System would detect paused content on external devices and show ads on top. Roku TV sets come with ads. Generally, these are restricted to Roku’s home and menu screens, its screensavers, and its first-party video channels, and once you start playing video, the only ads you’ll see are the ones from the service you’re streamingContinue reading “Roku patent invents a way to show ads over anything you plug into your TV.”
Author Archives: Liz
Microsoft announces subscription-free version of Office 2024, with caveats.
No subscription fees, but fewer features. Microsoft is launching a subscription-free version of its Office suite that will be available as a commercial preview as soon as April, possibly relieving some enterprises of another paid subscription. Beta News reported that Microsoft will offer Office 2024 via the Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) as a one-time purchase,Continue reading “Microsoft announces subscription-free version of Office 2024, with caveats.”
Digital tools may ease inequities in maternal healthcare, report finds.
It’ll all boil down to equity-centered design, according to the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. When you think of “digital health tools,” you might think of telehealth apps and patient portals—platforms that you only access when you’re in need of medical attention. In reality, you’re likely using a digital health tool right now. Whether it’sContinue reading “Digital tools may ease inequities in maternal healthcare, report finds.”
Facebook snooped on users’ Snapchat traffic in secret project, documents reveal.
In 2016, Facebook launched a secret project designed to intercept and decrypt the network traffic between people using Snapchat’s app and its servers. The goal was to understand users’ behavior and help Facebook compete with Snapchat, according to newly unsealed court documents. Facebook called this “Project Ghostbusters,” in a clear reference to Snapchat’s ghost-like logo.Continue reading “Facebook snooped on users’ Snapchat traffic in secret project, documents reveal.”
Social media now unlawful for kids under 14 in Florida.
Children aged 14 to 15 must get their parents’ consent to have an account. Florida has just enacted a new law restricting social media access for children. Those aged 15 and under must now obtain their parents’ consent to have a social media account, while children under 14 aren’t allowed to have one at all.Continue reading “Social media now unlawful for kids under 14 in Florida.”
FCC approves cybersecurity trust mark for IoT products.
In the future, consumers may check their baby monitors and smart toasters for a shield logo. Look out, “I voted.” There’s a new sticker that smart device makers may want to show off. On March 15, the Federal Communications Commission unanimously approved a voluntary labeling program that adds Cyber Trust Marks to security cameras, garage door openers,Continue reading “FCC approves cybersecurity trust mark for IoT products.”
As AI booms, land near nuclear power plants becomes hot real estate.
Cheap low-carbon energy? What’s not to love… The land surrounding a nuclear power plant might not sound like prime real estate, but as more bit barns seek to trim costs, it’s poised to become a rather hot commodity. All datacenters are energy-hungry but with more watt-greedy AI workloads on the horizon, nuclear power has freshContinue reading “As AI booms, land near nuclear power plants becomes hot real estate.”
Your iPhone may never be the same after the U.S. sues Apple. Here’s how.
If the Department of Justice gets its way, Apple might be forced to update certain hallmark iOS features. There’s a reckoning in Big Tech, as the Department of Justice filed a landmark antitrust lawsuit against Apple, alleging that it has leveraged everything from its App Store to iMessages to create an iPhone monopoly. (The suit followsContinue reading “Your iPhone may never be the same after the U.S. sues Apple. Here’s how.”
The Great Programming Language Debate: A Perspective on Why It Just Doesn’t Matter.
Ah, the age-old debate that rages on in forums, at tech meetups, and probably even in your dreams: which programming language reigns supreme? As someone who’s been slinging code since the days when dial-up internet was the height of sophistication, I’ve seen my fair share of programming languages rise and fall. I’ve written everything fromContinue reading “The Great Programming Language Debate: A Perspective on Why It Just Doesn’t Matter.”
Nicholas Vincent explains why robots.txt is no longer enough to protect against web scraping.
Robots.txt just isn’t up to the task of keeping public data out of AI training sets. The only thing between a website and an internet scraper’s database is a tiny file called robots.txt, a small configuration file that tells web crawlers for services ranging from Google to OpenAI which parts of a site they canContinue reading “Nicholas Vincent explains why robots.txt is no longer enough to protect against web scraping.”
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