# Threads Grew By a Bluesky This Month, Now Has Over 275 Million Users
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 19:22:01 2024-11-17
An anonymous reader shared this report from the Verge:
Bluesky might be on the rise, but Instagram and Threads boss Adam Mosseri wants you to know that Threads is still much bigger.
In a post on Thursday, Mosseri said that Threads has gotten "more than 15 million signups in November alone," seemingly trying to throw some cold water over Bluesky crossing 15 million users total on Wednesday.
Mosseri also reiterated that the platform has been getting more than a million signups per day — a stat that CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed during last month's earnings call — and noted that the platform has been seeing that volume of signups for "going on three months."
As November began, Mosseri posted that Threads had 275 million monthly active users....
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/16/1911231/threads-grew-by-a-bluesky-this-month-now-has-over-275-million-users?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 19:22:01 2024-11-17
An anonymous reader shared this report from the Verge:
Bluesky might be on the rise, but Instagram and Threads boss Adam Mosseri wants you to know that Threads is still much bigger.
In a post on Thursday, Mosseri said that Threads has gotten "more than 15 million signups in November alone," seemingly trying to throw some cold water over Bluesky crossing 15 million users total on Wednesday.
Mosseri also reiterated that the platform has been getting more than a million signups per day — a stat that CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed during last month's earnings call — and noted that the platform has been seeing that volume of signups for "going on three months."
As November began, Mosseri posted that Threads had 275 million monthly active users....
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/16/1911231/threads-grew-by-a-bluesky-this-month-now-has-over-275-million-users?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# ISS Astronauts are Safe. But NASA and Russia Disagree on How to Fix Leak
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 19:22:01 2024-11-17
"NASA has emphasized the ISS crew is in no immediate danger," reports Space.com. "The leaking area in the Russian segment of the orbital complex has been ongoing for five years," and "there was a temporary increase in the leak rate that was patched earlier this year..."
Former astronaut Bob Cabana emphasized that troubleshooting is ongoing during a brief livestreamed meeting on Wednesday. But NASA and Roscosmos "don't have a common understanding of what the likely root causes or the severity of the consequences of these leaks."
"The Russian position is that the most probable cause of the cracks is high cycling caused by micro-vibrations," Cabana said, referring to flexing of metal and similar components that heat and cool as the ISS orbits in and out of sunlight. "NASA believes the PrK cracks are likely multi-causal — including pressure and mechanical stress, residual stress, material properties and environmental exposures," Cabana continued.
NASA and Russia disagree about whether "continued operations are safe", he added, but the remedy for now is to keep the hatch closed between the U.S. and Russian side as investigations continue.
The two agencies will continue meeting to seek "common understanding of the structural integrity", Cabana pledged, but he did not provide a timeline. Academic and industry experts will also be consulted.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/11/16/1650241/iss-astronauts-are-safe-but-nasa-and-russia-disagree-on-how-to-fix-leak?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 19:22:01 2024-11-17
"NASA has emphasized the ISS crew is in no immediate danger," reports Space.com. "The leaking area in the Russian segment of the orbital complex has been ongoing for five years," and "there was a temporary increase in the leak rate that was patched earlier this year..."
Former astronaut Bob Cabana emphasized that troubleshooting is ongoing during a brief livestreamed meeting on Wednesday. But NASA and Roscosmos "don't have a common understanding of what the likely root causes or the severity of the consequences of these leaks."
"The Russian position is that the most probable cause of the cracks is high cycling caused by micro-vibrations," Cabana said, referring to flexing of metal and similar components that heat and cool as the ISS orbits in and out of sunlight. "NASA believes the PrK cracks are likely multi-causal — including pressure and mechanical stress, residual stress, material properties and environmental exposures," Cabana continued.
NASA and Russia disagree about whether "continued operations are safe", he added, but the remedy for now is to keep the hatch closed between the U.S. and Russian side as investigations continue.
The two agencies will continue meeting to seek "common understanding of the structural integrity", Cabana pledged, but he did not provide a timeline. Academic and industry experts will also be consulted.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/11/16/1650241/iss-astronauts-are-safe-but-nasa-and-russia-disagree-on-how-to-fix-leak?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# 'Automotive Grade Linux' Will Promote Open Source Program Offices for Automakers
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 19:22:01 2024-11-17
Automotive Grade Linux is a collaborative open source project developing "an open platform from the ground up that can serve as the de facto industry standard" for fast development of new features. Automakers have joined with tech companies and suppliers to speed up development (and adoption) of "a fully open software stack for the connected car" — hosted at the Linux Foundation, and "with Linux at its core..."
And this week they created a new Open Source Program Office expert group, led by Toyota, to promote the establishment of Open Source Program Offices within the automotive industry, "and encourage the sharing of information and best practices between them."
Open source software has become more prevalent across the automotive industry as automakers invest more time and resources into software development. Automakers like Toyota and Subaru are using open source software for infotainment and instrument cluster applications. Other open source applications across the automotive industry include R&D, testing, vehicle-to-cloud and fleet management. "Historically, there has been little code contributed back to the open source community," said Dan Cauchy, Executive Director of Automotive Grade Linux. "Often, this was because the internal procedures or IT infrastructure weren't in place to support open source contributions. The rise of software-defined vehicles has led to a growing trend of automakers not just using, but also contributing, to open source software. Many organizations are also establishing Open Source Program Offices to streamline and organize open source activities to better support business goals."
Automakers including Toyota, Honda, and Volvo have already established Open Source Program Offices. The new AGL OSPO Expert Group provides a neutral space for them to share pain points and collaborate on solutions, exchange information, and develop best practices that can help other automakers build their own OSPOs. "Toyota has been participating in AGL and the broader open source community for over a decade," said Masato Endo, Group Manager of Open Source Program Group, Toyota. "We established an OSPO earlier this year to promote the use of open source software internally and to help guide how and where we contribute. We are looking forward to working with other open source leaders to solve common problems, collaborate on best practices, and invigorate open source activities in the automotive industry."
The AGL OSPO EG is led by Toyota with support from Panasonic and AISIN Corporation.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/16/0659221/automotive-grade-linux-will-promote-open-source-program-offices-for-automakers?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 19:22:01 2024-11-17
Automotive Grade Linux is a collaborative open source project developing "an open platform from the ground up that can serve as the de facto industry standard" for fast development of new features. Automakers have joined with tech companies and suppliers to speed up development (and adoption) of "a fully open software stack for the connected car" — hosted at the Linux Foundation, and "with Linux at its core..."
And this week they created a new Open Source Program Office expert group, led by Toyota, to promote the establishment of Open Source Program Offices within the automotive industry, "and encourage the sharing of information and best practices between them."
Open source software has become more prevalent across the automotive industry as automakers invest more time and resources into software development. Automakers like Toyota and Subaru are using open source software for infotainment and instrument cluster applications. Other open source applications across the automotive industry include R&D, testing, vehicle-to-cloud and fleet management. "Historically, there has been little code contributed back to the open source community," said Dan Cauchy, Executive Director of Automotive Grade Linux. "Often, this was because the internal procedures or IT infrastructure weren't in place to support open source contributions. The rise of software-defined vehicles has led to a growing trend of automakers not just using, but also contributing, to open source software. Many organizations are also establishing Open Source Program Offices to streamline and organize open source activities to better support business goals."
