, David Zayas, was traveling through the small upstate town of Scarsdale when he was pulled over by Westchester County police. When cops searched Zayas’ vehicle they found a large amount of crack cocaine, a gun, Read more about AI System Identified Drug Trafficker by Scanning Driving Patterns[…]

China sets AI rules – not just risk based (EU AI Act), but also ideological

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Chinese authorities published the nation’s rules governing generative AI on Thursday, including protections that aren’t in place elsewhere in the world. Some of the rules require operators of generative AI to ensure their services “adhere to the core values of socialism” and don’t produce output that includes “incitement to subvert state power.” AIs are also Read more about China sets AI rules – not just risk based (EU AI Act), but also ideological[…]