Some app developers have vowed to alter their behavior. Alongside TikTok, 10% Happier and Hotel Tonight are cutting back their clipboard use. There are apps that make smart use of the clipboard, too. Pixelmator, for instance, only pulls data if there’s an image. It also won’t be surprising if there are more changes thanks to iOS 14’s clipboard monitoring, which Apple will credit to Mysk and his colleague Hal Bakry.
However, the concern isn’t just that this handful of apps are misusing the keyboard. There’s a chance that many other apps are exhibiting similar behavior. It’s also unclear how these apps behave in Android. TikTok said the anti-spam feature that raised alarms over the iOS version isn’t present in Android, but didn’t say if it accessed the clipboard on Google’s OS for other reasons. Regardless of your device choice, then, it’s a good idea to avoid copying sensitive data unless necessary and to clear out the clipboard (such as by copying a harmless piece of text) when you do copy valuable info.
The business-focused versions of Windows 10 have normally let you avoid major updates for up to a year, which can be helpful if you either value stability at all costs or just don’t like change. You might not have quite so much breathing room going forward, though. As WindowsTimes and Gizmodo have noticed, Windows 10 version 2004 has reduced manual deferrals for Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise and Education updates to 35 days (just as long as for Home) and pulled the option from the Windows Update settings in Advanced Options. If you want to keep deferring updates, you’ll need to change local Group Policy to match.
This is meant to “prevent confusion” and help make use of a policy targeting PCs whose version is nearly out of service, Microsoft said.
Tesla may push the boundaries of automotive technology but its production process is a bit of a mess. In a recent initial quality survey from JD Power and Associates, Tesla customers reported 250 build defects (misaligned body panels, shoddy paintwork, things of that nature) per 100 vehicles. The national average is around 166 defects per 100 vehicles. But hey, at least you can spend $3,000 on an autopilot feature that probably won’t crash you headlong into a highway median divider. Probably.
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Pickups have grown to monstrous proportions in recent years — effectively becoming gussied up SUVs with open air trunks — often at the direct expense of their gas mileage. However, Ford is looking to move its pickup lineup to greener pastures with its 2021 F-150 hybrid. Its 3.5L twin-turbocharged V6 pairs with a 35kWh electric motor to deliver a whopping 700 mile range between fill ups. It’s still not the most environmentally friendly transportation option out there, but it will hold us over until Ford releases the all-electric version it’s been developing.
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And once Ford does release its fully-electric F-150 pickup, you’ll be able to drive that sweet ride clear across the country thanks to Electrify America’s efforts. The company has just completed a nation-wide EV charging network which will allow drivers to run from LA clear through to Washington DC. Next year’s Gumball Rally is going to wild.
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When not gobbling down naming rights to as-of-yet unbuilt hockey arenas, Amazon is spending big bucks on self-driving car technology. Last week the internet retail behemoth snapped up Zoox, an autonomous automotive startup, to the tune of $1.2 billion dollars.
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When you gotta go, you gotta go — even when you’re outside the bounds of Earth’s gravity. But rather than fight with the current evacuatory system NASA employs (those hoses go where?), the space agency is calling on the public for ideas to better relieve yourself while in orbit. The winning submission will earn $35,000, though there’s no word if you can trade that prize money for the equivalent value in TP.
Black hole collisions tend not to produce light by their very nature — you may catch gravitational waves, but that’s about it. However, scientists might have just found one of those rare instances where a collision was visible. A team using May 2019 data from both the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) and Europe’s Virgo detector has spotted what appears to be the first known instance of a “flare of light” from two merging black holes. If so, the key would likely be their interaction with a third, larger counterpart.
Many galaxies have supermassive black holes at their center whose giant gas disk can merge smaller black holes. When that happens, the newly unified black hole can be sent off in an unusual direction through the disk, sparking a gas reaction days or weeks after the gravitational waves appear. The timing of the flare lined up with this, and it even gradually faded away over the course of a month.
