Author: Robin Edgar

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

VR Headset With Custom Face Fitting also shows you how to design custom fitted wearables

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Bigscreen Beyond is a small and lightweight VR headset that in part achieves its small size and weight by requiring custom fitting based on a facial scan. [Val’s Virtuals] managed to improve fitment even more by redesigning a facial interface and using a 3D scan of one’s own head to fine-tune the result even Read more about VR Headset With Custom Face Fitting also shows you how to design custom fitted wearables[…]

The Untrustworthy Evidence in Dishonesty Research

Posted on by Robin Edgar

František Bartoš University of Amsterdam DOI: https://doi.org/10.15626/MP.2023.3987 Replicable and reliable research is essential for cumulative science and its applications in practice. This article examines the quality of research on dishonesty using a sample of 286 hand-coded test statistics from 99 articles. Z-curve analysis indicates a low expected replication rate, a high proportion of missing studies, Read more about The Untrustworthy Evidence in Dishonesty Research[…]

Flaw in Kia’s web portal let researchers track, hack cars. Again.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] Today, a group of independent security researchers revealed that they’d found a flaw in a web portal operated by the carmaker Kia that let the researchers reassign control of the Internet-connected features of most modern Kia vehicles—dozens of models representing millions of cars on the road—from the smartphone of a car’s owner to the Read more about Flaw in Kia’s web portal let researchers track, hack cars. Again.[…]

LG Has Started Showing Screensaver Ads on Their Smart TVs | Lifehacker

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Like them or not, ads run the world. They’re the reason so much content out there is free of charge—or, at least, less expensive. But while it’s one thing to watch an ad before jumping into a YouTube video, or to see ads surrounding an article, it’s another thing entirely to be forced to see Read more about LG Has Started Showing Screensaver Ads on Their Smart TVs | Lifehacker[…]

LG Wants to Show You Ads Even When You’re Not Watching TV

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The outlet reveals (via Android Authority) that the ads start playing before the screensaver hits the screen and are usually sponsored messages from LG or its partners. The review highlighted one specific ad for the LG Channels app: LG’s free live TV service with ads. FlatpanelsHD adds that according to LG’s ad division, users will Read more about LG Wants to Show You Ads Even When You’re Not Watching TV[…]

‘Writing’ with atoms could transform materials fabrication for quantum devices

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…]A research team at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has created a novel advanced microscopy tool to “write” with atoms, placing those atoms exactly where they are needed to give a material new properties. “By working at the atomic scale, we also work at the scale where quantum properties naturally emerge and Read more about ‘Writing’ with atoms could transform materials fabrication for quantum devices[…]

Some startups are going ‘fair source’ to avoid the pitfalls of open source licensing

Posted on by Robin Edgar

With the perennial tensions between proprietary and open source software (OSS) unlikely to end anytime soon, a $3 billion startup is throwing its weight behind a new licensing paradigm — one that’s designed to bridge the open and proprietary worlds, replete with new definition, terminology, and governance model. Developer software company Sentry recently introduced a Read more about Some startups are going ‘fair source’ to avoid the pitfalls of open source licensing[…]

New Dutch government declares asylum emergency – even though there isn’t – to bypass parliament. This is how authoritarianism begins.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The new programme of the Dutch cabinet under Prime Minister Dick Schoof reflects the tough migration stance promised during the election campaign, outlining a comprehensive plan to radically reform the country’s asylum system and push for an opt-out from EU migration policies.  The Schoof cabinet’s plans for the upcoming term were unveiled today (13 September). Read more about New Dutch government declares asylum emergency – even though there isn’t – to bypass parliament. This is how authoritarianism begins.[…]

Five new massive satellites outshine most evening stars and will get bigger

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A Texas telecommunications startup launched its first five massive “BlueBird” communications satellites into orbit on September 12. Each device is nearly 700-feet-wide when fully deployed, and like BlueWalker 3—AST SpaceMobile’s 2022 prototype, also in orbit—every BlueBird will soon shine brighter than most stars and planets in the night sky. But despite the concerns of critics Read more about Five new massive satellites outshine most evening stars and will get bigger[…]

Cats have brain activity recorded with the help of crocheted hats

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Scientists have recorded electrical activity in the brains of awake cats for the first time, thanks to specially crocheted wool caps that hold the electrodes in place. The technique gives researchers a way to assess chronic pain in cats and could lead to novel treatments, says Aude Castel at the University of Montreal in Canada. Read more about Cats have brain activity recorded with the help of crocheted hats[…]

Fortinet confirms data breach after hacker claims to steal 440GB of files

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Cybersecurity giant Fortinet has confirmed it suffered a data breach after a threat actor claimed to steal 440GB of files from the company’s Microsoft Sharepoint server. Fortinet is one of the largest cybersecurity companies in the world, selling secure networking products like firewalls, routers, and VPN devices. The company also offers SIEM, network management, and Read more about Fortinet confirms data breach after hacker claims to steal 440GB of files[…]

Apple Vision Pro’s Eye Tracking Exposed What People Type

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] Today, a group of six computer scientists are revealing a new attack against Apple’s Vision Pro mixed reality headset where exposed eye-tracking data allowed them to decipher what people entered on the device’s virtual keyboard. The attack, dubbed GAZEploit and shared exclusively with WIRED, allowed the researchers to successfully reconstruct passwords, PINs, and messages Read more about Apple Vision Pro’s Eye Tracking Exposed What People Type[…]

1.3 million Android-based TV boxes backdoored; researchers still don’t know how

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Researchers still don’t know the cause of a recently discovered malware infection affecting almost 1.3 million streaming devices running an open source version of Android in almost 200 countries. Security firm Doctor Web reported Thursday that malware named Android.Vo1d has backdoored the Android-based boxes by putting malicious components in their system storage area, where they Read more about 1.3 million Android-based TV boxes backdoored; researchers still don’t know how[…]

After Synology breaks video station, plex, HEIC, H.265, backups, update now also breaks Surveillence station. What is going on there?!

