No home theater is complete without music and effects booming at you from every direction, which is why it’s relieving to hear that YouTube TV is finally testing its long-awaited 5.1 surround sound ability on more devices.
Source: Gizmodo – YouTube TV Is Finally Bringing Surround Sound to More Devices
Snipe-IT is a powerful IT asset manager. Learn how to install Snipe-IT asset management tool on Ubuntu here.
The post How to Install Snipe-IT Asset Management Tool on Ubuntu appeared first on Linux Today.
Source: Linux Today – How to Install Snipe-IT Asset Management Tool on Ubuntu
An experimental treatment for a condition that can cause widespread hair loss is close to the finish line. Recently published data from two Phase III trials has shown that baricitinib can help substantially regrow the hair of some patients with alopecia areata. The findings will likely pave the way for the Food and…
Source: Gizmodo – A Common Arthritis Drug Can Help Alopecia Patients Regrow Hair, Large Trials Find
There are a number of Linux media center distros out there, and some of them do more than one thing. But which one is best? Which one provides the most value? And which one is the most well-rounded?
The post Best Linux Media Center Distros for Your Home Theater PC appeared first on Linux Today.
Source: Linux Today – Best Linux Media Center Distros for Your Home Theater PC
“Wait,” Everything Everywhere All at Once’s Jobu Tupaki (an interdimensional being of unrivaled cosmic power and chaos, covered in blood and glitter, having just killed three men) says to her mother. “In this universe, you’re still hung up on the fact that I like girls?”
Source: Gizmodo – On Being Trans and Watching Everything Everywhere All at Once
Digital thieves just pulled off another major crypto heist. Motherboard has learned hackers stole 173,600 Ethereum (about $591.2 million) from the Ronin blockchain that powers Axie Infinity, a popular “play to earn” game where players can receive crypto in exchange for playing and paying some starting costs. The perpetrators reportedly exploited a backdoor in a Remote Procedure Call node from Axie creator Sky Mavis to get a signature, letting them “forge fake withdrawals” using compromised private keys.
Sky blamed the flaw on a holdover from the fall. The firm asked for help from the Axie DAO (decentralized autonomous organization) to handle free transactions and help cope with an “immense user load” in November. The move let Sky sign transactions on the DAO’s behalf until December, but the access wasn’t revoked after that point.
The company has responded by ‘pausing’ the Ronin bridge to close off avenues of attack, and has temporarily disabled the Katana decentralized exchange. It hoped to minimize near-term damage by increasing the threshold necessary for validation, but also said it was in the middle of a node migration that would leave the old system behind. Sky intends to track the stolen Ethereum with help from Chainalysis, and is contacting security teams at “major” crypto exchanges.
The theft compounds existing worries for Sky. Motherboard notes Axie Infinity has suffered from plummeting values for its NFTs and tokens in recent months, prompting reforms in a bid to keep the game afloat. An incident like could easily make things worse by not only starving the game of much-needed funds, but rattling the confidence of players.
Source: Engadget – Hackers swipe nearly 0 million from a ‘play to earn’ crypto game
Existence of volcanoes makes idea that dwarf planet is inert ball of ice look increasingly improbable. From a report: Strung out in the icy reaches of our solar system, two peaks that tower over the surface of the dwarf planet Pluto have perplexed planetary scientists for years. Some speculated it could be an ice volcano, spewing out not lava but vast quantities of icy slush — yet no cauldron-like caldera could be seen. Now a full analysis of images and topographical data suggests it is not one ice volcano but a merger of many — some up to 7,000 metres tall and about 10-150km across. Their discovery has reignited another debate: what could be keeping Pluto warm enough to support volcanic activity? Sitting at the southern edge of a vast heart-shaped ice sheet, these unusual surface features were initially spotted when Nasa’s New Horizons spacecraft flew past in July 2015, providing the first close-up images of the icy former planet and its moons.
“We were instantly intrigued by this area because it was so different and striking-looking,” said Dr Kelsi Singer, a New Horizons co-investigator and deputy project scientist at Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. “There are these giant broad mounds, and then this hummocky-like, undulating texture superimposed on top; and even on top of that there’s a smaller bouldery kind of texture.” At the time, an ice volcano seemed like the least-weird explanation for these features — there were no impact craters from asteroids or meteors nearby, suggesting these features had been erased by relatively recent geological events; and no evidence of plate tectonics — a key contributor to mountain formation on Earth.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Pluto’s Peaks Are Ice Volcanoes, Scientists Conclude
No matter how advanced your smartphone camera is, shaky, wobbly shots can make your videos look amateurish. This is why stabilizing your smartphone — either with a mount or a tripod — is vital to good mobile filmmaking. But if you want a more stable tool for handheld shots and multiple options for customization, Moment’s new Mobile Filmmaker Cage with MagSafe may just do the trick. The videocage attaches quickly to your phone with MagSafe, and has multiple attachment points that allow you to mount mics, lights, handles and any other filmmaking accessories you need.
