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Hackers backdoor PHP source code after breaching internal git server
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The PHP Git server was recently compromised. A hacker added a backdoor to the source code that would allow anyone to execute whatever code they wanted on PHP-powered websites. As a result, the PHP maintainers have now made GitHub the official source for PHP repositories. All PHP source code changes will now be made directly to GitHub. The attackers likely made the changes to brag about their access to the server and were not actually trying to backdoor websites.
| 4Miscellaneous
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Imgur launches Melee, a dedicated gaming section trying to rival Twitch Clips
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Twitch's clip feature has been popular amongst streamers, and now Imgur is trying to enter into the action with Melee, its app for gaming content. Melee allows players to share their favorite gaming clips with other users as well as gain an audience. Imgur has millions of daily users. These users may differ slightly from the daily Twitch crowd, allowing streamers to gain a wider audience. Imgur is also allowing Twitch integration for players. Melee is broken down into sections for different games and uses, and users can like, comment, and share clips within the app.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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First meat grown in space lab 248 miles from Earth
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Israeli food technology startup Aleph Farms has successfully grown meat in a lab on the International Space Station. Bovine cells were harvested on Earth and sent to space, where they were grown into small-scale muscle tissue using a 3D bioprinter. The technique could potentially be used to provide meat for people living on the space station. In December, Aleph Farms was successful in growing a strip of steak from cells in two weeks, but it admitted that the taste could be improved. One kilogram of natural beef requires 10,000 to 15,000 liters of water to produce. Aleph Farms' technology could potentially ensure food security for the future while preserving our natural resources.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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CRISPR is being used to treat a patient with a dangerous blood disease
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Beta thalassemia is a genetic disease that leaves the patient dependent on blood transfusions as they are not able to produce hemoglobin normally. A treatment using CRISPR technology will extract bone marrow stem cells from the patient, activate a gene that will produce hemoglobin (fetal hemoglobin), and then reinfuse the cells back into the bloodstream. Theoretically, this will cure the patient with one treatment.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Code House (GitHub Repo)
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Code House is a storehouse of over 300 curated cheatsheets from over 230 sources. The library can be sorted by category, source, time, or popularity. A hosted version of the app is available.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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BERT (Github Repo)
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Google has open sourced TensorFlow code and pre-trained models for BERT, its breakthrough general purpose "language understanding" model. It's trained on a large text corpus like Wikipedia, and can then be used to perform really specific NLP tasks like "question answering". From what I've read, it seems to be much more effective than older NLP models, people seem super excited about this and it's gotten 3500 Github stars in one day, so if you're smarter than me you might want to take a look at this!
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Blockly (GitHub Repo)
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Blockly is a library that adds a visual code editor to web and mobile apps. The editor uses graphical blocks to represent code concepts, allowing users to apply programming principles without having to worry about syntax. A live demo is available.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Meet dark_nexus, quite possibly the most potent IoT botnet ever
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dark_nexus is a new IoT botnet that has a list of advanced features and capabilities that puts most IoT botnets and malware to shame. The botnet regularly receives feature version updates. It has infected at least 1,362 devices, including video recorders, thermal cameras, and routers. dark_nexus can run on at least 12 different types of CPUs. The main purpose of dark_nexus is to perform Distributed Denial-Of-Service attacks.
| 4Miscellaneous
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Code scanning is now available
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GitHub code scanning is a GitHub-native approach to find security vulnerabilities before they reach production. The feature has been in testing since May and is now generally available. It integrates with GitHub Actions or your existing CI/CD environment to maximize flexibility for your team. Code is scanned as it is created, ensuring vulnerabilities never make it to production in the first place. Code scanning is powered by CodeQL and it is built on the open SARIF standard so developers can extend its functionality. It is free for public repositories now, and available through Advanced Security for GitHub Enterprise customers.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Facebook Dating launch blocked in Europe after it fails to show privacy workings
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Facebook will not be launching its dating service in Europe as planned as it failed to demonstrate it had performed a legally required assessment of privacy risk and give the Irish Data Protection Commission enough advanced warning. The delay may mean that Facebook will have to make some changes to how the dating product functions in Europe if regulators are not satisfied with its compliance with EU laws. Facebook first notified the DPC about the rollout of the dating feature in the EU on February 3. It has been testing and slowly rolling out the service to different countries since mid-2019.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will tell Congress that embattled libra crypto project will ‘extend America’s financial leadership’
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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify before the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday about the Libra cryptocurrency project, which has faced heavy opposition from the government since its announcement. The Libra Association has seen its membership reduced to 21 companies after the departures of Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, eBay, Strip, Booking, and Mercado Pago. Facebook has said it will not launch Libra until it receives regulatory approval. Zuckerberg will argue that Libra will extend America's financial leadership and democratic values around the world. He argues against the idea that Libra is an attempt to replace sovereign currency and that Libra was created only to be an alternative to existing online payment systems.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Netflix was the best-performing stock of the decade, delivering a more than 4,000% return (10 minute read)
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Netflix had just over 12 million subscribers paying $9 a month at the beginning of the 2010s. Today, the company has a market cap of close to $148 billion, making it one of the most valuable US companies. The stock has risen 4,181% since it was listed. Netflix runs on a thin operating margin as it is expensive to buy and invest in entertainment, and competitors are forcing Netflix to spend more to stop customers from moving to other services. It projected that it would spend $15 billion on content in 2019. Netflix has borrowed close to $10 billion in the past two years, more than doubling its debt. Some shareholders are concerned as competitors, such as Disney+, are introduced to the market. Netflix is projecting that its cash burn will drop off starting next year.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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The Founder Dating Playbook – Here’s the Process I Used to Find My Co-Founder (31 minute read)
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Finding a good co-founder or partner when starting a new company can be like dating. A testing and evaluation period is required before you can decide that the person is the right partner to enter into a business with. Gloria Lin created a playbook for how to approach this different type of courting process, including a questionnaire designed to probe for compatibility. Finding the right business partner requires time. Hiring a business executive usually takes a few months, so it makes sense to take the same amount of care to find a co-founder. It's important to find someone who complements your strengths and weaknesses. Building a pipeline for finding and qualifying potential co-founders will streamline the process and make it easier to sort through potential candidates. Defining specific boundaries will help you quickly determine who is not suitable as a partner. Once you have found a good partner, it's important to continue building on the relationship, as a co-founding relationship can potentially last years.
