Hackers hover near online shopping carts, too
Not only is there e-skimming on gas pumps, your online shopping cart is a target. Cyber criminals introduce a skimming code on e-commerce payment processing web pages to capture credit card and information such as your name, date of birth, account numbers, passwords and location information, the FBI said. I found this particularly interesting as…
Samsung admits to major security flaw
Samsung has admitted there is a major security flaw in its phones that lets anyone bypass the fingerprint sensors. ″This issue involved ultrasonic fingerprint sensors unlocking devices after recognizing 3-dimensional patterns appearing on certain silicone screen protecting cases as users’ fingerprints,” Samsung said, referring to the in-screen fingerprint reader on its newest phones. “To prevent…
Volvo reveals its first electric car
Volvo revealed its first electric car as it moves ahead with its plan to convert its entire lineup into electric or hybrid cars. The Swedish brand, which is owned by Chinese automaker Geely, debuted the Volvo XC40 Recharge SUV. If it looks familiar, that’s because it’s essentially a battery-powered version of the standard XC40. For…
SpaceX submits paperwork for 30,000 more Starlink satellites
Shazaam! Is this a good idea? In its filings, SpaceX said the additional 30,000 satellites would operate in low Earth orbit at altitudes ranging from 328 kilometers to 580 kilometers. SpaceX said the satellites will have steerable spot beams to link with customers, and “omnidirectional” beams for spacecraft telemetry, tracking and control functions. For more,…
Comet is confirmed as an interstellar visitor
It’s only the second interstellar comet ever detected in our solar system. A newly discovered comet is definitely from outside our solar system, scientists confirmed in a study published Monday. The study said that despite the comet’s interstellar origin, it looks surprisingly similar to comets from within the solar system. For more, check out this…
Dyson Scraps Electric Vehicle Plans
Ouch! After committing $2 billion to the project, the company no longer believes it’s commercially viable. Dyson had formed a team of hundreds of engineers, acquired a Michigan battery technology company and committed more than $2 billion to the effort. It subsequently outlined plans for testing facilities in England and a factory in Singapore. But…
Comcast raises broadband speeds across Northeast
Good news for those downloading 4k content. Philadelphia-based Comcast has hiked broadband speeds in different regions recently and rolled out the speed increases Thursday in 14 states from Maine through Virginia. Download speeds for some plans will be up 60 percent, the company said. For more, check out this Inquirer.com story.
Californians are without power to curb wildfire risk
I can’t even fathom an utility company choosing to turn off the power. More than 1 million Californians were in the dark Wednesday in the first phase of a multi-day Public Safety Power Shutoff aimed at curbing wildfire risks amid high winds and hot, dry conditions. For more, check out this USA Today story.
Ancient lost city uncovered in Israel
The 5,000-year-old metropolis was one of the first of its kind in the region. Archaeologists recently discovered an ancient lost city north of Tel Aviv. This large, 5,000-year-old city, bustling with around 6,000 people, was the “early Bronze Age New York,” of the region and likely one of the first complex cities in what is…
AMD Introduces Radeon RX 5500 Series Graphics
AMD announced the Radeon RX 5500 series graphics products, harnessing RDNA gaming architecture to deliver the high-performance, high-fidelity 1080p gaming. The AMD Radeon RX 5500 series includes the Radeon RX 5500 graphics card that will be available in desktop PCs from leading manufacturers and graphics cards from board partners, as well as the Radeon RX…