Just when you think Sony doesn’t have any more weird and fanciful designs left in it, the company surprises you. Building on devices like the SRS-WS1, it announced the SRS-NB10 on Tuesday. It's a neckband speaker the company says it designed with remote workers in mind. Set to cost $150 when it goes on sale later this year, the NB10 promises up to 20 hours of audio playback “optimized for your ears alone” with drivers that are angled upward.
Sony
As long as you’re listening to something at a relatively low volume, Sony says you “don’t need to worry about distracting colleagues, roommates or family.” But let’s be real here, you’re wearing a speaker on your shoulders. That’s the kind of energy that’s matched only by the co-worker who insists on bringing their mechanical keyboard to work.
The SRS-NB10 isn't only a speaker, however. You can also use it for voice and video calls. Thanks to two beamforming microphones and its built-in voice processing technology, Sony claims the NB10 will make it easy for people on the other end of a call to hear you. What’s more, the “open-ear” design makes it so that you can hear what’s going on around you.
Sony
The NB10 can connect to two Bluetooth-capable devices simultaneously, allowing you to switch between them as needed. Should you have the courage to wear the NB10 to say the gym, they’re also IPX4-certified water-resistant. And thanks to USB-C charging, you can get an additional hour of playback after 10 minutes at the outlet.
The SRS-NB10 will be available in two colors — charcoal grey and white — when it goes on sale in September.
Muse Group, the new owner of audio-editing app Audacity, caused a stir in recent days with an update to the software's privacy policy. It stated that Muse Group will collect users' personal data and possibly share that information with third parties, including law enforcement and potential buyers. That led to claims from users that the software was becoming "spyware."
The company has attempted to clear up the controversy, which it says is primarily down to "unclear phrasing in the Privacy Policy,” as Music Radar reported. Muse Group says it will only collect "very limited" data (operating system version, processor type, IP address and opt-in error reports) from Audacity users. Users' IP addresses are stored in a readable format for 24 hours before they become "pseudonymized and irretrievable."
Muse Group added it will only share data if required by a court in a jurisdiction in which it operates. It won't hand over user information following a law enforcement request or otherwise sell or share data. The data collection is "a standard policy requirement for providing services in many jurisdictions, regardless of the depth of data collected or nature of service," the company said.
"We do understand that unclear phrasing of the Privacy Policy and lack of context regarding introduction has led to major concerns about how we use and store the very limited data we collect," Muse Group's head of strategy Daniel Ray wrote on GitHub. The company is working with its legal team on a revised, clearer version of the policy, which it plans to publish soon.
The limited data collection is necessary because of two new features in the upcoming version of Audacity, according to Ray: a way to automatically check for updates, and the optional error reporting. Ray didn't address a privacy policy request for users aged under 13 not to use the app. The General Public License under which Audacity is distributed doesn't allow restrictions on the use of software.
The updated privacy policy does not apply "to offline use of the application," so if you block Audacity's access to the internet, it shouldn't be an issue. The policy will only come into force with the next version of the software, 3.0.3. Current and older versions don't have any networking features and they won't collect any data.
At best, this was a case of miscommunication which caused concern among Audacity users. Nevertheless, many community members are pushing for a fork of the open-source app without any data collection requirements.
The OnePlus 9 Pro holds its own against the stiff competition from Apple and Samsung, and that's more than most competing smartphones can say. If you're looking for a different sort of handset with all the premium features typically found in a smartphone made by the usual suspects, the OnePlus 9 Pro could fit the bill. But just like Apple's and Samsung's flagships, the 9 Pro doesn't come cheap with a starting price of $1,070. But Amazon has the 9 Pro for $100 less right now, bringing it down to $970 — the cheapest we've seen it since launch. And if you want to spend even less, the regular OnePlus 9 is on sale for $650, or $80 off its normal price.
The OnePlus 9 Pro impressed us with its comprehensive set of features and (for the most part) it's excellent cameras. While slimmer than previous models, the 9 Pro doesn't look drastically different than other OnePlus smartphones and that's a good thing. It has a lovely 6.7-inch, 3,216 x 1,440 AMOLED display that supports up to a 120Hz refresh rate and a brightness up to 1,300 nits. OnePlus also includes a bunch of customizable screen settings that can help you do things like get the best mobile gaming experience or increase battery life when necessary. The IP68-rated handset also has dual speakers, a microSIM card slot and one Warp Charge-compatible USB-C port.
