The Linkielist

Linking ideas with the world

Mozilla updates updated TOS for Firefox and is now more confusing but does not look private

Posted on by Robin Edgar

On Wednesday we shared that we’re introducing a new Terms of Use (TOU) and Privacy Notice for Firefox. Since then, we’ve been listening to some of our community’s concerns with parts of the TOU, specifically about licensing. Our intent was just to be as clear as possible about how we make Firefox work, but in Read more about Mozilla updates updated TOS for Firefox and is now more confusing but does not look private[…]

Microsoft begins turning off uBlock Origin and other extensions in Edge

Posted on by Robin Edgar

If you use the uBlock Origin extension in Google Chrome or Edge, you should probably start looking for alternative browsers or extensions—either way. A few days ago, users noticed that Google had begun disabling uBlock Origin and other Manifest V2-based extensions as part of the migration to Manifest V3. Now, Microsoft Edge appears to be Read more about Microsoft begins turning off uBlock Origin and other extensions in Edge[…]

e-taste allows you to send flavours in VR

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] This work reports a bio-integrated gustatory interface, “e-Taste,” to address the underrepresented chemical dimension in current VR/AR technologies. This system facilitates remote perception and replication of taste sensations through the coupling of physically separated sensors and actuators with wireless communication modules. By using chemicals representing five basic tastes […] Gustation, an essential component of Read more about e-taste allows you to send flavours in VR[…]

Payday from hell as several Brit banks report major outages

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The UK is full of unhappy workers that are unable to manage their payday cash amid online service outages at a host of major banks. Downdetector indicates trouble at Lloyds Bank, Halifax, TSB, Nationwide, First Direct, Bank of Scotland, and Barclays, although the latter’s woes appear to have been resolved since the surge of complaints Read more about Payday from hell as several Brit banks report major outages[…]

Citigroup erroneously credited client account with $81tn in ‘near miss’ due to really atrocious UI

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Citigroup credited a client’s account with $81tn when it meant to send only $280, an error that could hinder the bank’s attempt to persuade regulators that it has fixed long-standing operational issues. The erroneous internal transfer, which occurred last April and has not been previously reported, was missed by both a payments employee and a Read more about Citigroup erroneously credited client account with $81tn in ‘near miss’ due to really atrocious UI[…]

Ultrathin films are revolutionizing electrical conductivity

Posted on by Robin Edgar

What if your electronic devices could adapt on the fly to temperature, pressure, or impact? Thanks to a new breakthrough in downsizing quantum materials, that idea is becoming a reality. In an article published this month in Applied Physics Express, a multi-institutional research team led by Osaka University announced that they have successfully synthesized an Read more about Ultrathin films are revolutionizing electrical conductivity[…]

Apple’s Find My exploit lets hackers track any Bluetooth device

Posted on by Robin Edgar

As explained by the researchers in a blog post, they have essentially found a way to turn any device such as a phone or laptop into an AirTag “without the owner ever realizing it.” After that, hackers could remotely track the location of that device. […] Although AirTag was designed to change its Bluetooth address Read more about Apple’s Find My exploit lets hackers track any Bluetooth device[…]

EA just released source code for a bunch of old Command and Conquer games, and added Steam Workshop support to some more

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…]EA’s announced that it’s releasing the source code for a bunch of old C&C games and—here’s the bit where I, as a man who enjoys modding but is also very lazy, gets excited—adding Steam Workshop support to a few more. The games getting a source code release are Command & Conquer (Tiberian Dawn), Red Alert, Read more about EA just released source code for a bunch of old Command and Conquer games, and added Steam Workshop support to some more[…]

Measles Outbreak in Texas Turns Deadly so dumbass anti vax Parents Scramble for Shots

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The measles outbreak in Texas has now turned deadly. Texas and federal health officials have just reported the first deaths attributed to the still-growing outbreak, which has sickened over a hundred people. The Texas Department of State Health Services reported the tragic death of an unvaccinated “school-aged” child Wednesday morning. In the first cabinet meeting Read more about Measles Outbreak in Texas Turns Deadly so dumbass anti vax Parents Scramble for Shots[…]

