Category: Latest News

A group of senators will introduce legislation to help protect consumer privacy as companies focus on using data to help combat COVID-19. Governments and companies around the world have turned to big data in an effort to map the spread of the coronavirus, and try to get ahead of it. One of the most publicized efforts is being undertaken by Apple and Google, as the two companies work on a contact tracing API. The API, and subsequent apps, will use anonymous Bluetooth keys to keep track of the phones an individual has been…

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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has thrown down the gauntlet, going after telecom companies that have strong ties to Beijing. The U.S. has engaged in some very public battles with Chinese firms, including Huawei and ZTE, citing issues of national security. In its latest move, the FCC has “issued Show Cause Orders to four telecom companies with ties to the communist regime in China.” A Show Cause Order gives the companies 30 days to make the case as to why their authority to operate within the U.S. should not be…

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Long-time chairwoman Mitchell Baker has officially taken the reigns as Mozilla’s next CEO. The organization’s previous CEO, Chris Beard, resigned at the end of 2019, leaving a vacancy in Mozilla’s leadership. Now, more than three months after Beard left, Baker is taking over the position. “I’m honored to become Mozilla’s CEO at this time. It’s a time of challenge on many levels, there’s no question about that,” Baker writes in a blog post. “Mozilla’s flagship product remains excellent, but the competition is stiff. The increasing vertical integration of internet experience remains a…

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In an effort to take on Zoom’s newfound popularity, Microsoft is adding “Meet Now” to Skype, making meetings easier than ever. Once upon a time, Skype was the reigning king of online videoconferencing. A number of missteps by Microsoft, clunky interface decisions, poor performance and ongoing security issues opened the door for Zoom to become the de facto standard amid the global pandemic. Now that Zoom has faced criticism of its own over security and privacy, Microsoft sees an opportunity to make up lost ground. The feature works whether Skype is installed or not.…

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President Trump signed two bills into law Monday, aimed at improving both 5G security and broadband availability. According to a statement by the Whitehouse, the Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2020, calls on the “President to develop a strategy to: (1) ensure the security of next generation mobile telecommunications systems and infrastructure in the United States; and (2) assist allies and strategic partners in maximizing the security of next generation mobile telecommunications systems and infrastructure.” This has been an ongoing concern for U.S. officials, as Huawei is one of the top…

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Apple has announced a new iPad Pro that is clearly aimed at the laptop market, with a slew of powerful new features. The new iPad Pro is powered by the A12Z Bionic chip and an eight-core GPU, allowing the tablet to outperform most PC laptops on the market today, according to Apple. Given that the 2018 iPad Pro was touted as being faster than 92% of notebooks on the market at that time, Apple’s claim about the new model is probably pretty accurate. iPad Pro Cameras – Image Credit: Apple…

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Apple is warning its store personnel that supplies of some replacement iPhones are running short, and extra measures may be required to assist customers. According to an internal memo that AppleInsider has confirmed, Genius Bar personnel (Geniuses) have been informed that some iPhone replacements may be in short supply over the next few weeks. Geniuses are being encouraged “to offer to mail replacement devices to customers and provide ‘loaner’ iPhones in the meantime.” Apple has already informed investors it will miss its quarterly guidance as its production and supply chain have been impacted as…

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Citing Cairn Energy Research Advisors, CNBC is reporting that Tesla has a significant advantage in electric battery technology. The electric vehicle pioneer is facing more and more competition from startups and established rivals. Rivian has made headlines as a more traditional-looking electric vehicle manufacturer, while Ford has also had its fair share of news for an all-electric Mustang Mach-E and upcoming F-150. GM, Toyota, Subaru and others are all planning to roll out all-electric lineups, with Subaru committed to producing only electric vehicles by the mid-2030s. According to Sam Jaffe, managing director of Cairn Energy Research Advisors, despite the…

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The company offers an elegant solution to the challenge of getting local merchant inventory into search results and ads. Google is acquiring Irish startup Pointy, the companies announced Tuesday. Pointy has solved a problem that vexed startups for more than a decade: how to bring small, independent retailer inventory online. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Pointy had raised less than $20 million so it probably wasn’t an expensive buy for Google. But it could have a significant impact for the future of product search. Complements local inventory feeds. This acquisition…

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