December 2021 – Page 61 – news.buyenne.com

New York City bans new natural gas hookups in step toward all-electric future

“The next generation of buildings is going to be electric.”

The New York City Council voted today to ban natural gas in new buildings, putting the nation’s largest city at the vanguard of national efforts to eliminate the fossil fuel and potent greenhouse gas.

The bill prohibits natural gas hookups and oil-burning equipment in new buildings under seven stories starting in 2023 and all new buildings starting in 2027. Existing buildings are not affected by the measure, though significant renovations could require buildings to become all-electric. Hospitals, factories, laundromats, and commercial kitchens are also exempt. Mayor Bill de Blasio has said that he will sign the bill.

The city isn’t the first to attempt something like this. Other, smaller cities like Brookline, Massachusetts, and San Jose and Berkeley, California, have enacted similar bans on new hookups, but New York City is by far the largest to date. Some 40 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions come from boilers, furnaces, and hot water heaters.

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Patch fixing critical Log4J 0-day has its own vulnerability that’s under exploit

If you’ve patched using Log4J 2.15.0, it’s time to update again. Stat!

Last Thursday, the world learned of an in-the-wild exploitation of a critical code-execution zero-day in Log4J, a logging utility used by just about every cloud service and enterprise network on the planet. Open-source developers quickly released an update that patched the flaw and urged all users to install it immediately.

Now, researchers are reporting that there are at least two vulnerabilities in the patch, released as Log4J 2.15.0, and that attackers are actively exploiting one or both of them against real-world targets who have already applied the update. The researchers are urging organizations to install a new patch, released as version 2.16.0, as soon as possible to fix the vulnerability, which is tracked as CVE-2021-45046.

The earlier fix, researchers said on late Tuesday, “was incomplete in certain non-default configurations” and made it possible for attackers to perform denial-of-service attacks, which typically make it easy to take vulnerable services completely offline until victims reboot their servers or take other actions.

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Lilbits: Windows Terminal to become default command prompt for Win11 (plus jailbreaking the PS4, using older Chromebooks and more)

For the most part you can use Windows without ever typing into the command line. That’s one of the key things that set Windows apart from its predecessor, MS-DOS. But power users may still find themselves firing up command line utilities like the Windows Command Prompt, Microsoft PowerShell, or the Windows Subsystem for Linux from […]

The post Lilbits: Windows Terminal to become default command prompt for Win11 (plus jailbreaking the PS4, using older Chromebooks and more) appeared first on Liliputing.

So Microsoft developed Windows Terminal as a unified application that allows you to bring all of those experiences together in one app with support for features like tabs, adjustable fonts, and much, much more. It’s been in development for a few years, and recently Microsoft made it possible to set Windows Terminal as your default command line utility on Windows 11, something that had never been possible before. Now the company says it’ll go a step further next year and eventually make Windows Terminal the default for all Windows 11 users.

Windows Terminal as the default terminal app in Windows 11

Here’s a roundup of recent tech news from around the web.

Windows Terminal as your Default Command Line Experience [Microsoft]

Windows Terminal will become the default command line app for Windows 11 in 2022, but if you’re using Windows 11 you can already set it as the default now because, unlike earlier versions of Windows, Win11 allows you to change default terminal emulators.

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22523 [Microsoft]

The latest Windows Insider Preview build for the Dev Channel moves more items from the Control Panel to the Settings app, adds support for snap groups in the Alt+Tab view, and unlike the last build, is available for ARM64 PCs.

iFixit Works With Microsoft to Manufacture Service Tools for Repair Techs [iFixit]

Microsoft and iFixit are offer tools repair techs can use with Surface devices. They help remove and re-apply battery adhesive for the Surface Laptop 3 or displays on Surface Pro 8 Surface Pro X, and Surface Pro 7+. No word on consumer versions.

Pine64 December 2021 Update [Pine64]

The folks at Pine64 are teasing a “cool small project” for early 2022: an open hardware device aimed at both “enthusiasts and mainstream consumers.” Previous “small” projects from the company include the PineTime smartwatch and Pinecil soldering iron.

PS4 9.00 Jailbreak “pOOBs4” released! [Wololo]

A new PlayStation 4 jailbreak tool called pOOBs4 has been released, but it requires firmware version 9.00 or earlier (which means if you’re running the latest PS4 firmware, it’s too late to jailbreak using this method).

