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Boeing employees called designers of flawed Max 737 jets ‘clowns’

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So far, the investigations indicate that the 737 Max’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System is the main culprit in the crashes. This software manipulates the plane’s hardware to give the pilot a particular feel when adjusting pitch. While designing the plane, Boeing made frequent changes to the code but did not adequately explain these adjustments to the FAA, resulting in a shoddy safety analysis. The faulty MCAS automatically put the planes into nosedives, causing the two deadly crashes.

The transcripts also make it clear that Boeing was trying to save a substantial amount of money for the airlines that bought the 737 Max by convincing the FAA that simulator training for the new jets was unnecessary. These simulators aren’t simple computer set-ups — they’re detailed and expensive recreations of planes that are propped on hydraulic supports so that pilots can get a true-to-life feel of the aircraft.

In March of 2017, the 737 chief technical pilot told his colleagues to “stress the importance of holding firm that there will not be any type of simulator training required.” He wrote that Boeing would “go face to face with any regulator who tries to make that a requirement.” In June 2017, the pilot wrote about his success in convincing an airline not to require simulator training, saying, “Looks like my Jedi mind trick worked again! These are not the droids you’re looking for.” Even after the crashes, the company insisted that pilots shouldn’t have to train in mock-ups of the 737 Max, but reversed its stance earlier this week.

“These communications do not reflect the company we are and need to be, and they are completely unacceptable,” Boeing said in a statement. We regret the content of these communications, and apologize to the FAA, Congress, our airline customers and to the flying public for them. We have made significant changes as a company to enhance our safety processes, organizations, and culture. The language used in these communications, and some of the sentiments they express, are inconsistent with Boeing values, and the company is taking appropriate action in response.”

In the wake of the crashes and investigations, the 737 Max planes have been grounded for longer than any other aircraft, and Boeing has lost over $10 billion. The company decided to halt production of the planes until the investigations are completed and even ousted its CEO, Dennis Muilenburg. With both the FAA and Congress continuing their investigations into the 737 Max, there’s no telling if or when they’ll take flight again.

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LG’s first true wireless earbuds go on sale in the US

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Along with touch controls, Google Assistant integration and IPX4-certified water resistance, LG says the earbuds come with a case that uses UV light to reduce bacteria on them. You can use them for up to six hours of use on a single charge, according to the company. With the fast charging feature, you’ll get up to an hour of use after just five minutes of charging.

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Aston Martin reportedly scraps plans for its all-electric Rapide E

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Aston Martin originally planned to manufacture 155 Rapide Es. It did not publicly disclose the price, and we don’t know how many orders were placed or how the company will handle refunds. It’s unclear, too, how exactly Aston Martin plans to use the Rapide E for research. An Aston Martin spokesperson declined to “comment on future product speculation.”

According to Autocar, Aston Martin is focusing on the launch of its DBX SUV, which is set to arrive in the second quarter of 2020. The company is also struggling financially. CEO Andy Palmer called 2019 a “very disappointing year,” as shares fell to an all-time low.

Previously, Aston Martin said the Rapide E would have the equivalent output of 604 HP, a top seed of 155 MPH and 200-mile-plus range. It would pack a 800V battery system, compatible with DC fast chargers, and twin electric motors. There were even rumors that it might appear in the next James Bond movie. That seems a bit less likely now.

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Homeland Security wants you to update your Firefox browser right now

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Mozilla is “aware of targeted attacks in the wild abusing this flaw.” In a statement provided to Engadget, a Mozilla spokesperson said, “on Tuesday, January 7, 2020, Chinese security firm Qihoo 360 reported a vulnerability that was used as part of targeted attacks on a local network. We started shipping Firefox updates to address this security vulnerability the next morning.”

If this all sounds a bit familiar, that’s likely because it’s the third zero-day exploit Mozilla has patched in less than a year. Last summer, Mozilla found two critical bugs in less than a week’s time. Both vulnerabilities were actively exploited.

We don’t know exactly how the current vulnerability is being abused. But Mozilla says, “incorrect alias information in IonMonkey JIT compiler for setting array elements could lead to a type confusion.” To be safe, you’ll want to download Firefox 72.0.1 or ESR 68.4.1.

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Take a first look at Alex Garland’s tech-focused ‘Devs’ Hulu series

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There will be four FX shows debuting on Hulu this year, beginning with Devs and followed by Mrs. America with Cate Blanchett, then A Teacher with Kate Mara and finally The Old Man with Jeff Bridges. In addition, the full runs of more than 40 FX series will be coming to Hulu as well.

For now, though, all eyes are on Garland’s usually combination of technological speculation, ethical examinations and dark imagery, coming in March for an eight-episode miniseries.

The series description doesn’t give much away: “In ‘Devs,’ a young computer engineer, Lily Chan, investigates the secretive development division of her employer, a cutting-edge tech company based in San Francisco, who she believes are behind the murder of her boyfriend.”

Watch the trailer below.



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The Morning After: The Best of the Best at CES 2020

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And the winner is…The Hydraloop is the Best of CES 2020

Check out all the winners and finalists here.

