Blog

Tesla is raising the price of its ‘full self-driving’ package by $1,000

[ad_1]

Upon being called out for the price increase — “The features better back that price up mister,” a follower replied in a tweet — Musk has revealed that the company also expects to make Enhanced Summon widely available at around the same time. See, Tesla hasn’t exactly achieved full autonomy yet, so its “full self-driving” package doesn’t give its vehicles level 5 autonomy at this point in time.

Instead, the package includes access to the most advanced driverless features the company has already released and will release in the future. Those include Navigate on Autopilot and Enhanced Summon, which will be able to call Tesla vehicles from parking spaces. Enhanced Summon’s release was already pushed back in the past, so there’s always a chance that it might not come out on August 16th. The package’s price increase, however, will probably push through regardless of the feature’s status.



[ad_2]

Source link

Toyota will spend 10 years perfecting its astronaut moon rover

[ad_1]

The six-wheeled vehicle will carry two people up to 6,200 miles using solar power and fuel cell technology. At 20 feet long, 17 feet wide and 12 feet tall, it’ll have 140 square feet of habitable space. Thanks to the pressurization, astronauts won’t need spacesuits while inside.

The timeline is pretty busy, and considering the challenges of developing tech for human space exploration, Toyota and JAXA will do well to meet their deadlines. The official plan runs for three years, up to 2022, with a tentative plan for a push toward launch between 2022 and 2029.

  • Fiscal year 2019: Identifying technological elements that need to be developed for driving on the surface of the moon; drawing up specifications for a prototype rover*
  • Fiscal year 2020: Manufacturing test parts for each technological element; manufacturing a prototype rover
  • Fiscal year 2021: Testing and evaluating both the manufactured test parts and the prototype rover
  • From 2022: Manufacture and evaluation of a 1:1 scale prototype rover; acquisition and verification testing of data on driving systems required to explore the moon’s polar regions
  • From 2024: Design, manufacture, and evaluation of an engineering model of the rover; design of the actual flight model
  • From 2027: Manufacture, and performance and quality testing of the flight model

At that point, the rover will be ready for a scheduled 2030 launch. In theory, it will arrive on the moon ahead of the human explorers and drive autonomously to meet them. JAXA wants to use it to help astronauts explore the lunar poles in search of frozen water, while at the same time developing tech that could be used on other planets. If the ambitious project works out, it’ll give astronauts a cozy escape from the lunar desert’s magnificent desolation.

[ad_2]

Source link

Bulgarian tax agency breach may have compromised 5 million people

[ad_1]

The email’s author said they infiltrated 110 databases that contain sensitive data, including “critically confidential” information. They also claimed that their attack affected 5 million Bulgarian citizens, foreign citizens and companies — an enormous number for a country with a population of 7 million. In an announcement posted on its website on July 15th, the NRA said that local media received an email with a download link for files allegedly belonging to the Bulgarian Ministry of Finance.

The self-proclaimed hackers also told the media in the email that the initial leak only contains 11GB of data, and that they have 10GB more in their hands. Bulgarian newspaper 24 Chasa, Reuters said, reported that one emailed file contained over 1.1 million personal ID numbers with people’s income and healthcare information, as well as social security numbers. Further, some of the records dated back to 2007.

Bulgarian Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov said, however, that while millions of records were involved, the leaked information wasn’t classified and didn’t endanger financial stability.

The attackers’ motives and point of entry aren’t entirely clear at this point. “The state of your cybersecurity is a parody,” the hackers reportedly wrote in the email, indicating that they wanted to highlight the NRA’s lack of strong cybersecurity measures. Officials also believe that they might have gained access to the agency’s database by exploiting a weakness connected to filing tax returns from outside the country.

[ad_2]

Source link

Elon Musk’s Neuralink hopes to put sensors in human brains next year

[ad_1]

While we wait for Neuralink to present the progress it’s made over the last couple of years in brain-computer interface technology, the New York Times has already published information from an early briefing and it’s stuff that’s straight out of science fiction. The Elon Musk-backed company claims its “sewing machine-like” robot can implant threads deep into a human brain.

The results so far come from testing on lab rats implanted with as many as 1,500 electrodes, which, everyone should be warned, may or may not transfer smoothly to work on humans. If it does work, Neuralink says its intention for the technology at first is to do things like help amputees, or restore the ability to see, talk and listen. One big reveal is that it “hopes” to begin working on human subjects as soon as the second quarter of next year.

According to the article, its bundles of flexible threads are one quarter the size of a human hair, implanted using needles to avoid blood vessels on the brain’s surface. Then the embedded sensors capture information and send it wirelessly to a receiver on the surface of the skull. Right now implantation requires drilling holes, but researchers hope in the future they can use lasers to avoid “unpleasant” vibration.

