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FBI use of NSA’s electronic surveillance data was illegal

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The NSA database included both “upstream” and “downstream” (better known as PRISM) surveillance of electronic communications collected without a warrant under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). In some cases, the database swept up info about American citizens. The FISA court, under U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, found tens of thousands of improper searches by the FBI in 2017 and 2018. For instance, one FBI contractor ran a query to look for information on himself, other FBI personnel and his relatives. The improper searches violated the requirements of the Fourth Amendment.

As The Wall Street Journal points out, US spying activities have “generally withstood legal challenge or review.” In 2017, US intelligence agencies pushed to permanently extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) — the act that allows the federal government to monitor the communications of non-US citizens on foreign soil who are communicating with Americans in the US on matters of national security. In 2018, President Trump authorized another six years of data collection, and according to a NSA transparency report, warrantless searches of Americans’ data spiked 28 percent in 2018. According to FISC, the FBI has amended its querying practices, and FISC has deemed them sufficient.

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BMW plans to debut a 1 Series electric hatchback in 2021

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In the same interview, Irlinger added that BMW has flexibility in terms of which models it can electrify next. “You will see electrification in our whole portfolio,” he said. “We can rework our front-wheel-drive as well as the rear-wheel-drive platforms and both are able to show all technologies – our customers have the power of choice.”

Earlier this year, at the company’s NEXTGen event, BMW said it planned to debut 12 fully electric vehicles and 13 plug-in hybrids by 2023. In addition to the i1, some of the first electric vehicles that’ll make their way out to showrooms include the iX3 SUV and i4 sedan.

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Astronauts bioprint beef in space for the first time

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It’s far from ready for mass production. However, Aleph’s Yoav Reisler told Space.com that the company planned to build on the experiment and make synthetic beef steaks available on terra firma using large-scale “bio-farms.”

This could be particularly helpful for astronauts. Spacecraft crews don’t have the luxury of raising farm animals — meat-eating astronauts could enjoy steaks on long journeys instead of making do with specially prepared space food. That, in turn, could give them the protein they need to sustain muscles on long voyages. In the nearer-term, though, Aleph hopes to reduce human-made climate change. Lab-grown meat needs far less power, water and farmland, potentially lowering emissions requirements even as it addresses food shortages.

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Keep connected while off the grid

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Just because you want to unplug doesn’t mean you want to sleep on the ground. That’s where travel trailers come in and the most iconic of these is the Airstream. A gleaming aluminum piece of American history that puts you outside without always having to be outside. The latest offering from the company is a small single-axle beauty called the Bambi. It’s an entry-level Airstream that should work for anyone dipping their toe into the nomad lifestyle, but even at its small size, it’s still gonna cost you.

The Bambi moniker was originally a nickname for small single-axle trailers from Airstream. The company liked the name so much that it got its own lineup of vehicles starting at $48,900 with sizes ranging from 16 to 22 feet long and four different floor plans.

Airstream sent me the 20-foot version and while I was a fan of the 16-foot Nest we reviewed last year, that extra four feet really does make a difference. For one thing, that extra space translates into an additional sleeping area — if you can fit into it.

At the front of the trailer is the main bed that’s far more comfortable than an air mattress but might fall short of the comfort level of your home mattress. You can have custom mattresses fitted to your airstream from third parties, but I think most folks will be fine with the default sleeping situation.

That other bed requires you to break down the vehicle’s table and use seat cushions as a mattress. The comfort level isn’t great. It’s a bit firmer than I like but I was able to sleep throughout the night. The biggest issue is room. If you’re tall, you’ll have to sleep diagonally and even then your feet will hang off.

Airstream says the Bambi will sleep four. That’s true if two of those humans are either children or are folks on the shorter side. For couples with a couple of rugrats, you’ll be golden. For a couples’ retreat, get out the measuring tape.

While you’re out and about (and not asleep), the Bambi brings many of the comforts of home, including a propane stovetop, fridge, microwave, stereo, toilet and shower. Each of these offers varying levels of homeliness, but one of the best features is how the fridge works.

While in transit a refrigerator typically loses access to power. The trailer isn’t plugged in (because you’re moving) and it’s not a good idea to leave the trailer’s battery power on while driving. Fortunately, the icebox can be powered by the vehicle that’s towing it. The power that’s being used for the trailer’s lights is also directed to the fridge keeping your perishables from, well perishing.

It seems like a little thing, but it means you don’t have to drag along an additional cooler or buy ice between campgrounds. That’s pretty much the deal with Airstream. Sure they have the iconic rounded aluminum exterior and the interiors are cleverly packed with features, but it’s the little things that set them apart from the pack.

