Today’s the day, folks. At long last, after months and months of rumors, we’ll finally get to see the iPhone 13 lineup. As always, the event kicks off at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ETT, and we’ve got you covered if you’re looking for ways to tune in.
Source: Gizmodo – We’re Liveblogging Apple’s iPhone 13 Event Right Here
Security vulnerabilities are an inevitable part of digital life. Google recently discovered 11 for Chrome—two of which are in the wild and active—and promptly issued a fix. As such, you should update as soon as possible.
Source: LifeHacker – Update Google Chrome Immediately
If you miss Driver games, you’ll soon get to revisit the classic open-world franchise — but not in a playable form. GamesIndustry.bizreports Ubisoft is producing a live-action Driver TV show that will premiere solely on Binge, a free gaming-oriented streaming service due to launch in 2022. The duo didn’t detail the plot or cast, but it won’t be surprising if the series revolves around racer-turned-undercover-agent John Tanner.
It’s unclear when the show will arrive. It’s not guaranteed to launch alongside Binge itself.
For many, the larger question may be whether or not there’s a large audience for the show. Like with the rumored Splinter Cell series, Ubisoft hasn’t touched the originating game brand in a while. The last Driver game was a 2014 free-to-play mobile title, Driver:Speedboat Paradise, and the last truly big release was 2011’s Driver: San Francisco. This also isn’t quite a timeless classic. Apart from the very first Driver and San Francisco, most games in the series have received middling reviews and the sales to match.
The series does have a premise virtually tailor-made for TV, though, with its Bullitt-inspired premise and real-world setting. And look at it this way: we wouldn’t be surprised if the show presaged the development of a new Driver game, even if it was just a show tie-in.
Source: Engadget – Ubisoft brings back Driver as a live-action TV show
Apple’s iPhone 13 event is finally here, and you’ll have multiple ways to watch — including after the big show. You can watch the company’s “California Streaming” presentation at 1PM Eastern either below or on the company’s YouTube channel. It’s also available through the Apple website or the Apple TV app on supporting devices. And don’t forget to check Engadget’s YouTube channel after the event. We’ll have a live recap of the announcements as well as a dose of witty commentary.
The iPhone 13 family will likely be the highlight, with rumors hinting at a 120Hz, always-on display (at least for Pro models) with a smaller notch. You could also see camera upgrades, the usual speed improvements, a 1TB storage option and even emergency satellite calls. Not that the iPhone will necessarily be the only star. Many also expect an Apple Watch Series 7 with a brand new case design, and you might see third-generation AirPods as well as new iPads. It’s safe to say you’ll want to tune in if you’re interested in upgrading your Apple gear this fall.
Follow all of the news from Apple’s iPhone event right here.
Source: Engadget – Watch Apple’s iPhone 13 event right here at 1PM ET
Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images)
Apple has released several security updates this week to patch a “FORCEDENTRY” vulnerability on iOS devices. The “zero-click, zero-day” vulnerability has been actively exploited by Pegasus, a spyware app developed by the Israeli company NSO Group, which has been known to target activists, journalists, and prominent people around the world.
Tracked as CVE-2021-30860, the vulnerability needs little to no interaction by an iPhone user to be exploited—hence the name “FORCEDENTRY.”
In March, researchers at The Citizen Lab decided to analyze the iPhone of an unnamed Saudi activist who was targeted by NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. They obtained an iTunes backup of the device, and a review of the dump revealed 27 copies of a mysterious GIF file in various places—except the files were not images.
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Source: Ars Technica – Apple fixes iMessage zero-day exploited by Pegasus spyware
There’s blood in the water in Texas. No, I’m not being metaphorical or quoting a country song. I mean that Austin funeral homes have been pouring human blood from corpses down the drain along with toxic embalming fluids.
Source: Gizmodo – Austin Funeral Homes Regularly Pour Blood and Embalming Fluid Down the Drain
South Korea’s competition regulator on Tuesday announced it will fine Google 207.4 billion Korean won ($176.9 million) for allegedly using its dominant market position in the mobile operating system space to stifle competition. From a report: Google’s Android operating system currently holds the lion’s share of the smartphone market, ahead of Apple’s iOS platform. The U.S. tech giant allegedly used its market position to block smartphone makers like Samsung from using operating systems developed by rivals, according to the Korea Fair Trade Commission. Yonhap News added that the regulator, which published its decision in Korean, said the tech giant required smartphone makers to agree to an “anti-fragmentation agreement (AFA)” when signing key contracts with Google over app store licenses and early access to the operating system. That agreement prevented device makers from installing modified versions of the Android operating system, known as “Android forks,” on their handsets, Yonhap reported. The regulator alleged that Google’s practice stifled innovation in the development of new operating systems for smartphones, the news site added. The KFTC has asked the tech giant to stop forcing companies to sign AFAs and ordered it to take corrective steps, according to Yonhap.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – South Korea’s Antitrust Regulator Fines Google 7 Million for Abusing Mobile Market Dominance
The Xbox app on PC just got much more useful. You can now use it to stream games from your Xbox Series X/S. In addition, the app can now stream all of the console titles available through the cloud on Xbox Game Pass.