Whether or not this can work in humans is, again, still unproven, and also whether or not the wires can hold up over time. Whenever tonight’s event at the California Academy of Sciences actually begins, hopefully we’ll find out a few more answers. You can watch the livestream embedded below.

Developing…

[ad_2]

Source link

Hackers broke into Sprint accounts through Samsung’s website

[ad_1]

The network found out about the breach on June 22nd, and reset PIN codes for all the affected accounts on June 25th. In a statement to CNET, Samsung said the attempts were using Sprint login details that “were not obtained from Samsung.” The phone maker also rolled out additional “measures” to reduce the chance of future breaches.

We’ve asked Sprint for more info, including when it believes the breach took place, the number of affected users and whether or not there’s evidence the account data was changed or used. The access through Samsung’s portal suggests the scale was limited (it’s not the same as attacking Sprint directly). Regardless, it’s really not what the network likely wanted to report — especially not with its T-Mobile merger already hanging in the balance.

[ad_2]

Source link

Apple is reportedly planning to pay for exclusive podcasts

[ad_1]

With consumer demand for podcasts on the rise, more podcasting platforms have shifted to exclusive content. Spotify and Stitcher — Apple’s competitors in the podcasting space — already have their own exclusive programming. Just last month, Spotify signed an exclusive podcast deal with Higher Ground, the production company of President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. The streaming platform has a full line-up of podcast exclusives, including Riggle’s Picks with comedians Rob Riggle and Sarah Tiana, The Joe Budden Podcast, Stay Free: The Story of the Clash, Jemele Hill is Unbothered and Amy Schumer Presents. Stitcher’s slate of original programming includes shows starring Katie Couric and Marvel’s Wolverine: The Long Night.

Since building the Podcasts platform onto iTunes in 2005, Apple hasn’t made any moves to monetize it. The company doesn’t run ads or charge creators for hosting on its platform. But with exclusive programming that all could change. Users may be convinced to stick with Apple so they can listen to their favorite podcasts, or they may pay extra for a podcast subscription service in the style of Apple Music or Apple TV Plus.

[ad_2]

Source link

There’s another macOS update to fix Zoom security exploits

[ad_1]

This issue first started last week, when security researchers identified a flaw in Zoom’s software that took advantage of the app’s click-to-join feature. If a person clicked a link in their web browser, they would automatically join a conference and their webcam would turn on without their explicit permission. Zoom initially claimed the flaw was a necessary workaround to allow its software to function properly with Apple’s Safari browser but has since changed its approach and has worked to address the issue.

Last week, Zoom announced that it removed access to a local web server that enabled the vulnerability. One day later, Apple, working with Zoom, released an automatic security update for macOS that addressed the issue. The company plans to continue releasing fixes for all of Zoom’s partners like RingCenter and Zhumu.

[ad_2]

Source link

Apple and Google show off their more inclusive emoji for 2019

[ad_1]

You’ll see more characters for accessibility, such as guide dogs, wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs. Also, the well-known “holding hands” emote now includes many more combinations of skin colors and gender. You can also find India-focused emotes like a Hindu temple, a Diya lamp and a sari. On the silly side, you can expect animals like sloths, otters and flamingos, not to mention underpants and yo-yos.

Apple will only say that the new emoji are coming as part of a software update in the fall, but that’s basically shorthand for the releases of iOS 13, iPadOS, macOS Catalina and watchOS 6. The Google-inclined, meanwhile, will have to either try the Android Q beta or wait for Q’s finished release to reach their hardware in the months ahead.

In the meantime, the Unicode crew isn’t standing still. It’s talking about a possible mechanism that would let you modify the color of non-human emoji. You could have a black cat, or show white whine instead of red. The system could come as soon as the Unicode 13.0 spec (that is, 2020), but it’s not set in stone just yet.

Android Q emoji for accessibility

Android Q emoji for animals

[ad_2]

Source link

Microsoft starts testing Internet Explorer mode for Edge

[ad_1]

The release also brings office-friendly features like group policy support, stricter security measures and “enterprise-grade” PDF viewing. Microsoft is starting to roll out some features that will be ready over the course of “several weeks,” including integrated search for people, a business-focused new tab page with Office 365 links and secure data syncing.

Dev builds are very early and likely to include bugs. You won’t want to use this as your main browser for work or pleasure if you absolutely depend on a glitch-free experience. It brings the revamped Edge one step closer to fruition, though, and should prove sweet news for IT admins who want to be sure IE mode handles their needs.

[ad_2]

Source link

The best Amazon Prime Day 2019 deals: Best of the rest

[ad_1]

Toto Washlet C100

Amazon Prime Day 2019

Street price: $360; deal price $293

With an on-page coupon, is a great deal on our more affordable pick for a washlet toilet seat.

