Microsoft AI is being used to improve CRISPR accuracy

Scientists have already used CRISPR gene editing techniques try and treat or cure diseases, improve birth rates and even alleviate allergic reactions. The problem is that it can be tricky to edit DNA accurately and safely. A new AI project from Microsoft called Elevation uses a ton of CRISPR data and machine learning to predict where best to edit a strand of DNA to alleviate side effects and speed up the editing process itself.

Many of the regions in genetic material look the same, which means that CRISPR can often work on the wrong gene, causing what scientists call off-target effects. A new paper published by researchers from Microsoft, MIT, Harvard, UCLS and Massachusetts General Hospital describes the new tool that predicts these effects. Elevation is a complement to 2016’s Azimuth, which predicts the opposite on-target effects. A cloud-based version of these tools are available for free on the web, as well. Inputting the name of the gene to be modified will return a list of guides that scientists can then sort via on- or off-target effects.

Via: Microsoft

Source: Nature Biomedical Engineering

Whatsapp servers can be compromised to add people to private groups

Messaging service Whatsapp made headlines in 2016 when it introduced end-to-end encryption to every message sent through the service, whether text, photo or video. Clearly security is a priority for the company. That’s why it’s so surprising that researchers have discovered a significant security flaw: Anyone in control of a Whatsapp server can add people to a private group with minimal effort, as reported by Wired.

The findings will be presented Wednesday at the Real World Crypto conference in Zurich. A group of researchers from Ruhr University probed multiple messaging apps for security flaws. They didn’t have any major findings with Signal and Threema. Whatsapp was a different story, which you can read in the paper they published on the topic.

“The confidentiality of the group is broken as soon as the uninvited member can obtain all the new messages and read them,” Paul Rösler, one of the paper’s coauthors, told Wired. End-to-end security protection doesn’t mean nearly as much when someone at the company can simply drop a new person into a private chat anytime they want. While usually, the administrator of a group is the only one who can invite a new person to a private chat, there isn’t a mechanism currently in place to authenticate that invitation. Once a person is invited, old messages will remain encrypted, but new ones will be available to the new member.

Now, it’s important to note the limits of this security flaw: Whoever was exploiting it would have to be in control of the messaging app’s servers. But if a server is indeed compromised, it’s not good news. WhatsApp noted to Wired that a notification would go out to all members if someone new were added to a group, so it’s not possible to add someone to a private chat and keep it a secret, but the fact that the possibility exists isn’t great in terms of security.

Via: Gizmodo

Source: Wired, iacr.org

Apple Now Selling Linksys Velop Mesh Wi-Fi System But Will Continue Offering AirPort Line

Apple recently began selling the Linksys Velop Mesh Wi-Fi System both online and in its retail stores, marking the first router the company has offered aside from its own rather outdated AirPort Extreme, AirPort Express, and AirPort Time Capsule.

Apple has not updated the AirPort Time Capsule or the AirPort Extreme since June of 2013, and it’s been even longer since the AirPort Express was last updated — 2012. A late 2016 rumor even suggested Apple had stopped development on its line of AirPort base stations entirely, disbanding its AirPort team and moving engineers to other projects.

Two Node Linksys Velop System
Though Apple has not updated the AirPort line in years and is now selling a third-party WiFi system, the company appears to be planning to continue to offer AirPort options for the foreseeable future. In a statement provided to 9to5Mac, an Apple spokesperson said the Linksys Velop is an option being provided to people with larger homes alongside the AirPort.

People love our AirPort products and we continue to sell them. Connectivity is important in the home and we are giving customers yet another option that is well suited for larger homes.

While Apple is continuing to offer its AirPort base stations for now, the devices won’t last forever sans update. Given Apple’s move to sell a third-party Wi-Fi product, it’s looking like the company does not have plans to update the lineup going forward.

The AirPort base stations provide several unique benefits that are not available with third-party options like built-in Time Machine backup support in the Time Capsule and AirPlay functionality for the AirPort Express. It’s possible Apple has plans to incorporate these features and Wi-Fi networking functionality into a future product, but if so, there are no rumors suggesting that’s the case at this point.

Apple’s AirPort lineup
The Linksys Velop that Apple is offering is designed to create a tri-band high-range mesh network able to provide a strong Wi-Fi signal throughout the home, putting an end to areas where Wi-Fi signal is weak. The Velop consists of multiple Nodes used to create an extended Wi-Fi network. Each of the Nodes is able to increase Wi-Fi range by up to 2,000 square feet, and because it increases range wirelessly, there are no wires to deal with.

