Author: Robin Edgar

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

Amazon-Anthropic Investment Investigated by UK Government – is it a stealth merger?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The U.K. government has launched a preliminary investigation into the partnership between Amazon and Anthropic to see if it will significantly lessen competition. This comes days after a similar probe was announced into Alphabet’s collaboration with the AI startup. In March, Amazon concluded its $4 billion (£3.16 billion) investment in Anthropic, the company behind the Read more about Amazon-Anthropic Investment Investigated by UK Government – is it a stealth merger?[…]

New U.N. Cybercrime Treaty Could Threaten Human Rights

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The United Nations approved its first international cybercrime treaty yesterday. The effort succeeded despite opposition from tech companies and human rights groups, who warn that the agreement will permit countries to expand invasive electronic surveillance in the name of criminal investigations. Experts from these organizations say that the treaty undermines the global human rights of Read more about New U.N. Cybercrime Treaty Could Threaten Human Rights[…]

Apple tries again to make EU officials happy with new fees for in-app purchases

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Apple this week revised its alternative contractual terms for devs selling apps in the European Union – a revision that was immediately dismissed by critics as more “malicious compliance.” […] Essentially, Apple has allowed developers in the EU to choose whether they want to use its own In‑App Purchase system for App Store transactions or Read more about Apple tries again to make EU officials happy with new fees for in-app purchases[…]

‘Sinkclose’ Flaw in Hundreds of Millions of AMD Chips Allows Deep, Virtually Unfixable Infections

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Security flaws in your computer’s firmware, the deep-seated code that loads first when you turn the machine on and controls even how its operating system boots up, have long been a target for hackers looking for a stealthy foothold. But only rarely does that kind of vulnerability appear not in the firmware of any particular Read more about ‘Sinkclose’ Flaw in Hundreds of Millions of AMD Chips Allows Deep, Virtually Unfixable Infections[…]

Warner Bros. Scrubs Cartoon Network Website, Erasing Years of History

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Warners Bros. Discovery has not been having a great time recently, and is going through a wave of increasingly desperate cost-cutting initiatives because of it. Several of those movements have felt particularly targeted at the studio’s animated offerings, from its inability to release finished films to selling off its current, past, and would-be successes to other Read more about Warner Bros. Scrubs Cartoon Network Website, Erasing Years of History[…]

Oxford scientists’ new light-absorbing material can turn everyday objects into solar panels

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Oxford University scientists may have solved one of the greatest hindrances of expanding access to solar energy. Scientists from the university’s physics department have created an ultra-thin layer of material that can be applied to the exterior of objects with sunlight access in place of bulky silicon-based solar panels. The ultra-thin and flexible film is Read more about Oxford scientists’ new light-absorbing material can turn everyday objects into solar panels[…]

After 33 Years, GameStop Shuts Down And Disappears ‘Game Informer’

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] Nobody is going to let decades of journalistic output just suddenly get disappeared out of nowhere… right? When it comes to Game Informer, the GameStop owned video game magazine that has been in production for over three decades, that’s exactly what just happened. Staff at the magazine, which also publishes a website, weekly podcast, Read more about After 33 Years, GameStop Shuts Down And Disappears ‘Game Informer’[…]

Posted in Art

Google will let you search your Chrome browsing history by asking questions like a human – Firefox, you need this!

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] you’ll be able to ask questions of your browsing history in natural language using Gemini, Google’s family of large language models that power its AI systems. You can type a question like “What was that ice cream shop I looked at last week?” into your address bar after accessing your history and Chrome will Read more about Google will let you search your Chrome browsing history by asking questions like a human – Firefox, you need this![…]

Europe launches ‘AI Factories’ initiative

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[…] According to the Commission, AI Factories are envisioned as “dynamic ecosystems” that bring together all the necessary ingredients – compute power, data, and talent – to create cutting-edge generative AI models, so it isn’t just about making a supercomputer available and telling people to get on with it. The ultimate goal for these AI Read more about Europe launches ‘AI Factories’ initiative[…]

