Hackers Can Jailbreak Digital License Plates To Make Others Pay Their Tolls, Tickets
Longtime Slashdot reader sinij shares a report from Wired with the caption: “This story will be an on-going payday for traffic ticket lawyers. I am ordering one now.” From the report: Digital license plates, already legal to buy in a growing number of states and to drive with nationwide, offer a few perks over … ⌘ Read more

New Shelly Smart Devices Have One-Mile Range, Thanks To Z-Wave
An anonymous reader quotes a report from PCWorld: Smart home devices compatible with the Matter standard have garnered most of our attention lately, but the compelling features in the latest generation of Z-Wave chips convinced the IoT developer Shelly Group to build no fewer than 11 new products powered by Z-Wave technology. The new collection incl … ⌘ Read more

CDC Confirms First Human Case of Severe Bird Flu In US
The CDC has confirmed the first case of severe bird flu in the United States. NPR reports: Louisiana health officials initially reported the infection last week, saying a person was hospitalized after being exposed to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks. On Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shared their findings that indicate the H5N1 v … ⌘ Read more

Apple Reportedly Won’t Launch an iPhone Subscription Service
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is no longer developing a hardware subscription service for iPhones that would let subscribers upgrade devices every year. Gurman first reported Apple’s work on the service in 2022, noting it was delayed due to “software bugs and regulatory concerns.” The Verge reports: While the hardware subscription service a … ⌘ Read more

Tracker Firm Hapn Spilling Names of Thousands of GPS Tracking Customers
An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: GPS tracking firm Hapn is exposing the names of thousands of its customers due to a website bug, TechCrunch has learned. A security researcher alerted TechCrunch in late November to customer names and affiliations – such as the name of their workplace – spilling from one of Hapn’s … ⌘ Read more

China is Losing Interest in English
An anonymous reader shares a report: In preparation for the summer Olympics in 2008, the authorities in Beijing, the host city and China’s capital, launched a campaign to teach English to residents likely to come in contact with foreign visitors. Police, transit workers and hotel staff were among those targeted. One aim was to have 80% of taxi drivers achieve a basic level of competency. Today, though, a … ⌘ Read more

Coal Use To Reach New Peak - And Remain at Near-Record Levels For Years
The world’s coal use is expected to reach a fresh high of 8.7bn tonnes this year, and remain at near-record levels for years as a result of a global gas crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. From a report: There has been record production and trade of coal and power generation from coal since Russia’s full-scale invasion … ⌘ Read more

US Government Tells Officials, Politicians To Ditch Regular Calls and Texts
The U.S. government is urging senior government officials and politicians to ditch phone calls and text messages following intrusions at major American telecommunications companies blamed on Chinese hackers. From a report: In written guidance, opens new tab released on Wednesday, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security … ⌘ Read more

EPA Lets California Set Its Own Stricter Emissions Standards Until 2035
The US Environmental Protection Agency has granted a pair of waivers to California, allowing the Golden State to continue regulating vehicle-caused air pollution within its borders. From a report: The first is for the California Air Resources Board’s Advanced Clean Cars II regulations, which apply to light- and medium-duty vehicles … ⌘ Read more

OpenAI Brings ChatGPT To Landline
An anonymous reader shares a report: ChatGPT is coming to phones. No, not smartphones – landlines. Call 1-800-242-8478 (1-800-CHATGPT), and OpenAI’s AI-powered assistant will respond as of Wednesday afternoon.

The experience is more or less identical to Advanced Voice Mode, OpenAI’s real-time conversational feature for ChatGPT – minus the multimodality. ChatGPT responds to the questions users ask over the pho … ⌘ Read more

Nebraska Sues UnitedHealth Unit Over 100 Million Patient Data Breach
Nebraska’s attorney general has sued Change Healthcare over a massive data breach that exposed sensitive medical information of more than 100 million Americans following a February ransomware attack. The lawsuit alleges the UnitedHealth-owned company failed to implement basic security measures, including multi-factor authentication, allowi … ⌘ Read more

Australia Moves To Drop Some Cryptography By 2030
An anonymous reader shares a report: Australia’s chief cyber security agency has decided local orgs should stop using the tech that forms the current cryptographic foundation of the internet by the year 2030 – years before other nations plan to do so – over fears that advances in quantum computing could render it insecure.

The Land Down Under’s plans emerged last week when th … ⌘ Read more

Bluesky Has an Extortion Problem
A cybersquatting scheme targeting prominent writers and entrepreneurs has exposed flaws in Bluesky’s domain-based verification system, newsletter Tedium reports, citing users.

