Month: May 2024
Netherlands, France, and Germany lead ‘largest ever’ botnet sting
Four people have been arrested in the “largest ever operation against botnets,” EU police force Europol announced on Thursday. The Netherlands, Germany, and France led the sting, dubbed “Operation Endgame.” According to Dutch police, their investigation uncovered financial damages totalling “hundreds of millions” of euros. They also estimate that the malware has infected millions of systems. The botnets’ primary purpose was deploying ransomware. One suspect alone earned an estimated €69mn in cryptocurrency from the scheme. Operation Endgame struck the network between May 27 and 29, Europol said. Officers conducted searches in 16 locations: 11 in Ukraine, one in Armenia, three in…This story continues at The Next Web
Four people have been arrested in the “largest ever operation against botnets,” EU police force Europol announced on Thursday. The Netherlands, Germany, and France led the sting, dubbed “Operation Endgame.” According to Dutch police, their investigation uncovered financial damages totalling “hundreds of millions” of euros. They also estimate that the malware has infected millions of systems. The botnets’ primary purpose was deploying ransomware. One suspect alone earned an estimated €69mn in cryptocurrency from the scheme. Operation Endgame struck the network between May 27 and 29, Europol said. Officers conducted searches in 16 locations: 11 in Ukraine, one in Armenia, three in…
This story continues at The Next Web
Google, AR Startup Magic Leap Strike Partnership Deal
Alphabet’s Google and augmented reality startup Magic Leap are forming a strategic technology partnership and working on building immersive experiences that blend the physical and digital worlds. From a report: Magic Leap said in a blog post on Thursday that the two companies have agreed to a partnership. While short on details, the announcement adds to signals that Google may be plotting a return to the market for augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) technologies that it so far has largely yielded to rivals Meta and Apple. The partnership would combine Florida-based Magic Leap’s expertise in optics and device manufacturing with Google’s technology platforms, Magic Leap said.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Alphabet’s Google and augmented reality startup Magic Leap are forming a strategic technology partnership and working on building immersive experiences that blend the physical and digital worlds. From a report: Magic Leap said in a blog post on Thursday that the two companies have agreed to a partnership. While short on details, the announcement adds to signals that Google may be plotting a return to the market for augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) technologies that it so far has largely yielded to rivals Meta and Apple. The partnership would combine Florida-based Magic Leap’s expertise in optics and device manufacturing with Google’s technology platforms, Magic Leap said.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Sonos Kicks Off Rare Sale With Up to 25% Off Popular Audio Accessories
Sonos today has begun its Father’s Day sale, offering steep discounts on select home theater audio equipment. This includes record low prices on the Sonos Arc soundbar ($719), as well as various discounted bundles, all of which are rare deals we haven’t tracked since earlier in the year.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Sonos. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This sale has a good balance between individual Sonos products and bundles that should help elevate your home theater setup with various soundbars, subwoofers, and speakers. Highlights of the event include the Sonos Arc for $719 ($180 off) and Sonos Sub Gen 3 for $639 ($160 off), which are rarely discounted outside of holiday events like this one.
UP TO 25% OFFSonos Home Theater Sale
We’ve accumulated a few of the devices in the sale below, but be sure to browse this landing page on the Sonos website for everything being discounted.
