ICT news

• Epic Games Details New Features For 'Fortnite' Version 3.0

  22-02-2018 15:40
  Season three will feature building improvements, a change to the pump shotgun, and a new Battle Pass.
  
  Read more

• U.S. Seeks to Build World Pressure on Russia Over Space Nuclear Weapon

  05-05-2024 00:25 via science.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader shared this report from the New York Times:
  American officials are trying to increase international pressure on Russia not to deploy an antisatellite nuclear weapon in space, and have obtained information that undermines Moscow's explanation that the device it is developing is for peaceful scientific purposes, a senior State Department official said on Friday...
  On Friday, Mallory Stewart, the assistant secretary of state for arms control, said that while the United States ha
  
  Read more

• Multinational ISP Offers $206M In Secured Notes Backed By IPv4 Addresses

  04-05-2024 23:25 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  CircleID reports that Multinational internet service provider Cogent recently announced that it was offering $206 million in secured notes (a corporate bond backed by assets). "The unusual part is what it's using as security: some of its IPv4 addresses and the leases on those IPv4 addresses."
  All internet service providers (ISPs) give IP addresses to their users, but Cogent was among the first to lease those addresses independently of internet access. (Internet access customers normally require
  
  Read more

• Ubuntu Criticized For Bug Blocking Installation of .Deb Packages

  04-05-2024 22:03 via news.slashdot.org
  
  The blog It's FOSS is "pissed at the casual arrogance of Ubuntu and its parent company Canonical..... The sheer audacity of not caring for its users reeks of Microsoft-esque arrogance."
  If you download a .deb package of a software, you cannot install it using the official graphical software center on Ubuntu anymore. When you double-click on the downloaded deb package, you'll see this error, "there is no app installed for Debian package files".
  If you right-click and choose to open it with Softwa
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• NASA's Moon Capsule Suffered Extensive Damage During 2022's Test Flight

  04-05-2024 21:34 via science.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader shared this report from the Washington Post:
  The heat shield of the Orion spacecraft intended one day to carry astronauts to the moon under NASA's Artemis program suffered unexpected damage in more than 100 places as the spacecraft returned to Earth during an uncrewed test flight in 2022, according to a watchdog report released late Wednesday.
  While the capsule withstood the fiery tumult of reentry, when temperatures reached 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit as it plunged through the
  
  Read more

• Finding Land for US Wind Farms Might Be Easier Than We Thoughth

  04-05-2024 20:34 via hardware.slashdot.org
  
  The Washington Post reports that wind turbines "only take up five percent of the land where they've been built, new research shows."
  The rest of the space can be used for other purposes, such as agriculture, according to a study published recently in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science and Technology. This means developers could fit turbines in places that are often perceived as unsuitable for a wind farm.
  The new study highlights that turbines and existing human development, such as
  
  Read more

• Finding Land for US Wind Farms Might Be Easier Than We Thought

  04-05-2024 20:34 via hardware.slashdot.org
  
  The Washington Post reports that wind turbines "only take up five percent of the land where they've been built, new research shows."
  The rest of the space can be used for other purposes, such as agriculture, according to a study published recently in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science and Technology. This means developers could fit turbines in places that are often perceived as unsuitable for a wind farm.
  The new study highlights that turbines and existing human development, such as
  
  Read more

• Jack Dorsey's Block Is Investing 10% Of Its Bitcoin Profits Into Monthly Bitcoin Purchases

  04-05-2024 19:34 via slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader shared this report from the blog Bitcoinist:Jack Dorsey's financial services and digital payments company, Block Inc., announced it will begin investing 10% of its monthly Bitcoin-related gross profits into BTC purchases. This announcement was made following the release of Block's first-quarter earnings for 2024, which demonstrated substantial profits from its Bitcoin operations.
  Block reported Bitcoin-related gross profits amounting to $80 million in the first quarter alone.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• When a Politician Sues a Blog to Unmask Its Anonymous Commenter

