Twitter just took a major step toward making it easier for researchers to understand the conversations happening on its platform. The company introduced a new version of its API that will allow researchers to access wide swaths of public Twitter data…
Source: Engadget – Twitter is making it easier for researchers to study its platform
Monthly Archives: January 2021
OtterBox’s Dive Into Gaming Offers a Surprisingly Robust Solution for Cloud Services Like Stadia and xCloud
How To Get Back Into Destiny 2
Destiny 2 is no spring chicken. Since the shared-world shooter first landed in 2017, Bungie has released a steady stream of paid annual expansions and tweaked the core formula to various degrees. Keeping up with Destiny 2 is a commitment—of time, of money, of patience—so there’s no shame if you’ve jumped ship. But…
Source: Kotaku – How To Get Back Into Destiny 2
Sony’s best noise-cancelling headphones are down to their lowest price today
Enlarge (credit: Ars Technica)
Today’s Dealmaster is headlined by nice discount on Sony’s WH-1000XM4, as the high-end wireless noise-cancelling headphones are currently down to $278 at various retailers. That’s more than $70 off Sony’s MSRP, about $50 off its typical street price online, and tied for the largest discount we’ve tracked to date, which we also saw on Black Friday.
At the moment, the WH-1000XM4 are our top pick among noise-cancelling headphones. There are certainly better-sounding headphones for the price, but the XM4’s bass-forward sound is still enjoyable for those who like a boosted low-end, and it’s possible to customize the audio profile through Sony’s companion app. Either way, the XM4s are very comfortable to wear for hours at a time, get an excellent 30 or so hours of battery life, and have several useful features, such as USB-C charging, a “speak to chat” function that automatically mutes music when you speak to someone else, and a great “ambient sound” mode that blends external noise with your music while you’re outdoors. More than anything else, their noise-cancelling quality is excellent, muting lower-frequency rumbles and, to a lesser-but-still-impressive extent, higher-pitched tones alike.
A pair like Bose’s Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 has better call quality, a more neutral sound, and the ability to customize noise-cancelling strength, but overall, we think Sony’s pair is the better deal, particular at this price. Elsewhere, our deals roundup also includes discounts on Apple’s M1 Mac Mini and Magic Keyboard, a budget pair of noise-cancelling headphones from Anker that we like, LG’s latest OLED TVs, and more. You can check out our full roundup below.
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Source: Ars Technica – Sony’s best noise-cancelling headphones are down to their lowest price today
The killing of CentOS Linux: 'The CentOS board doesn't get to decide what Red Hat engineering teams do'
Brian Exelbierd, Red Hat Liaison and CentOS board member, gives the company perspectiveInterview Brian Exelbierd, responsible for Red Hat liaison with the CentOS project and a board member of that project, has told The Register that CentOS Linux is ending because Red Hat simply refused to invest in it.…
Source: LXer – The killing of CentOS Linux: ‘The CentOS board doesn’t get to decide what Red Hat engineering teams do’
North Korean Hackers Have Targeted Security Researchers Via Social Media
Google said today that a North Korean government hacking group has targeted members of the cyber-security community engaging in vulnerability research. From a report: The attacks have been spotted by the Google Threat Analysis Group (TAG), a Google security team specialized in hunting advanced persistent threat (APT) groups. In a report published earlier today, Google said North Korean hackers used multiple profiles on various social networks, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, Discord, and Keybase, to reach out to security researchers using fake personas. Email was also used in some instances, Google said. “After establishing initial communications, the actors would ask the targeted researcher if they wanted to collaborate on vulnerability research together, and then provide the researcher with a Visual Studio Project,” said Adam Weidemann, a security researcher with Google TAG.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – North Korean Hackers Have Targeted Security Researchers Via Social Media
North Korean Hackers Successfully Phished Cyber Researchers Using a Fake Blog
A recent phishing campaign by North Korean nation-state hackers successfully duped a number of security professionals who were involved in vulnerability research and development, according to a new report from Google’s Threat Analysis Group.
Source: Gizmodo – North Korean Hackers Successfully Phished Cyber Researchers Using a Fake Blog
The Invisible Library Is My Fantasy Novel Comfort Food
Things are a bit better. They’re still not great. Do you need another new refuge of enjoyable entertainment and simple pleasure to bury yourself in, away from the world? Head to the library.
Source: io9 – The Invisible Library Is My Fantasy Novel Comfort Food
Two Developers Are Turning Bloodborne Into A Playable PS1 Game
PS1-style demakes are in right now. From Cyberpunk 2077 to Untitled Goose Game, idle developers have been creating low-poly homages to Sony’s first gaming console, warping modern aesthetics and sensibilities into late ‘90s jank. Bloodborne PSX is another project in that vein, but unlike lots of other demakes, its…
Source: Kotaku – Two Developers Are Turning Bloodborne Into A Playable PS1 Game
Why You Should Never 'Unsubscribe' From Illicit Spam Emails and Texts
Some of us can be a little too diligent when dealing with email or text spam—because whatever you do, you shouldn’t click “unsubscribe” links or text “stop” in reply, as they literally mean “subscribe” and “please, go on” to illicit spammers.
