Technology

The Android version of Google and Apple’s COVID-19 exposure notification app had a privacy flaw that let other preinstalled apps potentially see sensitive data, including if someone had been in contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19, privacy analysis firm AppCensus revealed on Tuesday. Google says it’s currently rolling out a fix to the bug. The bug cuts against repeated promises from Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and numerous public health officials that the data collected by the exposure notification program could not be shared outside of a person’s device. AppCensus first reported the vulnerability to Google in February, but the company failed to address it, The Markup reported. Fixing the issue would be as simple as deleting a few nonessential lines of c...

Apple’s latest iPhone update, iOS 14.5, brings a host of new features that customers will likely see and enjoy — better Face ID unlocking when wearing a mask (for Apple Watch users only), new emoji, support for PS5 and Xbox Series X controllers, and more. But the new update also adds a much more important and controversial new feature: App Tracking Transparency. That’s Apple’s name for a privacy feature that’s shaping up to be the company’s next big fight. The change has been a contentious one. Apple originally announced the feature alongside the rest of iOS 14 last June but has delayed the release until now to give developers more time to adapt to the changes. It’s finally live, though, setting the stage for what could be a massive fight between the Cupertino tech giant and competitors li...

Razer’s new $69.99 Orochi V2 is a wireless gaming mouse that promises extremely long battery life. It can apparently last up to 950 hours on a single AA battery when it’s in Bluetooth mode or up to 425 hours if you toggle its wireless switch to use the 2.4GHz Hyperspeed mode that can deliver lower-latency performance. Alternatively, you can use an AAA battery for a slightly lighter weight. Razer says you’ll get approximately a third of the longevity this way compared to an AA battery. Still, it’s nice that either size of battery can power this mouse for many, many hours. Razer includes a USB-A dongle near the battery slots, which is accessible by lifting up on the mouse’s magnetically attached shell. Available in white or black, or you can customize it for $20 more Good battery life is use...

From the very beginning of Pixar’s Soul, 22 — a soul who refuses to come down to Earth — is cynical. She hates the idea of inhabiting a body or finding her inspiration, instead being content with spending eternity in the “great before,” a space meant to prepare souls for their human lives. Viewers don’t really get a sense of why she feels that way — but that’s about to change in the upcoming animated short 22 vs. Earth. “I didn’t want the short to be a mirror of what she was like in the feature,” says director Kevin Nolting, who also served as lead editor on Soul. “In looking at what the story would be, the interesting thing for me is what makes her who she is in the feature. This is one of those incidents. In the beginning she was one of those innocent souls; what was the process to make ...

Amazon is expanding its in-garage delivery option today to every city where it offers grocery deliveries. According to the company, that’s now over 5,000 US cities where Key by Amazon Garage Grocery Delivery can be used to have Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods orders left directly in your garage. You can check to see if the service is available near you by entering your ZIP code on Amazon’s site. Garage Grocery Delivery was initially only available in Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Seattle, and Los Angeles in November 2020, but this expansion should reach even more Amazon customers. Along with living in a supported city, you’ll also need a MyQ-enabled garage door opener or a MyQ Smart Garage Hub to participate. With all of those boxes checked, you can select “Key Delivery” at checkout and have...

The European Commission will issue antitrust charges against Apple over concerns about the company’s App Store practices, according to a report from the Financial Times. The commission has been investigating whether Apple has broken EU competition rules with its App Store policies, following an initial complaint from Spotify back in 2019 over Apple’s 30 percent cut on subscriptions. The European Commission opened up two antitrust investigations into Apple’s App Store and Apple Pay practices last year, and the Financial Times only mentions upcoming charges on the App Store case. It’s not clear yet what action will be taken. Spotify has previously claimed Apple uses its App Store to stifle innovation and limit consumer choice in favor of its own Apple Music service. Rakuten filed a similar c...

Home security company ADT is suing Amazon subsidiary Ring, claiming its recent designs are a “brazen” copy of ADT’s octagonal blue symbol. The firm cites Ring’s blue octagonal outdoor siren as a recent example. In the filing, ADT lists a dozen of its trademark registrations dating back to the late 90s that feature a combination of blue and octagonal designs, and claims millions of its customers display this symbol to show that their homes use ADT’s security systems. ADT claims Ring’s use of blue octagons risks confusing customers and misleading them into thinking the two companies are affiliated or associated. In its filing, ADT says “the striking similarity” is evidence that Ring is trying “to reap the benefit of the goodwill associated with ADT’s brand and reputation.” It adds that “this...

Tesla has drawn a lot of scrutiny lately, has run into delays with the refreshed Model S and Model X, and the auto industry is struggling through a global shortage of semiconductors. But none of those things seemed to have much effect on Tesla’s business. On Monday, the Silicon Valley automaker announced its best-ever start to a year, despite not making a single Model S sedan or Model X SUV. That’s thanks in large part to the fact that Tesla continues to increase the number of Model 3s and Model Ys it makes and sells out of its year-old factory in Shanghai, China, validating CEO Elon Musk’s long-standing goal of localizing production in the world’s biggest markets for electric vehicles. As a result, Tesla generated $10.4 billion in sales the first quarter, and recorded a $438 million profi...

Lyft is selling its autonomous vehicle division to a subsidiary of Toyota — the latest in a series of acquisitions that is seeing the world of self-driving cars grow increasingly smaller. Woven Planet Holdings, a subsidiary of Toyota, will acquire Lyft’s self-driving division, Level 5, for $550 million in cash — $200 million of which was provided to Lyft up front. The rest of the money, $350 million, will be paid out to Lyft over five years. The ride-hailing company says it will see an annual savings of $100 million of non-GAAP expenses, which it claims will better position it to ultimately earn a profit. Toyota has also agreed to use Lyft’s fleet data and platform for any commercial service it eventually launches under its Woven Planet subsidiary. The deal, which is expected to close in t...

Resident Evil Village is nearly here, and Capcom is giving you more time to play a piece of it ahead of launch. The studio originally announced that players on Xbox, Playstation, and PC would have access to a 60-minute demo this weekend for just 24 hours, but after fan criticism, Capcom has extended the demo’s availability to a full week. Village’s final demo will still unlock on May 1st at 8PM ET in North America, but availability will now end on May 9th at 8PM ET, a two-day overlap with the game’s full release on May 7th. Capcom announced the change along with extended time frames for both the United Kingdom and Europe on the game’s Twitter account. Playtime for the demo will still be limited to an hour, though. We’ve heard your feedback and are extending the availability period fo...

The Internet Archive, in partnership with George Blood LP, has been working since 2016 to digitize thousands of 78rpm records, some of which were made in the early 1900s. Over 250,000 records have been preserved, and the archive posted a Twitter thread yesterday detailing how each record is cleaned and filed away. At the Internet Archive, this is how we digitize #78 rpm records. Our partner @georgeblood_lp has perfected this technique, digitizing with 4 different styli at once. We put as much effort into capturing the #metadata as we do digitizing the music. pic.twitter.com/dn4EjXTS9z — Internet Archive (@internetarchive) April 25, 2021 Each record is cleaned on a machine that sprays distilled water onto its surface. A little vacuum arm then sucks up the water, along with whatever dirt and...