Automakers including Toyota, Honda, and Volvo have already established Open Source Program Offices. The new AGL OSPO Expert Group provides a neutral space for them to share pain points and collaborate on solutions, exchange information, and develop best practices that can help other automakers build their own OSPOs. "Toyota has been participating in AGL and the broader open source community for over a decade," said Masato Endo, Group Manager of Open Source Program Group, Toyota. "We established an OSPO earlier this year to promote the use of open source software internally and to help guide how and where we contribute. We are looking forward to working with other open source leaders to solve common problems, collaborate on best practices, and invigorate open source activities in the automotive industry."
The AGL OSPO EG is led by Toyota with support from Panasonic and AISIN Corporation.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/16/0659221/automotive-grade-linux-will-promote-open-source-program-offices-for-automakers?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Does Casio's New Calculator Watch Take You Back To 6th Grade Math Class?
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 19:22:01 2024-11-17
Slashdot reader jjslash brings word that Casio "has reintroduced its iconic calculator watch featuring a retro design with green text on a negative LCD and a classic keypad layout."
TechSpot reports that the watch was based on the Casio Mini personal calculator first released in the early 1970s — even offering a keypad using the original fonts (with numbers separated by grid lines):
Even the mode button, colored red, is a nod to the calculator's power indicator. The watches' calculator function can add, subtract, multiply, and divide up to eight digits. As for watch functions, you get dual time, an alarm, stopwatch functionality, and more...
Casio's original personal calculator debuted in 1972, and cost $59.95. It featured a six-digit display, was a quarter the size of its competitors, and cost just a third of rival products. The calculator was an instant hit for Casio, selling a million units in the first 10 months on the market and more than six million units over the span of the series.
Long-time Slashdot reader antdude says "I still wear one! Casio Data Bank 150 model...!"
Share your own vintage calculator memories in the comments...
[ Read more of this story ]( https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/11/16/0435220/does-casios-new-calculator-watch-take-you-back-to-6th-grade-math-class?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 19:22:01 2024-11-17
Slashdot reader jjslash brings word that Casio "has reintroduced its iconic calculator watch featuring a retro design with green text on a negative LCD and a classic keypad layout."
TechSpot reports that the watch was based on the Casio Mini personal calculator first released in the early 1970s — even offering a keypad using the original fonts (with numbers separated by grid lines):
Even the mode button, colored red, is a nod to the calculator's power indicator. The watches' calculator function can add, subtract, multiply, and divide up to eight digits. As for watch functions, you get dual time, an alarm, stopwatch functionality, and more...
Casio's original personal calculator debuted in 1972, and cost $59.95. It featured a six-digit display, was a quarter the size of its competitors, and cost just a third of rival products. The calculator was an instant hit for Casio, selling a million units in the first 10 months on the market and more than six million units over the span of the series.
Long-time Slashdot reader antdude says "I still wear one! Casio Data Bank 150 model...!"
Share your own vintage calculator memories in the comments...
[ Read more of this story ]( https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/11/16/0435220/does-casios-new-calculator-watch-take-you-back-to-6th-grade-math-class?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Samples Obtained By Chinese Spacecraft Show Moon's Ancient Volcanism
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 10:22:01 2024-11-16
China's Chang'e-6 mission made history by retrieving the first surface samples from the moon's far side, revealing evidence of volcanic activity spanning 1.4 billion years. Reuters reports: Researchers said on Friday the soil brought back from the Chang'e-6 landing site contained fragments of volcanic rock - basalt - dating to 4.2 billion years ago and to 2.8 billion years ago. This points to a long period of volcanic activity - at least 1.4 billion years - on the far side during the first half of the moon's history, when it was a more dynamic world than it is today. The moon, like Earth, formed about 4.5 billion years ago. Volcanism on the moon, Earth and other planetary bodies involves the eruption of molten rock from the mantle - the layer just under the outer crust - onto the surface. The landing site in the South Pole-Aitken Basin, an impact crater, is an area with the thinnest crust on the moon, helpful for finding evidence of volcanism.
The samples contained various volcanic rock fragments, and the researchers used a method called radioisotope dating to determine their age. Lunar basalt samples previously were obtained from the moon's near side, which perpetually faces Earth, during U.S. Apollo, Soviet Luna and Chinese Chang'e-5 missions. These showed that volcanism on the near side had occurred as long ago as 4.0 billion years ago and continued for at least two billion years, Li said. "The exact timing and duration of lunar volcanism is elusive and maybe varied across different regions. Some small-scale volcanism may have also occurred on the near side as late as about 120 million years ago as recorded by volcanic glass beads from Chang'e-5 samples" collected in 2020, Li said.
The new study also found that the basalt dating to 4.2 billion years ago differed in composition from the basalt dating to 2.8 billion years ago, meaning they originated from different sources of molten rock - magma - in the mantle, Li said. The Chang'e-6 samples, Li said, also differ in composition compared with previously collected lunar samples from the near side.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/11/16/0057222/samples-obtained-by-chinese-spacecraft-show-moons-ancient-volcanism?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 10:22:01 2024-11-16
China's Chang'e-6 mission made history by retrieving the first surface samples from the moon's far side, revealing evidence of volcanic activity spanning 1.4 billion years. Reuters reports: Researchers said on Friday the soil brought back from the Chang'e-6 landing site contained fragments of volcanic rock - basalt - dating to 4.2 billion years ago and to 2.8 billion years ago. This points to a long period of volcanic activity - at least 1.4 billion years - on the far side during the first half of the moon's history, when it was a more dynamic world than it is today. The moon, like Earth, formed about 4.5 billion years ago. Volcanism on the moon, Earth and other planetary bodies involves the eruption of molten rock from the mantle - the layer just under the outer crust - onto the surface. The landing site in the South Pole-Aitken Basin, an impact crater, is an area with the thinnest crust on the moon, helpful for finding evidence of volcanism.
The samples contained various volcanic rock fragments, and the researchers used a method called radioisotope dating to determine their age. Lunar basalt samples previously were obtained from the moon's near side, which perpetually faces Earth, during U.S. Apollo, Soviet Luna and Chinese Chang'e-5 missions. These showed that volcanism on the near side had occurred as long ago as 4.0 billion years ago and continued for at least two billion years, Li said. "The exact timing and duration of lunar volcanism is elusive and maybe varied across different regions. Some small-scale volcanism may have also occurred on the near side as late as about 120 million years ago as recorded by volcanic glass beads from Chang'e-5 samples" collected in 2020, Li said.
The new study also found that the basalt dating to 4.2 billion years ago differed in composition from the basalt dating to 2.8 billion years ago, meaning they originated from different sources of molten rock - magma - in the mantle, Li said. The Chang'e-6 samples, Li said, also differ in composition compared with previously collected lunar samples from the near side.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/11/16/0057222/samples-obtained-by-chinese-spacecraft-show-moons-ancient-volcanism?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Is NASA's Moon Rocket Getting Canceled?
