Comment Re:It's a rather old model, just tweaked a bit (Score 1) 63
Which is exactly the model for United Way.
Comment That's a pretty penny (Score 1) 10
For a company that *may* hit $10B in annual revenue and has never come close to being profitable!
Submission + - Major security flaw was found in Chinese buses operating in Norway
betso.net writes: Oslo's transport operator Ruter operates roughly 300 Chinese electric buses in Oslo and the surrounding area. Now, the agency, conducted a test in a Faraday cage room. The findings were not surprising for security experts, but maybe for politicians. From cybernews.com:
"Apparently, buses from the Chinese company Yutong could be disabled via remote control capabilities found in the bus software, diagnostics module, and battery and power control systems... Similar backdoor control capabilities, usually at least officially frowned upon in Western tech companies, weren’t found in buses bought from Dutch company VDL."
Carscoops.com reports that the backdoor could be exploited by
"Romanian SIM cards hidden inside the system."
. From cybernews.com:
"Ståle Ulriksen, a national security expert from the Norwegian Naval Academy, told NRK, the Norwegian public broadcaster, he was disappointed with the country’s “naive politicians.” “I cannot comprehend and understand that politicians refuse to listen to the security authorities’ repeated, annual warning,” said Ulriksen."
Comment Just stop bitching (Score 1) 151
Most clocks, computers, (etc) change time automatically fer chrissake.
Next spring, go to bed an an hour earlier one night.
Now, the sun is shining brightly when I get up...how nice.
Next summer, I will be able to enjoy those long evenings...
People act like this is some major hardship. Get over it!
The controversy is just news corporations and politicians selling clicks.
Submission + - Sound Blaster Re:Imagine is a modular Linux-powered audio hub for creators and g (nerds.xyz)
BrianFagioli writes: Creative Technology has launched Sound Blaster Re:Imagine, a modular, Linux-powered audio hub that reimagines the classic PC sound card for the modern age. The device acts as both a high-end DAC and a customizable control deck that connects PCs, consoles, phones, and tablets in one setup. Users can instantly switch inputs and outputs, while developers get full hardware access through an SDK for creating their own apps. It even supports AI-driven features like an on-device DJ, a revived Dr. Sbaitso, and a built-in DOS emulator for retro gaming.
The Kickstarter campaign has already raised more than $150,000, far surpassing its initial goal of $15,000 with over 50 days remaining. Each unit ships with a modular “Horizon” base and swappable knobs, sliders, and buttons, while a larger “Vertex” version will unlock at a higher funding milestone. Running an unspecified Linux build, Re:Imagine positions itself as both a nostalgic nod to Sound Blaster’s roots and a new open platform for creators, gamers, and tinkerers.
The Kickstarter campaign has already raised more than $150,000, far surpassing its initial goal of $15,000 with over 50 days remaining. Each unit ships with a modular “Horizon” base and swappable knobs, sliders, and buttons, while a larger “Vertex” version will unlock at a higher funding milestone. Running an unspecified Linux build, Re:Imagine positions itself as both a nostalgic nod to Sound Blaster’s roots and a new open platform for creators, gamers, and tinkerers.
Submission + - Man's vacuum bricked by manufacturer - he modifies it to work offline (tomshardware.com) 2
registrations_suck writes: Manufacturer issues remote kill command to disable smart vacuum after engineer blocks it from collecting data — user revives it with custom hardware and Python scripts to run offline.
The smart vacuum cleaner was remotely bricked for not collecting data.
An engineer got curious about how his iLife A11 smart vacuum worked and monitored the network traffic coming from the device. That’s when he noticed it was constantly sending logs and telemetry data to the manufacturer — something he hadn't consented to. The user, Harishankar, decided to block the telemetry servers' IP addresses on his network, while keeping the firmware and OTA servers open. While his smart gadget worked for a while, it just refused to turn on soon after. After a lengthy investigation, he discovered that a remote kill command had been issued to his device.