EU Commission opens stakeholder participation in drafting general-purpose AI code of practice

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The European Commission has issued a call to stakeholders to participate in drafting a code of practice for general-purpose artificial intelligence (GPAI), a key part of compliance with the AI Act for deployers of technology like ChatGPT, according to a press release on Tuesday (30 July). […] a diversity of stakeholders will be engaged in Read more about EU Commission opens stakeholder participation in drafting general-purpose AI code of practice[…]

Thin edge-lit LCD TVs Break Faster Under Prolonged Use: tested for 10k hours

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] At the time of this article’s publication, our 100 TVs had been running for over 10,000 hours since the launch of the test, which represents roughly six years of use in a typical U.S. household […] The results of this investigation are unequivocal: edge-lit TVs are inherently prone to significant durability issues, including warped reflector Read more about Thin edge-lit LCD TVs Break Faster Under Prolonged Use: tested for 10k hours[…]

Suno & Udio To RIAA: Your Music Is Copyrighted, You Can’t Copyright Styles

Posted on by Robin Edgar

AI music generators Suno and Udio responded to the lawsuits filed by the major recording labels, arguing that their platforms are tools for making new, original music that “didn’t and often couldn’t previously exist.” “Those genres and styles — the recognizable sounds of opera, or jazz, or rap music — are not something that anyone Read more about Suno & Udio To RIAA: Your Music Is Copyrighted, You Can’t Copyright Styles[…]

Design flaw has Microsoft Authenticator overwriting MFA accounts, locking users out

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] For those who rely on Microsoft Authenticator, the experience can go beyond momentary frustration to full-blown panic as they become locked out of their accounts. That’s because, due to an issue involving which fields it uses, Microsoft Authenticator often overwrites accounts when a user adds a new account via QR scan — the most Read more about Design flaw has Microsoft Authenticator overwriting MFA accounts, locking users out[…]

Chrome Web Store warns end is coming for uBlock Origin

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] With the stable release of Chrome 127 on July 23, 2024, the full spectrum of Chrome users could see the warning. One user of the content-blocking add-on filed a GitHub Issue about the notification. “This extension may soon no longer be supported because it doesn’t follow best practices for Chrome extensions,” the Chrome Web Read more about Chrome Web Store warns end is coming for uBlock Origin[…]

Sonos apologized months too late for messing up its app and has offered a roadmap for fixing everything which has already slipped

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Sonos seriously stepped in it a couple of months back when it released an overhauled first-party mobile app that shipped with a number of missing features. These included core functions like sleep timers and alarms. Many of the company’s speakers would not appear as a pairing option and it became extremely difficult to precisely adjust Read more about Sonos apologized months too late for messing up its app and has offered a roadmap for fixing everything which has already slipped[…]

Etsy goes USA level prude and will kill Artisanal sex toy businesses – without having told them that their policies were changing. Surprise!

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Simply Elegant Glass has been selling hand-crafted sex toys on Etsy for nearly a decade. In that time, the shop has made over 7,000 sales and racked up more than 1,500 mostly five-star reviews. The Etsy shop — which offers glass dildos, anal plugs and other insertable items — drives the majority of the small Read more about Etsy goes USA level prude and will kill Artisanal sex toy businesses – without having told them that their policies were changing. Surprise![…]

Posted in Sex

Samsung starts blocking sideloading, so Epic Games pulls Fortnite from the Galaxy Store

Posted on by Robin Edgar

After it was discovered that Samsung would begin blocking any attempt to sideload apps Epic Games has made the decision to remove Fortnite, among other titles, from the Galaxy Store. When the Galaxy Z Fold 6 began to land in the hands of users, the loaded version of One UI touted a brand-new attempt to Read more about Samsung starts blocking sideloading, so Epic Games pulls Fortnite from the Galaxy Store[…]

