Friday 16 August 2019

Smart home tech is a mess

Engadget Email Newsletter

Engadget Email Newsletter

Engadget Email Newsletter

Engadget Email Newsletter

eng-ces-newsletter

It's Friday, August 16, 2019.

Hey, good morning! 

Welcome to Friday, you heroes. This morning, we’re confused by Amazon’s fulfillment center ambassadors (parody? terribly programmed bots? neither?), detailing the battle to make smart homes less of a chore and excited about the rose gold DualShock controller of my dreams, if not yours. Also, one huge Bluetooth speaker for your next party.

There are too many devices and protocols.

Smart homes are a broken mess and Nest wants to fix it

Smart homes are a broken mess and Nest wants to fix it

Rishi Chandra has a vision for what a smart home should look like in five years. As the lead for Google Nest products, well, it's his job. There are several devices that make up this ecosystem, and therein lies the problem: It's not convenient for the consumer. "There's no one thing I can put in my home and just put in the wall and be like, 'Oh, now it's all smart,'" Chandra said. Individual smart home companies sell bits and pieces of a puzzle, but all that fragmentation creates friction. And it’s off-putting for a lot of us.

Too bad, Tesla.

Audi's E-Tron becomes the first EV to win top safety award

Audi's E-Tron becomes the first EV to win top safety award

The 2019 E-Tron, Audi's flagship electric vehicle, has won the 2019 Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), making it the first electric vehicle to earn such recognition. The award for the E-Tron must be gutting for Tesla, however. Tesla's Model X was recognized for its exceptional safety, but the IIHS tests of the Model S didn't go so well. The institute will begin safety testing the Model 3 this week.

Digital nagging is here.

Google Assistant takes on the sticky note with assignable reminders

Google Assistant takes on the sticky note with assignable reminders

You can now ask Google's Assistant to assign a reminder to someone. The command would go something like this: "Hey Google, remind George to pick up the dry cleaning at 4PM" After that, you'll get a confirmation that the task was sent, and George will get a notification that you've set him a reminder. Then, at 4PM, another notification nudging him to pick up the dry cleaning. When George marks the task as completed on his phone, you'll get a notification, too. In short, Google’s assignable reminders help you bug and nag your family. 

Sponsored Content by Stack Commerce

Become an ethical hacker with this $39 bundle

Become an ethical hacker with this $39 bundle

The VMS Eve mothership has arrived at the spaceport.

Virgin Galactic's Spaceport America is no longer an empty hangar

Virgin Galactic's Spaceport America is no longer an empty hangar

Virgin Galactic has officially opened Spaceport America’s Gateway to Space, a few months after it started moving its staff and spacecraft to the New Mexico facility. In addition, the VMS Eve arrived at the spaceport this week, which Chief Pilot Dave Mackay says brings "Virgin Galactic closer to starting commercial service." VMS Eve is the aerospace company's launch vehicle, in charge of carrying its spacecraft to the skies before dropping it mid-air. The company will use VMS Eve to fly simulated spaceship launch missions from the spaceport in the coming days. Later this year, it'll go back to Mojave to pick up Virgin's VSS Unity suborbital vehicle, so their flight tests can be conducted from New Mexico where commercial flights will take place.

They definitely don’t play... much.

Some Microsoft Surface devices are throttling down to 400MHz

Some Microsoft Surface devices are throttling down to 400MHz

A Windows feature meant to keep a device from overheating is causing Microsoft's Surface Pro 6 and Surface Book 2 to run at a cripplingly slow speed. The problem seems to stem from a firmware update released two weeks ago.

It’s particularly pronounced because the specs of the Surface devices are pretty snappy. The Surface Pro 6 runs at 1.9GHz, for example, so the drop to 400MHz is an immense performance hit. Microsoft has issued a statement promising a fix via firmware update soon.

Sony brings back rose gold like it never went out of style.

The PS4 is finally getting a rose gold DualShock 4 controller

The PS4 is finally getting a rose gold DualShock 4 controller

Your next PS4 controller is metallic and pink, all at once.

But wait, there's more...

1. Gaze upon this giant Bluetooth speaker and fear it

2. Norway's first battery-powered plane crashed into a lake

3. The best note-taking apps for the new college year

4. There's something fishy about Amazon's fulfillment center ambassadors

5. The best laptops for students in 2019

The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you'll miss if you don't subscribe.

