Tag Archives: author_name|Lawrence Bonk

T-Mobile fined $60 million for failing to stop data breaches

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T-Mobile has been fined $60 million for failing to both report and stop data breaches, as indicated by Bloomberg. The hefty fine was levied by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) and represents the largest such financial penalty the organization has ever issued. T-Mobile is owned by Deutsche Telekom, a company based in Germany, which is why CFIUS got involved.

These penalties have their origins in the terms of a 2020 deal in which T-Mobile purchased Sprint. CFIUS put some conditions on the purchase, including some related to protecting consumer data. The Committee found that T-Mobile didn’t comply with these conditions by failing to secure data and then by failing to report unauthorized access to this data, as reported by Reuters.

The data access occurred in 2020 and 2021. T-Mobile has blamed it on technical issues that sprang up during its post-merger integration with Sprint. The company says that this impacted “information shared from a small number of law enforcement information requests."

It also says that the data stayed within the law enforcement community, even after the unauthorized access of data. T-Mobile claims that these issues were reported “in a timely manner” and that they were “quickly addressed.”

A representative from the company reached out to Engadget and echoed the above sentiment, saying "this was not a data breach, but a technical issue." 

CFIUS has been getting more aggressive in recent months with regard to fines and affiliated penalties. It issued six large penalties in the past year or so, though none get close to the $60 million fine T-Mobile was just hit with. This is approximately three times the number of penalties it has issued during any other similar timeframe throughout its existence, from 1975 until 2022.

“The $60 million penalty announcement highlights the committee’s commitment to ramping up CFIUS enforcement by holding companies accountable when they fail to comply with their obligations,” a US official told Reuters.

Update, August 15 2024, 2:40PM ET: This story has been updated to include a quote by T-Mobile. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/t-mobile-fined-60-million-for-failing-to-stop-data-breaches-170438570.html?src=rss

Threads introduces a new analytics platform and the option for multiple drafts

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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg just announced some new features coming to Threads that should make it easier for creators and businesses to build followings and connect with fans. The biggest tool is something called Insights, which is basically an analytics platform.

Insights gives users a zoom-in view on traffic, with data on the age, gender and location of people who view and engage with content. This information can also be split up into followers and non-followers, to help with conversion.

The Insights page.
Meta

Meta has been testing Insights for a few days now and it looks fairly useful, particularly for folks with large followings. I’m talking about brands, creators and power users. However, it should be fun for the rest of us to tinker with.

Threads will also now allow for simultaneous multiple drafts. Before this move, a new draft would replace the old one, so people just had one chance to jot something down for later. To that end, Meta’s working on a post scheduling feature, but it’s not ready yet.

Multiple drafts.
Meta

Finally, there’s now a way to drag and drop pinned columns for reorganization purposes. This is only for the desktop client, but it does work with the Insights page. 

Threads has some serious momentum right now. It just passed the 200 million user threshold after just a year of operation and CEO Zuckerberg has plans to bring that number up to one billion.

“We've been building this company for 20 years, and there just are not that many opportunities that come around to grow a billion-person app,” Zuckerberg said in a recent earnings call. “Obviously, there's a ton of work between now and there.”

I’m a fairly regular Threads user. The vibes are immaculate, especially when compared to that other app, but it still needs some work. The “For You” algorithm is incredibly slow, sometimes showing posts that are days old. The platform also has a bizarre aversion to politics and news, throwing it all under the umbrella of “potentially sensitive” content. This is a social media app that wants to be the public town square, like the bird app once was, so stop throttling news.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/threads-introduces-a-new-analytics-platform-and-the-option-for-multiple-drafts-170033443.html?src=rss

Dragon Age: The Veilguard comes out on October 31

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Dragon Age: The Veilguard will be released on October 31. The BioWare action RPG is the first installment in the franchise since 2014’s Dragon Age: Inquisition. That’s right. We’ve been waiting ten long years for this game and now it’s almost here. Check out the release date trailer below.

This is the fourth major game in the franchise and there’s a lot of hype around it, despite the (relatively) lukewarm response to Inquisition. We had a chance to see the game in action back in June and came away impressed, though cautious. The character creation tool is, as expected, robust and the various landscapes are easy on the eyes.

We actually watched a playthrough of the entire opening chapter of the game and immediately noticed a more cartoonish style when compared to its predecessors. It’s not quite Fable, but it’s getting there. The game does, however, bring back fan favorite characters like Varric and Solas. The latter looks to be the primary antagonist this time around.