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 07:22:01 2024-11-16
"NASA has squandered $27 billion on the SLS moon rocket -- $6 billion over budget and 5 years late," writes longtime Slashdot reader schwit1. "The SLS isn't reusable so even if they finished it -- it is already obsolete. It is clear to everyone that the boondoggle has failed but the newest plan is to find a way to blame Trump. There is a big desire for big changes." Futurism reports: According to Ars Technica senior space reporter Eric Berger's insider sources, there's an "at least 50-50" chance that the rocket "will be canceled." "Not Block 1B. Not Block 2," he added, referring to the variant that was used during NASA's uncrewed Artemis I test flight in 2022 and a more powerful design with a much higher translunar injection payload capacity, respectively. "All of it." To be clear, as Berger himself points out, we're still far "from anything being settled." Nonetheless, the reporter's sources have historically been highly reliable, suggesting the space agency may indeed be getting cold feet about continuing to pour billions of dollars into the non-reusable rocket. [...] "Honestly the people who will ultimately make this decision aren't even in place yet," Berger wrote in a followup tweet, likely referring to the incoming Trump administration. "But there is a big desire for big changes."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/11/16/0048219/is-nasas-moon-rocket-getting-canceled?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 07:22:01 2024-11-16
"NASA has squandered $27 billion on the SLS moon rocket -- $6 billion over budget and 5 years late," writes longtime Slashdot reader schwit1. "The SLS isn't reusable so even if they finished it -- it is already obsolete. It is clear to everyone that the boondoggle has failed but the newest plan is to find a way to blame Trump. There is a big desire for big changes." Futurism reports: According to Ars Technica senior space reporter Eric Berger's insider sources, there's an "at least 50-50" chance that the rocket "will be canceled." "Not Block 1B. Not Block 2," he added, referring to the variant that was used during NASA's uncrewed Artemis I test flight in 2022 and a more powerful design with a much higher translunar injection payload capacity, respectively. "All of it." To be clear, as Berger himself points out, we're still far "from anything being settled." Nonetheless, the reporter's sources have historically been highly reliable, suggesting the space agency may indeed be getting cold feet about continuing to pour billions of dollars into the non-reusable rocket. [...] "Honestly the people who will ultimately make this decision aren't even in place yet," Berger wrote in a followup tweet, likely referring to the incoming Trump administration. "But there is a big desire for big changes."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/11/16/0048219/is-nasas-moon-rocket-getting-canceled?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# With First Mechanical Qubit, Quantum Computing Goes Steampunk
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 04:22:02 2024-11-16
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Science Magazine: Qubits, the strange devices at the heart of a quantum computer that can be set to 0, 1, or both at once, could hardly be more different from the mechanical clockwork used in the earliest computers. Today, most quantum computers rely on qubits made out of tiny circuits of superconducting metal, individual ions, photons, or other things. But now, physicists have made a working qubit from a tiny, moving machine, an advance that echoes back to the early 20th century when the first computers employed mechanical switches. "For many years, people were thinking it would be impossible to make a qubit from a mechanical system," says Adrian Bachtold, a condensed matter physicist at the Institute of Photonic Sciences who was not involved in the work, published today in Science. Stephan Durr, a quantum physicist at the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics, says the result "puts a new system on the map," which could be used in other experiments—and perhaps to probe the interface of quantum mechanics and gravity. [...]
The new mechanical qubit is unlikely to run more mature competition off the field any time soon. Its fidelity -- a measure of how well experimenters can set the state they desire -- is just 60%, compared with greater than 99% for the best qubits. For that reason, "it's an advance in principle," Bachtold says. But Durr notes that a mechanical qubit might serve as a supersensitive probe of forces, such as gravity, that don't affect other qubits. And ETHZ researchers hope to take their demonstration a step further by using two mechanical qubits to perform simple logical operations. "That's what Igor is working on now," [says Yiwen Chu, a physicist at ETH Zurich]. If they succeed, the physical switches of the very first computers will have made a tiny comeback.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/2323226/with-first-mechanical-qubit-quantum-computing-goes-steampunk?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 04:22:02 2024-11-16
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Science Magazine: Qubits, the strange devices at the heart of a quantum computer that can be set to 0, 1, or both at once, could hardly be more different from the mechanical clockwork used in the earliest computers. Today, most quantum computers rely on qubits made out of tiny circuits of superconducting metal, individual ions, photons, or other things. But now, physicists have made a working qubit from a tiny, moving machine, an advance that echoes back to the early 20th century when the first computers employed mechanical switches. "For many years, people were thinking it would be impossible to make a qubit from a mechanical system," says Adrian Bachtold, a condensed matter physicist at the Institute of Photonic Sciences who was not involved in the work, published today in Science. Stephan Durr, a quantum physicist at the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics, says the result "puts a new system on the map," which could be used in other experiments—and perhaps to probe the interface of quantum mechanics and gravity. [...]
The new mechanical qubit is unlikely to run more mature competition off the field any time soon. Its fidelity -- a measure of how well experimenters can set the state they desire -- is just 60%, compared with greater than 99% for the best qubits. For that reason, "it's an advance in principle," Bachtold says. But Durr notes that a mechanical qubit might serve as a supersensitive probe of forces, such as gravity, that don't affect other qubits. And ETHZ researchers hope to take their demonstration a step further by using two mechanical qubits to perform simple logical operations. "That's what Igor is working on now," [says Yiwen Chu, a physicist at ETH Zurich]. If they succeed, the physical switches of the very first computers will have made a tiny comeback.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/2323226/with-first-mechanical-qubit-quantum-computing-goes-steampunk?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# NSO, Not Government Clients, Operates Its Spyware
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 02:22:01 2024-11-16
jojowombl shares a report from The Guardian: Legal documents released in ongoing US litigation between NSO Group and WhatsApp have revealed for the first time that the Israeli cyberweapons maker -- and not its government customers -- is the party that "installs and extracts" information from mobile phones targeted by the company's hacking software. The new details were contained in sworn depositions from NSO Group employees, portions of which were published for the first time on Thursday.
It comes five years after WhatsApp, the popular messaging app owned by Facebook, first announced it was filing suit against NSO. The company, which was blacklisted by the Biden administration in 2021, makes what is widely considered the world's most sophisticated hacking software, which -- according to researchers -- has been used in the past in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, India, Mexico, Morocco and Rwanda. [...] At the heart of the legal fight was an allegation by WhatsApp that NSO had long denied: that it was the Israeli company itself, and not its government clients around the world, who were operating the spyware. NSO has always said that its product is meant to be used to prevent serious crime and terrorism, and that clients are obligated not to abuse the spyware. It has also insisted that it does not know who its clients are targeting. [...]
To make its case, WhatsApp was allowed by Judge Phyllis Hamilton to make its case, including citing depositions that have previously been redacted and out of public view. In one, an NSO employee said customers only needed to enter a phone number of the person whose information was being sought. Then, the employee said, "the rest is done automatically by the system." In other words, the process was not operated by customers. Rather NSO alone decided to access WhatsApp's servers when it designed (and continuously upgraded) Pegasus to target individuals' phones. A spokesperson for NSO, Gil Lainer, said in a statement: "NSO stands behind its previous statements in which we repeatedly detailed that the system is operated solely by our clients and that neither NSO nor its employees have access to the intelligence gathered by the system. We are confident that these claims, like many others in the past, will be proven wrong in court, and we look forward to the opportunity to do so."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://yro.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/2314234/nso-not-government-clients-operates-its-spyware?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 02:22:01 2024-11-16
jojowombl shares a report from The Guardian: Legal documents released in ongoing US litigation between NSO Group and WhatsApp have revealed for the first time that the Israeli cyberweapons maker -- and not its government customers -- is the party that "installs and extracts" information from mobile phones targeted by the company's hacking software. The new details were contained in sworn depositions from NSO Group employees, portions of which were published for the first time on Thursday.
