The Linkielist

Linking ideas with the world

Cells’ electric fields keep nanoparticles at bay, scientists confirm

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The humble membranes that enclose our cells have a surprising superpower: They can push away nano-sized molecules that happen to approach them. A team including scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has figured out why, by using artificial membranes that mimic the behavior of natural ones. Their discovery could make a Read more about Cells’ electric fields keep nanoparticles at bay, scientists confirm[…]

EU Commission readies establishment of AI Office on 21 feb

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The AI Office will play a pivotal role in the enforcement architecture of the AI Act, the EU’s landmark law to regulate Artificial Intelligence, set to be formally adopted in the coming weeks based on a political agreement nailed down in December. The idea of an AI Office to centralise the enforcement of the AI Read more about EU Commission readies establishment of AI Office on 21 feb[…]

if buying isnt owning then piracy isnt stealing

Ubisoft Says It Out Loud: We Want People To Get Used To Not Owning What They’ve Bought

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] the public too often doesn’t understand how it happens that products stop working the way they did after updates are performed remotely, or why movies purchased through an online store suddenly disappear with no refund, or why other media types purchased online likewise go poof. There is a severe misalignment, in other words, between Read more about Ubisoft Says It Out Loud: We Want People To Get Used To Not Owning What They’ve Bought[…]

Supreme Court declines appeals from Apple and Epic Games in App Store case

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The US Supreme Court has declined to hear the appeals filed by both Apple and Epic Games following a judge’s ruling that Apple must allow developers to offer alternative methods to pay for apps and services other than through the App Store. It did not provide an explanation as to why it refused to review Read more about Supreme Court declines appeals from Apple and Epic Games in App Store case[…]

EU says music streaming platforms must pay artists more

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The European Parliament is calling for new regulations to ensure streaming services pay artists fairly. The proposal also calls for more transparency around how algorithms generate suggestions for which artists to stream and what tracks get the most promotion. The proposed changes will be designed to ensure smaller artists are compensated fairly. Currently, royalty rates Read more about EU says music streaming platforms must pay artists more[…]

OpenAI must defend ChatGPT fabrications after failing to defeat libel suit

Posted on by Robin Edgar

OpenAI may finally have to answer for ChatGPT’s “hallucinations” in court after a Georgia judge recently ruled against the tech company’s motion to dismiss a radio host’s defamation suit. OpenAI had argued that ChatGPT’s output cannot be considered libel, partly because the chatbot output cannot be considered a “publication,” which is a key element of Read more about OpenAI must defend ChatGPT fabrications after failing to defeat libel suit[…]

Samsung and Google launch ‘Circle to Search’ Too

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Samsung announced many interesting products and features at its latest Galaxy Unpacked event (including the Galaxy S24 series) but one of the more impressive developments isn’t actually unique to the Galaxy brand itself. The feature, Circle to Search, was developed in partnership with Google, which means it’ll live on Google phones, too. What is Circle Read more about Samsung and Google launch ‘Circle to Search’ Too[…]

Have I Been Pwned adds 71 million emails from Naz.API stolen account list

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Have I Been Pwned has added almost 71 million email addresses associated with stolen accounts in the Naz.API dataset to its data breach notification service. The Naz.API dataset is a massive collection of 1 billion credentials compiled using credential stuffing lists and data stolen by information-stealing malware. Credential stuffing lists are collections of login name Read more about Have I Been Pwned adds 71 million emails from Naz.API stolen account list[…]

amazon alexa echo device covered in green goo

Amazon wants you to pay to give them your data with Its Next-Gen “Remarkable Alexa” – which is remarkable in how poorly it works

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Amazon is revamping its Alexa voice assistant as it prepares to launch a new paid subscription plan this year, according to internal documents and people familiar with the matter. But the change is causing internal conflict and may lead to further delay. Tentatively named “Alexa Plus,” the paid version of Alexa is intended to offer Read more about Amazon wants you to pay to give them your data with Its Next-Gen “Remarkable Alexa” – which is remarkable in how poorly it works[…]

Hospitals owned by private equity are harming patients, reports find

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Private equity firms are increasingly buying hospitals across the US, and when they do, patients suffer, according to two separate reports. Specifically, the equity firms cut corners, slash services, lay off staff, lower quality of care, take on substantial debt, and reduce charity care, leading to lower ratings and more medical errors, the reports collectively Read more about Hospitals owned by private equity are harming patients, reports find[…]

a vans sneaker and timberland boot with an axe through them

Thieves steal 35.5M customers’ data from Vans, Dickies, Timberlands parent comp’s sales systems

