Tag Archives: author_name|Malak Saleh

23andMe hack now estimated to affect over half of customers

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A hack that targeted DNA testing kit company 23andMe back in October is estimated to have exposed significantly more profiles than previously reported. The personal information of about 6.9 million customers is now the current projection for the number of profiles exposed in the breach, according to a report by the BBC. The incident was previously thought to have only exposed the personal information of 14,000 individuals, just a fraction of its 14 million customer base.

The data breach was allegedly executed using compromised customer usernames and passwords, which exposed sensitive personal information that included things relevant to ancestry trees, birthdays and general geographic locations. In some cases, the company said that the hack could have exposed the pictures and display names of affiliated family members also using the company’s services through the accounts that were primarily breached. 23andMe insists that no actual genetic material or DNA records were exposed.

Legally, 23AndMe is obligated to inform all impacted customers and in October, 23andMe asked all of its users to reset their passwords. Last month, the company said it has required all new and existing users to login into the 23andMe website using two-step verification and that will remain the standard going forward. The emphasis on account security comes after the completion of an internal investigation, which 23andMe says was conducted with the help of third-party forensics experts but it has yet to release a report detailing their findings. The company did, however, say it expects to incur at least $1 to $2 million in expenses related to the hack.

23andMe does more than give customers reports about their family trees: It offers genetic health risk tests for chronic diseases and cancers, and it also has a research arm where customers can opt into clinical research programs. Questions about how 23andMe handles data privacy and protects its digital assets could impact the company’s bottom line and if customers shy away from using the services that involve more sensitive medical information.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/23andme-hack-now-estimated-to-affect-over-half-of-customers-165314743.html?src=rss

Withings releases luxury version of its ScanWatch 2 smartwatch

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Withings' latest, the ScanWatch Nova, is essentially a luxury take on its ScanWatch 2. The emphasis on it being for the higher-end buyer is reflected in the price tag, which is set at $599.95.

The ScanWatch Nova has a wide range of capabilities including the ability to monitor heart rate, heart rate variability and ECG. The smartwatch can also detect irregular heart rhythms and if conditions like atrial fibrillation are detected, ECG reports can be viewed in the Withings app. The smartwatch can also measure standard blood oxygen levels and report breathing disturbances during sleep, as well as body temperature changes overnight. It can also give feedback on a wearer’s rest and wake cycles, which includes information about the phases, depth and duration of sleep, as well as any notable interruptions and report a Sleep Quality score.

Like most competitors in the smartwatch market, the ScanWatch Nova can track steps and calories burned during workouts in 40+ preloaded activities, which includes standard exercises like cycling and running. During intense activities, the smartwatch can assess things like heart rate variability and give users feedback on performance and overall energy expenditure.

The luxury smartwatch normally comes decked with a stainless steel metal wrist band that can be swapped for a silicone one designed for physical activity. Lastly, the ScanWatch Nova is water resistant at 10 ATM and protected by a sapphire glass, which might be useful if you're into watersports or are concerned with sweat resistance.

Withings says the smartwatch’s battery life lasts about 30 days and requires less than 2 hours to fully recharge, allowing for long periods of continuous monitoring and use between charges. The watch will be available in blue, green and black on the Withings website now but it won't be available in retailers until February 1st next year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/withings-releases-luxury-version-of-its-scanwatch-2-smartwatch-150042693.html?src=rss

Fitness app Strava finally lets users message each other

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Strava, the popular app for tracking activities like hikes and runs, is now taking another step toward becoming a bona fide social media network. Users could already follow each other and like each other's activities in a display of encouragement, but only now can they finally send each other messages in either direct one-on-one chats or in groups.

Strava users can engage with the platform to send exact routes or activities to others, making it possible to do things like coordinate community runs on the app. Previously, athletes on Strava had to go off-platform to discuss meetup events on the app on other platforms like WhatsApp or Facebook.

The chat settings feature can be managed so that a user can send or receive messages to and from mutuals or accounts already being followed. You can also elect to have no one be able to message you unless you initiate a chat. For group chats, creators can add or remove participants and grant members access to invite others or leave a conversation if they’d like. To further deepen the interactions, Strava is also including features like reacting to messages with gifs or likes.