The PlayStation 2 is over 20 years old, but it’s still difficult to hack if you want to run homebrew games without tweaking the hardware. You usually need to install a modchip, buy a specially-configured memory card or even pry the system open to block the disc reader’s sensors. However, it might just be a matter of using the discs themselves to fool the console. Security software engineer CTurt has developed a homebrew app method that exploits the DVD player function to run unofficial code. The approach involves corrupting key functions in the files DVD movies always contain, and then loading a second, more advanced stage that isn’t constrained like the first.
The technique is still young, but already works reasonably well. You just need to put a disc in the PS2’s drive and wait for it to load. You can even boot into a menu to choose from multiple games stored on a single disc. It also hints at opportunities to allow unofficial games on other systems — CTurt believes this could work for other PlayStation models. That might not be an option for long when some PS5 models won’t include disc drives, but it does raise hope for those wanting to expand their game collections with unofficial titles.
If you’re using Google’s Phone app, you’ll soon be able to know why a business establishment is calling before you even pick up. In a new support page discovered by Android Police, the tech giant goes into detail about a feature called “Verified Calls.” Businesses that choose to go through and pass Google’s verification process will be able to send the dedicated Verified Calls server their phone number, your phone number and their reason for calling, such as “Scheduling your internet installation” or “Your food delivery.” Google will then show all that information on your Phone app.
The feature is switched on by default, but it won’t work if you haven’t added your phone number to your Google Account. It also won’t work if you don’t have the Google Phone app, which still isn’t compatible with a lot of Android devices, including Samsung phones. You can switch the feature off if you always pick up regardless of whether or not you know who’s calling — or in case you have privacy concerns. Google says the feature doesn’t “collect or store any personally identifiable information after verification,” though, and that the company deletes your phone number and the call reason from the Verified Calls server minutes after verification.
It’s not hard to find portable synths, but they typically have one or two effects at most — even larger models (with some exceptions) tend to only have a few. You won’t have that issue with Dreadbox’s just-introduced Typhon, however. As Synth Anatomynotes, the USB-powered analog mono synth includes 12 DSP stereo effects, such as a bit crusher, distortion, flanger and reverb. You might not have much trouble producing a favorite sound wherever you’re playing.
There’s also a 32-note step sequencer that can be used for pitch and modulation, not just for notes. This isn’t absolutely essential when other instruments can often automate parameters without using a sequencer, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have the option in this class. The design is also relatively newcomer-friendly with a clear layout.
BTS’ YouTube viewership record has been broken over a year later — although it might not surprise you to hear who managed the feat. Varietyreports that K-pop band Blackpink managed to break the record for the most views in 24 hours, racking up 82.4 million views for its new “How You Like That” music video versus BTS’ 74.6 million for “Boy With Luv.” It might also be the fastest to 100 million views, having obtained 94 million in 30 hours (it was at nearly 104 million as of this writing).
Blackpink held the record a week before BTS with “Kill This Love,” but that came in part through ad views. YouTube stopped counting ads toward views this past September, so the group’s achievement more closely reflects real viewership.
Universal Studios’ theme park in Japan tentatively reopened to visitors on June 8th, but that doesn’t mean its upcoming Super Nintendo World section will be open on time. NHK says company has indefinitely delayed the Nintendo area’s debut after originally intending to fling the gates open in late July. It won’t surprise you to hear as to why: Mario and crew are likely to increase the number of visitors, and that’s not what Universal wants while it’s already trying to keep attendance down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company is only allowing park visitors from the surrounding Kansai region and has effectively cut visitor numbers in half.
You might not have to stick to your computer if you want to browse Facebook in dark mode. After reports of the palette change popping up, Facebook has confirmed to SocialMediaToday that it’s testing a dark mode in its mobile apps. The feature is only available to a “small percentage” of users worldwide at the moment, according to a spokesperson. You likely won’t see if for a while, then, even though it’s clearly edging toward a wider release.
The company has already brought dark mode to a number of apps, including Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp. It’s not certain why the core mobile app is the last in line, but SMT noted that Facebook has a massive number of mobile users (3 billion are active across its various apps on a monthly basis). It would make sense for Facebook to be cautious about rolling out dark mode in its main app when any bugs or design issues could affect a large section of its audience.