It comes five years after WhatsApp, the popular messaging app owned by Facebook, first announced it was filing suit against NSO. The company, which was blacklisted by the Biden administration in 2021, makes what is widely considered the world's most sophisticated hacking software, which -- according to researchers -- has been used in the past in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, India, Mexico, Morocco and Rwanda. [...] At the heart of the legal fight was an allegation by WhatsApp that NSO had long denied: that it was the Israeli company itself, and not its government clients around the world, who were operating the spyware. NSO has always said that its product is meant to be used to prevent serious crime and terrorism, and that clients are obligated not to abuse the spyware. It has also insisted that it does not know who its clients are targeting. [...]
To make its case, WhatsApp was allowed by Judge Phyllis Hamilton to make its case, including citing depositions that have previously been redacted and out of public view. In one, an NSO employee said customers only needed to enter a phone number of the person whose information was being sought. Then, the employee said, "the rest is done automatically by the system." In other words, the process was not operated by customers. Rather NSO alone decided to access WhatsApp's servers when it designed (and continuously upgraded) Pegasus to target individuals' phones. A spokesperson for NSO, Gil Lainer, said in a statement: "NSO stands behind its previous statements in which we repeatedly detailed that the system is operated solely by our clients and that neither NSO nor its employees have access to the intelligence gathered by the system. We are confident that these claims, like many others in the past, will be proven wrong in court, and we look forward to the opportunity to do so."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://yro.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/2314234/nso-not-government-clients-operates-its-spyware?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# T-Mobile Hacked In Massive Chinese Breach of Telecom Networks
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 01:22:01 2024-11-16
Chinese hackers, reportedly linked to a Chinese intelligence agency, breached T-Mobile as part of a broader cyber-espionage campaign targeting telecom companies to spy on high-value intelligence targets. "T-Mobile is closely monitoring this industry-wide attack, and at this time, T-Mobile systems and data have not been impacted in any significant way, and we have no evidence of impacts to customer information," a company spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal. Reuters reports: It was unclear what information, if any, was taken about T-Mobile customers' calls and communications records, according to the report. On Wednesday, The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. cyber watchdog agency CISA said China-linked hackers have intercepted surveillance data intended for American law enforcement agencies after breaking into an unspecified number of telecom companies. Further reading: U.S. Wiretap Systems Targeted in China-Linked Hack
[ Read more of this story ]( https://yro.slashdot.org/story/24/11/16/013236/t-mobile-hacked-in-massive-chinese-breach-of-telecom-networks?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 01:22:01 2024-11-16
Chinese hackers, reportedly linked to a Chinese intelligence agency, breached T-Mobile as part of a broader cyber-espionage campaign targeting telecom companies to spy on high-value intelligence targets. "T-Mobile is closely monitoring this industry-wide attack, and at this time, T-Mobile systems and data have not been impacted in any significant way, and we have no evidence of impacts to customer information," a company spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal. Reuters reports: It was unclear what information, if any, was taken about T-Mobile customers' calls and communications records, according to the report. On Wednesday, The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. cyber watchdog agency CISA said China-linked hackers have intercepted surveillance data intended for American law enforcement agencies after breaking into an unspecified number of telecom companies. Further reading: U.S. Wiretap Systems Targeted in China-Linked Hack
[ Read more of this story ]( https://yro.slashdot.org/story/24/11/16/013236/t-mobile-hacked-in-massive-chinese-breach-of-telecom-networks?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Chegg, Down From $12 Billion To $159 Million In Value, Lays Off Hundreds; CEO Blames Google and AI
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 01:22:01 2024-11-16
Chegg, the online education company, is laying off 319 workers as it struggles to compete against modern AI chatbots. SFGATE reports: Chegg announced the new layoff round, which will hit 21% of its workforce, in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday. The company delivered the news alongside another brutal quarterly financial report; Chegg lost more than $212 million from July through September. CEO Nathan Schultz, in prepared remarks accompanying the report, expressed some optimism but called it a "trying time" for his company. Chegg provides grammar and plagiarism checkers, plus course-by-course study help, along with much-used textbook solution guides.
"Technology shifts have created headwinds for our industry and Chegg's business specifically," Schultz said. "Recent advancements in the AI search experience and the adoption of free and paid generative AI services by students, have resulted in challenges for Chegg. These factors are adversely affecting our business outlook and are requiring us to refocus and adjust the size of our business." He specifically called out Google's AI overviews, a recent change to search results that pulls information from news outlets and sites like Chegg and summarizes above the classic blue links. Schultz said that his team believes Google is "shifting from being a search origination point to the destination" in an attempt to keep market share.
Schultz also blamed generative AI chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT, saying that students see the tool and others like it as "strong alternatives" to Chegg. Web traffic has dropped sharply as a result, Schultz wrote. A Wall Street Journal story published Saturday said Chegg "is trying to avoid becoming [ChatGPT's] first major victim" and that the company had lost more than 500,000 subscribers, some who paid almost $20 a month, since the chatbot's 2022 launch. Despite the negative business impact, it seems Chegg is experimenting with new tech. Schultz said in the remarks that the company had formed an "arena" to evaluate AI models and aims to "integrate AI into the full learning journey."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/233253/chegg-down-from-12-billion-to-159-million-in-value-lays-off-hundreds-ceo-blames-google-and-ai?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 01:22:01 2024-11-16
Chegg, the online education company, is laying off 319 workers as it struggles to compete against modern AI chatbots. SFGATE reports: Chegg announced the new layoff round, which will hit 21% of its workforce, in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday. The company delivered the news alongside another brutal quarterly financial report; Chegg lost more than $212 million from July through September. CEO Nathan Schultz, in prepared remarks accompanying the report, expressed some optimism but called it a "trying time" for his company. Chegg provides grammar and plagiarism checkers, plus course-by-course study help, along with much-used textbook solution guides.
"Technology shifts have created headwinds for our industry and Chegg's business specifically," Schultz said. "Recent advancements in the AI search experience and the adoption of free and paid generative AI services by students, have resulted in challenges for Chegg. These factors are adversely affecting our business outlook and are requiring us to refocus and adjust the size of our business." He specifically called out Google's AI overviews, a recent change to search results that pulls information from news outlets and sites like Chegg and summarizes above the classic blue links. Schultz said that his team believes Google is "shifting from being a search origination point to the destination" in an attempt to keep market share.