Strava, which claims it has over 100 million users and 40 million activities uploaded per week, has been attempting to become more than just a tracking tool for runners and bikers. Messaging expands the app’s capacity for it to become a more engaging tool for like minded fitness-focused individuals to convene in real life. Creating a chat tool is in line with Strava’s other social media-adjacent offerings previously dropped, such as when it gave app users the option to curate feeds or create posts. Recently, Strava also integrated music streaming directly onto its platform and has made some of its premium-only features accessible to free users in an attempt to continue to grow its base and offerings.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fitness-app-strava-now-lets-you-message-other-users-174202523.html?src=rss

Researchers quantify the carbon footprint of generating AI images

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Researchers at the AI startup Hugging Face collaborated with Carnegie Mellon University and discovered that generating an image using artificial intelligence, whether it's to create stock images or realistic ID photos, has a carbon footprint equivalent to charging a smartphone. However, researchers discern that generating text, whether it be to create a conversation with a chatbot or clean up an essay, requires much less energy than generating photos. The researchers quantify that AI-generated text takes up as much energy as charging a smartphone to only 16 percent of a full charge.

The study didn't just look into image and text generation by machine learning programs. The researchers examined a total of 13 tasks, ranging from summarization to text classification, and measured the amount of carbon dioxide produced per every 1000 grams. For the sake of keeping the study fair and the datasets diverse, the researchers said they ran the experiments on 88 different models using 30 datasets. For each task, the researchers ran 1,000 prompts while gathering the “carbon code” to measure both the energy consumed and the carbon emitted during an exchange.

Graph from study
Hugging Face/Carnegie Mellon

The findings highlight that the most energy-intensive tasks are those that ask an AI model to generate new content, whether it be text generation, summarization, image captioning, or image generation. Image generation ranked highest in the amount of emissions it produced and text classification was classified as the least energy-intensive task.

The researchers urge machine learning scientists and practitioners to “practice transparency regarding the nature and impacts of their models, to enable better understanding of their environmental impacts.” While the energy consumption associated with charging a smartphone per AI image generated may not seem dire, the volume of emissions can easily stack up when considering how popular and public AI models have become. Take ChatGPT for instance – the authors of the study point out that at its peak, OpenAI’s chatbot had upward of 10 million users per day and 100 million monthly active users today.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/researchers-quantify-the-carbon-footprint-of-generating-ai-images-173538174.html?src=rss

TikTok’s new profile tools are just for musicians

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TikTok has introduced the Artist Account, which offers up-and-coming musicians new ways to curate their profiles in ways that boost discoverability. The new suite of tools are not just meant for rising stars: established pop icons can also add an artist tag to their profiles, giving their music its own tab next to their videos, likes and reposted content.

To be eligible for an artist tag, TikTok says you will need at least four sounds or songs uploaded to the app. Artists can also pin one of their tunes so it appears first in the music tab. If a musician drops new content, the app will tag songs as ‘new’ for up to 14 days before and up to 30 days after it goes live. Any new tracks will automatically be added to a profile’s music tab.

TikTok says over 70,000 artists are already using the new tools. The app has proven to be a breeding ground for content to go viral for new artists and established music makers alike thanks to the lightning speed of dance and lifestyle video trends. TikTok’s impact on the music industry has been so massive that even streamers like Spotify have looked into experimenting with video-first music discovery feeds.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tiktoks-new-profile-tools-are-just-for-musicians-201723244.html?src=rss

HTC’s Vive Ultimate Trackers have cameras to improve full-body tracking

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HTC released the Vive Ultimate Tracker, which when paired with one of the company’s virtual reality headsets, delivers multi-point body tracking for users for everything from first-person shooter gaming to soccer skills training. The new tracker follows HTC’s Vive Tracker 3.0 line and will cost $199 per unit. HTC is also selling a three-pack that comes with the required wireless dongle and other accessories for a bundle price of $599.

You can use up to five “six degrees of freedom” (6DoF) Ultimate Trackers simultaneously and connect to a single headset to collectively support multi-point full-body tracking. Each tracker relies on two wide field-of-view cameras to precisely locate the wearer's motions in 3D spaces, which ultimately gives it those self-tracking capabilities. The Global Head of Product at HTC, Shen Ye, said the technology built into the Ultimate tracker will enhance the virtual reality experience, making sessions “a lot more realistic and immersive.” Previous models relied on a base station for its tracking capabilities.

