Places and Things

Samsung is teasing plans to unveil what it calls an “artificial human” called NEON at the Consumer Electronics Show, which kicks off January 7. from https://futurism.com/the-byte/samsung-tweets-cryptic-plans-artificial-human http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Microsoft's venerable Windows 7 operating system sees its support end on 14th January 2020 meaning software updates that help protect your PC will no longer be available. from https://www.forbes.com/sites/antonyleather/2020/12/30/windows-7-users-must-upgrade-to-windows-10-before-14th-january--2020-heres-why-and-how-to-do-it/ https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5e09e6160bf81b00072e1de2/960x0.jpg?fit=scale

WhatsApp runs on a huge range of operating systems, but even the ubiquitous messaging app doesn't think it's worth supporting Windows Phone any more. The company has announced it is ending support for older versions of Android and iOS as well as the rarely-used Windows Phone OS. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/30/whatsapp-ending-windows-phone-support/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fresize%3D2000%252C2000%252Cshrink%26image_uri%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fmedia.zenfs.com%252Fen-US%252Fhomerun%252Fengadget_479%252F369a3135517e3b55b5888e4cf8e3a626%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D9d42b663d449aca2168beb33ca1b9d3da9a2d275&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=da70ad5a3e41cd5311dae2a5f6439266bd3754a8

Truman’s owners first thought he had twisted his ankle: The Bernese mountain dog was limping and might have landed awkwardly after jumping off the couch. But when he was still hobbled a few days later, they got an x-ray. from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/good-news-for-dogs-with-cancer/ https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/9B9F56BA-35DA-4F32-80EBE523AF0CB2B6_source.jpg?w=590&h=800&94ED707D-26D6-4AAA-91FEDE8662B48860

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. We're almost done with 2019. The year included cheaper 4K TVs, tons of foldable phones and some very forgettable tweets. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/30/foldable-phone-hype-morning-after/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fresize%3D2000%252C2000%252Cshrink%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2019-12%252F0dc66620-2afd-11ea-bf9a-11119d2ad51d%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3Db8eb535155d338f6ff71d02d21dfef36f56cbdd6&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=6797f04ee6fe599b4dc773acf3057eba4bf46d3a

Last year, a Stanford-trained scientist stunned the world by revealing that he had created the first genetically-edited babies using the CRISPR/Cas9 tool. Now, He Jiankui and two of his associates have been sentenced to three years in prison following a secret trial in China. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/30/scientist-crispr-baby-gene-editing-prison/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D4999%252C3001%252C0%252C0%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C960%26image_uri%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fmedia.zenfs.com%252Fen-GB%252Fhomerun%252Ftheguardian_763%252F3a5903926aadff98495b7ba43445d21d%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3Df1eecd821d1abe863290f9123cfafe1100c4367f&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=c048514dd986f8f62884eb824d3d48b3f4ee829d

Subscribe today & download these pretty party invites! from https://www.mirabellemakery.com/blog/guide-dip-pen-calligraphy-nibs https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5acf7b43f407b4b975035798/5b392521758d4623ef43110a/5c66e559ee6eb00c623d423f/1575289740261/P1110556.jpg

The burial structures were looted during antiquity, but beads and a pendant depicting Hathor, an Egyptian goddess, suggest earlier trade links between Pylos, Greece, and Egypt. from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/17/science/tombs-archaeology-ancient-greece.html https://static01.nyt.com/images/2019/12/17/science/17pylos-tombs01/merlin_166047306_a0d648a0-c3f6-4cc6-a202-10f430fc2614-articleLarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale

Even if you don't fancy forking out for a new laptop which will come pre-loaded with Windows 10 there's also a pretty pricey fee for the official upgrade software. Those wanting to install Windows 10 Home edition on their current hardware will need to pay £119.99 which is licensed to one PC. from https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/science-technology/1221735/Microsoft-Windows-10-update-price-Windows-7-end-of-life-support https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/59/590x/Windows-10-update-1221735.jpg?r=1577535606835

