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New York AG will investigate firm selling fake followers to stars http://ift.tt/2FnOho2 Twitter bots are bad enough by themselves, but it's worse when they're built using real info -- and New York wants to clamp down. State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has opened an investigation into Devumi, a company that sold over 3.5 million fake social network followers (primarily on Twitter) to celebrities and politicians. While bots by themselves aren't automatically illegal, the company also offered "at least" 55,000 accounts using the personal details of real people, some of whom live in New York. That's "impersonation and deception," Schneiderman said, and it's made all the worse when some of those people aren't legal adults. The customers are eclectic, the New York Times has learned. They include stars like John Leguizamo and Kathy Ireland, tech luminaries like Michael Dell, and people both critical of and supportive of President Trump. It's doubtful that all of these people are aware of the fraudulent nature of some of the accounts, or even that the accounts have been purchased. They're sometimes snapped up by helpers who feel compelled to pad their clients' follower counts. Devumi was founded by German Calas, and operates well away from New York -- West Palm Beach, in fact. He denied offering fake followers when asked by the NYT, but stopped responding when given evidence of fraudulent accounts. Twitter has shut down sample accounts for violating its anti-spam policies. However, the discovery of the scale of Devumi's operations has raised a question: why doesn't Twitter do more to screen for spam accounts in the first place, such as captchas? This would permit above-board bots (such as those that automatically tweet historical events), but would thwart bulk accounts that clearly have no real human involvement. While it would dent Twitter's all-important user numbers, it would also increase the quality of the users that are left and cut down on the spam that drives some users away.
Source: New York Times (1), (2), Eric Schneiderman (Twitter) Gadget News via Engadget http://www.engadget.com January 28, 2018 at 01:09AM How to change your name on Facebook http://ift.tt/2rJqyfY
Gadget News via gadgets - Google News http://ift.tt/2zdEA80 January 28, 2018 at 01:04AM How to prevent WhatsApp from using more internet data http://ift.tt/2ngAXLH Gadget News via gadgets - Google News http://ift.tt/2zdEA80 January 27, 2018 at 11:33PM
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Coincheck loses $400 million in massive cryptocurrency heist http://ift.tt/2EhqOp9 Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck just made history, and not in a good way. It has lost around $534 million worth of NEM tokens, one of the lesser-known cryptocurrencies, after its network was hacked on January 25th, 12:57pm EST. The attackers remained undetected for eight hours, giving them enough time to steal 523 million tokens kept in a "hot wallet," a type of storage that's connected to the internet for easy spending. While the exact value of the stolen coins are unclear due to the ever-changing nature of cryptocurrency -- it's $400 million at the very least -- Coincheck might have already lost more than what Mt. Gox did a few years ago. Mt. Gox, which was also based in Shibuya like Coincheck, was the victim of another massive cryptocurrency theft back in 2014. It lost between $400 and $480 million from the heist, prompting Japan's legislators to pass a law to regulate bitcoin exchanges. Despite the comparable figures, Coincheck's hack didn't quite affect the market the way Mt. Gox did. Mt. Gox, after all, handled around 80 percent of Bitcoins back in the day when there weren't a lot of exchanges yet. Also, affected Mt. Gox users didn't get their money back. Coincheck suspended its trading and withdrawal for all cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin, but the company promised not to run from its customers. It said it will use its own money to reimburse all 260,000 affected users, though it didn't specify when it will start disbursing funds. Source: CoinDesk, BBC, Bloomberg Gadget News via Engadget http://www.engadget.com January 27, 2018 at 10:15PM
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Elon Musk's Boring Company is selling a flamethrower http://ift.tt/2Go1SwZ No, we're not kidding. After weeks of teases, Elon Musk has confirmed that The Boring Company is selling... a flamethrower. That's right, the same company digging traffic-skipping tunnels is now offering a weapon. Plunk down $500 for a pre-order (there's no word on when it will ship) and you can have the "world's safest" fire-breathing weapon. Just in case it isn't safe enough, though, there's also a $30 branded fire extinguisher. Why a flamethrower? Musk hasn't said, but he did indicate that he would sell a flamethrower when Boring Company hats sold out, and he's clearly living up to that promise. It's certainly consistent with the firm's "if it sounds good, do it" ethos -- remember, Elon Musk founded The Boring Company on impulse after he was caught in traffic. It's undoubtedly going to garner attention as a marketing ploy. The question is, what happens if and when the flamethrower sells out? We have a hunch that Musk would be happy to top this with another novelty, especially since the company's first tunnels won't see service for a while. Via: Elon Musk (Twitter) Source: The Boring Company Gadget News via Engadget http://www.engadget.com January 27, 2018 at 08:39PM
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Here is Elon Musk, running at the camera with his new Boring Company flamethrower http://ift.tt/2ni2Z9m Here is Elon Musk, running at the camera in a short Instagram video of himself with his new Boring Company flamethrower. The flamethrower costs $500, plus tax. Obviously do not point a flamethower at people, that’s definitely a dick move, besides being dangerous. Gadget News via The Verge http://ift.tt/1jLudMg January 27, 2018 at 08:13PM