| 4Miscellaneous
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Samsung’s Watch Active 4 leaks in new renders
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Renders of Samsung's Galaxy Watch Active 4 have leaked online. It has an edge-to-edge display and two buttons on the right-hand side. The watch is expected to be officially announced during an event on June 28. This will be the first smartwatch from Samsung that uses the new Wear OS. Wear is based on Google Wear and it should mean better battery life and load times. It should also make the watch more accessible for developers. The renders are available in the article.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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With Lens Cloud, Snap offers backend services for its developer platform
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Snap has launched Lens Cloud, a server-side component for its developer platform that will help developers build dynamic, multiplayer experiences. Lens Cloud will let developers take advantage of multi-user services, use location-based services to anchor Lenses to places, and store assets on Snap's servers and load them on demand. Lenses are augmented reality apps that can be accessed in Snapchat. The storage service will launch in the coming months. Lens Cloud is free for Snap AR developers.
| 4Miscellaneous
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First 'Non-Cuttable' Material in the World: Proteus
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Proteus is a new non-cuttable material created from ceramic spheres arranged in a cellular aluminum structure. With only 15% steel density, Proteus can resist cutting tools such as angle grinders or drills. Its design was inspired by grapefruit skin and mollusk shells. The material is designed to be harder to cut when damaged. It is equally effective against water jet cutters.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Scientists create universal blood-type organs for transplant
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The wait for a heart or lung transplant takes an average of four months. Kidneys can take up to five years. Blood types can affect whether organs are accepted by a body's immune system. This can cause some patients to miss out on transplants if they have the wrong blood type. A large group of scientists have converted type-A lungs into type-O lungs using a combination of technologies. The technology also allows surgeons to use lungs that couldn't have been used otherwise due to injury or infection.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Lyft test program offers drivers more rides in exchange for 10% pay cut
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Lyft released a new feature for drivers in September called priority mode, which gives drivers more rides for 10% less pay. The ride-hailing industry has been hit hard by the pandemic, with many people around the world sheltered in place with nowhere to go. Many drivers have voiced their complaints online, but the company says that the program was expanded due to the positive feedback it received.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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DigitalOcean Kubernetes (Product)
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DigitalOcean Kubernetes is now generally available! Basically it's a managed Kubernetes cluster that is easy to set up. It's already integrated with their load balancers and block storage, the pricing is the same as their current Droplets, and manager nodes are free!
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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These $2,000 solar panels pull clean drinking water out of the air, and they might be a solution to the global water crisis
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A startup backed by Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos has built a solar panel that can extract water out of moisture in the air. A single $2000 panel can extract about 10 bottles worth of clean water per day. The company believes this is a solution to the global water crisis, which has left 2 billion people without clean drinking water.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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FoldnFly (Web Tool)
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This is a tool that gives you schematics for building the paper airplane of your dreams. You can select whether you want to build one optimized for things like distance, time aloft, aesthetics, etc. and also select a difficulty. The internet is awesome.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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The Rise of Smart Camera Networks, and Why We Should Ban Them (12 minute read)
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Private businesses and homes are starting to link their cameras to police networks, increasing the overall public surveillance network and moving us closer to a future where our every move is filmed and interpreted using video analytics. Smart camera networks are an alarming development that threatens civil rights and liberties around the world. In the past, surveillance technology produced low-quality images and required a lot of hours and physical work to search through to find information. With advances in technology, image quality has improved, and image recognition and video analysis capabilities allow us to search through and extract more data from video faster than ever before. Advances in machine learning mean that we are moving towards the possibility of predictive policing, where data can be used to predict crimes so that police can intervene before it happens.
| 4Miscellaneous
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The first modern pandemic (30 minute read)
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Bill Gates discusses his views of the COVID-19 situation and how we can accelerate innovations in testing, treatments, vaccines, and policies to limit the spread of the disease and minimize the damage to economies and well-being. He reviews how the disease started and the key facts around the coronavirus, including its infection rates, our response, and information that we still need in order to fight the virus. There are many treatments and vaccines that are currently being studied, but it will take some time before any of these are available. Most countries will move into a semi-normal state within the next two months. However, things will definitely not be the same. Governments will have to find a balance when removing current restrictions.