OnePlus collaborated with Hasselblad on the 9 Pro's rear camera array, which includes a 48-megapixel main camera, 50MP ultra-wide lens and an 8MP telephoto lens. Overall, the system produces lovely images with true-to-life colors, and it's capable of shooting video in up to 8K 30fps. Our biggest gripe was with the telephoto lens, which had a tendency to take overexposed images in bright environments.
Thankfully, we had no complaints about the OnePlus 9 Pro's performance. It runs on a Snapdragon 888 processor, 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and there's very little that combination of specs can't handle. The 9 Pro's highly responsive display only helps the smartphone feel ever fast, too. Battery life is also quite good as the dual 4,500mAh cells lasted at least a full day without breaking a sweat, and you'll get even more juice out of them if you leave the display on Full HD.
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Audacity is hugely popular audio editing software, often used by beginner podcasters but with some powerful features, despite its free, open-source status.
However, recent changes to Audacity’s privacy policy have led to accusations that the editing app is now spyware. Alongside collecting user data for "app analytics" and "improving our app" — typical stuff — the data will also apparently be used for "legal enforcement."
The policy says it will capture "data necessary for law enforcement, litigation and authorities' requests (if any)." It may share personal data with "any competent law enforcement body, regulatory, government agency, court or other third party where we believe disclosure is necessary.” Yes, it’s a little vague.
These privacy policy changes follow Audacity’s acquisition by Muse Group back in April. The changes also include a ban on under-13s using Audacity, which would violate the license under which the software is currently distributed.
Data collection was apparently in the planning since Audacity’s purchase. As some reports have noticed, a Github update says the app was supposed to include opt-in anonymous analytics data collection, handled through Google and Yandex, but this was caveated by remarks that it would be "strictly optional and disabled by default." It didn’t sound as broad as the eventual policy update.
Talking of Github, some users are already calling for a fork of the software, creating a new version of the app based on the source code. For Audacity owners, Muse Group, it’s a rough start to its newest purchase.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is a little confusing, if the name didn’t give it away. It’s Final Fantasy 7 Remake polished up for the PlayStation 5, but it also includes new original content called Intermission. This is a two-chapter run completely separate to the main game, following the once-optional character Yuffie arriving into Remake’s main locale, Midgar. Sadly, you can only play Intermission with a PS5. But, oh boy, it plays like a dream. Continue reading.
Electric hypercar company Rimac is taking control of Volkswagen’s supercar brand Bugatti as part of a joint venture with Porsche (which VW owns). Bugatti and Rimac will share resources and expertise but remain separate brands with their own production and distribution setups.
Bugatti will be able to harness Rimac's EV know-how and perhaps carry on its legacy of making electric vehicles. Rimac, meanwhile, can tap into the knowledge of Bugatti, which makes the second-fastest street-legal car on the planet: the Bugatti Veyron. Continue reading.
Korean scientists claim a new desalination technique makes seawater fit to drink in minutes. The researchers’ membrane distillation process resulted in 99.9 percent salt rejection for a whole month. If commercialized, they say the solution could help alleviate the drinking water crisis exacerbated by climate change. According to the UN, more than 3 billion people worldwide are affected by water shortages.
While scientists have used membrane distillation in the past, if the membrane became too wet, it was unable to reject the salt. This particular solution uses a 3D membrane and nanotechnology. Continue reading.
In New York, Bumble is opening a café/restaurant/wine bar. Bumble Brew is scheduled to open for breakfast service on July 24th, with lunch and dinner service starting at the Nolita spot in the coming weeks. Along with an 80-seat dining room, there will be a cocktail bar, patio dining and private dining space.
The new venture builds on the Bumble Hive pop-up community spaces where people can hang out, eat and drink and meet others. Alas, you won’t be able to reserve a table direct from the app — at least not yet. Continue reading.
Recent changes to the Audacity privacy policy have led to some users calling the audio-editing app spyware. The open-source software is now collecting user data for "app analytics" and "improving our app" as well as "for legal enforcement."