Apple sells the Velop in two configurations, with either two or three nodes, for $349 or $499.

Related Roundup: AirPort
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Apple Inks Deal for ‘See’ Futuristic Drama Series Written by Peaky Blinders Creator Steven Knight

Apple has been snapping up multiple TV shows in recent months, and its newest straight-to-series order is for a drama called “See,” which was written by “Peaky Blinders” creator Steven Knight and will be directed by Francis Lawrence, known for his work on “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” and “Mockingjay.”

According to Deadline, the show is an epic world-building drama set in the future.

Francis Lawrence and Steven Knight, via Deadline
Little additional information is available on the series at this time, but it comes from Peter Chernin’s Chernin Entertainment and Endeavor Content, which are also behind “Are You Sleeping” another upcoming Apple TV show.

“See” joins several other scripted TV shows that Apple has in the works, including a revival of 1985 Steven Spielberg sci-fi series “Amazing Stories,” an untitled space drama developed by Ronald D. Moore, known for “Battlestar Galactica,” an untitled “morning show drama” starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston, and “Are You Sleeping,” a psychological thriller starring Octavia Spencer that focuses on a podcast that reopens a murder case.

Apple has also inked a deal for a docuseries called “Home,” which will offer a never-before-seen look inside some of the world’s most extra ordinary houses.

Apple has been aggressively pursuing original content since June of 2017, which is when it hired former Sony executives Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht to form a new video unit. Van Amburg and Erlicht, who produced shows like “Breaking Bad,” “The Crown,” and “Better Call Saul,” are running Apple’s video programming efforts on a worldwide scale under iTunes chief Eddy Cue.

It’s not yet clear when the first of Apple’s original TV shows will premiere, but it’s possible at least one series will debut later in 2018.

Related Roundup: Apple TVBuyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Buy Now)
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L’Oreal’s fingernail wearable tells users when they’ve had too much sun

A team of engineers at Northwestern University have teamed up with cosmetics company L’Oreal to create a fingernail wearable that lets users know when they’ve had too much Sun. UV Sense is small enough to stick on your nail, simple enough to work without batteries, and sophisticated enough to record cumulative UV exposure to help wearers avoid skin cancer.

At last check, nearly 77,000 people were diagnosed with skin cancer in the United States, making melanoma the most common form of cancer in the country. It’s not hard to see why. We tend to worship the sun like ancient Egyptians, spending entire days basking in its rays, too often neglecting the fact that a dark tan can lead to cancer.

With UV Sense, L’Oreal wants to make monitoring UV exposure easy. No wider than a dime and as thick as an M&M, the solar-powered device has no battery, moving parts, or buttons. It sticks on your fingernail — or necklace, shirt button, or bracelet — and uses a sensor to measure UV exposure.

It’s not as feature-rich and flashy as most other wearables, but that’s kind of the point. Just stick it on and periodically swipe it over your phone, which wirelessly collects its measurements and shows them in an app, complete with a UV report and advice on how to avoid the sun. As a L’Oreal device, expect recommendations on L’Oreal products to purchase as well.

“UV exposure is so key to skin health and appearance,” John Rogers, a Northwestern engineer who led the technical development, told Digital Trends. “From a user standpoint, it’s hard to imagine anything simpler, in the sense that you never have to worry if you’re battery is charged up, since it doesn’t need one. There are no moving parts or buttons, and no physical interfaces to the device. It all happens wirelessly to the phone.”

One of the biggest challenges Rogers and his team faced in developing UV Sense was the antenna design and electronic circuit design that enable such a small device to interface with a phone. Solving those issues, “opened up the ability to mount technology in places that were previously not considered,” he said. Like the fingernail.

It also means Rogers and his research can experiment with other miniaturized sensors to monitor things like heart rate, respiration rate, blood oxygen levels. “You can do all of that from the nail,” he said.

UV Sense should be available in time for summer and will retail for under $50, The Verge reports.

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Check out the best toasters for your sliced bread

Civilization was once more than pleased with a slice of unevenly toasted bread. Today, however, people are finicky about their toast to say the least. Some people like their toast to be barely heat-kissed, while others prefer it on the verge of carbonization. In the era of the smart home, the ability to toast to order is woefully insufficient.

The modern toaster is a Swiss Army Knife of bells, whistles, and aftermarket accessories. A company based out of Vermont even specializes in personalized metal toaster inserts that allow individuals to singe their own selfie onto a slice of toast. That being said, the perfect piece of toast is no joke — you’ll want to toast your toast. Below are a few of the best toasters for getting your delicious carbs to the perfect crisp.

