Heartland revolt: Farmers use Ukrainian hacks to repair John Deere tractors

Why it matters to you

If you like to make your own vehicle repairs, be sure the software license gives you the right to do so.

An unexpected market for hacked software appears to be thriving. American farmers who own John Deere tractors are getting around what they view as an overly restrictive software licensing agreement they were required sign in October, according to Motherboard.

Rather than rely on and wait for authorized company representatives to make expensive farm calls, some tractor owners resort to calling local “technicians” who allegedly use hacked firmware they bought from Ukrainian sources to make the repairs.

More: GM says a big piece of that car you just bought isn’t really yours

We’ve written about the issue of vehicle software ownership before. Like John Deere, General Motors and other automakers also claim they own the software and owners cannot sell it or alter it in any manner.

For farmers in Nebraska, however, the issues with the mandatory John Deere license are time and money. The crops can’t wait.

“When crunch time comes and we break down, chances are we don’t have time to wait for a dealership employee to show up and fix it,” Nebraska hog farmer Danny Kluthe testified to the state legislature. “Most all the new equipment [requires] a download [to fix].”

Kevin Kenney, another Nebraska farmer told Motherboard, “If a farmer bought the tractor, he should be able to do whatever he wants with it. You want to replace a transmission and you take it to an independent mechanic — he can put in the new transmission but the tractor can’t drive out of the shop. Deere charges $230, plus $130 an hour for a technician to drive out and plug a connector into their USB port to authorize the part.”

“What you’ve got is technicians running around here with cracked Ukrainian John Deere software that they bought off the black market,” Kenney continued.

Both Kenney and Kluthe are advocating right-to-repair legislation in Nebraska. The law would invalidate the John Deere software agreement. John Deere is a strong opponent of the proposed Nebraska legislation and similar bills being considered in seven other states.

When Motherboard asked John Deere about the Ukrainian firmware hacks, which are sold via online forums, the company replied that there was no problem.

“When a customer buys John Deere equipment, he or she owns the equipment,” the company said. “As the owner, he or she has the ability to maintain and repair the equipment. The customer also has the ability through operator and service manuals and other resources to enable operational, maintenance, service and diagnostics activities to repair and maintain equipment.

“Software modifications increase the risk that equipment will not function as designed,” the company continued. “As a result, allowing unqualified individuals to modify equipment software can endanger machine performance, in addition to Deere customers, dealers and others, resulting in equipment that no longer complies with industry and safety/environmental regulations.”

According to Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director of Repair.org, a Nebraska trade organization in favor of the right-to-repair legislation, however, “Some of our members have repeatedly attempted to buy the diagnostics that are referenced [from John Deere] and been rebuffed.”

‘Dig once’ legislation would add fiber internet to existing highway projects

Why it matters to you

Your chances of getting fiber internet to your home would be greatly increased with the passage of dig once legislation.

The U.S. is a large country geographically and it also has communication infrastructure that is older than most. Getting that old copper-based infrastructure upgraded to newer technology like fiber internet is an expensive proposition that has seen relatively limited headway.

While some companies are making efforts to lay more fiber, the federal government has a few ideas of its own on how to increase fiber’s footprint. One such idea is “dig once,” a policy that would incorporate laying fiber into federally funded infrastructure initiatives like highway projects, Ars Technica reports.

More: Big budget cuts ordered for Google Fiber, likely putting the brakes on rollout

The notion of laying fiber conduits as a part of already approved infrastructure projects is nothing new. Dig-once bills have been proposed for years now, with U.S. Representative Anna Eshoo (D-California) having first proposed legislation in 2009. Now, although some other technology initiatives such as net neutrality have polarized Congress along party lines, dig once is a concept that has bipartisan support.

The primary benefit of dig once is that it leverages work that is already planned and funded projects and would significantly reduce the need for additional construction expenditures. The idea even has support from the libertarian group TechFreedom, which stated in a letter to Congress:

“Failure to implement Dig Once means more construction, more disruption, and much higher costs for private providers — who may simply decide not to deploy in an area where the economics don’t work. The tiny cost of installing conduit (about one percent in added costs) pales in comparison to the taxpayer burden of unnecessary digs, traffic congestion, and the opportunity cost of not having high-speed networks that both help support public services and grow the economy.”