Schultz also blamed generative AI chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT, saying that students see the tool and others like it as "strong alternatives" to Chegg. Web traffic has dropped sharply as a result, Schultz wrote. A Wall Street Journal story published Saturday said Chegg "is trying to avoid becoming [ChatGPT's] first major victim" and that the company had lost more than 500,000 subscribers, some who paid almost $20 a month, since the chatbot's 2022 launch. Despite the negative business impact, it seems Chegg is experimenting with new tech. Schultz said in the remarks that the company had formed an "arena" to evaluate AI models and aims to "integrate AI into the full learning journey."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/233253/chegg-down-from-12-billion-to-159-million-in-value-lays-off-hundreds-ceo-blames-google-and-ai?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Bluesky Says It Won't Train AI On Your Posts
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 01:22:01 2024-11-16
Bluesky, the social network surging in popularity, says it has "no intention" of training AI tools on users content. "The social network made the announcement on the same day that X (formerly Twitter) is implementing its new terms of service that allow the platform to use public posts to train AI," notes TechCrunch. From the report: "A number of artists and creators have made their home on Bluesky, and we hear their concerns with other platforms training on their data," Bluesky said in a post on its app. "We do not use any of your content to train generative AI, and have no intention of doing so." The company went on to note that it uses AI internally to help with content moderation and that it also uses the technology in its "Discover" algorithmic feed. However, Bluesky says "none of these are Gen AI systems trained on user content."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/2258213/bluesky-says-it-wont-train-ai-on-your-posts?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 01:22:01 2024-11-16
Bluesky, the social network surging in popularity, says it has "no intention" of training AI tools on users content. "The social network made the announcement on the same day that X (formerly Twitter) is implementing its new terms of service that allow the platform to use public posts to train AI," notes TechCrunch. From the report: "A number of artists and creators have made their home on Bluesky, and we hear their concerns with other platforms training on their data," Bluesky said in a post on its app. "We do not use any of your content to train generative AI, and have no intention of doing so." The company went on to note that it uses AI internally to help with content moderation and that it also uses the technology in its "Discover" algorithmic feed. However, Bluesky says "none of these are Gen AI systems trained on user content."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/2258213/bluesky-says-it-wont-train-ai-on-your-posts?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Once Worth $7.3 Billion, Grubhub Sells For Just $650 Million
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 00:22:01 2024-11-16
An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNN: Europe's biggest meal delivery firm, Just Eat Takeaway, said on Wednesday it had struck a deal to sell its U.S. unit Grubhub to Wonder for $650 million, sending its shares soaring 20% in early trading. The Amsterdam-listed company had been looking to offload Chicago-based Grubhub since as early as 2022, after acquiring it in 2020 in a $7.3 billion deal amid a pandemic-driven boom in delivery services -- a process that was hampered by slowing growth, high taxes and a question of fee caps in New York City.
"Just Eat Takeaway is at last putting an end to its disastrous U.S. journey," Bryan Garnier analyst Clement Genelot said, noting the group had destroyed more than $7 billion in shareholder value there. Grubhub's enterprise value of $650 million includes $500 million of senior notes and $150 million cash, Wonder said in a statement. Wonder is a food-delivery startup led by former Walmart executive Marc Lore.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/2211219/once-worth-73-billion-grubhub-sells-for-just-650-million?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 00:22:01 2024-11-16
An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNN: Europe's biggest meal delivery firm, Just Eat Takeaway, said on Wednesday it had struck a deal to sell its U.S. unit Grubhub to Wonder for $650 million, sending its shares soaring 20% in early trading. The Amsterdam-listed company had been looking to offload Chicago-based Grubhub since as early as 2022, after acquiring it in 2020 in a $7.3 billion deal amid a pandemic-driven boom in delivery services -- a process that was hampered by slowing growth, high taxes and a question of fee caps in New York City.
"Just Eat Takeaway is at last putting an end to its disastrous U.S. journey," Bryan Garnier analyst Clement Genelot said, noting the group had destroyed more than $7 billion in shareholder value there. Grubhub's enterprise value of $650 million includes $500 million of senior notes and $150 million cash, Wonder said in a statement. Wonder is a food-delivery startup led by former Walmart executive Marc Lore.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/2211219/once-worth-73-billion-grubhub-sells-for-just-650-million?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Biden Administration Finalizes $6.6 Billion In Chips Grants For TSMC
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 23:22:01 2024-11-15
The White House said it's completed a $6.6 billion grant agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) through the Chips and Science Act. "Today's announcement is among the most critical milestones yet in the implementation of the bipartisan CHIPS & Science Act, and demonstrates how we are ensuring that the progress made to date will continue to unfold in the coming years, benefitting communities all across the country," Biden said in a statement. The Hill reports: The grant is expected to create $65 billion of private investment by TSMC in Arizona, Biden said, which will include three new facilities and the creation of tens of thousands of jobs by the end of the decade. The first of the company's new facilities is on track to open next year. Biden earlier this year announced a slew of preliminary grant agreements with companies, including TSMC, through the CHIPS law. The announcement of a final agreement underscores how the administration is hoping to get those deals across the finish line before President-elect Trump takes office. [...]
Biden has repeatedly touted the importance of the CHIPS and Science Act, citing the prevalence of microchips that are used in everyday technology such as phones, cars, home appliances and more. Officials have said the law is critical to bolster domestic production of the chips to make the U.S. less reliant on foreign supply chains.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/220219/biden-administration-finalizes-66-billion-in-chips-grants-for-tsmc?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 23:22:01 2024-11-15
The White House said it's completed a $6.6 billion grant agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) through the Chips and Science Act. "Today's announcement is among the most critical milestones yet in the implementation of the bipartisan CHIPS & Science Act, and demonstrates how we are ensuring that the progress made to date will continue to unfold in the coming years, benefitting communities all across the country," Biden said in a statement. The Hill reports: The grant is expected to create $65 billion of private investment by TSMC in Arizona, Biden said, which will include three new facilities and the creation of tens of thousands of jobs by the end of the decade. The first of the company's new facilities is on track to open next year. Biden earlier this year announced a slew of preliminary grant agreements with companies, including TSMC, through the CHIPS law. The announcement of a final agreement underscores how the administration is hoping to get those deals across the finish line before President-elect Trump takes office. [...]
Biden has repeatedly touted the importance of the CHIPS and Science Act, citing the prevalence of microchips that are used in everyday technology such as phones, cars, home appliances and more. Officials have said the law is critical to bolster domestic production of the chips to make the U.S. less reliant on foreign supply chains.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/220219/biden-administration-finalizes-66-billion-in-chips-grants-for-tsmc?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Ask Slashdot: Have AI Coding Tools Killed the Joy of Programming?
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 23:22:01 2024-11-15
Longtime Slashdot reader DaPhil writes: I taught myself to code at 12 years old in the 90s and I've always liked the back-and-forth with the runtime to achieve the right result. I recently got back from other roles to code again, and when starting a new project last year, I decided to give the new "AI assistants" a go.
My initial surprise at the quality and the speed you can achieve when using ChatGPT and/or Copilot when coding turned sour over the months, as I realized that all the joy I felt about trying to get the result I want -- slowly improving my code by (slowly) thinking, checking the results against the runtime, and finally achieving success -- is, well, gone. What I do now is type English sentences in increasingly desperate attempts to get ChatGPT to output what I want (or provide snippets to Copilot to get the right autocompletion), which -- as they are pretty much black boxes -- is frustrating and non-linear: it either "just works," or it doesn't. There is no measure of progress. In a way, having Copilot in the IDE was even worse, since it often disrupts my thinking when suggesting completions.