Source: LifeHacker – Why You Should Never ‘Unsubscribe’ From Illicit Spam Emails and Texts
Gorgeous RPG 'Haven' expands to Switch and PS4 on February 4th
Haven is centered around a pair of lovers on a lost planet, so it’s fitting that it’ll arrive on more platforms just ahead of Valentine’s Day. The sci-fi RPG will land on Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Epic Games Store on February 4th. It debuted on Steam,…
Source: Engadget – Gorgeous RPG ‘Haven’ expands to Switch and PS4 on February 4th
Google Warns Of Sneaky Social Engineering Hack From North Korea Targeting Security Researchers
Security researchers beware, as Google is reporting that a “government-backed entity based in North Korea” is targeting anyone working on vulnerability research and development. These attackers use several different accounts and means of communication to reach out to a target. Then, they share that they have a 0-day available for research,
Source: Hot Hardware – Google Warns Of Sneaky Social Engineering Hack From North Korea Targeting Security Researchers
Intel And OEMs Quietly Launch 12th Gen Iris Xe Discrete Desktop Graphics Cards
In an announcement that is decidedly under the radar, Intel today revealed the very first discrete desktop graphics cards to use its 12th generation Iris Xe GPU. With very little fanfare, Intel revealed that the first desktop graphics cards will be targeted at the consumer market in addition to small- and medium-size businesses.
It doesn’t
Source: Hot Hardware – Intel And OEMs Quietly Launch 12th Gen Iris Xe Discrete Desktop Graphics Cards
iOS 14.4 rolls out with Bluetooth audio monitoring
Apple has started rolling out iOS 14.4 to iPhone and iPad users. While not as a meaty of an update as iOS 14.3, it comes with a handful of small enhancements. To start, you’ll find a new option within the Settings menu that allows you to designate th…
Source: Engadget – iOS 14.4 rolls out with Bluetooth audio monitoring
Apple Execs Discussed Not 'Leaving Money on the Table' When Setting Apple TV Subscription Fees
In Apple and Epic’s ongoing court battle over App Store fees, one of the key sticking points has been Apple’s insistence on maintaining a 30 percent cut as a cornerstone of the storefront. But newly revealed Apple executive emails from the case show that the App Store rules that Apple flouts as essential to the fairness of the app economy were carefully negotiated into existence over time in a way that ensured Apple wasn’t “leaving money on the table.” From a report: The emails date back to a 2011 discussion, which included Apple software and services leader Eddy Cue, around how Apple would handle subscription video applications on the Apple TV — an important conversation, given the rise in popularity of streaming services. And while the discussion doesn’t offer much insight on Apple’s existing 30 percent fee for the App Store, it does reveal how malleable those rules were when it came to maximizing profit. The company examined a variety of options, including a 40 percent one-time cut, a 30 percent one-time cut, a 30 percent ongoing fee, or more individualized deals with services like the NBA and MLB.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Apple Execs Discussed Not ‘Leaving Money on the Table’ When Setting Apple TV Subscription Fees
The Sims 4 Is Now A Horror Game, Thanks To The Paranormal Stuff Pack
Apparently it’s Halloween in winter because The Sims 4 just released its latest DLC, the Paranormal stuff pack, which some fans are calling the Luigi’s Mansion pack. It brings more supernatural elements to the game in the form of haunted houses and a medium skill that allows you to talk to the dead and perform séances.
Source: Kotaku – The Sims 4 Is Now A Horror Game, Thanks To The Paranormal Stuff Pack
Miso Is an Amazing One-Ingredient Marinade
Last Sunday evening I remembered that I had a pork tenderloin sitting in the fridge. I had taken it out of the freezer two days before, and was suddenly gripped with anxiety over it going bad before I had a chance to cook and eat it. I had been planning to bop over to SF Market to grab some shio koji to marinate it…
Source: LifeHacker – Miso Is an Amazing One-Ingredient Marinade
Google Play bans video app for standard “.ass” subtitle support
Enlarge / Google’s app review robots can’t be reasoned with, they don’t feel pity… (credit: Carolco Pictures)
Google Play’s crazy automated app review process strikes again.
This time, the puritan robot overlords that run the Play Store briefly decided that listing support for common subtitle files is enough to get your app banned. The developer for Just (Video) Player posted their story to Hacker News, writing in the app’s bug tracker, “After a tiny unrelated description update, Just Player got suspended from the Google Play Store for “Sexual Content and Profanity policy“. Google finds issues with following: Full description (en_US): “* Subtitles: SRT, SSA, ASS, TTML, VTT.””
Yes, just listing standard video player features like support for the “ASS” subtitle format was apparently enough to temporarily earn a suspension. The developer says they “immediately filed an appeal” and today, the app is back up with the ASS subtitle listing still in the description.
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Source: Ars Technica – Google Play bans video app for standard “.ass” subtitle support
Joe Biden Is Throwing the Weight of the Government Behind Electric Vehicles
President Joe Biden is using one of the most powerful tools at his disposal to speed up the electric vehicle transition: the purchasing power of the federal government. On Monday, he announced he’s phasing out the federal government’s use of fossil fuel-powered cars, replacing them with an all-electric fleet, during a…
Source: Gizmodo – Joe Biden Is Throwing the Weight of the Government Behind Electric Vehicles
Error 404: The Internet Broke
A strange outage is impacting internet users in the Northeast U.S. It’s not entirely clear what is going on, but it sure is annoying.
Source: Gizmodo – Error 404: The Internet Broke