Speakers and Soundbars
Roam SL Portable Speaker – $127, down from $159
Era 100 Smart Speaker – $199, down from $249
Move 2 Smart Speaker – $336, down from $449
Era 300 Smart Speaker – $359, down from $449
Beam (Gen 2) Soundbar – $399, down from $499
Sub (Gen 3) Subwoofer – $639, down from $799
Arc Soundbar – $719, down from $899
Bundles
Arc + Wall Mount Bundle – $798, down from $978
Arc + Move 2 Speaker Bundle – $1,055, down from $1,348
Arc + Sonos Ace Headphones Bundle – $1,168, down from $1,348
Beam + Sub Bundle – $1,038, down from $1,298
Arc + 2x Era 100 Speakers Bundle – $1,117, down from $1,397
Arc + Sub Bundle – $1,358, down from $1,698
Beam + Sub + 2x Era 100 Speakers Bundle – $1,436, down from $1,796 Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we’ve been tracking over the past week.Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, “Sonos Kicks Off Rare Sale With Up to 25% Off Popular Audio Accessories” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Sonos today has begun its Father’s Day sale, offering steep discounts on select home theater audio equipment. This includes record low prices on the Sonos Arc soundbar ($719), as well as various discounted bundles, all of which are rare deals we haven’t tracked since earlier in the year.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Sonos. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This sale has a good balance between individual Sonos products and bundles that should help elevate your home theater setup with various soundbars, subwoofers, and speakers. Highlights of the event include the Sonos Arc for $719 ($180 off) and Sonos Sub Gen 3 for $639 ($160 off), which are rarely discounted outside of holiday events like this one.
We’ve accumulated a few of the devices in the sale below, but be sure to browse this landing page on the Sonos website for everything being discounted.
Speakers and Soundbars
Roam SL Portable Speaker – $127, down from $159
Era 100 Smart Speaker – $199, down from $249
Move 2 Smart Speaker – $336, down from $449
Era 300 Smart Speaker – $359, down from $449
Beam (Gen 2) Soundbar – $399, down from $499
Sub (Gen 3) Subwoofer – $639, down from $799
Arc Soundbar – $719, down from $899
Bundles
Arc + Wall Mount Bundle – $798, down from $978
Arc + Move 2 Speaker Bundle – $1,055, down from $1,348
Arc + Sonos Ace Headphones Bundle – $1,168, down from $1,348
Beam + Sub Bundle – $1,038, down from $1,298
Arc + 2x Era 100 Speakers Bundle – $1,117, down from $1,397
Arc + Sub Bundle – $1,358, down from $1,698
Beam + Sub + 2x Era 100 Speakers Bundle – $1,436, down from $1,796 Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we’ve been tracking over the past week.
This article, “Sonos Kicks Off Rare Sale With Up to 25% Off Popular Audio Accessories” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Mystery malware destroys 600,000 routers from a single ISP during 72-hour span
An unknown threat actor with equally unknown motives forces ISP to replace routers.
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images)
One day last October, subscribers to an ISP known as Windstream began flooding message boards with reports their routers had suddenly stopped working and remained unresponsive to reboots and all other attempts to revive them.
“The routers now just sit there with a steady red light on the front,” one user wrote, referring to the ActionTec T3200 router models Windstream provided to both them and a next door neighbor. “They won’t even respond to a RESET.”
In the messages—which appeared over a few days beginning on October 25—many Windstream users blamed the ISP for the mass bricking. They said it was the result of the company pushing updates that poisoned the devices. Windstream’s Kinetic broadband service has about 1.6 million subscribers in 18 states, including Iowa, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, and Kentucky. For many customers, Kinetic provides an essential link to the outside world.
WinkBed EcoCloud Mattress Review 2024: A Latex Hybrid Bed for Side Sleepers – CNET
Softer natural hybrid beds are few and far between online. Luckily, this mattress may work for green thumbs who want a more pressure-relieving option.
Softer natural hybrid beds are few and far between online. Luckily, this mattress may work for green thumbs who want a more pressure-relieving option.
How to watch Sony’s PlayStation State of Play
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
It seems that the summer of live gaming events is kicking off a little earlier than expected. Sony joined the festivities by announcing its next State of Play showcase, which will air a full week before the busy Summer Game Fest period kicks off. This will be the second such showcase of the year for Sony; earlier in the year, we got fresh looks at Death Stranding 2 and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and the surprise launch of a Silent Hill game.
The May showcase promises to be a rapid-fire event. While we don’t know exactly what will be featured, Sony says that it will include 14 games in around 30 minutes, spanning both PS5 and PS VR2. There are a number of high-profile titles in the works that could potentially make an appearance, including Insomniac’s Wolverine, Bungie’s new Marathon, and Firewalk’s multiplayer shooter Concord. Meanwhile, Remedy appears to be teasing something Alan Wake-related, and we could also get the official details on Sony’s PS VR2 adapter for PC.
