Monday, September 20, 2021

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Amazon leaks new Kindle Paperwhite models on its own site

Posted: 20 Sep 2021 03:15 AM PDT

Amazon may be getting set to release a new version of its Paperwhite reader including a high-end "Signature Edition," according to Amazon listings spotted by Reddit users and GoodEReader. A comparison chart on Amazon's Canadian and Mexican sites, now removed, showed new Kindle Paperwhite and Paperwhite Signature Edition models, with 6.8-inch 300 ppi displays and 17 LEDs. The current Paperwhite, by contrast, has a 6-inch display and just four LEDs. 

Both models are IPX8 waterproof as before, offer a "flush-front design" and appear to have narrower side and top bezels. They also feature an "adjustable warm light," meaning they likely have both white and amber LEDs — just like Amazon's high-end Kindle Oasis. The Signature Edition offers a storage update over the Paperwhite 5 to 32GB, along with wireless charging and auto-adjusting light sensors that change screen brightness depending on the environment. 

The Canadian listing shows the Paperwhite and Paperwhite Signature Edition at CAD$150 and CAD$210, (about $117 and $165, respectively), but those could just be placeholders. Currently, the standard 8GB Kindle is $90, the 8GB Kindle Paperwhite $130 and the 8GB Kindle Oasis is $250. If the new prices are accurate you'd be paying more for the Paperwhite, but get some of the features found on the Oasis. 

TikTok owner ByteDance limits younger users to 40 minutes a day in China

Posted: 20 Sep 2021 02:15 AM PDT

Following a crackdown on gaming by Chinese authorities, ByteDance is introducing new youth controls for Douyin, its TikTok-equivalent app in China, Bloomberg has reported. Any users confirmed to be under 14 will enter a new "youth mode" limited to 40 minutes of usage per day. At the same time, it unveiled a new app called Xiao Qu Xing ("Little Fun Star"), a TikTok-style short video app with limited subject materials, a 40 minute time limit and the ability to like, but not upload or share videos. 

On top of the time restriction, kids in China won't be able to access Douyin between 10PM and 6AM. The new controls only apply to users who supplied their real names and ages, so to that end, Douyin has asked parents to register their kids' real information. ByteDance also added more content to Douyin with educational subjects like science, art history, history and more. The new app, Xiao Qu Xing, appears to offer exclusively educational content.

Gaming limits introduced earlier this month are even more restrictive, with under-14s limited to just three hours per week between 8-9PM on Friday, weekends and public holidays. Previously, kids could game for 90 minutes a day and three hours on holidays. The rule change was put in place to combat gaming addiction, regulators said.  

The TikTok restrictions won't affect as many kids, however. According to an article in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), just 0.34 percent of Douyin users are under 12, with 4.18 percent from 13-19 years old. Those figures are far from certain, though, as Douyin doesn't publish demographic data. 

It also acknowledged that it might be easy to bypass the new rules. "As the first short video platform to launch minor protection measures, we deeply understand that there will be imperfections," the company said in a statement. To that end, it has launched a bug-finding campaign seeking "loopholes" in the login process. 

IKEA's new $40 wireless charging pad mounts underneath your desk or table

Posted: 20 Sep 2021 12:24 AM PDT

If you've ever thought, "hey, it would be great if I could charge my phone or tablet just by laying it on a regular desk," then IKEA has the gadget for you. It just unveiled the Sjömärke, a $40 wireless charging pad that's designed to work with nearly any desk or table, as The Verge has reported.

IKEA's $40 pad gives your desk wireless charging powers with no clutter
IKEA

The concept is pretty clever. Sjömärke is a Wireless Qi charging pad, but you don't place it on your desk. Rather, it installs underneath your desk and is held in place either by double-sided tape (included) or 18mm x 6mm screws (not included). Your desktop needs to be made of something like wood or plastic that won't block the magnetic field, and must have a minimum thickness of 8mm (5/16th of an inch), and a maximum of 22.2mm (7/8th of an inch), according to the manual.

Once you install the pad, plug it in with the six-foot power cable and mark the charging point on your table with the included "X" shaped sticker, you're ready to charge your phone or other device. With Qi 1.2.4 charging, it should supply about 5 watts for decent but not super fast charging. IKEA notes that it also comes with temperature and power monitoring so it won't overheat — important, since it will be placed against wood surfaces. 

For $40, this might prove to be an attractive option for folks who don't want to mess up their décor with an unseemly plastic pad. Sjömärke will arrive in IKEA's stores and website in October 2021. 

Netflix and Apple TV+ clean up at the Emmys with 'The Crown' and 'Ted Lasso'

Posted: 19 Sep 2021 10:39 PM PDT

Netflix has nabbed the most Emmys ever for a single platform with 44 including 11 for The Crown, more than double its nearest rival, HBO/HBO Max. The 2021 edition of the awards was also a watershed year for Apple TV+, which took home 10 Emmys including seven for its comedy series Ted Lasso.