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Installed DSM 7.2.2-72806 on my DS1821+. The update automatically updated Surveillance Station to 9.2.1-11374. When updating I received the following notice: Surveillance Station will automatically install the Surveillance Video Extension package. After this update, the Live View Analytics app will no longer be supported. The support for HEVC (H.265) cameras will undergo the following changes, Read more about After Synology breaks video station, plex, HEIC, H.265, backups, update now also breaks Surveillence station. What is going on there?![…]

More details on that Windows Installer ‘make me admin’ hole

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In this week’s Patch Tuesday Microsoft alerted users to, among other vulnerabilities, a flaw in Windows Installer that can be exploited by malware or a rogue user to gain SYSTEM-level privileges to hijack a PC. The vulnerability, CVE-2024-38014, was spotted and privately disclosed by security shop SEC Consult, which has now shared the full details Read more about More details on that Windows Installer ‘make me admin’ hole[…]

‘Windhawk’ Is Like an App Store for Windows Interface Mods

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Ever wish Windows worked just a little bit differently? You’re not alone. Windhawk is a free and open source application offering dozens of community curated “mods” for Windows and Windows applications. It’s the simplest tool for customizing Windows that I’ve come across. The application, which you can download for free, gives you a sort of Read more about ‘Windhawk’ Is Like an App Store for Windows Interface Mods[…]

Google’s 2.4 billion euro shopping comparison fine upheld by Europe’s top court

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Europe’s top court on Tuesday upheld a 2.4 billion euro ($2.65 billion) fine imposed on Google for abusing its dominant position by favoring its own shopping comparison service. [….] The fine stems from an antitrust investigation by the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, which concluded in 2017. The commission said at Read more about Google’s 2.4 billion euro shopping comparison fine upheld by Europe’s top court[…]

Apple Ordered to Pay $14 Billion in Back Taxes to EU

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Apple will be required to pay $14 billion in back taxes to Ireland after Europe’s top court released a new ruling on Tuesday, according to a report from the Financial Times. Apple CEO Tim Cook has previously called the case “total political crap” but the judgment is final and Apple will not be able to Read more about Apple Ordered to Pay $14 Billion in Back Taxes to EU[…]

ford cars with human ears on their doors driving on a highway

Ford wants to listen in on you in your car to serve you ads as much as possible

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Someday soon, if Ford has its way, drivers and passengers may be bombarded with infotainment ads tailored to their personal and vehicle data. This sure-to-please-everyone idea comes via a patent application [PDF] filed by Ford Global Technologies late last month that proposes displaying ads to drivers based on their destination, route, who’s in the car, Read more about Ford wants to listen in on you in your car to serve you ads as much as possible[…]

1.7M potentially pwned in US payment services provider breach, wishes victims good luck

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Around 1.7 million people will receive a letter from Florida-based Slim CD, if they haven’t already, after the company detected an intrusion dating back nearly a year. Slim CD provides payment processing solutions, thus credit card numbers along with their expiry dates are among the data types potentially compromised in the incident. The cardholder’s name Read more about 1.7M potentially pwned in US payment services provider breach, wishes victims good luck[…]

Avis alerts 300k US car renters that insider crooks stole their info

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Avis Rent A Car System has alerted 299,006 customers across multiple US states that their personal information was stolen in an August data breach. The digital break-in occurred between August 3 and August 6, according to the car rental giant in filings with the Maine and California attorneys general. On August 14, Avis determined that Read more about Avis alerts 300k US car renters that insider crooks stole their info[…]

Resistance to Hungarian presidency’s new push for child sexual abuse prevention regulation – because it’s a draconian spying law asking for 100% coverage of digital comms

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Resistance to the Hungarian presidency’s approach to the EU’s draft law to combat online child sexual abuse material (CSAM) was still palpable during a member states’ meeting on Wednesday (4 September). The Hungarian presidency of the Council of the EU aims to secure consensus on the proposed law to combat online child sexual abuse material Read more about Resistance to Hungarian presidency’s new push for child sexual abuse prevention regulation – because it’s a draconian spying law asking for 100% coverage of digital comms[…]

Finaly people urge FTC to ban hardware tethering – downgrades, transferral costs, sudden bricking, unexpected subscriptions

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Consumer and digital rights activists are calling on the US Federal Trade Commission to stop device-makers using software to reduce product functionality, bricking unloved kit, or adding surprise fees post-purchase. In an eight-page letter [PDF] to the Commission (FTC), the activists mentioned the Google/Levis collaboration on a denim jacket that contained sensors enabling it to Read more about Finaly people urge FTC to ban hardware tethering – downgrades, transferral costs, sudden bricking, unexpected subscriptions[…]

AI helps find simple charging trick to boost li-ion battery lifespan

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A simple change in how new lithium-ion batteries are charged can boost their total lifespans by 50 per cent on average – and battery manufacturers everywhere can immediately put the discovery into action. Extended battery lifespans could prove especially crucial for improving electric vehicles and energy storage for electricity grids. “The cool thing is that Read more about AI helps find simple charging trick to boost li-ion battery lifespan[…]

WaveCore beams gigabit network bridge link through concrete wall

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Airvine Scientific has a product that could make life easier for IT staff. WaveCore is designed to beam a network signal through thick concrete walls, eliminating the need to drill holes or route your cabling via a circuitous course. The Silicon Valley wireless company says its newly introduced kit is quick to deploy and can Read more about WaveCore beams gigabit network bridge link through concrete wall[…]