How secure is a Chromebook after it stops getting Chrome OS updates? [About Chromebooks]

Have an older Chromebook that no longer receives updates from Google? You can keep using it… but without security patches it gets riskier over time. Installing third-party browsers may protect browsing sessions, but not the underlying OS. You can open your Chromebook’s Settings and check the Update schedule see how long it will continue to receive updates. Or check out Google’s Auto Update policy page to see the end dates for guaranteed support for ALL Chrome OS devices.

Acer Chromebook Spin 514, Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2, and Asus Chromebook Flip CX5

Pop!_OS 21.10 has landed! [System76]

Linux PC maker System76 has released Pop!_OS 21.10. New features for the Ubuntu-based Linux distribution with the COSMIC desktop environment include include a new Application Library launcher, Raspberry Pi 4 support, Linux 5.15 kernel & upgrade improvements.

Oppo’s new MariSilicon X NPU will take the Find X series image quality to the next level [GSM Arena]

Oppo has developed its own NPU (neural processing unit). The MariSilicon X is expected to bring better camera features to next-gen Oppo flagship phones, with support for recording 4K HDR video, among other things.

Huawei new foldable is called P50 Pocket, arriving on December 23 [GSM Arena]

Huawei schedules the P50 Pocket for a Dec 23 launch. It’s expected to be a foldable phone, possibly with a “flip” design similar to the Samsung Galaxy Flip series (or classic flip-phones before the displays themselves were foldable).

Keep up on the latest headlines by following Liliputing on Twitter and Facebook and follow @LinuxSmartphone on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news on open source mobile phones.

The post Lilbits: Windows Terminal to become default command prompt for Win11 (plus jailbreaking the PS4, using older Chromebooks and more) appeared first on Liliputing.

Today’s best deals: Apple Watch Series 7, gaming gift cards, and more

Dealmaster also has last-minute deals on AirPods, good board games, and 4K streamers.

If you're still looking to snag some good values for your holiday shopping, the Dealmaster is here to help. Leading today's roundup of the best tech deals we can find is a new low price for the Apple Watch Series 7—it's currently down to $349 at several retailers, which is $30 less than the previous low and a $50 drop from Apple's MSRP. Not every color is discounted, but listings at Amazon, Target, and Best Buy all say the device will ship in time for Christmas as of this writing.

The Series 7 is currently the top pick in our guide to the best smartwatches. That's probably not a shock—the Apple Watch has been recommended by many reviewers for a long time—but all the things that have made it stand above other wearables still apply here. Apple's watchOS remains head and shoulders above competing platforms in terms of app support and variety. The waterproof design is handsome, durable, and relatively easy to operate. It tracks the requisite health metrics—heart rate, sleep, various exercises, etc.—and runs apps quickly. You can buy a wide variety of alternative watch bands down the road if you want. It largely leaves Android users in the dark, but if you use an iPhone, it's not outrageous to say that the Series 7 can serve as an effective substitute to your phone, at least in smaller doses.

There's no major need to upgrade if you own a Series 6, but compared to that model, the Series 7's big addition is a larger display. It's only slightly bigger physically, but Apple has also shrunk down the black bezels surrounding the screen. All told, there's about 20 percent more available screen space for viewing apps and messages; there's now support for a QWERTY keyboard as well. And while the watch's battery life is still only OK, lasting roughly a day per charge, it does recharge faster than before. You'll need a capable power brick, but if you do, you can refill the Series 7 from zero to 100 percent battery in a little over an hour. With prior models, this took about two and half hours.

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Tesla sexual harassment lawsuits multiply as 6 more women sue Musk-led firm

Lawyer: Musk “enables the pattern of pervasive sexual harassment and retaliation.”

Tesla signs outside of a showroom and service center.

Six more women sued Tesla yesterday, alleging that the company failed to stop rampant sexual harassment at factory facilities in Fremont, California, and service centers in the Los Angeles area.

The lawsuits are similar to one filed last month by employee Jessica Barraza, who alleged that she and other women working in the carmaker's Fremont factory have been subjected to "nightmarish conditions of rampant sexual harassment," including offensive comments, propositions, and "frequent groping on the factory floor." Barraza alleged that managers and human resources personnel failed to protect her even though she complained repeatedly.

