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Zoom will remove server behind Mac webcam security hole

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The company had previously defended its earlier decisions. The web server only responded to requests from the local computer, Zoom said. It argued that this was more convenient than having to confirm launching the Zoom client every time you wanted to get into a meeting. It also fixed a denial-of-service bug in May, although it didn’t require an update as this was deemed a “low-risk vulnerability.”

This won’t be a huge issue unless you’re regularly using Macs for work-related video conversations, but it promises to be a relief for the corporate crowd. It also illustrates the sheer amount of pressure to be transparent and quick about addressing security holes in the modern tech world. Researcher Jonathan Leitschuh, who discovered the flaw, noted that Zoom’s newfound willingness to patch out the web service represented an “about face” — it went from rationalizing its existing strategy to planning a fix in a matter of hours.



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Instant Pot joins the air fryer craze with the Vortex Plus

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Now that Instant Pot is virtually synonymous with pressure cooking for some people, the company behind it is turning to another kitchen trend: air fryers. The recently acquired Instant Brands has introduced the Instant Vortex Plus, a seven-in-one air fryer that promises the company’s usual versatility for more cooking modes. On top of its namesake feature, it can also bake, broil, dehydrate, reheat, roast and rotate an included rotisserie spit. You might not need to change devices if you want to make chicken and french fries, and the 10-quart capacity should be enough for many meals.

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Marvel is auctioning props from its Netflix shows

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You can get plenty of costumes for major characters from each show, including Daredevil’s various suits, Luke Cage’s bullet hole-ridden hoodie and Iron Fist’s mask. Even some of the smaller sales might be worth a look. Ever wanted to own Matt Murdock’s signature glasses? Many of the goods still have slight wear and tear from production, although that could be a plus for some collectors.

Be ready to pay dearly for a piece of online video history. Although there are some relatively affordable items on the auction block (mainly secondary costumes and small props), the most coveted items are guaranteed to be expensive. The first-generation Daredevil costume is estimated to fetch between $30,000 to $50,000, and it’s not uncommon to see four- or five-digit estimates for others. You’ll need a big bank account to truly impress Marvel fans, then. If you don’t mind walking away with something smaller, though, it’s still a rare chance at owning a slice of Marvel (and internet) history.

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Facebook plans to double its minority employees in the next five years

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To get there, Facebook plans to double its female employees globally and its Black and Hispanic employees in the US. “It will be a company that reflects and better serves the people on our platforms, services and products,” Facebook said in a blog post. The company says the goal is both ambitious and important, and it claims that it will track its progress carefully.

Like other tech companies, Facebook has faced criticism for its lack of diversity. At times, its efforts to boost diversity have been hindered by its own hiring practices, and hiring more women, for instance, hasn’t always led to an increase in female leadership. While it’s important that Facebook is keeping track of its diversity stats and setting goals to drastically increase minority representation, we’ve been hearing the same message for years. It’s hard to predict if Facebook will have better luck now.

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Zero’s SR/F electric motorcycle makes a great commuter bike

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But instead of blending into the sea of motorcycles, the SR/F sticks out in a way other Zero models never did. A lot of it has to do with the design; the company decided to highlight its electric powertrain. The updated Z-Force motor is smack dab in the center of the bike while the battery pack gets orange accents. It looks good. But more importantly, it rides great.

The bike is a smorgasbord of new and updated parts. The company’s latest motor is coupled to a 14.4kWh battery pack. The motorcycle maker’s latest Cypher III operating system and Bosch’s Motorcycle Stability Control (MSC) keep the bike under control. While the monochrome dash cluster found on other Zeros has been replaced with a full-color, five-inch TFT LCD display. Oh, and it comes standard with a level 2 charging port.

The combination of all those elements means this isn’t just an evolution of the company’s lineup. It’s actually a leap forward. The past few years I’ve remarked on how much fun it is to ride an electric motorcycle. That excitement is still there, but some of the rougher edges have been smoothed out for a more enjoyable experience overall.