This is the first time Microsoft has enabled remote play on PC for Xbox Series X/S — folks have been able to stream Xbox One games to PC since 2015. The company says it has improved the feature’s stability and added features such as being able to stream games from consoles in 1080p at up to 60 frames per second and play some original Xbox and Xbox 360 games.
Microsoft noted that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers in 22 countries can now play console titles through the cloud on Windows 10 (and soon, Windows 11) PCs. As long as you have a membership, compatible controller and a sturdy enough internet connection, all you need to do is hit the Cloud Gaming button in the Xbox app and you’ll be able to stream console and PC games and play either by yourself or with friends.
There are currently 294 console games available through the cloud on Game Pass Ultimate, compared with 115 PC games. Those include some EA games via the bundled EA Play membership.
The update marks another step forward in Microsoft’s goal of bringing cloud gaming to as many devices as possible. Last month, the company said it would enable cloud gaming on Xbox consoles this holiday season. Game Pass subscribers have been able to stream games from the cloud via web browsers since June.
Meanwhile, if you want to play a game on your Series X/S but your TV’s in use, you’ll able to hop into a session on your desktop or laptop instead. Remote play is also available on iOS and Android phones and tablets.
Source: Engadget – You can now stream Xbox Series X/S games to your PC
The possibility of covid-19 booster shots for all is looking less and less likely to happen in the U.S., at least for the time being. Scientists in the U.S. and elsewhere have argued that the general public does not need boosters currently, given the continued protection that vaccines appear to provide against…
Source: Gizmodo – The Covid-19 Booster Plan Is Looking Really Messy
We know what you’re thinking. Jigsaw puzzles? What am I, 80? Well, hopefully you will be someday. So why not mentally prepare for it. Admittedly, jigsaw puzzles have a reputation as the domain of either the very old, the very young, or the incurably nerdy. To which we say: Yeah, so? Some started a podcast and made…
Source: LifeHacker – Jigsaw Puzzles Can Improve Your Quality of Life More Than You Realize
For some individuals, there is no such thing as a television that is too big. Those individuals are in luck if they have over a million dollars lying around. The LG Direct View LED Extreme Home Cinema Display can measure up to 325 inches and feature 8K UHD resolution. It reportedly costs up to $1.7 million USD and is a “cinema display [that]
Source: Hot Hardware – LG’s Ginormous Direct View LED Extreme 8K TV Stretches Up To 325 Inches
Have you updated your Chrome browser lately? Assuming you use Chrome, now would be a good time to force the issue, as the latest update brings with it patches for nearly a dozen security flaws, including a pair of zero-day vulnerabilities that Google says are actively being exploited in the wild. So, yeah, take two seconds to update your browser.
The
Source: Hot Hardware – Google Chrome Users, Update ASAP To Fix These Actively Exploited Zero-Day Security Flaws
As a cynical, bitter, battle-worn games critic, I would like nothing better than to declare what a disastrous mess Microsoft is making of Game Pass. But damn them, they’re not, and the line-up of new additions coming in the second half of September is pleasingly strong. Another 13 games are getting added by October…
Source: Kotaku – Game Pass Is Really Blowing Up In September
Tonal home gym owners will soon be able to interact with coaches and exercise with them in real time when the company starts streaming live workouts. The new feature, called Tonal Live, will offer real-time community classes calibrated for each user. Tonal says coaches will be able to correct participants’ form and give shoutouts to people whose cameras are on. While the allure of live workouts is being able to get feedback from a trainer in real time, members can access any live session they miss — they will be added to the gym’s on-demand library after 24 hours.
As part of the new feature’s arrival, Tonal has redesigned its user interface and mobile app to make it easy to discover live sessions and to preview what kind of workout each one entails. The company has also designed a “social zone,” where members can interact directly with each other and see their activities and milestones. In addition, Tonal will introduce four new coaches members can work out with.
Tonal CEO Aly Orady said:
“Tonal has always been unique in the way that we’ve approached our workout content with adaptive weights, individualized pacing, and form feedback that are customized to our members in real-time. As our community has grown over the past few years, we’ve been encouraged by the organic social engagement, the craving for more interaction with our coaches, and the excitement that comes from reaching new milestones; Tonal Live will allow us to connect these elements through a studio experience while retaining the foundation of what differentiates our workouts: personalization, guidance, and feedback.”