The lightweight positional trackers, weighing in at 94 grams a unit, can be attached to a variety of accessories, like a racket sports set, which expands its usability for things like VR training and dancing in VRChat. For example, the Vive Ultimate Tracker can be used specifically for foot tracking, which can be used to gauge passing skills during drills for soccer players. “From elite athletes to casual gamers, it's extremely versatile and easy to set up anywhere,” Adam Dickinson, director of Rezzil, a tech company focused on training athletes using VR, says on using the new tracker.

The new Ultimate trackers are flat and are smaller than a smartphone, giving it an entirely different look from its three-pointed predecessor, the Vive Tracker 3.0. The Ultimate Tracker can also be paired with a standard mount and paired with HTC’s Vive XR Elite and Vive Focus 3. The trackers communicate positional and map data to the headset via 2.4 GHz band and a 5 GHz WiFi band and have a battery life of up to 7 hours.

Though the company may be getting ahead of itself, Vive says it would eventually like the Ultimate Tracker to work independently with SteamVR without being paired to an XR headset. The first step in this process should come soon, as HTC plans to release a beta for direct connection to SteamVR “in the coming weeks.” This, the company says, will expand the Ultimate Tracker’s capabilities for industrial use. HTC headsets have been vying for space in the race to deliver the best virtual reality headset and accessories, primarily against the likes of Meta and its Quest headsets. Expanding the capabilities of its trackers may help Vive narrow the competitive gap, as more innovative applications may be key to enticing the niche world of VR gamers and users moving forward.

Update, November 30 2023, 1:08 PM ET: This story has been updated to clarify how the trackers use WiFi to operate.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/htcs-vive-ultimate-trackers-have-cameras-to-improve-full-body-tracking-000008776.html?src=rss

The Beats Fit Pro drop to a record low of $159 in an Amazon Black Friday deal

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The Beats Fit Pro, which Engadget named as the best wireless earbuds for working out, are on sale this Black Friday on Amazon for $159. The $41 discount is the lowest offered to date.

If you want to eliminate distractions at loud gyms the Beats Fit Pro have solid active noise cancellation technology, thanks to Apple's H1 chip. The earbuds also have a built-in proprietary transducer that adds depth to the overall audio experience. The buds support Apple's spatial audio technology, which can deliver a more immersive experience when streaming entertainment or listening to music on a commute. For what you're paying, the Beats Fit Pro deliver ample bass and clear tones.

Battery life is another strong suit. With up to six hours of use on a single charge, and an additional 21 hours provided by the charging case, the earbuds offer a total of 27 hours of listening time with active noise cancellation or transparency mode activated. With Adaptive EQ mode on instead, there’s an extra hour on the earbuds and three more in the case, totaling 30 hours. The Fast Fuel feature ensures a quick recharge, offering an hour of noise-canceling playback with just a five-minute charge. In practical terms, this means the Beats Fit Pro can easily keep up with your daily activities, whether it's a full day at the office or a commute. But importantly, the Beats Fit Pro also sport a comfortable design and flexible wingtip, that keeps them secure whether someone is running or weightlifting — or riding a bumpy subway.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-beats-fit-pro-drop-to-a-record-low-of-159-in-an-amazon-black-friday-deal-140037127.html?src=rss

2023 Peacock Black Friday deal: Get a one-year Premium plan for only $20

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Streaming deals are abundant this year for the holiday shopping season, and NBC's Peacock has a noteworthy discount on its Premium Plan. You can save 66 percent on one year of Peacock Premium and spend only $20 for the first year, which is down from $60, when using the code YEARLONG at checkout. If you prefer to pay per month, you'll spend $2 every time instead of the usual monthly rate with the code BIGDEAL at checkout.

The codes are only valid between November 22 and the 27th, and the offer excludes current Peacock Premium and Premium Plus subscribers. Since launching, Peacock has accumulated over 20 million subscribers and for good reason. It offers a variety of classics, from Dreamworks’ Shrek films, to hit reality TV shows like Love Island. The streaming service has been expanding its titles, with a new season of Dr. Death arriving in December and a prequel series to the Ted films from Seth MacFarlane set to premiere in the new year.

Peacock has been trying to set itself apart from the competition with offerings like next-day streaming of Bravo shows. A subscription could be a holiday treat for yourself or a loved one — the flash monthly sale is hard to beat, especially with streaming prices rising as much as they have been recently.