It also looks to play a bit faster than the earlier titles, though you can still pause the game to consider tactics. There’s a quick launch menu for activating hotkeys and, of course, a decision wheel for making narrative and dialogue choices that will no doubt come back to bite you in the butt at a later part of the game.

Like previous entries, this is an action RPG. Parries seem to make up the core defense mechanic and party members will work to strip away armor and magical protections before going in to do actual damage. There will be a diverse array of accessibility options, including standard difficulty modes but also custom settings to make select aspects of the game more forgiving.

As for the “caution” mentioned above, we only got a brief look at the game in action, so there are still plenty of unknowns. In any event, we don’t have long to find out. Dragon Age: The Veilguard will be available for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. Preorders are available right now. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/dragon-age-the-veilguard-comes-out-on-october-31-161317701.html?src=rss

There’s another BlackBerry movie coming out and this one’s a documentary

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If you weren’t sated by last year’s dramatic retelling of the BlackBerry story, you’ll have another chance to witness the rise and fall of the once-iconic smartphone. Filmmaker Eddie Schmidt, one of the directors behind Netflix’s Ugly Delicious, is prepping a documentary about the handset, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The documentary is currently in production and is being made by Unrealistic Ideas, which is a production company founded by Mark Wahlberg aka the guy from Fear. This team was behind HBO’s McMillions, a documentary miniseries about the infamous McDonald's Monopoly promotion scam.

The project is currently untitled and there’s no release date, but we do know that the filmmakers have been given exclusive access to the Research In Motion Alumni Association. So there will be plenty of interviews with former executives who were involved in the BlackBerry story in one way or another. The film will also include “an array of never-before-seen archival footage.”

Director Schmidt shared a statement and said that he is excited to “explore this unpredictable real-life saga at the intersection of technology and popular culture.” One thing the documentary won’t have, however, is actor Glenn Howerton absolutely crushing it as former Research In Motion CEO Jim Balsillie. 

BlackBerry was a legitimately good movie. We highly recommend it, particularly for the scene embedded above. I mean, come on! 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/theres-another-blackberry-movie-coming-out-and-this-ones-a-documentary-173618810.html?src=rss

Waymo driverless cars have gotten inexplicably chatty, honking at one another all night

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Waymo driverless cars in San Francisco have been coming back online at night and honking at each other, as reported by CBS News. Videos have begun circulating showing dozens of the vehicles sitting in the same parking lot and just honking away without a care in the world. This has, obviously, irked some human neighbors who need sleep.

Is this a sign of the forthcoming AI apocalypse or is it some robotaxis learning how to flirt? Unfortunately for those looking for a “robots in love” narrative, it’s neither. It’s just an error within the security software. Simply put, the software mandates a honk when another car gets too close. These particular Waymo taxis sit right next to one another in a cramped parking lot when not in use and, well, there you go.

"We recently introduced a useful feature to help avoid low-speed collisions by honking if other cars get too close while reversing toward us," the company said in a statement. "It has been working great in the city, but we didn't quite anticipate it would happen so often in our own parking lots.”

Waymo says that it has updated the software to address the issue, noting that “our electric vehicles should keep the noise down for our neighbors moving forward.” So that’s that. Another mystery solved.

Despite this brief foray into vehicular anthropomorphism, Waymo is still expanding its taxi service. It’s currently available to anyone with the app who’s located in San Francisco, Phoenix and a small section of Los Angeles. The company recently touted that these robotaxis complete 50,000 paid trips per week.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/waymo-driverless-cars-have-gotten-inexplicably-chatty-honking-at-one-another-all-night-162115440.html?src=rss

Ninja’s DualZone air fryer is on sale for $150 right now

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Ninja's DualZone air fryer is on sale for $150 right now via Amazon. That’s the lowest price we’ve seen all year for this kitchen mainstay. The sale drops $50 from the sticker price, which is a discount of 25 percent.

We chose the Ninja DualZone as one of the best air fryers out there, and the primary reason is right there in the name. The dual cooking zones are incredibly handy, letting home chefs prepare two different foods simultaneously. Each chamber allows for independent temperatures, cooking modes and more. Of course, the zones can also be chained together to whip up a whole bunch of one thing, like fries or nuggets.

We appreciated how quickly this oven heats up, with little to no preheating time required. It’s also fairly quiet during use, which isn’t always the case with air fryers. Some of them are downright cacophonous. Another neat little feature is that the oven will automatically adjust cooking times so that both ingredients in each chamber finish at the same time.