In the end, the owner was able to run his vacuum fully locally without manufacturer control after all the tweaks he made. This helped him retake control of his data and make use of his $300 software-bricked smart device on his own terms. As for the rest of us who don’t have the technical knowledge and time to follow his accomplishments, his advice is to “Never use your primary WiFi network for IoT devices” and to “Treat them as strangers in your home.”
The smart vacuum cleaner was remotely bricked for not collecting data.
An engineer got curious about how his iLife A11 smart vacuum worked and monitored the network traffic coming from the device. That’s when he noticed it was constantly sending logs and telemetry data to the manufacturer — something he hadn't consented to. The user, Harishankar, decided to block the telemetry servers' IP addresses on his network, while keeping the firmware and OTA servers open. While his smart gadget worked for a while, it just refused to turn on soon after. After a lengthy investigation, he discovered that a remote kill command had been issued to his device.
In the end, the owner was able to run his vacuum fully locally without manufacturer control after all the tweaks he made. This helped him retake control of his data and make use of his $300 software-bricked smart device on his own terms. As for the rest of us who don’t have the technical knowledge and time to follow his accomplishments, his advice is to “Never use your primary WiFi network for IoT devices” and to “Treat them as strangers in your home.”
Submission + - Ford to End Production of Failed F-150 Lightning (yahoo.com)
schwit1 writes: Ford will stop making its electric vehicle (EV) flagship, the F-150 Lightning. The New York Times reports this could be attributed to both the fire and flagging sales. In the first three quarters of the year, Lightning unit sales were up only 1% to 23,034. The extent to which Ford is entirely a gasoline-powered car company shows up in overall F-Series sales, which rose 12.7% to 620,580. Ford’s management shows wisdom in shutting down Lightning production. The electric pickup never sold well, suggesting its launch was a terrible mistake. Additionally, the U.S. EV market is dying and will not bounce back soon. The $7,500 EV tax credit expired at the end of the third quarter. People who wanted an EV rushed to buy one before the deadline.
Submission + - "Dumb homes" are the latest flex (axios.com)
alternative_right writes: The return to analog hobbies and spaces is about more than nostalgia for pre-internet times, researchers say.
A home where "technology is always in the background, working and listening, feels anxiety-producing" instead of restorative, architect Yan M. Wang tells Axios.
Rising costs for smart devices, new advances rendering old systems obsolete and tech troubleshooting can also cause homeowners headaches.
A home where "technology is always in the background, working and listening, feels anxiety-producing" instead of restorative, architect Yan M. Wang tells Axios.
Rising costs for smart devices, new advances rendering old systems obsolete and tech troubleshooting can also cause homeowners headaches.
Comment Re:I'm curious (Score 1) 138
Waaaah! Society made me fat!
Comment Re:Facebook eras... (Score 1) 70
The third era was supposed to be the metaverse.
I guess that will be dieing a quiet death....
Submission + - Falling panel prices lead to global solar boom, except for the US (arstechnica.com)
AmiMoJo writes: Solar power developers want to cover an area larger than Washington, DC, with silicon panels and batteries, converting sunlight into electricity that will power air conditioners in sweltering Las Vegas along with millions of other homes and businesses.
But earlier this month, bureaucrats in charge of federal lands scrapped collective approval for the Esmeralda 7 projects, in what campaigners fear is part of an attack on renewable energy under President Donald Trump. “We will not approve wind or farmer destroying [sic] Solar,” he posted on his Truth Social platform in August. Developers will need to reapply individually, slowing progress.
Thousands of miles away on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, it is a different story. China has laid solar panels across an area the size of Chicago high up on the Tibetan Plateau, where the thin air helps more sunlight get through.
The Talatan Solar Park is part of China’s push to double its solar and wind generation capacity over the coming decade. “Green and low-carbon transition is the trend of our time,” President Xi Jinping told delegates at a UN summit in New York last month.
China’s vast production of solar panels and batteries has also pushed down the prices of renewables hardware for everyone else, meaning it has “become very difficult to make any other choice in some places,” according to Heymi Bahar, senior analyst at the International Energy Agency.
