Month: August 2024
Tech Life: The voice cloning lawsuit
Two voice actors take legal action claiming their voices were stolen and cloned using AI.
Two voice actors take legal action claiming their voices were stolen and cloned using AI.
France To Trial Ban on Mobile Phones At School For Children Under 15
France is to trial a ban on mobile phones at school for pupils up to the age of 15, seeking to give children a “digital pause” that, if judged successful, could be rolled out nationwide from January. From a report: Just under 200 secondary schools will take place in the experiment that will require youngsters to hand over phones on arrival at reception. It takes the prohibition on the devices further than a 2018 law that banned pupils at primary and secondary schools from using their phones on the premises but allowed them to keep possession of them.
Announcing the trial on Tuesday, the acting education minister, Nicole Belloubet, said the aim was to give youngsters a “digital pause.” If the trial proves successful, the ban would be introduced in all schools from January, Belloubet said.
A commission set up by the president, Emmanuel Macron, expressed concern that the overexposure of children to screens was having a detrimental effect on their health and development. A 140-page report published in March concluded there was “a very clear consensus on the direct and indirect negative effects of digital devices on sleep, on being sedentary, a lack of physical activity and the risk of being overweight and even obese … as well as on sight.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
France is to trial a ban on mobile phones at school for pupils up to the age of 15, seeking to give children a “digital pause” that, if judged successful, could be rolled out nationwide from January. From a report: Just under 200 secondary schools will take place in the experiment that will require youngsters to hand over phones on arrival at reception. It takes the prohibition on the devices further than a 2018 law that banned pupils at primary and secondary schools from using their phones on the premises but allowed them to keep possession of them.
Announcing the trial on Tuesday, the acting education minister, Nicole Belloubet, said the aim was to give youngsters a “digital pause.” If the trial proves successful, the ban would be introduced in all schools from January, Belloubet said.
A commission set up by the president, Emmanuel Macron, expressed concern that the overexposure of children to screens was having a detrimental effect on their health and development. A 140-page report published in March concluded there was “a very clear consensus on the direct and indirect negative effects of digital devices on sleep, on being sedentary, a lack of physical activity and the risk of being overweight and even obese … as well as on sight.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Tattoo ink sold on Amazon has high levels of weird and rare bacteria
The recall announcement noted that the germs “present a health concern.”
Enlarge / BARCELONA, SPAIN – 2021/10/02: Spanish tattoo artist Oscar Garcia works on a man, during the Expo.
Fira de Barcelona hosts the XXIV edition of the Barcelona Tattoo Expo where tattoo artists from Spain and other countries exhibit tattoos and tattoo material such as ink, needles and special machinery for tattoo work. (Photo by Ramon Costa/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The Food and Drug Administration has been warning for years that some tattoo inks are brimming with bacteria—a large assortment that, when injected into your skin, can cause inflammatory reactions, allergic hypersensitivity, toxic responses, and, of course, straight-up infections. And, worse yet, the labels that say the inks are sterile are not reliable.
But, a recent recall of three tattoo pigments from the same manufacturer does a good job of illustrating the FDA’s concerns. The water-based inks, all from Sierra Stain, had a bizarre array of bacteria, which were found at high levels, according to FDA testing.
One ink product—described as “Carolina Blue”—offered a microbial menagerie, with six odd species identified. They included a bacterium that often dwells in the gastrointestinal system and can inflame the mucosal lining of the intestines (Citrobacter braakii), a water-borne bacterium (Cupriavidus pauculus), and several that cause opportunistic infections (Citrobacter farmer, Achromobacter xylosoxidans, Ochrobactrum anthropi, and Pseudomonas fluorescens). These are bacteria that don’t typically go about attacking humans but will if the conditions are right, including when they find themselves inside a human with a compromised immune system.
A four-pack of Samsung SmartTag 2 trackers drops to $60 for Labor Day
Samsung’s SmartTag 2 has dropped to a record-low price. Woot has a four-pack of the item trackers for only $60. That’s $40 off the bundle’s usual price and $10 under its previous low. Included in Engadget’s list of the best Bluetooth trackers, Samsung’s device supports Bluetooth and Ultra-Wideband (UWB) for Samsung’s network of Galaxy phones.
Samsung’s second-gen AirTag alternative has an oblong design with a metal ring inside for improved durability. The accessory has IP67 dust and water resistance, an improvement over the previous model. If you want extra protection for the accessory, Samsung makes an optional silicone case for the tag.
The battery in the SmartTag 2 (a CR2032 watch battery) can last 500 days in Normal Mode or 700 days in Power Saving Mode. It also includes a Lost Mode, which lets anyone with an NFC-compatible device tap the tag to scan it and view the owner’s contact info (if you choose to share it) and an optional personalized message. And if you misplace an item with an attached tag, you can activate a Compass View, which displays its direction and distance from your phone.