To be sure, a huge chunk of Netflix's Emmy harvest came from the 34 Creative Arts Emmys it won last week. However, it still took a further 10 primetime Emmys including acting awards for Olivia Colman, Gillian Anderson and Josh O'Connor in The Crown, along with Ewan McGregor in Halston. The Crown also won for writing and directing, while taking the prestigious best drama series prize. Netflix's The Queen's Gambit, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, won for best limited series.

Actors Jeremy Swift, Phil Dunster, Brett Goldstein, Hannah Waddingham, Jason Sudeikis, Juno Temple, Nick Mohammed and Brendan Hunt, cast members of
Mario Anzuoni / reuters

Meanwhile, Apple TV+ had its best Emmys yet with 10 total, including seven in primetime. It dominated the comedy series category with seven wins for Ted Lasso, including three in the acting category for Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham (best supporting actors) along with Jason Sudeikis (best actor). Ted Lasso also took the award for best comedy series. 

Thanks in large part to that series, Apple TV+ fared much better than its rivals. Disney+ did beat it with 14 awards total, up from eight in 2020, but only one of those was a primetime Emmy (Hamilton for best pre-recorded variety special). Amazon and Hulu were completely shut out in 2021, after both won Emmys in 2020.  

HBO and HBO Max led all rivals with 130 nominations and took 19 Emmys, including 9 in primetime. The biggest winners last night were Jean Smart for Hacks (best actress in a comedy series) and Kate Winslet for Mare of Easstown (best actress in a limited series). After she was controversially shut out of the Golden Globes nominations, Michaela Coel took the prize for best writing in a limited series for I May Destroy You.

It was notable in 2018 when Netflix managed to tie a cable network, HBO (pre-HBO Max), for the most Emmy wins. This year, it beat all rivals by a long way, and streaming platforms overall took the top four spots. Whether that can continue when the pandemic starts to wane — and subscription growth declines — remains to be seen. 

Ultra-white paint could reduce the need for air conditioning

Posted: 19 Sep 2021 02:11 PM PDT

White houses are often boring, but they might just save the planet. As USA Todayreports, Purdue University researchers have developed an ultra-white paint (it just earned a Guinness World Record) that reflects 98.1 percent of solar radiation while outputting infrared heat. As this leaves the surface cooler than the environment (regular paint warms the surface), it could effectively replace air conditioning in some cases — it produces a cooling power of 10kW for a 1,000sq. ft. roof, or more than a typical house AC unit.

There are existing paints made to reflect heat, but they reflect no more than 90 percent of sunlight and don't cool surfaces. The team didn't have much breathing room, either — an even whiter paint might have compromised it.

The trick was to use a high ratio of barium sulfate, a compound you often see in cosmetics and photo paper, in varying particle sizes. The wider range of sizes helps scatter more of the light spectrum and thus reflect more sunlight.

It's not clear how close this extremely white paint is to your local store, but the researchers are fully bent on commercializing their work. They've teamed with a company to mass-produce and sell the paint, and have already filed patents. If it lives up to the billing, though, it could play an important role in fighting climate change. It could reduce or eliminate the need for air conditioning in some homes, particularly in warm regions with ample sunlight. That could reduce emissions and power consumption, and might save you some money on hot summer days.

NASA's chief scientist will retire in 2022

Posted: 19 Sep 2021 01:16 PM PDT

NASA is about to close an important chapter in its history. Chief Scientist Jim Green, who has worked at the agency for over 40 years, now plans to retire in early 2022. He started by developing NASA's equivalent to the internet (the Space Physics Analysis Network) shortly after he arrived in 1980, but he's best known for overseeing some of NASA's biggest space exploration projects in the past 15 years — you're likely very aware of his work.

Green directed NASA's Planetary Science Division during the Curiosity landing in 2012, and played a key role in both promoting and explaining the Mars rover to the public. He further took leading roles during the Juno probe's investigation of Jupiter, Messenger's tour of Mercury, Dawn's visit to Ceres and New Horizons' historic flyby of Pluto. The scientist also greenlit plans for the Perseverance rover currently roaming Mars.

It's not yet clear who will succeed Green, although he will assist with the search for his replacement. However, it's safe to say he'll have a healthy legacy. He both nurtured missions and made them more accessible to the public — he helped explain why Curiosity, New Horizons and other vehicles were exciting. If you're pursuing a career in space science, Green's work might well have served as an inspiration.

US probe into Binance reportedly expands to investigate insider trading

Posted: 19 Sep 2021 11:49 AM PDT

Binance is apparently facing more pressure from regulators over possible abuses at its cryptocurrency exchange. Bloombergsources said US officials have expanded their probe of Binance to include possible insider trading and market manipulation. The company hasn't been accused of wrongdoing, but Commodity Futures Trading Commission investigators have reportedly inquired with potential witnesses about issues like the location of Binance servers (and thus whether the US can pursue any cases).

The commission had previously launched an investigation into the sales of derivatives tied to cryptocurrencies. It's reportedly looking for internal Binance data that might show sales of those derivatives to American customers, breaking regulations that forbid those sales without registrations. The Internal Revenue Service and Justice Department are also probing possible money laundering on the exchange.

There are no guarantees of action. The CFTC and Justice Department have supposedly been investigating Binance for months, and any decisions might take a while longer.