| 4Miscellaneous
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Hyundai purchases Boston Dynamics for $921M, makers of Spot dog robot
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Hyundai has purchased Boston Dynamics for around $921 million. It is the first acquisition headed by Hyundai's new chairperson Chung Euisun since he took the job in October. Rumors of the acquisition have been circulating since early November. A gallery of Boston Dynamics' robots is available in the article.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Tesla Video Shows Gigafactory Shanghai Automation Nearing 'Alien Dreadnought' Phase
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Tesla has shared a 49-second long time-lapse video from Gigafactory Shanghai. It is linked in the article. Elon Musk had wanted to produce a factory that functioned as a product and looked alien. By version 3, the 'alien dreadnought' will be completely automated, with people only present to maintain the machines, upgrade them, and deal with anomalies. At the end of the last quarter, Tesla had an annual production capacity of 200,000 vehicles at Gigafactory Shanghai.
| 4Miscellaneous
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Microsoft Opens Edge Addons Store for Submissions
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The Microsoft Edge Addons store is now fully open. Developers can submit their addons for the web browser through the Partner Center Developer Dashboard. Edge is now built on Google's Chromium web engine. Applications built for Chromium will be functional with Edge without any code changes required. Existing EdgeHTML-based extensions can be automatically migrated to the Chromium base.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Winged microchip is smallest-ever human-made flying structure
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Scientists have developed winged microchips that can spin through the air like a helicopter. The microfliers can be equipped with sensors, power sources, antennas, and memory. They can be dropped from large buildings or planes to track environmental factors at different altitudes. The design is based on the maple leaf's whirling propeller seeds. The chips are created with electronics that can dissolve in water after they are no longer needed, so they will naturally degrade and disappear over time. Pictures and videos of the microfliers are available in the article.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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We toured Intel’s advanced chip making site in Oregon. Here’s how it works (10 minute read)
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Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines are the future of the semiconductor industry. These tools are exclusively manufactured in the Netherlands by ASML and cost $180 million each. The machines are roughly 12 feet tall and weigh about 180 metric tons. This article provides a look into one of Intel's facilities, the development of EUV technology, and how the technology changes chip manufacturing.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Elon Musk's SpaceX Wins FCC Approval to Deploy 7,518 Satellites
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The FCC just gave SpaceX permission to launch 7,518 internet satellites as part of their Starlink program to provide satellite-based broadband internet. For reference, there were 1,885 total operating satellites as of August, so this is a huge number. While the vote passed 4-0, the commission did mention that there is a danger of overcrowding low earth orbit with satellites, and the rapidly growing amount of debris in orbit could be a threat to newly launched satellites.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Google Maps now helps you plan group events
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Google Maps has added a feature to help you plan group outings. As you search Google Maps for places to go, you can add them to a shortlist that stays on screen. Then you can send the list to a group to vote on, and the people in the group can vote directly in their Google Maps app. The feature is being rolled out for both iOS and Android this week.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Uber’s CTO steps down as company reportedly mulls 20 percent layoffs
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Uber's Chief Technology Officer, Thuan Pham, has stepped down, ending his reign as the longest-serving top executive at the company. The company has recently been actively discussing cost-cutting plans, including possible layoffs of up to 20 percent of its employees. Ride-share bookings have dropped by up to 70 percent in most major cities due to the pandemic. Gains in Uber's food delivery division have failed to cover losses for its core ride-hailing product. Uber shares have dropped by more than 50 percent in the last month. However, Uber expects to end the year with at least $4 billion in unrestricted cash, plus $2 billion in revolving credit.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Spacecraft DAPPER will study 'Dark Ages' of the universe in radio waves
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The Dark Ages Polarimetry Pathfinder (DAPPER) is a spacecraft designed to look for faint radio signals from the early universe while operating in low lunar orbit. Scientists can learn more about the early dark period of the cosmos and understand how and when the first stars began to form by studying the energy produced by hydrogen clouds in the form of radio waves. Most of these waves are blocked by the Earth's atmosphere, so DAPPER will go to the far side of the Moon, which is radio-quiet. DAPPER will be part of the NASA Artemis program, which aims to land the next humans on the Moon by 2024.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Scientists Created an Artificial Early Embryo From Human Skin Cells
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Scientists from two independent teams were able to coax ordinary skin cells into becoming living clusters that resembled fertilized human eggs. The clusters did not develop further as they were only able to reach the blastocyst stage. These were the most complete replicas of early human embryos to date. The reverse-engineered cells were astonishingly similar to their natural counterparts. They still differ from natural embryos in several ways, so the scientists don't expect them to be able to grow into complete embryos.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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SpaceX Flexes Giant Starship-Catching “Chopsticks” for the First Time
