Anyone who works as a freelancer these days has to be at least a bit familiar with techie things. But it isn’t just that. When I was a kid and those vaguely SF puppet shows were on the television and all the other kids wanted to be Greg Gogetem or Steve Savetheuniverse, I wanted to be the guy in a white coat and glasses called Doc or Brains. Here are some technology-related feeds I find useful and/or entertaining.
Slashdot » Lyft and Uber To Cease Operations In Minneapolis After New Minimum Wage Law
The city council of Minneapolis on Thursday voted 10-3 to allow rideshare drivers to be paid the local minimum wage of $15.57 an hour, overriding the mayor's veto of the bill. As a result, Lyft and Uber said they will cease operations in the city. From a report: Lyft said in a statement the bill was "deeply flawed" and that … [Link]
Slashdot » After 114 Days of Change, Broadcom CEO Acknowledges VMware-Related 'Unease'
In a blog post Thursday, Broadcom CEO and President Hock Tan acknowledged the discomfort VMware customers and partners have experienced after the sweeping changes that Broadcom has instituted since it acquired the company nearly four months ago. "Of course, we recognize that this level of change has understandably created some unease among our customers and partners," writes Tan. "But all … [Link]
Slashdot » FTC Goes Undercover Against Fake Antivirus Companies
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a legal complaint against two companies based in Cyprus on Wednesday that it claims are behind a wave of malicious pop-ups that trick people into downloading a fake piece of antivirus software that generated tens of millions of dollars for its operators, according to court records. From a report: The scam also involved misrepresenting … [Link]
Slashdot » Walmart Begins Selling the Mac For the First Time
Walmart is teaming up with Apple to sell the Mac for the first time. From a report: In a press release today, the company said that it is now selling the base model M1 MacBook Air online and in select stores for $699. The move comes a week after Apple introduced the new M3 MacBook Air and stopped selling the … [Link]
Slashdot » India Drops Plan To Require Approval For AI Model Launches
An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: India is walking back on a recent AI advisory after receiving criticism from many local and global entrepreneurs and investors. The Ministry of Electronics and IT shared an updated AI advisory with industry stakeholders on Friday that no longer asked them to take the government approval before launching or deploying an AI … [Link]
Slashdot » Sam Bankman-Fried Deserves 40-50 Years in Prison For FTX Fraud, Prosecutors Say
Sam Bankman-Fried should spend between 40 and 50 years in prison after being convicted for stealing $8 billion from customers of his now-bankrupt FTX cryptocurrency exchange, prosecutors said on Friday. From a report: "His life in recent years has been one of unmatched greed and hubris; of ambition and rationalization; and courting risk and gambling repeatedly with other people's money," … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Anti-inflammatory nasal spray may ease symptoms of multiple sclerosis
A nasal spray containing an anti-inflammatory molecule reduces symptom severity in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis, although the treatment might come with risks in people [Link]
Slashdot » Microsoft is Once Again Asking Chrome Users To Try Bing Through Unblockable Pop-ups
Microsoft has been pushing Bing pop-up ads in Chrome on Windows 10 and 11. The new ad once again encourages Chrome users (in bold lettering) to use Bing instead of Google search. From a report: "Chat with GPT-4 for free on Chrome! Get hundreds of daily chat turns with Bing Al," the ad reads. If you click "Yes," the pop-up … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Gold flecks make super-transparent glass fully opaque from one side
A glare-free window that is opaque from the outside but still offers a clear view from inside could be made with a coating using billions of tiny bits of gold [Link]
New Scientist – News » Miniature furniture 3D printed using ink made from recycled wood
Waste wood can be reconstituted into a form that can be 3D printed and used to produce furniture or other objects [Link]
Slashdot » Mercedes is Trialing Humanoid Robots For 'Low Skill, Repetitive' Tasks
Mercedes-Benz is the latest automotive company to trial how humanoid robots could be used to automate "low skill, physically challenging, manual labor." From a report: On Friday, robotics company Apptronik announced it had entered into a commercial agreement with Mercedes to pilot how "highly advanced robotics" like Apollo — Apptronik's 160-pound bipedal robot — can be used in manufacturing. The … [Link]
Slashdot » Apple, Investors Reach $490 Million Settlement in Fraud Case
Apple reached a $490 million settlement of a class-action lawsuit brought by a group of investors who accused Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook of misleading them in 2018 about the company's sales prospects. From a report: Cook made false statements about the company's business in China that caused Apple stock to trade at artificially inflated prices, the investors said in … [Link]
Slashdot » Supreme Court Tosses Rulings on Public Officials' Social Media Blockings
The Supreme Court clarified when public officials can block critical constituents from their personal profiles without violating their constitutional protections in a unanimous decision Friday. From a report: After hearing appeals of two conflicting rulings — one filed against school board members in Southern California and another filed against the city manager of Port Huron, Mich. — the justices provided … [Link]
Slashdot » Cable And Satellite Providers Required To Disclose 'All In' Pricing Under Newly Passed FCC Rules
