Author Archives: Sarah Fielding

Oregon’s new Right to Repair bill targets anti-repair practices

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Oregon is set to become the latest state to pass a Right to Repair law. The Oregon House of Representatives passed the Right to Repair Act (SB 1596) on March 4, two weeks after it advanced from the Senate. It now heads to Governor Tina Kotek's desk, who has five days to sign it.

California, Minnesota and New York have similar legislation, but Nathan Proctor, the Public Interest Research Group's Right to Repair Campaign senior director, calls Oregon's legislation "the best bill yet." (It's worth noting that Colorado also has its own Right to Repair legislation that has a different remit around agricultural equipment rather than around consumer electronics.)

If made into law, Oregon's Right To Repair Act would be the first to ban "parts pairing," a practice that prevents individuals from swapping out a piece for another, theoretically equivalent one. For example, a person might replace their iPhone battery with an identical one from the same model, but they'll likely receive an error message that it either can't be verified or used. The system forces people to buy the part directly from the manufacturer and can only activate it with their consent — otherwise users will have to buy an entirely new device altogether. Instead, under the new bill, manufacturers would be required to:

  • Prevent or inhibit an independent repair provider or an owner from installing or enabling the function of an otherwise functional replacement part or a component of consumer electronic equipment, including a replacement part or a component that the original equipment manufacturer has not approved.

  • Reduce the functionality or performance of consumer electronic equipment.

  • Cause consumer electronic equipment to display misleading alerts or warnings, which the owner cannot immediately dismiss, about unidentified parts.

Along with restricting parts pairing, the act dictates that manufacturers must make compatible parts available to device owners through the company or an authorized service provider for the most favorable price and without any "substantial" conditions.

The parts pairing ban applies to any devices first built or sold in Oregon starting in 2025. However, the law backdates general coverage of electronics to 2015, except for cell phones. Oregon's mobile devices purchased starting July 2021 count — a stipulation in line with California's and Minnesota's Right to Repair bills.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/oregons-new-right-to-repair-bill-targets-anti-repair-practices-143001457.html?src=rss

1Password adds passkey support for Android

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Passkey availability has been on the rise and is only continuing to grow. The latest example comes from 1Password, the aptly named password manager, which has announced support for passkeys on Android devices. Now, anyone using a phone or tablet with Android 14 or higher can access 1Passwords's passkeys right on their device's apps. Last September, the company made passkeys available on iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 devices, along with browsers such as Chrome and Safari. 

So, what is a passkey anyway? Unlike a password that someone can guess or potentially obtain in a hack, passkeys consist of public and private keys. The public key belongs to whatever site an account is made with, while the private key exists solely on the device and is never seen by the involved company. Basically, it works as a puzzle of sorts, and instead of typing in a password, it uses an API to connect the private and public keys. 

Users will need to download the 1Password app and, when creating new accounts, choose to make one with a passkey instead of a password. To clarify, this function is currently only available for Android apps, not Chrome for Android. According to 1Password, Google is in the midst of building a new API that will allow for passkeys on mobile Chrome. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/1password-adds-passkey-support-for-android-140058482.html?src=rss

1Password adds passkey support for Android

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Passkey availability has been on the rise and is only continuing to grow. The latest example comes from 1Password, the aptly named password manager, which has announced support for passkeys on Android devices. Now, anyone using a phone or tablet with Android 14 or higher can access 1Passwords's passkeys right on their device's apps. Last September, the company made passkeys available on iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 devices, along with browsers such as Chrome and Safari. 

So, what is a passkey anyway? Unlike a password that someone can guess or potentially obtain in a hack, passkeys consist of public and private keys. The public key belongs to whatever site an account is made with, while the private key exists solely on the device and is never seen by the involved company. Basically, it works as a puzzle of sorts, and instead of typing in a password, it uses an API to connect the private and public keys. 

Users will need to download the 1Password app and, when creating new accounts, choose to make one with a passkey instead of a password. To clarify, this function is currently only available for Android apps, not Chrome for Android. According to 1Password, Google is in the midst of building a new API that will allow for passkeys on mobile Chrome. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/1password-adds-passkey-support-for-android-140058482.html?src=rss

EU fines Apple nearly $2 billion for ‘blocking’ alternative music apps

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Following months of speculation, the European Commission has officially handed down its fine to Apple, and it's much higher than initially expected. Apple is on the hook to pay €1.8 billion ($1.95 billion) for restricting alternative music streaming apps on the App Store — the EU's first fine for Apple and its third-largest ever announced. It follows an investigation initially opened in 2020 following Spotify's filed complaint alleging Apple took steps to suppress the music service due to competition with iTunes and Apple Music. 

The Commission has announced "that Apple bans music streaming app developers from fully informing iOS users about alternative and cheaper music subscription services available outside of the app and from providing any instructions about how to subscribe to such offers." The practice, known as anti-steering, is illegal under EU antitrust laws. 

