How China Demands Tech Firms Reveal Hackable Flaws in Their Products

The researchers found, in fact, that some firms appear to be taking that second option. They point to a July 2022 document posted to the account of a research organization within the Ministry of Industry and Information Technologies on the Chinese-language social media service WeChat. The posted document lists members of the Vulnerability Information Sharing… Continue reading How China Demands Tech Firms Reveal Hackable Flaws in Their Products

Google Freshens Up Its Android Brand and Drops New Features

With the release of Android 14 creeping closer, Google just announced a makeover for the Android brand, which was last updated in 2019. The logo has been modernized, and the Android mascot, called Bugdroid, has a fresh 3D look. The company also unveiled a handful of new features for Google apps and Android devices, including… Continue reading Google Freshens Up Its Android Brand and Drops New Features

Climate Change Has Finally Come For Burning Man

When the history of Burning Man 2023 is written, it’s likely Diplo and Chris Rock deciding to trudge for five miles out of the festival site will be recorded as the point the fun stopped. The musician and actor were forced to abandon their campsite by foot as torrential rains turned the Nevada desert, which… Continue reading Climate Change Has Finally Come For Burning Man

The Aftermath of a ‘Miracle Cure’ for a Rare Cancer

Gleevec was approved just as the Human Genome Project was wrapping up, and it served as Exhibit A for those who were looking for evidence that the era of gene-guided health care had arrived. Francis Collins, director of the Human Genome Project, spotlighted Gleevec at the project’s celebratory conclusion. Gleevec was remarkable, but it was… Continue reading The Aftermath of a ‘Miracle Cure’ for a Rare Cancer

27 Best Labor Day Mattress and Sheet Deals: Hybrid Beds, Budget, Innerspring

Labor Day is almost here and mattress companies have kicked off their sales. Our advice for buying a mattress is to never pay full price, and always look at deals with caution. Sale prices are usually the real MSRP in disguise. We keep track of prices throughout the year and have highlighted the deals that… Continue reading 27 Best Labor Day Mattress and Sheet Deals: Hybrid Beds, Budget, Innerspring

4 Best MagSafe Power Banks for iPhones (2023): High Capacity, Slim, Kickstands

Bezalel Prelude XR for $100: The clever X range from Bezalel includes two MagSafe power banks and a wireless charging plug. The XR, which I tested, has a 10,000-mAh capacity, while the smaller X ($80) makes do with 5,000 mAh. The XR is bulky, and the kickstand feels flimsy, but it offers more than enough… Continue reading 4 Best MagSafe Power Banks for iPhones (2023): High Capacity, Slim, Kickstands

Burying Power Lines Prevents Wildfires. But There’s a Cost

Not long after the deadliest wildfire in modern American history swept through Lahaina, Maui, on August 8, speculation began swirling about a notorious igniter of out-of-control blazes: electrical equipment.  Although investigators have yet to officially determine the cause of the wildfire, witnesses reported power poles snapping in the 60-mile-an-hour winds that were pouring down the… Continue reading Burying Power Lines Prevents Wildfires. But There’s a Cost

‘Reservation Dogs’ Is a Vision of Hollywood’s New Normal

In the FX comedy Reservation Dogs, currently midway through its third and final season, the residents of Okern, Oklahoma, are rendered on a glorious scale. They are a collection of oddballs and misfits, lovers and loners, friends and frenemies, wise elders and wise-cracking aunties. To engage their all-encompassing community is to enter into the beauty… Continue reading ‘Reservation Dogs’ Is a Vision of Hollywood’s New Normal

Apple’s Decision to Kill Its CSAM Photo-Scanning Tool Sparks Fresh Controversy

In December, Apple said that it was killing an effort to design a privacy-preserving iCloud photo-scanning tool for detecting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on the platform. Originally announced in August 2021, the project had been controversial since its inception. Apple had first paused it that September in response to concerns from digital rights groups… Continue reading Apple’s Decision to Kill Its CSAM Photo-Scanning Tool Sparks Fresh Controversy

People Are Increasingly Worried AI Will Make Daily Life Worse

Over the past year or so, you’ve probably had conversations with friends, family, and coworkers about the rise of generative AI capable of making convincing text and imagery—but perhaps also about the hype and fear swirling around the technology. A poll out this week finds that worry over harmful effects of AI is outpacing the… Continue reading People Are Increasingly Worried AI Will Make Daily Life Worse