The FCC passed new rules that will require cable and satellite providers to clearly disclose the "all in" price of subscriptions in promotional materials. From a report: "The advertised price for a service should be the price you pay when your bill arrives," FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said. "It shouldn't include a bunch of unexpected junk fees that are separate … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Perfectly straight ridges may cover the poles of Saturn’s moon Titan
Saturn’s moon Titan may have hundreds of strange ridges called yardangs that could teach us how the icy moon’s geology and conditions vary across its surface [Link]
Slashdot » Microsoft Singles Out Google's Competitive Edge in Generative AI
Google enjoys a competitive edge in generative AI due to its trove of data and AI-optimised chips, Microsoft has told EU antitrust regulators, underscoring the rivalry between the two tech giants. From a report: The comments by Microsoft were in response to a consultation launched by the European Commission in January on the level of competition in generative AI. The … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Single mathematical model governs primate brain shape across species
An analysis of primate brains shows that the pattern of folds on the surface follows the same mathematical pattern across species [Link]
Slashdot » India Cuts Import Taxes on EVs in Boost For Tesla's Entry Plans
India will lower import taxes on certain electric vehicles for companies committing to invest at least $500 million and setting up a local manufacturing facility within three years, a policy shift that could potentially bolster Tesla's plans to enter the South Asian market. From a report: Companies must invest a minimum of $500 million in the country and will have … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Mental health conditions may accelerate ageing by damaging RNA
People with mental health conditions have greater amounts of damaged RNA than those without one, which might explain the link between the conditions and age-related diseases such as cancer [Link]
Slashdot » FCC Scraps Old Speed Benchmark, Says Broadband Should Be at Least 100Mbps
The Federal Communications Commission has voted to raise its Internet speed benchmark for the first time since January 2015, concluding that modern broadband service should provide at least 100Mbps download speeds and 20Mbps upload speeds. From a report: An FCC press release after today's 3-2 vote said the 100Mbps/20Mbps benchmark "is based on the standards now used in multiple federal … [Link]
New Scientist – News » ‘Sound laser’ is the most powerful ever made
A new device uses a reflective cavity, a tiny bead and an electrode to create a laser beam of sound particles ten times more powerful and much narrower than other “phonon lasers” [Link]
Slashdot » Giant Volcano Discovered On Mars
Scientists have discovered a giant volcano on Mars, as well as a possible sheet of buried glacier ice near the planet's equator. Phys.Org reports: Imaged repeatedly by orbiting spacecraft around Mars since Mariner 9 in 1971 — but deeply eroded beyond easy recognition, the giant volcano had been hiding in plain sight for decades in one of Mars' most iconic … [Link]
Slashdot » Southern Oregon Now Boasts World's Largest Dark Sky Sanctuary
Sheraz Sadiq reports via Oregon Public Broadcasting: An area that's nearly half the size of New Jersey in southern Oregon was recently named the world's largest dark sky sanctuary by DarkSky International. The nonprofit works to combat light pollution through advocacy and conservation, including a program that has certified more than 200 places around the world to protect the night … [Link]
Slashdot » CIA Used Chinese Social Media In Covert Influence Operation Against Xi Jinping's Government
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: Two years into office, President Donald Trump authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to launch a clandestine campaign on Chinese social media aimed at turning public opinion in China against its government, according to former U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the highly classified operation. Three former officials told Reuters that the CIA … [Link]
The Joy of Tech » Front view/Back view
They doth protest! [Link]
Slashdot » Caffeine Makes Fuel Cells More Efficient, Cuts Cost of Energy Storage
Dan Robinson reports via The Register: Adding caffeine can enhance the efficiency of fuel cells, reducing the need for platinum in electrodes and significantly reducing the cost of making them, according to researchers in Japan. […] The study, published in the journal Communications Chemistry, concerns the catalysis process at the cathode of a fuel cell and making this reaction more … [Link]
Slashdot » FTC and DOJ Think McDonald's Ice Cream Machines Should Be Legal To Fix
The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice have urged the US Copyright Office to broaden exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act's Section 1201. Specifically, the two agencies are advocating for the extension of the right to repair to include "commercial and industrial equipment," which includes McDonald's ice cream machines that are notorious for breaking down. The Verge … [Link]
Slashdot » SpaceX Celebrates Third Launch of Starship Rocket Despite Loss of Contact
sixoh1 writes: On the third attempt, SpaceX's Super Heavy booster lofted the Starship vehicle to space on a sub-orbital parabolic trajectory. The test was successful for nearly all of the objectives, including payload delivery functions on Starship that will be used for Starlink deployment and in-space fuel transfers. Unfortunately the booster did not soft-land, and the Starship vehicle was destroyed … [Link]
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