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SpaceX flexed the 'Chopsticks' arm of its Mechazilla tower for the first time recently at the company's testing facilities in South Texas. The tower is designed to catch Starship and its accompanying Super Heavy booster to ensure a soft landing. SpaceX successfully completed a static fire test on a Starship prototype last week, indicating that the company may soon be ready for its first orbital test launch. A link to an animation showing how Mechazilla will likely work is available in the article.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Astronomers have spotted the universe’s first molecule
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Helium Hydride (HeH) is thought to be the first molecule that would have formed following the Big Bang. Using a special telescope that is built into a converted 747 jet, scientists were able to detect a light signal emitted by HeH molecules some 3000 light-years away from Earth. Helium is a typically non-reactive molecule, which means the conditions needed to create HeH would be extreme, and this discovery proves that the molecule has been created and exists in space. HeH has been synthesized in human laboratories before and it is theorized that it may still be created by dying stars.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Sony Launches Wearable Air Conditioner, Personal Heater for Roughly $130
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Sony has released a wearable, pocket-sized air conditioner. The Reon Pocket can cool the wearer's body by 13 degrees Celsius and raise body temperature by around 8 degrees Celsius. It is around the size of a card-holding wallet and is designed to be worn inside a special undershirt with a feature pocket at the base of the neck. Users control the device using an app. The device has a battery life of around 90 minutes, with a 2-hour charge time. It will sell for around $130 online on various Japanese sites.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Lyft bikes caught fire in Berkeley, San Jose before two reported in San Francisco
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Four of Lyft's electric bikes have caught on fire, causing the company to disable all its electric bikes from the East Bay, San Francisco, and San Jose areas. The cause of the fires is under investigation, with Lyft claiming that at least one of the fires was caused by vandalism. With the electric bikes disabled, Lyft now only has 2,500 pedal-powered bikes throughout the Bay Area to serve its customers. Riders have been frustrated with the sudden rollback, as many had depended on the service. Lyft has no intention of re-introducing the bikes until they discover the cause of the fires and fix the problem.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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WeWork CEO Adam Neumann has reportedly made millions of dollars by leasing office space to his own company
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WeWork has been renting buildings that its CEO Adam Neumann partially owns, paying $12 million between 2016 and 2017 and on the hook for $110 million over the lifetime of the leases. There is an internal review process for related party transactions, but Neumann has majority voting rights over the board. A spokesperson says that only 4 of the 400 properties rented by WeWork are partially owned by Neumann.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Tesla can now scan for potholes and adjust vehicle suspension to avoid damage
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Tesla's 2022.20 update enables Tesla vehicles to scan the road ahead for potholes and adjust the suspension for rough roads. The feature can be activated by selecting 'Comfort' under the Adaptive Suspension Damping setting. It will not affect Autopilot or Full Self-Driving, meaning that vehicles won't try to automatically steer around or avoid road damage. The update also includes a green light chime for vehicles equipped with the hardware 3.0 computer.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Ask HN: Who here has built a profitable startup while keeping their day job? (Hacker News Thread)
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This is a thread containing advice, warnings, and success stories about building profitable side projects/startups while working a full time job. Lots of interesting niche projects in there for inspiration.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Push it jumps to No. 1 on App Store promising a way to send push notifications to friends
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Push it is an app that lets users send push notifications to their friends. It is the latest creation from Sendit, an app popular with Snapchat users who use it to play games and have conversations with their Snapchat friends. Push it allows users to send push notifications to subscribers on the app. Followers are able to respond to start private conversations. The app is now the top app in many countries, even though the service is not yet live in all markets.
| 4Miscellaneous
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Inside the World’s Most Exclusive (and Strange)
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The Alternative Propulsion Energy Conference (APEC) places scientists and engineers from various organizations together with fringe theorists and garage hobbyists with the goal of understanding gravity. It brings people together from diverse backgrounds to discuss how to reverse the effects of gravity. Open discussion on how to reverse gravity has drifted to the outer fringes of pseudoscience, and many researchers refuse to discuss the topic due to the risk to their reputations. This article takes a look at how APEC started and covers some of the topics discussed at the conference.
| 4Miscellaneous
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Hobbling Huawei: Inside the U.S. war on China’s tech giant (15 minute read)
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Many governments fear that if Huawei were to supply the world’s 5G infrastructure, it would give China an unprecedented opportunity to attack critical infrastructure and compromise intelligence sharing with allies. This could have severe military consequences if anyone was ever in a war with China. Huawei continues to maintain that it is a company independent of the government and that it has never been asked to cooperate with any spying operations. It claims that it would refuse these requests if asked. While Huawei may be being truthful at present, vulnerabilities could be easily introduced through software updates, and it is possible that Huawei may be forced to deploy these updates in the future.
| 4Miscellaneous
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Anonymous social apps shift their attention to Instagram in the wake of Snapchat’s ban
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Anonymous social apps have moved to Instagram after Snapchat banned them due to being sued multiple times.
