Kalakshar US

When Twitter’s Blue subscription comes back, it may cost a lot more than before if you purchase it straight from the app. According to The Information, the company informed some employees that it’s going to charge users $11 for Blue subscription if they pay through its iOS application. But if they pay through the web, it will only cost them $7 a month for the service, which includes getting the website’s blue verification badge. As the publication notes, the change in pricing likely takes Apple’s 30 percent commission for payments made through its system into account. 

In late November, Twitter owner Elon Musk spoke out against Apple’s 30 percent cut on in-app purchases. He also said that the tech giant threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store and won’t tell his company why. A few days later, though, Musk met with Apple chief Tim Cook and resolved what the former called a “misunderstanding.” Musk said the two had a “good conversation” and that Apple never truly considered dropping Twitter from the App Store.

Apple announced in late 2021 that it was going to allow developers of “reader” apps to link to external payment systems following a barrage of criticisms against its practice of taking a 30 percent commission. It’s unclear if the two executives talked about Twitter’s plan to offer Blue subscription outside of the App Store and how the social network would implement its idea.

Twitter originally launched Blue verification for iOS devices in early November for $8 a month, but the company decided to pause the service after it led to an influx of impersonators and fake accounts. When the subscription service does come back, it will come with different colored checkmarks: gold for companies, grey for government and blue for individuals, whether or not they’re a public figure. 

 

Three Democratic lawmakers in the House are demanding answers from Elon Musk about a recent “platform manipulation campaign” related to recent protests in China. In a letter to the Twitter CEO, Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi, Adam Schiff and Jackie Speier write that they have “deep concern” about the recent spam campaign that drowned out tweets about the protests.

The lawmakers want Musk to answer questions about whether Twitter has any evidence the spam campaign was a state-backed effort by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). “To ensure that the United States is prepared to counter, thwart, and deter foreign influence threats online, it is critical that we understand the extent of the PRC’s potential manipulation of Twitter and identify how recent changes at Twitter are affecting the threat of CCP foreign influence operations on social media,” they write.

The lawmakers also address recent changes at Twitter under Musk’s leadership, with questions about what Twitter’s “emphasis on free speech” means for information access on the platform; as well as whether the company has the “capacity” to identify platform manipulation campaigns.

Since Musk took over Twitter, questions have swirled about how he will handle the platform’s dealings with Chinese officials, such as requests to remove “state affiliated” labels from their accounts. Tesla, the other company Musk runs, is highly dependent on China for manufacturing.

So far, Musk hasn’t publicly acknowledged the letter, which provides a December 31st deadline for a response. Twitter no longer has a communications team. However, Musk has shown little regard for other letters from lawmakers. He recently addressed a letter from Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey about Twitter’s failure to stop impersonation attempts with a dismissive tweet.

 

Twitter is effectively sunsetting Moments, the company announced on Wednesday. First launched in 2015, the feature allowed users to create curated collections of tweets in a bid to make it easier to follow current events on the platform. “Not all moments last. As of today we’re removing the option to create Moments for users as we focus on improving other experiences,” the Twitter Support account posted, adding previously made Moments would still have a home on the website.

The end of Twitter Moments is unsurprising for a few reasons. Even before Elon Musk bought the company, Twitter had begun to move away from the feature. In 2018, the company removed the ability to create Moments within its Android and iOS apps. “When features aren’t used as often, we’ll remove them, so we can focus on building other products you’ll love,” Twitter noted at the time.

Following Musk’s takeover, it’s likely Moments was identified as a feature that didn’t mesh with his vision for the platform. The billionaire has repeatedly said he aims to simplify Twitter while simultaneously transforming it into a “super app.” The website’s “tweeted from” labels were an early victim of the former inclination. The fact Twitter lost most of its moderation team during its recent layoffs probably made it even easier for the company to decide to stop supporting Moments.

 

When Dyson announced its Zone noise-canceling and air-purifying headphones earlier this year, the company kept some details close to its chest. Specifically, Dyson didn’t announce pricing or availability, nor did it say much about battery life. On Wednesday, it shared that information. Let’s begin with the detail everyone wants to know. When the wearable arrives in the US next March, it will start at an eye-watering $949, making it almost twice as expensive as the AirPods Max.

At first, Dyson will begin accepting preorders by appointment only before the headphones become available through its website and Demo stores across the country. In the US, the company will offer the wearable in two colorways: Ultra Blue/Prussian Blue and Prussian Blue/Bright Copper. The latter will only be available directly from the company, but it comes with a few extras, including a second electrostatic carbon filter, a soft pouch and an inflight adaptor kit.

Both the standard and Dyson Direct models come with the Zone’s signature vizor, as well as a dedicated sleeve and cleaning brush. According to Dyson, the electrostatic filters are rated to provide up to 12 months of use before they should be replaced. The filters feature a dual-layer design that incorporates potassium-enriched carbon to capture acidic gasses like nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and ozone. All told, the company claims the filters will block 99 percent of particles, including ones that are as small as 0.1 microns.

