A number of course-altering US Supreme Court decisions last month—including the reversal of a constitutional right to abortion and the overturning of a century-old limit on certain firearms permits—have activists and average Americans around the country anticipating the fallout for rights and privacy as abortion “trigger laws,” expanded access to concealed carry permits, and other regulations are expected to take effect in some states. And as people seeking abortions scramble to protect their digital privacy and researchers plumb the relationship between abortion speech and tech regulations , encryption proponents have a clear message: Access to end-to-end encrypted services in the US is more important than ever. Studies, including those commissioned by tech giants like Meta, have repeatedly and definitively shown that access to encrypted communications is a human rights issue in the digital age. End-to-end encryption makes your messages, phone calls, and video chats … [Read more...] about End-to-end encryption’s central role in modern self-defense
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Internet shutdowns cost global economy $10B so far in 2022, VPN report says
Censoring peaceful protesters isn’t the only reason governments have deliberately shut down the Internet in 2022, but researchers say it is the primary objective and is costing the most to the global economy. According to a report from Top10VPN, the cost of government-ordered Internet shutdowns in 2022 has cost the global economy more than $10 billion. That figure nearly doubles 2021 costs, and it’s only halfway through the year. At a cost of $8.77 billion, the biggest drain on the global economy is Russia. That country’s ongoing social media blackouts began shortly after the Ukraine invasion and are designed to limit peaceful protest and press freedoms by preventing access to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. So far this year, Top10VPN has tracked government shutdowns in 16 countries, measuring costs per day of shutdowns specifically preventing protests that range from hundreds of thousands in Pakistan to hundreds of millions in Russia. Other reasons for government … [Read more...] about Internet shutdowns cost global economy $10B so far in 2022, VPN report says
‘Tone-deaf’ Samsung ad is a reminder that smartwatch safety still has a ways to go
Samsung is under fire for a recent ad depicting a woman wearing a Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Buds running alone in the middle of a city at 2AM. Critics have called the ad both “unrealistic” and “tone-deaf” in the wake of the murder of Ashling Murphy , a 23-year-old who was killed while running in January in Dublin, Ireland. The ad is oblivious to the dangers of nighttime running, but that makes sense since many smartwatch makers don’t seem to understand how their limited safety features may fail runners. Samsung has since apologized for the ad, telling BBC Radio 1 that it hadn’t intended to “be insensitive to ongoing conversations around women’s safety” and that “the ‘Night Owls’ campaign was designed with a positive message in mind: to celebrate individuality and freedom to exercise at all hours.” Samsung’s intent is understandable. The ad is meant to highlight how easy it is to use Galaxy devices together and “empower” users to leave their phones at home. For many people … [Read more...] about ‘Tone-deaf’ Samsung ad is a reminder that smartwatch safety still has a ways to go
FCC says TracFone and other cell companies defrauded US program for the poor
The Federal Communications Commission yesterday accused five wireless service providers of obtaining duplicate payments from a federal fund for low-income consumers. The FCC wants the companies to repay the extra money and, in addition, to pay $14.4 million in fines. The wireless providers allegedly violated rules of the Lifeline program, which has helped people afford basic telephone service since 1985. It was expanded to cover pre-paid cell phone service in 2005 under former President George W. Bush. "The violations involve thousands of consumers who had more than one Lifeline subscription from the same provider, resulting in duplicative support requests and payments," the FCC said. "In each case, the carrier knew or should have known, based on its own internal data, that the consumers were ineligible under Lifeline program rules. ... To protect the integrity of the Lifeline program, the Commission’s rules prohibit, among other things, Lifeline service providers from requesting … [Read more...] about FCC says TracFone and other cell companies defrauded US program for the poor
Android phones selling faster than iPhone, closing in on RIM
Two separate mobile marketshare reports that emerged this week—one from NPD and one from Nielsen—show that adoption of Google's Android mobile operating system is growing rapidly and has outpaced sales of Apple's iPhone in the United States. The reports disagree, however, about whether Android-based devices have displaced RIM's BlackBerry as the country's dominant smartphone operating system. Nielsen's study found that BlackBerry still holds the top spot, with 33 percent marketshare among recent smartphone buyers. It shows Android devices in second place with 27 percent and Apple in third place with 23 percent. NPD's statistics indicate that Android has taken the lead with 33 percent, followed by RIM with 28 percent and Apple with 22 percent. Although both studies are focused on recent purchases, the Nielsen study covers the past six months, whereas the NPD study focuses only on Q2. It's also worth noting that these statistics are focused on consumer smartphone purchases. NPD … [Read more...] about Android phones selling faster than iPhone, closing in on RIM
New router combines your home and mobile networks into one faster pipe
Are you struggling to play Netflix on a 2Mbps Internet connection? A new cloud-connected router using the same type of multipath technology that Apple put in the iPhone might solve your problem. Launched this week on Indiegogo , the $199-$289 system from Multipath Networks in Ireland combines connections such as DSL, cable, 3G, and 4G into one pipe. Up to four connections can be used at once. The idea of aggregating mobile and wired signals in the home is an old one . But it certainly hasn't become commonplace, and Multipath Networks takes advantage of the new Multipath TCP protocol that's used in the iPhone to let Siri switch between Wi-Fi, 3G, and LTE quickly and seamlessly. "Apple claims to be the first to deploy this, but actually we were; we've been doing this for over a year now," Multipath Networks CEO Justin Collery told Ars today. The company's debut product worked only with mobile networks and was intended for providing more reliable connectivity to … [Read more...] about New router combines your home and mobile networks into one faster pipe
A separate peace: Google, Verizon making net neutrality deal?
