Month: May 2024
Level Up Your Summer Plans With This International Credit Card’s Travel Perk – CNET
Love lounge access? This card can take your airport experience to the next level.
Love lounge access? This card can take your airport experience to the next level.
Internet Archive and the Wayback Machine under DDoS cyber-attack
The Internet Archive is heading into its third day of fending off a DDos attack, affecting service for users around… Continue reading Internet Archive and the Wayback Machine under DDoS cyber-attack
The post Internet Archive and the Wayback Machine under DDoS cyber-attack appeared first on ReadWrite.
The Internet Archive is heading into its third day of fending off a DDos attack, affecting service for users around the world.
As a nonprofit research library that’s home to millions of historical documents, including the entire history of Aruba, the Internet Archive offers free access to collections of digital materials. For the last three days, it’s been hit by intermittent DDoSing (distributed denial-of-service attack). This is a form of cyber attack that has affected service throughout the week.
According to library staff, the collections within the Internet Archive are safe, although service remains inconsistent, affecting whether or not people can access the Internet Archive Wayback Machine, which has preserved more than 866 billion webpages.
Internet Archive responds to DDoS attack
The attacks began on Sunday, with the DDoS intruders launching thousands of fake information requests a second. This overloaded the service and caused the ongoing issues. At the time of writing, the source or identity of the attackers are unknown.
“Thankfully the collections are safe, but we are sorry that the denial-of-service attack has knocked us offline intermittently during these last three days,” explained Brewster Kahle, founder and digital librarian of the Internet Archive.
“With the support from others and the hard work of staff we are hardening our defenses to provide more reliable access to our library. What is new is this attack has been sustained, impactful, targeted, adaptive, and importantly, mean.”
This DDoS attack is not isolated, with cyber-attacks becoming more and more frequent against libraries and other information-based institutions. Other recent victims include the British Library, the Solano County (California) Public Library, the Berlin Natural History Museum, and Ontario’s London Public Library (in Canada).
This attack comes after the Internet Archive was also recently sued by the U.S. book publishing and recording industries associations, with organizations claiming copyright infringement and demanding combined damages worth hundreds of millions of dollars from all libraries.
“If our patrons around the globe think this latest situation is upsetting, then they should be very worried about what the publishing and recording industries have in mind,” added Kahle. “I think they are trying to destroy this library entirely and hobble all libraries everywhere. But just as we’re resisting the DDoS attack, we appreciate all the support in pushing back on this unjust litigation against our library and others.”
Featured image: Ideogram
The post Internet Archive and the Wayback Machine under DDoS cyber-attack appeared first on ReadWrite.
Meet Visa, Mercury, Artisan, Golub Capital and more at TC Disrupt 2024
TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 will be in San Francisco on October 28–30, and we’re already excited! This is the startup world’s main event, and it’s where you’ll find the knowledge, tools and connections you need to grow a successful business. Helping startups reach their full potential takes a global village, and we could not bring you
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 will be in San Francisco on October 28–30, and we’re already excited! This is the startup world’s main event, and it’s where you’ll find the knowledge, tools and connections you need to grow a successful business. Helping startups reach their full potential takes a global village, and we could not bring you […]
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Apple TV App Likely Coming to Android Smartphones, Job Listing Shows
Apple’s TV app could be available on Android smartphones and tablets in the future, according to a job listing spotted by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
Apple is seeking a senior Android software engineer to join the Apple TV app team. The engineer would be tasked with leading the development of “an application used by millions to watch and discover tv and sports,” which heavily suggests that Apple plans to make its TV app available on Android smartphones and tablets.
With the Apple TV app, Android smartphone and tablet users would have a more convenient way to access the Apple TV+ streaming service, instead of having to rely on tv.apple.com on the web. The app also provides access to MLS Season Pass, includes a storefront for purchasing or renting movies and TV shows, and more.
Apple already offers the TV app on Android TV devices, including the Chromecast with Google TV, but not on the main Android platform. Apple only offers a handful of apps on Android phones, such as Apple Music, Move to iOS, and a Beats app.