Craving even more? Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Have a suggestion on how we can improve The Morning After? Send us a note.
engadget-twitter engadget-facebook engadget-youtube engadget-reddit engadget-instagram

Copyright © 2016 Aol Inc. All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
AOL
770 Broadway #4
New York, NY 10003

You are receiving this email because you opted in at engadget.com.

Not interested anymore? Unsubscribe from this newsletter.

Thursday 15 August 2019

E-Commerce Minute


E-Commerce Minute: Thursday -- August 15, 2019

The E-Commerce Times -- E-Business Means Business
https://www.ecommercetimes.com
Part of the ECT News Network

Headline Scan
Faulty Driver Coding Exposes Microsoft Windows to Malware Risks
Spotify for Podcasters Hits the Open Road
The Apple Card Difference: Security
ClickSoftware Buy Signals Important Directional Shift for Salesforce
The Future of Entertainment Services Authentication
3 Critical Steps to Startup Success

Message From Our Sponsor
Lower Your Electric Bill Using Clean Energy Solutions
Reduce utility costs with Arcadia Power. Accessible to anyone who pays
an electric bill, this service monitors the energy market for you, giving
customized and trackable clean solution recommendations that'll help
you save money and go green. Sign up and get a $20 Amazon e-gift card!
http://www.ectnews.com/adsys/link/?crid=10250/Arcadia_Power

Today's Story Highlights

Faulty Driver Coding Exposes Microsoft Windows to Malware Risks
Numerous driver design flaws by 20 different hardware vendors expose
Microsoft Windows users to widespread security compromises that can
cause persistent malware attacks. A report titled "Screwed Drivers,"
which Eclypsium security researchers presented at DEF CON, urges
Microsoft to support solutions to better protect against this class of
vulnerabilities.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86187.html

Spotify for Podcasters Hits the Open Road
Spotify has launched Spotify for Podcasters following a year-long beta
involving more than 100,000 podcasts from 167 countries. Spotify for
Podcasters is a discovery and analytics dashboard designed to let
podcasters track performance through data such as episode retention
charts, aggregate demographics about listeners, and details on follower
growth. Podcast data is updated daily.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86182.html

The Apple Card Difference: Security
Apple sent emails to a small number of customers last week, inviting
them to apply for the company's new Apple Card, and a privileged few
have become the first to enroll in the program. The rollout is limited
to qualifying applicants in the U.S. The Apple Card, which is a virtual
Mastercard issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA's Salt Lake City branch,
will roll out generally later this summer.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86181.html

ClickSoftware Buy Signals Important Directional Shift for Salesforce
What's the big deal, I thought? Last week Salesforce announced it was
paying in the range of $1.35 billion for ClickSoftware, a private field
service automation and workforce management company. At first, I
attributed it to a slow summer news cycle that was driving attention to
the deal at a time when many people in the industry are off trout
fishing near the Continental Divide or elsewhere.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86183.html

The Future of Entertainment Services Authentication
New personal identification and authentication technologies have the
potential to transform the way entertainment services are delivered,
accessed and experienced. These technologies offer a high level of
security, often incorporating biometrics such as voice, fingerprint,
iris or retinal features, and facial characteristics. Each type of
authentication bears its own advantages and disadvantages.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86179.html

3 Critical Steps to Startup Success
Startups in the U.S. fail at a rate of 90 percent largely due to cash
flow problems and the lack of a market need for a product or service. In
fact, not even half of startups make it to their fourth year. It's also
noteworthy that 65 percent of startup owners admitted to not being fully
confident about having enough money to even start their business.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86177.html

News Alerts From ECT News Network
Get the day's top business and technology news delivered
to your inbox as stories break. Sign up today -- it's free!
http://www.ectnews.com/adsys/link/?crid=2202/News_Alerts

How to Advertise in This Newsletter
To advertise in this newsletter or elsewhere on ECT News Network,
please call our sales department toll-free at (877) 328-5500, or view
our online media kit at
https://www.ectnews.com/advertising/

Subscribing and Unsubscribing
You are receiving this newsletter in response to your request on
the E-Commerce Times Web site for our daily newsletter. If you wish
to make changes to your newsletter subscription, or if you wish to
receive other free newsletters from the ECT News Network, please click
here: Newsletter Management Wizard

If this e-mail was forwarded to you and you wish to subscribe to
this FREE newsletter, please use our newsletter sign-up wizard:
http://www.ectnews.com/perl/newsletter_registration.pl/

Feedback
We welcome your feedback. Contact us online at
http://www.ectnews.com/perl/contact_form.pl?to=editorial

Follow Us

Copyright 2019 ECT News Network, Inc.
16133 Ventura Blvd., Suite 700, Encino, CA 91436
All Rights Reserved.