I've since disabled Copilot. Interestingly, I myself now feel somehow "disabled" without it in the IDE; however, the abstention has given me back the ability to sit back and think, and through that, the joy of programming. Still, it feels like I'm now somehow an ex-drug addict always on the verge of a relapse. I was wondering if any of you felt the same, or if I'm just... old.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://developers.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/2138239/ask-slashdot-have-ai-coding-tools-killed-the-joy-of-programming?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 23:22:01 2024-11-15
Longtime Slashdot reader DaPhil writes: I taught myself to code at 12 years old in the 90s and I've always liked the back-and-forth with the runtime to achieve the right result. I recently got back from other roles to code again, and when starting a new project last year, I decided to give the new "AI assistants" a go.
My initial surprise at the quality and the speed you can achieve when using ChatGPT and/or Copilot when coding turned sour over the months, as I realized that all the joy I felt about trying to get the result I want -- slowly improving my code by (slowly) thinking, checking the results against the runtime, and finally achieving success -- is, well, gone. What I do now is type English sentences in increasingly desperate attempts to get ChatGPT to output what I want (or provide snippets to Copilot to get the right autocompletion), which -- as they are pretty much black boxes -- is frustrating and non-linear: it either "just works," or it doesn't. There is no measure of progress. In a way, having Copilot in the IDE was even worse, since it often disrupts my thinking when suggesting completions.
I've since disabled Copilot. Interestingly, I myself now feel somehow "disabled" without it in the IDE; however, the abstention has given me back the ability to sit back and think, and through that, the joy of programming. Still, it feels like I'm now somehow an ex-drug addict always on the verge of a relapse. I was wondering if any of you felt the same, or if I'm just... old.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://developers.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/2138239/ask-slashdot-have-ai-coding-tools-killed-the-joy-of-programming?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Laundry-Sorting Robot Spurs AI Hopes and Fears At Europe's Biggest Tech Event
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 22:22:01 2024-11-15
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: This year's Web Summit, in Lisbon, was all about artificial intelligence -- and a robot sorting laundry. Digit, a humanoid built by the US firm Agility Robotics, demonstrated how far AI has come in a few years by responding to voice commands -- filtered through Google's Gemini AI model -- to sift through a pile of colored T-shirts and place them in a basket. It wasn't a seamless demonstration but the enthusiastic response, nearly two years on from the launch of ChatGPT, reflected the excitement about all things AI that pervaded Europe's biggest annual tech conference.
[...] Digit is being used in warehouses by GXO, a US logistics company, to lift boxes and place them on conveyor belts. According to the chief executive of Agility Robotics, Peggy Johnson, a new role could be created managing teams of Digits doing physical work. "Employees who were previously doing this physical work, appreciate the fact that they can hand that off to Digit," she said. "Then it allows them to do a number of other things, one of which is to be a robot manager." "Talk of a bust in the AI boom could not be heard over the shouts of encouragement for Digit as it pondered different shades of garment," reports The Guardian. "Nonetheless, the voices of caution were there, discussing familiar themes such as safety, jobs and the climate, as AI comes to influence a huge range of industries."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/2133254/laundry-sorting-robot-spurs-ai-hopes-and-fears-at-europes-biggest-tech-event?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 22:22:01 2024-11-15
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: This year's Web Summit, in Lisbon, was all about artificial intelligence -- and a robot sorting laundry. Digit, a humanoid built by the US firm Agility Robotics, demonstrated how far AI has come in a few years by responding to voice commands -- filtered through Google's Gemini AI model -- to sift through a pile of colored T-shirts and place them in a basket. It wasn't a seamless demonstration but the enthusiastic response, nearly two years on from the launch of ChatGPT, reflected the excitement about all things AI that pervaded Europe's biggest annual tech conference.
[...] Digit is being used in warehouses by GXO, a US logistics company, to lift boxes and place them on conveyor belts. According to the chief executive of Agility Robotics, Peggy Johnson, a new role could be created managing teams of Digits doing physical work. "Employees who were previously doing this physical work, appreciate the fact that they can hand that off to Digit," she said. "Then it allows them to do a number of other things, one of which is to be a robot manager." "Talk of a bust in the AI boom could not be heard over the shouts of encouragement for Digit as it pondered different shades of garment," reports The Guardian. "Nonetheless, the voices of caution were there, discussing familiar themes such as safety, jobs and the climate, as AI comes to influence a huge range of industries."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/2133254/laundry-sorting-robot-spurs-ai-hopes-and-fears-at-europes-biggest-tech-event?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# FTC Reports 50% Drop in Unwanted Call Complaints Since 2021
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 20:22:01 2024-11-15
The Federal Trade Commission reported Friday that the number of consumer complaints about unwanted telemarketing phone calls has dropped over 50% since 2021, continuing a trend that started three years ago. From a report: This year, the FTC has received 1.1 million reports regarding robocalls, down from 1.2 million one year before 2023 and from more than 3.4 million in 2021. According to this year's National Do Not Call Registry Data Book -- which provides the most recent data on robocall complaints together with a complete state-by-state analysis -- the highest number of consumer complaints targeted unwanted calls about medical and prescription issues, with more than 170,000 reports (most of them robocalls) received until September 30, 2024.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/1934225/ftc-reports-50-drop-in-unwanted-call-complaints-since-2021?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 20:22:01 2024-11-15
The Federal Trade Commission reported Friday that the number of consumer complaints about unwanted telemarketing phone calls has dropped over 50% since 2021, continuing a trend that started three years ago. From a report: This year, the FTC has received 1.1 million reports regarding robocalls, down from 1.2 million one year before 2023 and from more than 3.4 million in 2021. According to this year's National Do Not Call Registry Data Book -- which provides the most recent data on robocall complaints together with a complete state-by-state analysis -- the highest number of consumer complaints targeted unwanted calls about medical and prescription issues, with more than 170,000 reports (most of them robocalls) received until September 30, 2024.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/1934225/ftc-reports-50-drop-in-unwanted-call-complaints-since-2021?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# The Rich Country With the Worst Mobile-Phone Service
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 20:22:01 2024-11-15
Economist: Britain has long been a pioneer in telecoms. In 1837 it built the world's first commercial telegraph; the first transatlantic call was placed from London in 1927; in 1992 a British programmer sent the first text message to a mobile phone. Today it lags rather than leads. According to figures provided to The Economist by Opensignal, a research firm, Britain ranks 46th for download speeds out of the 56 developed and developing countries for which there are data. That gives it the worst mobile service in the rich world.
Some of this is due to demand. Over the past three years data usage on mobile devices has doubled as people stream films and play games. The busiest parts of cities often lack mobile reception because the system is at capacity. But mainly it is an issue of supply. British users of 5G are only on it 11% of the time. That puts Britain 43rd out of the 56 countries. This lacklustre performance is caused by a combination of government U-turns, insufficient investment and sclerotic planning.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/1921227/the-rich-country-with-the-worst-mobile-phone-service?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 20:22:01 2024-11-15
Economist: Britain has long been a pioneer in telecoms. In 1837 it built the world's first commercial telegraph; the first transatlantic call was placed from London in 1927; in 1992 a British programmer sent the first text message to a mobile phone. Today it lags rather than leads. According to figures provided to The Economist by Opensignal, a research firm, Britain ranks 46th for download speeds out of the 56 developed and developing countries for which there are data. That gives it the worst mobile service in the rich world.