Crowdstrike apologises for breaking the world to own IT Workers With $10 Uber Eats Coupons that are flagged by Uber as Fraudulent

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Last week, the world reacted as 8.5 million computers crashed to bluescreen, grounding flights, crippling hospitals, and bringing down 911 services. This week, the world is reacting to the company responsible—Crowdstrike—offering its staff and the companies it works with a $10 Uber Eats voucher as way of apology for all their extra work over the Read more about Crowdstrike apologises for breaking the world to own IT Workers With $10 Uber Eats Coupons that are flagged by Uber as Fraudulent[…]

A Hacker ‘Ghost’ Network Is Quietly Spreading Malware on GitHub

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A secretive network of around 3,000 “ghost” accounts on GitHub has quietly been manipulating pages on the code-hosting website to promote malware and phishing links, according to new research seen by WIRED. Since at least June last year, according to researchers at cybersecurity company Check Point, a cybercriminal they dubbed “Stargazer Goblin” has been hosting Read more about A Hacker ‘Ghost’ Network Is Quietly Spreading Malware on GitHub[…]

US Congress Wants To Let Private Companies Own The Law – set standards you must comply with but can’t actually find or see easily

Posted on by Robin Edgar

It sounds absolutely batty that there is a strong, bipartisan push to lock up aspects of our law behind copyright. But it’s happening. Even worse, the push is on to include this effort to lock up the law in the “must pass” National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This is the bill that Congress lights up Read more about US Congress Wants To Let Private Companies Own The Law – set standards you must comply with but can’t actually find or see easily[…]

FTC asks 8 big names to explain surveillance pricing tech

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched an investigation into “surveillance pricing,” a phenomenon likely familiar to anyone who’s had to buy something in an incognito browser window to avoid paying a premium. Surveillance pricing, according to the FTC, is the use of algorithms, AI, and other technologies – most crucially combined with personal Read more about FTC asks 8 big names to explain surveillance pricing tech[…]

Switzerland now requires all government software to be open source. Sort of.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Several European countries are betting on open-source software. In the United States, eh, not so much. In the latest news from across the Atlantic, Switzerland has taken a major step forward with its “Federal Law on the Use of Electronic Means for the Fulfillment of Government Tasks” (EMBAG). This groundbreaking legislation mandates using open-source software Read more about Switzerland now requires all government software to be open source. Sort of.[…]

Google’s reCAPTCHAv2 is just labor exploitation, boffins say

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Google promotes its reCAPTCHA service as a security mechanism for websites, but researchers affiliated with the University of California, Irvine, argue it’s harvesting information while extracting human labor worth billions. The term CAPTCHA stands for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart,” and, as Google explains, it refers to a challenge-response Read more about Google’s reCAPTCHAv2 is just labor exploitation, boffins say[…]

UN Cybercrime Treaty does not define cybercrime, allows any definition and forces all signatories to secretly surveil their own population on request by any other signatory (think totalitarian states spying on people in democracies with no recourse)

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] EFF colleague, Katitza Rodriguez, about the Cybercrime Treaty, which is about to pass, and which is, to put it mildly, terrifying: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/07/un-cybercrime-draft-convention-dangerously-expands-state-surveillance-powers Look, cybercrime is a real thing, from pig butchering to ransomware, and there’s real, global harms that can be attributed to it. Cybercrime is transnational, making it hard for cops in any Read more about UN Cybercrime Treaty does not define cybercrime, allows any definition and forces all signatories to secretly surveil their own population on request by any other signatory (think totalitarian states spying on people in democracies with no recourse)[…]

Dual action antibiotic could make bacterial resistance nearly impossible

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A new antibiotic that works by disrupting two different cellular targets would make it 100 million times more difficult for bacteria to evolve resistance, according to new research from the University of Illinois Chicago. For a new paper in Nature Chemical Biology, researchers probed how a class of synthetic drugs called macrolones disrupt bacterial cell Read more about Dual action antibiotic could make bacterial resistance nearly impossible[…]