The Toto Washlet C100 is the runner-up in our review of the best bidet toilet seat or washlet. John Higgins wrote, “If you want to save a few bucks or if our top pick is sold out, we recommend going with the slightly pared-down version of the C200, the Toto Washlet C100. It has just as many water-pressure settings, as well as an option for an oscillating water stream (but no pulsing).”

HyperX Cloud Flight Wireless Headset

Amazon Prime Day 2019

Street price: $115; deal price $90

We tend to only see a few sales a year on these computer speakers. At $80, this matches the best price we’ve tracked.

The HyperX Cloud Flight is the top pick in our review of the best gaming headsets. Thorin Klosowski wrote, “Comfortable across a wide range of head sizes, the headset provides detailed spacious sound that’s perfect for games and a serviceable mic.”

Plantronics BackBeat FIT 3100 (Grey)

Amazon Prime Day 2019

Street price: $130; deal price $80

This deal matches the lowest price we’ve seen for our pick for truly wireless running headphones.

The BackBeat FIT headphones are an also great pick in our review of the best running headphones. Lauren Dragan wrote, “With no cable connecting the earbuds, the true wireless design of the BackBeat Fit 3100 feels as close to wearing no headphones as we’ve ever experienced. These earbuds fit securely no matter how bouncy your stride, with a rubberized hook over each ear and loop-like wings to keep them in place.”

Weego Jump Starter 22s

Amazon Prime Day 2019

Street price: $55; deal price $45

This is a small but decent discount on a well-performing portable jump starter.

The Weego Jump Starter is the top pick in our review of the best portable jump starters. Mark Smirniotis wrote, “This model gives you the best overall value, with the power to start most cars and midsize SUVs, as well as the best clamps and safety features, all for a reasonable price.”

Blue Pure 211+

Amazon Prime Day 2019

Street price: $250; deal price $199

This is a great price on a stellar air purifier, matching the lowest we’ve ever seen this model on sale.

The Blue Pure is the also great pick in our review of air purifiers. John Higgins wrote, “On pure air-cleaning performance, the Blue Pure outdid the Coway, reducing particulates by more than 99 percent on both high and “quiet” (medium) settings in the New York test room thanks to its high airflow and a clever and effective electrostatic mechanism that improves its capture of fine particles.”

Instant Pot Duo Mini (3-quart)

Amazon Prime Day 2019

Street price: $60; deal price $40

This is a new low price on the smaller variant of our recommended Instant Pot. Prior to this deal, $45 was the lowest price we’ve seen for this option.

This Instant Pot Duo model is a 3-quart variant of the top pick in our review of the best electric pressure cookers. Lesley Stockton wrote, “This is our favorite electric pressure cooker because it offers the best combination of great performance, versatility, and price. Firing up the Duo is more intuitive than starting other cookers and it churns out delicious recipes like butter chicken, risotto, and brisket quickly.”

Bose SoundLink Color II

Amazon Prime Day 2019

Street price: $130; deal price $90

The typical price for this speaker has remained over $120. Now down to $90, this deal resolves one of the only complaints our guide writers had about this bluetooth speaker—cost.

The SoundLink Color is mentioned as a strong competator in our review of the best bluetooth speakers. Brent Butterworth wrote, “We like the Bose SoundLink Color II a lot, but there are models with equal use-value and performance at lower costs.”

Acer Aspire 5 A515-54-51DJ

Amazon Prime Day 2019

Street price: $510; deal price $430

This is the lowest price we’ve ever seen and a significant discount on this laptop. The Aspire 5 also rarely sees sales, this is an excellent time to buy if the specs fit your needs.

The Acer Aspire 5 is a model we recommend spending a bit more money on in our guide to laptops under $500. Thorin Klosowski wrote, “this model usually costs just over $500 and has excellent specs, including a 15-inch IPS display, an eighth-generation Core i5-8265U processor, 8 GB of memory, and a 256 GB SSD. The screen doesn’t get as bright as we’d like, but the backlit keyboard is comfortable to type on, and the trackpad is smooth.”

ASUS ZenBook 13 UX331FA-AS51

Amazon Prime Day 2019

Street price: $800; deal price $700

This is a solid price drop on a variant of our affordable ultrabook pick. The UX331FA-AS51 is, according to our writers, identical to our pick, save for the slightly larger size, shorter battery life, and larger storage space.

The Asus ZenBook 13 is a variant on the budget pick in our review of the best ultrabooks. Justin Krajeski wrote, “If you’re on a budget but still need an ultrabook that gets the job done, the Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UA is a fantastic value. It costs around $300 less than our top pick and has nearly identical specs except for a slower solid-state drive.”

Because great deals don’t just happen on Prime Day, sign up for our daily deals email and we’ll send you the best deals we find every weekday. Also, deals change all the time, and some of these may have expired. To see an updated list of current deals, please go here.

[ad_2]

Source link