Новости за 14.10.2017

Uber is backtracking on its plans to shut down its Quebec operations after the Canadian province implemented tighter restrictions on its drivers. According to CBC News (via Engadget), the rideshare company announced yesterday that it will continue to negotiate with the government as the rules are put into place.

In June, British Parliament was hit by a “sustained and determined” cyberattack that attempted to uncover weak passwords used by lawmakers. Now, investigators say that Iran was behind the attack, and that around 90 accounts were compromised, according to a report in The Times.

If you’re a fan of science fiction and fantasy, or just books in general, you might have come across the minimalist, elegant, and witty work of cartoonist Tom Gauld. Gauld is responsible for the series You’re All Just Jealous of My Jetpack, and most recently, Baking with Kafka, a short collection of his cartoons drawn from places like The Guardian, the New Yorker, and The New York Times.

Following a pair of reports detailing decades of sexual harassment and abuse by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, Amazon Studios has cut ties with the his studio and has canceled a high-profile television drama from David O. Russell, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The next generation of soft robots might be able to hide in plain sight, thanks to a newly developed, camouflaging skin that can rapidly transform from a flat silicone sheet to a 3D shape.

Twitter has turned over the names of 201 accounts to Senate investigators who are looking into Russia’s efforts to influence the last year’s presidential election, according to the Associated Press.

I watched the original Blade Runner (the Final Cut) and Blade Runner 2049 back to back last weekend, and what stood out to me most is the difference between the two films' visuals. Both are absolutely gorgeous movies, and I think the sequel does a very good job of adapting the original's very specific look to a new story. But I also think it's far less daring, and that sort of speaks to the overall experience of watching 2049. (No spoilers here, I promise.)

Yesterday, some Twitter users began a 24 hour boycott of the social media platform after the company suspended actress Rose McGowan’s account. Twitter has taken notice, and last night, CEO Jack Dorsey pledged that it will take a “more aggressive stance” in enforcing its rules, and that it will begin rolling out new rules in the coming weeks to try and curb some of the unwanted behavior that appears on the platform.

We’re approaching Black Friday next month, which means retailers will likely hold out on any major promotions until then. However, there are still some tech deals worth checking out now, especially if any of the below items are something you can’t wait for.

The average price of a pair of headphones has inched past the $40 mark this year, according to new data released this week by Futuresource Consulting. We now pay an average of $42.70, which is a 14 percent rise year-on-year and maintains a trajectory of double-digit annual growth. Last summer, Futuresource reported an 11 percent rise in pricing in 2015, to a mark of $34, driven by an appetite for more advanced features. Those are things like advanced noise canceling, fitness tracking for sports buds... Читать дальше...

Last month, when the Syfy Channel cancelled its pulpy space-opera show, Dark Matter, the show’s creator, Joseph Mallozzi, immediately began working on a way to save it. Recently, on his blog, he revealed that MGM showed some interest in picking up Dark Matter — and crossing it over with another well-known science fiction television franchise, Stargate.

Small, powerful, and affordable electric motors have helped dozens of startups flood the market with increasingly practical personal vehicles over the last few years. A handful of products I’ve tried this year that show these concepts are progressing and evolving, too. There are modular electric skateboards, foldable scooters, and design-forward e-bikes now, and they all feel like genuine advancements of their base ideas. This focus on developing alternative transportation is promising for commuters with some cash to burn... Читать дальше...

Supplies still aren’t reaching where they’re needed in Puerto Rico, and some people who desperately need water are getting it from hazardous sources. After evaluating five places deemed especially hazardous to health and the environment, so-called Superfund sites, Environmental Protection Agency staff saw people accessing wells at a chemical-tainted water source on the northern coast of Puerto Rico.

Tesla has fired hundreds of employees across both its Palo Alto, California headquarters and its Fremont vehicle production factory, according to a report from The Mercury News. Citing interviews with former and current employees, the report puts the firings at between 400 and 700 people, and they affected everything from factory workers to engineers to managers. According to The Mercury News, workers were not given advance notice of the decision.

T-Mobile is bringing to an end one of its more generous perks that gave customers traveling to Canada and Mexico free unlimited LTE service. Starting November 12th, T-Mobile is putting a 5GB data cap on LTE usage when traveling outside the US in North America. You’ll still get data after the 5GB limit is hit, but it’ll be throttled to the near-unusable “Simple Global” speed tier, or about 128Kbps. (T-Mobile One Plus customers get 256Kbps, but that’s not much better.)

Steve Wozniak, who co-founded Apple with Steve Jobs, is launching a new online tech education platform he’s calling Woz U, which is designed to promote technology jobs and the skills required to enter the industry. Over time, Wozniak hopes to expand the initiative to include as many as 30 physical locations around the world and courses on everything from software engineering and information technology to mobile app development and cybersecurity, among others. It’s unclear whether courses will be offered for free... Читать дальше...

Sexual assault allegations — apparently from multiple individuals — have been made against a prominent security researcher, prompting his resignation from several public interest organizations he was affiliated with. Morgan Marquis-Boire was an employee of First Look Media until this past September. He was also a technical advisor to organizations such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Freedom of the Press Foundation, and the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab.

Microsoft's Cortana assistant can now remember what books, TV shows, movies, recipes, and restaurants you like and don't want to forget. The company just introduced its new Cortana Collections feature, which essentially works like a Pinterest board built into your Windows 10 device.