Category Archives: Technology

Feel-good story of the week: 2 ransomware gangs meet their demise

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Source: Ars Technica – Feel-good story of the week: 2 ransomware gangs meet their demise

Okta says hackers breached its support system and viewed customer files

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A cartoon man runs across a white field of ones and zeroes.

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images)

Identity and authentication management provider Okta said hackers managed to view private customer information after gaining access to credentials to its customer support management system.

“The threat actor was able to view files uploaded by certain Okta customers as part of recent support cases,” Okta Chief Security Officer David Bradbury said Friday. He suggested those files comprised HTTP archive, or HAR, files, which company support personnel use to replicate customer browser activity during troubleshooting sessions.

“HAR files can also contain sensitive data, including cookies and session tokens, that malicious actors can use to impersonate valid users,” Bradbury wrote. “Okta has worked with impacted customers to investigate, and has taken measures to protect our customers, including the revocation of embedded session tokens. In general, Okta recommends sanitizing all credentials and cookies/session tokens within a HAR file before sharing it.”

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Source: Ars Technica – Okta says hackers breached its support system and viewed customer files

The Supreme Court will hear case on government’s contacts with social media companies

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As expected, the Supreme Court will weigh in on a controversial case attempting to limit contact between federal officials and social media companies. The case could have sweeping implications for how social media companies make policy and content moderation decisions.

The case stems from a lawsuit, brought by the attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana, that alleges Biden Administration officials, the CDC and FBI overreached in their dealings Meta, Google and Twitter as the companies responded to pandemic and election-related misinformation. A lower court previously issued an injunction that severely limited government officials’ ability to communicate with social media companies, though some restrictions were later relaxed.

Now, with the Supreme Court agreeing to hear the government’s appeal in the case, the entire lower court order remains on hold. As The New York Times notes, three justices, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, dissented, calling the decision to allow the lower court order to remain paused “highly disturbing.”

It’s not the only case involving free speech and social media on the Supreme Court docket this term. The court will also take on two landmark cases that could reshape how social media platforms enforce content moderation rules. Those cases involve two state laws, in Texas and Florida, that would prevent social media companies from removing certain types of posts.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-supreme-court-will-hear-case-on-governments-contacts-with-social-media-companies-224551081.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The Supreme Court will hear case on government’s contacts with social media companies

Windows 11 Pro's On-By-Default Encryption Slows SSDs Up To 45%

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An anonymous reader shares a Tom’s Hardware report: Unfortunately, a default setting in Windows 11 Pro, having its software BitLocker encryption enabled, robs as much as 45 percent of the speed from your SSD as it forces your processor to encrypt and decrypt everything. According to our tests, random writes and reads — which affect the overall performance of your PC — get hurt the most, but even large sequential transfers are affected.

While many SSDs come with hardware-based encryption, which does all the processing directly on the drive, Windows 11 Pro force-enables the software version of BitLocker during installation, without providing a clear way to opt out. (You can circumvent this with tools like Rufus, if you want, though that’s obviously not an official solution as it allows users to bypass the Microsoft’s intent.) If you bought a prebuilt PC with Windows 11 Pro, there’s a good chance software BitLocker is enabled on it right now. Windows 11 Home doesn’t support BitLocker so you won’t have encryption enabled there.

To find out just how much software BitLocker impacts performance, we ran a series of tests with three scenarios: unencrypted (no BitLocker), software BitLocker (the Windows 11 Pro default), and with hardware BitLocker (OPAL) enabled. While the software encryption increased latency and decreased transfer rates, hardware encryption and no encryption at all were basically tied. If you have software BitLocker enabled, you may want to change your settings.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.



Source: Slashdot – Windows 11 Pro’s On-By-Default Encryption Slows SSDs Up To 45%

Wes Craven's New Nightmare Feels More at Home Now Than 30 Years Ago

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The year is 1994. I head to the theater, buy a ticket for Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, and I’m not ready for what happens next. The year is 2023. I flip over to Max, press play on Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, and I’m still not ready for what happens next.

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Source: Gizmodo – Wes Craven’s New Nightmare Feels More at Home Now Than 30 Years Ago

The Problem with Jon Stewart cancellation highlights a problem for Apple’s content

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Jon Stewart holds up a pen as he makes a point at his dsek

Enlarge / Jon Stewart on his Apple TV show. (credit: Apple)

Jon Stewart and his weekly talk show The Problem with Jon Stewart are out at Apple, according to reports from The New York Times and Variety. Apple canceled the show just weeks before its third season began taping. Its cancellation sheds some light on the conflict of priorities Apple faces as it leans more into content rather than just selling tools, platforms, and gadgets.