The most obvious perk of Moment’s Filmmaker Cage is it allows you to have more manual control over your smartphone. Your smartphone will remain steady as you grip the large, rectangular frame that surrounds it. There’s even the option to add extra handles for even more stability. If you’re sick of dangling cables, there’s also a handy cable management system that lets you tuck in those loose wires. And if you need to pack light and skip the tripod, rest assured that the Filmmaker Cage can stand upright on its own.
If you only use your smartphone to take videos of your cats, the Filmmaker Cage will be overkill. We’ve written about how the iPhone 13’s cinematic mode can mimic the focus capabilities of professional film cameras. While the wealth of stabilization and video editing features are unrivaled on the iPhone 13, it can only do so much. Smartphone filmmakers still rely on a number of tools to perfect their shooting, including mounts, lights, lenses and mics. If you fit into this category of professional filmmaker, or even a serious amateur filmmaker, the Filmmaker Cage may be a good investment.
Unfortunately, the Mobile Filmmaker Cage is only compatible with the iPhone 12 and 13, but older models can work if you use one of Moment’s MagSafe cases. If you’re an Android user, Moment does make cases, lenses and mounts for the latest Samsung and Pixel models. The Mobile Filmmaker Cage is available now on Moment’s site, for $99.
Source: Engadget – Moment’s 0 MagSafe cage makes your iPhone filmmaking a tiny bit more pro
The Fedora
36 beta release has been announced.
Fedora 36 Workstation Beta includes GNOME 42, the newest release of
the GNOME desktop environment. GNOME 42 includes a global dark
style UI setting. It also has a redesigned screenshot tool. And
many core GNOME apps have been ported to the latest version of the
GTK toolkit, providing improved performance and a modern look.
If all goes well, the final Fedora 36 release will happen at the end of April.
Source: LWN.net – Fedora 36 beta released
A whiteboard is a console that you can attach to your desktop computer. Learn about the best whiteboard applications for Linux here.
The post Best Whiteboard Applications for Your Linux Systems appeared first on Linux Today.
Source: Linux Today – Best Whiteboard Applications for Your Linux Systems
Even if you’re “fully” vaccinated and boosted, you may be due for another COVID-19 vaccine shot soon. The FDA decided today to authorize a second booster dose for people over age 50.
Source: LifeHacker – More People Are Now Eligible for a Second COVID Booster Shot
Meta is adding a handful of features to the Messenger app that will be familiar to anyone who’s used Slack, most notably with a new @everyone function. Starting today, typing @everyone in a chat in Messenger will alert the entire group to your message — so make sure it’s a good one.
Messenger is also adding a /silent function, which ensures your message will arrive in the chat without alerting anyone, like a ghost in the night. Just type /silent before your message and you’re in sneak mode. Both @everyone and /silent commands are live on Android and iOS today.
Meta has more Messenger plans in the works. Over the coming weeks, Android and iOS Messenger users in the US will be able to use a /pay shortcut to send and receive money in-chat. On top of that, iOS users will get /gif, which drops searchable gifs directly into the chat. Messenger on Apple devices will also get /shrug and /tableflip commands, which populate the ¯_(ツ)_/¯ and (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ emoticons, respectively.
Source: Engadget – Messenger takes a cue from Slack with an @everyone shortcut
Enlarge / TurboTax products sit on display at Costco on January 28, 2016, in Foster City, California. (credit: Getty Images | Kimberly White )
The Federal Trade Commission sued Intuit on Monday, alleging that it deceptively advertises “free” tax filing with TurboTax. Intuit’s deceptive tactics pushed customers toward paid products—even in cases where they were eligible for the no-cost Free File program for people with low and moderate incomes, the FTC said.
The FTC asked a judge to issue a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction forcing Intuit to stop “disseminating the deceptive claim that consumers can file their taxes for free using TurboTax when in truth, in numerous instances Defendant does not permit consumers to file their taxes for free using TurboTax.” If approved by the court, a proposed order submitted by the FTC would force Intuit to either stop claiming its product is free or to conspicuously include all the limitations in ads “so as to leave no reasonable probability that the terms of the offer might be misunderstood.”
The FTC said Intuit makes misleading claims about TurboTax in paid advertisements and on its website. “Much of Intuit’s advertising for TurboTax conveys the message that consumers can file their taxes for free using TurboTax, even going so far as to air commercials in which almost every word spoken is the word ‘free,'” the FTC said in its complaint filed in US District Court for the Northern District of California. Intuit said it will fight the lawsuit in a response that called the FTC’s allegations inaccurate.
