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- The Morning After: The cryptofarm powered by PS4 Pros
- Blue Origin gets FAA approval for its first human spaceflight on July 20th
- Jabra's Elite 85h ANC headphones fall back to $150
- Senate appoints former NSA official as head of US cybersecurity agency
- Samsung's latest HDR imaging chip is designed for vehicle camera systems
- Tag Heuer made a Super Mario-themed smartwatch because why not
- Cryptofarm with thousands of PS4 Pros raided in Ukraine
- Acer's new Chromebook Spin 713 is $80 off at Best Buy
- Verizon settles with Huawei over patent disagreement
- Sony reveals a new version of its lamp-style portable speaker
- LeBron James comes to 'Fortnite' on July 14th
- ESPN+ subscriptions are getting a price increase on August 13th
- Microsoft is buying cloud cybersecurity company RiskIQ
- Google rolls out a new Drive desktop app for syncing files and photos
- YouTube Shorts are now available in 100 countries globally
- Apple TV+ signs production deal for Russian and 'multilingual' shows
- Elon Musk booked a trip to space with Virgin Galactic
- Man charged for allegedly selling insider trading tips on the dark web
- Verizon's call filtering app now blocks area code spoofing
- Iran's railway system fell prey to a cyberattack this weekend
- China will tighten data privacy rules for tech companies seeking foreign investment
- Samsung's Galaxy Buds Pro fall to an all-time low of $120
- MIT robot could help people with limited mobility dress themselves
| The Morning After: The cryptofarm powered by PS4 Pros Posted: 13 Jul 2021 04:14 AM PDT A pretty comprehensive leak laid out what could be everything Samsung has planned for its upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event. Other leaks suggested folding phones, a couple of Wear OS smartwatches and new earbuds, but now we can see more of the new products, what they're called and the color options we might get. Digital Daily News The latest leak from Evan Blass on Twitter include animated tours of all the devices. That includes the foldable Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3, the Galaxy S21 FE, the Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Watch 4 Classic smartwatches and the Galaxy Buds 2. The lineup suggests an aggressive push on its foldable devices, as Samsung remains the biggest phone maker dabbling in the new (still expensive) form factor. It's still a key differentiator between the Galaxy family and pretty much every other phone series. This is especially true in the West, where foldables from Huawei, ZTE and Xiaomi and the rest don't garner the same attention (or ad spend) as the Galaxy Fold. Will Samsung offer a more competitively priced foldable? We don't know just yet. The leaks share no prices and no launch dates, so Samsung will have something to reveal when Unpacked kicks off, which will, presumably, be very soon. — Mat Smith
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| Blue Origin gets FAA approval for its first human spaceflight on July 20th Posted: 13 Jul 2021 03:50 AM PDT The FAA has approved Blue Origin's maiden crewed rocket voyage set for July 20th with the company's founder Jeff Bezos aboard. The flight aboard the New Shepard will take Bezos, his brother Mark, aviation pioneer Wally Funk and three other passengers to Kármán line, just beyond the edge of space. To get the certification, Blue Origin had to verify New Shepard's hardware and software operation during its NS-15 test flight conducted on April 14th, 2021. If all goes to plan, the New Shepard booster and capsule with astronauts aboard will blast off to an altitude beyond 100 kilometers (62 miles). The booster will eventually separate from the capsule and attempt to land Earth, while the capsule with passengers aboard will descend to the ground carried by a triple parachute system. Rival Richard Branson beat Bezos to be the first billionaire in space aboard Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo. However, Blue Origin claimed that Virgin Galactic didn't truly go to space as it "only" went 57 miles up and didn't cross the Kármán line considered by many to be the edge of space. In any case, neither company will be taking passengers into orbit, unlike SpaceX, which is set to do a true orbital flight with passengers aboard later this year. The prices for the different systems are also vastly different: Virgin Galactic's customers pay $250,000 for a ticket to the edge of space, Blue Origin space tourists are expected to pay around $500,000 and SpaceX clients will pay $55 million for a 10-day mission to the ISS. However, a seat to fly with Jeff Bezos on the maiden Blue Horizon flight sold at auction for $28 million to a buyer expected to be named soon. That's a lot for a flight expected to last about 10 minutes, but it should be quite a ride. |