Bloomberg columnist Conor Sen reported receiving an extortion attempt this week when an anonymous user who had purchased his namesake domain demanded payment to transfer ownership. The episode has unraveled wider revelations of similar … ⌘ Read more

Legal Language Is Deliberately Arcane To Signal Power, Study Finds
A new MIT study reveals why legal documents are so hard to read: Both lawyers and non-lawyers instinctively use complex language to signal authority, similar to how magic spells use archaic terms. The research, published in PNAS, found that even laypeople default to convoluted “center-embedded” clauses when writing laws, but switch to plain la … ⌘ Read more

Microsoft Abandons Xbox Exclusivity in Risky Gaming Strategy Shift
Microsoft is significantly shifting its Xbox strategy, moving away from console exclusives in a bid to reach gamers across all platforms, Windows Central reports. The company’s “Project Latitude” initiative will make previously Xbox-exclusive titles available on PlayStation and other platforms, with even flagship franchises like Halo no longe … ⌘ Read more

Microsoft Acquires Twice as Many Nvidia AI Chips as Tech Rivals
Microsoft bought twice as many of Nvidia’s flagship chips as any of its largest rivals in the US and China this year, as OpenAI’s biggest investor accelerated its investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure. From a report: Analysts at Omdia, a technology consultancy, estimate that Microsoft bought 485,000 of Nvidia’s “Hopper” chips this ye … ⌘ Read more

US Weighs Banning TP-Link Router Over National Security Concerns
U.S. authorities are investigating Chinese router manufacturer TP-Link over national security risks and considering banning its devices, WSJ reported Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The Commerce, Defense and Justice departments have launched separate probes into the company, which controls approximately 65% of the U.S. home an … ⌘ Read more

Salesforce Will Hire 2,000 People To Sell AI Products
An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNBC: Salesforce will hire 2,000 people to sell artificial intelligence software to clients, CEO Marc Benioff said on Tuesday, double the number the company indicated it was planning to add a month ago. The cloud software company, which targets sales reps, marketers and customer service agents, is among the many technology companies … ⌘ Read more

US Weighs Banning TP-Link Router Over National Security Concerns
U.S. authorities are investigating Chinese router manufacturer TP-Link over national security risks and considering banning its devices, WSJ reported Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The Commerce, Defense and Justice departments have launched separate probes into the company, which controls approximately 65% of the U.S. home an … ⌘ Read more

Brain Cells Mature Faster In Space But Stay Healthy, ISS Study Finds
Scripps Research scientists sent stem-cell-derived brain organoids to the ISS to study the effects of microgravity on brain cells, finding that the organoids matured faster and showed signs of specialization compared to Earth-grown controls. The findings have been published in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine. Phys.Org repo … ⌘ Read more

SpaceX Wants Starbase To Become an Official City In Texas
SpaceX has filed a petition to incorporate its Starbase facility in South Texas as a new city, aiming to streamline infrastructure development and support the growing workforce needed for Starship production and testing. Space.com reports: “To continue growing the workforce necessary to rapidly develop and manufacture Starship, we need the ability to grow St … ⌘ Read more

Driverless Bus Service In Scotland To Be Withdrawn Due To Lack of Interest
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: The UK’s first driverless bus service, originally heralded as a breakthrough of global significance, is being withdrawn from service because too few passengers used it. The autonomous buses, operated by Stagecoach, have been running between Fife and Edinburgh along a 14-mi … ⌘ Read more

Ingram Micro To ‘Stop Doing Business’ With Broadcom, Downgrade To ‘Limited Engagement’ On VMware
The Register’s Simon Sharwood reports: Tech distribution behemoth Ingram Micro will stop doing business with Broadcom and its VMware range in many territories next year. In a statement sent to The Register, an Ingram spokesperson told us: “We were unable to reach an agreement with Broadcom tha … ⌘ Read more

Spain Introduces Bill To Combat Online Fake News
Spain’s leftwing government has introduced a bill requiring digital platforms and social media influencers with large followings to publish corrections to false or harmful information. The law intends to “[make] life more difficult for those who dedicate themselves to lies and spreading fake news every day,” said justice minister Felix Bolanos. The Guardian reports: The draft la … ⌘ Read more

EU Opens Investigation Into TikTok Over Election Interference
The European Commission has launched formal proceedings against TikTok over concerns about its failure to limit election interference, particularly in last month’s Romanian presidential vote. Reuters reports: The Commission said it will request information and look into TikTok’s policy on political advertisements and paid-for political content as well a … ⌘ Read more

China Kicks Off Homebrew Bluetooth Alternative ‘Star Flash’ As It Pushes Universal Remotes
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Register: China’s Electronics Video Industry Association last week signed off on a standard for a universal remote control – a gadget Beijing thinks locals need because they’re struggling with multiple remotes, but which is also a little more signifi … ⌘ Read more