The Best

KitchenAid ProLine Toaster ($308+)

The KitchenAid Pro Line Series two-slice is about as good as it gets in home toasting tech and with a price tag of over $300 it ought to be. Loaded with features, this toaster does everything except place the toast physically inside your mouth. The self-centering, automatic lifting and lowering racks actually sense when the bread has been loaded and when it has reached your desired toasting shade. One of the more unique features to the ProLine is the Keep Warm function, which keeps bread toasty for up to three minutes after toasting, preventing the existential crisis that comes with consuming toast that is less than optimal temperature. The ProLine also has the ability to toast frozen items, as well as bagels, meaning the entire world of toasted carbohydrates is at your fingertips. With seven toasting settings to choose from, there’s guaranteed to be an option for every member of your household, whether you’re topping your carbs with avocado or plain old butter.

Price: $300

Buy it now at:

Amazon

The Rest

Toasty timer — Cuisinart Touch to Toast Leverless ($80)

Like the ProLine, the Cuisinart Touch to Toast also comes with seven shade settings, and features slots that automatically adjust to the thickness of your bread and ensure even toasting. The most eye-catching feature on the Cuisinart is the front-mounted LCD display. Using a diminishing bar format, the display illustrates the remaining preparation time. Even with such fail-proof design enhancements, humans may still manage to forget about their toast once it’s left their line of sight. Thankfully, the reheat option allows you to revive your forgotten, cold toast without further browning. Designed to minimize heat on the uncut sides of bagels, you can say “so long” to burnt sesame seeds on your everything bagels with the Cuisinart Touch to Toast.

Price: $56+

Buy it now at:

Amazon Best Buy Home Depot

Warms your buns — Krups Control Line Toaster with Integrated Bun Warmer ($53+)

Although the Krups Control Line toaster only features a mere six toasting settings, the removable, top-mounted bun warmer more than makes up for the absent seventh setting. The extra-high lift feature means even the most hard-to-reach breads can easily be removed without burning your fingers. LED indicators and a stainless steel exterior add to the toaster’s modern aesthetic, while the removable crumb catch makes cleanup a breeze.

Price: $48+

Buy it now at:

Amazon JCPenney

See clearly — Dash Clear View Toaster ($42+)

As humans, we’re sometimes skeptical of the seemingly ubiquitous helper-bots in our lives. Thankfully, the built-in viewing window on the Dash Clear View allows you to keep a watchful eye on your precious toast. If it just so happens that the toaster has done everything expected of it and you forget about your now-cold toast, the reheat option can be quite useful. The Dash View incorporates seven browning settings, extra-long slots to accommodate breads of an array of widths and lengths, and an automatic shut off function designed to give consumers some additional peace of mind. The Dash Clear View even comes with access to the company’s expanding list of recipes.

Price: $53+

Buy it now at:

Amazon Kohl’s

Lovely looks — De’Longhi Icona 4-Slice Toaster ($100+)

The De’Longhi Icona is by far the most visually stunning toaster on this list. One-sided bagel toasting, an extra lift for easier extraction, and a removable crumb catch are all standard features as far as modern toasters are concerned. However, the Icona is clearly where toasting fashion and functionality converge. The glossy pearl finish, chrome accents, and retro look make the Icona a toaster meant for everyday countertop display. If you’re all right with your toasting tech taking a backseat to visual appeal, the Icona is the toaster for you.

Price: $81+

Buy it now at:

Amazon Best Buy

Keeps it cool — Cusiniart CPT-2000 2-Slice ($90+)

The extruded, insulated aluminum housing keeps the Cuisinart CPT 2000 cool to the touch while in use, rendering it exceptionally kid-friendly. Motorized lifting and lowering features also further automate and simplify the toasting process, while the narrow design means it won’t take up much counter space, as do some of the bulkier toasters on the market. Seven shade settings, enhanced bagel toasting, and a defrost option top off this high-end toaster.

Price: $122

Buy it now at:

Sears

Sounds the alarm — Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Long Slot ($180)

Sometimes you just want the arrival of your  toast to be announced to the world — or just to the members of your immediate household. The Breville Die-Cast does just that. Once your toast is ready, an alarm sounds so that you and everyone in your house will know it’s officially time for breakfast. You can adjust the audible alarm to sound either high or low and mute it if the proclamation seems like a tad much. Extra design bonuses include an LED toasting indicator, automatic toasting carriages, and a cool-touch die-cast metal exterior. The Lift and Look feature also allows you to take a sneak peak at the toasting progression without interrupting the cycle. It is a little bulky given its 15-inch length, but the concealed cord housing make stowing it both convenient and easy.

