For drivers with bad credit, new cars come with a kill switch
Driving a car off a lot usually comes with a sense of exhilaration or freedom, but that thrill is short-lived when you’ve got a debt collector riding shotgun wherever you go. That’s basically the case for a whole host of Americans with bad credit — in use since the 90s, the New York Times reports that now some 2 million cars in the United States are outfitted with remote kill switches that shut cars down if their owners fall behind on payments. The system is simple enough: once installed, the so-called starter interrupt will sit in place and beep to notify drivers that their payments are coming up. Once delinquent drivers tiptoe past a certain threshold (which seems to vary by lender and state), some account manager somewhere hits a button and voilà — that motor won’t purr until someone pays.
As with most things that involve money and trust, there are a few ways to look at the situation. Lenders get to offer more loans (and collect waaaay more interest — think twice monthly payments at 20 percent interest) while regular folk get to drive to work and pick their kids up from school. Sounds almost like a win-win… until you realize that beyond the sky-high rates, people’s whereabouts are constantly forfeit — some dealers have even installed GPS trackers without telling their customers — and there’s been at least once instance where a car was remotely disabled while someone was actually driving it. As John Oliver suggested for payday loans, maybe a better alternative to the buy-here, pay-here shops that use these methods is pretty much anything else.
[Image Credits: Pocketnavigation.de]
Filed under: Transportation
Via: Forbes
Source: New York Times
.CPlase_panel display:none;
Apple iOS 8.0.1 Issues Linked to Maps Debacle, Same Manager Oversaw Both Projects
Apple’s recent iOS 8.0.1 issue, which saw the update disable the cellular connection and Touch ID functionality on numerous iPhone 6 and 6 Plus devices, may have links to Apple’s 2012 Maps debacle, reports Bloomberg.
According to “people familiar with Apple’s management structure,” the same mid-level manager was in charge of overseeing quality assurance for both projects, having been moved to the iOS team after being removed from the Maps team.
[The manager] was removed from the maps team after the software gave users unreliable directions and mislabeled landmarks, though he remained in charge of testing for iOS, said one person, who asked not to be identified since the information isn’t public.
The employee in question, who has worked at Apple since 2000, is in charge of a team of more than “100 people around the world” responsible for testing the software before it reaches consumers, says Bloomberg.
According to the Bloomberg report, engineers who test the new software often are unable to get the latest iPhones until they are available to customers, “resulting in updates that may not have gone through tests that are are rigorous as those for the latest handsets,” and internal issues can also impact Apple’s testing, which may explain how such a significant bug got through the testing process.
Internal turf battles also can impact quality testing, according to a former senior manager. Teams responsible for testing cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity will sometimes sign off on a product release, then [the manager’s] team will discover later that it’s not compatible with another feature, the person said.
Released yesterday, iOS 8.0.1 contained a critical bug that caused the cellular service and Touch ID on iPhone 6 and 6 Plus devices to malfunction. Though the update was pulled after approximately an hour and fifteen minutes after it was first released, numerous iPhone users were able to download the software, which effectively disabled their phones.
Apple announced that it was investigating the situation in the afternoon, and yesterday evening, the company released a support document saying iOS 8.0.2 was in the works and directing users to fix the problem via an iTunes restore to iOS 8.
Apple has seen several issues with iOS 8 in recent weeks, including a major bug with HealthKit that caused the company to pull all HealthKit-enabled apps from the App Store ahead of the public release of iOS 8. Apple promised a quick fix, and iOS 8.0.1 was supposed to repair the issue and allow apps that use HealthKit back into the App Store.
Apple has just released iOS 8.0.2 to fix the bugs that were introduced with iOS 8.0.1.
Update: This post has been updated to remove the individual’s name.
.CPlase_panel display:none;
Apple: Most OS X Users Safe from ‘Bash’ Security Flaw, Software Update Coming Soon
Yesterday, it was revealed that security researchers from Red Hat uncovered a major exploit in the “Bash” command shell found in OS X and Linux. Named “Shellshock” by security experts, the exploit allows hackers to gain access to web connected devices and services through the use of malicious code.