  04-05-2024 18:34 via yro.slashdot.org
  
  Markos Moulitsas is the poll-watching founder of the political blog Daily Kos. Thursday he wrote that in 2021, future third-party presidential candidate RFK Jr. had sued their web site.
  "Things are not going well for him."Back in 2021, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sued Daily Kos to unmask the identity of a community member who posted a critical story about his dalliance with neo-Nazis at a Berlin rally. I updated the story here, here, here, here, and here.
  To briefly summarize, Kennedy wanted us to dox
  
  Read more

• The Highest Observatory On Earth Is Now Open

  04-05-2024 17:34 via science.slashdot.org
  
  The world's highest astronomical site is officially open for business after being in the works for 26 years. Space.com reports: The Japanese University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory, or TAO, which was first conceptualized 26 years ago to study the evolution of galaxies and exoplanets, is perched on top of a tall mountain in the Chilean Andes at 5,640 meters (18,500 feet) above sea level. The facility's altitude surpasses even the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, which is at an elevation of 5,050 m
  
  Read more

• Geek-Friendly 'Free Comic Book Day' Titles Include Two Star Wars Books for May the Fourth

  04-05-2024 16:34 via entertainment.slashdot.org
  
  This year's Free Comic Book Day coincided with Star Wars Day. So there's two new free Star Wars titles being handed out today in comic shops around the world.
  They're among several geek-friendly titles among the 48 free comics that fans will get to choose from during this once-a-year event, including:- Street Fighter vs Final Fight- Jonny Quest- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- Conan the Barbarian- Flash Gordon
  And, of course, four from Marvel Comics.
  More details from IGN:DC is about to kick off A
  
  Read more

• Extremist Militias Are Coordinating In More Than 100 Facebook Groups

  04-05-2024 15:00 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from Wired: Join your localMilitia or III% Patriot Group," a post urged the more than 650 members of a Facebook group called the Free American Army. Accompanied by the logo for the Three Percenters militia network and an image of a man in tactical gear holding a long rifle, the post continues: "Now more than ever. Support the American militia page." Other content and messaging in the group is similar. And despite the fact that Facebook bans paramilitary organi
  
  Read more

• Lithium-Free Sodium Batteries Exit the Lab, Enter US Production

  04-05-2024 12:00 via hardware.slashdot.org
  
  Natron Energy, a pioneer in sodium-ion battery technology, has officially commenced mass production of its lithium-free sodium batteries in its Holland, Michigan facility, offering an alternative energy storage solution with benefits such as faster cycling, longer lifespan, and safer usage compared to lithium-ion batteries. New Atlas reports: Not only is sodium somewhere between 500 to 1,000 times more abundant than lithium on the planet we call Earth, sourcing it doesn't necessitate the same ty
  
  Read more

• Star Wars Day 2024 Celebrated With Videogames, Movie Marathons, Cartoons, and Mark Hamill

  04-05-2024 09:00 via entertainment.slashdot.org
  
  "It all started with the fans," says 72-year-old actor Mark Hamill, in a montage of fans and actors in a newly-released video commemorating this year's Star Wars day.
  Or, as Tom's Guide writes, "It's such a nice feeling to be a part of a huge community since fans are the ones who created this special day (by using "may the force be with you" as a pun for the date we all look forward to every year)."Lucasfilm and its owner Disney approved of this occasion, and now, we hold both official and unoff
  
  Read more

• Methane Emissions From Gas Flaring Being Hidden From Satellite Monitors

  04-05-2024 05:30 via news.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: Oil and gas equipment intended to cut methane emissions is preventing scientists from accurately detecting greenhouse gases and pollutants, a satellite image investigation has revealed. Energy companies operating in countries such as the US, UK, Germany and Norway appear to have installed technology that could stop researchers from identifying methane, carbon dioxide emissions and pollutants at industrial facilities involved in the disposal
  
  Read more

• US Official Urges China, Russia To Declare AI Will Not Control Nuclear Weapons

  04-05-2024 02:50 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  Senior Department arms control official Paul Dean on Thursday urged China and Russia to declare that artificial intelligence would never make decisions on deploying nuclear weapons. Washington had made a "clear and strong commitment" that humans had total control over nuclear weapons, said Dean. Britain and France have made similar commitments. Reuters reports: "We would welcome a similar statement by China and the Russian Federation," said Dean, principal deputy assistant secretary in the Burea
  
  Read more

• Apple Announces Largest-Ever $110 Billion Share Buyback As iPhone Sales Drop

  04-05-2024 02:10 via apple.slashdot.org
  
  Apple reported fiscal second-quarter earnings that topped estimates, despite a 10% drop in iPhone sales. The company also announced that its board had authorized $110 billion in share repurchases, "a 22% increase over last year's $90 billion authorization," notes CNBC. "It's the largest buyback in history, ahead of Apple's previous repurchases." From the report: Apple did not provide formal guidance, but Apple CEO Tim Cook told CNBC's Steve Kovach that overall sales would grow in the "low single
  
  Read more

• Humans Now Share the Web Equally With Bots, Report Warns

  04-05-2024 01:30 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Independent, published last month: Humans now share the web equally with bots, according to a major new report -- as some fear that the internet is dying. In recent months, the so-called "dead internet theory" has gained new popularity. It suggests that much of the content online is in fact automatically generated, and that the number of humans on the web is dwindling in comparison with bot accounts. Now a new report from cyber security company Imperv
  
  Read more

• Sony Will Soon Require 'Helldivers 2' PC Gamers To Link Their Steam Accounts To PSN, Angering Users

  04-05-2024 00:50 via games.slashdot.org
  
  "Players who made Steam purchases of Helldivers 2 are now, months after the fact, being told by Sony that their games will be useless unless linked to a PSN account," writes longtime Slashdot reader Baron_Yam. From a report: Publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment announced today that Helldivers 2 players on Steam will soon be required to link their in-game profiles to a PlayStation Network account -- a feature that was optional at launch due to "technical issues" -- or risk losing access to th
  
  Read more

• Senators Want Limits On TSA Use of Facial Recognition Technology For Airport Screening

  04-05-2024 00:10 via yro.slashdot.org
  
  A bipartisan group of senators, led by Jeff Merkley, John Kennedy, and Roger Marshall, is advocating for limitations on the Transportation Security Administration's use of facial recognition technology due to concerns about privacy and civil liberties. PBS reports: In a letter on Thursday, the group of 14 lawmakers called on Senate leaders to use the upcoming reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration as a vehicle to limit TSA's use of the technology so Congress can put in place some
  
  Read more

• AI Engineers Report Burnout, Rushed Rollouts As 'Rat Race' To Stay Competitive Hits Tech Industry

  03-05-2024 23:30 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNBC: Late last year, an artificial intelligence engineer at Amazon was wrapping up the work week and getting ready to spend time with some friends visiting from out of town. Then, a Slack message popped up. He suddenly had a deadline to deliver a project by 6 a.m. on Monday. There went the weekend. The AI engineer bailed on his friends, who had traveled from the East Coast to the Seattle area. Instead, he worked day and night to finish the job. But it wa
  
  Read more

• Germany Says Russia Will Face Consequences For 'Intolerable' Cyberattack

  03-05-2024 22:50 via it.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader shares a report: Relations between Russia and Germany were already tense, with Germany providing military support to Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Russian state hackers were behind a cyberattack last year that targeted the Social Democrats, the leading party in the governing coalition. "Russian state hackers attacked Germany in cyberspace," she said at a news conference in the Australian city of Adelaide. "We can attrib
  
  Read more

• Florida Bans Lab-Grown Meat

  03-05-2024 22:10 via news.slashdot.org
  
  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill this week banning and criminalizing the manufacture and sale of lab-grown meat in the state. From a report: The legislation joins similar efforts from three other states -- Alabama, Arizona and Tennessee -- that have also looked to stop the sale of lab-grown meat, which is believed to still be years away from commercial viability. "Florida is fighting back against the global elite's plan to force the world to eat meat grown in a petri dish or bugs to achie
  