The privacy policy was updated on July 2nd, following Muse Group's acquisition of Audacity in April — Muse Group also owns Ultimate Guitar and notation app MuseScore. As reported by Foss Post, the policy notes Muse Group is collecting details about users' operating system version, processor, country based on IP address, crash reports and non-fatal error codes and messages. According to the policy, processing that data is in the "legitimate interest" of the company "to offer and ensure the proper functioning of the app."
The data it collects on law enforcement grounds is more vague. The policy says Muse Group will capture "data necessary for law enforcement, litigation and authorities' requests (if any)." It may share personal data with "any competent law enforcement body, regulatory, government agency, court or other third party where we believe disclosure is necessary." Data may be shared with potential buyers too.
Users' personal data is stored on servers in the European Economic Area (EEA). However, Muse Group is "occasionally required to share your personal data with our main office in Russia and our external counsel in the USA." Muse Group noted that whenever personal data is "transferred outside the EEA to countries that are not deemed adequate by the European Commission, your Personal Data receives an adequate level of protection in accordance with [the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation]."
The policy states users' IP addresses are "stored in an identifiable way" for a day before they're hashed. That leaves users open to identification through law enforcement or government data requests.
Several other points in the privacy policy have raised some eyebrows, including a ban on under-13s using Audacity. That, as Foss Post notes, violates the license under which Audacity is distributed. The General Public License prohibits restrictions on software use. Engadget has contacted Muse Group for comment.
All is not lost for Audacity users who value their privacy and pre-teens who tinker with audio in the app. Some users have been calling for a fork of the software, a new version of the app based on the source code. It wouldn't be surprising to see the community take Audacity in that direction.
Until that fork arrives, privacy-conscious users might want to find alternative software, or at least block Audacity from accessing the internet. After all, it's a desktop app that doesn't have any tangible online functions.
There's a limit to what you can learn about cells from 2D pictures, but creating 3D images is a time-intensive process. Now, scientists from UT Southwestern have developed a new "simple and cost-effective" device capable of capturing multi-angle photos that can be retrofitted onto existing lab microscopes. The team say their solution — which involves inserting a unit of two rotating mirrors in front of a microscope's camera — is 100 times faster than converting images from 2D to 3D.
Currently, this process involves collecting hundreds of photos of a specimen that can be uploaded as an image stack into a graphics software program, which then performs computations in order to provide multiple viewing perspectives. Even with a powerful computer, those two steps can be time-consuming. But, using their optical device, the team found they could bypass that method altogether.
What's more, they claim their approach is even faster as it requires only one camera exposure instead of the hundreds of camera frames used for entire 3D image stacks. They discovered the technique while de-skewing the images captured by two common light-sheet microscopes. While experimenting with their optical method, they realized that when they used an incorrect amount of de-skew the projected image seemed to rotate.
"This was the aha! moment," said Reto Fiolka, assistant professor at the Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics at UT Southwestern. "We realized that this could be bigger than just an optical de-skewing method; that the system could work for other kinds of microscopes as well.”
Using their modified microscope, the team imaged calcium ions carrying signals between nerve cells in a culture dish and looked at the circulatory system of a zebrafish embryo. They also rapidly imaged cancer cells in motion and a beating zebrafish heart. They also applied the optical unit to additional microscopes, including light-sheet and spinning disk confocal microscopy.
Google is still racing to pull Android apps that commit major privacy violations. Ars Technicanotes that Google has removed nine apps from the Play Store after Dr. Web analysts discovered they were trojans stealing Facebook login details. These weren't obscure titles — the malware had over 5.8 million combined downloads and posed as easy-to-find titles like "Horoscope Daily" and "Rubbish Cleaner."
The apps tricked users by loading the real Facebook sign-in page, only to load JavaScript from a command and control server to "hijack" credentials and pass them along to the app (and thus the command server). They would also steal cookies from the authorization session. Facebook was the target in each case, but the creators could just have easily steered users toward other internet services.
There were five malware variants in the mix, but all of them used the same JavaScript code and configuration file formats to swipe information.
Google told Ars it banned all the app developers from the store, although that might not be much of a deterrent when the perpetrators can likely create new developer accounts. Google may need to screen for the malware itself to keep the attackers out.
