Uber’s recent woes — a $20 million text message spamming settlement, an ousted CEO, investigations into sneaky software, and other issues — continue to deepen, as the Department of Justice has now reportedly opened at least five investigations into the company and its business practices. [More]
software
Uber Also Used ‘Greyball’ Software To Evade City Transportation Officials
By 9.15.17
Uber has already been accused of using a software tool dubbed “Greyball” to avoid sidestep law enforcement officers in cities where the service wasn’t yet authorized to operate. A new investigation has concluded that Greyball was also being used in at least one city to evade detection by more than a dozen local government officials. [More]
TaxSlayer Settles FTC Charges That Lax Security Led To Identity Theft
By 8.29.17
Sure, it might be convenient to do your own income tax preparation online, but it could be risky: Scammers all over the globe have exploited these risks, slurping billions of dollars’ worth of ill-gotten tax refunds into their bank accounts. In order to prevent even more of this, federal regulators have settled charges TaxSlayer violated federal rules on financial privacy and security. [More]
Microsoft May Soon Kill Off Paint Program After 32 Years Of Pixelated Art
By 7.24.17
Anyone who used a PC in the ’80s or ’90s surely knows the feeling of triumph that came with creating art using Microsoft Paint. Though, of course, calling it “art” when you doodle your brother’s face and scrawl the words “poop 4 brains” on it is somewhat debatable. Prepare then, to feel the sting of loss over the news that Microsoft will likely be killing off Paint after 32 years. [More]
Reminder: Today Is The Last Day Microsoft Will Offer Windows Vista Support
By 4.11.17 — Updated: 5.5.17
Just in case there are any Windows Vista users out there still clinging to the outdated operating system, we’re here to remind you that it’s time to finally let it go, or get used to the idea of Microsoft ignoring you and your software. [More]
Windows Vista Still Exists, But Will No Longer Have Microsoft Support April 11
By 3.16.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Are you out there, Windows Vista users? If so, prepare yourself for the end: Microsoft will be pulling support for the operating system on April 11, sending it to wherever poorly received software goes when it dies. [More]
Best Buy Swaps Intel Mini Stores For Alienware Displays
By 3.7.17
Best Buy offers customers a range of “experiences” through an array of mini-stores, including those from AT&T, Verizon, Oculus, Samsung, and Intel. Now, the company is revamping one of those concepts, swapping out dozens of Intel store-within-a-store showcases to feature products from Alienware instead. [More]
Fiat Chrysler Accused Of Using Potential “Defeat Devices” In More Than 100,000 Trucks, SUVs
By 1.12.17
A day announcing criminal charges and a $4.3 billion settlement in the Volkswagen “Dieselgate” scandal, the Environmental Protection Agency is accusing another carmaker, Fiat Chrysler, of using “defeat device” software to skirt emission standards in more than 100,000 vehicles. [More]
BlackBerry Brand Phones Returning To The Market, Designed And Made By Another Company
By 12.15.16
Take heart, Blackberry fans: new Blackberry-branded smartphones will be on the market soon. While the company gave up designing and manufacturing its own devices, and now designs only software for smartphones, it will continue to license that work to other manufacturers. China’s TCL will design, make, and sell BlackBerry devices in mot of the world. [More]
Tesla Supplier Says It Broke With Carmaker Over Autopilot Safety Concerns
By 9.15.16
In July, automotive tech company Mobileye, which had provided parts for Tesla’s Autopilot assisted-driving system, announced that it was ending its relationship with the carmaker. Now Mobileye says it parted ways with Tesla because Autopilot was “pushing the envelope in terms of safety.” [More]
Report: More Volkswagen, Audi Vehicles May Have Emissions Cheating Software
By 8.8.16
Volkswagen may be poised to start putting that whole emission-cheating “defeat device” business behind it with a $15 billion agreement, but a new report suggests the carmaker may have other skeletons under its hood. [More]
Intel Recalls Basis Peak Smartwatches For Overheating
By 8.4.16
Smartwatches can do a lot of things: tell the time, show text messages, read your heart rate. But one thing they aren’t supposed to do is overheat, burning wearers. For that reason, Intel says it is recalling all of its Basis Peak watches. [More]
In Spite Of Past Failure, Amazon Not Giving Up On Smartphones
By 1.26.16
Three months after it was revealed that Amazon took a $170 million loss during its last foray into the smartphone market, the e-tailer is reportedly readying plans for a second go-around, this time by partnering with other well-established mobile companies. [More]
15 Things We Learned About The Downfall Of Target Canada
By 1.22.16
Why did Target’s expansion into Canada fail so quickly? The company is based in Minnesota, which is dangerously close to being Canada. Yet Target Canada failed spectacularly. Why? Sure, they expanded too quickly, and had supply chain problems: we all know the answer. Yet what did that look like on the ground? [More]
GM Wants Your Help To Figure Out How Hackers Could Take Over Its Cars
By 10.8.15
Following the very public hacking of Jeep that eventually led to the recall of more 1.4 million Fiat Chrysler vehicles, rival General Motors is trying to take a proactive stance to potential hack attacks, asking vehicle owners and hackers to give them a heads-up if they discover a vulnerability in the company’s cars. [More]
Regulators Investigating Harman Kardon After Remote Hack Of Jeep
By 8.3.15
UPDATE: A day after regulators announced they had opened an investigation into Harman Kardon to determine if vehicles – other than the recently recalled 1.4 million Fiat Chrysler models – equipped with certain infotainment systems were susceptible to remote hacks, the company assured investigators and consumers that the previously reported hack was an isolated incident. [More]
Airlines Testing New Software To Avoid Extreme Turbulence, Cut Down On Costs And Injuries
By 7.15.15
I’ll be the first to admit it, I’m a terrible flyer — the slightest hint of a bumpy patch and I’ve got a death-grip on the arm rest. While pilots do everything they can to avoid hitting any kind of rough air, they’ll be getting a bit more help via new software designed for the sole purpose of allowing them to sidestep turbulence. [More]
Samsung Rolling Out Security Update To Fix Keyboard Vulnerability That Affects Up To 600M Galaxy Phones
By 6.19.15
After a security researcher found a flaw in the way Samsung phones update their SwiftKey keyboard software that leaves Galaxy phone owners open to hack attacks, the company says it’s rolling out a security update in the next few days that will address the vulnerability. [More]