Price: $132

Buy it now at:

Amazon

Simple yet mighty — Conair Cuisinart Compact CPT-122 ($30+)

At a fraction of the cost of many of these other toasting titans, this little guy can still hang. The Cuisinart CPT-122 may not be clad in stainless steel per the current kitchen status quo, but the stainless steel accents still give the toaster a modern, welcome air. The seven toasting shades keep up with the other toasters on our list, and the wide slots allow you to cook thin slices as well as thick bagels. You won’t have to miss out on the latest features either, as the Cuisinart CPT-122 comes with convenient defrost and reheat options. It may look like your stereotypical toaster, but it’s as good as it gets if you prefer your toasters with more function than feng shui.

Price: $24

Buy it now at:

Amazon Home Depot

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Ventev’s Scott Franklin gives us a look into the future of wireless charging

Wireless charging is great, but it can also be a fickle thing. Since each phone has a different wireless sweet spot, figuring out just how to position it on a charger can be tricky. And, of course, you also need to keep in mind which type of wireless charging your phone uses. Ventev is aiming to solve this problem with products like its Wireless Charge Stand and the recent Wirelesspro dock. Scott Franklin, the company’s director of marketing, sat down with Digital Trends at CES 2018 to talk about these products, as well as the future of wireless charging.

With the adjustable charging pad on the Wireless Charge Stand, which supports multiple charging platforms, you can easily match the stand to the sweet spot on your phone. This also allows you to charge your phone in landscape mode if that’s what you prefer. This latest model also bumps up the wattage from five volts to 15 volts, shaving a few hours off of your charge time.

“Historically, wireless charging has been five watts, which was great, but it was really, really slow, particularly in a car,” Franklin said. “If you wanted to use your apps, [or were] listening to music, you were really just buying yourself time. You were not able to put enough power back into the phone to really use the phone the way you want to. With these new chargers with 15 watts, you’re now able to charge your phone and use your phone while traveling.”

The industry is looking much further down the path toward a future where you’ll never have to plug your phone in. Franklin says the handset makers aren’t there yet, and neither are the chipsets, but as technology improves, this is becoming a realistic expectation for the future.

For now, Ventev is working on improving its own technology to work from further and further away. The Wireless Charge Stand will charge your phone even if you’ve got it covered in a heavy case, something that just wasn’t possible in the early days of wireless charging. It’s not quite charging the phone while it’s still in your pocket, but Franklin says that the distance between you and your wireless charger will continue to grow.

Ventev’s Wireless Charge Stand is available now.

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Made with metal from illegal firerms, Yevo 1 headphones aim to curb gun violence

Your headphones may be more commonly used to shut out conversations rather than start them, but the new Yevo x Humanium Metal headphones are nothing short of a conversation piece about a global problem.

Created in partnership between Yevo Labs, a Stockholm-based innovation lab, and Humanium Metal by IM, which focuses on sourcing valuable metal from firearms, these are some seriously unique earbuds. Heralded as the first product to ever be created from metal melted down from illegal firearms, the headphone makers seek to repurpose violence and serve as the start of a global initiative for peace. Making their debut at CES 2018, Yevo 1 headphones will aid in creating a new source of funding for conflict-torn regions affected by illegal weapons violence.

“Creating Yevo x Humanian Metal, a product that elicits change in such a positive way, is the greatest reward,” said Andrea Vural, the founder of Yevo Labs. “This collaboration is bigger than headphones. It’s part of a global movement that removes illegal firearms from the streets and recycles them into a material that helps move us toward a more peaceful future, all while giving back to those affected by violent crime.”

Humanium Metal will be incorporated into the headphone’s earbuds, as well as the charging case. While there’s little information available about the new earbuds as far as sound quality or battery, images show that they appear to be sleekly designed, fully wireless earbuds. Of course, the real draw will be their backstory.

“For us, it’s of great meaning to be able to work with brands who want to invest in and contribute to a brighter future,” said Josefina Rovan, head of marketing and communications at IM. “By using Humanium Metal in products, [Yevo] can bring awareness and sustainable value to consumers, and at the same time, generate financial support and empower the people living in countries affected by gun violence.”

Be warned, though, these headphones will cost you a pretty penny. Sourcing metal from illegal firearms, after all, can’t be a cheap enterprise, and as such, the headphones will start at $499 when they become available early in 2018. Fifty percent of proceeds, however, will be dedicated to addressing illegal firearms violence.