The biggest limit is that the accessory isn’t universally compatible: It requires a Samsung phone or tablet running at least Android 8.0. Although the SmartTag 2 isn’t part of Google and Apple’s anti-stalking measures, rolled out earlier this year, Samsung included an “Unknown tag alerts” feature. This feature sends an alert to anyone the tag moves with, providing instructions to remove the battery and power it down if needed.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/a-four-pack-of-samsung-smarttag-2-trackers-drops-to-60-for-labor-day-191955308.html?src=rss
Samsung’s SmartTag 2 has dropped to a record-low price. Woot has a four-pack of the item trackers for only $60. That’s $40 off the bundle’s usual price and $10 under its previous low. Included in Engadget’s list of the best Bluetooth trackers, Samsung’s device supports Bluetooth and Ultra-Wideband (UWB) for Samsung’s network of Galaxy phones.
Samsung’s second-gen AirTag alternative has an oblong design with a metal ring inside for improved durability. The accessory has IP67 dust and water resistance, an improvement over the previous model. If you want extra protection for the accessory, Samsung makes an optional silicone case for the tag.
The battery in the SmartTag 2 (a CR2032 watch battery) can last 500 days in Normal Mode or 700 days in Power Saving Mode. It also includes a Lost Mode, which lets anyone with an NFC-compatible device tap the tag to scan it and view the owner’s contact info (if you choose to share it) and an optional personalized message. And if you misplace an item with an attached tag, you can activate a Compass View, which displays its direction and distance from your phone.
The biggest limit is that the accessory isn’t universally compatible: It requires a Samsung phone or tablet running at least Android 8.0. Although the SmartTag 2 isn’t part of Google and Apple’s anti-stalking measures, rolled out earlier this year, Samsung included an “Unknown tag alerts” feature. This feature sends an alert to anyone the tag moves with, providing instructions to remove the battery and power it down if needed.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/a-four-pack-of-samsung-smarttag-2-trackers-drops-to-60-for-labor-day-191955308.html?src=rss
Return to Moria arrives on Steam with mining, crafting, and a “Golden Update”
Changes to combat, crafting, and ambient music came from player feedback.
Enlarge / It’s hard work, survival crafting, but there are moments for song, dance, and tankards. (credit: North Beach Games)
The dwarves of J.R.R. Tolkien’s writing are, according to the author himself, “a tough, thrawn race for the most part, secretive, retentive of the memory of injuries (and of benefits),” and “lovers… of things that take shape under the hands of the craftsmen rather than things that live by their own life.”
Is it secrecy and avarice that explains why The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria spent its first year of existence as an exclusive to the Epic Games Store? None can say for certain. But the survival crafting game has today arrived on Steam and Xbox, adding to its PlayStation and EGS platforms and bringing a 1.3 “Golden Update” to them all. Steam Deck compatibility is on its way to Verified, with a bunch of handheld niceties already in place.
The Golden Update grants new and existing players a procedurally generated sandbox mode to complement the game’s (also generated) campaign, new weapons and armor, crossplay between all platforms with up to eight players, specific sliders for difficulty settings, and… a pause function in offline single-player, which seemingly was not there before.
Shein says it found two cases of child labor in its supply chain last year
Image: The Verge
Shein, the massively popular bargain bin retailer selling clothes, accessories, and home goods, said it uncovered two cases of child labor between Q1 and Q3 of 2023.
In its most recent sustainability report released last week, Shein said the discoveries were made through the company’s audits of suppliers working with the brand. Shein says it defines children as anyone under the age of 15; in China, it’s illegal to employ children under 16. Shein didn’t specify which factories were employing children or how many were discovered.
“Upon discovering these violations, SHEIN suspended orders from the contract manufacturers and undertook investigations,” the company writes. Under the policy at the time, manufacturers were given 30 days to resolve the violation by “terminating contracts with underage employees, ensuring the payment of any outstanding wages, arranging medical checkups and facilitating repatriation to parents/legal guardians as needed.” As of October 2023, Shein says it’s enforced stricter rules around contractors who were discovered to be using child labor — now, those suppliers will be immediately terminated by Shein.
The company says it did not find any cases of child labor in Q4 of 2023.
Shein’s dispersed supply chain means that the products for sale on its website aren’t all made under one roof or by one company: the brand works with a network of manufacturers, making it harder to keep track of working conditions and potential labor violations. The company also operates a marketplace, hawking products from third-party sellers.
The cheap and fast products sold by Shein (and competitors like Temu) exist alongside an ugly truth: workers making the items are taken advantage of. In 2022, Shein said it would spend $15 million to revamp factories and increase audits after an investigation found that some workers were subject to illegally long working hours. But follow-up reporting found little has changed: a report by human rights advocacy group Public Eye earlier this year found that some China-based workers said they worked 75 hours a week. One worker told the group that they work 8AM to 10:30PM and can only afford to take one day off a month.