While Tonal has been around since 2018, it experienced tremendous growth in 2020 due to the increase in demand for home fitness solutions in the midst of the pandemic. Its sales grew more than eight times, and it raised $250 million in funding, giving the business a $1.6 billion valuation. Back then, the company said it would invest that money into expanding its content and offerings, and this new feature is one of those investments.
Tonal Live will be available starting on October 20th, 2021.
Source: Engadget – Tonal brings live studio workouts to its smart home gym
Enlarge / This isn’t how the OMIGOD vulnerability works, of course—but lightning is much more photogenic than maliciously crafted XML. (credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images)
Cloud security vendor Wiz—which recently made news by discovering a massive vulnerability in Microsoft Azure’s CosmosDB-managed database service—has found another hole in Azure.
The new vulnerability impacts Linux virtual machines on Azure. They end up with a little-known service called OMI installed as a byproduct of enabling any of several logging reporting and/or management options in Azure’s UI.
At its worst, the vulnerability in OMI could be leveraged into remote root code execution—although thankfully, Azure’s on-by-default, outside-the-VM firewall will limit it to most customers’ internal networks only.
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Source: Ars Technica – Security researchers at Wiz discover another major Azure vulnerability
People are still attempting to prevent and treat COVID-19 with ivermectin, the medication that’s famously available in the form of “horse paste.” But the same groups of sketchy health experts who recommend this drug are also recommending entire “protocols” that contain other medications, including some with scary side…
Source: LifeHacker – Why You Shouldn’t Trust the FLCCC Protocol and Other COVID Self-Treatment Plans
While most science fiction games ask me what it means to be human, Opus: Echo of Starsong asked me: “Is it enough to be human?” This philosophical space opera is a staggeringly emotional game that deserves a spot among indie narrative greats such as Transistor and What Remains of Edith Finch.
Source: Kotaku – Opus: Echo Of Starsong: The Kotaku Review
Is the PlayStation exclusive God of War definitely headed to PC? For a brief moment, it seemed as though a GeForce NOW database leak essentially confirmed it would be headed to another platform, but not so fast—according to NVIDIA, yes, the leak is legitimate, but no, the games listed are not necessarily bound for the PC after all.
The
Source: Hot Hardware – NVIDIA Downplays Massive GeForce NOW Game Database Leak As Pure Speculation
Intel has pivoted on its server strategy in order to fight a supply-constrained AMD, reports DigiTimes. It’s reportedly flooding the market with chips at discount pricing, rather than sticking to MSRP. From a report: While some reports point toward a relative normalization on AMD’s CPU supply, AMD has two distinct disadvantages when compared to Intel: It has fewer revenue sources than its much bigger CPU rival, and AMD doesn’t own the factories that produce its market-turning Zen chips. Intel, on the other hand, can leverage its vertical integration (meaning that development and manufacturing takes place in an almost entirely Intel-owned and managed supply chain), as well as its massive revenue advantage, to play with final client pricing. In other words, Intel pull a lot more levers to increase demand and (Intel hopes) attract would-be AMD clients back into the Intel fold.
AMD has seemingly been making strides in server market penetration. As seen in renowned system distributor Puget Systems’ statistics, AMD has risen from a 5% share in systems sold since June 2020, up to a dominating 60% as of June 2021. However, unserved demand means that companies looking to invest in their server infrastructure or who aim to deploy AMD chips in any major way sometimes can’t wait for the chips to become available. And Intel is smartly making it more attractive for those companies to go back to the Intel fold, or to skip AMD in the first place.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Intel Is Reducing Server Chip Pricing in Attempt To Stem the AMD Tide
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | niknikon)
The cable lobby is trying to stop a possible ban on exclusive wiring deals between Internet providers and landlords, claiming that exclusive arrangements are “pro-competitive” even though they make it harder for new ISPs to provide service in multi-unit apartment and condo buildings.
The Federal Communications Commission last week sought public comment on how to promote competition in multiple tenant environments (MTEs), following a President Biden order that encouraged the FCC to “prevent ISPs from making deals with landlords that limit tenants’ choices.” The FCC technically bans exclusive agreements for TV and telecom services in multi-unit buildings, but it hasn’t stamped out the problem in part because FCC rules allow deals that prevent new ISPs from using existing wiring. These wiring deals are sometimes exclusive to one ISP even when the wires are owned by the building owner and not being used.
The new FCC public notice asks whether the commission should “revisit its conclusion that exclusive wiring arrangements generally do not preclude access to new entrants and thus do not violate its rules.” That conclusion was made in 2007 under a Republican majority. The FCC is now asking for public comment on whether exclusive wiring deals “inhibit entry by competing service providers” and on whether the deals have any benefits for tenants to outweigh the drawbacks.
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Source: Ars Technica – Big ISPs fight to save exclusive wiring deals that limit choice in apartments
