Former FCC broadband advisor arrested on $250 million fraud charges

A former broadband advisor picked by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to push high-speed internet access in rural areas has been arrested on multi-million dollar fraud charges. It is alleged that during her time with Alaska-based fiber optic cable provider Quintillion, former CEO Elizabeth Pierce raised more than $250 million from investment firms in New York using forged contracts from other companies. By using bogus documents, she convinced other investors that Quintillion had already secured backing from elsewhere, leading them to believe their investment was stronger than it actually was.

It appears that Pierce wanted to raise money to build a fiber optic system that would better connect Alaska with other states in the US. She has been vocal about Alaska’s need for high-speed internet, which is why she was recruited by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai for the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC) in April last year. According to the charges, Pierce’s alleged crimes spanned from May 2015 to July 2017. She abruptly left Quintillion just one month later, and the BDAC a month after that.

Quintillion says it began cooperating with the Department of Justice immediately after the allegations surfaced, stating in a press release that it “self-reported” to authorities, and noting that the investigation has had no impact on the company’s operations. Pierce was formerly charged on Thursday and if found guilty could be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Via: The Verge

Source: Department of Justice

Scientists accidentally produce an enzyme that devours plastic

There are research teams around the world dedicated to finding a remedy for the growing plastic pollution crisis, but now it seems that one group of scientists have found a feasible answer — and they stumbled upon it by accident. Researchers studying a newly-discovered bacterium found that with a few tweaks, the bug can be turned into a mutant enzyme that starts eating plastic in a matter of days, compared to the centuries it takes for plastic to break down in the ocean.

The surprise discovery was made when scientists began investigating the structure of a bacterium found in a waste dump in Japan. The bug produced an enzyme, which the team studied using the Diamond Light Source, an intense beam of X-rays 10 billion times brighter than the sun. At first, the enzyme looked similar to one evolved by many kinds of bacteria to break down cutin, a natural polymer used by plants as a protective layer. But after some gentle manipulation, the team actually improved its ability to eat PET (polyethylene terephthalate), the type of plastic used in drinks bottles.

Speaking to The Guardian, Professor John McGeehan, who led the research from the University of Portsmouth, said the discovery was “a bit of a shock,” but that it could have a significant impact on the mounting global plastics problem. PET bottles that are currently recycled can only be turned into fibers for clothing and carpets. The mutant enzyme could be used to turn plastic back into its original components. “It means we won’t need to dig up any more oil and, fundamentally, it should reduce the amount of plastic in the environment,” said McGeehan.

Existing examples of industrial enzymes, such as those used in detergents and biofuels, have been manipulated to work up to 1,000 times faster in just a few years — McGeehan believes the same could be possible with the new enzyme: “It gives us scope to use all the technology used in other enzyme development for years and years and make a super-fast enzyme.” According to the team, potential future uses for the enzyme could include spraying it on the huge islands of floating plastic in oceans to break down the material.

Plastic pollution has seen renewed focus in recent times, thanks largely to attention drawn by David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II series, and through a number of legislative proposals. Science has examined a huge range of solutions, from plastic-plucking robots to infrared identification from space, but the discovery of this mutant enzyme could herald an entirely new way of dealing with the issue.

Via: The Guardian

Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Intel reworks its malware scanner to speed up its processors

Since the full impact of Spectre and Meltdown became clear earlier this year, Intel has been making a big effort to reassure its customers that security is its top priority. To that end, the company has announced Intel Threat Detection Technology (TDT), which aims to fortify against malicious attacks without affecting CPU performance.

TDT includes an “Accelerated Memory Scanning” feature which uses GPU to scan through memory for malware, instead of the CPU. Intel claims this will reduce processor loads from 20 percent to as little as two percent. TDT also includes “Advanced Platform Telemetry”, which essentially leverages cloud-based machine learning and endpoint data collection to identify anomalous system behavior. Intel’s twist, however, is that it will go beyond operating system-level events to examine things like the processor’s integrated performance counters in identifying unusual processor activity. TDT will be available on 6th, 7th and 8th generation Intel processors.

In a further bid to beef up its approach to security, the company has also created some new branding for existing features. Disparate technologies, such as Platform Trust Technology, Platform Firmware Resilience and individual instructions for specific processors and chipsets, have been brought together under the umbrella term “Intel Security Essentials”. According to Intel’s platform security division vice president Rick Echevarria, this will “improve the security posture” of computing, and with Intel’s other security features, should provide a stronger foundation against future threats.

Source: Intel

Apple may add subscriptions to its News app

Apple is apparently putting its Texture purchase to use to build a subscription-based news service. Bloomberg reports that the electronics juggernaut is looking to make some changes to the way Apple News operates and that the new premium offering should launch sometime within the next year. A cut of subscription revenue will go to magazine publishers, of course. Texture’s quasi-Netflix approach to reading offered all-you-can-eat magazines for $10 a month.