If you're interested in other Black Friday streaming deals, Max, Hulu and Paramount+ are among the many who have discounted their memberships for the holiday shopping period. Max's ad-supported plan is only $3 per month for the first six months; Hulu has discounted one year of access to only $12 and Paramount+ is only $2 per month for the first three months for new subscribers.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/peacock-black-friday-2023-deal-get-a-one-year-premium-plan-for-only-20-173213127.html?src=rss

Tesla’s congestion fee bills $1 a minute to charge your car past 90 percent

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Tesla, which hosts 50,000+ supercharging stations for electric vehicles globally, is rolling out a new congestion fee system that the company hopes will free up charging traffic at its stations.

Unlike idle fees, which will bill drivers on a per-minute basis when a car remains stationed at a charging point after it has already been fully recharged, congestion fees are intended to prevent people from fully charging their vehicle at the busiest stations. The congestion fee will only kick in when charging stations are busy and a vehicle's battery is over 90 percent. Drivers will be able to see where congestion fees apply on their vehicle’s touchscreen, and there will be a five-minute grace period to avoid petty fees if someone is only a couple of minutes late to their vehicle. The new scheme will apply to certain stations through the US, with the cost set at $1 per minute. Tesla has not revaled pricing or a rollout strategy for outside of the US. 

Tesla has previously explained idle fees by stating that a car driver would “never leave a vehicle parked by the pump at a gas station” and that the same logic should apply to Superchargers. EVs typically charge extremely quickly up to around 80-90 percent, after which the charging rate slows significantly. The aim of the congestion fee is to shorten the length of charging sessions when stations are at their busiest, to allow more users to have a chance to charge.

As more automakers adopt the North American Charging Standard (NACS) used by Tesla's Superchargers, more EV drivers are gaining access to high-speed charging networks. And while the availability of charging stations is a crucial factor for increasing EV adoption among drivers in the US, Tesla has said that congestion is an issue the company has kept its eye on. The new fee system could help clear up the influx of new EV drivers that are charging at Tesla Supercharging stations as more mainstream electric cars are adopted by the public, while the fees will contribute to the company’s bottom line. Analysts estimate that the Tesla Supercharger network will become worth between $10 and $20 billion annually by the end of the decade.

Correction 6:40PM ET: This article as originally published conflated the launch of idle fees and congestion fees. We regret the error.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/teslas-idle-fees-will-charge-drivers-who-keep-their-cars-plugged-in-after-theyve-topped-up-230601570.html?src=rss

Meta’s Content Library provides researchers with digital ‘clean room’ for data access

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Meta announced that it is rolling out new tools that will give eligible researchers access to data from its social media apps Facebook and Instagram in an effort to “support public interest research.” The Meta Content Library and Content Library API tools, which were previously made available for beta testing, will share real-time information about the user-generated content including metrics like the number of times a Reel on Instagram is viewed or the amount of posts that are made on a Facebook page.

The Meta Content Library will exist on the web through a controlled-access "clean room" that prohibits the export of data. All analysis and review of the real-time content from Facebook and Instagram will be done through an API that has search capabilities. The company's data search tools will only be available for “eligible researchers and professionals” who will need to be pre-approved. Research groups or individuals seeking to gain access to Meta’s data will need to fill out an application through a form and provide a detailed explanation about the mission of the research project in question and who is involved. Final approval is subject to an independent review by the ICPSR. Once granted access to the API, Meta says there are no fees associated with access to the Content Library.

The new tools, while they may be forging a pathway for data access, are similar to — and in some ways more limited than — what Meta has previously provided to researchers hoping to understand how content circulates on its apps. There's also every reason to be skeptical. Meta’s Open Research and Transparency team, which similarly developed a researcher API and platform, was the subject of criticism when in 2021 it was caught allegedly sending incomplete and inaccurate data to researchers. That same group of researchers at N.Y.U.’s Center for Cybersecurity later had their API access completely revoked by the company.

The new Content Library and API probably won't do much to stave off public pressure after years of backlash over how it regulates misinformation and harmful content. Meta has also been under fire for how it moderates content related to the war in Gaza and for how it plans to prevent the proliferation fake content related to the upcoming US presidential election. To top things off, Meta is currently facing a lawsuit filed by 41 states over how it allegedly harms younger users. A highly gatekept API may not be the show of goodwill the company needs to convince regulators it has the public's best interest at heart.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/metas-content-library-provides-researchers-with-digital-clean-room-for-data-access-190829440.html?src=rss