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 » Hackers Found a Way To Open Any of 3 Million Hotel Keycard Locks In Seconds
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Wired: When thousands of security researchers descend on Las Vegas every August for what's come to be known as "hacker summer camp," the back-to-back Black Hat and Defcon hacker conferences, it's a given that some of them will experiment with hacking the infrastructure of Vegas itself, the city's elaborate array of casino and … [Link]
Slashdot » Threads Opens Beta To 'Fediverse Sharing'
In a Threads post today, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the Twitter rival is rolling out a beta of its fediverse integration in the U.S., Canada, and Japan. With the feature enabled, Threads users will be able to cross-post and view likes from other federated platforms, like Mastodon. The Verge reports: Threads previewed its fediverse integration earlier this week … [Link]
Slashdot » Broadcom Is 'Holding the Sector To Ransom' With VMware License Changes, Claims CISPE
couchslug shares a report from ITPro: A European cloud trade body has called for an investigation into Broadcom amid concerns over changes it has made to VMware licensing structures. The Cloud Infrastructure Service Providers in Europe (CISPE) consortium called on regulatory and legislative bodies across Europe to investigate the changes Broadcom has made to the VMware operating model, which it … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Why giving AI a robot body could make its ‘brain’ more human-like
At its AI conference, Nvidia announced new software and hardware for AI-powered humanoid robots: a model called Project GR00T and a computer called Jetson Thor [Link]
New Scientist – News » Is the truth out there? Yes, but it doesn't involve aliens
A recent paper packed with delightful acronyms digs into where people report having seen UFOs, but finds no evidence of alien visitors, says Annalee Newitz [Link]
New Scientist – News » Genetics may protect against disease linked to eating human brains
Remote tribes in Papua New Guinea were ravaged in the 20th century by kuru, which was spread when people ate their dead relatives as part of funeral rituals – but some individuals may have had genetic resistance to the condition [Link]
Slashdot » UN Adopts First Global Artificial Intelligence Resolution
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted the first global resolution on artificial intelligence to encourage protecting personal data, monitoring AI for risks, and safeguarding human rights, U.S. officials said. The nonbinding resolution, proposed by the United States and co-sponsored by China and 121 other nations, took three months to … [Link]
Slashdot » India 'Screwed Up': How the US Lobbied New Delhi To Reverse Laptop Rules
India reversed a laptop licensing policy after behind-the-scenes lobbying by U.S. officials, who however remain concerned about New Delhi's compliance with WTO obligations and new rules it may issue, according to U.S. trade officials and government emails seen by Reuters. From the report: In August, India imposed rules requiring firms like Apple, Dell and HP to obtain licences for all … [Link]
Slashdot » Google is Bringing Satellite Messaging To Android 15
Google's second developer preview for Android 15 has arrived, bringing long-awaited support for satellite connectivity alongside several improvements to contactless payments, multi-language recognition, volume consistency, and interaction with PDFs via apps. From a report: These developer-focused betas are a proving ground for features that will likely make it into the final public release scheduled for later this year. According to … [Link]
New Scientist – News » SpaceX’s Starship created a volcano-like explosion in first launch
The Starship rocket destroyed its launch pad during its first launch attempt in 2023, and the explosion resembled a powerful volcanic eruption, spraying sand and chunks of debris over a huge area [Link]
Slashdot » Cloud Software Group Snubs GPL Obligations, Say Critics
An anonymous reader shares a report: Even if you decide to stop offering free editions, you don't get to stop providing the source code to FOSS, users of JasperReports Server are complaining. Cloud Software Group — the post-merger offspring of Citrix and Tibco — has decided to withdraw the community edition of its JasperReports Server. Now all you can get … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Organic farms seem to trigger more pesticide use on conventional farms
Insects tend to be more abundant on organic farms than conventional ones, which may cause the pests to spill over into neighbouring fields, prompting these farmers to increase their pesticide use [Link]
New Scientist – News » Pig kidney transplanted into living human for the first time
A genetically modified pig kidney has been successfully transplanted into a living human – and the recipient is expected to leave hospital soon [Link]
Slashdot » Motorola Spoiled a Good Budget Phone With Bloatware
Motorola's 2024 Moto G Power impresses with its soft-touch back and contoured edges at a $300 price point, despite an underwhelming camera and LCD panel. Except one thing: the bloatware. The Verge: Scroll through the app drawer and you'll see a handful of automatically downloaded "folders." They are not folders; they are apps. I first encountered them on last year's … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Sulphur dioxide from Iceland volcano eruption has reached the UK
A huge plume of sulphur dioxide from the latest eruption in Iceland is drifting across Europe, but it isn't expected to cause any significant harm [Link]