On the audio front, the Zone headphones are capable of up to 38 decibels of noise cancellation and feature 40-millimeter neodymium drivers. You can use the MyDyson companion app to choose between three audio equalization modes dubbed Dyson EQ, Bass Boost and Neutral. At launch, the headphones will support SBC, AAC and LHDC audio codecs, as well as Bluetooth 5.0.

Battery life will depend on how extensively you use the Zone’s air filtration feature. If it’s not powering the Visor, the Zone’s 2,600mAh battery can provide up to 50 hours of listening time on a single charge. Using the visor at its slowest setting reduces battery life to a modest four hours. Increasing purification speed to the “Mid” and “High” flow settings further reduces battery life to two-and-a-half hours and one-and-a-half hours, respectively. Using USB-C charging, Dyson says it will take about three hours to take the battery from dead to 100 percent. All of that means you will need to be selective about when you decide to use the visor.

 

TikTok is now facing its first state lawsuit over data security. Indiana’s Attorney General has sued TikTok for allegedly misleading users about China’s data access and violating child safety. The social media service supposedly broke state consumer law by failing to warn that the Chinese government could theoretically obtain sensitive data. The ByteDance-owned firm also supposedly tricked customers by giving its app a “12+” age rating on the App Store and Google Play, even though kids could readily find drug- and sex-related content.

Indiana wants fines of up to $5,000 for every violation. It’s also asking a state Superior Court to order an end to the purportedly deceptive claims about data handling, and to stop marketing the app toward young teens.

We’ve asked TikTok for comment. The social network has repeatedly denied sharing US user data with the Chinese government and has taken steps to reassure politicians and critics, such as storing American account data stateside by default. It also says there are “robust” approval processes and controls for ByteDance workers who might access data outside the US. TikTok has also limited teens’ access to more mature content, including age gates for some videos.

The lawsuit compounds problems that have emerged for TikTok in recent weeks. Maryland’s governor banned use of the app on state government devices over security concerns, echoing a similar move by South Dakota in late November. The Wall Street Journalsources also claim a potential national security deal with the Biden administration has stalled yet again. While TikTok had a tentative agreement this summer, some officials are concerned the deal didn’t go far enough to limit China’s access.

The lawsuit’s chances are uncertain. Potential access to data doesn’t mean TikTok is being lax, and it’s notable that apps like Facebook and Instagram are also rated 12+ despite the potential to see more adult-oriented material (Twitter is rated 17+). However, the Indiana case puts further pressure on TikTok to explain and potentially modify its practices.

 

Apple’s next iOS update will tighten AirDrop security for everyone. The new default settings will arrive globally in the upcoming iOS 16.2 after the company limited AirDrop use in China, where protestors had used the feature to organize with strangers.

The restriction will put a 10-minute cap on the window for users to share AirDrop files with “everyone.” After that, the setting reverts to “contacts only,” essentially killing its utility in protests. Although Apple tightening up privacy settings may be on-brand, this move stands out because of its timing. The change arrived in China in the iOS 16.1.1 update — after media outlets reported on protestors’ use of the tool to organize, discuss VPNs and denounce President Xi Jinping. At the time, Apple said the feature wouldn’t remain a Chinese exclusive and would roll out globally next year. Less than a month later, it’s in the latest iOS beta.

Apple could be trying to thread the needle between appeasing China — where it manufactures most of its products and makes about 20 percent of its revenue — and limiting the domestic PR damage from acquiescing to an authoritarian regime. By adding the feature globally, the company can deny (if only somewhat plausibly) helping an oppressive government quell protests.

On the other hand, AirDrop’s “everyone” setting has also led to unwanted content like random dick pics from strangers. No matter Apple’s motives, stopping that is a byproduct we can all get behind.

The iOS 16.2 Release Candidate rolled out to developers today. In addition to the AirDrop change, the software adds enhanced end-to-end encryption and an Apple Music karaoke feature.

 

Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani, Theranos’ former chief operating officer, has been sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison. Balwani was found guilty of all charges in a trial earlier this year that charged him with defrauding the blood testing startup’s patients and investors.

Of note, his sentence is slightly longer than the 11-year and three month sentence given to Elizabeth Holmes, the former CEO of Theranos. Ahead of his sentencing, Balwani’s legal team had asked for probation or house arrest, The Wall Street Journal reported. A probation officer had recommended a nine-year sentence, while prosecutors wanted 15 years in prison.

Balwani will also have to pay restitution, though the amount hasn’t yet been set. He is due to surrender March 15th.

Unlike Holmes, who was not convicted on seven out of 11 total fraud charges in her trial, Balwani was convicted of defrauding Theranos patients in addition to the company’s wealthy investors. As COO, Balwani oversaw the operations of the company’s troubled laboratory, and prosecutors argued that he had detailed knowledge of problems with its blood tests and the risk they posed to patients.

