Monday, August 9, 2021

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Facebook adds Photobucket and Google Calendar to its data portability options

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 03:53 AM PDT

Facebook has today announced that it has added two new destinations for when you want to move your data from the social network. In a blog post, the company said that users will be able to move their images to Photobucket and event listings to Google Calendar. Product Manager Hadi Michel said that the tool has been "completely rebuilt" to be "simpler and more intuitive," giving people more clarity on what they can share to which platforms. In addition, users can now launch multiple transfers, with better fine-grain control on what they're choosing to export in any one transfer.

This is yet another feature piled on to the Data Transfer Project, an open-source project developed by Google, Facebook and Microsoft. Facebook users can already send their photos to Google's own image-storage service, as well as Dropbox, Blogger, Google Documents and Wordpress. This is, in part, a way to address the long-in-progress ACCESS Act, which would enable users to transfer their data to any competing platform. Facebook says that it calls on government to "make clearer rules about who is responsible for protecting that data as it is transferred to different services."

Record labels sue Charter over copyright infringement claims

Posted: 08 Aug 2021 10:18 PM PDT

Charter Communications has been sued by a group of major record labels who claim it has failed to address "flagrant and serial" music copyright infringement, The Verge has reported. It's the second time over the last several years that the group has sued Charter over song piracy. 

The labels said that they sent around 150,00 notices of infringement to Spectrum, Charter's internet service, including the IP addresses of "tens of thousands" of alleged infringers. They claim that the company turned a "blind eye" to the downloading, which occurred from July 2018 until recently. 

"Charter insisted on doing nothing despite receiving thousands of notices that detailed the illegal activity of its subscribers, despite its clear legal obligation to address the widespread, illegal downloading of copyrighted works on its Internet services, and despite being sued previously by Plaintiffs for similar conduct," the claim states.

The same labels sued Charter in 2019, claiming subscribers were using torrent services for music pirating between March 2013 and May 2016. "Charter persisted in contributing to and profiting from its subscribers' infringement... even after receiving Plaintiffs' March and April 2016 notices of claims and, remarkably, even after Plaintiffs filed the 2019 lawsuit," according to the latest lawsuit. 

The music industry has attacked multiple internet providers over the last few years. In June, ISP Frontier was sued by record labels over similar piracy claims. Internet service provider Cox, meanwhile, lost a $1 billion judgement in December of 2019, and vowed to appeal the settlement at the time. 

Gigabyte is the latest major PC maker to suffer a ransomware attack

Posted: 08 Aug 2021 02:58 PM PDT

Acer and Apple aren't the only big PC brands reeling from ransomware attacks in recent times. Bleeping Computer and United Daily News report that Taiwan-based Gigabyte suffered a ransomware attack between August 3rd and August 4th. The company only confirmed that it shut down IT infrastructure and that a handful of servers were affected, but there are hints the attack might have been worse.

According to Bleeping Computer sources, the extortion gang RansomEXX claimed to have stolen 112GB of sensitive internal data as well as info from a code repository. This includes Intel and AMD chip information as well as a debug document. The breach is known to have affected both the Gigabyte support page and parts of the Taiwanese page.

Gigabyte said it contact law enforcement, but didn't say if it would pay the ransom.

RansomEXX started in 2018 under the Defray name, but rebranded in 2020 and has been targeting increasingly higher-profile organizations, including the Brazilian government, Texas' Department of Transportation and Ecuador's state-led telecom. It's not believed to be associated with the REvil group that attacked Acer as well as Apple supplier Quanta.

It's not surprising that PC companies would face these attacks. They not only have the money to pay ransoms, but a raft of technological secrets they're eager to protect. However, the string of attacks is still concerning. Apart from the short-term financial hit, there's also a concern these attacks could leak trade secrets that do long-term damage.

Tesla will require masks for all workers at its Nevada battery factory

Posted: 08 Aug 2021 02:00 PM PDT

Tesla appears to have come a long way from the days when it was defying local COVID-19 safety orders. Wall Street Journalsources claim Tesla will require all staff at its Nevada Gigafactory to wear masks starting August 9th, regardless of their vaccination status. Employees at the battery plant previously only needed to wear masks if they hadn't been fully vaccinated.

The tipsters said Tesla was toughening its policy in the wake of the more easily transmissible Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, including updated CDC guidance recommending that vaccinated people wear masks indoors. Although full vaccinations still reduce the chances of infection and symptoms, there's evidence that breakthrough cases (those instances when vaccinated people get infected) can readily transmit the virus to others.

The company hasn't responded to requests for comments, although it's not expected to do so when it quietly disbanded its public relations team in fall 2020.

Tesla has been slightly slower than its Detroit-based competitors, which reinstated mask mandates a week earlier. However, it's a sharp contrast from the EV maker's attitude in May 2020, when it defied an Alameda County lockdown and kept its Fremont car plant open. Elon Musk also threatened to move Tesla's headquarters out of California and sue the county. The move may have led to additional infections at the Fremont plant, and Musk said he contracted COVID-19 in November 2020.