| 4Miscellaneous
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Programming Fonts (Web Tool)
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This is a tool that lets you demo over 50 free to download fonts for your terminal. They're all fixed-width, designed for programming, and were optimized while writing C or C++.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Plants Appear to Be Breaking Biochemistry Rules by Making 'Secret Decisions'
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Scientists from Australia have discovered that plants can control how much carbon from photosynthesis they keep to build biomass by using metabolic channels. They can choose to burn pyruvate and release carbon or use it to build phospholipids, plant oils, amino acids, or other biomass building blocks. Plants can track the source of the pyruvate and choose to either release it or hold onto it for other purposes. The ability to make decisions breaks the normal rules of biochemistry.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Inertia (Website)
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Inertia leverages existing server-side frameworks to create fully client-side rendered single-page apps. It allows developers to build a fully JavaScript-based single-page app without needing to build an API. A demo app is available.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Android 12 design mockup leak reveals radical visual overhaul, first features
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The first Android 12 Developer Preview is expected to roll out this month. Images of the Android 12 design mock-ups have leaked, showing a radical visual overhaul of the operating system. Android 12 has a new in-depth theming system and 'Conversation' widgets. The theming extends to app icons. There are new privacy features that will alert users when the microphone or camera is active. The leaked images are available in the article.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Google's speedier internet standard is now an actual standard
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Google's Quick UDP Internet Connections (QUIC) is now an official Internet standard. It uses UDP (User Datagram Protocol) and provides faster encrypted connections and better handling of network switches. The technology is effectively a replacement for TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), which has been available since 1974. QUIC was introduced as an experimental Chrome add-on in 2013. Google applied for standard consideration in 2016.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Researchers Have Successfully Made First-Ever Robotic Arm That Can Be Controlled By Your Mind
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Researchers have successfully made a robotic arm that can continually track and follow a computer cursor controlled by one’s thoughts. It uses a non-invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) developed at Carnegie Mellon University. Previous versions of BCIs have required invasive procedures to get high-resolution signals. The new approach to building BCIs improved BCI learning by nearly 60 percent for traditional tasks and continuous tracking of a computer cursor by over 500 percent. It has been tested on 68 able-bodied human subjects and the team plans to conduct clinical trials on patients in the near future.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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SolarWinds hackers have a whole bag of new tricks for mass compromise attacks (12 minute read)
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Almost exactly a year ago, researchers discovered a Kremlin-backed hacking campaign that compromised SolarWinds' servers in what was one of the worst data breaches in modern history. The group that performed the attack, dubbed 'Nobelium' by Microsoft, has since become more brazen and adept at hacking large numbers of targets in a single stroke. A recent report from security firm Mandiant details Nobelium's numerous feats and a few mistakes made by the group. This article covers the highlights of the report, including details on the group's tactics and innovations. A link to the full report is available.
| 4Miscellaneous
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Elon Musk unveils Neuralink’s plans for brain-reading ‘threads’ and a robot to insert them
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Elon Musk has shown off some of the technology that his company Neuralink has been developing for the last few years. Neuralink’s goal is to develop devices that can be implanted in paralyzed humans, allowing them to control devices with their thoughts. The company has developed thread sensors that are thinner than a human hair and can provide high-resolution signals from the brain. A robot was created in order to implant this device, as the threads were difficult to implant with current technology. Neuralink is also developing a custom chip that can read, clean up, and amplify signals from the brain. The aim is to eventually create a wireless version that can be implanted in a safe and non-invasive procedure, similar to Lasik.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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A New Sunflower-Like Solar Panel Tracks the Sun for Maximum Energy
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SmartFlower Solar is a Boston-based company that makes smartflower solar panels that track the sun to generate more energy. The smartflowers stand 16 feet high and generate about 5,000 kWh of power annually. They come with their own battery source that is viable across temperature extremes. Over 2,000 smartflowers have been installed worldwide. A picture of a smartflower is available in the article.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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I walked Spot, the Boston Dynamics robot dog, remotely -- and only crashed once
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Formant, a San Francisco-based startup, is offering everyday people the chance to walk Boston Dynamics' Spot around the Bay Area. The company also offers people the chance to pilot drones, underwater robots, automated guided vehicles, and other robots through its web browser platform. Users will receive comprehensive data after their session, with maps, recordings, and other information available. A 10-minute video showing a journalist piloting Spot is available in the article. Formant is looking for a wide range of people to test out its software. A link to the application form is available near the end of the article.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Dogecoin: The meme that somehow became a real cryptocurrency (11 minute read)
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Dogecoin is a cryptocurrency similar to bitcoin, with a picture of a dog for a logo. At one point it was worth $2 billion. Its popularity has stumped experts. The coin is based on the doge meme and it started off as a joke aimed at the bizarre world of crypto and bitcoin's multiple derivatives. It was created by replacing 'bitcoin' with 'doge' in the bitcoin code, along with some other changes like increasing the maximum amount of coins and making the coins easier to mine. After it was created, the Reddit community pushed it into popularity very quickly.
| 4Miscellaneous
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Google will test letting Android developers use their own billing systems, starting with Spotify
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Google is letting a few developers offer their own payment systems in a pilot test. Spotify will be the first company in the test. The test will help Google increase its understanding of user choice billing. Google plans to allow additional billing systems in South Korea in response to legislation passed in the country last year.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Mastering Bitcoin (GitHub Repo)
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Mastering Bitcoin is a book about Bitcoin for developers. The initial chapters cover the non-technical aspects of the cryptocurrency and can be useful for everyday users, investors, and business owners. Later chapters discuss the technical foundations of Bitcoin, the architecture of its decentralized network, Segregated Witness, and more. This repository contains the full book.
| 4Miscellaneous
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Facebook's ready to talk about how its AR glasses will work with neural wristbands
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Facebook's first pair of smart glasses are being released this year. The next generation of smart glasses will work alongside a soft wristband that measures hand and finger gestures and provides haptic feedback. It will use neural input tech to convert electrical impulses into inputs. A short video demonstrating how the setup would work is available in the article.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Inside Google's Plan to Disrupt the College Degree
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Google recently announced plans to launch new certificate programs designed to help people bridge skill gaps and get qualifications without a college degree. The plan includes three new Google Career Certificates on Coursera, a new Associate Android Developer Certification course, over 100,000 need-based scholarships, and partnerships with employers to hire graduates of the program. Courses will take six months or less to complete.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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ML Engineering Career Transition Guide (Guide)
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This is a guide written by a Google Brain engineer to help software engineers who want to get into ML engineering but don't know where to start. It gives some good advice on necessary qualifications, getting experience, learning resources, and applying for jobs. There is an emphasis on AI Safety, but I think this advice is sort of applicable to all sorts of ML engineering work (so if you want to build Skynet, you should still check this out).