It was all about presence and brand goodwill.Google’s CES booth was more show than substance

For the third year in a row, Google has a giant booth at CES, right in the lot outside the Las Vegas Convention Center. As before, it’s all about the Google Assistant, complete with an interactive experience that shows you all the ways Google’s AI helper can make your day easier. There’s also the requisite hardware showcase of Google’s own recent devices as well as plenty of things from partners (even Sonos). But most attendees were there for the slide, ballpit and free swag. And that’s more than enough to draw the crowds.

Batou to the future.Panasonic’s compact VR glasses see the future in HDR

These glasses do more than make you look like a Ghost in the Shell character. In fact, Panasonic says they’re the first VR specs to support HDR. I tried out a prototype pair and can admit the experience was almost as slick as the look, albeit with a smaller-than-preferred micro OLED viewing window.

There will be new zones to explore and new Pokémon to catch.‘Pokémon Sword’ and ‘Shield’ are getting an expansion pass

For the first time in the franchise’s history, Game Freak will release an expansion pass for one of its main Pokémon games. The studio has announced that it’s developing two new downloadable packs for Pokémon Sword and Shield.

The pass will feature two new zones called The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra. Game Freak and Nintendo will release them as separate downloadable packs in June 2020 and this fall, respectively. Both zones will include new story content, non-playable characters as well as Pokémon to catch, including a significant number of Pokémon that were missing from the game at launch. They’ll also be both new and returning legendary Pokémon for players to find. You can pre-order the expansion pass from today for $30.

Steph Curry: Giannis Antetokounmpo chat was about ‘PUBG,’ not plans to team up.
Playing ‘NBA Jam’ on a 16-foot cabinet at CES 2020

While real NBA players were negotiating PUBG sessions (and definitely not tampering, according to Steph Curry), the Engadget team took on a super-sized NBA Jam game at CES.

Xe graphics will appear later in 2020 and double current Ice Lake performance.Intel’s first discrete GPU is built for developers

At its CES 2020 keynote, Intel showed off its upcoming Xe discrete graphics chip, and today, we’re seeing exactly how Intel will implement it. First off, the company unveiled a standalone DG1 card — its “software development vehicle” — which will allow developers to optimize apps for the new graphics system. It didn’t reveal any performance details for the card but did show it running Warframe.

As far as we know right now, Intel’s discrete graphics will be chips (not cards) installed together with the CPUs on a single package. It’s also not clear whether Xe will replace or co-exist alongside Iris integrated graphics — stay tuned.

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Google Pay now supports school IDs in campuses across the US

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Users simply have to tap their Android phone to an NFC reader to, say, access a building or specific locations that usually call for tighter security, such as residential areas or labs. It will also allow them to pay for dining, laundry and vending machine purchases on campus.

The 15 institutions that will introduce the feature are Arkansas State University, Chowan University, College of Coastal Georgia, Duke University, Georgetown University, Hamilton College, Johns Hopkins University, Marshall University, Mercer University, Roanoke College, St. Edward’s University, South Dakota State University, Temple University, The University of Alabama and University of New Brunswick. As 9to5Google notes, Mercer University has already started testing it and expects to roll it out fully in the second quarter of the year.

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Amazon calls PayPal’s $4 billion Honey browser add-on a ‘security risk’

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In the warning it showed to buyers, Amazon wrote: “Honey tracks your private shopping behavior, collects data like your order history and items saved, and can read or change any of your data on any website you visit.” Politico’s Ryan Hutchins tweeted a screenshot of the warning and noted that that’s “how all browser extensions work — including Amazon’s own extension, which provides a similar service.”

The Amazon Assistant browser also tracks prices and lets buyers compare items across retailers. And, as Wired notes, Google will also tell users that it can “read and change all your data on the websites” they visit when they install the extension on Chrome.

It’s not entirely clear what Amazon saw that made it label Honey, in particular, a security risk. A spokesperson only told the publication: “Our goal is to warn customers about browser extensions that collect personal shopping data without their knowledge or consent.” Honey denied that it’s a security risk, telling Wired that its rules are clearly spelled out in its privacy and security policy. In its privacy rules, Honey admits that it “collects information that [users] share directly” with it. However, the company emphasizes that it “does not track [their] search engine history, emails, or [their] browsing on any site that is not a retail website” and that it will never sell their data.



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Korg’s DIY headphone amp and overdrive pedal go on sale in February

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Both the HA-S headphone amp and the OD-S overdrive pedal are equipped with Korg’s Nutube tech. That’s the tiny vacuum tube component that drives the Volca Nubass analog synth. But even before the Nubass was announced, Nutubes were a known commodity because of the amp and pedal Korg is officially announcing today. It, or at least word of it, had made the rounds thanks to music-focused news outlets.

Korg

Neither of these two devices require any soldering to assemble, so they’re fine for novices and pros alike. For the more adventurous, there are a lot of possibilities for further modding, and Korg provides circuit diagrams to help you along the way. Plus, the Nutube in each one provides a completely analog backbone for both audiophiles and guitar players.

The HA-S headphone amp kit will be available in February for $350. Korg says the OD-S overdrive pedal will go on sale next month too, but the company isn’t announcing pricing just yet. If that sounds too pricey for you, but you still want to try your hand at DIY music gear, the NTS-1 synth is available for $100.

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