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Source: Ars Technica – FTC sues Intuit in bid to stop “deceptive” ads that claim TurboTax is free
This guide explains how to create Proxmox virtual machines from Proxmox Web user interface and how to do basic virtual machine management actions such as starting, stopping, cloning and deleting VMs.
Source: LXer – How To Create Proxmox Virtual Machines From Proxmox Web UI
Following a successful Kickstarter, the Death In Space tabletop roleplaying game is finally on its way. Free League announced a publishing partnership with Stockholm Kartell, aiming to bring Death in Space to a global audience. The PDF is available to purchase and the full physical game will be sent out in late April.
Source: Gizmodo – Grimdark Space Survival RPG Death in Space Is Ready for Planetfall
Russia’s biggest internet company has embedded code into apps found on mobile devices that allows information about millions of users to be sent to servers located in its home country. From a report: The revelation relates to software created by Yandex that permits developers to create apps for devices running Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android, systems that run the vast majority of the world’s smartphones. Yandex collects user data harvested from mobiles, before sending the information to servers in Russia. Researchers have raised concerns the same “metadata” may then be accessed by the Kremlin and used to track people through their mobiles. Researcher Zach Edwards first made the discovery regarding Yandex’s code as part of an app auditing campaign for Me2B Alliance, a non-profit. Four independent experts ran tests for the Financial Times to verify his work.
Yandex has acknowledged its software collects “device, network and IP address” information that is stored “both in Finland and in Russia,” but it called this data “non-personalised and very limited.” It added: “Although theoretically possible, in practice it is extremely hard to identify users based solely on such information collected. Yandex definitely cannot do this.” The revelations come at a critical time for Yandex, often referred to as “Russia’s Google,” which has long attempted to chart an independent path without falling foul of Russian president Vladimir Putin’s desire for greater control of the internet. The company said it followed “a very strict” internal process when dealing with governments: “Any requests that fail to comply with all relevant procedural and legal requirements are turned down.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Russian Tech Giant Yandex’s Data Harvesting Raises Security Concerns
Verizon is aware of a spam campaign that is targeting its customers with their own phone numbers. As first reported by The Verge, some of the carrier’s subscribers have complained in recent days of receiving text messages that offer “a little gift” for paying off their monthly phone bill, with a link that leads to a Russian website. What has made the campaign unsettling for some is that the perpetrators are spoofing the numbers of their targets.
“Our team is actively working to block these messages, and we have engaged with US law enforcement to identify and stop the source of this fraudulent activity,” a Verizon spokesperson told Engadget. “Verizon continues to work on behalf of our customers to prevent spam texts and related activity.”
When reports of the campaign first started to appear online, some Verizon customers speculated it was the result of an internal breach, a claim the carrier denies. “We believe this activity is being generated from external bad actors with no direct tie to our company,” the company told The Verge. Verizon also said it has no evidence that suggests the texts are coming from Russia. The texts come as US officials, including President Biden, have warned of potential Russian cyberattacks in response to the sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Like with most spam and phishing attempts, the best thing you can do to protect yourself is to not open the link that accompanies the text.
Source: Engadget – Verizon says ‘bad actors’ are to blame for sketchy spoofed spam texts
Though the internet’s wisdom on the dangers of using antiperspirant are overblown (you don’t actually need to worry if yours contains aluminum), you may nevertheless have pondered whether you should go the more natural route when dealing with your body odor. Deodorants mask odor without inhibiting your body’s…
Source: LifeHacker – Should You Make Your Own Deodorant?
Sennheiser just delivered a pair of updates that could make its audio gear more compelling, particularly at the end of a long work day. To start, an upgrade to the Smart Control app for Android and iOS can automatically change your headphones’ EQ, noise cancellation levels and other settings based on your location. This isn’t a new feature in the audio world (Sony has offered this for years), but it’ll be appreciated if you want to hear colleagues at the office but tune out the world while at home.
The Smart Control revamp also offers a Sound Check feature to help the EQ match your tastes, and user account support helps you carry settings between device. Sennheiser also promises a more intuitive (not to mention sleeker-looking) interface.
The Ambeo soundbar, meanwhile, is becoming decidedly smarter. Sennheiser is launching an “Ambeo OS” platform that expands the TV speaker’s functionality. You’ll finally get AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect support to stream your music service of choice. And while you can steer the soundbar through Smart Control, you’ll also have a web interface if you’d rather navigate from your computer.
This last update won’t make the Ambeo’s $2,500 sticker easier to handle. It at least provides the kind of connectivity you’d expect for that money, though. And look at it this way: Ambeo OS could make Sennheiser’s more affordable soundbar that much more alluring when it arrives later this year.
Source: Engadget – Sennheiser’s headphones can now switch modes based on location