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Undermoon (GitHub Repo)
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Undermoon is a self-managed Redis clustering system based on Redis Cluster Protocol. It features horizontal scalability, high availability, cluster management, automatic failover for both master and replica, and fast scaling. An explanation of the architecture behind Undermoon is available.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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GitHub Says Hackers Breach Dozens of Organizations Using Stolen OAuth Access Tokens
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GitHub has discovered evidence that hackers are using stolen OAuth user tokens to download private data from several organizations. OAuth tokens are one of the most common tools used for accessing data without having to share credentials. The stolen OAuth tokens were believed to have been obtained through a set of unspecified private NPM repositories and not through a breach of GitHub or its systems. GitHub is still assessing the extent of the attack.
| 4Miscellaneous
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Zoom is testing showing ads to free users
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Zoom is rolling out ads to free users in certain countries. The ads will appear at the end of calls hosted by other Basic tier users. Zoom says that it won't use meeting, webinar, or messaging content to target ads.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Super (GitHub Repo)
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Super is a single dependency framework for Ruby on Rails applications. It is fully compatible with Sprockets and Webpacker. Super features built-in pagination, configurable forms, and a configurable display. It supports Rails 5.0+ and Ruby 2.3+. All assets are vendored.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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ConnectorX (GitHub Repo)
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ConnectorX loads data from databases into Python. It is much faster and more memory efficient compared to other commonly used Python libraries that provide similar functions. Benchmark results are available.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Microsoft confirms work on ‘Keystone’ Xbox game streaming dongle
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Microsoft has decided to pivot away from the current iteration of its xCloud streaming device, code-named Keystone. It will refocus its efforts on a new approach that will deliver Xbox Cloud Gaming to more players around the world. It is unclear what the new approach will be. The company is working on an Xbox app that should debut on Samsung smart TVs within the next 12 months. More details about Microsoft's plans could be announced at an event on June 12.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Assembler CSS (Website)
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Assembler can be used to quickly prototype and build modern websites without the need to install and maintain complex software. It improves the performance of websites by generating only the minimum amount of CSS each webpage needs. Assembler is lightweight, fast, easy to learn, and customizable.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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This ugly AF t-shirt blocks facial recognition technology
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Surveillance algorithms work by recognizing characteristics in an image, drawing a 'bounding box' around them, and then assigning a label to that object. Scientists have discovered a way to use colorful, pixelated patterns on t-shirts to confuse the technology into thinking you don't exist. AI classification and labeling systems get confused when it sees the patterns on the clothing, making the wearer 64% less likely to be detected. Make-up can also be used to throw off facial recognition algorithms
| 4Miscellaneous
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SSH Made Easy with Tailscale (Sponsor)
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Easy, secure SSH connections forever with less than 5 minutes of setup. Connect from anywhere to anywhere. Our free plan is free forever. Install now.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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This tiny Bluetooth chip doesn't need a battery because it harvests energy from the air
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A new paper-thin stamp-sized Bluetooth chip is able to operate without a battery by harvesting energy from radio frequencies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular signals, powering a Bluetooth-equipped ARM processor. Because it doesn't need a battery, it can be produced cheaply and mounted on almost anything. The company behind the chip, Wiliot, raised $30 million from investors including Amazon and Samsung. They hope to have a limited release in 2019 and a wide release in 2020.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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LG’s Rollable phone is real and launching in 2021
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LG has confirmed that its Rollable phone will be available in 2021. The LG Rollable has a screen that can extend into a small tablet display. Details about the different display sizes have not yet been released. Other phone manufacturers will now likely race to roll out this rollable screen technology.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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How This Uncrushable Beetle Can Survive Being Run Over by a Car
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The diabolical ironclad beetle boasts one of the toughest natural exoskeletons, capable of protecting the animal from being run over by a car. While the beetle's exoskeleton is extra tough, it takes on an elastic quality when under pressure that results in a kind of stretching rather than breaking. The discovery of this mechanism could lead to the creation of innovative protective materials.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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China bans online gaming for minors except from 8 pm-9 pm Friday to Sunday
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China has issued new rules banning minors from playing video games more than three hours a week. Minors will only be allowed to play games from 8 pm to 9 pm, Friday to Sunday. Enforcement measures will primarily target online games and online services related to gaming. Gaming companies must implement real-name verification systems and link online games to a state anti-addiction system. China's government blames video game addiction for a host of societal ills and it has a long history of imposing restrictions on the video game industry.