Apple has a reputation for producing stylish and elegantly designed hardware and software products. Microsoft, well, not so much. from https://betanews.com/2019/12/28/if-apple-made-windows-10/ https://betanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Apple-Windows-10.jpg

Depressing new aerial photographs of Mont Blanc reveal the extent of ice loss over time in the Alps. A century ago, the Swiss pilot and photographer Walter Mittelholzer flew over Mont Blanc in a biplane to photograph the alpine landscape. from https://nypost.com/2019/10/11/heartbreaking-aerial-shots-reveal-massive-ice-loss-on-mont-blanc/ https://thenypost.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/mer-de-glace-glacier-01.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=618&h=410&crop=1

Russia's Navy claims it has discovered five new islands revealed by melting glaciers in the remote Arctic. The islands were first spotted in 2016 but have not been confirmed and put on the map until now. from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-7608105/Melting-glaciers-Russian-Arctic-reveal-five-new-islands-hidden-beneath-ice.html http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

This decade, babies took on a new life. Everyone wanted to be a baby, and particularly this year, babies dominated the meme cycle. We’re obsessed with babyfication — turning everything into a baby including ourselves and beloved characters. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/27/21039356/baby-yoda-groot-2010-decade-2020-snapchat-filter-sonic-film-tv https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65977526/bbyoda.0.jpg

The Auction House is growing up! Coming soon in patch 8.3, the WoW AH is getting some much-needed love. This 8.3 AH update video will walk you through the new stock auction house UI for buying and selling as well as look at the best new features. Stack size is becoming much less important with the n from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2XDZNwpLYU&feature=share https://i.ytimg.com/vi/L2XDZNwpLYU/maxresdefault.jpg

Sonos today announced that it will increase prices on the Sonos Amp and Sonos Port by $50 as it shifts production out of China and into Malaysia. The Amp will now retail for $649 and the Port will sell for $449; the price increases will be effective January 9th, 2020. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/27/21038246/sonos-pro-products-prices-raise-production-china-amp-port https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65975268/cwelch_180823_2904_0011.0.jpg

Disney+ is coming to Tesla's theater mode, at least according to a tweet from CEO Elon Musk. In response to a question about bringing Disney's service to Tesla vehicles, Musk responded "Coming soon. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/27/disney-is-coming-to-teslas-soon/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D1600%252C900%252C0%252C0%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C900%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2019-12%252F566912b0-289b-11ea-bfef-5dfe953cea80%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3Df680f81be41e7df9b40227926169485fea781e17&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=0e10488a848a4e3c1df4ef632a47523b9ec3000b

If you're keeping track of the internet TV landscape there may be change incoming, as the Wall Street Journal reports Comcast -- which is preparing to launch the NBCU-powered Peacock streaming service -- is in advanced talks to buy Xumo TV. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/27/xumo-tv-streaming-comcast/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fresize%3D2000%252C2000%252Cshrink%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2019-12%252F6252a2e0-287c-11ea-b75f-fb9aaccec5fb%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3De2b24e0c6a260c5be1bd981202d123472d7edcb5&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=ae3c926b2d5f39498f3e50744782edf8dc37e81e

Originally published by Jack Forster on Hodinkee. from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-05/see-how-montblanc-makes-its-famous-pens https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/iuQbMGU0d9dg/v0/150x-1.jpg

Three years ago, Edgar Welch sent a text message to a friend announcing he was “Raiding a pedo ring, possibly sacraficing [sic] the lives of a few for the lives of many.” Two days later, he drove 350 miles to a Washington, D.C., pizza parlor called Comet Ping Pong and entered with a . from https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/how-disinformation-hacks-your-brain/ https://static.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/C68C49D1-0376-4ED6-BECCCD97C7E28AA9_source.jpg?w=590&h=800&FFF7A1A1-707F-4246-98B8863CA4D6D551