Android would join a long list of platforms where Apple’s TV app is available, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Roku and Amazon Fire TV streaming sticks, select smart TVs, and more. It is unclear when the app will be made available to the public, or if development has started.Tags: Android, Apple TV PlusThis article, “Apple TV App Likely Coming to Android Smartphones, Job Listing Shows” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple’s TV app could be available on Android smartphones and tablets in the future, according to a job listing spotted by Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.
Apple is seeking a senior Android software engineer to join the Apple TV app team. The engineer would be tasked with leading the development of “an application used by millions to watch and discover tv and sports,” which heavily suggests that Apple plans to make its TV app available on Android smartphones and tablets.
With the Apple TV app, Android smartphone and tablet users would have a more convenient way to access the Apple TV+ streaming service, instead of having to rely on tv.apple.com on the web. The app also provides access to MLS Season Pass, includes a storefront for purchasing or renting movies and TV shows, and more.
Apple already offers the TV app on Android TV devices, including the Chromecast with Google TV, but not on the main Android platform. Apple only offers a handful of apps on Android phones, such as Apple Music, Move to iOS, and a Beats app.
Android would join a long list of platforms where Apple’s TV app is available, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Roku and Amazon Fire TV streaming sticks, select smart TVs, and more. It is unclear when the app will be made available to the public, or if development has started.
This article, “Apple TV App Likely Coming to Android Smartphones, Job Listing Shows” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Saudi Arabia Eyes a Future Beyond Oil
An anonymous reader shares a report: At a two-hour drive from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, rows of solar panels extend to the horizon like waves on an ocean. Despite having almost limitless reserves of oil, the kingdom is embracing solar and wind power, partly in an effort to retain a leading position in the energy industry, which is vitally important to the country but fast changing. Looking out over 3.3 million panels, covering 14 square miles of desert, Faisal Al Omari, chief executive of a recently completed solar project called Sudair, said he would tell his children and grandchildren about contributing to Saudi Arabia’s energy transition.
Although petroleum production retains a crucial role in the Saudi economy, the kingdom is putting its chips on other forms of energy. Sudair, which can light up 185,000 homes, is the first of what could be many giant projects intended to raise output from renewable energy sources like solar and wind to around 50 percent by 2030. Currently, renewable energy accounts for a negligible amount of Saudi electricity generation. Analysts say achieving that hugely ambitious goal is unlikely. “If they get 30 percent, I would be happy because that would be a good signal,” said Karim Elgendy, a climate analyst at the Middle East Institute, a research organization in Washington. Still, the kingdom is planning to build solar farms at a rapid pace. “The volumes you see here, you don’t see anywhere else, only in China,” said Marco Arcelli, chief executive of Acwa Power, Sudair’s Saudi developer and a growing force in the international electricity and water industries.
The Saudis not only have the money to expand rapidly, but are free of the long permit processes that inhibit such projects in the West. “They have a lot of investment capital, and they can move quickly and pull the trigger on project development,” said Ben Cahill, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a research institution in Washington. Even Saudi Aramco, the crown jewel of the Saudi economy and the producer of nearly all its oil, sees a shifting energy landscape. To gain a foothold in solar, Aramco has taken a 30 percent stake in Sudair, which cost $920 million, the first step in a planned 40-gigawatt solar portfolio — more than Britain’s average power demand — intended to meet the bulk of the government’s ambitions for renewable energy. The company plans to set up a large business of storing greenhouse gases underground.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
An anonymous reader shares a report: At a two-hour drive from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, rows of solar panels extend to the horizon like waves on an ocean. Despite having almost limitless reserves of oil, the kingdom is embracing solar and wind power, partly in an effort to retain a leading position in the energy industry, which is vitally important to the country but fast changing. Looking out over 3.3 million panels, covering 14 square miles of desert, Faisal Al Omari, chief executive of a recently completed solar project called Sudair, said he would tell his children and grandchildren about contributing to Saudi Arabia’s energy transition.