Dig once is also favored by some internet service providers (ISPs) and other broadband interests, with the CTIA group that lobbies for the interests of companies like Verizon Wireless and AT&T throwing its weight behind the legislation. Not everyone is on board, however, as some transportation and public works companies that see the idea as adding costs to projects that are already complex and costly.

Nevertheless, with general support on both sides of the aisle, along with Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai, dig once is an idea whose time might have come. Eshoo’s legislation is now back on the agenda and so dig once could be coming to a highway project near you sooner rather than later.

Google Photos now uploads your pics over cellular, but don’t freak out

Google is now uploading your photos over 3G or LTE, but promises not to eat your data.

Google has announced that it is making low-quality previews of photos available to users right after they take them, so they can start sharing through Google Photos without having to wait for a Wi-Fi connection.

The company announced the update to Google Photos alongside a number of other bandwidth-saving measures aimed at reassuring its very important, and growing, Brazilian user base that it is taking their suggestions seriously.

Today we’re rolling out two new features on Android and iOS to make backup and sharing easier on low connectivity. Now your photos will back up automatically in a lightweight preview quality that’s fast on 2G connections and still looks great on a smartphone. And when a good Wi-Fi connection becomes available, your backed up photos will be replaced with high-quality versions.

We’re also making it easier to share many photos at once even on low connectivity. Never mind if you’re at the beach or hiking in the mountains, with Google Photos you can now share pictures quickly even with a spotty connection by sending first in low resolution so friends and family can view them right away. They’ll later update in higher resolution when connectivity permits.

The company isn’t saying at what quality the preview images will be uploaded, and of course the feature can be disabled, but it’s an interesting move for a company always interested in finding a balance between persistent online presence and bandwidth preservation.

It’s also interesting that a photo can now be in one of three stages within Google Photos: low quality, uploaded over cellular; “high” quality, which is what Google calls its unlimited storage tier (around 12MP max); and original quality, which does not change anything about the initial photo.

The update will be rolling out to Android and iOS in the coming days, so stay tuned.

You can now send Android APKs to your friends via Allo

It’s not full-featured SMS support, but the new file sharing features could help tide over Allo users for a little while longer.

Allo users, I know you’re feeling it — any time Google announces a new feature for the nascent chat app, you’re jumping around, hoping it’s that one feature you’ve been waiting for a while now.

Unfortunately, today is not that day. There is still no word about the oft-requested SMS integration making its way to Allo, but at least now you can attach documents to your messages. With the latest update, Allo chatters can now send PDFs, Microsoft Word files, compressed files, audio files, and even Android APKs. You can use this feature by tapping the paperclip icon in the menu screen above the message input window. This will launch your device’s file explorer.

Google announced in the same blogpost that Brazilian users will also get the Smart Smiley feature in Portuguese, which uses machine learning to pick the most relevant emojis and stickers.

The update will be rolling out to your Android device this week.

Instagram continues to morph itself into more than just another social network

You’re already posting pictures to Instagram and using it to exclusively chat with your pals. You’ll soon be able to book your next appointment through it, too.

Ahh, Instagram. It’s become one of those bonafide social networks that’s really more than it advertises to be. Instagram isn’t just a reel of photos your friends are posting from their days out in the sun. It’s where you can keep long running group chats with friends where you’re sending each other memes, or peruse through your favorite artist pages to buy their original work. Soon, you’ll be able to book appointments through it, too.

Per a blogpost written to its advertisers today, Instagram announced it would soon bring a new “Book” option to the Instagram pages of your favorite hair salon, for instance. You’ll know how much you’re paying for every treatment, as there will be a separate pricing and payment section available.

You can imagine plenty of hair salons, nail salons, and even independent makeup artists using this particular feature as a way to attract more customers. Instagram is already its own advertising platform, after all, a sort of “choose your own adventure” for small business owners. It’ll also be particularly convenient when planning your own appointments. There’s nothing worse than having to call the salon because their online reservation system is outdated.

Super Mario Run is finally available on Android, and it’s worth buying

The Nintendo game you’ve all been waiting for is here!

Android gamers now have one more title to claim as their own, and one fewer that their iOS counterparts can’t lord over them. That’s right, Super Mario Run is now available on Android, three months after it debuted on the iPhone.