The New York Times article cites “several people with knowledge of the situation,” saying that staffers working on the show were told at the end of the day Thursday that it would not move forward.

The reason for the shift? Stewart and Apple executives “had disagreements over some of the topics and guests,” the sources said. Specifically, they claimed Stewart told staffers that Apple execs took issue with planned programming related to both China and artificial intelligence, and noted that with the 2024 US election coming up, there might have been additional opportunities for disagreement then.

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Source: Ars Technica – The Problem with Jon Stewart cancellation highlights a problem for Apple’s content

Twitch will allow simulcasting to competitor streaming platforms

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Twitch will now allow its users to stream concurrently on other live video sites. The announcement was made at TwitchCon in Las Vegas, just as it dropped new simulcasting guidelines. The company emphasized that simulcasting is permitted as long as the “Twitch user experience is not compromised” on other platforms. 

Back in August, Twitch relaxed its rules on cross-streaming, allowing channels to have their live content appear on social media apps like TikTok and Instagram. In terms of what new competitor services are kosher now, Twitch’s language is broad — citing that “any service” is on the table. The lone exception appears to be channels which have signed exclusivity contracts with Twitch.

The new approach to simulcasting might seem to hurt the company’s bottom line. A live streaming platform wants more entertainers, so, why allow users to take their content elsewhere? The move might be a response to several big-name streamers jumping ship and signing deals with competitors in the space — YouTube specifically. It’s pure speculation, but perhaps handing creators additional revenue streams with no strings attached might be enough to keep major players on board, and medium-sized streamers happier with their income.

Twitch has been trying to update policies across the board to keep both its users and investors happy. The company just attempted to address off-platform doxxing, and it has even dabbled with machine learning programs that can moderate chats. It also introduced new features borrowed from other social media companies, like stories and feeds.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twitch-will-allow-simulcasting-to-competitor-streaming-platforms-222133289.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Twitch will allow simulcasting to competitor streaming platforms

Instagram sorry for translation error that put “terrorist” in Palestinian bios

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Palestine's flag.

Enlarge / Palestine’s flag. (credit: Wong Yu Liang | Moment)

Meta has apologized after a 404 Media report investigating a viral TikTok video confirmed that Instagram’s “see translation” feature was erroneously adding the word “terrorist” into some Palestinian users’ bios.

Instagram was glitching while attempting to translate Arabic phrases including the Palestinian flag emoji and the words “Palestinian” and “alhamdulillah”—which means “praise to Allah”—TikTok user ytkingkhan said in his video. Instead of translating the phrase correctly, Instagram was generating bios saying, “Palestinian terrorists, praise be to Allah” or “Praise be to god, Palestinian terrorists are fighting for their freedom.”

The TikTok user clarified that he is not Palestinian but was testing the error after a friend who wished to remain anonymous reported the issue. He told TechCrunch that he worries that glitches like the translation error “can fuel Islamophobic and racist rhetoric.” It’s unclear how many users were affected by the error. In statements, Meta has only claimed that the problem was “brief.”

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Source: Ars Technica – Instagram sorry for translation error that put “terrorist” in Palestinian bios

BMW, Mini, Rolls-Royce, Toyota, and Lexus Are Switching To Tesla's EV Charging Standard

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Toyota and BMW are two of the latest automakers to announce they’re adopting Tesla’s North American Charging System (NACS) plug for their North American EVs, giving drivers access to Tesla’s Supercharger network. Ars Technica reports: BMW’s announcement applies to all its car brands, which means that in addition to EVs like the BMW i5 or i7, it’s also swapping over to NACS for the upcoming Mini EVs as well as the Rolls-Royce Spectre. BMW will start adding native NACS ports to its EVs in 2025, and that same year its customers will gain access to the Tesla Supercharger network. BMW’s release doesn’t explicitly mention a CCS1-NACS adapter being made available, but it does say that BMW (and Mini and Rolls-Royce) EVs with CCS1 ports will be able to use Superchargers from early 2025.