Shein exists largely online, where influencers post haul videos to promote the brand, raving about its “affordability.” As the company has strengthened its foothold in the US, it has tried to shed some of its negative public image by recruiting influencers to tour factories in China and hosting in-person popup events open to the public. But the Amazon competitor has struggled to fend off sustained scrutiny on its business practices. Some experts say Shein’s plans to go public in the US this year are growing more and more unlikely. The company more recently has filed to go public in London, according to The Wall Street Journal. The company was valued at $66 billion last year.
Image: The Verge
Shein, the massively popular bargain bin retailer selling clothes, accessories, and home goods, said it uncovered two cases of child labor between Q1 and Q3 of 2023.
In its most recent sustainability report released last week, Shein said the discoveries were made through the company’s audits of suppliers working with the brand. Shein says it defines children as anyone under the age of 15; in China, it’s illegal to employ children under 16. Shein didn’t specify which factories were employing children or how many were discovered.
“Upon discovering these violations, SHEIN suspended orders from the contract manufacturers and undertook investigations,” the company writes. Under the policy at the time, manufacturers were given 30 days to resolve the violation by “terminating contracts with underage employees, ensuring the payment of any outstanding wages, arranging medical checkups and facilitating repatriation to parents/legal guardians as needed.” As of October 2023, Shein says it’s enforced stricter rules around contractors who were discovered to be using child labor — now, those suppliers will be immediately terminated by Shein.
The company says it did not find any cases of child labor in Q4 of 2023.
Shein’s dispersed supply chain means that the products for sale on its website aren’t all made under one roof or by one company: the brand works with a network of manufacturers, making it harder to keep track of working conditions and potential labor violations. The company also operates a marketplace, hawking products from third-party sellers.
The cheap and fast products sold by Shein (and competitors like Temu) exist alongside an ugly truth: workers making the items are taken advantage of. In 2022, Shein said it would spend $15 million to revamp factories and increase audits after an investigation found that some workers were subject to illegally long working hours. But follow-up reporting found little has changed: a report by human rights advocacy group Public Eye earlier this year found that some China-based workers said they worked 75 hours a week. One worker told the group that they work 8AM to 10:30PM and can only afford to take one day off a month.
Shein exists largely online, where influencers post haul videos to promote the brand, raving about its “affordability.” As the company has strengthened its foothold in the US, it has tried to shed some of its negative public image by recruiting influencers to tour factories in China and hosting in-person popup events open to the public. But the Amazon competitor has struggled to fend off sustained scrutiny on its business practices. Some experts say Shein’s plans to go public in the US this year are growing more and more unlikely. The company more recently has filed to go public in London, according to The Wall Street Journal. The company was valued at $66 billion last year.
$521 million in US grants approved for the construction of more EV stations
The Biden Administration’s promise to put more electric vehicle charging stations on America’s roadway hasn’t exactly gone to plan but a new round of federal grants could help. Reuters reports that $521 million in federal grants have been awarded to grow EV infrastructure and build more charging ports on America’s roadways.
The Energy Department and the Federal Highway Administration have allocated $321 million of the grant money to expand EV charging infrastructure across 29 states as well as the District of Columbia. The remaining $200 million will fund “10 corridor fast-charging projects,” according to Reuters. A full list of the grant recipients are available on the Transportation Department’s website.
Two major cities will receive a sizable portion of those grants: Milwaukee will receive $15 million to install chargers at 53 different sites, while Atlanta will receive $11.8 million to install a DC Fast Charging Hub at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airport with 50 fast chargers.
The grants are part of an effort to kick start a $7.5 billion plan to build 500,000 EV charging stations by 2030. However, efforts to meet that goal have been very slow. The Washington Post reported in March that only seven open charging stations (with just 38 spots for electric vehicles) were built since the plan was announced and funds were allocated by Congress two years ago.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/521-million-in-us-grants-approved-for-the-construction-of-more-ev-stations-190556140.html?src=rss
The Biden Administration’s promise to put more electric vehicle charging stations on America’s roadway hasn’t exactly gone to plan but a new round of federal grants could help. Reuters reports that $521 million in federal grants have been awarded to grow EV infrastructure and build more charging ports on America’s roadways.
The Energy Department and the Federal Highway Administration have allocated $321 million of the grant money to expand EV charging infrastructure across 29 states as well as the District of Columbia. The remaining $200 million will fund “10 corridor fast-charging projects,” according to Reuters. A full list of the grant recipients are available on the Transportation Department’s website.
Two major cities will receive a sizable portion of those grants: Milwaukee will receive $15 million to install chargers at 53 different sites, while Atlanta will receive $11.8 million to install a DC Fast Charging Hub at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airport with 50 fast chargers.