The game is actually considerably newer than the version that debuted three months ago, since it includes all the updates and bug fixes, plus a bunch of small improvements that have culminated in version 2.0. But the core mechanics are still the same: users control an auto-running Mario, tapping on the screen to make him jump over crevices, onto enemies, and shimmy up walls.

While the first four stages are free (three if you don’t count the introductory tutorial course), the full game costs $9.99, which caused a fair amount of consternation in the gaming community when it debuted last year. But there’s a lot more to the game than just the six worlds to complete; there are playable characters like Peach, Luigi, Yoshi and Toadette; and there’s also the competitive Toad Rally, which pins your Mario against people around the world for style and points.

Finally, Kingdom Builder adds a bit of an RPG element to Super Mario Run, allowing you to customize the look and feel of Mario and the buildings he inhabits.

Do you plan to download and pay for Super Mario Run? Let us know in the comments!

Download: Super Mario Run (free w/ IAP)

Watch the ‘MST3K’ reboot’s gloriously campy first trailer

The first trailer for the new Mystery Science Theater 3000 is here, and it’s full of camp, cheesy special effects and sassy robots. Felicia Day and Patton Oswalt are restarting the MST3K experiment, and they’re subjecting captured comedian Jonah Ray to bad B-movies to study their effects on the human brain.

The series, which hits Netflix on April 14th, is a reboot of the cult classic that aired on Comedy Central and The Sci-Fi Channel in the late ’80s and ’90s. Creator Joel Hodgson turned to Kickstarter in 2015 to fund the show’s revival, and it became one of the biggest crowdfunded video projects to date, pulling in nearly $5.8 million from loyal fans. If you want to catch up on the classic series before watching the reboot next month, Netflix is currently offering 20 episodes as an appetizer.

Via: Felicia Day (Twitter)

Source: YouTube

PS4 update is causing WiFi problems for some players

Sony’s big PS4 version 4.50 update landed two weeks ago and despite the boost in framerates, some owners are not happy their consoles have been effectively cut off from the internet. According to a thread started on the PlayStation Forums on the same day as the release, the update completely broke WiFi connectivity for a number of PS4 players.

While some users (including at least one Engadget staffer) thought the WiFi issues might be an isolated case, the two-week-old forum thread has gathered about 250 posts, all complaining about the NW-31297-2 error code. Despite Sony’s troubleshooting tips, reconfiguring the console’s WiFi setup won’t fix the problem and some gamers have resorted to begrudgingly buying WiFi extenders with a built-in ethernet port to bridge the console’s WiFi gap.

When reached for comment by Engadget, Sony acknowledged the issue but didn’t offer a much better solution just yet. “We are aware and are looking into the situation,” a Sony spokesperson said via email. So, if you’re unable to run a cable between your PS4 and your router, you’ll just have to sit tight and hope Sony releases another update in time for that sweet Wildlands DLC.

Via: Polygon

Source: PlayStation Forums

Apple hopes cheap, not powerful, will turn around iPad sales

Apple has been trying to reverse declining iPad sales for several years now, without much success. For the past year and a half, that strategy could be summed up in one word: more. More power, more screen real estate, more accessories. Of course, the iPad Pro also cost more money, so it didn’t help reverse waning interest in Apple’s tablets.

Now Apple is going in the opposite direction. The newest iPad, announced yesterday with little fanfare, is most notable for its affordable price. The 9.7-inch tablet starts at only $329 with 32GB of storage; you can get a spacious 128GB model for $100 more. It replaces the aging iPad Air 2 in Apple’s lineup — but despite the updated processor on the inside, the new tablet makes a number of compromises to hit that low price. But Apple seems to think it’s found the right balance of specs and price to get more people to turn the iPad’s fortunes around.

Despite the fact that the rumor mill indicated a late March event with big updates to the iPad Pro, the new iPad was just one of several announcements Apple made yesterday. New red iPhones, new Watch bands and this new iPad all felt like they would have been good lead-ups to a big new product reveal — but without that, it seems Apple just decided to push everything out in a series of low-key press releases.