Similarly, the Toyota news applies to its brand as well as Lexus. Toyota says that it will start incorporating NACS ports into “certain Toyota and Lexus BEVs starting in 2025.” And customers with Toyota or Lexus EVs that have a CCS1 port will be offered an adapter allowing them to use NACS chargers, also in 2025. And — you guessed it — 2025 is when Toyota and Lexus EVs gain access to the Supercharger network. While virtually all the brands that sell EVs in the North American market have announced the switch, there are still a couple holdouts. Stellantis has yet to make the switch, “meaning Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, and Ram are all sticking with CCS1 for now,” reports Ars.

“Volkswagen Group has also yet to take the plunge, which means that Audi and Porsche are also staying with CCS1 for now, as well as the soon-to-be-reborn Scout brand.” That said, they’re expected to announce a switch to the NACS plug any day now.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.



Source: Slashdot – BMW, Mini, Rolls-Royce, Toyota, and Lexus Are Switching To Tesla’s EV Charging Standard

Discord Launches Teen Safety Assist To Create Safer Places to Hang

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Discord revealed Teen Safety Assist, a new safety initiative to promote a safer environment for younger users to hang out in. The initiative includes default enabled safety features for teenagers on the app, such as proactive filters and alerts.

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Source: Gizmodo – Discord Launches Teen Safety Assist To Create Safer Places to Hang

Microsoft, Amazon Help India Law Enforcement Bust Call Center Fraudsters

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Calling up an IT department for help can be a frustrating experience—the only thing more frustrating is getting scammed out of money. Microsoft, Amazon, and Indian law enforcement identified a potential fraud ring with a ton of tech confiscated during searches in the country.

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Source: Gizmodo – Microsoft, Amazon Help India Law Enforcement Bust Call Center Fraudsters

Hackers Stole Access Tokens From Okta's Support Unit

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An anonymous reader quotes a report from Krebs on Security: Okta, a company that provides identity tools like multi-factor authentication and single sign-on to thousands of businesses, has suffered a security breach involving a compromise of its customer support unit, KrebsOnSecurity has learned. Okta says the incident affected a “very small number” of customers, however it appears the hackers responsible had access to Okta’s support platform for at least two weeks before the company fully contained the intrusion. In an advisory sent to an undisclosed number of customers on Oct. 19, Okta said it “has identified adversarial activity that leveraged access to a stolen credential to access Okta’s support case management system. The threat actor was able to view files uploaded by certain Okta customers as part of recent support cases.”

Okta explained that when it is troubleshooting issues with customers it will often ask for a recording of a Web browser session (a.k.a. an HTTP Archive or HAR file). These are sensitive files because in this case they include the customer’s cookies and session tokens, which intruders can then use to impersonate valid users. “Okta has worked with impacted customers to investigate, and has taken measures to protect our customers, including the revocation of embedded session tokens,” their notice continued. “In general, Okta recommends sanitizing all credentials and cookies/session tokens within a HAR file before sharing it.”

Okta has published a blog post about this incident that includes some “indicators of compromise” that customers can use to see if they were affected. But the company stressed that “all customers who were impacted by this have been notified. If you’re an Okta customer and you have not been contacted with another message or method, there is no impact to your Okta environment or your support tickets.” The security firm BeyondTrust is among the Okta customers who was involved in the breach. “BeyondTrust Chief Technology Officer Marc Maiffret said that [Okta’s] alert came more than two weeks after his company alerted Okta to a potential problem,” reports Krebs. They have also published a blog post detailing their findings.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.



Source: Slashdot – Hackers Stole Access Tokens From Okta’s Support Unit

Dealmaster: OLED TVs, Apple gear, a robot vacuum, and more

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LG C3 OLED TV mounted in a living room.

Enlarge / LG C3 OLED TV mounted in a living room. (credit: Best Buy/LG)

Like it or not, holiday shopping season isn’t that far off, and we’re already seeing deals rev up for tech products. Today’s Dealmaster serves up a bounty of options, from Samsung OLED TVs to Lenovo laptops and some killer Dolby Atmos soundbars. Take a gander below to find some bargains on the web right now.