Not surprisingly, Binance said it was above-board. A spokesperson told Bloomberg the exchange had a "zero-tolerance" approach to insider trades as well as ethical codes and security guidelines to prevent those actions. The company added that it fires offenders at a bare minimum. The CFTC has declined to comment.

The heightened scrutiny of Binance, if accurate, would come as part of a larger US crackdown on cryptocurrencies. Officials are concerned the lack of consumer protections (including regulation) might hurt customers who sign up for services expecting the same safeguards they have with conventional money. In this case, the focus is on accountability — insider trading could wreck valuable investments and erode trust in Binance and other crypto exchanges.

NTSB head says Tesla must address 'basic safety issues' with semi-autonomous features

Posted: 19 Sep 2021 10:04 AM PDT

Tesla isn't about to get a sympathetic ear from US regulators as it rolls out more semi-autonomous technology. New National Transportation Safety Board head Jennifer Homendy told The Wall Street Journal in an interview that Tesla needs to tackle "basic safety issues" before it expands features like Autopilot and Full Self Driving to more parts of the road. She also wasn't thrilled with Tesla beta-testing upgrades on public streets.

Like other critics, the NTSB leader took issue with Tesla's naming schemes for its driver assists. The Full Self Driving label is "misleading and irresponsible," Homendy said, leading some to "misuse and abuse" it. Despite its name, the current FSD package only enables limited autonomy in some situations, and requires drivers to be ready to take the wheel at any moment. Tesla ultimately hopes for true autonomy to enable robotaxis and other hands-off uses, but hasn't yet demonstrated such a system.

Tesla and its chief Elon Musk have long argued that Autopilot (and by extension FSD) is overall safer than full manual control despite concerns over crashes where the technology was involved. The automaker has used FSD betas as a way to improve semi-autonomous features through real-world use, not just the ideal conditions of a closed circuit.

Homendy's remarks won't necessarily lead to policies meant to limit or ban Tesla's technology. However, it does set the tone for the NTSB's approach to Tesla during the Biden administration. The agency might not be receptive to Tesla's autonomous driving strategy, particularly if there's an increase in collisions.

Microsoft's Surface Pro 8 might include a 120Hz screen and Thunderbolt ports

Posted: 19 Sep 2021 08:36 AM PDT

Microsoft's September 22nd event might include one of the largest Surface Pro updates in years. According to The Verge, Twitter user Shadow_Leak has shared what looks like a store listing for the Surface Pro 8 tablet. The Windows 11 machine will reportedly resemble a souped-up, Intel-powered counterpart to the Surface Pro X with a 13-inch, narrow-bezel 120Hz display. It may also be more useful to creatives with dual Thunderbolt ports — you'd finally have the headroom for an external GPU, among other very high-speed peripherals.

The leaked Surface Pro 8 would also make the expected leap to an 11th-generation Core processor. Like the Surface Laptop 4, though, you could replace the SSD if the included storage breaks or proves too limiting.

The upcoming event could be one of Microsoft's most packed presentations to date, with a Surface Duo 2 also on deck alongside possible Surface Book, Surface Go and Surface Pro X upgrades. If the leak is accurate, however, the Surface Pro 8 might be the star attraction. The Pro has been one of Microsoft's most enduring Surface devices, but also one of its most conservative with relatively few changes — the 2019 revision still had a USB-A port. The 8 could revitalize the Pro series, not to mention help it compete with a newer wave of detachables and two-in-one laptops.

Cadillac's inaugural Lyriq EV sold out of reservations in 10 minutes (updated)

Posted: 19 Sep 2021 07:14 AM PDT

Cadillac didn't have any problems finding buyers for its Lyriq EV once reservations opened. As Electreklearned, GM's luxury badge sold out of reservations for the Lyriq's Debut Edition in 10 minutes. The brand didn't say how many people paid the $100 fee, but it's clear there was at least some pent-up demand for the upscale electric crossover. More Debut Edition models will be available through dealers in summer 2022.

Deposits don't always translate to final sales when the fee is refundable. Some people may reserve a car only to back out when it comes time to make the final purchase. For context, though, VW took eight hours to sell a "few thousand" units of the ID.4 First Edition. The overall number might be small, but 19 minutes is extremely quick.

The sellout wasn't completely unexpected. While the Lyriq is still an expensive EV with a nearly $60,000 starting price, it promises a healthy 300-plus miles of range, 190kW fast charging and a sprawling 33-inch infotainment display. There's also a clear pattern of strong demand for EVs from familiar names. Ford, for instance, is boosting F-150 Lightning production after demand far outstripped early manufacturing targets. There's clearly an audience for EV like these, even if they're still far from dominating their combustion engine counterparts.

Update 9/19 3PM ET: In a statement, GM Vice President Rory Harvey said reservations sold out sooner than the 19 minutes we originally noted — it only took "just over" 10 minutes. We've updated the article accordingly. Harvey didn't provide reservation numbers, but it's safe to presume Cadillac and GM at large are happy with the "extraordinary" response to the Lyriq so far.
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