Modeling shows green roofs can cool cities and save energy (techxplore.com)
Modeling shows green roofs can cool cities and save energy::Extensive greenery coverage on building rooftops could significantly reduce temperatures at the city scale and decrease energy costs, according to a new study.
"Vesuvius Challenge 2023 Grand Prize awarded: we can read the scrolls!" (scrollprize.org)
Quoted from Tom Scott’s newsletter...
To Avoid Hefty Tariffs, China’s BYD Eyes U.S. Car Market Via Mexico (www.wsj.com)
To Avoid Hefty Tariffs, China’s BYD Eyes U.S. Car Market Via Mexico::undefined
Study featuring AI-generated giant rat penis retracted entirely, journal apologizes (www.vice.com)
Study featuring AI-generated giant rat penis retracted entirely, journal apologizes::A peer-reviewed study featured nonsensical AI images including a giant rat penis in the latest example of how generative AI has seeped into academia.
Amazon — like SpaceX — is the latest company to claim the U.S. labor board is unconstitutional, after receiving numerous labor complaints from employees (www.theverge.com)
Amazon — like SpaceX — is the latest company to claim the U.S. labor board is unconstitutional, after receiving numerous labor complaints from employees::Amazon has accused the National Labor Relations Board of being unconstitutional in a new legal filing, according to a report from The New York Times.
Kids Online Safety Act gains enough supporters to pass the Senate (www.theverge.com)
Kids Online Safety Act gains enough supporters to pass the Senate::The bill would create a duty of care for tech platforms to protect child and teen users.
Rakuten launches cloud storage with unlimited file transfers, targets businesses and individuals, with free 10GB storage (www.techradar.com)
Highlights:...
Vudu’s name is changing to “Fandango at Home” (www.theverge.com)
Kremlin runs disinformation campaign to undermine Zelenskyy, documents show (www.stripes.com)
Kremlin runs disinformation campaign to undermine Zelenskyy, documents show::A covert Kremlin disinformation campaign targeted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with the aim of dividing Ukrainian society.
EU to fine Apple about $500 million for anticompetitive App Store policy in music streaming market (9to5mac.com)
EU to fine Apple about $500 million for anticompetitive App Store policy in music streaming market::Apple is about to be hit with its first-ever fine from the EU commission, according to a report this morning…
Are We Transitioning From Capitalism to Silicon Serfdom? (jacobin.com)
Are We Transitioning From Capitalism to Silicon Serfdom?::The idea that we are entering an era of techno-feudalism that will be worse than capitalism is chilling and controversial. We asked former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis to elucidate this idea, explain how we got here, and map out some alternatives.
‘Kids Online Safety Act’ is a Trojan Horse For Digital Censorship. (consumerchoicecenter.org)
‘Kids Online Safety Act’ is a Trojan Horse For Digital Censorship.::Washington, D.C. - This week, a bipartisan cohort of US Senators unveiled a new version of the Kids Online Safety Act, a bill that aims to impose various restrictions and requirements on tech
Nintendo Is Telling Game Publishers Switch 2 Will Be Delayed (www.bloomberg.com)
Nintendo Co. is advising game publishers that its next-generation console will be delayed until the early months of 2025, according to people with knowledge of the matter....
Microsoft says it caught hackers from China, Russia and Iran using its AI tools (www.reuters.com)
Microsoft says it caught hackers from China, Russia and Iran using its AI tools::State-backed hackers from Russia, China, and Iran have been using tools from Microsoft-backed OpenAI to hone their skills and trick their targets, according to a report published on Wednesday.
TikTok is a Time Bomb (gurwinder.substack.com)
The ultimate weapon of mass distraction
More 128TB SSDs are coming as almost no one noticed this launch — another SSD controller that can support up to 128TB appeared paving the way for HDD-beating capacities (www.techradar.com)
More 128TB SSDs are coming as almost no one noticed this launch — another SSD controller that can support up to 128TB appeared paving the way for HDD-beating capacities::Phison quietly revealed an updated X2 SSD platform at CES
Controversial benchmarking website goes behind paywall — Userbenchmark now requires a $10 monthly subscription (www.tomshardware.com)
EU to hit Apple with €500m fine over antitrust music streaming complaint from Spotify (www.imore.com)
US concerned NASA will be overtaken by China's space program (interestingengineering.com)
US concerned NASA will be overtaken by China’s space program::undefined
Affordable Android Excellence: Best Smartphones Under $200 in 2024 (www.gizchina.com)
While flagship smartphones boast impressive features, spending $1,000 is not a prerequisite for a satisfying Android experience nowadays. If you’re in need of a new smartphone and have a budget of approximately $200, there are numerous excellent options available. Surprisingly, some of the best Android phones under $200 come...
The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe will construct one of the largest solar farms in the U.S. (www.ksut.org)
The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe will construct one of the largest solar farms in the U.S.::Construction on the Sun Bear Solar Farm is set to start later in 2024 and will need more than 500 laborers and electricians.
Reddit signs content licensing deal with AI company ahead of IPO, Bloomberg reports (www.reuters.com)
DOJ quietly removed Russian malware from routers in US homes and businesses (arstechnica.com)
DOJ quietly removed Russian malware from routers in US homes and businesses::Feds once again fix up compromised retail routers under court order.
Justice Department Conducts Court-Authorized Disruption of Botnet Controlled by the Russian Federation’s Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff (GRU) (www.justice.gov)
Justice Department Conducts Court-Authorized Disruption of Botnet Controlled by the Russian Federation’s Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff (GRU)::A January 2024 court-authorized operation has neutralized a network of hundreds of small office/home office (SOHO) routers that GRU Military Unit 26165, also known...