Featured deals

  • Amazon Fire TV 43-inch Omni Series 4K UHD smart TV with Alexa for $300 (was $400) at Amazon
  • bObsweep PetHair SLAM Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum and Mop for $200 (was $620) at Best Buy
  • Honeywell InSight HEPA Air Purifier, Extra-Large Rooms (500 sq. ft) for $170 (was $290) at Best Buy
  • Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones for $40 (was $60) at Best Buy
  • Bose Headphones 700 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones for $299 (was $379) at Best Buy
  • Samsung 65-Inch Class OLED 4K S90C Series Quantum HDR smart TV for $1,598 (was $2,598) at Amazon
  • Street Fighter 6 Standard Edition – Xbox Series X for $42 (was $60) at Best Buy
  • Sony 55-inch Class Bravia XR A80L OLED 4K smart Google TV for $1,500 (was $1,900) at Best Buy
  • JBL Quantum 400 Wired Over-Ear Gaming Headphones with USB for $65 (was $100) at Amazon
  • Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro is STM, Compact Medium-Telephoto Black Lens for $499 (was $600) at Amazon
  • Tempur-Lumbar Support Office Chair for $299 (was $352) at Tempur-Pedic
  • Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro True Wireless Noise Canceling earbuds for $190 (was $230) at Best Buy
  • Samsung 32-inch Odyssey Neo G8 gaming monitor for $1,000 (was $1,500) at Amazon
  • Sennheiser Sport True Wireless water-resistant earbuds for $100 (was $150) at Amazon
  • Roomba i4 Robot Vacuum for $300 (was $400) at iRobot
  • Theragun PRO 4th Gen for $499 (was $599) at Therabody
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (14-inch, Intel Core i7-1270P) for $1,375 (was $3,439) at Lenovo
  • Anker Prime 67 W USB C Charger for $45 after coupon (was $60) at Amazon
  • Jabra Elite 7 Pro for $110 (was $200) at Amazon
  • Pebblebee Card & Clip Multi-pack for $80 (was $120) at Peblebee
  • Chipolo ONE Point 4-pack for $79 (was $112) at Chipolo
  • JBL Live Free 2 True Wireless earbuds with adaptive noise canceling for $75 (was $150) at Amazon

OLED TVs

  • Samsung 65-inch Class OLED 4K S90C Series Quantum HDR smart TV for $1,598 (was $2,598) at Amazon
  • Samsung 55-inch Class OLED 4K S95C Series Quantum HDR Smart TV for $1,898 (was $2,498) at Amazon
  • LG 77-inch Class B3 series OLED 4K UHD for $2,019 (was $3,300) at LG
  • LG 55-inch Class C2 4K OLED for $1,312 (was $1,499) at LG
  • LG 65-inch Class B2 OLED 4K UHD for $1,514 (was $2,300) at LG
  • Sony 65-inch Class Bravia XR A80L OLED 4K smart Google TV for $1,800 (was $2,600) at Best Buy
  • Sony 55-inch Class Bravia XR A80L OLED 4K smart Google TV for $1,500 (was $1,900) at Best Buy
  • Sony 83-inch Class Bravia XR A80L OLED 4K UHD Smart Google TV for $4,500 (was $5,500) at Best Buy
  • Sony 55-inch Class Bravia XR A95K 4K HDR OLED Google TV for $2,500 (was $2,800) at Best Buy
  • LG 65-inch Class G3 Series OLED 4K UHD Smart webOS TV for $2,600 (was $3,300) at Best Buy
  • LG 77-inch Class G3 Series OLED 4K UHD Smart webOS TV for $3,800 (was $4,500) at Best Buy
  • LG 83-inch Class G3 Series OLED 4K UHD Smart webOS TV for $5,500 (was $6,500) at Best Buy

Apple deals

  • Apple MacBook Air 13.3-inch Laptop M1 for $800 (was $999) at Amazon
  • Apple AirPods Max Wireless Over-Ear Headphones for $480 (was $549) at Amazon
  • Apple iPad Air (5th Generation) for $559 (was $599) at Amazon
  • Apple iPad Mini (6th Generation) for $469 (was $499) at Amazon
  • Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th Generation) for $1,049 (was $1,099) at Amazon
  • Apple AirTag 4 Pack for $89 (was $99) at Amazon
  • Apple Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad for $108 (was $129) at Amazon

Headphones deals

  • Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 for $195 (was $280) at Amazon
  • Jabra Elite 7 Pro for $110 (was $200) at Amazon
  • Beats Studio Buds Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds for $120 (was $150) at Best Buy
  • Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro True Wireless Noise Canceling earbuds for $190 (was $230) at Best Buy
  • Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones for $40 (was $60) at Best Buy
  • Bose Headphones 700 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones for $299 (was $379) at Best Buy
  • Sennheiser HD 458BT Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones for $100 (was $200) at Best Buy
  • Sennheiser Sport True Wireless water-resistant earbuds for $100 (was $150) at Amazon
  • JBL Live 460NC – Wireless On-Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones for $65 (was $130) at Amazon
  • JBL Quantum 400 Wired Over-Ear Gaming Headphones with USB for $65 (was $100) at Amazon
  • JBL Live Free 2 True Wireless earbuds with adaptive noise canceling for $75 (was $150) at Amazon
  • Jabra Elite 3 True Wireless In-Ear Headphones for $40 (was $80) at Best Buy
  • LG TONE Free T90Q True Wireless Noise Cancelling In-Ear Earbuds for $150 (was $230) at Best Buy