Though Balwani never rose to the same level of fame as his former partner during his time at Theranos, his relationship with Holmes has played heavily into the intrigue surrounding the company’s downfall. Holmes and Balwani’s relationship featured prominently in The Dropout, a Hulu miniseries about Theranos, and text messages between the two were read aloud in both trials. 

When Holmes took the stand in her own defense, she said Balwani had been abusive, and had misled her about issues in the company’s lab. 

Developing…

 

Atari is revivingAkka Arrh, a 1982 arcade game canceled because test audiences found it too difficult. For the wave shooter’s remake, the publisher is teaming up with developer Jeff Minter, whose psychedelic, synthwave style seems an ideal fit for what Atari describes as “a fever dream in the best way possible.” The remake will be released on PC, PS5 and PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and Atari VCS in early 2023.

The original Akka Arrh cabinet used a trackball to target enemies, as the player controls the Sentinel fixed in the center of the screen to fend off waves of incoming attackers. Surrounding the Sentinel is an octagonal field, which you need to keep clear; if enemies slip in, you can zoom in to fend them off before panning back out to fend off the rest of the wave. Given the simplicity of most games in the early 1980s, it’s unsurprising this relative complexity led to poor test-group screenings.

Since Atari pulled the plug on the arcade version before its release, only three Akka Arrh cabinets are known to exist. But the Minter collaboration isn’t the game’s first public availability. After an arcade ROM leaked online in 2019, Atari released the original this fall as part of its Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration collection.

Atari and Minter worked together in the 1990s, as his company Llamasoft created games like Tempest 2000 for the Atari Jaguar. Unfortunately, the two had a falling out in 2015 when Atari blocked Minter’s spiritual successor of that title from release. However, the two sides patched things up by 2018 when they released Tempest 4000, a Minter-helmed sequel with the IP holder’s blessing.

Atari says the remake has two modes, 50 levels and saves, so you don’t have to start from the beginning when enemies inevitably overrun your Sentinel. Additionally, the company says it offers accessibility settings to tone down the trippy visuals for people sensitive to intense light, color and animations.

 

Mindfulness app Calm has a couple new audioscapes to help people relax and drift off, and they’re both from first-party Xbox games. Starting today, folks with a Calm Premium membership can chill out to the ocean vibes of Sea of Thieves or the ambient alien noise of Zeta Halo from Halo Infinite. It’s the first time Calm has added game-themed soundscapes, so let’s hope they’re not interrupted by yells from pirates or the Covenant.

If you aren’t already a Calm Premium member, you’ll be able to access the service for free for three months through an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription perk. After that trial ends, if you want to keep using Calm Premium, you can get 50 percent off a subscription for the first year (an annual plan usually costs $70).

Xbox says it teamed up with Calm as part of its efforts to support players’ mental health and wellbeing. It also createda collection of Game Pass titles that either address mental health issues or provide players with a sense of escapism, such as Persona 5 Royal, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Unpacking and Stardew Valley.

 

In the aftermath of the Itaewon Halloween crowd crush that killed at least 158 people, North Korea’s APT37 state-sponsored hacking group took advantage of a previously unknown Internet Explorer vulnerability to install malware on the devices of South Koreans who were trying to find out about the tragedy, according to Google’s Threat Analysis Group. The team became aware of the recent attack on October 31st after multiple South Koreans uploaded a malicious Microsoft Office document to the company’s VirusTotal tool.

APT37 took advantage of national interest in the Itaewon tragedy by referencing the event in an official-looking document. Once someone opened the doc on their device, it would download a rich text file remote template that would, in turn, render remote HTML using Internet Explorer. According to Google, this is a technique that has been widely used to distribute exploits since 2017, as it allows hackers to take advantage of vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer even if someone isn’t using IE as their default web browser.

The JavaScript vulnerability APT37 took advantage of allowed the group to execute arbitrary code. Google informed Microsoft of the zero-day on the same day it became aware of it. On November 8th, Microsoft released a software update to address the exploit. “We’d be remiss if we did not acknowledge the quick response and patching of this vulnerability by the Microsoft team,” Google said.

While the TAG team didn’t get a chance to analyze the final malware APT37 hackers attempted to deploy against their targets, it notes the group is known for using a wide variety of malicious software, including ROKRAT, BLUELIGHT and DOLPHIN. “TAG also identified other documents likely exploiting the same vulnerability and with similar targeting, which may be part of the same campaign,” the team added.

This isn’t the first time Google’s Threat Analysis Group has thwarted an attack by North Korean hackers. At the start of 2021, the team detailed a campaign that targeted security researchers. More recently, the team worked with the Chrome team to address a vulnerability that was used by two North Korean hacking cadres to execute remote code.