For example, the USB port placement. Yes, you’re not supposed to look at your phone while in bed, but we all do and two ports are situated next to the main bed so you can get your technological fix in. The table? It also has two ports. And that stereo, it has two ports adjacent to it too, so while your phone is connected and pushing out the tunes, it doesn’t die.

Because space is at a premium, the propane stove has a handy cover so you don’t lose any of the counter when you’re not cooking and if you’re the type of person that likes to grill outdoors, the two propane tanks at the front of the trailer have a plug for an outdoor propane grill. Again, so you don’t drag another item (in this case a propane tank) on your outdoor adventures.

The outside of the trailer also has an additional shower which is great for surfers or anyone that’s gotten a bit too dirty during a hike and would rather hose off before getting in their $50,000 trailer.

The interior shower had adequate water pressure and the water heater was good for 1.5 sessions of steamy goodness. But, if you’re over six-foot-tall be prepared to hit your head on the ceiling. To reduce that, the shower moulding has a seat. It’s weird until you realize that sitting down while taking a shower is actually kind of nice.

But conservation is still the name of the game. You have to make sure that you use the showerhead’s on and off switch. If the Bambi isn’t hooked up to a water supply, you can deplete your tank quickly if you’re not careful. During my tests, two showers and washing dishes ate up about 65 percent of the tank.

When you’re smart with the battery, it should last you a few days. In addition to wall switches, each individual light can be turned on and off. So you can potentially have a light switch that only turns on a single bulb instead of four.

If you really want to go off the grid, the Bambi line is pre-wired for solar panels.

Of course, going off-line can really only last for so long. Sure you need a break, but you also need to upload those sweet Instagram pics of your new travel trailer. For those of us that still need at least a trickle of information, Airstream has teamed up with AT&T for Airstream Connect, a data plan that supplies 5GB of data a month for $25 or unlimited data for $360 a year. In addition to a barrage of zeros and ones, the companion app can also be used to locate the Airstream via GPS. So if you happen to get lost while hiking, you can use it to find your home away from home. I was able to test the WiFi, but not the GPS feature during my time with the Bambi. Turns out you need the VIN to set up an account and I didn’t have access to that information.

Even without the opportunity to track the trailer, the Bambi continues Airstream’s tradition of producing beautiful travel trailers that offer up a little something extra while you venture off the beaten path. The price is really the biggest issue. While Airstreams do have a larger resale value, a $50,000 investment in glamping is a bit much for most folks unless they are readying themselves for a lifestyle change.

You can drop a larger chunk of change on a bigger Airstream that’s much larger and therefore harder to tow (and park). That’s where the Bambi shines in the lineup. It’s an entry-level aluminum-wrapped piece of Americana that turns heads while keeping you comfortable in your quest to escape the grid for a few days.

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Google streamlines music transfers between Home and Nest devices

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The feature is also accessible through the Google Home app, allowing you to send audio to a variety of different devices through the app’s casting interface. If you own one of Nest’s smart displays and a Chromecast connected TV, you can also use the feature to move YouTube videos between those devices. Lastly, stream transfer allows you to organize multiple speakers into a single group. You can then move music and podcasts between a single device and a group of speakers.

When it comes to music, stream transfer is compatible with YouTube Music, Spotify and Pandora, as well as a variety of other audio apps. At launch, YouTube is the only app that supports moving videos. We’ve reached out to the company to see if we can get a full list of compatible music apps, so stay tuned. Notably, it looks like one limitation of the feature is that it doesn’t work with third-party Assistant-enabled smart speakers such as the Sonos One. Thankfully, smart speakers like the ones Sonos sells have had their own take on stream transfer for a while now; in fact, Google is a bit late to the party when it comes to this type of functionality. But better late than never.

Google says stream transfer is rolling out starting today.

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TCL opens up pre-orders for its 8-series 4K QLED TVs

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The display’s also compatible with the forthcoming iPQ Engine Mobile iOS and Android app. You’ll be able to use certified devices (for instance, Pixel phones and iPhones) to calibrate your TV’s colors more accurately than you’d likely otherwise be able to without dedicated tools.

Both the 6-series and the 8-series include an Auto Game Mode. That recognizes when you’re playing PC or console games to optimize low latency and picture settings.