Now, an Apple spokesperson (via iMore) has commented on the matter, stating that the majority of OS X users are safe from the exploits and that the company is working to provide a software update for advanced UNIX users:
The vast majority of OS X users are not at risk to recently reported bash vulnerabilities,” an Apple spokesperson told iMore. “Bash, a UNIX command shell and language included in OS X, has a weakness that could allow unauthorized users to remotely gain control of vulnerable systems. With OS X, systems are safe by default and not exposed to remote exploits of bash unless users configure advanced UNIX services. We are working to quickly provide a software update for our advanced UNIX users.
The exploit was called “as big as Heartbleed” by security researcher Robert Graham, who was referring to a flaw discovered in the popular open-source software OpenSSL that affected 66% of the Internet earlier this year. Apple eventually announced that Heartbleed did not affect its software or key services, and also released updates for AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule. It is likely that a fix for the Bash exploit will arrive relatively soon for users.
.CPlase_panel display:none;
Post-it Notes now have a productivity app to capture your scribbles
Even with all of the digital options, Post-it Notes are still a handy way to jot things down for future reference. To help you keep those small pieces of paper organized and with you at all times, 3M released the Post-it Plus app for iOS. Capable of capturing up to 50 of the squares at once with the camera on an Apple device, the software allows to you sort by category and share with your fellow collaborators for further brainstorming. There’s also the option to export to PowerPoint, Excel, Dropbox and other places should the need arise. More size compatibility is on the way, but for now, the app recognizes all square Post-it Notes. Of course, Evernote has been doing something similar for the Moleskin faithful, and now folks who prefer the individual stick-on option can quickly digitize their work.
Source: iTunes
.CPlase_panel display:none;
Apple shows off its own bend tests for new iPhones
All these reports about how the new iPhones can bend and remain bent might have you asking: did Apple even do stress tests on these new devices? To answer your question, Apple invited a handful of journalists to observe its testing facilities and prove that yes, the company crushed, pushed, twisted and pounded on 15,000 iPhone 6 and 6 Plus units each before unleashing them to the public. According to the Wall Street Journal, Recode and The Verge, each phone goes through five different tests, including one that places pressure on the center of the phone in varying degrees, using weights reaching 25 kilos. Next, weights are again pressed in the middle of the phone’s display hundreds of times, followed by a test that twists the device around 8,000 times while a machine is clamping both ends.
[Image credit: Unbox Therapy]
Apple also tests the phones in real-life situations, such as placing them in the back pockets of tight jeans (Samsung has its own version of the test) so they can be sat on in different angles repeatedly. Finally, the company sends hundreds of prototypes home with select employees in order to see how they’d perform in the real world. This isn’t the first time Apple has opened its testing facilities to journalists in the wake of a scandal: back in 2010, the company also invited a handful of people to its wireless testing labs after iPhone 4’s antenna issues came to light.
If you’re wondering why Cupertino still received nine bent phone complaints, it’s because the phones do get deformed if you apply a huge load/weight (presumably much larger than what the testing equipment can apply on the device) onto it. As Dan Riccio, Apple’s SVP of hardware engineering told Recode, the phones can “take a set” with enough force, though he didn’t exactly list out real-world scenarios that can lead to a bent iPhone.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple
Source: The Wall Street Journal, Recode, The Verge
.CPlase_panel display:none;
The hottest party in Los Angeles on October 3rd is…ours
Friday nights in Los Angeles aren’t snoozers, especially October 3rd. That night, some celebrity will be caught mid-wardrobe malfunction boozing it up at Club Area by TMZ — or it could be the night Bruce Jenner holds his epic “freedom” party. While we’re thrilled for his escape from Kardashian Prison, we’d like to think that our final Engadget Live event of the year at the Belasco Theatre will be much more exciting — and a lot less flammable.