| Jabra's Elite 85h ANC headphones fall back to $150 Posted: 13 Jul 2021 03:25 AM PDT Jabra's excellent earbuds may get all the attention, but it makes some solid headphones to boot. Take the Elite 85h, which are currently on sale at Amazon for $150, a $100 saving on their normal price of $250. We gave them a solid 84 rating with praise for their custom EQ and active noise cancellation modes and excellent battery life. Buy Jabra Elite 85h at Amazon - $150 The only major caveat we had was the price. Upon their launch, the true wireless headphones cost $300, but more recently they've sat at the sub-$160 range, even briefly dropping to $120. This latest deal marks an all-time low for Amazon and essentially cements their appeal. If you missed them in 2019, the Elite 85h offer EQ and noise-cancellation presets within Jabra's Sound+ companion app that actually boost their audio profile. The headphones can automatically switch between these so-called "Moments" by analyzing noise to detect which location you're in. In addition, the software lets you choose between different voice assistants and helps you find your headphones if you lose them. The Elite 85h also offer on-ear detection. When activated from the app, you can automatically answer calls or resume audio by putting them on. What's more, the headphones boast a heaving 36 hours of battery life with ANC on, topping Sony's 1000XM3 by six hours and Bose's QC35 II by an impressive 16 hours. Turn off noise-cancellation and you can up that to 41 hours between charges. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. |
| Senate appoints former NSA official as head of US cybersecurity agency Posted: 13 Jul 2021 02:20 AM PDT A former NSA and White House official has been appointed to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) at a time when ransomware and other kinds of cyberattacks are on the rise. The Senate has named Jen Easterly as the second person to head up the DHS agency, according to Politico. CISA provides cybersecurity tools and incident response services to government networks, and it also offers security advice to infrastructure operators and businesses. Politico previously reported that CISA has been struggling to handle one cybercrisis after another and that the agency is understaffed and overworked. It had to face multiple intrusions in the middle of the pandemic as bad actors attacked the healthcare industry with ransomware, forcing them to pay up to prevent delays that could cost lives. CISA also had to respond to the massive SolarWinds hack that the government is blaming on Russia, as well as the ransomware attacks on Colonial Pipeline, software giant Kaseya and meat supplier JBS. Easterly doesn't only have to lead response efforts to ongoing cyberattacks, it now also falls upon her shoulders to make sure CISA gains the ability to counter new threats as they come up. Before being named as the new CISA head, Easterly spent years as the number 2 official in the NSA's counterterrorism division and was also the National Security Council's senior director for counterterrorism under former President Barack Obama. |
| Samsung's latest HDR imaging chip is designed for vehicle camera systems Posted: 13 Jul 2021 01:24 AM PDT Cars are loaded with cameras these days, including on the front and rear, mirrors, side-sensing cameras and driver monitoring cameras. Samsung is trying to attack that market with a specially-designed automotive sensor that uses some unique technology to adapt to both low and bright lighting situations, the company announced. A touch smaller than sensors used on smartphones, the ISOCELL Auto 4AC offers 1,280 x 960 resolution but has a unique "CornerPixel" arrangement. Within a single pixel areas it uses both 1 micron and 3 micron photodiodes, with the latter used for capturing images in low light situations. Much like Sony's HDR automotive sensor, it can capture video at night while also adapting to fast-changing lighting situations like in tunnels. Samsung "With two photodiodes capturing images in different exposures simultaneously, the sensor offers up to 120dB HDR with minimal motion blur, allowing smoother transitions between dark and bright areas while preserving more details of the road ahead," according to Samsung. At the same time, it can mitigate flicker issues with LED lights over 90 hertz used in headlights, street lamps and other sources. Samsung is rumored to have won a $436 million dollar contract to supply "the largest US EV maker" with camera modules that would replace rearview mirrors, according to the Korea Economic Daily. That automaker is rumored to be Tesla and the vehicle may be the Cybertruck, which has cameras in the front fenders rather than rearview mirrors, as Electrek has noted. All that said, however, the new sensor launch may be unrelated and for now, cameras still can't legally replace side mirrors in the US. As with other automotive-grade sensors, the ISOCELL Auto 4AC can withstand temperatures ranging from -40 to 125 degrees Celcius, and can be adapted to both human (mirrors, backup cameras etc.) and machine (self-driving) systems. The sensor is currently in production so it could appear in cars in the near future. |