On the downside? This is a beast of a kitchen gadget that takes up a whole lot of counter space. It might not be the best fit for studio apartments and the like. The sale does only apply to the 8-quart model and not the even beefier 10-quart version. This is good for preserving counter space, but bad for those looking to cook a whole lot of stuff at once.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/ninjas-dualzone-air-fryer-is-on-sale-for-150-right-now-150803947.html?src=rss

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: A battle of Android’s biggest phones

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Google just unveiled the Pixel 9 Pro XL smartphone during its Made by Google event and, boy oh boy, is it a doozy. This is a larger version of the Pixel 9 Pro. It ships with the brand-new Tensor G4 processor and 16GB of RAM. As with most modern handsets, it's designed for AI tasks and ships with a one-year subscription to Google’s One AI Premium Plan. This allows for unfettered access to Google Gemini.

The camera system has been improved, and Pixel phones were already pretty dang good at snapping photos and shooting video. There’s a triple rear camera, and an upgraded 42 MP front camera. Footage can be algorithmically enhanced to 8K and the company is finally bringing Super Res Zoom to videos.

It’s important to note that the XL is really just a larger version of the Pixel 9 Pro. Beyond slightly faster charging and a bigger display, there aren’t really any features to set it apart from its smaller cousin. That display, however, is pretty nice. It’s a 6.8-inch Super Actua OLED screen that really pops, with Google promising it shows “true-to-life colors, even in direct sunlight.” This is because the brightness level has ticked up a bit to 3,000 nits. The Pixel 9 Pro XL starts at $1,100, and will be available in four colors. These include obsidian, rose quartz and hazel.

Side-by-side visual showing prices for the two phones.
Google / Samsung / Will Shanklin for Engadget

Despite not being released yet, the Pixel 9 Pro XL already faces some stiff competition. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra released back in January and has proven itself to be a bona-fide hit. We gave it high marks in our official review, praising the useful AI tools, sturdy titanium frame, excellent battery life and bright display. But how does it stack up against the just-revealed Pixel 9 Pro XL? Let’s compare specs.

Pixel 9 Pro XL

Galaxy S24 Ultra

Pricing (MSRP)

Starts at $1,100

Starts at $1,300

Dimensions

162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 (mm)

162.3 x 79.0 x 8.6 (mm)

Weight

7.8 ounces

8.2 ounces

Screen size

6.8”

6.8"

Screen resolution

1,344 x 2,992

31,20 x 1,440 (Quad HD+)

Screen type

LTPO OLED

Dynamic AMOLED 2X

SoC

Google Tensor G4 / Titan M2 security coprocessor

Qualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

RAM

16 GB

12 MB

Battery

5,060 mAh 24+ hour battery life (depending on usage type)

5,000 mAh24+ hour battery life (depending on usage type)

Charging

USB Type-C

USB Type-C

Storage

128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB

512GB

Bluetooth

Bluetooth v5.3

Bluetooth v5.3

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi 7

Wi-Fi 7

Water and dust resistance

IP68

IP68

Rear cameras

50 MP Octa PD main

48 MP Quad PD ultrawide

48 MP Quad PD telephoto

200 MP main

10 MP telephoto

50 MP periscope telephoto

12 MP ultrawide

Front camera

42 MP Dual PD

12 MP Dual PD

OS

Android

Android

Finishes

Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, Rose Quartz

Gray, Black, Violet, Yellow

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/google-pixel-9-pro-xl-vs-samsung-galaxy-s24-ultra-a-battle-of-androids-biggest-phones-170055756.html?src=rss

Google announces satellite SOS calling for Pixel 9 phones

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Google just announced a whole bunch of new products at the Made by Google event, including a trio of Pixel 9 smartphones. The phones look cool and stuffed to the gills with high-tech features. Each of the four new models will also be able to use a long-requested safety tool. That’s right. Satellite-based SOS calling is coming to the Pixel 9 series.

This allows people to access emergency services even when they’re off the grid and have no access to cellular or Wi-Fi signals. This feature not only connects to emergency service providers, but can also share a location with contacts so someone can come scoop you up. It’s not 100-percent fool-proof, as the phone must have access to a satellite, but nearly every corner of the globe has access to one satellite or another. In other words, consider it 99-percent fool-proof.