Where and when can I watch Sony’s PlayStation State of Play?
The event kicks off on May 30th at 3PM PT / 6PM ET, and you can watch it in a bunch of places: YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok.
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
It seems that the summer of live gaming events is kicking off a little earlier than expected. Sony joined the festivities by announcing its next State of Play showcase, which will air a full week before the busy Summer Game Fest period kicks off. This will be the second such showcase of the year for Sony; earlier in the year, we got fresh looks at Death Stranding 2 and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and the surprise launch of a Silent Hill game.
The May showcase promises to be a rapid-fire event. While we don’t know exactly what will be featured, Sony says that it will include 14 games in around 30 minutes, spanning both PS5 and PS VR2. There are a number of high-profile titles in the works that could potentially make an appearance, including Insomniac’s Wolverine, Bungie’s new Marathon, and Firewalk’s multiplayer shooter Concord. Meanwhile, Remedy appears to be teasing something Alan Wake-related, and we could also get the official details on Sony’s PS VR2 adapter for PC.
Where and when can I watch Sony’s PlayStation State of Play?
The event kicks off on May 30th at 3PM PT / 6PM ET, and you can watch it in a bunch of places: YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok.
Today I learned there is a messaging service in Google Maps, and now it’s going away
Illustration: The Verge
I’ve been using Google Maps for years, and I never knew there was an option to message businesses in the app — that is until I saw this post from Search Engine Land, which says it’s going away.
The feature, called business profile chat, lets you message a business through the Google Maps and Search apps to ask questions, book an appointment, or request quotes. If a company has business profile chat enabled, you’ll see a “Chat” option next to the “Call” and “Directions” icons in Maps or Search. Tap on it, and you can start a conversation.
Image: The Verge
I’ve never noticed the “Chat” option on Google Maps.
But now, it’s headed to the Google graveyard. In a notice posted to its website, Google says it will no longer offer the ability for customers to start new conversations in Google Maps and Search on July 15th, 2024, and will cut off existing conversations on July 31st, 2024. Businesses have until August 30th, 2024, to download their conversation history through Google Takeout.
Like Google’s other messaging services, the history of business profile chat is a little confusing. As pointed out by Ars Technica, Google first started letting customers message businesses on Maps in 2017, but it would open up the conversation in your SMS app or Google Allo (RIP) rather than in Maps itself. Google built messaging directly into Maps in 2018.
Even though I never knew this feature existed, it seems like it would’ve been a handy way to get in touch with a business without calling them. After July 15th, you’ll have to use the business messaging services offered by Apple, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger instead.
Illustration: The Verge
I’ve been using Google Maps for years, and I never knew there was an option to message businesses in the app — that is until I saw this post from Search Engine Land, which says it’s going away.
The feature, called business profile chat, lets you message a business through the Google Maps and Search apps to ask questions, book an appointment, or request quotes. If a company has business profile chat enabled, you’ll see a “Chat” option next to the “Call” and “Directions” icons in Maps or Search. Tap on it, and you can start a conversation.
Image: The Verge
I’ve never noticed the “Chat” option on Google Maps.
But now, it’s headed to the Google graveyard. In a notice posted to its website, Google says it will no longer offer the ability for customers to start new conversations in Google Maps and Search on July 15th, 2024, and will cut off existing conversations on July 31st, 2024. Businesses have until August 30th, 2024, to download their conversation history through Google Takeout.
Like Google’s other messaging services, the history of business profile chat is a little confusing. As pointed out by Ars Technica, Google first started letting customers message businesses on Maps in 2017, but it would open up the conversation in your SMS app or Google Allo (RIP) rather than in Maps itself. Google built messaging directly into Maps in 2018.
Even though I never knew this feature existed, it seems like it would’ve been a handy way to get in touch with a business without calling them. After July 15th, you’ll have to use the business messaging services offered by Apple, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger instead.