Tech Entrepreneur Found Guilty of Cash App Founder Bob Lee’s Murder
A San Francisco jury convicted tech entrepreneur Nima Momeni of second-degree murder for the April 2023 stabbing death of Cash App’s founder Bob Lee. He faces 15 years to life in prison. The BBC reports: Momeni was found not guilty of the more serious charge of first-degree murder, which denotes a pre-meditated killing. […] The six-week tria … ⌘ Read more

Japan’s Honda and Nissan To Reportedly Begin Merger Talks
Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan are reportedly in merger talks to form a holding company, potentially integrating Mitsubishi Motors to compete with industry giants like Toyota and Volkswagen. CNBC reports: The combined Nissan-Honda-Mitsubishi enterprise would equate to more than 8 million vehicle sales annually, according to Nikkei. That would place the co … ⌘ Read more

Companies Issuing RTO Mandates ‘Lose Their Best Talent’: Study
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Return-to-office (RTO) mandates have caused companies to lose some of their best workers, a study tracking over 3 million workers at 54 “high-tech and financial” firms at the S&P 500 index has found. These companies also have greater challenges finding new talent, the report concluded. The paper, Return- … ⌘ Read more

Big Loss For ISPs as Supreme Court Won’t Hear Challenge To $15 Broadband Law
The Supreme Court has rejected the broadband industry’s challenge to a New York law that requires Internet providers to offer $15- or $20-per-month service to people with low incomes. From a report: In August, six trade groups representing the cable, telecom, mobile, and satellite industries filed a petition asking the Suprem … ⌘ Read more

Hundreds of Websites To Shut Down Under UK’s ‘Chilling’ Internet Laws
Hundreds of websites will be shut down on the day that Britain’s Online Safety Act comes into effect, in what are believed to be the first casualties of the new internet laws. From a report: Microcosm, a web forum hosting service that runs 300 sites including cycling forums and local community hubs, said that the sites would go offline on M … ⌘ Read more

Pricing Software Adds Billions To Rental Costs, White House Says
Renters in the U.S. spent an extra $3.8 billion last year because of pricing algorithms used by landlords, according to an analysis from White House Council of Economic Advisers. Axios reports: The report puts some hard numbers to accusations that have piled up against RealPage, a company that makes software that helps big landlords and property manage … ⌘ Read more

DHS Says China, Russia, Iran, and Israel Are Spying on People in US with SS7
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) believes that China, Russia, Iran, and Israel are the “primary” countries exploiting security holes in telecommunications networks to spy on people inside the United States, which can include tracking their physical movements and intercepting calls and texts, according to information … ⌘ Read more

A Third Person Has Received a Transplant of a Genetically Engineered Pig Kidney
An Alabama woman became the third person to receive a pig kidney transplant, doctors at NYU Langone Health announced Tuesday. Towana Looney, 53, underwent the procedure on November 25 and was discharged December 6.

Her kidney came from a pig with 10 genetic modifications designed to prevent organ rejection. The s … ⌘ Read more

Chinese Hacker Singlehandedly Responsible For Exploiting 81,000 Sophos Firewalls, DOJ Says
An anonymous reader shares a report: A Chinese hacker indicted earlier this month and the PRC-based cybersecurity company he worked for are both sanctioned by the US government for compromising “tens of thousands of firewalls” – some protecting US critical infrastructure, putting human lives at ris … ⌘ Read more

Seagate’s Breakthrough 32TB HAMR Hard Drives Are Finally Here
Seagate has launched its first mass-produced hard drives using heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) technology, introducing 32TB and 30TB models under the Exos M brand. The drives, based on Seagate’s Mozaic 3+ platform, mark the company’s commercial breakthrough in HAMR technology after 16 years of development. Compatible with existing systems, t … ⌘ Read more

The Slow Death of Neon
Manhattan’s iconic neon landscape is facing extinction as property owners increasingly replace historic neon signs with LED alternatives. From Times Square’s dwindling glassworks to the recent losses at Smith’s Bar and Subway Inn, the trend has accelerated across both small businesses and major landmarks, Curbed reports.

Rockefeller Center’s proposal to replace its 1935 neon signage with LEDs marks a significant moment in this … ⌘ Read more

Nvidia Launches Entry-Level AI Computer for Small Developers
Nvidia unveiled a $249 version of its Jetson AI computer Tuesday, targeting hobbyists and small companies with a device that offers 70% more processing power than its predecessor at half the cost.