Shadow of Mordor’s Nemesis system is locked behind a patent until 2036 – you can patent that an enemy remembers you and your fights with him, apparently

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Warner Bros Discovery recently shut down a trio of game studios, including the well-regarded Monolith Productions. This has put one of the coolest game mechanics of the 2010s in limbo. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor’s excellent Nemesis system is locked behind a patent owned by Warner Bros all the way until 2036, according to reporting by Read more about Shadow of Mordor’s Nemesis system is locked behind a patent until 2036 – you can patent that an enemy remembers you and your fights with him, apparently[…]

After Snowden and now Trump, Europe  Finally begins to worry about US-controlled clouds

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In a recent blog post titled “It is no longer safe to move our governments and societies to US clouds,” Bert Hubert, an entrepreneur, software developer, and part-time technical advisor to the Dutch Electoral Council, articulated such concerns. “We now have the bizarre situation that anyone with any sense can see that America is no Read more about After Snowden and now Trump, Europe  Finally begins to worry about US-controlled clouds[…]

Ron Wyden asks for rules about knowing whether you own your digital purchases

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) has sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) chair Andrew Ferguson urging the FTC to require that companies admit when you’re not really buying an ebook or video game. Wyden’s letter, shared with The Verge, requests guidance to “ensure that consumers who purchase or license digital goods can make informed Read more about Ron Wyden asks for rules about knowing whether you own your digital purchases[…]

You Should Download Your Kindle E-Books Now, Before It’s Too Late

Posted on by Robin Edgar

This week, Amazon is eliminating the “Download & Transfer via USB” option for Kindle users. If you own a vast library and hope to take your reading elsewhere, this may be your last opportunity. Amazon has stated in a note on users’ library management page that, starting Wednesday, Feb. 26, it was eliminating “Download & Read more about You Should Download Your Kindle E-Books Now, Before It’s Too Late[…]

DIY Open-Source Star Tracker Gets You Those Great Night Shots can also be bought

Posted on by Robin Edgar

What does one do when frustrated at the lack of affordable, open source portable trackers? If you’re [OG-star-tech], you design your own and give it modular features that rival commercial offerings while you’re at it. What’s a star tracker? It’s a method of determining position based on visible stars, but when it comes to astrophotography the Read more about DIY Open-Source Star Tracker Gets You Those Great Night Shots can also be bought[…]

Google pulls plug on Ad blockers such as uBlock Origin by killing Manifest v2

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Google’s purge of Manifest v2-based extensions from its Chrome browser is underway, as many users over the past few days may have noticed. Popular content-blocking add-on (v2-based) uBlock Origin is now automatically disabled for many in the ubiquitous browser as it continues the V3 rollout. […] According to the company, Google’s decision to shift to Read more about Google pulls plug on Ad blockers such as uBlock Origin by killing Manifest v2[…]

Generative AI’s Impact on Cybersecurity – Q&A With an Expert

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, the integration of generative AI has become a pivotal point of discussion. To delve deeper into this groundbreaking technology and its impact on cybersecurity, we turn to renowned cybersecurity expert Jeremiah Fowler. In this exclusive Q&A session with vpnMentor, Fowler sheds light on the critical role that generative AI Read more about Generative AI’s Impact on Cybersecurity – Q&A With an Expert[…]

Bybit Loses $1.5B in Hack of single cold wallet

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Cryptocurrency exchange Bybit has experienced $1.46 billion worth of “suspicious outflows,” according to blockchain sleuth ZachXBT. The wallet in question appears to have sent 401,346 ETH ($1.1 billion) as well as several other iterations of staked ether (stETH) to a fresh wallet, which is now liquidating mETH and stETH on decentralized exchanges, etherscan shows. The Read more about Bybit Loses $1.5B in Hack of single cold wallet[…]