| Tag Heuer made a Super Mario-themed smartwatch because why not Posted: 12 Jul 2021 11:00 PM PDT Your favorite video game plumber will soon be available on a Wear OS watch. Tag Heuer announced today that it's collaborating with Nintendo to make a Super Mario edition of its Connected smartwatch, featuring "the intrepid, iconic hero" in various watch faces and animations. It'll be available July 15th for $2,150, which is in line with how much the Connected series has cost in the past. One of the highlights here, though, is the company's use of Mario's appearances to encourage wearers to get active and reward them when they move. According to Tag Heuer, Mario's "upbeat and active personality will encourage wearers of this smartwatch to enjoy moving too." But it's not just about being inspired by simply seeing his face on your wrist. The watch's dial will become "livelier and more animated the more the wearer is active." There's also a "gamification rewards system" at play. Mario will greet you with a salute each morning, and as you move about, you'll get different animations as you hit 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent of your steps target. These animations feature familiar items from the Mario universe, like the Super Mushroom, Pipe, Super Star and Goal Pole. The company says this idea was inspired by the notion of "easter eggs," so I suppose you're supposed to treat these animations as such. Even when you're not being active, the Tag Heuer Connected Super Mario edition's interface will remind you of the character. You can choose from a selection of four new watch faces, and they don't just offer red-and-blue themes. The Timekeeping dial, for example, uses "retro elements from the 1985 version of Super Mario Bros. with Mario, all in pixels." One of the designs features Mario's cap, while another takes elements of the game and puts them in a rotating animation. Tag Heuer In addition to onscreen graphics, the watch itself has Super Mario touches. Push buttons, crown logo and bezel graduation now come in Super Mario red, and you'll find symbols etched into the bezel that reflect the in-game objects you'll see when you hit your steps goals, too. A letter M is engraved on strap buckles and the crown, while the words "TAG Heuer x Super Mario Limited Edition" are also carved into the back of the watch. The company is also offering two interchangeable straps for the new watch: a black leather band on red rubber and a "sporty alternative in matching red perforated rubber," as well as a travel case in — what else — Super Mario red. Those hardware touches are pretty important since even though the Mario faces and skins will be available first on this limited edition of the Connected watch, Tag Heuer said it "is also considering making it available on other editions of TAG Heuer Connected at a later stage." Since this is a Wear OS device (Tag Heuer hasn't responded to Engadget's query on whether this is the existing OS or if it will update to the version co-engineered by Samsung and Google), the rest of the watch's functions will feel familiar. You can access Google Assistant, get your calendar and weather updates, along with Fit progress tracking on the watch. It'll also offer the company's own Sport, Golf and Wellness apps for better fitness tools. The Super Mario version of Connected has a 45mm face and weighs 86 grams (0.18 pounds) with a rubber strap. It's water resistant up to 5ATM, and Tag Heuer promises its 430mAh battery can last a full day. Tag Heuer is only making 2,000 of these watches, which will be available in selected boutiques and at its websitein some regions, from 15th July 2021. At $2,150, the special edition costs more than its non-Mario counterparts, which start at $1,800, but if you're that hardcore of a fan, you might be convinced to fork over the cash. |
| Cryptofarm with thousands of PS4 Pros raided in Ukraine Posted: 12 Jul 2021 09:51 PM PDT The Security Service of Ukraine or SBU has discovered and raided a cryptocurrency mining farm that allegedly stole electricity from the country's power grid. But instead of finding computers, the agency found racks with thousands of PS4 Pros stacked vertically side-by-side. As reported by Kotaku, the Ukrainian authorities confiscated over 5,000 gaming-related devices — 3,800 of which were consoles — from a warehouse right next to (and formerly owned by) the Vinnytsiaoblenergo energy distribution company. It's the largest cryptofarm the SBU has discovered so far, and the agency believes it's being operated by people living in the cities of Kyiv and Vinnytsia. Apparently, the operators used special electricity meters to prevent authorities from discovering the theft, which amounted to as much as US$257,000. "At the same time," the SBU wrote in its announcement, "the illegal withdrawal of electricity could lead to more global consequences — entire neighborhoods of Vinnytsia could be left without electricity." Vinnytsiaoblenergo denied any involvement in a statement sent to the Kyiv Post: "The equipment used for cryptocurrency mining has never operated on premises owned by our enterprise." It also said that it didn't find any evidence of electric theft and that the SBU's findings "does not correspond to reality." While it's unclear at the moment whether the facility truly stole electricity or not, the SBU has published images of the PS4 Pros it found at the warehouse, which you can see below. As Kotaku notes, 3,800 consoles mean an investment of around US$1,500,000, assuming all of them are PS4 Pros. SBU |
