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Heathrow Airport installs anti-drone system that can locate UAV pilots

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The one-of-a-kind “Counter Drone” system was designed for Heathrow Airport by Operational Solutions Ltd, with help from manufacturers like Aveillant. In addition to detecting and tracking unauthorized drones, the system will locate the drone pilots, who can face up to five years in prison for flying in a UK Flight Restriction Zone without permission.

According to Bloomberg, the Counter Drone technology uses a holographic radar system, the same used at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport. It’s unclear, though, if Heathrow’s system includes a way to disable drones once they’ve been identified.

Better drone detection systems should help prevent major air traffic problems. In 2018, drones flying near London’s Gatwick airport during the peak of holiday travel affected 110,000 passengers and 760 flights. More recently, police arrested climate protestors who attempted to close Heathrow Airport using illegal drone flights. In addition to keeping passengers and airport staff safe, the system could help reduce the fuel wasted by flight stacking and delays caused by unauthorized drone use.

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LG is building its own in-car voice assistant

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Cerence, which spun off from the Nuance Communications recently, has created a Cerence ARK (AI Reference Kit) voice assistant system for use in-car. LG will integrate the voice assistant into its infotainment systems as part of its webOS Auto software.

LG’s webOS Auto is Linux-based software with connected car features, like the ability to collect vehicle data and navigation history and upload it to the cloud. With the addition of the voice assistant technology, users will be able to control car functions, navigation and media with their voice, similar to Apple CarPlay or Google Android Auto.

The partnership between LG and Cerence aims to create a pre-packaged software system which will be available to other manufacturers, so they can also include the voice assistant in their vehicles. The venture will be based in Santa Clara, California, according to ZDNet, and will begin operations in the first quarter of 2020.

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Microsoft ends support for Windows 7 today

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So to make sure you’ve got adequate protection, you need to upgrade your OS. Back in 2015 Microsoft made upgrades from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 free for the first year, but while it officially ended the Windows 10 free upgrade offer in December 2017 there is a loophole that means you can still get your hands on it for nothing — providing you have a legit Windows 7 or 8.1 license.

As reported by Windows Latest, users can download and run the Media Creation Tool, and then enter their existing product key if prompted. Once upgraded, you’ll have a digital licence to Windows 10 that will be verified when you connect to the internet. Over on Reddit, a self-proclaimed Microsoft engineer stated that the original free upgrade deal was “fully marketing fluff,” and that Microsoft would rather folk upgrade via the loophole than not at all, because then they’ll at least have an up-to-date OS — and subsequently, better protection.

So it seems that Microsoft is not particularly troubled by the loophole. However, as Windows Latest reiterates, a successful activation of Windows 10 is not the same as a legal license, so you could technically be violating licensing agreements by using a Windows 7 product key for Windows 10.

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Instacart pickups now include alcohol and let stores know you’re nearby

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Other new features include Pick Your Pickup mapping, which lets customers select the pickup location most convenient to their route each day, plus customized navigation and the option to send a friend or family member to collect an order in their place. And to round out the new additions, Instacart now offers alcohol pickup — in addition to delivery — from more than 20 partners, so you don’t need to make an extra stop for that crate of beer.

Instacart started out as a delivery service, but it seems to be increasingly focused on pickup options. Other major retailers already offer this, of course, but by adding these new features — and expanding to include booze, which would not be without its logistical challenges in terms of laws and ID — the company clearly wants to position itself at the go-to click-and-collect provider. Looking ahead, the company says it expects to double the number of stores offering pickups this year.

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Google quietly removed ‘Guest Mode’ casting from Home speakers

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The benefit of the feature was that guests didn’t need to be connected to the same WiFi network as the speaker — all they needed was a four digit PIN code. When Google first introduced the feature, it paired with devices using ultrasonic frequencies that could actually be heard by pets or people with good hearing.

Not only is the mode apparently disabled, but the the option to turn it on has disappeared from Home and Nest speaker device settings, as have the support pages for it. The instructions to make it work are still available on a cached page, however.

The feature is still available on Chromecast devices, so it’ll still be easy to hook up that friend with the Netflix account. It’s not clear why Google disabled it for Google Home, however, or exactly when the feature was disabled.

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NASA tests its water-hunting lunar rover VIPER

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SLOPE has a large, adjustable soil bin, which allowed the rover’s engineers to gather the data needed to evaluate the traction of the vehicle and its wheels. The test also gave them a way to compare different methods for traversing steep slopes to determine the most feasible ones. Its results will help them figure out the power requirements for various maneuvers, as well.