The question, of course, is how the apps racked up as many downloads as they did before the takedown. Google's largely automated screening keeps a lot of malware out of the Play Store, but the subtlety of the technique might have helped the rogue apps slip past these defenses and leave victims unaware that their Facebook data fell into the wrong hands. Whatever the cause, it's safe to say that you should be cautious about downloading utilities from unknown developers no matter how popular they seem.
China's app privacy crackdown just struck one of its largest targets yet. Bloombergreports that China's Cyberspace Administration has ordered the removal of Didi Chuxing's ride hailing app from mobile stores, including Apple's App Store and Huawei's AppGallery. The software allegedly committed serious regulatory breaches through its collection and use of personal data, officials said.
The government didn't explain the decision, which came just two days after a formal review began. Didi's app is still functional if you've already downloaded it and have an account— you just can't download a new copy.
Didi said it planned to fix the app to honor Chinese regulations, and had paused new user registrations as of July 3rd. It's not certain when sign-ups and the app will return.
The move might help protect privacy, but it also reflects China's mounting attempts to rein in domestic tech giants. It recently fined Alibaba $2.8 billion for alleged monopolistic practices, for instance. Didi was already under scrutiny for possible antitrust violations and security issues — the order represents both an escalation of that scrutiny and a signal that China is ready to get tough if companies don't fall in line.
Hackers just perpetrated one of the largest known supply chain cyberattacks so far. The Financial Times and Wall Street Journal report that IT management software giant Kaseya has fallen victim to a ransomware attack that compromised its VSA remote maintenance tool. The company initially claimed that "fewer than 40" of its customers were directly affected, but security response firm Huntress said three managed service providers it worked with had also succumbed to the attack and compromising over 200 companies.
The number could be higher. Huntress noted there were eight affected cloud service providers, potentially affecting many more
Kaseya said it had identified the likely source of the security flaw and was developing a patch that would be "tested thoroughly." In the meantime, though, the company urged all customers to shut down their VSA servers and keep them offline until they could install the update. Software-as-a-service customers were "never at-risk," Kaseya added, although the company took down that functionality as a precaution.
The incident is the latest in a string of high-profile ransomware attacks, including JBS and Colonial Pipeline. It also follows the large-scale SolarWinds breaches attributed to another group, Nobelium. Online security is quickly becoming a major issue in the supply chain, and it's not clear these problems will disappear any time soon.
Kaseya's breach also reflects the dangers of relying heavily on one company's software platform. While the number of directly affected clients is small, the supply chain network appears to have created a ripple effect that damaged numerous companies down the line. The situation might not improve until there's either tighter security among Kaseya-like providers or more competition that reduces the potential damage.
Half a month after OnePlus announced that it's becoming an Oppo sub-brand, it has revealed that it's also merging its OxygenOS with its new parent company's ColorOS. The two brands have come to the decision to "best leverage [their] shared resources" and to standardize the software experience across their portfolio. But what does OnePlus mean exactly when it said that they're "working on integrating the codebase of OxygenOS and ColorOS?" It said you may not even notice a difference, because the changes are happening behind the scenes.
OxygenOS will still be the operating system for OnePlus devices released globally. As 9to5Google notes, OnePlus phones released in China already run ColorOS, and that will likely remain the case — it's just that the operating systems will now shade a codebase. All new devices the sub-brand will release will run the new OxygenOS, while current devices that are still receiving updates will get the new platform via an over-the-air update.
Speaking of updates, OnePlus is promising better and longer Android update support, which now rivals Samsung's, with the change. The OnePlus 8 series and the brand's newer flagships will receive three major Android updates and four years of security updates going forward. Meanwhile, the first Nord and any newer Nord and Nord CE devices will receive two major Android and three years of security updates. Finally, the affordable Nord N series phones starting from the N10 and the N100 will get one major Android update and three years of security updates. Unfortunately, you can continue expecting two major Android and three years of security updates if you have a flagship older than the OnePlus 8.
When the merge was announced, the companies said OnePlus will remain independently operated. Since the move was meant to pool their resources and to better streamline their operations, though, linking their operating systems more closely doesn't come as surprise.