The lawsuits filed yesterday "detail specific instances of harassment that each woman experienced, and the lack of action from Tesla when these claims were reported," according to a press release from law firm Rudy Exelrod Zieff & Lowe, which represents Barazza and the six other women. "Those who complained were sometimes threatened into silence or faced undesirable transfers. The message was clear, there would be no consequences for abusers. The six women describe an environment in which it was normal for women to be catcalled, ogled, touched inappropriately, and propositioned."

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UP Squared 6000 is a single-board PC with Intel Elkhart Lake for $219 and up

The UP Squared 6000 is a single-board computer that measures about 4″ x 4″ and comes with a choice of four different Intel Elkhart Lake processor options. It’s the latest in a line of PC boards that AAEON has introduced under the UP brand, and it’s available for pre-order now for $219 and up with […]

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The UP Squared 6000 is a single-board computer that measures about 4″ x 4″ and comes with a choice of four different Intel Elkhart Lake processor options.

It’s the latest in a line of PC boards that AAEON has introduced under the UP brand, and it’s available for pre-order now for $219 and up with an estimated ship date of February, 2021.

An entry-level model will get you a board with 2GB of LPDDR4 RAM, 32GB of eMMC storage, but the Up Squared 6000 is available with up to 8GB of RAM, 64GB of eMMC storage. The company will also offers four processor options:

Intel Celeron N6210: 1.2 GHz – 2.6 GHz / 2-cores, 2-threads / 250 MHz Intel UHD graphics, 16 eu / 6.5W TDP
Intel Atom x6413E: 1.5 GHz – 3 GHz / 4-cores, 4-threads / 500 MHz Intel UHD graphics, 16 eu / 9 W TDP
Intel Pentium J6426: 2 GHz – 3 GHz / 4-cores, 4-threads, 400 MHz Intel UHD graphics, 32 eu / 10W TDP
Intel Atom x6425RE: 1.9 GHz / 4-cores, 4-threads / 400 MHz Intel UHD graphics, 32 eu / 12W TDP

The board also features M.2 2280, M.2 2230, M.2 3042/3052 connectors that can be used for storage, wireless cards, or other add-ons, as well as a 40 pin GPIO connector, SATA connector, and 100-pin board connector plus a micro SIM slot that can be used if you connect a cellular modem.

Ports include:

1 x 2.5 Gbps Ethernet
1 x Gigabit Ethernet
1 x HDMI 2.0b
1 x DisplayPort 2.0b
2 x USB 3.2 Type-A
1 x USB 3.2 Type-C

The board also has an eDP connector that can be used for an external display, plus a few other accessible connectors that can be used for audio, serial, or USB 2.0 connections and a 12V DC power jack.

The UP Squared 6000 also has a TPM 2.0 module, which means the board should be compatible with Windows 11, although the datasheet says it officially supports Windows 10, Windows IOT Core, Ubuntu, and Yocto 3.1.

Optional accessories include a $30 WiFi kitthat includes an Intel Wireless-AC 9260 card, antennae, and cables, and a $149 UP Core XM 2280 module with two Movidius Myriad X vision processing units. A carrier board with two extra Ethernet jacks, an audio jack, and mPCIe support is also coming next year.

AAEON also offers an UP Squared 6000 Edge series that includes a fanless chassis and RS-232 port for $289 and up. It will also be available starting in February.

press release

via LinuxGizmos and @UPbridge_gap

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Reddit Bans ‘No Way Home Leaks’ For Excessive Copyright Complaints

Reddit’s patience with a subreddit dedicated to leaks and spoilers relating to the expected blockbuster Spider-Man: No Way Home has been stretched to breaking point. A few minutes ago /r/nowayhomeleaks was banned from the platform for excessive copyright complaints, with reports suggesting that a link to the entire movie was posted to the forum.

From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

When it is released this Friday in the United States, the much anticipated Spider-Man: No Way Home is almost guaranteed to become one of the highest grossing movies in recent years.

To some, however, its many secrets will already be known.

Since July this year, a dedicated discussion forum on Reddit called /r/NoWayHomeLeaks has been a hive of activity, with thousands of fans speculating on every tiny piece of available information that might give an early clue to what the movie has in store.

These discussions have included short video clips of both known and unknown origins, at least some of which have resulted in complaints from copyright holders. But, despite the takedowns, the subreddit’s popularity soared this week, as the image below shows.

