Google Ends Android Collaboration With Huawei. No Gmail, Play Store For Future Huawei Phones

An anonymous reader quotes Reuters:
Alphabet Inc’s Google has suspended business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware and software products except those covered by open source licenses, a source close to the matter told Reuters on Sunday, in a blow to the Chinese technology company that the U.S. government has sought to blacklist around the world. Huawei Technologies Co Ltd…

Are Trendy Developers Ignoring Tradeoffs and Over-Engineering Workplaces?

An anonymous reader shares an article titled “Does IT Run on Java 8?” “After more than ten years in tech, in a range of different environments, from Fortune 500 companies, to startups, I’ve finally come to realize that most businesss and developers simply don’t revolve around whatever’s trending on Hacker News,” argues one Python/R/Spark data scientist:
Most developers — and companies –…

SpaceX postpones launch of its first internet network satellites

SpaceX postponed a launch of 60 satellites into low-Earth orbit that was scheduled for Thursday night, possibly until next week, citing a need for software updates. Source: https://phys.org/news/2019-05-spacex-postpones-internet-network-satellites.html…

Amazon Updates Alexa To Guard Your House and Listen For Broken Glass, Smoke Alarm

Amazon is rolling out an update to Alexa that will turn the company’s line of smart home products into home security devices while the user is out. Called “Alexa Guard,” the feature will have your smart speakers listen for key sounds, including breaking glass and smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. If the Echo hears the noise, it will send you an…

Twitter Opens Developers Labs Program To Test New API Products

“Twitter is upgrading its API to be more standards-compliant and more modern,” writes longtime Slashdot reader andyp. “They also want to collaborate with developers as they create the new API platform.” VentureBeat provides more details: Twitter today announced plans to build “the next generation of the Twitter API” that will provide more flexibility and better serve developers. As a first step,…

‘Hard-To-Fix’ Cisco Flaw Puts Work Email At Risk

An anonymous reader quotes a report from the BBC: Security researchers have discovered serious vulnerabilities affecting dozens of Cisco devices. The flaws allow hackers to deceive the part of the product hardware that checks whether software updates come from legitimate sources. Experts believe this could put emails sent within an organization at risk as they may use compromised routers. Messages sent…

Microsoft Patches ‘Wormable’ Flaw in Windows XP, 7 and Windows 2003

Microsoft today is taking the unusual step of releasing security updates for unsupported but still widely-used Windows operating systems like XP and Windows 2003, citing the discovery of a “wormable” flaw that the company says could be used to fuel a fast-moving malware threat like the WannaCry ransomware attacks of 2017. From a report: The vulnerability (CVE-2019-0708) resides in the “remote…

India aims for 1st landing near moon’s south pole

The moon’s south pole has never been explored from the ground, but India’s new Chandrayaan-2 mission will attempt a 1st-ever landing there, with a rover, this September. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/india-mission-chandrayaan-2-moon-south-pole…

Facebook Contractors Categorize Your Private Posts To Train AI

Facebook uses thousands of third-party staffers around the world to look at Facebook and Instagram posts to help train its AI and to inform new products. “But because the contractors see users’ public and private posts, some view it as a violation of privacy,” reports Engadget. From the report: According to Reuters, as many as 260 contract workers in Hyderabad, India…

Preparing for asteroid Apophis

Astronomers are meeting today at the Planetary Defense Conference to discuss plans to observe asteroid 99942 Apophis, a relatively large asteroid that’ll sweep past Earth safely – but rather closely – in 2029. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/preparing-asteroid-apophis-april-13-2029-passage…