| 4Miscellaneous
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Gmail’s big merger with Google Chat, Meet, and Docs launches for everyone
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Google is bringing Google Chat and Gmail's merger with Google Chat, Google Docs, and Google Meet to consumer accounts. The features were rolled out to paid Google Workspace accounts last August. The new Gmail UI has a segmented sidebar with Google apps on it. Users can open Google Docs files inside Gmail through links in Google Chat. Google Hangouts users will be upgraded to Google Chat at some point, after which Hangouts will finally shut down.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Spotify Wrapped 2018 (Web Tool)
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Spotify Wrapped 2018 is a fun site put out by Spotify that lets you sign in with your Spotify account and relive the music you've listened to the past year. Full disclosure, you're reading a newsletter by someone who "started 2018 by listening to One In A Million by Hannah Montana".
| 4Miscellaneous
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First Molecular Electronics Chip Developed – Realizes 50-Year-Old Goal
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The first molecular electronics chip has been developed by Roswell Biotechnologies and a team of scientists. The chip uses single molecules as universal sensor elements to create a programmable biosensor with real-time single-molecule sensitivity and unlimited scalability in sensor pixel density. It will allow scientists to observe molecular communications and see how single molecules interact with each other. The chip will be able to help advance fields based on observing molecular interactions.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Hacking-Security-Ebooks (GitHub Repo)
|
This repository contains 100 hacking and security e-books that are free for download. Each book is listed with its total number of pages.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
AutoAnimate (GitHub Repo)
|
AutoAnimate is a zero-configure animation utility that adds smooth transitions to web apps. It can be used with Vue, React, or any other JavaScript application. AutoAnimate can add animations to interfaces with just one line of code. Examples are available.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Declaration of Digital Independence
|
The internet has changed from a group of individuals publishing content to vast digital empires controlling sections of the internet and wielding large amounts of power. These companies that own platforms used by millions of people around the world are able to moderate and control the content that users see, resulting in the manipulation of discussion, misinformation in news, interference with political affairs, and more. The Declaration of Digital Independence is a set of nine principles that lays out strict rules for how data and content on the internet should be handled. Rather than being controlled by large corporations, the internet should be controlled by a decentralized network of individuals. People can sign to show their support for the document.
| 4Miscellaneous
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Google Workers Publicly Launch Union
|
Google workers have publicly launched a unionization effort. The Alphabet Workers Union, supported by the Communications Workers of America, will be open to all employees who work for Google and Alphabet, including temps, vendors, and contractors. It is the first union at a major tech company. Workers have not yet asked Google to formally recognize the union. Google will either have to voluntarily recognize the union or more than 50 percent of eligible union members will need to vote to unionize.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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This is the first truly great Amazon Alexa and Google Home hack
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Two designers have hacked together an open source hardware design called Project Alias that you can build yourself using a Raspberry Pi. It acts as a layer between your smart speaker and your home, so that you can use a custom wake word to turn on Project Alias which will then turn on your smart speaker. If you don't use the Project Alias wake word, then Project Alias uses white noise to disrupt your smart speaker's microphone so it can't hear anything, ensuring your privacy.
| 4Miscellaneous
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Elon Musk offers to buy Twitter in takeover attempt
|
Elon Musk has made an offer to buy 100% of Twitter for $54.20 per share in cash. The offer values Twitter at around $43 billion. Musk believes that Twitter must go private for it to change. He will reconsider his position as a shareholder if the offer is not accepted. The Twitter board met to discuss the offer but it is unclear if a decision has been reached. A copy of the offer letter sent by Musk to Twitter is available at the end of the article.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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What's your favorite programming language? (Sponsor)
|
What's your favorite programming language? . Take the Developer Nation survey, share your views about the most important coding skills and software tools for 2022, and get a chance to win cool prizes, licenses, gaming accessories, vouchers, and more!
| 0Sponsor
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Million-dollar deposits and friends in high places: how we applied for a job with a ransomware gang
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In June of last year, an affiliate group of the REvil and Ragnar Locker ransomware cartels posted a job listing on a hacker forum, making it clear they were serious by depositing $1 million worth of bitcoin into their forum wallet. This article follows investigators as they apply for the position to find out more about the organization. The investigation revealed that the cybercriminals had an insider contact at a crypto exchange that helped them convert their 'earnings' into cash.