NASA will send VIPER to the lunar south pole, where the crewed Artemis mission will also land, to look for water ice in the region. It will collect and analyze samples using four science instruments, which will help us see if the Moon has enough water to sustain future missions. When the rover was announced, project manager Daniel Andrews said: “The key to living on the Moon is water — the same as here on Earth. Since the confirmation of lunar water-ice ten years ago, the question now is if the Moon could really contain the amount of resources we need to live off-world. This rover will help us answer the many questions we have about where the water is, and how much there is for us to use.”

VIPER doesn’t have a launch date yet, but the aim is to land it on the Moon in December 2022. This is just one of the tests it’s bound to undergo before its final version blasts off towards its destination.

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Via’s largest on-demand transit service to date launches in Sacramento

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It costs $2.50 per trip for most riders, but that drops to $1.25 for seniors and the disabled. It’s free if you’re either young enough for a RydeFreeRT pass or traveling in a group of five or more.

SmaRT Ride technically launched first in February 2018, but the city brought on Via to run a more comprehensive service that covers more areas and offers “new functionality.”

As always, the aim of the on-demand system is to provide a service that’s more convenient than conventional buses without the expense of ridesharing services like Lyft and Uber. This could cover mass transit gaps in areas where it’s difficult to provide conventional bus or rail service, at least without lengthy wait times.

However, it’s not certain that these services are always beneficial. Although there is a phone number to call in this case, SmaRT ride is still app-focused — customers without smartphones will be at a disadvantage. And like Wired noted, on-demand systems like Via’s can cost a city considerably more than it would to run a standard bus. While it’s good to have more choices for getting around town, cities may have to do their homework to ensure on-demand shuttles are truly helpful.

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‘GTA4’ leaves Steam after an old Microsoft service breaks game sales

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Games for Windows Live has caused a number of headaches since Microsoft began shutting things down in 2013. Developers have had to patch the platform out of their games to keep them running properly, including the Batman: Arkham series and Dark Souls. GTA4 has had its own problems, prompting gamers to develop workarounds to keep the game running smoothly.

There may be relief in sight. Rockstar said it was “looking at other options” for offering GTA4 on PCs, and planned to share more “as soon as [it] can.” Until, then, though, the withdrawal is a textbook example of why games shouldn’t be tied too closely to an outside platform. If that platform holder bows out for any reason, the game might suddenly lose a lot of its functionality. And when these shutdowns tend to happen long after the developers moved on, fixing that functionality could be a painful process.

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Korg unveils a full-sized, assembly-free MS-20

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This is a 100-percent accurate recreation of the original analog circuitry found in the 1978 classic. The heart and soul is the same monophonic dual oscillator set up, each with a voltage controlled amp, filter and envelope generator. Plus a single LFO. And just for completeness sake, Korg included the ability to choose between the early model or late model style filter (the original versions were a little noisier and more aggressive).

But, there have been some concessions made to modernity. First and foremost you’ve got both 5-pin MIDI in, as well USB for connecting to modern gear and computers. Plus, the reissue comes in four colors — green, white, blue and black. Personally, I’m pretty into the green version.

All of this sounds pretty great, so what am I talking about when I say faithful to a fault? Well, just like the original this MS-20 uses larger 1/4-inch cables for patching rather than the more standard 1/8-inch you find on most modern systems (including the MS-20 Mini) and Eurorack.

There’s no word on pricing yet, but it’s safe to assume it will be at least as much as the MS-20 Mini ($460) if not more when it lands in April of this year.

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Amazon may get law enforcement involved in more counterfeit cases

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In the past, Amazon has disclosed merchant info to European and US authorities when it thought it had enough dirt to pursue the culprit. Now, it will report merchants every time it confirms a counterfeit is sold, Reuters‘ source says. Amazon will share the merchant’s name, company name, product and contact info, though it will first close the seller’s account and allow the seller to attempt an appeal.

It’s unclear why Amazon is changing its approach now. Late last year, Nike announced that it will no longer sell its shoes and apparel on the platform. Some speculated that Amazon’s counterfeit problem may have played a part. By taking a harsher stance against fakes, Amazon might be attempting to reassure sellers that counterfeiters won’t just get a slap on the wrist.

Engadget has reached out to Amazon for confirmation and comment.

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