The investigation found that Apple banned app developers from telling users the price of any subscriptions on the internet or the difference in price between in-app and outside purchases. The company also prevented developers from including information about or links to alternative subscription purchasing pages on their websites or in emails. Apple has engaged in these practices for nearly 10 years and might have caused iOS users to pay more for music streaming subscriptions than necessary due to the fees it imposes (that developers then factor into their prices). The Commission found Apple's actions also "led to non-monetary harm," creating a more frustrating user experience. 

The news follows February rumors that Apple would be hit with a fine of €500 million ($542.6 million) due to its antitrust App Store policies — less than a third of the final number. The European Commission claims it set the fine at €1.8 billion to be "sufficiently deterrent" to prevent Apple repeating its actions. However, Apple plans to appeal the decision. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/eu-fines-apple-nearly-2-billion-for-blocking-alternative-music-apps-134001372.html?src=rss

EU fines Apple nearly $2 billion for ‘blocking’ alternative music apps

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Following months of speculation, the European Commission has officially handed down its fine to Apple, and it's much higher than initially expected. Apple is on the hook to pay €1.8 billion ($1.95 billion) for restricting alternative music streaming apps on the App Store — the EU's first fine for Apple and its third-largest ever announced. It follows an investigation initially opened in 2020 following Spotify's filed complaint alleging Apple took steps to suppress the music service due to competition with iTunes and Apple Music. 

The Commission has announced "that Apple bans music streaming app developers from fully informing iOS users about alternative and cheaper music subscription services available outside of the app and from providing any instructions about how to subscribe to such offers." The practice, known as anti-steering, is illegal under EU antitrust laws. 

The investigation found that Apple banned app developers from telling users the price of any subscriptions on the internet or the difference in price between in-app and outside purchases. The company also prevented developers from including information about or links to alternative subscription purchasing pages on their websites or in emails. Apple has engaged in these practices for nearly 10 years and might have caused iOS users to pay more for music streaming subscriptions than necessary due to the fees it imposes (that developers then factor into their prices). The Commission found Apple's actions also "led to non-monetary harm," creating a more frustrating user experience. 

The news follows February rumors that Apple would be hit with a fine of €500 million ($542.6 million) due to its antitrust App Store policies — less than a third of the final number. The European Commission claims it set the fine at €1.8 billion to be "sufficiently deterrent" to prevent Apple repeating its actions. However, Apple plans to appeal the decision. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/eu-fines-apple-nearly-2-billion-for-blocking-alternative-music-apps-134001372.html?src=rss

Fisker halts work on new EV models until it finds more money

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Fisker has announced its future plans alongside preliminary 2023 and Q4 earnings, and it's not looking great for the EV manufacturer. The company plans to lay off 15 percent of its workforce — nearly 200 people — as it shifts from a direct-to-consumer to a Dealer Partner model. The company is halting all investments in upcoming models and will resume only if in partnership with another automaker.

The company's fourth-quarter revenue increased to $200.1 million from $128.3 million in Q3. However, its gross margin was negative 35 percent, and it lost $1.23 per share. Its sole EV on the market, the Ocean SUV, also had 10,193 units produced but 4,929 vehicles delivered.

The automaker first introduced its pivot to a Dealer Partner Model in January and claims it has received interest from 250 dealers across North America and Europe, along with 13 signed agreements. "We are aware that the industry has entered a turbulent, and unpredictable period," Henrik Fisker, chairman and CEO of Fisker, said in a statement. "With that understanding and taking the lessons learned from 2023, we have put a plan in place to streamline the company as we prepare for another difficult year. We have adjusted our outlook for 2024 to be much more conservative than in 2023." The company plans to deliver between 20,000 and 22,000 Ocean models across the world. 

Fisker is currently negotiating with "a large automaker" for an investment and joint production of future EVs. This means that previously announced vehicle production, such as the Alaska EV pickup with humungous cup holders and a designated cowboy hat space, will be on hold indefinitely. Fisker originally planned to start production on the Alaska EV pickup in early 2025. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fisker-halts-work-on-new-ev-models-until-it-finds-more-money-140050091.html?src=rss

Fisker halts work on new EV models until it finds more money

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Fisker has announced its future plans alongside preliminary 2023 and Q4 earnings, and it's not looking great for the EV manufacturer. The company plans to lay off 15 percent of its workforce — nearly 200 people — as it shifts from a direct-to-consumer to a Dealer Partner model. The company is halting all investments in upcoming models and will resume only if in partnership with another automaker.

The company's fourth-quarter revenue increased to $200.1 million from $128.3 million in Q3. However, its gross margin was negative 35 percent, and it lost $1.23 per share. Its sole EV on the market, the Ocean SUV, also had 10,193 units produced but 4,929 vehicles delivered.

The automaker first introduced its pivot to a Dealer Partner Model in January and claims it has received interest from 250 dealers across North America and Europe, along with 13 signed agreements. "We are aware that the industry has entered a turbulent, and unpredictable period," Henrik Fisker, chairman and CEO of Fisker, said in a statement. "With that understanding and taking the lessons learned from 2023, we have put a plan in place to streamline the company as we prepare for another difficult year. We have adjusted our outlook for 2024 to be much more conservative than in 2023." The company plans to deliver between 20,000 and 22,000 Ocean models across the world. 