It's easier for Tesla to comply this time when its factory can remain open. The car brand also can't afford to test officials' patience when it's struggling to keep up with demand for its vehicles. Still, the reported mask order is a sharp contrast to Tesla's previous attitude — it's volunteering to take action rather than fighting back.

Rocket Lab will launch its first Moon mission from New Zealand in late 2021

Posted: 08 Aug 2021 12:23 PM PDT

Rocket Lab is narrowing down the details for its first Moon launch. The private spaceflight firm has revealed that its CAPSTONE mission will lift off from the company's original launch complex in New Zealand sometime in the fourth quarter of 2021. The mission was originally slated to launch in early 2021 from NASA's Wallops facility in Virginia.

The CAPSTONE (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment) cubesat will serve as a vanguard for NASA's Artemis program. It will verify the propulsion needs for a highly elliptical lunar orbit, test spacecraft-to-spacecraft navigation systems and show the potential for private support in future missions. A successful mission would help NASA's future Gateway spacecraft safely approach and orbit the Moon.

The launch should also represent a technical breakthrough for Rocket Lab. While the Electron rocket will serve a familiar role in carrying the mission into space, this will be the first time the company uses its Photon platform to put a satellite on a lunar trajectory.

CAPSTONE could serve as redemption for the company. Rocket Lab has dealt with two prominent rocket failures, and only recently resumed launches following its May incident. A successful Moon launch would both reinforce that return to form and show that Rocket Lab can handle particularly ambitious projects.

Spotify's iOS app will support AirPlay 2 streaming after all

Posted: 08 Aug 2021 10:19 AM PDT

Don't worry about claims Spotify won't support AirPlay 2 on iOS — the doom and gloom were a bit premature. iMorereports that Spotify has 'clarified' its plans and will support AirPlay 2 streaming after all. The digital music giant didn't say when you might expect the feature, but promised updates "when they become available."

A representative previously claimed AirPlay 2 wasn't practical due to audio driver compatibility problems. It hadn't completely ruled out the concept, but suggested that it wouldn't be viable in the "foreseeable future."

We wouldn't expect a prompt turnaround on the feature even after Spotify's follow-up statement. However, this could still prove reassuring. AirPlay 2 should make it easier to stream music to HomePods and other devices that support Apple's media technology but have either limited or non-existent integration with Spotify itself.

Microsoft starts publicly testing an Xbox night mode

Posted: 08 Aug 2021 09:05 AM PDT

Don't worry if you're determined to play an Xbox game into the wee hours of the morning — those late-night sessions will soon be easier on your eyes. The Vergenotes that Microsoft has started publicly testing an Xbox night mode that should make it more comfortable to play after dark. The feature can dim the screen, power button and even your controller light. An optional blue light filter theoretically helps reduce eye strain, and you can disable HDR to avoid searingly bright images.

You can manually toggle the feature if you'd like, but you can also schedule it either at fixed times or automatically based on sunset and (if you've been gaming long enough) sunrise.

The Xbox night mode is currently limited to testers in the very early Alpha Skip-Ahead ring. The perk will take a while to reach a polished release. Still, it's likely to be appreciated. It's easy to find night modes on your PC and your phone, but you haven't really had that luxury on consoles. If all goes well, you'll have a more consistent nighttime experience regardless of which screen you're using.

Tesla quietly delays Cybertruck to 2022

Posted: 08 Aug 2021 08:03 AM PDT

You'll have to temper your expectations if you were hoping to drive a Cybertruck before 2021 was over. Electreknotes that Tesla has quietly pushed the release of the electric pickup to next year on its configuration page, telling you that you'll get to customize your truck when "production nears in 2022." This applies regardless of model — Tesla had already warned that single-motor trucks would arrive later, but that now applies to the dual- and tri-motor machines.

Tesla had already hinted the 2021 target might not be realistic. Elon Musk said in January that there would only be a "few deliveries" of Cybertrucks in 2021, and that volume production was set for 2022. While the company stuck to that claim in its July quarterly report, the company only recently finished the engineering design for the EV — it would have just a few months to finish development and ship those initial trucks.

That could pose a competitive challenge for Tesla. GMC's Hummer EV is now poised to beat the Cybertruck to market barring delays. Even with setbacks, Rivian is still due to release its R1T truck in September. And while Ford's F-150 Lightning isn't due until spring 2022, the Cybertruck may have lost its first-mover advantage.

The delay wouldn't be surprising, though. The Cybertruck's cold-rolled steel body requires unique manufacturing techniques, and that's not including broader technical hurdles like the tri-motor system. Tesla is also known for optimistic timetables that clash with the realities of production. The automaker can at least count on pent-up demand, though. With over 1 million Cybertruck reservations, Tesla could have plenty of demand even if many of those would-be buyers have second thoughts.
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