While this is the first time a dedicated SOS mode is showing up on an Android phone, Apple has been offering the feature for a couple of years now. Apple typically allows for two years of free access to the service upon activation of a new iPhone 14 or higher. It’s assumed that, at some point, the company will begin charging for SOS calls, but Apple has yet to make this official.

Google’s adopting a similar method here. Pixel 9 owners get two free years of SOS calling, but the company hasn’t said what the price would be when that timeframe passes. The feature is only available in the US, for now, and Google says “connection and response times vary based on location, site conditions and other factors.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/google-announces-satellite-sos-calling-for-pixel-9-phones-170013392.html?src=rss

Google just announced the nearly-identical Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL

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Google just officially revealed the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL smartphones at its latest Made by Google event. These offer some major improvements when compared to the standard Pixel 9, which was also announced today.

First of all, it’s important to note that the Pro and Pro XL are essentially the same phone. The XL has a bigger screen, at 6.8-inches, and can charge up a bit quicker, but that’s it. So which one you choose should depend entirely on whether or not you want that added screen real estate. I personally like gigantic screens, even if the phones tend to be a bit cumbersome. 

A smartphone.
Google

The specs here are excellent, and should give Samsung’s latest high-end handsets a run for their money. The Pixel 9 Pro line features the brand-new Tensor G4 processor and an astounding 16GB of RAM. This RAM is pretty much required to simultaneously power all of the AI software that’s running underneath the hood. These phones are designed to handle a vast array of AI tasks, with Gemini baked into chats, photos, note-taking and more. To help seal the AI deal, the company’s packing in a one-year subscription to the Google One AI Premium Plan. This gives unlimited access to everything Gemini has to offer.

Another huge update is the camera system. Google phones are widely known for having some of the best cameras in the business, and the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL look to be keeping this tradition alive. The front camera has been upgraded to a 42 MP dual-pixel autofocus system. The triple rear camera system has also been enhanced, with a 50 MP main sensor, a 48 MP ultrawide sensor and 48 MP telephoto sensor.

A smartphone.
Google

The camera software has also gotten a boost to take advantage of the aforementioned specs. Video footage can be automatically enhanced to 8K, with the option for Super Res Zoom. There’s a macro focus tool and night sight capabilities. Users will also have access to all of the aforementioned AI bells and whistles, including stuff like Magic Eraser and Magic Editor.

Now onto the display. The standard Pixel 9 Pro includes a 6.3-inch Super Actua OLED with a 20:9 aspect ratio, 495 PPI, a variable refresh rate (up to 120Hz) and up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness. It’s also covered by ultra-durable Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, so it should be able to take a licking and keep on ticking. The Pixel 9 Pro XL boasts the exact same display specs, but with a 6.8-inch screen.

Both of these phones are available in four colors, including black, white, hazel and rose quartz. The Pixel 9 Pro starts at $1,000 and Pixel 9 Pro XL starts at $1,100, with pre-orders available now and open availability starting on August 22. Each model ships with 16GB of RAM, and that’s the only available option. Customers can add internal storage, however, with drives ranging from 128GB to 1TB.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/google-just-announced-the-nearly-identical-pixel-9-pro-and-pixel-9-pro-xl-170006200.html?src=rss

Paramount laying off another 15 percent of its US workforce

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Paramount is laying off 15 percent of its US workforce, according to reporting by Deadline. This follows a lean second quarter earnings report in which total revenue fell short from an expected $7.21 billion to $6.81 billion. The layoffs will impact around 3,000 people.

“The industry continues to evolve, and Paramount is at an inflection point where changes must be made to strengthen our business,” company CEOs wrote in a staff memo.

Paramount representatives say these cuts will happen in three stages, with layoffs beginning today and 90 percent of all cuts being completed by the end of September. The layoffs will primarily impact employees involved in marketing and communications, though the company’s legal and finance arms will also face cuts.

Paramount already laid off three percent of its workforce back in February, and this was after a three percent increase in revenue growth that was largely credited to its streaming and film businesses. So, a three percent increase of revenue translated to a three percent reduction of Paramount’s workforce and missing revenue expectations by around four percent is leading to layoffs accounting for 15 percent of company employees. Workers can’t catch a break.

All of these layoffs are likely being used to clear the runway, so to speak, for the forthcoming merger with Skydance. The merger was announced back in June and will soon head to the regulatory review process. Paramount has also been raising prices for its streaming service and, of course, deleting whole libraries of content for reasons that make a lot of sense to corporate executives but not so much to regular people.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/paramount-laying-off-another-15-percent-of-its-us-workforce-153119425.html?src=rss