American Airlines planes will get ViaSat’s powerful WiFi

American Airlines is equipping a fleet of Boeing 737 MAX planes with in-flight WiFi other than Gogo’s. It has inked a deal with California-based company ViaSat, which also provides internet connection to some of Virgin America’s newest A320 planes. ViaSat promises an “at home” experience by providing you with a (12 Mbps) connection strong enough to stream movies and music. It uses a high-capacity satellite system, and it’s launching another satellite in 2019 to make its connection even faster. You can’t confirm that speed on an AA plane just yet, though: the 100 737 MAX planes the carrier ordered won’t be delivered until September 2017.

According to Chicago Tribune, Gogo’s shares dropped after the partnership was announced. However, despite AA’s and Gogo’s tumultuous relationship, they’re not completely breaking up just yet. American Airlines petitioned a district court in February to allow it to ditch Gogo and switch to ViaSat. It ended up withdrawing its request, though, and agreed to equip 134 Airbus planes with Gogo’s newer 2Ku WiFi service.

Source: ViaSat

Password app developer overlooks security hole to preserve ads

Think it’s bad when companies take their time fixing security vulnerabilities? Imagine what happens when they avoid fixing those holes in the name of a little cash. KeePass 2 developer Dominik Reichl has declined to patch a flaw in the password manager’s update check as the “indirect costs” of the upgrade (which would encrypt web traffic) are too high — namely, it’d lose ad revenue. Yes, the implication is that profit is more important than protecting users.

The impact is potentially quite severe, too. An attacker could hijack the update process and deliver malware that would compromise your PC.

To his credit, Reichl notes that he’d like to move to encryption as soon as he believes it’s possible. You can also verify that you’re getting a signed download, if you’re worried. However, it’s still contradictory to develop a security-centric app and decide that security should take a back seat. Even if it’s true that ad income would take a steep hit, the consequences of knowingly exposing people to attack (including alienating those who once trusted the password tool) are likely far more severe.

Via: Hacker News, SwiftOnSecurity (Twitter)

Source: Bogner.sh, Sourceforge

Silk Road 2.0 staffer gets 8 years in prison

It’s clear that authorities want Silk Road 2.0’s operators to face stiff penalties for running an online black market… even when they’re not the top dogs. A federal judge has sentenced Brian Farrell, a key assistant to site architect Blake Benthall, to 8 years in prison. Farrell had pleaded guilty in March to conspiring to sell illegal drugs (including cocaine, heroin and meth) through the Dark Web portal, which emerged just weeks after law enforcement shut down the original Silk Road in fall 2013.

The penalty isn’t entirely shocking. Prosecutors say that Farrell admitted to being vital to Benthall. He may not have been running the show, but he was more than just a cog in the machine. However fitting the penalty might be, it’s likely intended as a warning to other secret site workers: you won’t get a slap on the wrist just because you’re a subordinate.

Source: Reuters

RNA gene editing could stop viruses in their tracks

The gene editing technique CRISPR promises to treat all kinds of genetically-linked conditions, but it’s so far limited to tweaking DNA, not the RNA that does everything from carrying protein sequence info to regulating gene expression. That may change soon, however. Scientists have discovered that a commonplace mouth bacterium (Leptotrichia shahii) can be programmed to break down whatever RNA you want. You could rip apart viruses, which are frequently based solely around RNA, or kill a cancer cell by denying it the chance to make vital proteins.

This isn’t a cure-all right now. Researchers have to refine their approach before it works in humans, and it’s hard to say whether or not this RNA editing will be as effective in practice. As you might surmise, though, the potential is huge. If this works as well as it suggests, you could fight a wider array of illnesses with gene editing, even those that are notoriously difficult to treat using conventional methods.

Via: New York Times

Source: Science

The Prophix smart toothbrush will film the inside of your mouth

The American Dental Association recommends using an electric toothbrush over a manual one, but even with the added power, it’s possible to miss spots while cleaning your teeth. The forthcoming Prophix smart video toothbrush from Onvi aims to improve your brushing efficiency by showing you a live stream of the inside of your mouth — on your phone.

The Prophix packs in a small light and an HD camera, capable of recording 1080p video and 10-megapixel stills. This allows users to get a gag-inducing closeup view of where the brush head is cleaning — not to mention the flecks of food and gunk caught between your teeth. Luckily, the system includes four interchangeable attachments — a brush, a prophy cup, a rubber picking tip and a tiny mirror — to help you scrub away that effluence. What’s more, if you happen to find a trouble spot, you’ll be able to snap a photo of it to show your dentist later.

The ability to film the inside of your mouth will not come cheap. Despite the fact that this device performs the same basic function as my existing system (aka my bathroom mirror and a pair of functional eyes), Onvi is asking a whopping $400 for the Prophix. That’s roughly double what both the Sonicare FlexCare Platinum and Oral-B 7000 SmartSeries brushes sell for. I mean, I can understand the advantage of including the prophy cup and rubber pick attachments, especially for people who are already dealing with dental issues like gingivitis. But slapping a camera and light on this thing — not to mention having to install yet another app — feels gimmicky.

Also, if you’ve got $400 to blow on a video toothbrush, then you’re clearly an adult. An adult who, presumably, is responsible enough to brush his damn teeth regularly without having to follow the directions of a gamified stat tracker.

Six gadgets that let you cook with sunlight

Barbecue season has begun in the United States, and folks are dusting off their charcoal and propane grills for the first time in months to welcome the warmer weather. However, outdoor cooks have another option — if they’re adventurous enough to try cooking with the power of the sun. The concept of a solar ovens isn’t new; in fact, it’s probably quite ancient. But technological advancements made it possible to increase efficiency and make it easier to cook without traditional fuel. There are high-tech options field tested in remote terrain, a tubular solar cooker that reaches 550 Farenheit within just a few minutes, and even a super hot “death ray” that could have produced some tasty results, if it hadn’t self-destructed.