Russia has ramped up the balkanization of its technology and infrastructure over the past few months. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/26/russia-tested-own-internet/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D3486%252C2236%252C0%252C0%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1027%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-images%252F2019-12%252Fad5b57b0-2682-11ea-add9-7dfe068064b9%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3Dcb465b896f05791bdc55cb0e031f5b526451185f&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=4648f1430e0dd50cc1f599636699f3c8c03f0a04

Live from https://www.wowhead.com/news=302076/earn-up-to-65-bonus-reputation-this-week-in-wow http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Over the course of the 2010s, streaming services for anime have grown from a niche market to a mainstream one. Companies like Sony, Netflix, Amazon, and AT&T / Warner Brothers are vying for top spots with shows like My Hero Academia and Carole & Tuesday. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/23/21003549/anime-streaming-wars-netflix-amazon-att-sony-crunchyroll-funimation https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65958862/vinlandsaga_002.0.jpg

As T-Mobile’s merger trial inches toward a verdict, it’s clear the company has spent years preparing for a merger with Sprint. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/23/21035567/t-mobile-merger-documents-sprint-comcast-merger-assessment https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65962464/DSCF0395.0.0.jpg

Today, Tesla began pushing its "holiday update" to its vehicle fleet. The changes include one present for EV owners who appreciate the great outdoors (though not enough to sleep on the ground): Camp Mode. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/23/tesla-camp-mode-holiday-update/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D933%252C583%252C62%252C0%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1000%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2019-12%252F1659d1d0-25cd-11ea-bffb-a54ef45540bc%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D7a410a9fb668dde52cb931f0140b8ce9baea7602&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=03dd20ca40e583518af9cdec66a9d23ce0e699b8

You don't have to fire up a Nintendo console or launch a phone app to play Pokémon video games from now on. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/23/pokemon-games-on-facebook/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?crop=1600%2C648%2C0%2C0&quality=85&format=jpg&resize=1600%2C648&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fos%2Fcreatr-uploaded-images%2F2019-12%2Ff7e4ab70-2519-11ea-97e6-3a7e872699f5&client=a1acac3e1b3290917d92&signature=d8300108f29768217a3a12c84f44066bb5525c7d

Drones could soon be key to keeping New Yorkers safe from crumbling architecture. Members of the New York City Council have proposed legislation that would require drone inspections within 48 hours of a complaint or confirmed violation. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/24/nyc-drone-building-inspection-proposal/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D3576%252C2384%252C0%252C0%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1067%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-images%252F2019-12%252F603ac260-25ea-11ea-beb0-e9e5ea9a10b7%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D868e8e8486a91ae822b6ac9534f639cdd1abc462&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=cfe95777a03a581c5510e36c89462a9b3119fdad

Star Wars’ first same-sex kiss has been cut from The Rise of Skywalker in Singapore. The blink-and-you-might-miss-it moment takes place near the film’s end, when two peripheral characters share a quick smooch among celebrations. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/24/21036427/star-wars-disney-rise-of-skywalker-singapore-kiss-ban https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65965028/Screen_Shot_2019_12_24_at_8.27.00_AM.0.png

Apple warned that it would eventually want notarization for non-App Store software running on macOS Catalina, and now there's a firm deadline for that request. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/24/apple-will-start-enforcing-its-mac-app-security-policy-in-februa/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D1600%252C999%252C0%252C0%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C999%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2019-12%252F38c09d30-265e-11ea-8fef-2c7eb55b3be1%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3Def9953e496e41569256cd93b30943d172e66e666&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=dc444c0610613d1aad3594922a893c7ebfe2feaf

Whether you're a longtime user or you have a new iPhone waiting under the tree, the company is celebrating the holidays with some App Store stocking stuffers. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/24/apples-app-store-giveaway-starts-today/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fresize%3D2000%252C2000%252Cshrink%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2019-12%252Fa1b476a0-2671-11ea-bdf9-c78a390a7485%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3Df110e5a2b6f1cbe15d4bb92f88de7fdfbfd6eda5&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=96852a087ce0b85108f42e5c5baf59f1fdf20353