Even with this muted introduction, the new iPad says a lot about the company’s intentions in the tablet market. It’s an admission that Apple needs a true budget-priced iPad with the most popular screen and newer hardware than the aging iPad Air 2 offered. The addition of the A9 chip should give the new iPad enough horsepower to work well for several years, even if the processor is already more than a year old.

But the big corner that Apple cut to hit this aggressive price point is the screen. The new iPad’s display is a step backward from the Air 2. It’s not laminated to the glass touch surface and it lacks antireflective coating, two characteristics that were included in the Air 2 as well as the existing iPad Pro. What this means is you’ll see a small but noticeable air gap between the glass and display, something that diminishes the effect of actually touching on-screen elements.

It’s a most unfortunate change, but it’s classic Apple: If you want the best hardware, you’re going to have to put up the cash and get the Pro. Still, it’s surprising to see Apple take a step back in display technology, especially considering how crucial the screen is to the entire iPad experience. This thing is basically a window to the internet, and Apple compromised that window.

In a less crucial change, Apple actually made the new iPad slightly thicker and heavier than the Air 2. Now it has the same dimensions as the original iPad Air from 2013 — but that’s not something to worry about. As someone who’s used that tablet for more than three years, it’s certainly not a heavy or unwieldy device. If these larger dimensions helped Apple get the price down, it’s a trade worth making.

Apple is betting that these differences aren’t going to matter to buyers — and to some respect, I agree with that logic. If you have an iPad older than the Air 2, this new model will likely represent a major upgrade (we’ll have to wait until we test it to pass final judgement, of course). Unless you have an original Air, the form factor will be an immediate improvement, and the A9 chip simply smokes the older models. And you’ll be able to get that upgrade for significantly less money now than ever before.

With this new model, Apple has also finally cleaned up the mess it made of its iPad lineup. Most potential buyers will pick between the new iPad and the single iPad Mini that Apple now offers. The new iPad is now the cheapest iPad you can buy, not coincidentally in its most popular screen size. And if you need more power or a bigger display or want to use Apple’s accessories, the Pro lineup is waiting for you.

The jury is still out on whether or not this will actually turn iPad sales around. New hardware at a lower price is potentially the kind of thing that can get people interested, but the relatively quick rise and fall of iPad sales might indicate that this isn’t a growth category right now, full stop. Apple only sold 13.1 million iPads in the most recent holiday quarter (only about half of the 26 million it sold during the holiday season in 2013), and I don’t know if this new device is enough to turn around that decline.

Apple has often cited high customer satisfaction rates for the iPad, and the upgrade cycle is clearly longer than the two years we see for smartphones. So Apple’s new, cheap iPad might be what it needs to get the many people who bought iPads three or four years ago to upgrade. But even if this latest tactic moves the needle, it seems unlikely that sales will get back to that 2013 peak anytime soon. Apple calls the iPad “the future of personal computing,” but it’s a future that everyone is still not on board with.

Facebook Live makes the overdue jump to desktop

Facebook users have been able to broadcast live videos for over a year now. It’s been mobile-exclusive since it was introduced, but Facebook has been working on bringing the feature to other platforms. Last year, the company revealed that it was rolling out live video to select desktop users. Now, starting today, all computer-bound Facebook users have access to the feature, the company said in a blog post.

This appears to be Facebook positioning itself as a serious competitor to existing streaming sites like Twitch and YouTube Gaming. Desktop streamers will be able to broadcast video from external hardware and streaming software, just like those services. This means that live Facebook videos can include gameplay footage and the on-screen graphics and picture-in-picture videos that have become a Twitch necessity.

For more casual users, streaming on desktop is just as easy as it is in your phone. Select Live Video from the posting area on top of your News Feed or Timeline. Then, hit “next” and you’re ready to broadcast from your computer’s webcam.

A major difference between Facebook live videos and Twitch is that Twitch users are able to monetize their efforts. Facebook is working on that, though. The social media giant also has a significantly larger user base than Twitch, but its desktop streaming platform isn’t as feature-rich as Twitch’s. That’s especially true in terms of gaming: Twitch just introduced a new desktop app that adds a lot of gamer-specific functionality that Facebook doesn’t offer, like game downloads. For other purposes, however, Facebook looks like a much easier way to share and watch live video.

Source: Facebook