| 4Miscellaneous
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Tesla sues former employees for allegedly stealing data, Autopilot source code
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A lawsuit filed by Tesla claims that Guangzhi Cao, a former engineer at Tesla, stole more than 300,000 files related to autopilot technology before leaving the company and joining Xiaopeng Motors Technology Company Ltd, a Chinese self-driving car startup. Xiaopeng has released a statement claiming they did not know about Cao's misconduct and were conducting an internal investigation on the matter. As Tesla is currently building a vehicle assembly facility in Shanghai, Xiaopeng is now a direct competitor in the world's largest electric vehicle market. Tesla has also filed a separate lawsuit against another four former employees and a US self-driving car startup, Zoox Inc, alleging the employees stole proprietary information and trade secrets for developing warehousing, logistics, and inventory control operations.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Inside TikTok's killer algorithm
|
TikTok has revealed how its algorithm works. The code that TikTok uses to pick the next video to display is a large part of its $20-$30 billion valuation. A "transparency center" has been set up in Los Angeles which will have exhibits showing how TikTok's algorithms and data practices work. The algorithm uses machine learning to determine what the user is likely to engage with and then sends more of the same content. It groups videos into clusters based on similar themes and tries to avoid sending multiple videos with the same music or from the same creator. As the system can produce filter bubbles, TikTok's product and policy teams monitor accounts for misinformation and other content before it reaches the main feed.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Clay.CSS (GitHub Website)
|
Clay.CSS is a micro CSS util class for applying 3D claymorphism styles to elements. It is fully customizable and extensible with CSS variables. SASS mixin is supported. Examples are available.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Pprint (GitHub Repo)
|
Pprint is a pretty printer for modern C++. To install, users just need to include the pprint.hpp in their code. There are many examples of how to use pprint available on the repository.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
StackGres (GitHub Repo)
|
StackGres is a fully-featured platform for running PostgreSQL on Kubernetes. It comes with a carefully selected and tuned set of surrounding PostgreSQL components. StackGres features high availability, connection pooling, automated backups, monitoring, centralized logging, and a fully-featured management web console.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
swift-log (GitHub Repo)
|
swift-log is an API package that aims to establish a common logging system for server-side or cross-platform Swift applications. It implements a simplistic and non-configurable logging backend that writes all log messages to stdout. swift-log is designed to be adopted by anybody so that all libraries can log to a shared destination, as not all logging packages support the specific style and requirements needed for every project. Developers are encouraged to configure additional logging backend implementations that log in their preferred style for real-world applications.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Google still plans to kill Chrome's existing adblock APIs
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Google’s plans to remove the APIs that content blocking extensions use will continue despite pushback from the developer community. It plans to replace the APIs with a more limited API which limits the number of filter requests that are possible. The changes will come when Google upgrades its Chrome extensions platform which will still be a few months away. Firefox now has the ability to block tracking scripts natively without any extensions required.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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The ambitious Android tablet option Google tossed away
|
While Android is the world's most popular operating system, Android tablets have failed to gain popularity. Chromebooks are almost always better purchases as they are updated much more often than tablets, so users are supported with the latest privacy, security, and performance standards. 12 years ago, Google bought a company called BumpTop that created a computing interface that made desktops look and act like a physical desk. This article tells the story of the acquisition and how the software could have changed the way people interact with touchscreen devices.
| 4Miscellaneous
|
Loaders (Website)
|
This site contains a collection of free loaders and spinners. The components are built with HTML, CSS, and SVG. The code for the components can be easily copied from the site.
| 3Programming, Design & Data Science
|
Google Lens coming to desktop Chrome as new integrated image search tool
|
Google is bringing Lens to the desktop via Chrome browser. Users will soon be able to search images with Google Lens through the right-click menu. The desktop version of Lens allows users to crop and focus. Users can retry their search with Google Images if Lens doesn't provide the right results. The update will roll out with version 92 of Chrome.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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Scientists connect human brain to computer wirelessly for first time ever
|
A recent study from BrainGate technology successfully demonstrated the first-ever wireless brain-computer interface on humans. The system can transmit brain signals at single-neuron resolution and in full broadband fidelity to a computer. It allowed the participants in the study to achieve similar typing speeds and point-and-click accuracy as wired systems continuously for up to 24 hours in their own homes. The system will allow researchers to look at brain activity over long periods in a way that was nearly impossible before.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Facebook acquires the developers of VR military simulator Onward
|
Facebook's Oculus division has acquired Downpour Interactive, the virtual reality game developer behind the hit multiplayer military simulator Onward. Everyone from Downpour Interactive will move over to the Oculus Studios team in some capacity. Onward will continue to be supported on all current platforms and its feature roadmap remains unchanged. Downpour Interactive will retain full control of all development.
| 1Big Tech & Startups
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World's fastest camera captures 70 trillion frames per second
|
The new record holder for the world's fastest camera boasts a rate of 70 trillion frames per second, fast enough to capture light waves in motion. Compressed Ultrafast Spectral Photography uses extremely short pulses of laser light combined with a system of optics and a specialized sensor. The technology could be used to study fundamental physics and help create smaller and more sensitive electronics.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Scientists Are Creating Vaccines For Type 1 Diabetes
|
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, causing sugar to build up in the bloodstream. There is no cure, though there are treatment options. As the disease is caused by an incorrect immune response, a diabetes vaccine would need to inhibit the immune response rather than boost it like conventional vaccines. Inverse vaccinations can affect the entire immune system, so scientists have been studying antigen-specific vaccines. Several vaccines are already in trials.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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The Next Google (12 minute read)
|
The next Google will have to be more than just an input box that returns links. A new generation of search engines is being developed that takes the idea of a search engine to new directions. This article looks at new search engines and shows what they offer. It talks about Kagi, Neeva, You.com, Andi, Brave, and Goggles, and explains how these companies are innovating in the space.
| 4Miscellaneous
|
Chinese Scientists Create System to Care For Embryos in Artificial Womb
|
Scientists from China have developed an AI system that can monitor and care for embryos as they grow inside artificial wombs. It has already been used to care for a number of animal embryos. Experimentation on human embryos is forbidden under international law, but the scientists claim that the system would be safer than natural childbearing. Despite its potential ethical issues, the technology could one day help couples that are struggling to have children finally become parents.
| 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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