Disney is finally selling a proper, officially licensed Baby Yoda plush toy just in time for the holidays; the only problem is customers won’t actually get it until early next year. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/24/21036704/baby-yoda-plush-official-mandalorian-disney-2020-etsy-mattel-hasbro-funko-pop https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65966162/baby_yoda_plush.0.jpg

Chuck Peddle, one of the most important engineers of the early home computing era, has died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 82. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/25/chuck-peddle-cpu-pioneer-dies/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D2983%252C1985%252C0%252C622%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1065%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-images%252F2019-12%252F40d18670-2694-11ea-be6b-8c01f42a09f9%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D5a392e5741cc3b17a4697497b18b43ef49c9fae1&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=5ceb7627bbe1ed1d95e9c6137eadb16caa209daa

If you just got a brand-new Android phone for the holidays, you probably want to play some games on your shiny device. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/25/21013133/google-android-games-best-play-pass-phone-subscription https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65967489/wjoel_180413_1777_android_001.0.jpg

We’re quickly approaching the third anniversary of the Nintendo Switch, and a lot has changed in that time. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/25/21012569/nintendo-switch-best-games-2019-pokemon-zelda https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65967566/akrales_190820_3597_0105.0.jpg

Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg is leaving the company a little more than one year after the first of two fatal crashes involving the company’s 737 Max aircraft, the company announced Monday. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/23/21035019/boeing-ceo-muilenburg-resigns-737-max-crisis-chairman https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65958981/1184444717.jpg.0.jpg

A significant chunk of carbon dioxide emissions come from the transportation sector, and within Europe nearly 40 percent of transport emissions come from trucks. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/23/epfl-truck-carbon-dioxide-capture-system/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fresize%3D2000%252C2000%252Cshrink%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2019-12%252F91509480-2575-11ea-aebf-72dc5fc77a89%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3De3069d834d9fa460b60c7393cbe51092adeebbe5&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=eaa78a0f07d9700de4e2faaee57aafaef04fa5f5

A report from The New York Times has revealed that messaging app ToTok, popular in the United Arab Emirates, is in fact a government spy tool, created for the benefit of UAE intelligence officials and used to track citizens’ conversations and movements. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/23/21034860/totok-chat-app-secret-spying-tool-surveillance-united-arab-emirates-uae https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65958195/VRG_ILLO_3557_003.0.jpg

Earlier this month, Google announced that instead of regular Android updates, Pixel 4 devices would get a "Pixel Feature Drop" to show off splashy new features. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/23/pixel-4-improved-face-unlock-esim-t-mobile/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fresize%3D2000%252C2000%252Cshrink%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2019-10%252F5b94a450-f3e1-11e9-bd36-82de86ee0cf6%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3De932f0941509a637e29cc07e0814f5cbf1a77b95&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=4cf753f320e169715fb516f3510ea5a01ea7e00a

A social messaging app called ToTok has been surging in popularity around the world in recent weeks. If you happen to be one of the hundreds of thousands of users who downloaded it you should delete the app from your phone immediately. from https://www.wired.com/story/totok-alleged-emirati-spy-app/ https://media.wired.com/photos/5e000f1a91848b0008e65861/master/w_2560%2Cc_limit/Security-ToTok-924551844.jpg

Apple Music already offers a three-month free subscription for new users, but now Apple has announced an interesting Christmas deal. As of today until the end of 2019, you can subscribe to Apple Music without paying anything for the first six months. from https://9to5mac.com/2019/12/20/apple-is-offering-six-months-of-apple-music-subscription-for-free-heres-how-to-get-it/ https://9to5mac.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2019/12/Apple-Music-Promo-2019.jpg?quality=82&strip=all&w=1600

It’s hard to believe it, but with the close of 2019, we also put to rest a whole decade of sci-fi movies that have come out in the 2010s. Much like any other genre you can think of, there were ups and downs, but those ups were exceedingly memorable. from https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2487276/the-10-best-sci-fi-movies-of-the-decade-ranked https://img.cinemablend.com/filter:scale/quill/c/9/b/f/5/4/c9bf5444b6cd90a49bda5153111688faf87da555.jpg?mw=600