Posted on by Robin Edgar

VF Corporation, parent company of clothes and footwear brands including Vans and North Face, says 35.5 million customers were impacted in some way when criminals broke into their systems in December. The announcement was made in a Thursday 8-K/A filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and we’re only left to speculate about what Read more about Thieves steal 35.5M customers’ data from Vans, Dickies, Timberlands parent comp’s sales systems[…]

hp printers printing money over your dead body

HP CEO: You’re ‘bad investment’ if you don’t buy HP supplies

Posted on by Robin Edgar

HP CEO Enrique Lores admitted this week that the company’s long-term objective is “to make printing a subscription” when he was questioned about the company’s approach to third-party replacement ink suppliers. The PC and print biz is currently facing a class-action lawsuit (from 2.42 in the video below) regarding allegations that the company deliberately prevented Read more about HP CEO: You’re ‘bad investment’ if you don’t buy HP supplies[…]

a rotting apple core with a closed padlock running through it

I can have app store? Apple: yes but NO! Give €1,000,000 + lock in to Apple ecosystem. This is how to “comply” with EU anti competition law

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Apple is keeping a firm grip on people with alternative marketplaces, fleecing them for money but also for other control. Here are some of the terms Apple requires you to conform to in order to start up your own app store (which they call alternative marketplace): If you’re interested in becoming a marketplace developer in Read more about I can have app store? Apple: yes but NO! Give €1,000,000 + lock in to Apple ecosystem. This is how to “comply” with EU anti competition law[…]

Running your AI Locally on your own PC / Installing your own LLM

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Having your AI going on your own laptop or PC is perfectly viable. For textual conversations you don’t always need a Large Language Model (LLM) when Small Language Models can perform at the same or in some cases even better levels (eg MS Phi-2 small language model – outperforms many LLMs but fits on your Read more about Running your AI Locally on your own PC / Installing your own LLM[…]

Water molecule discovery on ion layer contradicts textbook models

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Textbook models will need to be re-drawn after a team of researchers found that water molecules at the surface of salt water are organised differently than previously thought. Many important reactions related to climate and environmental processes take place where water molecules interface with air. For example, the evaporation of ocean water plays an important Read more about Water molecule discovery on ion layer contradicts textbook models[…]

BMW 2024 control panel - no radio buttons or climate control

BMW goes for unsafe design, removes ability to change radio channel

Posted on by Robin Edgar

BMW has been a sensible and happy holdout against the touchscreen only interior car design insanity started by Tesla. Study after study has shown that touchscreens are not only impractical and annoying, but more importantly unsafe as well Sources:Study: Hardware buttons in cars are safer than touchscreensTouchscreen development at risk of compromising safety, says VNC Read more about BMW goes for unsafe design, removes ability to change radio channel[…]

Wind turbines are friendlier to birds than oil-and-gas drilling

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] few have looked at the effects on wildlife at the population level. Enter Erik Katovich, an economist at the University of Geneva. Dr Katovich made use of the Christmas Bird Count, a citizen-science project run by the National Audubon Society, an American non-profit outfit. Volunteers count birds they spot over Christmas, and the society Read more about Wind turbines are friendlier to birds than oil-and-gas drilling[…]

Study of wide binary stars reveals new evidence for modified gravity at low acceleration

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A new study published in The Astrophysical Journal reveals new evidence for standard gravity breaking down in an idiosyncratic manner at low acceleration. This new study reinforces the evidence for modified gravity that was previously reported in 2023 from an analysis of the orbital motions of gravitationally bound, widely separated (or long-period) binary stars, known Read more about Study of wide binary stars reveals new evidence for modified gravity at low acceleration[…]

a map of the netherlands with cellphone towers

Dutch phones can be easily tracked online: ‘Extreme security risk’

Posted on by Robin Edgar

BNR received more than 80 gigabytes of location data from data traders: the coordinates of millions of telephones, often registered dozens of times a day. The gigantic mountain of data also includes movements of people with functions in which safety plays an important role. A senior army officer could be followed as he drove from Read more about Dutch phones can be easily tracked online: ‘Extreme security risk’[…]

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.[…]