What primarily sets the 8-series apart from the 6-series is its backlight technology. TCL says the 8-series is the first TV to use mini-LED tech. It has more than 25,000 individual lights, through which TCL claims to offer “highly precise local dimming” and “smooth, uniform and bright illumination.” Many LCD TVs have a few hundred standard LEDs. TCL also suggests the 8-series offers beefed-up motion performance for smoother visuals than the 6-series, while it includes a “Premium Pedestal” stand.

The 8-series costs $2,000 for the 65-inch model and $3,000 for the 75-inch variant. The Best Buy product pages suggest the TVs will start shipping next month. TCL also noted 8K versions will be available soon.



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The $1,500 smart fitness mirror now offers personal training sessions

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Mirror will match users with trainers based on their preferred workout activity (i.e. yoga, kettlebell, kickboxing), trainer motivational style, session length and schedule. Each session will cost $40 — significantly less than most private coaching sessions — but you’ll need to have the pricey display and a monthly subscription, which costs another $39 per month.

“We’re democratizing premium fitness experiences and giving anyone access to the best trainers, no matter where you live or how busy your schedule may be,” Mirror Founder and CEO Brynn Putnam said in a press release. This sets the company up for future expansions into fashion, beauty and medicine, she added. Though Mirror does still face a few limitations — like that it must be controlled via an iOS app and doesn’t have an Android counterpart yet.

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Apple’s Sidecar feature only works on newer Macs

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According to an Apple white paper spotted by The Verge, Sidecar only works with Mac laptops and desktops that include a sixth-generation Intel Skylake processor or later. When it comes to Apple’s laptop lineup, it just so happens that any model that includes a Skylake processor also includes one of the company’s troubled butterfly keyboards. Specifically, Sidecar works with 2016 and later MacBooks, 2018 and later MacBook Air models and 2016 and later MacBook Pros. In other words, tough luck if you’ve been holding onto your non-butterfly keyboard MacBook.

Desktop support for the feature is similarly limited. You’ll need a 2015 or later iMac, a 2018 Mac mini, an iMac Pro or the upcoming Mac Pro. It’s also worth noting you’ll need a relatively new iPad to take advantage of the feature. Here, Apple says an iPad with Apple Pencil support and iPadOS 13 is required to use Sidecar. Another limitation of the feature is that you can only use it with two devices that are authenticated to the same Apple ID. As such, you can’t say, for instance, borrow a family member’s iPad if they’re tied to different accounts.

One theory that explains the limited number of devices that support Sidecar is that the feature depends on HEVC, a high-efficiency video codec. Starting with the Skylake generation, Intel added built-in support for the codec to its CPUs. Even if true, it’s still a disappointing limitation since some of the more powerful Broadwell-equipped Macs could have likely handled the feature.

While it’s a bummer Sidecar works with so few Mac and iPads, the good news is that, as mentioned above, there are third-party alternatives that offer the same functionality. Duet Display, for example, works with a much greater variety of Macs and iPads. You can even use it with a Windows PC, if that’s more of your jam.

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Musicians demand fairer pay for work on streaming movies and TV shows

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When a musician plays music for a movie or TV show, they receive payments called residuals when that movie or show is moved to a “secondary market” such as being sold as a Blu-ray. However, musicians who have played soundtracks for streaming projects such as Netflix originals are not paid these fees. With streaming content becoming more and more popular, that means musicians are missing out on a significant chunk of income.

“In made-for-streaming productions, we get about 25 percent of what we get from traditional theatrical or TV film production,” said Ray Hair, International President of the American Federation of Musicians, as reported by the #BandTogether campaign. “Why should we make 75 percent less, so everybody else in their big, rich companies can make more? They bully us into a regressive economic position, in an effort to ultimately eliminate our employment.”

The situation is unique to musicians. Following successful campaigns, actors, singers, writers and other artists are paid residuals for their streaming work, but musicians are not.

The campaign enjoys support from politician Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) and film composer Hans Zimmer. They are calling on the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers to address the issue of residuals as the musicians negotiate a new contract by November 14th.

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Netflix’s ‘3%’ gets its own voice game on Alexa and Google Assistant

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Players will undertake a number of skill-based challenges, taking on “The Process” in a campaign that’s slated to get fresh updates, episodes and tasks throughout the year. The game’s developer, Portugal-based Doppio, is no stranger to voice-based games, although The 3% Challenge is a slight departure from its norm as the company has primarily focused on conversational games about life and love. As Doppio CEO Jeferson Valadares says, “We can’t wait for players to see where we are taking the medium.” To get started, just say “Alexa, open the three percent challenge,” or “Hey Google, talk to the three percent challenge.

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