| Acer's new Chromebook Spin 713 is $80 off at Best Buy Posted: 12 Jul 2021 03:15 PM PDT The Acer Chromebook Spin 713, one of our more recent Chrome OS favorites, is on sale at Best Buy. The retailer has discounted the laptop by $80, marking one of the first times we've seen it on sale since it came out earlier in the year. With the discount, the Spin 713 is currently $619 instead of $699. The model that Best Buy is selling features an 11th-generation Intel Core i5 processor with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It also comes with plenty of ports, including two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 connections, a microSD slot, as well as HDMI and headphone jacks. Buy Acer Chromebook Spin 713 at Best Buy - $619 Engadget gave the Spin 713 a score of 85 when we reviewed it last month. Part of what makes it stand out in the crowded Chrome OS market is that it features a display with a 3:2 aspect ratio. Most Chromebooks feature 16:9 displays, making them well-suited for watching video content but less than ideal if you need to do any work on them. The display on the Spin 713 is also bright and sharp with a pixel density of 200 pixels per inch. The taller screen also means you get a more generous trackpad than you'll find on your average Chromebook. Combine that with a solid keyboard, a capable processor and just the right amount of RAM for Chrome OS and you have a device that's solid. Aside from average battery life, one of the few complaints we had with the Spin 713 was the asking price. At $619, it's a better value. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. |
| Verizon settles with Huawei over patent disagreement Posted: 12 Jul 2021 01:59 PM PDT Huawei and Verizon (Engadget's parent company) have settled their long-standing patent dispute. The disagreement dates back to 2019 when Huawei said it approached Verizon about licensing some of its technologies. After nearly a year of negotiations, talks between the two companies broke down on January 21st, 2020, and Huawei went on to file multiple lawsuits against the telecom in courts across Texas. At the center of the feud were 12 standards-relevant patents that Huawei said Verizon was using in its infrastructure. At the time, Verizon dismissed the lawsuits, claiming they were "nothing more than a PR stunt." It has since changed its tune. "Verizon is happy with the settlement reached with Huawei involving patent lawsuits. While terms of the settlement are not being disclosed, our team did an outstanding job bringing this protracted matter to a close," Verizon spokesperson Rich Young said in a statement. For Huawei, this is precisely the type of outcome the company had hoped for when it announced at the start of 2021 that it planned to monetize its patent portfolio more aggressively. While the US and other parts of the world have barred it from their national 5G networks, the Chinese company is ideally situated to make money on licensing fees. It has among the most 5G-related standards-relevant patents of any company in the world. To that end, it estimated the licensing strategy could help it generate as much as $1.3 billion in additional revenue between 2019 and the end of 2021. |
| Sony reveals a new version of its lamp-style portable speaker Posted: 12 Jul 2021 12:58 PM PDT Sony has revealed a cheaper model of its speaker that looks like a lamp. Style-conscious audiophiles will be able to order the LSPX-S3 glass sound speaker starting in August. The Bluetooth-enabled device features an organic glass tweeter with three actuators that enable it to emit sound in all directions, according to Sony. The company claims the tweeter "produces clear and powerful high tones" and spreads sound evenly throughout a space. The LSPX-S3 has a 46mm speaker unit and you can adjust the levels via the Sony Music Center app. It also has LDAC support for high-resolution audio. Sony The speaker won't light up an entire room, but the flickering candlelight-style illumination should provide a cozy ambiance for nighttime reading. The LED can pulse in sync with music and there are several lighting modes and brightness levels. You can take the LSPX-S3 outdoors, too. It weighs around 1.1kg and has a battery that Sony says can power the device for up to eight hours on a single charge. You can recharge it via the USB-C charging port. There's also an option to link two units for stereo playback and it can form part of a multi-room audio system. In addition, the speaker has a built-in microphone for calls, a metal base and a fabric bottom. Almost six years ago, Sony first showed off a prototype for the stylish product. The company released the LSPX-S2 in Japan in 2019 and brought it to the US the following year. The LSPX-S3 will cost $350/£315/€350, which is around $100 cheaper than the previous model. It's not yet clear when Sony will start shipping the speaker. |