But earlier this month, bureaucrats in charge of federal lands scrapped collective approval for the Esmeralda 7 projects, in what campaigners fear is part of an attack on renewable energy under President Donald Trump. “We will not approve wind or farmer destroying [sic] Solar,” he posted on his Truth Social platform in August. Developers will need to reapply individually, slowing progress.
Thousands of miles away on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, it is a different story. China has laid solar panels across an area the size of Chicago high up on the Tibetan Plateau, where the thin air helps more sunlight get through.
The Talatan Solar Park is part of China’s push to double its solar and wind generation capacity over the coming decade. “Green and low-carbon transition is the trend of our time,” President Xi Jinping told delegates at a UN summit in New York last month.
China’s vast production of solar panels and batteries has also pushed down the prices of renewables hardware for everyone else, meaning it has “become very difficult to make any other choice in some places,” according to Heymi Bahar, senior analyst at the International Energy Agency.
Submission + - US Declines To Join More Than 70 Countries In Signing UN Cybercrime Treaty (therecord.media)
An anonymous reader writes: More than 70 countries signed the landmark U.N. Convention against Cybercrime in Hanoi this weekend, a significant step in the yearslong effort to create a global mechanism to counteract digital crime. The U.K. and European Union joined China, Russia, Brazil, Nigeria and dozens of other nations in signing the convention, which lays out new mechanisms for governments to coordinate, build capacity and track those who use technology to commit crimes. [...]
While many countries did not sign the treaty, the most notable missing signature was that of the U.S. “The United States continues to review the treaty,” a State Department spokesperson said in a brief statement. The U.N. Convention against Cybercrime was adopted by the General Assembly in December 2024 and will enter into force 90 days after being ratified by the 40th signatory. Signatories will have to ratify the convention according to their own procedures.
[...] U.N. officials said the convention would help governments address terrorism, human trafficking, money laundering and drug smuggling, all of which have been turbo-charged by the internet. The U.N. noted that the convention is the first global framework “for the collection, sharing and use of electronic evidence for all serious offenses” — noting that until now there have been no broadly accepted international standards on electronic evidence. It is also the first global treaty to criminalize crimes that depend on the internet and is the first international treaty “to recognize the non-consensual dissemination of intimate images as an offense.”
While many countries did not sign the treaty, the most notable missing signature was that of the U.S. “The United States continues to review the treaty,” a State Department spokesperson said in a brief statement. The U.N. Convention against Cybercrime was adopted by the General Assembly in December 2024 and will enter into force 90 days after being ratified by the 40th signatory. Signatories will have to ratify the convention according to their own procedures.
[...] U.N. officials said the convention would help governments address terrorism, human trafficking, money laundering and drug smuggling, all of which have been turbo-charged by the internet. The U.N. noted that the convention is the first global framework “for the collection, sharing and use of electronic evidence for all serious offenses” — noting that until now there have been no broadly accepted international standards on electronic evidence. It is also the first global treaty to criminalize crimes that depend on the internet and is the first international treaty “to recognize the non-consensual dissemination of intimate images as an offense.”
Comment Re: Oh goodie stack ranking (Score 1) 125
It just means that algebra isn't very hard and the people taking the course are good enough to master it
Or that the AI they for assignments use has it down pat.
Comment This in a country where people eat dog meat (Score 1) 36
Maybe food-purity laws will stymie this...
Submission + - ex-Intel CEO Gelsinger to build a Christian AI: 'hasten the re-coming of Christ (theguardian.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Now Gloo’s executive chair and head of technology (who’s largely free of the shareholder suit), Gelsinger has made it a core mission to soft-power advance the company’s Christian principles in Silicon Valley, the halls of Congress and beyond, armed with a fundraised war chest of $110m. His call to action is also a pitch for AI aligned with Christian values: tech products like those built by Gloo, many of which are built on top of existing large language models, but adjusted to reflect users’ theological beliefs.