Reddit only has limited room to maneuver under the DMCA when it comes to copyright complaints. Subreddits that don’t properly police themselves can expect to be warned but when that makes no difference (or when too many complaints are received to even warrant a warning) strong action can be the end result.

Reddit Bans /r/NoWayHomeLeaks

Perhaps inevitably, given the amount of copyrighted content being posted to the subreddit, a few minutes ago Reddit took the decision to ban the forum entirely. As the image below shows, it appears to have received an unacceptable amount of DMCA copyright complaints.

Reddit has not made any announcement regarding the specific complaints made against NoWayHomeLeaks, which is not unusual in itself. Such bans aren’t usually handed down lightly though and activity over the past few days and hours won’t have helped the sub at all.

In addition to posting text-based spoilers, users of the sub also posted video spoilers. At least some of these appear to have been obtained from cinema footage captured with cell phones.

Worse still, several sources on social media report that the majority of the film was recorded in a theater and then posted to Facebook, a post that was subsequently linked in the subreddit and not removed, or at least not quickly enough.

Having the entire film to watch via Reddit would not have gone down well with copyright holders and may have been the final straw. It’s possible the full details will never be known but having the $200m movie spoiled with 10th rate cellphone footage was certainly not part of Marvel’s plan.

From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

Reddit Bans ‘No Way Home Leaks’ For Excessive Copyright Complaints

From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

When it is released this Friday in the United States, the much anticipated Spider-Man: No Way Home is almost guaranteed to become one of the highest grossing movies in recent years.

To some, however, its many secrets will already be known.

Reddit Bans /r/NoWayHomeLeaks

In addition to posting text-based spoilers, users of the sub also posted video spoilers. At least some of these appear to have been obtained from cinema footage captured with cell phones.

From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

Pfizer’s anti-COVID drug still looks effective after further analysis

No deaths, ~80 percent drop in hospitalization compared to the placebo group.

Scenes like this might become less common if a new SARS-CoV-2 protease inhibitor becomes widely available.

On Monday, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer released more data on its anti-COVID-19 drug, named Paxlovid. The company had released its initial data on the drug in early November, and it looked extremely promising: a drop in hospitalization and death of 89 percent in high-risk patients. But preliminary results like that don't always hold up, as we saw with a drug from Merck. But there's good news in this case: Paxlovid appears to be just as effective once more patients and numbers from a second trial are included.

On trial

Paxlovid inhibits a viral protein called a protease, which normally breaks chemical bonds in other viral proteins, converting them into their mature, functional forms. This processing is needed before the virus is able to copy its own genome, so inhibiting the protease should block viral reproduction.

Pfizer started at least two clinical trials with Paxlovid. One involved unvaccinated individuals who are at high risk from COVID-19 due to age or health issues. The second trial involved moderate risks: either unvaccinated individuals with no risk factors, or those who have been vaccinated but are at elevated risk. In both trials, treatments started within days of a confirmed infection.

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Daily Deals (12-15-2021)

B&H is running a 1-day sale on SanDisk storage products. Among other things, that means you can pick up a 500GB SanDisk Extreme portable SSD for $70 or a 1TB version for $100, which are some of the best prices I’ve seen to date for these small, speedy portable storage devices. Meanwhile Amazon is offering […]

The post Daily Deals (12-15-2021) appeared first on Liliputing.

Meanwhile Amazon is offering an excellent deal on the Kindle Paperwhite Kids. Normally priced at $20 more than the standard Kindle Paperwhite, this model comes with a protective cover, a 2-year warranty, a 2-year subscription to Amazon Kids+ and no ads on the lock screen. But right now you can pick one up for $120, which is $40 off the list price and $20 less than an entry-level Kindle Paperwhite.

This isn’t quite the best deal Amazon has offered for the Paperwhite Kids. The company was selling it for $115 on Black Friday. But today’s deal comes pretty close. And you can bring the price down even further if you have an older Kindle to trade in.

Wondering if you can use the Kindle Paperwhite Kids as a grownup? The answer is yes. While it’ll ask you to set up a Kids Profile the first time you use the eReader, you can also add an adult profile and then delete the kids account if you don’t plan to use it. I know this because that’s exactly what I did when I picked one up for myself last month.

Here are some of the day’s best deals.

Devices