| LeBron James comes to 'Fortnite' on July 14th Posted: 12 Jul 2021 12:31 PM PDT With Space Jam: A New Legacy coming out this week, LA Lakers small forward LeBron James is making his way to Fortnite. On July 14th, two days before the movie comes out in the US, Epic will start selling two different King James skins. The first draws inspiration from the star's pregame style and sees him wearing a blazer, hoodie, shorts and shirt and tie. The second outfit gives lets you dress up James either in his Tune Squad uniform or a Taco Tuesday-themed getup. Naturally, all of the skins feature LeBron wearing his latest signature Nikes — which, as you might have guessed, come out this month as well. As a third option, you can buy the skins together in a bundle that comes with extra in-game items, an emote and a special loading screen. LeBron isn't the first real-life star to make his way into Fortnite. Previously, Epic released skins of Travis Scott and Tyler "Ninja" Blevins. Given that Epic frequently does crossover events with other brands, it's not surprising to see James get that same treatment now. At this point, Fortnite is another channel companies can use to market their latest products. |
| ESPN+ subscriptions are getting a price increase on August 13th Posted: 12 Jul 2021 12:15 PM PDT For the second time in the span of less than a year, the price of ESPN+ is increasing. Starting on August 13th, an annual subscription will cost $69.99 per year, up from $59.99 previously. At the same time, the price of a monthly plan is going up as well. Come August 13th, ESPN+ will cost $6.99 per month, up from $5.99 as of last year. Opting for an annual subscription instead of a monthly one will save you about $13 over the span of a year. A Disney spokesperson told Engadget the company will start informing existing customers of the price increase as early as later today. Since April 2019, Disney has allowed UFC fans to watch pay-per-view events through ESPN+. The price of that programming is not going up at the moment. The company is also not increasing the price of the Disney Bundle, which includes ESPN+, as well as Disney+ and Hulu. That package will continue to cost $13.99 per month, following a recent increase in March. |
| Microsoft is buying cloud cybersecurity company RiskIQ Posted: 12 Jul 2021 10:45 AM PDT Microsoft is buying RiskIQ, a cybersecurity firm best known for working with organizations like Facebook and the US Postal Service to identify where and how they're vulnerable to online attacks. The company didn't disclose the terms of the deal, but according to Bloomberg, Microsoft agreed to pay approximately $500 million. Outside of its software, RiskIQ is known for publishing an annual report called the Evil Internet Minute that looks at just how much malicious activity can happen in 60 seconds or less. Following last year's SolarWinds data breach, which saw state-sponsored hackers access its source code, Microsoft has bought several companies to bolster its security offerings. Just last month, it acquired ReFirm Labs, a company that specializes in IoT resilience. The need for better enterprise security was highlighted (yet again) earlier this month with the Kaseya attack. While Kaseya has tried to downplay the severity of the event, security response firm Huntress has estimated that "thousands of small businesses" could be impacted by what happened. |
| Google rolls out a new Drive desktop app for syncing files and photos Posted: 12 Jul 2021 10:25 AM PDT Google is streamlining how Drive users backup and sync their files. The company is rolling out the new Drive for desktop app on Mac and Windows. Drive for desktop will replace the Backup and Sync app (which supplanted the Google Drive desktop app in 2018) as well as Drive File Stream, which is for business users. Given that Google Workspace is now available to everyone, it doesn't make a lot of sense to have separate sync methods. The new app combines the best parts of Backup and Sync and Drive File Stream, according to Google. You will be able to upload and sync your photos and videos across Google Photos as well as Drive. There's the option to sync external storage devices with the cloud as well. In addition, you'll be able to mirror Drive files on your computer, with locally stored versions of files for faster access. On top of that, you can sync local folders such as your desktop and documents. There's also integration with Microsoft Outlook and Meet scheduling, and you'll be able to see who's editing Microsoft Office files in real time. Drive File Stream users won't have to do much. Google renamed the app to Drive for desktop, and it will gain features from Backup and Sync in the coming months. Google will prompt Backup and Sync users to switch over to Drive for desktop. From October 1st, Backup and Sync will stop working, so you'll need to make the transition to keep backing up your files with Drive. |