Slashdot » Epic, Spotify, Others Back DOJ Lawsuit Against Apple
The Coalition for App Fairness, an industry body that represents Epic, Spotify, Match Group and Proton among others, issued the following statement following the U.S. announcing it had sued Apple: "With today's announcement, the Department of Justice is taking a strong stand against Apple's stranglehold over the mobile app ecosystem, which stifles competition and hurts American consumers and developers alike. … [Link]
Slashdot » Unpatchable Vulnerability in Apple Chip Leaks Secret Encryption Keys
A newly discovered vulnerability baked into Apple's M-series of chips allows attackers to extract secret keys from Macs when they perform widely used cryptographic operations, academic researchers have revealed in a paper published Thursday. From a report: The flaw — a side channel allowing end-to-end key extractions when Apple chips run implementations of widely used cryptographic protocols — can't be … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Teen sweat has distinct chemical make-up with notes of musk and urine
Teenagers and babies produce different chemicals in their sweat, which may be why infants are generally considered to smell sweeter [Link]
New Scientist – News » Food costs more because of climate change – and it will get worse
Rising temperatures are predicted to drive up food inflation by between 0.9 and 3.2 per cent a year by 2035, as crop yields suffer from extreme heat [Link]
Slashdot » Microsoft Unveils Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 for Business, Its First AI PCs
Microsoft has announced two new Surface devices, the Surface Pro 10 for Business and Surface Laptop 6 for Business, both featuring Intel's latest Core Ultra processors, a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU), and a new Copilot key for AI-powered features in Windows 11. The devices, which will start shipping to commercial customers on April 9th, have been designed exclusively for … [Link]
Slashdot » Universities Have a Computer-Science Problem
theodp writes: "Last year," Ian Bogost writes in Universities Have a Computer-Science Problem, "18 percent of Stanford University seniors graduated with a degree in computer science, more than double the proportion of just a decade earlier. Over the same period at MIT, that rate went up from 23 percent to 42 percent. These increases are common everywhere: The average number … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Why 2024 Abel prize winner Michel Talagrand became a mathematician
After losing an eye at the age of 5, the 2024 Abel prize winner Michel Talagrand found comfort in mathematics [Link]
Slashdot » First Human Transplant of a Genetically Modified Pig Kidney Performed
For the first time, surgeons have transplanted a kidney from a genetically modified pig into a living person, doctors in Boston said Thursday. From a report: Richard Slayman, 62, of Weymouth, Mass., who is suffering from end-stage kidney disease, received the organ Saturday in a four-hour procedure, Massachusetts General Hospital announced. He is recovering well and is expected to be … [Link]
Slashdot » Superconductor Scientist Engaged in Research Misconduct, Probe Finds
A physicist who shot to fame with claims of the discovery of a room-temperature superconductor engaged in research misconduct, a committee tapped to examine his work has concluded after a monthslong investigation. From a report: Ranga Dias, a physicist at the University of Rochester in New York, has had at least four papers he co-wrote, including three involving superconductivity, retracted … [Link]
Slashdot » US Sues Apple, Alleges Tech Giant Exploits Illegal Monopoly
The Justice Department sued Apple on Thursday, alleging the tech giant blocked software developers and mobile gaming companies from offering better options on the iPhone, resulting in higher prices for consumers. WSJ: The government's antitrust complaint, filed in a New Jersey federal court, alleges Apple used its control of the iPhone to prevent competitors from offering innovative services such as … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Has Neuralink made a breakthrough in brain implant technology?
Elon Musk's brain-computer interface firm Neuralink has released a video of its first patient, Noland Arbaugh, controlling a computer cursor with his thoughts – is this the future? [Link]
New Scientist – News » Fluffy beetle discovered in Australia may be the world's hairiest
The exceptionally long white hairs on the newly named longhorn beetle Excastra albopilosa may deceive predators into thinking it is covered in fungus [Link]
Slashdot » Reddit Prices IPO At $34 Per Share, the Top of the Range
An anonymous reader writes: Reddit priced its stock on Wednesday at $34 a share, the top of the anticipated range, a signal that investors are excited about the company's IPO on Thursday. The social media giant raised nearly $500 million in the offering. Excluding employee stock options, the 19-year old company's valuation will start at $5.4 billion, a far cry … [Link]
New Scientist – News » How to take a stunning photograph of April’s total eclipse
Photographing the eclipse isn't as easy as taking a selfie, but with a bit of preparation anyone can capture a memorable image [Link]
New Scientist – News » Ozempic and Wegovy linked to a lower risk of cannabis use disorder
An analysis of almost 700,000 people with type 2 diabetes or obesity found that those prescribed Ozempic or Wegovy were about half as likely to develop cannabis use disorder as those taking other medications [Link]
New Scientist – News » Why our genetic code should remain off-limits to life insurers