Zero SR/F review

The 110 horsepower and 140 pounds of torque are kept in check by the updated system and I still got the excitement of taking off like a shot. But the acceleration is smooth and more importantly, the anti-lock brake system and stability control features gave me confidence that if something went hinky, I could stop, slow down, or maneuver around any obstacles

The bike’s neutral steering position made for an exciting and stable ride through mountain passes. Slow for a turn, lean, accelerate out, and repeat. The lack of a clutch still takes me a little bit to get used too, and after half a day of riding, I only caught myself twice reaching for a phantom lever with my left hand during the month I had the bike.

Riding the SR/F is a refined experience that still provides mile after mile of enjoyment. But the tech doesn’t stop at the powertrain and handling.

The inclusion of the level 2 charging port as standard means no longer looking for an electrical outlet while riding beyond the range or paying extra to add the port to a bike. The 14.4kWh battery pack can recharge at up to 6kW for the premium model and 3kW for the standard model. That seems low but remember the battery itself isn’t that large to begin with. I’d still opt for the premium bike. The SR/F starts at a whopping $19,000 and the premium model will set you back $21,000. If you’re already spending that much for an electric motorcycle, you might as well splurge on the quicker charging one. I would typically ride for a while, stop for lunch and hook up the bike and be ready to continue my ride within 45 minutes. Again, the inclusion of the level 2 port makes longer trips possible. But to be honest, that’s not the bike’s primary use case.

Zero says the SR/F has a city range of 160 miles. While riding around San Francisco, mostly in ECO mode, I got 140 miles. This was about a week’s worth of riding to work and back and running errands. But once I left the city and started riding on highways, that range plummeted to about 70 miles. Speed kills electric batteries and the human body isn’t very aerodynamic. That places the SR/F squarely in the commuter bike market with a few fun jaunts on the weekend if you do some planning.

For those commutes, the bike (like many of its predecessors) has a storage area where the gas tank would go. It locks and has two USB ports so you can charge your phone while transporting, let’s say, five burritos.

Zero SR/F review

Above that is the new full-color display. Zero has done a commendable job keeping the system from becoming too overwhelming with information. It has just enough to keep you informed of what’s going on. But with new tech comes new features. Cruise control, heated grips, ride modes and other options are all controlled by a single button/toggle/lever. To use anything there’s a learning curve that involves pressing and holding, then moving through settings. It took me about two to three days to figure it out.

That said, I kept turning on the heated grips instead of changing the ride mode. Sure my hands were toasty, but I wanted to go faster. Once you “get it” you’re set, but it takes a while. One issue I did have with the system is the slight latency while moving through settings. In a car, I’d ignore it, but on a bike, the last thing I want to do is be looking down at the gauge for any length of time especially on San Francisco’s busy streets.

If you’d rather set it then forget it, the ride modes can be adjusted via the new companion app. Like the rest of the bike, the app is better in almost every way. The layout is easier to navigate and the information is displayed in a more logical way. There is a splash screen that also includes the latest news about Zero that seemed more about self-promotion than anything, but I guess this review will end up there eventually. So woohoo?

Overall though, the tech and the bike’s 3G connection make it smarter than most anything else out there on two wheels. I could keep track of the bike’s charging and send my modified ride modes to the bike before riding.

Zero SR/F review

That’s the best part of the SR/F. It’s a piece of machine wrapped in technology that is a blast to ride. Technology and transportation should be the means to an end. When it overwhelms, it can spoil the vehicle. Here it’s in balance with a motorcycle that you want to ride. Even without the app, or smart cluster, the SR/F is great (shiny displays are just a bonus).

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Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google to testify in Congress on competition

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Both Democrats and Republicans have been concerned that just a handful of companies not only have control of the internet (and technology at large), but might be abusing their power to squeeze out competition. The investigation won’t necessarily lead to action, but it may help politicians determine if any problems can either be addressed through existing laws or can be solved through new legislation.

It’s expected that these companies will fight accusations of anti-competitive behavior. Apple has rejected the notion that the App Store is a monopoly, for instance, while Google has fought antitrust penalties in Europe. They’ve frequently argued that they either don’t reach the level of a monopoly (as with Apple) or that they don’t lock customers in like dominant tech companies have in the past.