Although petroleum production retains a crucial role in the Saudi economy, the kingdom is putting its chips on other forms of energy. Sudair, which can light up 185,000 homes, is the first of what could be many giant projects intended to raise output from renewable energy sources like solar and wind to around 50 percent by 2030. Currently, renewable energy accounts for a negligible amount of Saudi electricity generation. Analysts say achieving that hugely ambitious goal is unlikely. “If they get 30 percent, I would be happy because that would be a good signal,” said Karim Elgendy, a climate analyst at the Middle East Institute, a research organization in Washington. Still, the kingdom is planning to build solar farms at a rapid pace. “The volumes you see here, you don’t see anywhere else, only in China,” said Marco Arcelli, chief executive of Acwa Power, Sudair’s Saudi developer and a growing force in the international electricity and water industries.
The Saudis not only have the money to expand rapidly, but are free of the long permit processes that inhibit such projects in the West. “They have a lot of investment capital, and they can move quickly and pull the trigger on project development,” said Ben Cahill, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a research institution in Washington. Even Saudi Aramco, the crown jewel of the Saudi economy and the producer of nearly all its oil, sees a shifting energy landscape. To gain a foothold in solar, Aramco has taken a 30 percent stake in Sudair, which cost $920 million, the first step in a planned 40-gigawatt solar portfolio — more than Britain’s average power demand — intended to meet the bulk of the government’s ambitions for renewable energy. The company plans to set up a large business of storing greenhouse gases underground.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Apple’s new iPad Pro ad puts the focus back on creators
The latest iPad ad is much more human-centric. | Image: Apple / YouTube
Apple is back with a new iPad ad, seemingly crafted as a chaser after the last spot left a bitter taste in some people’s mouths.
Titled “Worlds Made on iPad,” the minute-and-change video features actor Sofia Wylie on a green screen set. Then, the screen splits into three views, each with a different animated backdrop that evolves as she crawls, leaps, and floats through the stylized spaces. It’s a distinctly different vibe from the last one, which, uh, didn’t go down well.
That ad — titled “Crush!” — featured an array of instruments, paints, sound mixing equipment, and other artistic tools being crushed in a hydraulic press, all smashed together to create a shiny new iPad Pro. Unsurprisingly, many creators didn’t take kindly to seeing the symbols of their livelihood explode like party favors and be reduced to a single consumer product. Weird! Apple later issued an apology, and maybe this new ad is another kind of apology, too.
The latest video is much more human-centric — the iPad Pro isn’t actually pictured in the main video, though it does appear in a vertical version of the ad. The caption for both versions reads, “One piece of green screen footage interpreted by different animators using iPad Pro powered by the M4 chip, and the new Apple Pencil Pro.”
The animators are listed farther down in the caption; they are Natalie Labarre, Jin & Jay, and Eric Lane. All real people! Personally, I think their work leaves a more lasting impression than the previous one.
The latest iPad ad is much more human-centric. | Image: Apple / YouTube
Apple is back with a new iPad ad, seemingly crafted as a chaser after the last spot left a bitter taste in some people’s mouths.
Titled “Worlds Made on iPad,” the minute-and-change video features actor Sofia Wylie on a green screen set. Then, the screen splits into three views, each with a different animated backdrop that evolves as she crawls, leaps, and floats through the stylized spaces. It’s a distinctly different vibe from the last one, which, uh, didn’t go down well.
That ad — titled “Crush!” — featured an array of instruments, paints, sound mixing equipment, and other artistic tools being crushed in a hydraulic press, all smashed together to create a shiny new iPad Pro. Unsurprisingly, many creators didn’t take kindly to seeing the symbols of their livelihood explode like party favors and be reduced to a single consumer product. Weird! Apple later issued an apology, and maybe this new ad is another kind of apology, too.
The latest video is much more human-centric — the iPad Pro isn’t actually pictured in the main video, though it does appear in a vertical version of the ad. The caption for both versions reads, “One piece of green screen footage interpreted by different animators using iPad Pro powered by the M4 chip, and the new Apple Pencil Pro.”