  Read more

• Britain's Climate Action Plan Unlawful, High Court Rules

  03-05-2024 21:41 via news.slashdot.org
  
  The UK government's climate action plan is unlawful, the high court has ruled, as there is not enough evidence that there are sufficient policies in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. From a report: The energy secretary, Claire Coutinho, will now be expected to draw up a revised plan within 12 months. This must ensure that the UK achieves its legally binding carbon budgets and its pledge to cut emissions by more than two-thirds by 2030, both of which the government is off track to meet. T
  
  Read more

• China Launches Moon Probe

  03-05-2024 20:11 via science.slashdot.org
  
  China launched an uncrewed lunar mission Friday that aims to bring back samples from the far side of the moon for the first time, in a potentially major step forward for the country's ambitious space program. From a report: The Chang'e-6 probe -- China's most complex robotic lunar mission to date -- blasted off on a Long March-5 rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China's Hainan island, where space fans had gathered to watch the historic moment. The country's National Space Adm
  
  Read more

• Firefox Power User Keeps 7,400+ Browser Tabs Open for 2 Years

  03-05-2024 19:30 via news.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader shares a report: A software engineer has been keeping nearly 7,500 Firefox tabs open on her Mac computer for over two years -- and doesn't plan on closing them anytime soon. The Firefox power user, who goes by the pseudonym "Hazel" online, posted a screenshot showing 7,470 tabs open earlier this week after finding the browser initially unable to restore all the tabs. Hazel was able to bring the tabs back to life via a Firefox profile cache, however, and tells PCMag that reloa
  
  Read more

• Microsoft Overhaul Treats Security as 'Top Priority' After a Series of Failures

  03-05-2024 18:40 via it.slashdot.org
  
  Microsoft is making security its number one priority for every employee, following years of security issues and mounting criticisms. The Verge: After a scathing report from the US Cyber Safety Review Board recently concluded that "Microsoft's security culture was inadequate and requires an overhaul," it's doing just that by outlining a set of security principles and goals that are tied to compensation packages for Microsoft's senior leadership team. Last November, Microsoft announced a Secure Fu
  
  Read more

• German Police Bust Europe's 'Largest' Scam Call Center

  03-05-2024 18:02 via yro.slashdot.org
  
  Plumpaquatsch writes: Investigators teamed up with colleagues from the Balkans and Lebanon in raids set up by months of intense surveillance. Authorities say the operation thwarted over 10 million euro in damages and led to 21 arrests.
  Dubbed 'Operation Pandora,' the sting began in Germany in December 2023, after a suspicious bank teller contacted police when a 76-year-old customer from Freiburg sought to hurriedly withdraw 120,000 euro ($128,232) from her savings account to hand over to a fake
  
  Read more

• An Open Database Leaked Submissions To Utah's 'Bathroom Bill' Snitch Form

  03-05-2024 17:20 via yro.slashdot.org
  
  samleecole writes: Utah set up an online form for people to accuse other citizens and public establishments of violating the state's recently-enacted transphobic "bathroom bill." The submission form is being flooded with memes and troll comments, and the auditor also left the submissions database open to the public -- without a password, authentication, or any other protections that would keep anyone from viewing other people's submissions.
  After 404 Media contacted the auditor's office for comm
  
  Read more

• Google Defends App Store, Fighting Epic Games' Bid For Major Reforms

  03-05-2024 16:49 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  Google has asked a U.S. judge not to impose sweeping changes to the Alphabet unit's app store Play that were proposed by "Fortnite" maker Epic Games in the companies' closely-watched antitrust fight. From a report: Google made its filing late on Thursday in San Francisco federal court, where Epic last year persuaded a jury that the tech giant unlawfully stifled competition with its controls over apps downloads on Android devices and payments to developers for in-app transactions. Epic's proposal
  
  Read more

Follow @newslocke_ict on Twitter!