Still, they’re bound to feel nervous. Reports have swirled of regulators divvying oversight of specific companies ahead of possible action, while more than one presidential candidate has talked about breaking up tech giants in a bid to preserve competition. Regulation is in the air — this testimony might just be the prelude to more substantial moves.

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Moment made an anamorphic lens for drones

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Like other anamorphic lenses, the Moment Air lens has a horizontal curve, which effectively squeezes more of the scene on the sensor and offers wide angle shots without sacrificing compression. According to the company, Moment Air offers “juicy horizontal flares, true black bars, and that buttery cinematic look.” The lens and filters were built to be ultra-light, and the team designed a mounting system that won’t impede the drone’s flight.

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AT&T will automatically block fraud calls for new customers

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AT&T is making quick use of FCC rules explicitly allowing carriers to block robocalls by default. The network will start automatically blocking fraud calls (and issuing suspected spam call alerts) for new phone customers as a matter course, at n…

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Facebook is working on ‘entirely new’ apps and ‘experiences’

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The NPE Team aims to be more nimble than Facebook. It says it will work quickly and won’t hesitate to shut down apps if they flounder. “We expect many failures,” Facebook wrote in a blog post. “We also want to minimize disruption to the billions of people who use Facebook apps every day.” The NPE Team will operate as an LLC, and all apps will be released under the name “NPE Team, from Facebook.” They will be available in the App Store, in the Google Play Store and on the web. Facebook promises the apps will abide by its terms of service and data policy and that the NPE Team will clearly inform people how their data is being used.

The approach is not uncommon. Alphabet spends hundreds of millions on “other bets.” And this isn’t the first time Facebook has encouraged experimentation. Its Creative Labs initiative pushed employees to come up with new ideas and led to the development of Slingshot, Rooms and Riff — all of which have been shuttered. As CNET points out, outside of its main app and Messenger, Facebook has failed to develop popular apps. Instead, it’s relied on acquisitions, like the purchase of Instagram and WhatsApp, and mimicry, like copying Snapchat’s Stories feature. Time will tell if the NPE Team has better luck.

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Lyft expands wheelchair accessible rides in LA and SF

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Lyft says pricing for its WAV service will be the same as standard rides. In addition to the tests in LA and SF, Lyft has existing WAV partnerships in Boston and Toronto.

“At Lyft we think of accessibility broadly and are thrilled to take this next step in expanding mobility options in San Francisco and Los Angeles counties,” said Anthony Foxx, chief policy officer at Lyft in a statement. “We remain dedicated to working with First Transit and our community partners to build upon our current products and policies and to provide affordable and convenient transportation for all.”

Lyft riders can request one of these vehicles using Access Mode. After downloading the app, riders can enable Access Mode by tapping the Menu icon and then Settings. You can then slide the toggle to the right to enable wheelchair access.

Currently, both Lyft and Uber are facing class action lawsuits by the Disability Rights Advocates that allege that the companies deny equal access to people who use wheelchairs. Both companies have allowed riders in certain cities to specifically request wheelchair accessible cars since 2015. But service has been inconsistent, and riders can face higher than average wait times and higher fares. A 2018 study conducted by the New York Lawyers for Public Interest found that 70 percent of the time, Uber and Lyft failed to provide wheelchair accessible vehicles in New York City.

With a dedicated line of WAVs, it’s clear that Lyft is trying to improve service for wheelchair users. Specially trained drivers and wheelchair accessible vans are certainly an improvement over drivers who may be unfamiliar with or even refuse to accommodate riders with wheelchairs. Depending on this pilot’s success, Lyft will hopefully look at expanding its accessibility options in other cities.

With a dedicated line of WAVs, it’s clear that Lyft is trying to improve service for wheelchair users. Specially trained drivers and wheelchair accessible vans are certainly an improvement over drivers who may be unfamiliar with or even refuse to accommodate riders with wheelchairs. Depending on this pilot’s success, Lyft will hopefully look at expanding its accessibility options in other cities.

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