Daily Tech Headlines – February 5, 2018
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| Daily Tech Headlines – February 5, 2018 | |
| Number | 431 |
| Broadcast Date | FEBRUARY 5, 2018 |
| Episode Length | 3:57 |
| Hosts | Tom Merritt |
Intel’s AR glasses, Broadcom still after Qualcomm, cell phone radiation still not proved dangerous.
Headlines
- Intel showed its new AR glasses to the Verge's Dieter Bohn. The glasses, called Vaunt, look just like normal eyeglasses. The electronics are contained in two modules built into the stems of the glasses. It displays information in your peripheral vision using Bluetooth to connect to a phone. Vaunt works by reflecting the image from a low-powered laser off the lens onto the retina. Wearers interact with voice or head tilt gestures.
- Broadcom has increased the amount of stock it will offer per share of Qualcomm in what it calls its "best and final offer." Qualcomm rejected a previous bid, indicating it does not wish to sell to Broadcom but the board must now consider this new offer. If Qualcomm were to accept the offer, Broadcom might have to drop its acquisition of NXP as shareholders are beginning to complain that offer undervalues NXP.
- The Financial Times reports some iPhone X users complain that their display takes up to 10 seconds to light up after an incoming call begins ringing. One user said restoring the iPhone fixed the issue for a few days but it came back. Apple said it is looking into the reports.
- The Wall Street Journal noted that Apple is reporting a faster music subscriber growth rate in the US than Spotify. If the current rates continued Apple Music would pass Spotify in the US sometime this summer.
- Samsung Electronics chairman Jay Y. Lee has been released from prison after an appeal. Lee was sentenced to five years for perjury, embezzlement, and bribery in relation to the Presidential scandal in South Korea last year. Lee's prison term was reduced to two and a half years and given four years probation and a suspended sentence.
- Apple and Cisco are partnering with Aliianz to offer cyber insurance to businesses that use Cisco Ransomware Defense and certain Apple devices. Customers could get lower or no deductibles with support services in case of attack. Aon will provide insurance brokering, evaluation and support.
- 32-year-old UK student Lauri Love will not be extradited to the US on charges of attacking US government websites. The judge determined, "extradition would be oppressive by reason of his physical and mental condition." The High Court did emphasize that Love should be prosecuted in the UK. Love is accused of being part of an attack on Federal Reserve, NASA and US Army sites in reaction to the death of Aaron Swartz in 2013.
- Opening statements in the trial between Uber and Waymo begin Monday. Testimony in the trial is expected to last two weeks. Waymo accuses Uber of benefting from autonomous car trade secrets taken by former employee Anthony Levandowski.
- The State of South Australia is creating a decentralized solar power network of 50,000 Tesla Solar panels and Powerwalls. The solar panels and batteries will provide power to the homes where they are installed but also feed power back into the grid, when needed. Participating homes should see a 30% cost reduction.
- The US National Toxicology Program conducted two studies on the effects of cell phone radiation at the request of the FDA. Researchers exposed rats to radiowaves for more than nine hours a day for up to two years, a much higher exposure than people receive in ordinary phone use. The studies found no significant increase in cancer risk. Only one group of male rats saw a small increase in a kind of heart tumor. Rats that were exposed to radiation also tended to live longer. Both results could be the result of chance and more study is needed.
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| Preceded by: "Daily Tech Headlines – February 2, 2018" |
Daily Tech Headlines – February 5, 2018 |
Followed by: "Daily Tech Headlines – February 6, 2018" |