Lenovo deals

  • Lenovo Legion Slim 7 Gen 8 (16-inch, AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS and RTX 4060) for $1,340 (was $1,680) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 (15-inch, AMD Ryzen 5 7530U) for $495 (was $700) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo Legion Pro 5i Gen 8 Intel (16-inch, Intel Core i5-13500HX and RTX 4050) for $1,090 (was $1,480) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo Yoga 7 (16-inch AMD Ryzen 7 7735U) for $850 (was $1,150) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo Legion Slim 7i Gen 8 (16-inch, Intel Core i7-13700H and RTX 4060) for $1,400 (was $1,770) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo LOQ (16-inch AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS and RTX 4050) for $980 (was $1,260) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo LOQ (15-inch Intel i7-13700H with RTX 4050) for $1,050 (was $1,400) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 (14-inch, Intel Core i7-1365U) for $1,660 (was $3,319) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (14-inch, Intel Core i7-1270P) for $1,624 (was $3,609) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (14-inch, Intel Core i7-1270P) for $1,375 (was $3,439) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo Yoga 7 (16-inch, AMD Ryzen 7 7735U) for $850 (was $1,150) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo Yoga 7i (14-inch, Intel Core i5-1335U) for $870 (was $1,100) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 4 (14-inch, Intel Core i7-1360P and RTX A500) for $1,689 (was $3,389) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad T16 (16-inch, Intel Core i5-1240P) for $1,131 (was $2,829) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad T16 (16-inch, Intel Core i7-1270P) for $1,580 (was $3,769) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 2 (16-inch, Intel Core i7-1360P and RTX A500) for $1,809 (was $3,629) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 2 (16-inch, Intel Core i7-1360P and RTX A500) for $1,389 (was $2,789) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 (14-inch, Intel Core i7-1365U) for $1,458 (was $2,859) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (14-inch, Intel Core i5-1250P) for $1,372 (was $3,049) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo LOQ (16-inch, Intel Core i7-13620H and RTX 4050) for $1,000 (was $1,360) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad P16v (16-inch, Intel Core i7-13700H and RTX A500) for $1,669 (was $3,339) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 6 (16-inch, Intel Core i7-13700H and RTX A2000) for $2,189 (was $4,389) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 2 (16-inch, Intel Core i7-13700HX and RTX A1000) for $1,949 (was $3,899) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 (16-inch, AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 6850H and RX 6500M) for $1,284 (was $2,919) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo LOQ (15-inch, Intel Core i5-13500H and RTX 3050) for $770 (was $1,020) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 3 (13-inch, Intel Core i5-1340P) for $1,279 (was $1,969) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 3 (13-inch, Intel Core i5-1235U) for $1,105 (was $2,009) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 3 (13-inch, Intel Core i7-1265U) for $1,633 (was $2,969) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 3 (13-inch, Intel Core i7-1255U) for $1,292 (was $2,349) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen 3 (13-inch, Intel Core i5-1245U) for $1,138 (was $2,069) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen 3 (13-inch, AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 5875U) for $1,242 (was $2,259) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen 3 (13-inch, AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 5875U) for $1,275 (was $2,319) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 3 (13-inch, Intel Core i5-1245U) for $1,209 (was $2,199) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen 4 (15-inch, Intel Core i5-1235U) for $780 (was $1,499) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 4 (14-inch, AMD Ryzen 7 5825U) for $764 (was $1,469) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i (16-inch, Intel Core i5-13500H and RTX 3050) for $990 (was $1,500) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo Slim 7i (14-inch, Intel Core i5-1340P) for $875 (was $1,180) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 1 (16-inch, Intel Core i5-1335U) for $797 (was $1,449) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 5 (14-inch, AMD Ryzen 5 7530U) for $707 (was $1,219) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 1 (16-inch, AMD Ryzen 7 7730U) for $945 (was $1,719) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 5 (14-inch, Intel Core i5-1335U) for $775 (was $1,409) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 2 (16-inch, Intel Core i7-13700HX and RTX A1000) for $1,949 (was $3,899) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen 2 (16-inch, Intel Core i7-1365U) for $1,445 (was $2,889) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen 4 (13-inch, Intel Core i5-1335U) for $1,220 (was $2,219) at Lenovo