The grants are part of an effort to kick start a $7.5 billion plan to build 500,000 EV charging stations by 2030. However, efforts to meet that goal have been very slow. The Washington Post reported in March that only seven open charging stations (with just 38 spots for electric vehicles) were built since the plan was announced and funds were allocated by Congress two years ago.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/521-million-in-us-grants-approved-for-the-construction-of-more-ev-stations-190556140.html?src=rss
Calling 911: Tips You Must Know to Report an Emergency
Memorize how and when to report an emergency situation, and the information you’ll need to have prepared.
Memorize how and when to report an emergency situation, and the information you’ll need to have prepared.
AirPods Max 2: What Rumors Say Ahead of the Apple Event Next Month
It has been nearly four years since Apple released the AirPods Max, so an update to the over-ear headphones is highly anticipated.
Below, we recap the latest rumors about the AirPods Max.
As a refresher, Apple released the AirPods Max in December 2020, after announcing them in a press release shared on the Apple Newsroom website. The headphones have not received any hardware upgrades since, leading some customers to hold off on their purchase and hope that Apple will eventually release AirPods Max 2.
Unfortunately, rumors suggest that AirPods Max 2 are not coming any time soon, with only minor revisions expected for the headphones later this year.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman previously reported that Apple is planning to update the AirPods Max in late 2024 with a USB-C charging port, instead of the current Lightning port, and he said new color options are also a possibility for the headphones. Beyond that, Gurman said Apple is planning no other changes for the revised AirPods Max, to the point that he expects the updated headphones to still be considered first-generation AirPods Max.
If the information shared by Gurman is accurate, that means the AirPods Max would not be updated with the H2 chip that debuted in the second-generation AirPods Pro a few years ago. As a result, the AirPods Max would miss out on Adaptive Audio features, along with longer battery life afforded by the H2 chip’s increased power efficiency.
In the event Apple ever does release AirPods Max 2, plausible upgrades include the H2 chip, longer battery life, improved active noise cancellation, a U2 chip with support for Precision Finding in the Find My app, Bluetooth 5.3, and a redesigned carrying case.
Gurman said the AirPods Max would be updated in late 2024, but it is unclear exactly when. Apple recently announced that it will be holding a media event on September 9, where it is expected to unveil fourth-generation AirPods alongside new iPhones and Apple Watches, but it is unclear if the revised AirPods Max will also be introduced then.
AirPods Max are regularly $549 in the U.S., but Amazon has the headphones on sale for $399 in all color options, including Green, Pink, Silver, Sky Blue, and Space Gray.Related Roundup: AirPods MaxBuyer’s Guide: AirPods Max (Caution)Related Forum: AirPodsThis article, “AirPods Max 2: What Rumors Say Ahead of the Apple Event Next Month” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
It has been nearly four years since Apple released the AirPods Max, so an update to the over-ear headphones is highly anticipated.
Below, we recap the latest rumors about the AirPods Max.
As a refresher, Apple released the AirPods Max in December 2020, after announcing them in a press release shared on the Apple Newsroom website. The headphones have not received any hardware upgrades since, leading some customers to hold off on their purchase and hope that Apple will eventually release AirPods Max 2.
Unfortunately, rumors suggest that AirPods Max 2 are not coming any time soon, with only minor revisions expected for the headphones later this year.
Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman previously reported that Apple is planning to update the AirPods Max in late 2024 with a USB-C charging port, instead of the current Lightning port, and he said new color options are also a possibility for the headphones. Beyond that, Gurman said Apple is planning no other changes for the revised AirPods Max, to the point that he expects the updated headphones to still be considered first-generation AirPods Max.
If the information shared by Gurman is accurate, that means the AirPods Max would not be updated with the H2 chip that debuted in the second-generation AirPods Pro a few years ago. As a result, the AirPods Max would miss out on Adaptive Audio features, along with longer battery life afforded by the H2 chip’s increased power efficiency.
In the event Apple ever does release AirPods Max 2, plausible upgrades include the H2 chip, longer battery life, improved active noise cancellation, a U2 chip with support for Precision Finding in the Find My app, Bluetooth 5.3, and a redesigned carrying case.
Gurman said the AirPods Max would be updated in late 2024, but it is unclear exactly when. Apple recently announced that it will be holding a media event on September 9, where it is expected to unveil fourth-generation AirPods alongside new iPhones and Apple Watches, but it is unclear if the revised AirPods Max will also be introduced then.
AirPods Max are regularly $549 in the U.S., but Amazon has the headphones on sale for $399 in all color options, including Green, Pink, Silver, Sky Blue, and Space Gray.
This article, “AirPods Max 2: What Rumors Say Ahead of the Apple Event Next Month” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums