ARM Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life (Terry Pratchett, Jingo)

Waymo Chooses the Hyundai Ioniq 5 For New Robotaxi (carscoops.com)

(Saturday October 05, 2024 @10:32PM (BeauHD) from the change-of-plans dept.)

Waymo has [1]entered a "multi-year, strategic partnership" with Hyundai to [2]integrate the company's autonomous driving system into the American-made Hyundai Ioniq 5 . It's expected to join the Waymo One fleet after road tests starting in late 2025. Carscoops reports:

> Waymo and Geely joined forces in 2021 to introduce a [3]mobility-focused Zeekr EV . The model was slated to be added to Waymo's fleet of autonomous vehicles and effectively replace their aging Jaguar I-Paces. While that was a solid plan a few years ago, the political climate has changed and China has emerged as America's boogeyman. Just last week, the Biden Administration proposed a new rule that could effectively ban all Chinese cars including models from Buick and Lincoln. [...]

>

> Besides giving Waymo a 'safe' alternative to Zeekr, it sounds like the Ioniq 5 will eventually make up a bulk of the fleet. While that remains unconfirmed, the companies aim to produce the autonomous EVs in a "significant volume over multiple years." The firms also revealed the cars will be delivered with "autonomous-ready modifications like redundant hardware and power doors."



[1] https://waymo.com/blog/2024/10/waymo-and-hyundai-enter-partnership/

[2] https://www.carscoops.com/2024/10/waymo-to-use-hyundai-ioniq-5-as-basis-for-latest-robotaxi/

[3] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/08/20/0010258/waymos-new-robotaxi-will-feature-fewer-sensors-to-help-lower-costs



Samsung's 'One UI' Is Expanding To All of Its Consumer Devices (engadget.com)

(Saturday October 05, 2024 @05:21PM (BeauHD) from the what-to-expect dept.)

First [1]announced in 2018, Samsung's "One UI" software is [2]expanding to all the company's major tech products in 2025. 9to5Google reports:

> At its annual developer conference, Samsung announced that "One UI" is the new name for the company's software experiences across "major product lines." This specifically includes TVs and home appliances. Samsung [3]says : "In addition, the company announced that it will integrate the software experience of its major product lines -- from mobile devices to TVs and home appliances -- under the name One UI next year. By providing a cohesive product experience and committing to software upgrades for up to seven years, Samsung will continue to bring innovation for its customers."

>

> There's no word on how, if at all, this will affect software design or features, but the cohesive branding and the announcement mentioning that it will "integrate the software experience" implies we'll see similar designs across the company's portfolio, at least eventually. Samsung also announced that One UI 7, its next Android update, would be delayed to 2025 with a beta "before the end of the year" during the same keynote.



[1] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/19/02/19/229212/samsungs-one-ui-is-the-best-software-its-ever-put-on-a-smartphone

[2] https://9to5google.com/2024/10/04/samsung-one-ui-software/

[3] https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-celebrates-10-years-of-sdc-and-spotlights-ai-based-innovation-at-sdc24



Meta Faces Data Retention Limits On Its EU Ad Business After Top Court Ruling (techcrunch.com)

(Sunday October 06, 2024 @02:34AM (BeauHD) from the nothing-lasts-forever dept.)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch:

> The European Union's top court has sided with a privacy challenge to Meta's data retention policies. It ruled on Friday that social networks, such as Facebook, [1]cannot keep using people's information for ad targeting indefinitely . The judgement could have major implications on the way Meta and other ad-funded social networks operate in the region. Limits on how long personal data can be kept must be applied in order to comply with data minimization principles contained in the bloc's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Breaches of the regime can lead to fines of up to 4% of global annual turnover -- which, in Meta's case, could put it on the hook for billions more in penalties (NB: it is already at the [2]top of the leaderboard of Big Tech GDPR breachers ). [...]

>

> The original challenge to Meta's ad business dates back to 2014 but was not fully heard in Austria until 2020, per noyb. The Austrian supreme court then referred several legal questions to the CJEU in 2021. Some were answered via a separate challenge to Meta/Facebook, in a July 2023 CJEU ruling -- which struck down the company's ability to claim a "legitimate interest" to process people's data for ads. The remaining two questions have now been dealt with by the CJEU. And it's more bad news for Meta's surveillance-based ad business. Limits do apply. Summarizing this component of the judgement in a press release, the CJEU wrote: "An online social network such as Facebook cannot use all of the personal data obtained for the purposes of targeted advertising, without restriction as to time and without distinction as to type of data."

>

> The ruling looks important on account of how ads businesses, such as Meta's, function. Crudely put, the more of your data they can grab, the better -- as far as they are concerned. Back in 2022, an internal memo penned by Meta engineers which was obtained by Vice's Motherboard likened its data collection practices to tipping bottles of ink into a vast lake and suggested the company's aggregation of personal data lacked controls and did not lend itself to being able to silo different types of data or apply data retention limits. Although Meta claimed at the time that the document "does not describe our extensive processes and controls to comply with privacy regulations." How exactly the adtech giant will need to amend its data retention practices following the CJEU ruling remains to be seen. But the law is clear that it must have limits. "[Advertising] companies must develop data management protocols to gradually delete unneeded data or stop using them," noyb suggests.

The court also weighed in a second question that concerns sensitive data that has been "manifestly made public" by the data subject, "and whether sensitive characteristics could be used for ad targeting because of that," reports TechCrunch. "The court ruled that it could not, maintaining the GDPR's purpose limitation principle."



[1] https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/04/meta-faces-data-retention-limits-on-its-eu-ad-business-after-top-court-ruling/

[2] https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/10/the-10-largest-gdpr-fines-on-big-tech/



SEC Appeals Decision In Landmark Ripple Case (cnbc.com)

(Saturday October 05, 2024 @05:21PM (BeauHD) from the HODL-or-FOLD dept.)

On Wednesday, the SEC [1]filed (PDF) to appeal a 2023 court ruling that [2]determined XRP is not considered a security when sold to retail investors on exchanges. The announcement [3]sent the price of XRP tumbling more than 8% . "XRP, which was created by the founders of Ripple, is the native token of the open source XRP Ledger, which Ripple uses in its cross-border payments business," notes CNBC. "It is the fifth-largest coin by market cap, excluding stablecoins Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC)." CNBC reports:

> Ripple, the largest holder of XRP coins, scored a partial victory last summer after a three-year battle with the SEC. U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres handed down the decision, which was hailed as a landmark win for the crypto industry. Still, while XRP isn't considered a security when sold to retail investors on exchanges, it is considered an unregistered security offering if sold to institutional investors.

>

> Ripple declined to comment but referred to Wednesday evening posts on X by CEO Brad Garlinghouse and chief legal officer Stuart Alderoty. Alderoty said the company is evaluating whether to file a cross appeal, and called the SEC's decision to appeal "disappointing, but not surprising." The SEC, under Chair Gary Gensler, has become notorious for its refusal to provide clear guidance for crypto businesses, instead opting to regulate by enforcement actions. "XRP's status as a non-security is the law of the land today - and that does not change even in the face of this misguided - and infuriating - appeal," Garlinghouse [4]said on X .



[1] https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.551082/gov.uscourts.nysd.551082.978.0.pdf

[2] https://yro.slashdot.org/story/23/07/13/1710213/ripples-open-market-sales-of-xrp-cryptocurrency-arent-securities-court-rules-in-landmark-decision

[3] https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/03/crypto-market-today.html

[4] https://x.com/bgarlinghouse/status/1841597085264839113



Google Vows To Stop Linking To New Zealand News If Forced To Pay For Content (apnews.com)

(Saturday October 05, 2024 @05:21PM (BeauHD) from the corporate-threats dept.)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Associated Press:

> Google said Friday it will stop linking to New Zealand news content and will reverse its support of local media outlets if the government passes a law forcing tech companies to pay for articles displayed on their platforms. The vow to sever Google traffic to New Zealand news sites -- made in a blog post by the search giant on Friday -- echoes strategies the firm deployed as [1]Australia and [2]Canada prepared to enact similar laws in recent years. It followed a surprise announcement by New Zealand's government in July that lawmakers would advance a bill forcing tech platforms to strike deals for sharing revenue generated from news content with the media outlets producing it.

>

> The government, led by center-right National, had opposed the law in 2023 when introduced by the previous administration. But the loss of more than 200 newsroom jobs earlier this year -- in a national media industry that totaled 1,600 reporters at the 2018 census and has likely shrunk since -- prompted the current government to reconsider forcing tech companies to pay publishers for displaying content. The law aims to stanch the flow offshore of advertising revenue derived from New Zealand news products.

If the media law passes, Google New Zealand Country Director Caroline Rainsford said the firm would need to change its involvement in the country. "Specifically, we'd be forced to stop linking to news content on Google Search, Google News, or Discover surfaces in New Zealand and discontinue our current commercial agreements and ecosystem support with New Zealand news publishers."

Google's licensing program in New Zealand contributed "millions of dollars per year to almost 50 local publications," she added.



[1] https://news.slashdot.org/story/20/07/31/1645251/australia-to-make-facebook-google-pay-for-news-in-world-first?sdsrc=rel

[2] https://news.slashdot.org/story/22/10/23/2123212/facebook-warns-it-could-block-news-in-canada-over-proposed-legislation



Google Is Testing Verified Checkmarks In Search (theverge.com)

(Saturday October 05, 2024 @11:34AM (BeauHD) from the testing-testing-1-2-3 dept.)

Google is [1]testing a new verification feature in search , in a move aimed at helping users avoid fake or fraudulent websites. The Verge's Jess Weatherbed reports:

> My colleague Jay Peters spotted checkmarks next to official site links for Microsoft, Meta, Epic Games, Apple, Amazon, and HP, but these were no longer displayed once he logged into a different Google account -- meaning this experiment isn't being rolled out widely just yet. Hovering over a checkmark will display a message that explains "Google's signals suggest that this business is the business that it says it is," which is determined by things like website verification, Merchant Center data, and manual reviews according to Shaheen.



[1] https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261877/google-search-verified-checkmarks-experiment-feature



Latest Windows 11 Dev Build Is Out With Copilot Key Remapping

(Saturday October 05, 2024 @11:34AM (BeauHD) from the whatever-key dept.)

Microsoft has released Windows 11 Dev build 26120.1930, which [1]contains the ability to remap the Copilot key . The changes are rolling out gradually to Dev Insiders with the "Get the latest features as soon as they are available" toggle on. Neowin reports:

> [H]ere are the updates that are also gradually rolling out, but this time for all Dev Insiders: "We are adding the ability to configure the Copilot key. You can choose to have the Copilot key launch an app that is MSIX packaged and signed, thus indicating the app meets security and privacy requirements to keep customers safe. The key will continue to launch Copilot on devices that have the Copilot app installed until a customer selects a different experience. This setting can be found via Settings - Personalization - Text input. If the keyboard connected to your PC does not have a Copilot key, adjusting this setting will not do anything. We are planning further refinements to this experience in a future flight."

Other changes introduced in the build include a new simplified Chinese font, Windows Sandbox improvements, and several bug fixes. Full release notes are available [2]here .



[1] https://www.neowin.net/news/windows-11-dev-build-261201930-is-out-with-copilot-key-remapping-windows-sandbox-and-more/

[2] https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/04/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-1930-dev-channel/



Meta's New 'Movie Gen' AI System Can Deepfake Video From a Single Photo (arstechnica.com)

(Saturday October 05, 2024 @11:34AM (BeauHD) from the RIP-movie-studios dept.)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica:

> On Friday, Meta announced a preview of [1]Movie Gen , a new suite of AI models designed to create and manipulate video, audio, and images, including [2]creating a realistic video from a single photo of a person . The company claims the models outperform other video-synthesis models when evaluated by humans, pushing us closer to a future where anyone can synthesize a full video of any subject on demand. The company does not yet have plans of when or how it will release these capabilities to the public, but Meta says Movie Gen is a tool that may allow people to "enhance their inherent creativity" rather than replace human artists and animators. The company envisions future applications such as easily creating and editing "day in the life" videos for social media platforms or generating personalized animated birthday greetings.

>

> Movie Gen builds on Meta's previous work in video synthesis, following 2022's Make-A-Scene video generator and the Emu image-synthesis model. Using text prompts for guidance, this latest system can generate custom videos with sounds for the first time, edit and insert changes into existing videos, and transform images of people into realistic personalized videos. [...] Movie Gen's video-generation model can create 1080p high-definition videos up to 16 seconds long at 16 frames per second from text descriptions or an image input. Meta claims the model can handle complex concepts like object motion, subject-object interactions, and camera movements.

You can view example videos [3]here . Meta also released a [4]research paper with more technical information about the model.

As for the training data, the company says it trained these models on a combination of "licensed and publicly available datasets." Ars notes that this "very likely includes videos uploaded by Facebook and Instagram users over the years, although this is speculation based on Meta's current policies and previous behavior."



[1] https://ai.meta.com/research/movie-gen/

[2] https://arstechnica.com/ai/2024/10/metas-new-movie-gen-ai-system-can-deepfake-video-from-a-single-photo/

[3] https://ai.meta.com/research/movie-gen/

[4] https://ai.meta.com/static-resource/movie-gen-research-paper



60TB Hard Drives Arriving in 2028, According To Industry Roadmap (tomshardware.com)

(Saturday October 05, 2024 @11:34AM (msmash) from the no-shortage-of-room dept.)

An anonymous reader shares a report:

> The arrival of energy-assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) technologies like Seagate's HAMR will play a crucial role in accelerating HDD capacity growth in the coming years. According to the new IEEE International Roadmap for Devices and Systems Mass Data Storage, [1]we will see 60 TB hard disk drives in 2028 . If the prediction is accurate, we will see HDD storage capacity doubling in just four years, something that did not happen for a while. Also, IEEE believes that HDD unit sales will increase.

>

> IEEE's latest HDD development roadmap spans 2022 to 2037 and covers 15 years of hard drive evolution. The arrival of HAMR in 2024 will play a pivotal role in the increase in HDD capacity (even though Western Digital has managed to stay competitive with Seagate's HAMR HDDs using a set of its technologies) over the next few years. IEEE engineers expect HDDs to leapfrog to 40TB in 2025 and 60TB in 2028, doubling capacity from 30TB in 2024. By 2037, there will be 100TB of storage space, according to IEEE.

>

> To get to those extreme capacities, HDD makers will have to increase the areal density of their platters steadily. To get to 40TB per drive, they will have to get to 2 TB/inch^2 in 2025 and then to over 4 TB/inch^2 in 2028 to build 60TB HDDs. By 2037, areal density will grow to over 10 Tb/inch^2. Increasing areal density will necessitate the use of new media, magnetic films, and all-new write and read heads.



[1] https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/storage/60tb-hard-drives-arriving-in-2028-according-to-industry-roadmap-hdd-capacity-forecast-to-double-in-four-years



Matt Mullenweg: 'WordPress.org Just Belongs To Me'

(Saturday October 05, 2024 @11:34AM (msmash) from the closer-look dept.)

WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg has asserted his personal ownership of WordPress.org in a new interview, offering new insight into [1]his clash with hosting provider WP Engine . "WordPress.org just belongs to me personally," [2]Mullenweg told The Verge , justifying his decision to cut WP Engine's access to WordPress.org servers. He cited trademark concerns and insufficient ecosystem contributions as key reasons for the action.

Mullenweg said he altered WordPress Foundation's trademark policies to specifically target WP Engine, adding language about their lack of donations. He likened his approach to getting "Al Capone for taxes," using trademark leverage to pressure the company into greater contributions.



[1] https://slashdot.org/story/24/10/04/1355253/159-employees-leave-automattic-as-wordpress-ceo-escalates-fight-with-wp-engine

[2] https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24262232/matt-mullenweg-wordpress-org-wp-engine



Bird Flu Fears Stoke the Race for an mRNA Flu Vaccine

(Saturday October 05, 2024 @03:00AM (msmash) from the race-begins dept.)

Concern over potential human-to-human transmission of bird flu has risen after six Missouri healthcare workers developed mild respiratory symptoms following contact with a patient infected with H5N1. The CDC reports only the original patient has tested positive for the virus. Scientists are [1]ramping up efforts to develop mRNA vaccines against H5N1 , with researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and major pharmaceutical companies like Moderna, Pfizer, and GSK leading the charge. While mRNA technology offers rapid vaccine production, clinical trials have shown mixed results, particularly against influenza B strains. Wired adds:

> [...] Traditionally, flu vaccines contain inactivated viruses that are grown in hens' eggs. This works reasonably well, but it takes a long time to make such jabs, which means health authorities have to publish their predictions about which strains of flu will be circulating during the upcoming winter well in advance. If you could manufacture vaccines more quickly, you could make more accurate predictions nearer to flu season.

>

> Not only that, researchers hope that a single mRNA shot could one day target 20 or more strains of flu at once, relieving the need for some of this guesswork. Scher's colleagues are working on such a "universal" flu vaccine. With clinical trials ongoing, it's still early days. Sheena Cruickshank, an immunologist at the University of Manchester, has watched reports about emerging mRNA flu jabs with interest but says that questions remain. "We don't yet know how long-lasting the immunity they produce is," she says. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, concurs, though he notes that all flu jabs, regardless of how they are made, have a waning immunity problem -- your protection could decline by around 10 percent every month following injection.



[1] https://www.wired.com/story/wired-health-hub-the-quest-to-make-an-mrna-vaccine-for-flu/



We May Have Passed Peak Obesity (ft.com)

(Saturday October 05, 2024 @03:00AM (msmash) from the things-working-out dept.)

An anonymous reader [1]shares a report :

> The year 1963 was surely one of the most significant of the 20th century. President John F Kennedy was assassinated, Martin Luther King delivered his "I have a dream" speech, and the Beatles recorded and released their debut album. But for all the huge political and cultural events, it was arguably an even more momentous year for public health: 1963 was the year cigarette sales peaked and began to fall in the US.

>

> A generation from now, we may look back on 2020 in a similar way. Yes, there was the small matter of a global pandemic, but this may also have been the year obesity levels ceased their inexorable rise and began to descend. Around the world, obesity rates have been stubbornly climbing for decades, if anything accelerating in recent years. But now newly released data finds that the US adult obesity rate fell by around two percentage points between 2020 and 2023.

>

> We have known for several years from clinical trials that Ozempic, Wegovy and the new generation of diabetes and weight loss drugs produce large and sustained reductions in body weight. Now with mass public usage taking off -- one in eight US adults have used the drugs, with 6 per cent current users -- the results may be showing up at the population level. While we can't be certain that the new generation of drugs are behind this reversal, it is highly likely. For one, the decline is steepest among college graduates, the group most likely to be using them.

>

> Crucially, the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which reported the unprecedented decline in obesity levels, uses weight and height measurements taken by medical examiners, not self-reported values. This makes it far more reliable than other surveys. American waistlines really do seem to be shrinking. What makes this all the more remarkable is the contrast in mechanisms behind the respective declines in smoking and obesity.



[1] https://www.ft.com/content/21bd0b9c-a3c4-4c7c-bc6e-7bb6c3556a56



Thousands of Linux Systems Infected By Stealthy Malware Since 2021

(Saturday October 05, 2024 @03:00AM (msmash) from the security-woes dept.)

A sophisticated malware strain has infected thousands of Linux systems since 2021, [1]exploiting over 20,000 common misconfigurations and a critical Apache RocketMQ vulnerability, researchers at Aqua Security reported. Dubbed Perfctl, the malware employs advanced stealth techniques, including rootkit installation and process name mimicry, to evade detection. It persists through system reboots by modifying login scripts and copying itself to multiple disk locations. Perfctl hijacks systems for cryptocurrency mining and proxy services, while also serving as a backdoor for additional malware. Despite some antivirus detection, the malware's ability to restart after removal has frustrated system administrators.



[1] https://arstechnica.com/security/2024/10/persistent-stealthy-linux-malware-has-infected-thousands-since-2021/



Collapse of National Security Elites' Cyber Firm Leaves Bitter Wake (apnews.com)

(Saturday October 05, 2024 @03:00AM (msmash) from the postmortem dept.)

Cybersecurity firm IronNet, founded by former NSA director Keith Alexander, has collapsed after [1]failing to deliver on its promise to revolutionize cyber defense . The company, which went public in 2021 with a $3 billion valuation, [2]shut down in September 2023 after running out of money.

IronNet's downfall has left investors and former employees bitter, with some accusing the company of misleading them about its financial health. "I'm honestly ashamed that I was ever an executive at that company," said Mark Berly, a former IronNet vice president. He said the company's top leaders cultivated a culture of deceit "just like Theranos." Critics point to questionable business practices, subpar products, and associations that potentially exposed the firm to Russian influence. The company's board included high-profile national security figures, which helped attract investments and contracts. However, IronNet struggled to secure major deals and meet revenue projections.



[1] https://apnews.com/article/keith-alexander-ironnet-cybersecurity-nsa-bankruptcy-eddd67f3a1b312face21c29c59400e05

[2] https://it.slashdot.org/story/23/10/02/1934249/ironnet-founded-by-former-nsa-director-shuts-down



Apple Fixes Bug That Let VoiceOver Shout Your Passwords (theregister.com)

(Friday October 04, 2024 @11:30PM (msmash) from the stranger-things dept.)

Apple just fixed a duo of security bugs in iOS 18.0.1 and iPadOS 18.0.1, one of which [1]might cause users' saved passwords to be read aloud . It's hardly an ideal situation for the visually impaired. From a report:

> For those who rely on the accessibility features baked into their iGadgets, namely Apple's VoiceOver screen reader, now is a good time to apply the latest update. In typical Apple fashion, the company hasn't released much in the way of details about the first security issue, tracked as CVE-2024-44204, which makes it tougher to understand the conditions under which this vulnerability could be triggered, or how to avoid it until the update is applied. What we do know is that it was characterized as a logic issue, which Apple rectified by improving validation. The disclosure of the bug comes less than a month after iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 debuted. Ironically, this release included Apple's first native password manager, the Passwords app.



[1] https://www.theregister.com/2024/10/04/apple_voiceover_password_bug/



Antarctica is 'Greening' at Dramatic Rate as Climate Heats

(Friday October 04, 2024 @05:20PM (msmash) from the closer-look dept.)

Plant cover across the Antarctic peninsula has [1]soared more than tenfold over the last few decades, as the climate crisis heats up the icy continent. From a report:

> Analysis of satellite data found there was less than one sq kilometre of vegetation in 1986 but there was almost 12km2 of green cover by 2021. The spread of the plants, mostly mosses, has accelerated since 2016, the researchers found. The growth of vegetation on a continent dominated by ice and bare rock is a sign of the reach of global heating into the Antarctic, which is warming faster than the global average. The scientists warned that this spread could provide a foothold for alien invasive species into the pristine Antarctic ecosystem. Greening has also been reported in the Arctic, and in 2021 rain, not snow, fell on the summit of Greenland's huge ice cap for the first time on record.

>

> "The Antarctic landscape is still almost entirely dominated by snow, ice and rock, with only a tiny fraction colonised by plant life," said Dr Thomas Roland, at the University of Exeter, UK, and who co-led the study. "But that tiny fraction has grown dramatically -- showing that even this vast and isolated wilderness is being affected by human-caused climate change." The peninsula is about 500,000km2 in total. Roland warned that future heating, which will continue until carbon emissions are halted, could bring "fundamental changes to the biology and landscape of this iconic and vulnerable region." The study is [2]published in the journal Nature Geoscience and based on analysis of Landsat images.



[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/04/antarctic-plant-cover-growing-at-dramatic-rate-as-climate-heats

[2] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-024-01564-5



Rivian Now Says It Will Make Fewer Electric Vehicles This Year Than It Did in 2023

(Friday October 04, 2024 @05:20PM (msmash) from the how-about-that dept.)