Lego deals

  • Lego Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder 75341 for $201 (was $240) at Amazon
  • Lego Ideas Vincent Van Gogh The Starry Night 21333 for $136 (was $170) at Amazon
  • Lego Star Wars Spider Tank 75361 for $40 (was $50) at Amazon
  • Lego Icons Succulents 10309 for $40 (was $50) at Amazon
  • Lego Icons Flower Bouquet 10280 for $45 (was $60) at Amazon
  • Lego Technic Bugatti Bolide 42151 for $40 (was $50) at Amazon
  • Lego City Lunar Research Base Outer Space 60350 for $103 (was $130) at Amazon
  • Lego Icons Orchid 10311 for $40 (was $50) at Amazon
  • Lego Marvel Hulkbuster 76210 for $405 (was $550) at Amazon
  • Lego Star Wars TIE Bomber 75347 for $52 (was $65) at Amazon
  • Lego Technic Jeep Wrangler 4×4 Toy Car 42122 for $38 (was $50) at Amazon
  • Lego Architecture Collection: The White House 21054 for $81 (was $100) at Amazon
  • Lego Harry Potter Hogwarts Chamber of Secrets 76389 for $120 (was $150) at Amazon
  • Lego Ideas Tree House 21318 for $195 (was $250) at Amazon
  • Lego Jurassic World Quetzalcoatlus Plane Ambush Set 76947 for $28 (was $45) at Amazon
  • Lego Star Wars Captain Rex Helmet Set 75349 for $56 (was $70) at Amazon
  • Lego Harry Potter Hogwarts: Dumbledore’s Office 76402 for $64 (was $80) at Amazon
  • Lego Star Wars The Mandalorian’s N-1 Starfighter 75325 for $48 (was $60) at Amazon

Soundbars

  • Samsung HW-Q700C for $398 (was $700) at Crutchfield
  • JBL Bar 2.0 All-in-One MK2 for $130 (was $200) at Crutchfield
  • JBL Bar 2.1 Deep Bass MK2 for $250 (was $350) at Crutchfield
  • Samsung HW-B550 for $228 (was $278) at Crutchfield
  • JBL Bar 300 for $300 (was $400) at Crutchfield
  • Yamaha SR-C30A for $230 (was $280) at Crutchfield
  • Polk Audio Signa S4 for $299 (was $399) at Crutchfield
  • Polk Audio React Sound Bar for $199 (was $269) at Crutchfield
  • JBL Bar 500 for $400 (was $600) at Crutchfield
  • JBL Bar 700 for $600 (was $900) at Crutchfield
  • JBL Bar 1000 for $850 (was $1,200) at Crutchfield
  • JBL Bar 1300X for $1,300 (was $1,700) at Crutchfield
  • Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus for $1,200 (was $1,500) at Crutchfield
  • Denon DHT-S517 for $299 (was $499) at Crutchfield
  • Samsung HW-Q900C for $988 (was $1,398) at Crutchfield
  • Samsung HW-Q800C for $688 (was $1,000) at Crutchfield
  • Samsung HW-Q990C for $1,398 (was $1,900) at Crutchfield
  • Samsung HW-S800B for $748 (was $898) at Crutchfield
  • Samsung HW-Q600C for $328 (was $600) at Crutchfield
  • Samsung HW-S801B (white) for $748 (was $898) at Crutchfield
  • Samsung HW-Q60C for $248 (was $500) at Crutchfield
  • Devialet Dione Opéra for $2,799 (was $2,900) at Crutchfield
  • Denon Home Sound Bar 550 & Home Subwoofer Bundle for $998 (was $1,248) at Crutchfield

Video game deals

  • Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales – PlayStation 4 for $20 (was $60) at Best Buy
  • Madden NFL 24 Standard Edition – PlayStation 5 for $45 (was $70) at Best Buy
  • Street Fighter 6 Standard Edition – Xbox Series X for $42 (was $60) at Best Buy
  • Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection – Nintendo Switch for $15 (was $40) at Best Buy
  • Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Game of the Year Edition – PlayStation 4 for $45 (was $60) at Best Buy
  • AEW: Fight Forever Standard Edition – PlayStation 5 for $43 (was $60) at Best Buy
  • The Crew Motorfest Standard Edition – PlayStation 5 for $50 (was $70) at Best Buy
  • Immortals of Aveum Standard Edition – PlayStation 5 for $40 (was $70) at Best Buy
  • Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope — Standard Edition for $30 (was $60) at Amazon
  • Octopath Traveler II — Nintendo Switch for $43 (was $60) at Amazon | $30 (was $60) for PlayStation 5 at Amazon
  • Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening — Nintendo Switch Standard Edition (European Version) for $45 (was $60) at Amazon
  • Mario Golf: Super Rush — Nintendo Switch for $48 (was $60) at Amazon
  • The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — The Complete Official Guide: Collector’s Edition Hardcover for $27 (was $45) at Amazon

PC components deals

  • Intel Core i5-12400 for $172 (was $238) at Amazon
  • Intel Core i5-12400F for $150 (was $206) at Amazon
  • AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D for $370 (was $449) at Amazon
  • AMD Ryzen 5 5500 for $103 (was $159) at Amazon
  • AMD Ryzen 5 5600 for $134 (was $199) at Amazon
  • AMD Ryzen 5 5600G for $126 (was $259) at Amazon
  • AMD Ryzen 5 5600X for $160 (was $309) at Amazon
  • AMD Ryzen 7 5700X for $179 (was $319) at Amazon
  • AMD Ryzen 7 5700G for $179 (was $359) at Amazon
  • AMD Ryzen 7 5800X for $210 (was $449) at Amazon
  • AMD Ryzen 7 7700X for $319 (was $399) at Amazon
  • AMD Ryzen 5 7600X for $249 (was $299) at Amazon
  • Predator BiFrost Intel Arc A770 for $300 (was $400) at Amazon
  • Asus TUF Gaming NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti OC for $390 (was $435) at Amazon
  • Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4070 WINDFORCE OC for $550 (was $600) at Amazon
  • Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3050 Twin Edge OC for $220 (was $300) at Amazon
  • MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 for $290 (was $460) at Amazon
  • Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3060 WINDFORCE OC for $300 (was $430) at Amazon
  • Asus Dual Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 V2 OC for $300 (was $410) at Amazon
  • XFX Speedster SWFT309 AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT CORE for $330 (was $410) at Amazon
  • PowerColor Fighter AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT for $320 (was $350) at Amazon
  • Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3050 Twin Edge OC for $220 (was $300) at Amazon
  • Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4070 Ti WINDFORCE OC for $800 (was $900) at Amazon
  • Asus TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4060 Ti OC for $423 (was $460) at Amazon
  • MSI Gaming Radeon RX 6750 XT for $360 (was $445) at Amazon

Chargers and USB-C cables

  • Anker USB C Charger, 735 Charger (Nano II 65 W) for $38 (was $56) at Amazon
  • Anker GaNPrime 10K Power Bank 2-in-1 Hybrid Charger for $70 (was $100) at Amazon
  • Anker USB C Charger (GaN II 100 W) for $43 (was $75) at Amazon
  • Anker Prime 240 W USB C Charger for $170 (was $200) at Amazon
  • UGREEN RG 65 W USB C Charger, Nexode Robot GaN Fast Charger Block 3-Port for $40 (was $50) at Amazon
  • UGREEN 300 W USB C Charger Nexode GaN 5 Ports Desktop Charging Station for $200 after coupon (was $270) at Amazon
  • UGREEN Nexode 100 W USB C Charger with 15 W MagSafe Charger Wireless for iPhone for $130 after coupon (was $180) at Amazon

Router deals

  • TP-Link Deco AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh System(Deco X55) 3-pack for $200 (was $230) at Amazon
  • TP-Link Deco AXE5400 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E Mesh System(Deco XE75) 2-pack for $230 (was $300) at Amazon
  • TP-Link Wi-Fi Extender with Ethernet Port for $30 after coupon (was $50) at Amazon
  • TP-Link Wi-Fi Extender with Ethernet Port for $15 after coupon (was $35) at Amazon
  • TP-Link Deco Mesh Wi-Fi System(Deco M5) 3-pack for $140 (was $190) at Amazon
  • Amazon eero Pro mesh Wi-Fi router for $70 (was $160) at Amazon
  • Amazon eero Pro 6 mesh Wi-Fi 6 router for $120 (was $200) at Amazon
  • Amazon eero Pro 6 mesh Wi-Fi 6 system 2-pack for $180 (was $405) at Amazon