It’d make sense for Apple to try another service on for size. Apple Music is steadily gaining new subscribers (40 million total as of last week), and the prospect of luring in additional regular revenue is probably extremely attractive for the company. However, success might prove difficult — Flipboard’s Premium service isn’t exactly setting the world on fire, nor is Scribd.

Source: Bloomberg

Walmart will roll out a cleaner, sleeker website in May

In a few weeks’ time, you might not even recognize Walmart’s website. The retail giant is giving it a total make-better — that’s a makeover in Queer Eye parlance — with what it says is “an entirely new look and feel.” Based on the image the company released with its announcement, we can expect a much cleaner interface with photos that look like they came from a lifestyle magazine. Walmart US e-commerce chief Marc Lore said, they’re featuring relatable photography to “bring a more human element to the site.”

According to The Wall Street Journal, Walmart execs decided that it was time for a sleeker look in order to appeal to higher-end brands, so it can expand the range of products it offers. The cleaner look was also meant to entice people to browser more products — indeed, it’s as if a hoarder has finally cleaned up and decluttered. You’ll also notice that the website isn’t so blue anymore.

In addition to a more polished look, Walmart’s new website will also offer a quick way to repurchase items you’ve bought before. It will highlight the top-selling items in your area, as well, so you’re not the last person in the neighborhood to find a good deal when it’s too late. Walmart’s execs believe that bringing in more expensive brands and making sure people are spending a lot of time on the website can make the company’s e-commerce business more profitable. Whether the higher-end feel can help Walmart pull customers away from Amazon’s more cluttered, pretty chaotic website, however, remains to be seen.

Source: Walmart

Apple Expected to Launch Subscription News Service Within Next Year Following Texture Acquisition

Apple plans to offer a subscription-based news service within the next year, according to Mark Gurman, reporting for Bloomberg News. Apple declined to comment on the report, as it has not announced the plans publicly.

The service is said to be based on subscription-based digital magazine app Texture, which is expected to be integrated into the Apple News app on iPhone and iPad, pending approval of Apple’s agreement to acquire the company.

Texture provides unlimited access to over 200 digital magazines for $9.99 per month. Available magazine titles include People, Vogue, Rolling Stone, National Geographic, GQ, Sports Illustrated, Wired, Maxim, Men’s Health, GQ, Bloomberg Businessweek, ESPN The Magazine, and Entertainment Weekly.

“We are committed to quality journalism from trusted sources and allowing magazines to keep producing beautifully designed and engaging stories for users,” said Apple’s services chief Eddy Cue, on Apple acquiring Texture.

The service would essentially be like Apple Music, which provides unlimited streaming of over 45 million songs for $9.99 per month, but for news and magazines. The revenue would help boost Apple’s growing services division, including the App Store and iCloud, while a cut would also go to publishers.

The premium tier would likely complement the existing ad-supported content available within the Apple News app, which is currently available in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom on iOS 9 and later.

Apple previously offered a Newsstand app with digital magazines and newspapers, but subscriptions were only available on a title-by-title basis.

Tags: bloomberg.com, Apple News, Texture
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Sonos Announces New Colors for Sonos One Speaker Coming This September

Sonos today announced the upcoming debut of new color options for the Sonos One speaker, launching in addition to the device’s current colors of white and black. Created in collaboration with Danish design brand HAY, the Sonos One will be available in red, yellow, and green in September 2018.

Although not mentioned specifically, the announcement of the new speaker colors also includes an image with a light pink speaker, so there could be additional colors coming as well. The update is focused on new colors and does not appear to include any changes or overhauls to other features of the Sonos One, but the price will be increased to $229/£229/€259, from $199/£199/€229 (via The Verge).

Inspired by the Danish company’s 2018 color palette, the HAY Sonos One Limited Edition Collection will provide customers with a bit more personalization options for Sonos’s latest speaker, according to representatives from both companies.

“Our speakers aren’t designed to claim attention but to blend naturally into their surroundings,” says Sonos VP of Design Tad Toulis. Even with the addition of colors to the typically black-and-white Sonos product line, the new HAY Sonos One still manages to maintain that aesthetic subtlety.

“These speakers deserve to be treated like furniture: strong, independent objects that fit different needs and spaces,” says Hay. By leveraging HAY’s singular approach to color, this limited edition collection fully realizes the Sonos philosophy of sonic architecture and harmonizes both brands’ ability to create products that can transform a home.

Sonos announced and launched the Sonos One in October 2017, placing the speaker as an entrant in the ever-growing smart speaker market. In January, on the same day that pre-orders for Apple’s HomePod went live, Sonos launched a bundle that included two Sonos One speakers together for $349/£349, saving customers $50 and directly matching HomePod’s $350 price tag.

Sonos says that today’s announcement is just the start of its collaboration with HAY, so users can likely expect more colorful Sonos devices down the line. The HAY Sonos One will debut this September on Sonos.com and in Sonos flagship stores in New York City, London, and Berlin, and at the HAY House in Copenhagen.