Apple Says ‘No’ to UK Backdoor Order, Will Just Disable E2E Cloud Encryption Instead

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Good work, Britain. Owners of Apple devices in the United Kingdom will be a little less safe moving forward as the company pulls its most secure end-to-end (E2E) encryption from the country. The move is in response to government demands there that Apple build a backdoor into its iCloud encryption feature that would allow law Read more about Apple Says ‘No’ to UK Backdoor Order, Will Just Disable E2E Cloud Encryption Instead[…]

External Li supply reshapes Li deficiency and lifetime limit of batteries

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Lithium (Li) ions are central to the energy storing functionality of rechargeable batteries1. Present technology relies on sophisticated Li-inclusive electrode materials to provide Li ions and exactingly protect them to ensure a decent lifetime2. Li-deficient materials are thus excluded from battery design, and the battery fails when active Li ions are consumed3. Our study breaks Read more about External Li supply reshapes Li deficiency and lifetime limit of batteries[…]

HP buys Humane’s AI pins, will brick them in 10 days. Like with their VR hardware, HP likes turning hardware into sustainable junk.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

AI hardware startup Humane has given its users just ten (10!) days notice that their Pins will be disconnected. In a note to its customers, the company said AI Pins will “continue to function normally” until 12PM PT on February 28. On that date, users will lose access to essentially all of their device’s features, Read more about HP buys Humane’s AI pins, will brick them in 10 days. Like with their VR hardware, HP likes turning hardware into sustainable junk.[…]

GameStop CEO Scapegoats DEI for Company Troubles. So much for diamondhands then.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen took to X on Tuesday to blame wokeness and DEI for the retail chain’s impending exit from Canada and France. The company, which managed to survive the pandemic thanks to the infamous memestock frenzy, has closed more than 700 stores since 2020 as more game distribution moves digital. In a release, Read more about GameStop CEO Scapegoats DEI for Company Troubles. So much for diamondhands then.[…]

Microcomb chips help pave the way for thousand times more accurate GPS systems

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Today, our mobile phones, computers, and GPS systems can give us very accurate time indications and positioning thanks to the over 400 atomic clocks worldwide. All sorts of clocks — be it mechanical, atomic or a smartwatch — are made of two parts: an oscillator and a counter. The oscillator provides a periodic variation of Read more about Microcomb chips help pave the way for thousand times more accurate GPS systems[…]

Meta slashes staff and their stock options, but it’s ok: executives’ annual bonuses just went from 75% base salary to 200% and stock is around 2000% of salary

Posted on by Robin Edgar

After another round of mass layoffs and reports of slashed stock options for remaining employees, Meta has like clockwork opted to reward its top executives with a substantial bonus increase. The Facebook giant revealed in a government filing that its Compensation, Nominating and Governance Committee (CNGC) approved a target annual bonus increase for its top Read more about Meta slashes staff and their stock options, but it’s ok: executives’ annual bonuses just went from 75% base salary to 200% and stock is around 2000% of salary[…]

Nvidia Drops Support for PhysX on Its RTX 50-Series Cards

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Earlier this week, Nvidia confirmed in its official forums that “32-bit CUDA applications are deprecated on GeForce RTX 50 series GPUS.” The company’s support page for its “Support plan for 32-bit CUDA” notes that some 32-bit capabilities were removed from CUDA 12.0 but does not mention PhysX. Effectively, the 50 series cards cannot run any Read more about Nvidia Drops Support for PhysX on Its RTX 50-Series Cards[…]

Amazon Is Making It Harder to Move Your E-Books Around

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Amazon is once again demonstrating that buying things in today’s world does not mean you actually own them. The company is closing a loophole that enabled owners of Kindle books to strip them of their anti-piracy protection and take them elsewhere. Some avid digital books enthusiasts prefer other e-reading applications to Amazon’s Kindle—perhaps because another Read more about Amazon Is Making It Harder to Move Your E-Books Around[…]