Some of this is due to demand. Over the past three years data usage on mobile devices has doubled as people stream films and play games. The busiest parts of cities often lack mobile reception because the system is at capacity. But mainly it is an issue of supply. British users of 5G are only on it 11% of the time. That puts Britain 43rd out of the 56 countries. This lacklustre performance is caused by a combination of government U-turns, insufficient investment and sclerotic planning.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/1921227/the-rich-country-with-the-worst-mobile-phone-service?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Cop Summits 'No Longer Fit For Purpose', Say Leading Climate Policy Experts
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 19:22:01 2024-11-15
An anonymous reader shares a report: Future UN climate summits should be held only in countries that can show clear support for climate action and have stricter rules on fossil fuel lobbying, according to a group of influential climate policy experts. The group includes former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, the former president of Ireland Mary Robinson, the former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres and the prominent climate scientist Johan Rockstrom.
They have written to the UN demanding the current complex process of annual "conferences of the parties" under the UN framework convention on climate change -- the Paris agreement's parent treaty -- be streamlined, and meetings held more frequently, with more of a voice given to developing countries. "It is now clear that the Cop is no longer fit for purpose. We need a shift from negotiation to implementation," they wrote.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/1850231/cop-summits-no-longer-fit-for-purpose-say-leading-climate-policy-experts?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 19:22:01 2024-11-15
An anonymous reader shares a report: Future UN climate summits should be held only in countries that can show clear support for climate action and have stricter rules on fossil fuel lobbying, according to a group of influential climate policy experts. The group includes former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, the former president of Ireland Mary Robinson, the former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres and the prominent climate scientist Johan Rockstrom.
They have written to the UN demanding the current complex process of annual "conferences of the parties" under the UN framework convention on climate change -- the Paris agreement's parent treaty -- be streamlined, and meetings held more frequently, with more of a voice given to developing countries. "It is now clear that the Cop is no longer fit for purpose. We need a shift from negotiation to implementation," they wrote.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/1850231/cop-summits-no-longer-fit-for-purpose-say-leading-climate-policy-experts?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Internet Archive Now Hosts Classic Unreal Games; Epic Games Gives Blessing
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 18:22:01 2024-11-15
Classic first-person shooters Unreal (1998) and Unreal Tournament are now available for free on the Internet Archive, with official OK from publisher Epic Games.
An Epic spokesperson confirmed to PC Gamer that users are permitted to "independently link to and play these versions." Players can download the games directly from the Internet Archive and apply patches from Github for modern Windows compatibility, or use simplified installers through oldunreal.com. Both titles run on current hardware despite their age, though users may need to adjust dated default settings like 640x480 resolution and inverted mouse controls.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://games.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/181257/internet-archive-now-hosts-classic-unreal-games-epic-games-gives-blessing?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 18:22:01 2024-11-15
Classic first-person shooters Unreal (1998) and Unreal Tournament are now available for free on the Internet Archive, with official OK from publisher Epic Games.
An Epic spokesperson confirmed to PC Gamer that users are permitted to "independently link to and play these versions." Players can download the games directly from the Internet Archive and apply patches from Github for modern Windows compatibility, or use simplified installers through oldunreal.com. Both titles run on current hardware despite their age, though users may need to adjust dated default settings like 640x480 resolution and inverted mouse controls.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://games.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/181257/internet-archive-now-hosts-classic-unreal-games-epic-games-gives-blessing?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Sony's Had the Year From Hell
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 18:22:01 2024-11-15
Sony faces mounting challenges after a year marked by major setbacks in its gaming and film divisions. The company's $200-400 million gaming project "Concord" sold only 25,000 copies before being discontinued, while PlayStation 5 sales targets were cut from 25 million to 21 million units.
Sony Pictures struggled with underperforming Spider-Man spin-offs and high-profile departures, including CEO Tony Vinciquerra. Over 1,200 employees were laid off across divisions, and profits fell 39% to $124 million in the latest quarter. Sony's stock dropped 5% over the past year while broader markets rose nearly 40%.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/1735220/sonys-had-the-year-from-hell?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 18:22:01 2024-11-15
Sony faces mounting challenges after a year marked by major setbacks in its gaming and film divisions. The company's $200-400 million gaming project "Concord" sold only 25,000 copies before being discontinued, while PlayStation 5 sales targets were cut from 25 million to 21 million units.
Sony Pictures struggled with underperforming Spider-Man spin-offs and high-profile departures, including CEO Tony Vinciquerra. Over 1,200 employees were laid off across divisions, and profits fell 39% to $124 million in the latest quarter. Sony's stock dropped 5% over the past year while broader markets rose nearly 40%.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/1735220/sonys-had-the-year-from-hell?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Is Anyone Crazy Enough To Audit Super Micro Computer?
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 17:22:01 2024-11-15
Server maker Super Micro Computer is facing mounting challenges after EY resigned as its auditor on October 24, citing concerns about management's integrity and ethical values. EY's departure came just months after replacing Deloitte & Touche, which had audited Super Micro for two decades through June 2023.
The resignation raises questions about potential issues Deloitte may have missed. Super Micro has appointed a special committee and hired legal and forensic accounting firms to investigate, though details remain undisclosed. The company faces a November 16 deadline to submit a compliance plan to Nasdaq regarding delayed financial reports. A former employee's lawsuit alleges improper revenue recognition between 2020-2022 under Deloitte's watch, prompting a Justice Department investigation. WSJ adds: Persuading another major audit firm to sign on under the current circumstances would be an impressive feat. EY in its resignation letter said it was "unwilling to be associated with the financial statements prepared by management."
Why would any other auditor feel differently?
[ Read more of this story ]( https://slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/1652256/is-anyone-crazy-enough-to-audit-super-micro-computer?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 17:22:01 2024-11-15
Server maker Super Micro Computer is facing mounting challenges after EY resigned as its auditor on October 24, citing concerns about management's integrity and ethical values. EY's departure came just months after replacing Deloitte & Touche, which had audited Super Micro for two decades through June 2023.
The resignation raises questions about potential issues Deloitte may have missed. Super Micro has appointed a special committee and hired legal and forensic accounting firms to investigate, though details remain undisclosed. The company faces a November 16 deadline to submit a compliance plan to Nasdaq regarding delayed financial reports. A former employee's lawsuit alleges improper revenue recognition between 2020-2022 under Deloitte's watch, prompting a Justice Department investigation. WSJ adds: Persuading another major audit firm to sign on under the current circumstances would be an impressive feat. EY in its resignation letter said it was "unwilling to be associated with the financial statements prepared by management."
Why would any other auditor feel differently?
[ Read more of this story ]( https://slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/1652256/is-anyone-crazy-enough-to-audit-super-micro-computer?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Cloud Migration Is Back (If You Ignore the Actual Numbers)
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 16:22:02 2024-11-15
An anonymous reader shares a report: The cloud migration narrative that powered tech valuations during the pandemic is attempting a comeback, but the underlying data suggests a more complex story.