| YouTube Shorts are now available in 100 countries globally Posted: 12 Jul 2021 09:15 AM PDT After a limited release in India late last year and a US beta at the start of 2021, YouTube is expanding the availability of Shorts, its TikTok competitor, to 100 countries. When the company first introduced the format, anyone could view a Short. However, only those in about two dozen countries could access the tools YouTube created for filming and editing Shorts. With today's announcement, the company is making those tools widely available, meaning you're likely to see more and more of the clips appear on the platform. YouTube's embrace of short-form videos comes just as TikTok itself becomes a bit more like YouTube. At the start of July, the company, following months of testing, gave all of its users the ability to record clips up to three minutes long. In dropping its 60-second limit, TikTok said its goal was to give creators more flexibility, especially for those making cooking and beauty tutorials. |
| Apple TV+ signs production deal for Russian and 'multilingual' shows Posted: 12 Jul 2021 08:59 AM PDT Apple has signed a deal with producer Alexander Rodnyansky's company AR Content to make Russian-language and multilingual shows for Apple TV+. Rodnyansky told Variety that the agreement makes Apple "the very first of all the global streaming platforms to sign a strategic partnership with a company with Russian roots." Rodnyansky's credits include Cloud Atlas, Sin City: A Dame to Kill for and Machete Kills, but he says it's his experience and production expertise in Russia that primarily led Apple to work with him. He produced Russian films Leviathan and Beanpole, which both won awards at the Cannes Film Festival and were Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nominees. The deal with Apple is for several shows, some of which will be set inside Russia. The shows will be overseen by Russian writers and directors as well as international creatives. Rodnyansky notes streaming has helped shows made in a variety of languages and countries to become international hits. "This is an amazing time when you have Fauda in Hebrew and Arabic doing really well across multiple territories, when you have French-speaking shows like La Mante or Marianne, or German shows like Dark or Babylon Berlin crossing borders," Rodnyansky said. "This is a time for Russian-speaking shows to do the same, or multilingual shows." Apple has similar first-look deals in place with Ridley Scott and Ron Howard's production companies, but the AR Content pact hints at its international ambitions. Netflix, which has expanded to all but a few countries and territories, has found success in acquiring and making international content. Spanish crime drama Money Heist has been a massive hit, while French thriller Lupin is Netflix's most successful original series so far this year. Anime and Korean dramas are also growing in popularity among subscribers. Earlier this year, Netflix picked up a modern-day adaptation of Anna Karenina as its first original drama series in Russian. It's not too surprising that Apple is looking at a similar approach to content. Apple TV+ only has a few non-English-language projects available to stream, including Tehran and Losing Alice, so there's a lot of scope for Apple to expand its library with Russian and multilingual shows. |
| Elon Musk booked a trip to space with Virgin Galactic Posted: 12 Jul 2021 08:25 AM PDT You'd think that Elon Musk and Richard Branson would hold grudges against each other when they both have space tourism plans, but that's not true — if anything, they're surprisingly buddy-buddy. Virgin Galactic told the Wall Street Journal in a statement that Musk bought a ticket aboard the company's air-launched rockets. It's not certain just where the SpaceX founder is in the queue, but it's safe to say his ride will garner some attention. The feeling is mutual. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Branson said Musk was a "friend" and suggested he might fly on a SpaceX ship "one day." He even went so far as to tweet a photo showing him and Musk together. Just don't expect that kind of warmth and camaraderie from Jeff Bezos. Blue Origin was more than a little eager to trash-talk Virgin ahead of its first fully crewed spaceflight, claiming that Branson and team were merely brushing the edge of space. While the company later wished Branson a "great flight," we wouldn't expect Bezos and Branson to have heart-to-heart coffee chats any time soon. It's not a complete shock that Branson and Musk would be so cozy. However well their personalities mesh, the two aren't quite direct competitors. Virgin Galactic is aimed primarily at space tourists content with suborbital flights, while Virgin Orbit is focused on launching satellites for outfits that can't justify expensive conventional rockets. SpaceX, meanwhile, has focused its tourism efforts on lunar flybys and usually carries costlier payloads into space. This isn't to say the two execs will start feuding if their businesses truly overlap — just don't count on the positive vibes lasting forever.