The animators are listed farther down in the caption; they are Natalie Labarre, Jin & Jay, and Eric Lane. All real people! Personally, I think their work leaves a more lasting impression than the previous one.
Chrome adds picture-in-picture web browsing for Android apps
Image: The Verge
Opening a webpage inside an app is about to get a little more pleasant — in some Android apps, at least. The Chrome M124 update adds the ability to open in-app webpages in picture-in-picture mode, letting you swap between the webpage and the app without closing your browsing session.
The feature is coming to the Android apps that use Chrome Custom Tabs, which let developers provide customized browsing experiences within their apps. If it’s available in an app you use, you’ll see a new down arrow in the top-left corner of an in-app webpage. Tap the arrow, and the webpage will minimize into a floating window in the bottom-right corner of the screen. You can tap the window to open the tab back up.
GIF: Google
This feature actually seems pretty handy. I can’t count the number of times I’ve had to close an in-app webpage to refer to something inside the app, only to lose whatever I was looking at. The feature is only available in apps that use Chrome-based mobile browsers for now, but hopefully others will follow suit.
Image: The Verge
Opening a webpage inside an app is about to get a little more pleasant — in some Android apps, at least. The Chrome M124 update adds the ability to open in-app webpages in picture-in-picture mode, letting you swap between the webpage and the app without closing your browsing session.
The feature is coming to the Android apps that use Chrome Custom Tabs, which let developers provide customized browsing experiences within their apps. If it’s available in an app you use, you’ll see a new down arrow in the top-left corner of an in-app webpage. Tap the arrow, and the webpage will minimize into a floating window in the bottom-right corner of the screen. You can tap the window to open the tab back up.
GIF: Google
This feature actually seems pretty handy. I can’t count the number of times I’ve had to close an in-app webpage to refer to something inside the app, only to lose whatever I was looking at. The feature is only available in apps that use Chrome-based mobile browsers for now, but hopefully others will follow suit.
Android Auto 12.0 is here and drivers can now watch TV and streaming platforms
Google has officially released Android Auto 12.0, the latest version of the built-in app that connects to car dashboards and… Continue reading Android Auto 12.0 is here and drivers can now watch TV and streaming platforms
The post Android Auto 12.0 is here and drivers can now watch TV and streaming platforms appeared first on ReadWrite.
Google has officially released Android Auto 12.0, the latest version of the built-in app that connects to car dashboards and entertainment units.
The update brings several changes, including new applications and features that aim to enhance the driving experience and allow people to use apps from their smartphones while on the road.
On May 15, the company revealed through its developer blog that more than 200 million cars are now compatible with Android Auto and almost 40 car models are even offering Google built-in.
One of the most notable features is the introduction of more entertainment-based apps, including the arrival of video streaming applications like Max and Peacock.
While this sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, safety measures have been implemented to make sure the apps are only accessible when the vehicle is parked and not in motion.
The Angry Birds game is also available in select cars with Google built-in and the Uber Driver app is visible in Android Auto. This will speed up the process of Uber drivers accepting rides and deliveries, with the usual turn-by-turn directions appearing on a bigger screen.
For those who spend a lot of time in a parked car, Google Cast will now be possible meaning you can cast video content from your phone or tablet directly to the car.
It’s not all fun and games, though, as the 12.0 version has brought in improvements to the system’s stability and compatibility. Potential bugs are said to have been identified and fixed which should result in a more reliable user experience.
The app’s compatibility with a wider range of car models has been boosted too which should reduce connectivity issues if it works as it should.
How to get the Android Auto 12.0 update
You just need to update the Android Auto app in the Google Play Store to receive the 12.0 version.
A manual installation is possible too with the APK file being available on APK Mirror.
Featured Image: Via Ideogram
The post Android Auto 12.0 is here and drivers can now watch TV and streaming platforms appeared first on ReadWrite.