UBS's new survey of IT services reveals a striking disconnect between industry expectations and customer reality. While executives proclaim "2025 will be far better than what we've seen in 2024," their enterprise clients report having migrated merely 15% of workloads to the cloud, with the remainder presenting increasingly complex challenges.
The numbers are particularly telling: Growth rates for major cloud providers AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud have declined from pandemic peaks of 40-50% to 10-20%. IT budgets for 2024, meanwhile, are projected to be "flattish to up very slightly, maybe a couple percent," marking a significant departure from the explosive growth of recent years.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/166250/cloud-migration-is-back-if-you-ignore-the-actual-numbers?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 16:22:02 2024-11-15
An anonymous reader shares a report: The cloud migration narrative that powered tech valuations during the pandemic is attempting a comeback, but the underlying data suggests a more complex story.
UBS's new survey of IT services reveals a striking disconnect between industry expectations and customer reality. While executives proclaim "2025 will be far better than what we've seen in 2024," their enterprise clients report having migrated merely 15% of workloads to the cloud, with the remainder presenting increasingly complex challenges.
The numbers are particularly telling: Growth rates for major cloud providers AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud have declined from pandemic peaks of 40-50% to 10-20%. IT budgets for 2024, meanwhile, are projected to be "flattish to up very slightly, maybe a couple percent," marking a significant departure from the explosive growth of recent years.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/166250/cloud-migration-is-back-if-you-ignore-the-actual-numbers?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Virgin Media O2 Deploys AI Decoy To Waste Scammers' Time
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 16:22:02 2024-11-15
British telecom Virgin Media O2 has deployed an AI tool to combat phone scammers by wasting their time with fake conversations, the company said. The AI system, named Daisy, uses voice synthesis to mimic an elderly woman and engages fraudsters in lengthy discussions about fictitious family members or provides false bank details, keeping them occupied for up to 40 minutes per call.
Virgin Media O2 embedded phone numbers connected to Daisy within scammer call lists targeting vulnerable individuals. The system, developed with help from anti-scam YouTuber Jim Browning, automatically transcribes incoming calls and generates responses without human intervention.
Further reading: Google Rolls Out Call Screening AI To Thwart Phone Fraudsters.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/1531244/virgin-media-o2-deploys-ai-decoy-to-waste-scammers-time?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 16:22:02 2024-11-15
British telecom Virgin Media O2 has deployed an AI tool to combat phone scammers by wasting their time with fake conversations, the company said. The AI system, named Daisy, uses voice synthesis to mimic an elderly woman and engages fraudsters in lengthy discussions about fictitious family members or provides false bank details, keeping them occupied for up to 40 minutes per call.
Virgin Media O2 embedded phone numbers connected to Daisy within scammer call lists targeting vulnerable individuals. The system, developed with help from anti-scam YouTuber Jim Browning, automatically transcribes incoming calls and generates responses without human intervention.
Further reading: Google Rolls Out Call Screening AI To Thwart Phone Fraudsters.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/1531244/virgin-media-o2-deploys-ai-decoy-to-waste-scammers-time?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Brazil's Online Betting Surge Sparks Debt Crisis as Users Turn To 400% Loans
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 15:22:02 2024-11-15
Brazilian officials are scrambling to control a gambling boom that has led some citizens to take out loans with interest rates as high as 438% to fund their betting habits, sparking concerns about household debt levels.
The surge in online betting has doubled Brazil's gambling population to 52 million in six months, with the central bank estimating monthly gambling spending between 18-21 billion reais ($3.1-3.6 billion) through August 2024. Central Bank President Roberto Campos Neto said lower-income families are disproportionately affected, with 20% of government social program payments in August directed to online gambling sites.
The Finance Ministry has accelerated regulatory measures, requiring over 100 betting companies to submit operating paperwork ahead of schedule. New rules starting January 1 will allow authorities to limit bet amounts, block payment systems, and monitor for money laundering. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva recently raised concerns at the UN about gambling's impact on Brazil's poorest citizens, while officials are moving to ban credit card use for betting and restrict gambling advertisements.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/1450236/brazils-online-betting-surge-sparks-debt-crisis-as-users-turn-to-400-loans?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 15:22:02 2024-11-15
Brazilian officials are scrambling to control a gambling boom that has led some citizens to take out loans with interest rates as high as 438% to fund their betting habits, sparking concerns about household debt levels.
The surge in online betting has doubled Brazil's gambling population to 52 million in six months, with the central bank estimating monthly gambling spending between 18-21 billion reais ($3.1-3.6 billion) through August 2024. Central Bank President Roberto Campos Neto said lower-income families are disproportionately affected, with 20% of government social program payments in August directed to online gambling sites.
The Finance Ministry has accelerated regulatory measures, requiring over 100 betting companies to submit operating paperwork ahead of schedule. New rules starting January 1 will allow authorities to limit bet amounts, block payment systems, and monitor for money laundering. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva recently raised concerns at the UN about gambling's impact on Brazil's poorest citizens, while officials are moving to ban credit card use for betting and restrict gambling advertisements.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/1450236/brazils-online-betting-surge-sparks-debt-crisis-as-users-turn-to-400-loans?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Republican States' Attorneys General Sue SEC, Gensler Over Crypto 'Overreach'
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 14:22:01 2024-11-15
Eighteen Republican state attorneys general have sued the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Chair Gary Gensler on Thursday, challenging the agency's authority to regulate cryptocurrency markets.
The lawsuit, led by Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, alleges the SEC has exceeded its statutory powers by attempting to assume broad regulatory control over digital assets without congressional authorization. The complaint argues the agency's actions infringe on states' rights to develop their own cryptocurrency regulations and harm consumers by imposing ill-fitting federal securities laws on digital assets.
Speaking at a legal conference Thursday, Gensler defended the agency's approach, citing consistent court support for SEC enforcement actions in cryptocurrency cases. The regulatory landscape appears set for change following President-elect Trump's victory. Trump, who previously dismissed cryptocurrency as a "scam," has pledged to make the U.S. the "crypto capital of the planet" and remove Gensler.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/1324221/republican-states-attorneys-general-sue-sec-gensler-over-crypto-overreach?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 14:22:01 2024-11-15
Eighteen Republican state attorneys general have sued the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Chair Gary Gensler on Thursday, challenging the agency's authority to regulate cryptocurrency markets.
The lawsuit, led by Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, alleges the SEC has exceeded its statutory powers by attempting to assume broad regulatory control over digital assets without congressional authorization. The complaint argues the agency's actions infringe on states' rights to develop their own cryptocurrency regulations and harm consumers by imposing ill-fitting federal securities laws on digital assets.
Speaking at a legal conference Thursday, Gensler defended the agency's approach, citing consistent court support for SEC enforcement actions in cryptocurrency cases. The regulatory landscape appears set for change following President-elect Trump's victory. Trump, who previously dismissed cryptocurrency as a "scam," has pledged to make the U.S. the "crypto capital of the planet" and remove Gensler.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/15/1324221/republican-states-attorneys-general-sue-sec-gensler-over-crypto-overreach?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.