Fisker is currently negotiating with "a large automaker" for an investment and joint production of future EVs. This means that previously announced vehicle production, such as the Alaska EV pickup with humungous cup holders and a designated cowboy hat space, will be on hold indefinitely. Fisker originally planned to start production on the Alaska EV pickup in early 2025. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fisker-halts-work-on-new-ev-models-until-it-finds-more-money-140050091.html?src=rss

UK government wants to use AI to cut civil service jobs

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The two primary fears around AI are that the information these systems produce is gibberish, and that it'll unjustly take jobs away from people who won't make such sloppy mistakes. But the UK's current government is actively promoting the use of AI to do the work normally done by civil servants, including drafting responses to parliamentary inquiries, the Financial Times reports.

UK Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden is set to unveil a "red box" tool that can allegedly absorb and summarize information from reputable sources, like the parliamentary record. A separate instrument is also being trialed that should work similarly but with individual responses to public consultations. While it's unclear how quickly the AI tool can perform this work, Dowden claims it takes three months with 25 civil servants. However, the drafts would allegedly always be double-checked by a human and include sourcing. 

The Telegraph quoted Dowden arguing that implementing AI technology is critical to cutting civil service jobs — something he wants to do. "It really is the only way, I think, if we want to get on a sustainable path to headcount reduction. Remember how much the size of the Civil Service has grown as a result of the pandemic and, and EU exit preparedness. We need to really embrace this stuff to drive the numbers down." Dowden's statement aligns with hopes from his boss, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, to use technology to increase government productivity — shockingly, neither person has offered to save money by giving AI their job. 

Dowden does show some restraint against having AI do everything. In a pre-speech briefing, he noted that the government wouldn't use AI for any "novel or contentious or highly politically sensitive areas." At the same time, the Cabinet Office's AI division is set to grow from 30 to 70 employees and to get a new budget of £110 million ($139.1 million), up from £5 million ($6.3 million).

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/uk-government-wants-to-use-ai-to-cut-civil-service-jobs-140031159.html?src=rss

UK government wants to use AI to cut civil service jobs

Posted on by

The two primary fears around AI are that the information these systems produce is gibberish, and that it'll unjustly take jobs away from people who won't make such sloppy mistakes. But the UK's current government is actively promoting the use of AI to do the work normally done by civil servants, including drafting responses to parliamentary inquiries, the Financial Times reports.

UK Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden is set to unveil a "red box" tool that can allegedly absorb and summarize information from reputable sources, like the parliamentary record. A separate instrument is also being trialed that should work similarly but with individual responses to public consultations. While it's unclear how quickly the AI tool can perform this work, Dowden claims it takes three months with 25 civil servants. However, the drafts would allegedly always be double-checked by a human and include sourcing. 

The Telegraph quoted Dowden arguing that implementing AI technology is critical to cutting civil service jobs — something he wants to do. "It really is the only way, I think, if we want to get on a sustainable path to headcount reduction. Remember how much the size of the Civil Service has grown as a result of the pandemic and, and EU exit preparedness. We need to really embrace this stuff to drive the numbers down." Dowden's statement aligns with hopes from his boss, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, to use technology to increase government productivity — shockingly, neither person has offered to save money by giving AI their job. 

Dowden does show some restraint against having AI do everything. In a pre-speech briefing, he noted that the government wouldn't use AI for any "novel or contentious or highly politically sensitive areas." At the same time, the Cabinet Office's AI division is set to grow from 30 to 70 employees and to get a new budget of £110 million ($139.1 million), up from £5 million ($6.3 million).

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/uk-government-wants-to-use-ai-to-cut-civil-service-jobs-140031159.html?src=rss

A Neuromancer TV series is coming to Apple TV+

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Apple TV+ has announced it's adapting William Gibson's Neuromancer into a 10-episode series. The novel debuted in 1984 and is largely thought to mark the birth of cyberpunk, which includes creations like The Matrix and Robocop. In fact, it's crazy that it has taken four decades for it to get the Hollywood treatment. 

Neuromancer follows "a damaged, top-rung super-hacker named Case who is thrust into a web of digital espionage and high stakes crime with his partner Molly, a razor-girl assassin with mirrored eyes aiming to pull a heist on a corporate dynasty with untold secrets," a release states. The story is being brought to the small screen by Graham Roland (Dark Winds, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan) and JD Dillard (Devotion, Sweetheart), who will act as showrunner and director, respectively. Skydance Television and Anonymous Content will co-produce it with support from Drake's DreamCrew Entertainment.

Production on Neuromancer has yet to start, so details like the cast and release date are still up in the air. In the meantime, you can check out the existing video game and graphic novel versions of Neuromancer and Amazon's series, The Peripheral, based on another one of Gibson's works and starring Chloë Grace Moretz. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-neuromancer-tv-series-is-coming-to-apple-tv-103403046.html?src=rss