Stephen Colbert recently roasted our friends at Vapshot, but how about trying it out for yourself? Maybe you’re a little afraid to buy that bendy-phone and you’re curious about Huawei’s powerful Android smartphones (which came with bigger screens far before any iPhone did). Or you want to get your hands on gadgets your friends have yet to touch. Find out what else you can expect by flipping through the gallery below.
So, L.A., grab your free tickets and we’ll see you on October 3rd. After that, no rest for the weary — we’re gearing up for Engadget Expand New York on the opposite side of the country November 7-8 (which, you’ll be able to tune into our live streams no matter where you are!)
.CPlase_panel display:none;
FAA gives Hollywood yellow light for drone operation
Six drone operators for movies and TV won’t have to do things on the down low anymore, now that the FAA has granted them special permission to legally film aerial shots. While the agency still hasn’t come up with a set of official rules for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), it has deemed the companies’ drones safe enough (read: not a threat to national security). In return, though, these operators (listed after the break) must keep the drones within line of sight at all times and far from areas that threaten people’s privacy. Also, they must inspect their drones before each flight, and they’re prohibited from flying them at night. Still not a bad deal, considering most other industries are still waiting for the FAA’s blessing, though it’s unclear how they’ll be affected by the agency’s next traffic control system that’s not exactly fit for drones.
The six lucky operators are:
- Astraeus Aerial
- Aerial MOB, LLC
- HeliVideo Productions, LLC
- Pictorvision Inc
- RC Pro Productions Consulting, LLC dba Vortex Aerial
- Snaproll Media, LLC
Flying-Cam, whose drone is pictured above and who did the aerial shots for Skyfall, almost became seventh in the list. Unfortunately, the FAA wants more information from the company before it gets the coveted stamp of approval.[Image credit: Flying-Cam]
Filed under: Misc
Via: The Verge
Source: FAA
.CPlase_panel display:none;
Engadget Daily: Internet security flaws, iOS 8 fixes and more!
The past 24 hours have been quite a ride, eh? We’ve seen just how easy it can be to pilfer goods from an Apple store, discovered that there’s yet another internet security flaw and Cupertino has a fix for the latest version of iOS’ problems. However, there are even more stories than that! For those, check out the gallery below.
Filed under: Cellphones, Desktops, Gaming, Household, Transportation, Mobile, Apple
.CPlase_panel display:none;
Wearable artificial kidney hopes to gain FDA approval soon
As neat as your smartwatch is, there are other existing wearables which, you know, can actually make the world a world a better place — though that’s not to say whatever you have on your wrist now is useless and for pure vanity purposes. Aptly named the Wearable Artificial Kidney, a projected started back in 2008, this medical gadget hopes to make the dialysis process better for patients, thanks in particular to its portability features. As opposed to the more traditional, stationary machines found at hospitals or in homes, which tend to be extremely heavy, the current version of WAK weighs a mere 10 lbs (around 4.5 kg.) and can be attached around a person’s waist.
The real advantage of the Wearable Artificial Kidney, according to the people behind it, is that it would allow patients to mobilize while still being treated, giving them chance to go to places such as work or school. After multiple tests overseas, Dr. Victor Gura and researchers from UCLA are set to run their first clinical trial here in the US later this year, which will bring it one step closer to becoming a commercial product. Once that’s done, it will be up to the Food and Drug Administration to determine if it can give it a seal of approval.
Filed under: Wearables, Science, Alt
Via: Gizmodo
Source: NewsBeat
.CPlase_panel display:none;
Engadget Daily: Haven’s barricade-style smart lock, Nissan’s electric pickup truck and more!
Need to catch up on the last 24 hours of tech news? Read on for our daily highlights, including Nissan’s EV pickup truck, a heavy-duty smart lock that can withstand a battering ram, the deal with Apple’s iOS 8 bugs and more.
.CPlase_panel display:none;
AIVAnet 