AT&T is making good on its promise to validate calls and fight robocallers. The carrier has enabled validation displays that let you know when a call really did come from a given number. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/18/att-call-validation-displays/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D1600%252C1067%252C0%252C0%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1067%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2019-12%252Fdf83bbc0-21ae-11ea-a7fb-76a85ab3cad8%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3Da9015baa107392c0fd7b4ff5c31c64cfdb637e56&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=fd823cee3410aaeb1648e10601cc4d7e0c6edb7f

After months of negotiations, Congress approved a landmark bill on Thursday to stop the flood of illegal robocalls. The president is expected to sign it into law within the next few days. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/19/21030114/robocalls-bill-congress-president-trump-sign-law-illegal-fcc-ajit-pai https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65940595/DSCF2964.0.jpg

Congress just raised the legal age to smoke or vape to 21, BuzzFeed News reports. The law will go into effect sometime next year, and it will cover all nicotine products. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/19/congress-minimum-vaping-age-21/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D2048%252C1281%252C0%252C83%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1001%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-images%252F2019-10%252Fb3ad9490-ef8f-11e9-a47f-c3e357a3a9d6%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D4b9bcf39b05016968e4b19968088c086539fe218&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=781999006f7413dad330a6d0749245b45e178d08

Today, Senate approved the TRACED Act, or Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement Act. The legislation could give the government new powers to prosecute robocallers, The Washington Post says. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/19/congress-traced-act-robocall-legislation/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D5500%252C3434%252C0%252C206%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C999%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-images%252F2019-10%252F7007f990-f4f0-11e9-bff9-161713e1ed0c%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D6176e1dd3ec2ee449d6782652784694d1b115055&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=07289c8e2ae05ba586da0eaafa357b14b02b8dd7

Over the past few years, record labels have been suing ISPs for not removing music pirates from their services, and today, the record labels may have won a tremendous victory. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/19/21030812/cox-communications-record-labels-lawsuit-appeal-1-billion-piracy-isp-charter https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65943315/acastro_170712_0000_0002.0.jpg

Amazon’s Ring is having a very bad week. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/19/21030545/ring-leaked-personal-data-amazon-video-doorbell-camera-security-login-credentials https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65943367/dseifert170808_1901_0002.0.jpg

Apple is open-sourcing some of its smart home tools to “accelerate the development” of the new smart home standard announced by industry leaders yesterday. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/20/21031197/apple-homekit-smart-home-open-source-accessory-development-kit-adk-connected-home-over-ip https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65944486/homekit-apple-wwdc-2014-139.0.jpg

It's something of a long shot, but the iPhone could one day connect to its own satellite network. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple has a "secret team" working on new satellite and wireless data technologies. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/20/apple-reportedly-working-satellite-data-project/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fresize%3D2000%252C2000%252Cshrink%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2019-12%252F5dc660e0-1b7f-11ea-afdf-a2b777ad1f9b%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D34d63f1acd7f8afbf21ffd2e3a6edaf8371368a4&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=22a8192b3432d62275ae821adca9f45a39ff2240

Apple has opened its bug bounty program to all security researchers, offering rewards of $1 million or more for discoveries of major flaws in its operating systems. The program, which had been open by invitation only since its launch in 2016, now includes operating systems beyond iOS. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/20/21031350/apple-bug-bounty-rewards-open-program-macos-icloud-ios https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65947134/apple-store-beijing.0.jpg

It wouldn't be CES without companies showing off wildly ambitious tech, and Hyundai plans to accommodate. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/20/hyundai-flying-car-concept-ces-2020/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fresize%3D2000%252C2000%252Cshrink%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2019-12%252F4115c4d0-2346-11ea-b67b-461f86105677%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D24f1fd477b42b4059820b6c289e935a304bea897&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=07fee5be85c64de2e7c8d017947bfb3cd489b208