Tag: Sonos
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SpaceX will build its massive interplanetary rocket in Los Angeles

SpaceX can start building its “Big Fucking Rocket,” now that it has officially found a home in LA. Mayor Eric Garcetti has announced on Twitter that the private space giant “will start production development of the Big Falcon Rocket (the spacecraft’s tamer name, apparently)” at the port of Los Angeles. SpaceX designed the 348-foot-long behemoth to fly humanity to the moon, Mars and beyond. It will be able to carry up to 50 tons in payload, whereas Falcon Heavy can only carry 30 tons. “This vehicle holds the promise of taking humanity deeper into the cosmos than ever before,” he added, along with an illustration of the company’s massive interplanetary spacecraft.

Officially announcing that @SpaceX will start production development of the Big Falcon Rocket 🚀 in the @PortofLA!

This vehicle holds the promise of taking humanity deeper into the cosmos than ever before. #SOTC2018 pic.twitter.com/2TtGy9NERX

— Mayor Eric Garcetti (@MayorOfLA) April 16, 2018

SpaceX signed a 30-year lease for an 18-acre site at the LA Port in late March. According to Ars Technica, it has already started moving hardware to the location with the intention of building a “state-of-the-art” manufacturing facility. Due to the BFR’s size, the company needs a new plant separate from its Hawthorne site where it builds its Falcon 9 and Heavy rockets — one that’s near water, so it can easily ship it out for testing when it’s ready.

SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said in a statement:

“SpaceX has called the Port of Los Angeles home to our west coast recovery operations since 2012. The Port will play an increasingly important role in our mission to help make humanity multi-planetary as SpaceX begins production development of BFR — our next generation rocket and spaceship system capable of carrying crew and cargo to the moon, Mars and beyond.”

SpaceX will build the BFR not just for deep space journeys, though, but also for incredibly fast air travel from one country to another. The company believes we can use the rocket to travel anywhere on Earth within an hour. But before that can happen, SpaceX will have to put it through some rigorous testing. Company chief Elon Musk wants the first set of tests to take place in 2019, but as he said, his timelines tend to be a bit too optimistic.

Source: Bloomberg

B&O Announces ‘Premium, Powerful, Portable’ Beoplay P6 Wireless Speaker

Bang & Olufsen brand subsidiary B&O Play today announced the Beoplay P6, the latest offering in its range of portable wireless speakers.

Designed by Cecilie Manz, the P6 shares a similar aesthetic to the Danish audio company’s Beoplay A1 and P2, featuring a dust and splashproof anodized aluminum exterior with square speaker grilles on both sides, and a leather strap looped through one side for carrying.

Across the curved top of the speaker is a strip of Beomaster 6000-inspired integrated flex buttons for controlling volume, playback, Bluetooth, accepting/rejecting calls, and invoking any voice assistant available on the connected device, such as Siri on iPhone. There’s also a built-in omnidirectional mic for conference calling.

The Bluetooth speaker weighs 1kg and measures 170 x 130 x 68mm, which makes this a slim unit when you consider it houses a 2600mAh rechargeable battery providing up to 16 hours of playing time at moderate listening levels. Charging time is said to be three hours over USB-C.

The upright design is made to elevate the stereo output from three Class D amplifier channels delivering a total of 215 Watts, while Bang & Olufsen’s True360 audio processing promises a uniform radiation of sound from the aluminum chassis.

The Beoplay P6 costs $399/£349 and is available from April 23 in black and natural color options. The speaker comes with a USB-C to USB-A charging cable, while a USB-C to USB-C cable is an optional accessory. See the Beoplay website for more.

Tag: Bang & Olufsen
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Facebook class action lawsuit over facial recognition OK’d by judge

Facebook has been trying to get a lawsuit claiming its facial recognition tech violates an Illinois privacy act dismissed for years. Well, that’s not going to happen anytime soon, because San Francisco federal judge James Donato — the same judge who denied Facebook’s motion to dismiss in 2016 — has just given the case the go-ahead to proceed as a class action lawsuit. “Plaintiffs’ claims are sufficiently cohesive to allow for a fair and efficient resolution on a class basis,” he wrote in his ruling.

Judge Donato didn’t agree with Facebook’s argument that the law doesn’t apply to it, because its servers aren’t located in the state. He said the servers’ geographic locations aren’t “a dispositive factor” in the case. The lawsuit was originally filed back in 2015 by users in Illinois, accusing the social network of violating a law in the state that prohibits the collection of biometric info.

According to Donato’s decision, the class action will consist of users in the state “for whom Facebook created and stored a face template after June 7, 2011.” That was when the company rolled out “Tag Suggestions,” which recognizes and suggests people you can tag in photos. Not everyone who’s had their photos uploaded on the website can be part of the complaint, but the class-action could still have millions of people in the plaintiff’s camp. Facebook, however, “continue[s] to believe the case has no merit and” vows to “defend [itself] vigorously.”

Source: Reuters