Hackers are demanding ransom from France’s Schneider Electric. If they don’t get it, they’ll spill 40GB of stolen data, including company projects, employee details and customer info. Talk about handing over the dough.
Tags: cybersecurity, France, hackers
📺 This is wild: A funny Reddit post shows a Costco customer trying to return a TV they bought back in 2002. The thing is it might be within the guidelines. Costco didn’t add a 90-day limit to its electronics return policy until 2007. Before that, you could return indefinitely. Did it work? Yup!
Designer babies: Startup PolygenX is offering wealthy parents-to-be the option to screen embryos for higher IQs. Parents undergoing IVF can also choose embryos based on traits like height, self-control, and risks of obesity and ADHD. I see Xs and Ys with this practice …
Baby got back: Researchers used a custom-built robot (wheeled and padded with foam) with eight toddlers to assess the kiddos’ physical activity. When the kids got close, the robot rewarded them with sounds, lights and bubbles. No surprise, the two- and three-year-olds moved around way more while playing with the robots than with a regular toy. Toddlers getting robots for Christmas is just a year away, unfortunately.
Flip, not flop: Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold SE is their first foldable phone with almost no crease in the middle. The Korea-only launch sold out instantly. Expect the same screen tech in the Galaxy Fold 7 in the U.S. next year. Psst, the Fold 6 (21% off) and Flip 6 (24% off) are on sale right now.
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Google Maps upgrade: You can now chat with the app to find things to do, restaurants to visit and nearby attractions, all with reviews. You’ll see detailed parking info near your destination and walking directions when you exit your car, too.
👨💻 North Korea strikes again: I’ve told you about this before. Now, we’re hearing reports EV maker Fisker hired a remote employee who funneled money back to North Korea’s missile program. The spy used an Arizona address tied to a woman hired to run a laptop farm for IT workers who needed a U.S. address. In total, she moved $6.8 million to North Korea. Isn’t it nuts that a 6-foot overweight man with a goofy haircut scares the heck out of everyone?
What if AI gets too smart? Workers at AI companies are asking Congress for specific whistleblower protections to call out new threats, like AI turning against them. With strict NDAs, trade secret rules and swarms of company lawyers, I’d be nervous speaking up or getting killed by AI, too.
🚨 Hackers never sleep: The Communist Chinese hackers who breached U.S. telecom companies recently did far more damage than first reported. Initially, we heard “Salt Typhoon” only accessed call logs and SMS messages of diplomats and government officials. Really, they were poking around for at least eight months and may have captured data from who knows how many people.
🎬 Plot twist: “Here” follows Tom Hanks and Robin Wright across a 60-year span, with de-aging done entirely by AI. A few years ago, this wouldn’t have been possible without Marvel-level budgets. Now? They’re pulling it off for $50 million. The trailer gave me goosebumps! At least there are still some scenes with real actors.
Speaking of Amazon: Bad news if you got a new Kindle Colorsoft — many people are complaining about the bottom of the color display having a yellowish tint. If you own one, contact their support for a refund or replacement. Replacements ship out next week.
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