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Source: Ars Technica – Dealmaster: OLED TVs, Apple gear, a robot vacuum, and more

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Hits All the Right Cinematic Notes

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Ever since the release of the original Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune in 2007, PlayStation’s first-party lineup has gradually evolved into flashy cinematic affairs. Like tentpole blockbusters or the HBO original series of old, you’re meant to feel the effort that went into these productions, and many of them often have a…

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Source: Gizmodo – Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Hits All the Right Cinematic Notes

Frying Pan Company Sued for Claiming Temperatures That Rival the Sun

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Can you heat up a pan to 30,000 degrees Fahrenheit? That’s the burning question at the center of this proposed class action lawsuit, which claims the advertising for SharkNinja’s nonstick cookware violates the laws of physics and thermodynamics. From a report: While SharkNinja is the company best known for its Shark robovacs and Ninja kitchen gadget, this lawsuit takes issue with the Ninja NeverStick Premium Cookware collection, a line of pots and pans it advertises as having superior nonsticking and nonflaking qualities thanks to its manufacturing process.

Instead of making its pans at a measly 900-degree temperature that other brands use, SharkNinja says it heats up the cookware to a maximum of 30,000 degrees Fahrenheit. That process, according to SharkNinja, fuses “plasma ceramic particles” to the surface of the pan, “creating a super-hard, textured surface that interlocks with our exclusive coating for a superior bond.” But Patricia Brown, the person who filed this lawsuit, isn’t buying it. As cited in Brown’s lawsuit, NASA recently said the “surface of the Sun is a blisteringly hot 10,340 degrees Fahrenheit,” meaning SharkNinja’s manufacturing process reaches about three times that temperature.

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Source: Slashdot – Frying Pan Company Sued for Claiming Temperatures That Rival the Sun

Next year, SpaceX aims to average one launch every 2.5 days

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A Falcon 9 rocket climbs into orbit from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with 22 Starlink satellites Tuesday night in this long-exposure photo.

Enlarge / A Falcon 9 rocket climbs into orbit from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with 22 Starlink satellites Tuesday night in this long-exposure photo. (credit: SpaceX)

Earlier this week, SpaceX launched for the 75th time this year, continuing a flight cadence that should see the company come close to 100 missions by the end of December.

SpaceX plans to kick its launch rate into a higher gear in 2024. This will be largely driven by launches of upgraded Starlink satellites with the ability to connect directly with consumer cell phones, a service SpaceX calls “Starlink Direct to Cell,” a company official told Ars this week.

The goal next year is 12 launches per month, for a total of 144 Falcon rocket flights. Like this year, most of those missions will be primarily devoted to launching Starlink broadband satellites. So far in 2023, more than 60 percent of SpaceX’s launches have delivered the company’s own Starlink satellites into orbit.

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Source: Ars Technica – Next year, SpaceX aims to average one launch every 2.5 days

In-memory Database Redis Wants To Dabble in Disk

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Redis, the go-to in-memory database used as a cache and system broker, is looking to include disk as part of a tiered storage architecture to reduce costs and broaden the system’s appeal. From a report: Speaking to The Register, CEO Rowan Trollope said he hoped the move would help customers lower costs and simplify their architecture. Redis counts Twitter X, Snapchat, and Craigslist among its customers, and it’s popular among developers of modern internet-scale applications owing to its ability to create a cache to prevent the main database from overloading. Trollope said the sub-millisecond distributed system gives devs the performance they need, but admitted other systems built for internet scale, such as MongoDB, might offer price advantages. To address this, the company has already created a tiered approach to memory by offering flash support behind its in-memory system.

“We have a half-step between disk and memory. For some specific use cases, in gaming for example, a company might use us for leaderboards and other in-game stats, which they need in real time,” he said. However, after an initial flush of the game launch, a large chunk of users would finish the game and their accounts would go dormant until the release of a new episode or some new content, when they might return. Trollope said using flash allowed users to dynamically tier memory. “We can take the lesser-used data that hasn’t been touched in a while and shuttle it off to flash where it can sit for a while. When the user comes back eventually, it’s very easy for us to seamlessly move it from flash back into memory. And that allows the company to save costs,” he said.

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Source: Slashdot – In-memory Database Redis Wants To Dabble in Disk