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Apple's first HomePod ads urge customers to 'order now' http://ift.tt/2DEO6UJ Apple Kicked off promotional efforts for its new HomePod on Saturday with four short ads showing off the smart speaker's svelte chassis and unique LCD control panel. Gadget News via AppleInsider - Frontpage News http://appleinsider.com January 27, 2018 at 08:02PM
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Streaming services must give songwriters a 44 percent pay hike http://ift.tt/2Gp8OtU Songwriters just claimed a major victory in the fight for better pay from streaming giants like Apple and Spotify. The US Copyright Royalty Board has ruled for an increase in songwriter rates that will give them a 43.8 percent pay raise over the next 5 years. They also won't have to jump through hoops to figure out how much they're owed: they'll claim either a percentage of revenue or the total content costs, whichever pays the most. There are no longer caps on writer rates, for that matter. This isn't exactly what writers wanted. They were hoping to be paid per stream, which would give them a direct stake in the success of a popular tune. However, the National Music Publishers Association's David Israelite called it the "best songwriters have ever had" under the current compulsory license system. There's no guarantee this will make writers happy. Musicians frequently complain about low royalties from streaming services, and songwriters frequently get the short end of the stick even in those conditions. It also raises questions about how the streaming companies themselves will account for this pay raise. They may not have to increase your subscription rate to make up for the difference, but that could mean having to accept thinner profits to get your business. Mind you, this could help everyone involved if it convinces more artists to stream their music. Via: Variety Source: NMPA Gadget News via Engadget http://www.engadget.com January 27, 2018 at 07:09PM HomePod's Sound Continues to Receive Top Marks After Listening Demos in New York and London1/27/2018
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HomePod's Sound Continues to Receive Top Marks After Listening Demos in New York and London http://ift.tt/2DHKFwL Apple last week invited select reporters to one-hour-long HomePod listening demos in New York City and London, resulting in several first impressions of the speaker's sound quality being shared online over the past few days. We've rounded up all of the first impressions we've come across so far, and highlighted some excerpts that we thought were interesting below. If you spot an article not listed here, let us know in the comments section.
• Business Insider
• TechCrunch • CNET • Engadget • iMore • Mashable • TechRadar • Digital Trends • Tom's Guide • Expert Reviews
• Wired UK • iNews UK • Huffington Post UK • Vogue UK • Refinery29 • Gear Patrol • Stuff.tv • Alphr • Lance Ulanoff • T3 The consensus is that the HomePod sounds very good, although some felt the quality isn't exactly worth the price. A few reporters were more impressed by upcoming stereo sound capabilities of two HomePods in the same room. Keep in mind these listening demos were conducted by Apple in controlled environments, so we'll have to wait for more in-depth reviews once reporters and customers get the speaker into their hands and try it out. Business Insider's Avery HartmansAfter spending an hour demoing Apple's new HomePod smart speaker, I can say one thing with confidence: it sounds incredible. Overall, HomePod is both louder and better-sounding than I expected. The bass was strong without being too heavy, vocals were crisp and clear, and the overall sound felt somehow bright and energized. I also got a demo of a stereo setup using two HomePods — that functionality is coming later on through a free update — and was blown away. So while I can't give a definitive verdict until testing it for myself, I will say that HomePod gives a great first impression. Wired UK's Jeremy WhiteWe will have much more to say in a full review, but on first impressions while the HomePod looks great, is super simple to set up and is undoubtedly powerful, the sound produced does not immediately match up to its £319 price tag. What becomes immediately apparent is the formidable bass the HomePod kicks out. What's more, the sound remains constant as you walk around the room, no doubt thanks to those beam-forming tweeters. The vocals are clear as a bell, too. It's not all good news, however. There is a distinct lack of mid-range, leaving you feeling that something is missing in the mix. TechCrunch's Brian HeaterAs advertised, the thing sounds great. Apple's engineers were able to get a lot of rich and full sound out of that little footprint. The speaker is particularly adept as isolating vocals and maintaining often muddled aural aspects, like background singers and audience sounds in live recordings. CNET's David CarnoyUltimately, my initial impression is that the HomePod sounds very good for the type of speaker it is and it certainly stacks up well against the competition -- some of it less expensive, some of it more. But like all speakers, it has its limitations and the HomePod left me wanting for true stereo sound. Which is probably why the only time I got truly jazzed during the demo was when they paired the two HomePods together and delivered some real separation. iNews UK's Rhiannon WilliamsWhile it's difficult to get a proper grasp of how a speaker sounds in a short space of time, a second listen to the HomePod reinforces my earlier favourable impressions. While at just under seven inches tall it's undoubtedly on the small side, it's capable of incredible volume, easily filling a room and reinforcing its house party credentials. This is particularly true when two of them pair to play the same song simultaneously: it's a bassy tour-de-force.Apple began accepting HomePod orders through its online store and Apple Store app on Friday in the United States, Australia, and United Kingdom, with the first deliveries to customers estimated to arrive Friday, February 9.
Related Roundup: HomePod
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