The Jetson Orin Nano Super functions as a portable AI brain for robotics and industrial automation, allowing developers to run AI computations directly withou … ⌘ Read more

Framework Unveils $39 Storage Expansion Module
Framework has announced a $39 Dual M.2 Adapter for its Laptop 16, enabling users to add two additional M.2 slots to the laptop’s expansion bay. The new component allows for up to 26TB of total storage when combined with the laptop’s existing SSD slots, supporting various M.2 form factors with PCIe 4.0 connectivity.

The company also replaced the Laptop 16’s liquid metal cooling system … ⌘ Read more

FTC Orders Ticket Sellers, Hotels To Show ‘All-in’ Prices Upfront
The Federal Trade Commission unveiled a sweeping rule on Tuesday to crack down on hidden fees in ticket sales and hotel bookings, marking a major push by the agency to combat what it calls “junk fees” that cost consumers billions of dollars annually.

The bipartisan measure requires businesses to display the total price, including all mandatory fe … ⌘ Read more

Meta Fined $263 Million Over 2018 Security Breach That Affected 3 Million EU Users
Meta has been fined around $263 million in the European Union for a Facebook security breach that affected millions of users which the company disclosed back in September 2018. From a report: The penalty, issued on Tuesday by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) – enforcing the bloc’s General Data Protect … ⌘ Read more

TikTok Asks Supreme Court To Block Law Banning Its US Operations
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the New York Times: TikTokasked the Supreme Court on Monday to temporarily block a law that would effectively ban it in the United States in a matter of weeks. Saying that the law violates both its First Amendment rights and those of its 170 million American users, TikTok, which is controlled by a Chinese p … ⌘ Read more

Waymo Robotaxis Are Coming To Tokyo In 2025
Waymo will begin testing its autonomous vehicles in Tokyo in early 2025, marking its first deployment outside the U.S. TechCrunch reports: The move to Japan is part of Waymo’s “road trips,” a development program that involves bringing its technology to a variety of cities and testing it – with each city having different challenges. In Tokyo, the Waymo robotaxis will face left-hand drivi … ⌘ Read more

Huge Math Error Corrected In Black Plastic Study
Ars Technica’s Beth Mole reports: Editors of the environmental chemistry journal Chemosphere have posted an eye-catching correction to a study reporting toxic flame retardants from electronics wind up in some household products made of black plastic, including kitchen utensils. The study sparked a flurry of media reports a few weeks ago that urgently implored people to ditch … ⌘ Read more

Infosys Founder Calls For 70-Hour Work Week, Again
Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy has once again argued for Indian workers to spend 70 hours a week in paid employment. From a report: Murthy called for the long working hours in October 2023 and then again in January 2024, and recently shared his opinion that two-day weekends were a mistake.

His views have earned plenty of criticism, but he’s not backing down. On Sunday he add … ⌘ Read more

Uber Will Need To Fingerprint Drivers In California To Transport Teens
An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: Uber has 30 days to require certain drivers to get fingerprinted if the ride-hail giant intends to continue transporting unaccompanied teens in California. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued a ruling Thursday that requires taxi and ride-hail drivers who are car … ⌘ Read more

YouTube Is Letting Creators Opt Into Third-Party AI Training
YouTube is introducing an optional feature allowing creators to let third-party companies use their videos to train AI models, with the default setting being opt-out. The Verge reports: “We see this as an important first step in supporting creators and helping them realize new value for their YouTube content in the AI era,” a TeamYouTube staffer named Ro … ⌘ Read more

Hackers Hit Rhode Island Benefits System In Major Cyberattack
A cyberattack on Rhode Island’s RIBridges system has exposed personal data of individuals involved in programs like Medicaid, SNAP, and others, with hackers demanding a ransom. The breach may include sensitive details like Social Security numbers and banking information. The Associated Press reports: Anyone who has been involved in Medicaid, the Supplem … ⌘ Read more

Cloudflare 2024: Global Traffic Up, Google Still King, US Churning Out Bots
Cloudflare’s 2024 internet traffic report highlights a 17.2% global increase in traffic, with Google maintaining its position as the most visited service and the U.S. responsible for 34.6% of bot traffic. The Register reports: One surprise (or perhaps not) is that IPv6 traffic is actually down as a percentage of the packets tha … ⌘ Read more

Most iPhone Owners See Little To No Value In Apple Intelligence
An anonymous reader quotes a report from 9to5Mac: A new survey suggests that Apple Intelligence matters to iPhone buyers, but the majority say that the initial features add little to no value. It remains to be seen whether Genmoji and ChatGPT integration will change that view. Things are even worse for Samsung smartphones, with an even greater maj … ⌘ Read more