Daily Tech Headlines – May 23, 2018
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| Daily Tech Headlines – May 23, 2018 | |
| Number | 508 |
| Broadcast Date | MAY 23, 2018 |
| Episode Length | 4:40 |
| Hosts | Sarah Lane |
VPNFilter malware affects half a million routers and includes a killswitch, TSMC confirms it’s making 7nm processors for iPhones, Facebook Marketplace now includes home professional services.
Headlines
- Bloomberg reports Apple’s manufacturing partner TSMC has begun production of processors for new iPhones launching later this year, possibly called the A12 .Sources say it will have a 7-nanometer design that is faster, smaller, and more efficient than the 10-nanometer chips Apple currently uses in the iPhone 8 and 10. TSMC said in April that it had started mass producing 7-nanometer processors, but not who they were being made for.
- In other Apple news, you can now download a copy of all the data Apple has collected from you. A new Data and Privacy website includes access to App Store and iTunes activity, Apple ID account and device information, online and retail store activity, AppleCare support history, and so on. The download tool is available now in many European countries in time for GDPR and rolling out to the rest of the world soon. Apple says it will take up to 7 days to process your download request for security and to make sure the data request was made by you.
- Starting today, U.S. Facebook users can now browse through home service professionals in the Facebook Marketplace, including house cleaners, plumbers, contractors, as well as price quotes for service. Handy, HomeAdvisor, and Porch are all parters in this launch. As of last year, Marketplace had been growing at a rate of 18 million new listings per month. And search volume had increased 3x as of last October. Amazon has a similar category it launched several years ago, while Walmart recently partnered with Handy, and Google is also working with both HomeAdvisor and Porch to connect its voice assistant users with home pros nearby.
- HTC's new U12+ smartphone is official. It updates its predecessor the U11's design with two new cameras with lossless 2x digital zoom, setting it apart from the current trend of dual rear cams. The U12+ also has a 6-inch Super LCD display, a Snapdragon 845 chip, and multiple storage and color options depending on regions. The HTC U12+ is up for pre-order starting today. In the US, you'll pay $799 for the 64GB (Black or Blue) and $849 USD for the 128GB variant which comes in blue only. In the UK and Europe only the 64gb model is available and will cost £699 and €799, respectively.
- President Trump may fine ZTE Corp and force management changes as an alternative to the current 7-year ban on US firms supplying parts to ZTE which has effectively broken ZTE's business. Memhers of Congress accused the president of making a deal witth a company that has admitted to violating sanctions on Iran. Trump said U.S. technology companies have also been hurt by the April Commerce Department decision that prohibits them from selling components to ZTE. He put the possible fine number at up to $1.3B, but didn't give details on the legality of this move.
- Cisco's Talos Intelligence Group says more than half a million routers and network devices in 54 countries have been infected with malware called VPNFilter, which contains a killswitch for routers, can steal logins and passwords and can monitor industrial control systems. VPNFilter has infected routers in Ukraine in particular with a spike in infections in Ukraine on May 8 and May 17. Talos researchers says routers from Linksys, MikroTik, Netgear and TP-Link are affected, and that the malware shares many of the same codes used in known Russian cyberattacks and called the attack "likely state-sponsored."
- Uber is shutting down testing of self-driving cars in Arizona after one of its cars killed a pedestrian in a March accident. In an internal email, Uber executive Eric Meyhofer wrote that Uber would be shifting its focus to Pittsburgh, where the company has been testing self-driving cars since 2016, and San Francisco, where Uber is headquartered. Uber hopes to resume testing in Pittsburgh this summer after all testing was grounded following the accident. About 200 Uber employee jobs in Arizona will be affected by this change.
- IBM CEO Ginni Rometty plans to create 1,800 jobs over the next two years in France in areas like AI, blockchain, cloud computing and IoT. IBM plans to hire both new graduates and experienced workers, and looking to train workers for what it has called "New Collar" jobs, something it has done in the US as well. Rometty is making the announcements later today at the Tech for Good Summit, where she is speaking along with French President Emmanuel Macron.
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| Preceded by: "Daily Tech Headlines – May 22, 2018" |
Daily Tech Headlines – May 23, 2018 |
Followed by: "Daily Tech Headlines – May 24, 2018" |