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| Man charged for allegedly selling insider trading tips on the dark web Posted: 12 Jul 2021 07:55 AM PDT The Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission have charged a man they claim sold insider trading tips on the dark web. Apostolos Trovias allegedly used anonymizing software, pseudonyms (he is said to have gone by the nickname "The Bull") and bitcoin to mask his identity. According to the complaint, Trovias sold stock information individually and on a subscription basis on defunct black market AlphaBay and other sites on the dark web. He's said to have styled himself as a "hedge fund insider" who worked in a trading branch as an office clerk. In 2017, not long before authorities seized and shut down AlphaBay, Trovias allegedly sold an undercover Internal Revenue Service agent pre-release earnings report information for at least one publicly traded company. He is facing one count of money laundering (which has a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison) and one count of securities fraud, which could lead to a prison sentence of 25 years if Trovias is convicted. The complaint was filed in February but kept sealed until after Trovias was apprehended. He was arrested in Peru in May, according to a filing spotted by PCMag, which notes the US Government was working on extraditing him. Others have been charged or convicted in connection with AlphaBay activity. In February 2020, feds charged Larry Harmon for allegedly running a $300 million bitcoin money laundering scheme. Last September, Bryan Connor Herrell was sentenced to 11 years in prison. Herrell was a moderator for AlphaBay and resolved disputes between vendors and customers. He pled guilty to conspiring to engage in a racketeer influenced corrupt organization. |
| Verizon's call filtering app now blocks area code spoofing Posted: 12 Jul 2021 07:29 AM PDT Spoofed scam calls are bad enough, but neighborhood spoofing is worse — it can all be too tempting to answer when you see a number eerily similar to your own. Verizon (currently Engadget's parent company) might have a solution. It's updating its free Call Filter app with a "Neighborhood Filter" that blocks calls from numbers that share your area code and prefix. Scammers who try to reach you will go straight to voicemail. You can specify other neighborhood numbers if you know scam artists use them, provided you pay $3 per month for Call Filter Plus. And yes, you can make exceptions. Any number in your contact list or allowed numbers will still get through, and you can correct an accidental block by telling the app to ignore the filter for future calls. The updated app is available now for Android and iOS. Neighborhood filtering isn't the most sophisticated defense against scam calls, but it's arguably overdue. This kind of spamming is frequent, to the point where you might get multiple calls per day. A simple filter could lead to far fewer annoyances, not to mention greater trust in those calls that do come in. |
| Iran's railway system fell prey to a cyberattack this weekend Posted: 12 Jul 2021 06:29 AM PDT Iran faced its own spate of cyberattacks this weekend. Reuters and The Guardian report that Iran's railway train system and transportation websites suffered a "cyber-disruption" (according to state media) on the weekend. Portal sites went down, although it's not clear just how badly the train system were affected. Officials claimed that only the train displays were compromised with fake messages, but the Fars news agency claimed there was "unprecedented chaos" that included cancellations and delays. The sites and train systems were back to normal as of Monday morning. It's not certain who was behind the attack, although telecom minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi alerted people to the threat of ransomware if they didn't address security vulnerabilities. Iran has historically blamed some cyberattacks on the US and Israel, although ransomware is more often the work of criminal organizations. The US and other countries have typically pinned cyberattacks on Iran, and both sides have engaged in relatively quiet digital warfare. However, it's not clear that's the cause here — this could just represent 'ordinary' hackers exploiting weak points in Iran's infrastructure, whether to make money or create havoc. |
| China will tighten data privacy rules for tech companies seeking foreign investment Posted: 12 Jul 2021 06:00 AM PDT China is tightening restrictions on businesses seeking to go public overseas amid a wave of Chinese origin IPOs in the US. Regulators have thrown down the gauntlet for local companies by announcing new privacy rules for those seeking foreign stock market listings, according to Reuters. As a result, any company that has data on more than a million customers must face a review into how they handle that info in order to receive permission for a foreign IPO. Regulators will scrutinize the risks of said data being being affected, controlled or manipulated by external governments following overseas flotations. In a broader effort to get companies to list locally, China is adding the two sets of rules that focus on data collection and data storage to its Data Security Law and the Personal Information Protection Law. The constraints