“My life mission has been [to] work on a piece of technology that would improve the quality of life of every human on the planet and hasten the coming of Christ’s return,” he said.
Gloo says it serves “over 140,000 faith, ministry and non-profit leaders”. Though its intended customers are not the same, Gloo’s user base pales in comparison with those of AI industry titans: about 800 million active users rely on ChatGPT every week, not to mention Claude, Grok and others.
Religiosity like Gelsinger’s – a born-again Christian who has referred to Silicon Valley as his “mission field” – is shaping Silicon Valley’s culture in its image. Where there was once purported atheism, there is now “a very loud, very visible and very specifically Christian-inflected technological culture” in Silicon Valley, said Damien Williams, a scholar at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte who studies how technologies are shaped by religious beliefs. It’s exemplified by figures like Peter Thiel – who warns of the coming of the antichrist if humanity fails to work toward certain technological frameworks – and Andreessen Horowitz’s Katherine Boyle, a close friend of JD Vance, the US vice-president. Gelsinger has long been outspoken about his Christian values, helping found Transforming the Bay With Christ in 2013, an organization aiming to ignite a Christian spiritual movement in the region.
Gelsinger wants faith to suffuse AI. He has also spearheaded Gloo’s Flourishing AI initiative, which evaluates leading large language models’ effects on human welfare across seven variables – in essence gauging whether they are a force for good and for users’ religious lives. It’s a system adapted from a Harvard research initiative, the Human Flourishing Program. Models like Grok 3, DeepSeek-R1 and GPT-4.1 earn high marks, 81 out of 100 on average, when it comes to helping users through financial questions, but underperform, about 35 out of 100, when it comes to “Faith”, or the ability, according to Gloo’s metrics, to successfully support users’ spiritual growth.
Gloo’s initiative has yet to visibly attract Silicon Valley’s attention. A Gloo spokesperson said the company is “starting to engage” with prominent AI companies.
“I want Zuck to care,” Gelsinger said.
“My life mission has been [to] work on a piece of technology that would improve the quality of life of every human on the planet and hasten the coming of Christ’s return,” he said.
Gloo says it serves “over 140,000 faith, ministry and non-profit leaders”. Though its intended customers are not the same, Gloo’s user base pales in comparison with those of AI industry titans: about 800 million active users rely on ChatGPT every week, not to mention Claude, Grok and others.
Religiosity like Gelsinger’s – a born-again Christian who has referred to Silicon Valley as his “mission field” – is shaping Silicon Valley’s culture in its image. Where there was once purported atheism, there is now “a very loud, very visible and very specifically Christian-inflected technological culture” in Silicon Valley, said Damien Williams, a scholar at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte who studies how technologies are shaped by religious beliefs. It’s exemplified by figures like Peter Thiel – who warns of the coming of the antichrist if humanity fails to work toward certain technological frameworks – and Andreessen Horowitz’s Katherine Boyle, a close friend of JD Vance, the US vice-president. Gelsinger has long been outspoken about his Christian values, helping found Transforming the Bay With Christ in 2013, an organization aiming to ignite a Christian spiritual movement in the region.
Gelsinger wants faith to suffuse AI. He has also spearheaded Gloo’s Flourishing AI initiative, which evaluates leading large language models’ effects on human welfare across seven variables – in essence gauging whether they are a force for good and for users’ religious lives. It’s a system adapted from a Harvard research initiative, the Human Flourishing Program. Models like Grok 3, DeepSeek-R1 and GPT-4.1 earn high marks, 81 out of 100 on average, when it comes to helping users through financial questions, but underperform, about 35 out of 100, when it comes to “Faith”, or the ability, according to Gloo’s metrics, to successfully support users’ spiritual growth.
Gloo’s initiative has yet to visibly attract Silicon Valley’s attention. A Gloo spokesperson said the company is “starting to engage” with prominent AI companies.
“I want Zuck to care,” Gelsinger said.
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Thus spake the master programmer: "Time for you to leave." -- Geoffrey James, "The Tao of Programming"