Major news outlets are disclosing a development that, if true, could influence the course of broadband economics for the foreseeable future. The New York Times reports that Google and Verizon are close to a deal that "could allow Verizon to speed some online content to Internet users more quickly if the content's creators are willing to pay for the privilege." Furthermore, Google "would agree not to challenge Verizon's ability to manage its broadband Internet network as it pleased." The Wall Street Journal' s dispatch suggests that an agreement may be forthcoming that both companies "hope could be used as a model for legislation aimed at preventing telephone or cable companies from delaying or blocking Internet traffic." From these fragments, it's not hard to speculate on the key elements of a possible deal. Google will accept the priority access concept; Verizon will promise not to block or delay traffic, or at least pledge to adhere to broad principles along those … [Read more...] about A separate peace: Google, Verizon making net neutrality deal?
A Guide to Air Fryers: Everything to Know Before You Buy
Air fryers have made a whole lot of noise in the kitchen appliance space over these past few years. If you've become a little air fry-curious, there are some questions you might want to have answered before you invest in yet another small kitchen appliance. If starting from scratch, you'll want to know exactly what an air fryer does and how it's used. Does an air fryer actually fry? And are air fryers healthier than normal ovens? Also, what can you make in an air fryer, and which type of air fryer oven is best for your cooking habits? Most importantly, is an air fryer worth buying with so many other kitchen appliances available, or are these trendy countertop cookers just a bunch of hot air? Whether or not an air fryer is right for you is ultimately a decision you'll have to make. But as someone with the chance to try much of the latest kitchen gadgetry, I can say that the air fryer is one of my personal favorite small appliance additions. It's one I fire up at least a few times … [Read more...] about A Guide to Air Fryers: Everything to Know Before You Buy
Amazon Halo View Review: Affordable, But a Little Creepy
Rating: 7/10 ? 1 - Absolute Hot Garbage 2 - Sorta Lukewarm Garbage 3 - Strongly Flawed Design 4 - Some Pros, Lots Of Cons 5 - Acceptably Imperfect 6 - Good Enough to Buy On Sale 7 - Great, But Not Best-In-Class 8 - Fantastic, with Some Footnotes 9 - Shut Up And Take My Money 10 - Absolute Design Nirvana Price: $80 If you’re in the market for fitness wearables, you may have come across Amazon’s Halo View . The affordable band is meant to compete with the likes of FitBit, so we tried one out to see how it measures up. Here's What We Like Simple interface Easy to start using Competitive price point And What We Don't Invasive extra features Subscription-locked functions No GPS The Halo View’s price point is comfortable compared to other fitness trackers , which combined with a generous one-year free trial of Amazon’s Halo subscription, makes for what appears to be a great deal. It sacrifices a few features that … [Read more...] about Amazon Halo View Review: Affordable, But a Little Creepy
trailer: Jersey nerd trilogy goes meta in 2-night theater run
After years of development, the snootchiest of '90s bootchies will finally return to theaters this September. Writer and director Kevin Smith unveiled the first look at Clerks III on Wednesday via a two-minute trailer, though you'll have to look at some fine print to figure out exactly when and where you might get to watch this feature-length film. The core cast featured in 2006's Clerks II returns to modern-day New Jersey, once again relegated to a building that houses both a convenience store and a video rental shop. The latter has adapted to a modern video-streaming world, at least, with a massive "THC" indicator poorly taped over the original sign—and longtime series jesters Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) seem fine hanging out in front of this adjusted storefront for some reason. But time hasn't been kind to Randal (Jeff Anderson), as the trailer shows him suffering a heart attack and questioning a life spent watching movies all day. “What am I, a hack?” "I … [Read more...] about trailer: Jersey nerd trilogy goes meta in 2-night theater run