Tech News Flash


Tech News Flash: Thursday -- August 15, 2019

TechNewsWorld -- All Tech - All The Time
https://www.TechNewsWorld.com
Part of the ECT News Network

Headline Scan
28M Records Exposed in Biometric Security Data Breach
Snap Unwraps $380 High-Tech Specs
How to Distro Hop With a Web Browser
Samsung Announces Monster 108MP Smartphone Sensor
Technology Could End Mass Shootings

Message From Our Sponsor
Are Facebook and Google Ads Draining Your Budget?
A new department for Online Retailers is now open on ALL EC.
If you sell merchandise online get listed today to promote your
ecommerce business. Free membership available for companies of all sizes.
Check it out: https://www.ectnews.com/adsys/link/?crid=10247/ALL_EC

Today's Story Highlights

28M Records Exposed in Biometric Security Data Breach
Researchers associated with vpnMentor, which provides virtual private
network reviews, discovered a data breach involving nearly 28 million
records in a BioStar 2 biometric security database belonging to Suprema.
"BioStar 2's database was left open, unprotected and unencrypted,"
vpnMentor said. "After we reached out to them, they were able to close
the leak."
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/86186.html

Snap Unwraps $380 High-Tech Specs
With the announcement of its Spectacles 3 sunglasses, Snap must be
hoping three times will be the charm. Unlike the two previous
generations, Spectacles 3 has two HD cameras to add depth perception to
the peepers' repertoire. "The second camera for depth should improve
capture and the overall experience, if not add anything truly new," said
Eric Abbruzzese, senior analyst at ABI Research.
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/86184.html

How to Distro Hop With a Web Browser
Getting familiar with Linux up close and personal is easy to do with a
free service provided by DistroTest.net, which allows testing without
ISO downloads or local installations. Are you a wandering Linux distro
hopper looking for a way to streamline the selection process? Are you a
Windows or macOS user who wants to try Linux? Linux has countless
distributions and dozens of desktop environments.
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/86178.html

Samsung Announces Monster 108MP Smartphone Sensor
Samsung and Xiaomi have announced a new sensor for smartphone cameras
comparable to those used in high-end DSLR shutterboxes. The new Isocell
Bright HMX packs 108 megapixels on a three-quarter-inch sensor, similar
to the sensors found in digital cameras that use interchangeable lenses.
The new sensor could "enable smartphones to capture images that rival
DSLR cameras," said analyst Charles King.
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/86180.html

Technology Could End Mass Shootings
I'm tired of being upset about mass shootings and the government's lack
of progress to end them. I'm particularly tired of the partisan
bickering around talking points that have no basis in fact. The left
wants this to be about guns. The right wants to blame mental illness and
video games. What is needed is deep analysis to look at the causes,
craft a fact-based solution, and then implement it.
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/86176.html

News Alerts From ECT News Network
Get the day's top business and technology news delivered
to your inbox as stories break. Sign up today -- it's free!
http://www.ectnews.com/adsys/link/?crid=2202/News_Alerts

How to Advertise in This Newsletter
To advertise in this newsletter or elsewhere on ECT News Network,
please call our sales department toll-free at (877) 328-5500, or view
our online media kit at
https://www.ectnews.com/advertising/

Subscribing and Unsubscribing
You are receiving the Tech News Flash in response to your request
on the TechNewsWorld Web site for our daily newsletter. If you wish
to make changes to your newsletter subscription, or if you wish to
receive other free newsletters from the ECT News Network, please click
here: Newsletter Management Wizard

If this e-mail was forwarded to you and you wish to subscribe to
this FREE newsletter, please use our newsletter sign-up wizard:
http://www.ectnews.com/perl/newsletter_registration.pl/

Feedback
We welcome your feedback. Contact us online at
https://www.ectnews.com/perl/contact_form.pl?to=editorial

Follow Us

Copyright 2019 ECT News Network, Inc.
16133 Ventura Blvd., Suite 700, Encino, CA 91436
All Rights Reserved.