As DNA testing becomes routine, will life insurance companies start using our genetic code to inform their decisions, asks Jenny Kleeman [Link]
New Scientist – News » These four common medicines could help prolong your life
Viagra, HRT, a statin and a painkiller slightly lowered people’s chances of dying over a 12-year study, suggesting they may have life-extending properties [Link]
Slashdot » GNOME 46 Released
prisoninmate shares a report from 9to5Linux: Dubbed "Kathmandu" after the host city of the GNOME.Asia 2023 conference in Kathmandu, Nepal, the GNOME 46 desktop environment is here to introduce major new features like headless remote desktop support that lets you connect to your GNOME system remotely without there being an existing session. While experimental, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support is … [Link]
Slashdot » Neuralink Shows First Brain-Chip Patient Playing Online Chess Using His Mind
Neuralink, the brain-chip startup founded by Elon Musk, showed its first patient using his mind to play online chess. Reuters reports: Noland Arbaugh, the 29-year-old patient who was paralyzed below the shoulder after a diving accident, played chess on his laptop and moved the cursor using the Neuralink device. The implant seeks to enable people to control a computer cursor … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Blue tits shared a tree hollow with bird-eating bats – and survived
A pair of blue tits were seen nesting in a tree cavity that was also inhabited by about 25 greater noctule bats, which commonly eat blue tits, but the birds lived to tell the tale [Link]
New Scientist – News » Why falling birth rates will be a bigger problem than overpopulation
Birthrates are projected to have fallen below the replacement level, of 2.1 per woman, in more than three quarters of countries by 2050 [Link]
Slashdot » Formula 1 Chief Appalled To Find Team Using Excel To Manage 20,000 Car Parts
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Starting in early 2023, Williams team principal James Vowles and chief technical officer Pat Fry started reworking the F1 team's systems for designing and building its car. It would be painful, but the pain would keep the team from falling even further behind. As they started figuring out new processes and … [Link]
The Joy of Tech » Gen Zs aren't happy.
There’s an app for that? [Link]
Slashdot » EPA Sets Strict New Limits On Tailpipe Emissions That Could Boost EV Sector
sinij shares a report from the New York Post: The Biden administration finalized its crackdown on gas cars Wednesday, with the Environmental Protection Agency announcing drastic climate regulations meant to ensure more than two-thirds of passenger cars and light trucks sold by 2032 are electric or hybrid vehicles. The EPA rule imposes strict limits on tailpipe pollution, limits the agency … [Link]
Slashdot » NVIDIA Partners With Ubisoft To Further Develop Its AI-driven NPCs
NVIDIA has been working on adding generative AI to non-playable characters (NPCs) for a while now. The company is hoping a newly-announced partnership with Ubisoft will accelerate development of this technology and, ultimately, bring these AI-driven NPCs to modern games. From a report: Ubisoft helped build new "NEO NPCs" by using NVIDIA's Avatar Cloud Engine (ACE) technology, with an assist … [Link]
Slashdot » US Broadband Providers To Begin Providing New Comparison Labels
Major U.S. broadband internet providers must start displaying information similar to nutrition labels on food products to help consumers shop for services starting on April 10, under new rules from the Federal Communications Commission. From a report: Verizon Communications said it will begin providing the labels on Wednesday. The FCC first moved to mandate the labels in 2022. Smaller providers … [Link]
Slashdot » Epic Games Store To Launch On iOS and Android This Year, Will Take 12% Cut of Sales In EU
During its State of Unreal presentation at GDC 2024 today, Epic Games confirmed its plans to bring the Epic Games Store to iOS and Android before the end of the year. The company also shared more details about its app marketplace for iOS in the European Union. As reported by 9to5Mac, Epic Games said it will take a 12% commission … [Link]
Slashdot » Woman With $2.5 Billion In Bitcoin Convicted of Money Laundering
mrspoonsi shares a report from the BBC: A former takeaway worker found with Bitcoin worth more than $2.5 billion has been convicted at Southwark Crown Court of a crime linked to money laundering. Jian Wen, 42, from Hendon in north London, was involved in converting the currency into assets including multi-million-pound houses and jewelry. On Monday she was convicted of … [Link]
Slashdot » India Will Fact-Check Online Posts About Government Matters
An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: In India, a government-run agency will now monitor and undertake fact-checking for government related matters on social media even as tech giants expressed grave concerns about it last year. The Ministry of Electronics and IT on Wednesday wrote in a gazette notification that it is amending the IT Rules 2021 to cement … [Link]
Slashdot » macOS Sonoma 14.4 Bug 'Destroys Saved Versions In iCloud Drive'
The macOS Sonoma 14.4 update introduces a bug affecting iCloud Drive's versioning system, where users with "Optimize Mac Storage" enabled can lose all previous versions of a file removed from local storage. MacRumors reports: Versions are normally created automatically when users save files using apps that work with the version system in macOS. According to The Eclectic Light Company's Howard … [Link]
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