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Apple agrees to cough up 137 million pounds ($185 million) in extra taxes

After an extensive audit of Apple’s accounts in the U.K. by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), Apple has agreed to pay out an extra 137 million British pounds ($185 million), which it describes as a “corporate income tax adjustment.”

This payment covers the years up to September 2015, according to The Guardian, and also includes interest on the unpaid tax. HMRC got Apple Europe, one of the company’s U.K. subsidiaries engaged in marketing and sales for other Apple subsidiaries to agree to the extra charges, after pointing out that it had not received an appropriate commission on sales leads generated for the Irish-based subsidiary. Apple’s European headquarters are in Ireland.

Apple released a statement saying: “We know the important role that tax payments play in society. Apple pays all that we owe according to tax laws and local customs in the countries where we operate. As a multinational business and the largest taxpayer in the world, Apple is regularly audited by tax authorities around the world. HMRC recently concluded a multiyear audit of our U.K. accounts and the settlement we reached with HMRC is reflected in our recently filed accounts.”

The payment came to light after Apple Europe filed accounts on Monday, January 8, that showed a pre-tax profit of 297 million pounds covering the 18 months up to April 1, 2017, and 57 million pounds paid tax, with an additional 137 million British pounds in back taxes. Tax payments from Apple Europe are also set to increase going forward, following this new understanding with HMRC.

It’s not the first time that Apple has fallen foul of the taxman in Europe. A three-year investigation into Ireland’s relationship with Apple found that the company had received too many tax breaks there and it was ordered to pay more than 13 billion euros in back taxes (currently around $15.5 billion). The European Commission rejected an Irish appeal and insisted the tax benefits were illegal under European Union rules because other businesses have had to pay tax at a much higher rate than Apple. Though Apple has reportedly started paying that bill it is still hoping to get the decision overturned.

In recent years, Apple has also been hit with a $118 million fine for underreporting income in Japan and a $348 million fine for tax evasion in Italy. After all the fuss about Apple funneling business from Europe through Irish subsidiaries, the Paradise Papers revealed that it had switched many of them to the island of Jersey, which is a largely self-governing “British Crown Dependency” capable of striking its own tax deals, as a new way to shelter profits.

Apple is the most profitable company in the world with more than $250 billion in the bank.

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Formlabs aims to usher in the era of ‘mass customization’ with new 3D printers

Much of 3D printing up until now focused on the idea of prototyping, or printing out things to test but not necessarily meant for the mass market. Formlabs is attempting to change that, showing off it’s recently released 3D printer, dubbed the Fuse 1, at CES 2018.

Chief Product Officer Dávid Lakatos stopped by the DT CES booth Tuesday afternoon to talk about the company’s efforts. After sorting out a bit of mic trouble on our part (sorry, folks!) Lakatos wowed us with what is the future of 3D printing, and what we crowned as the top emerging tech product of the year in 2017.

He pointed out that much of the current printers out there — including the one that printed the DT logo sitting on our desk this week — use a process that’s akin to a glue gun adding plastic layer by layer to form 3D shapes. The result isn’t the prettiest, and even the best printers still produce prints that are fairly rough without some post-print touch-ups.

The Fuse 1 uses a process known as “selective layer sintering.” Instead of the spools of plastic that we’re used to, Formlabs’ Fuse 1 uses a powder which is heated to right below the point where it would melt. From there a laser is selectively aimed at the particles, fusing them together.

As a result, not only are the prints much smoother — in fact some of the smoothest we’ve ever seen — they’re also incredibly strong. Dávid noted that this method creates highly durable parts, but due to its expensive nature, only about 2-3,000 of these types of 3D printers have been made. The Fuse 1 is an effort to double that number within a year.

At a price point of $10,000, the Fuse 1 definitely isn’t cheap, but compared to industrial SLS machines, it’s outrageously affordable. What’s more exiting though, is the fact that it can be used not only to produce prototype objects, but also “mass customized” products that can be sold and used directly after being printed.

Lakatos showed examples of custom earbuds that could be made to fit customer’s ear shapes perfectly in less than two hours, custom fit sunglasses, and a bevy of medical grade objects including prosthetics, casts, and even temporary dentures. Even the most complex prints wouldn’t take more than 8-10 hours, he says.

Formlabs is also working with New Balance to create custom insoles, which are important to prevent and relieve foot and back pain. That partnership was announced last year.

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