Rivian said it would make [1]fewer electric vehicles this year than it did in 2023, resulting from a parts shortage. From a report:

> The news came as the company reported third quarter production and delivery numbers that came in below analyst expectations. Rivian says it expects to produce between 47,000 and 49,000 vehicles this year, down from the 57,000 vehicles it originally forecast. That number was flat from the previous year, when the company produced 57,232 vehicles and delivered 50,122. Rivian said the disruption is due to "a shortage of a shared component on the R1 and RCV platforms," referencing the company's R1T and R1S vehicles, as well as its commercial van platform. "This supply shortage impact began in Q3 of this year, has become more acute in recent weeks and continues," the company added.



[1] https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261908/rivian-q3-production-delivery-forecast-supply-shortage



Tencent, Guillemot Family Mull Ubisoft Buyout Amid Share Slump (yahoo.com)

(Friday October 04, 2024 @05:20PM (msmash) from the shape-of-things-to-come dept.)

Tencent and Ubisoft's founding Guillemot family are [1]weighing a potential buyout of the French game maker, according to Bloomberg News. The move comes as Ubisoft's shares [2]plunged 54% this year , hitting decade-lows after production delays and weak sales. Tencent, which bought 49.9% of Guillemot Brothers in 2022, holds 9.2% of Ubisoft's voting rights, while the Guillemots control 20.5%.

Further reading : [3]Star Wars Outlaws Is A Crappy Masterpiece .



[1] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tencent-guillemot-family-said-consider-134712826.html

[2] https://slashdot.org/story/24/10/01/203230/ubisoft-investors-push-for-company-sale-as-shares-hit-decade-low

[3] https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/24/09/03/1014230/star-wars-outlaws-is-a-crappy-masterpiece



159 Employees Leave Automattic as WordPress CEO Escalates Fight With WP Engine (techcrunch.com)

(Friday October 04, 2024 @05:20PM (msmash) from the escalating-tensions dept.)

Automattic, the company behind WordPress, has [1]seen a reduction of about 8.4% to its workforce after 159 employees accepted severance packages, CEO Matt Mullenweg said. The move follows disputes over the company's direction and its [2]clash with web host WP Engine . Most departures hit the WordPress division, with some from other business units. Employees received $30,000 or six months' pay, but are ineligible for rehire, Mullenweg added.



[1] https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/04/159-employees-are-leaving-automattic-as-ceos-fight-with-wp-engine-escalates/

[2] https://yro.slashdot.org/story/24/10/03/1354214/wp-engine-sues-wordpress-for-libel-extortion



Cloudflare Defeats Patent Troll (cloudflare.com)

(Friday October 04, 2024 @05:20PM (msmash) from the major-victory dept.)

Cloudflare has [1]emerged victorious in a patent infringement lawsuit against Sable Networks, securing a $225,000 settlement and forcing the patent holder to dedicate its entire portfolio to the public domain. The case, which began in March 2021 with Sable asserting nearly 100 claims across four patents, concluded after a Texas jury found Cloudflare [2]not guilty of infringement in February 2024 .

Sable, described by Cloudflare as a "patent troll," had previously sued several tech companies, including Cisco and Juniper Networks, who settled out of court. Cloudflare's aggressive defense strategy included launching Project Jengo, a crowd-sourced initiative to invalidate Sable's patents. The settlement prevents Sable from asserting these patents against any other company in the future, marking a significant blow to patent trolling practices in the tech industry. In a blog post, Cloudflare adds:

> While this $225,000 can't fully compensate us for the time, energy and frustration of having to deal with this litigation for nearly three years, it does help to even the score a bit. And we hope that it sends an important message to patent trolls everywhere to beware before taking on Cloudflare.



[1] https://blog.cloudflare.com/patent-troll-sable-pays-up/

[2] https://yro.slashdot.org/story/24/02/13/1654247/cloudflare-defeats-another-patent-troll-with-crowd-sourced-prior-art-army



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Would you like to code up this, test it and send it to me?

Btw, good debugging!

Linus "lazy is my middle name" Torvalds