arrive in the midst of a privacy crackdown by Beijing. Regulators have previously rattled their sabres at TikTok and LinkedIn for alleged data collection violations. Just last week, authorities caused shockwaves by ordering ride-hailing giant Didi to remove its app from mobile stores in the wake of its US listing, causing its shares to initially plummet by 20 percent. With US-China tensions still simmering, the decision will likely pile pressure on President Biden to increase scrutiny of Chinese businesses. Hostility created by Trump-era policies has eased in recent months after the removal of China's Xiaomi and Luokung Technology from military blocklists, which prevented Americans from buying and holding their shares. An expected thaw in relations under Biden likely fueled a recent surge in Chinese company listings. Last year, China-based businesses raised $11.7 billion through 30 IPOs in the US, with even more flotations occurring this year. |
| Samsung's Galaxy Buds Pro fall to an all-time low of $120 Posted: 12 Jul 2021 05:25 AM PDT Samsung's Galaxy Buds Pro offer a compelling alternative to Apple's AirPods Pro. They're even more tempting when you consider the latest discount. The active noise cancelling earbuds are currently on sale for an all-time low price of $120 at Amazon-owned Woot. That's $80 off their typical price and $20 less than the previous record deal. Buy Galaxy Buds Pro at Woot - $120 Maybe it's because the Galaxy Buds+ landed in February and the Buds 2 are expected in August. Whatever the reasons behind the latest price cut, the Buds Pro are still worthy of your cash due to their bombastic sound. Firstly, unlike the $150 Buds+, they boast active noise cancellation and a wider audio range that features more depth and clarity thanks to the internal 1mm woofer and a 6.5mm tweeter. Voice calls have also been improved with the help of three microphones, an accelerometer and Wind Shield tech for when you're outdoors. What's more, battery life matches Samsung's estimates at five hours with ANC and Bixby turned on and eight hours with them off, or 28 hours total with the case — which supports wireless charging. For those looking for durability, the IPX7-rating means you can dunk them in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes. Overall, they're still our highest rated Samsung earbuds with an exemplary review score of 85. Just note that before you purchase them it may be worth familiarizing yourself with Woot's terms and conditions. For the uninitiated, the online retailer mainly offers limited-time deals with a modified return policy to its parent Amazon that includes numerous exceptions, including charges for shipping costs. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. |
| MIT robot could help people with limited mobility dress themselves Posted: 12 Jul 2021 05:00 AM PDT Robots have plenty of potential to help people with limited mobility, including models that could help the infirm put on clothes. That's a particularly challenging task, however, that requires dexterity, safety and speed. Now, scientists at MIT CSAIL have developed an algorithm that strikes a balance by allowing for non-harmful impacts rather than not permitting any impacts at all as before. Humans are hardwired to accommodate and adjust to other humans, but robots have to learn all that from scratch. For example, it's relatively easy for a person to help someone else dress, as we know instinctively where to hold the clothing item, how people can bend their arms, how cloth reacts and more. However, robots have to be programmed with all that information. In the past, algorithms have prevented robots from making any impact with humans at all in the interest of safety. However, that can lead to something called the "freezing robot" problem, where the robot essentially stops moving and can't accomplish the task it set out to do. To get past that issue, an MIT CSAIL team led by PhD student Shen Li developed an algorithm that redefines robotic motion safety by allowing for "safe impacts" on top of collision avoidance. This lets the robot make non-harmful contact with a human to achieve its task, as long as its impact on the human is low. "Developing algorithms to prevent physical harm without unnecessarily impacting the task efficiency is a critical challenge," said Li. "By allowing robots to make non-harmful impact with humans, our method can find efficient robot trajectories to dress the human with a safety guarantee." For a simple dressing task, the system worked even if the person was doing other activities like checking a phone, as shown in the video above. It does that by combining multiple models for different situations, rather than relying on a single model as before. "This multifaceted approach combines set theory, human-aware safety constraints, human motion prediction and feedback control for safe human-robot interaction," said Carnegie Mellon University's Zackory Erickson. The research is still in the early stages, but the ideas could be used areas other than just dressing. "This research could potentially be applied to a wide variety of assistive robotics scenarios, towards the ultimate goal of enabling robots to provide safer physical assistance to people with disabilities," Erickson said. |
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