Innholdsfortegnelse for #567 i Techlife News

The U.S. Navy’s workhorse destroyer went into production more than 30 years ago, when Tom Stevens was a young welder. Now, the Navy is getting ready to turn the page as it looks to a future ship brimming with lasers that can shoot down missiles and attack enemies with hypersonic missiles topping 3,800 mph. Stevens, 52, said the warship provides an opportunity to build something new after a historic production run of the Arleigh Burke class. “It will be an impressive destroyer that will absolutely launch us into the next generation of ships,” said Stevens, director of ground assembly at Navy shipbuilder Bath Iron Works. The stakes are high when it comes to a replacement for the backbone of the fleet as the Navy faces a growing threat from China,…

Jeep will start selling two fully electric SUVs in North America and another one in Europe over the next two years. The new EVs, Jeep’s first, are part of the Stellantis brand’s plans to convert half of its U.S. sales and all of its European sales to battery-electric vehicles by 2030. They’re the first for the brand, and executives are promising that they’ll be fully capable of off-road travel. The new vehicles include the Jeep Recon, a four-wheel-drive midsize SUV about the size of the Jeep Wrangler and rival Ford’s gas-powered Bronco Sport. It will be produced at an undisclosed North American factory starting in 2024. No range, performance figures or prices were released.t Jeep also will start making an all-electric Wagoneer S midsize luxury SUV in 2024 that also…

The sun was almost setting when 14-year-old Daniel Giffin crossed the finish line on his electric mountain bike last August, nearly the last in the pack of thousands of cyclists riding across the state of Iowa in the stifling late-summer heat. Beneath his teal helmet, patches of Daniel’s shaggy brown hair were loose from his 48th radiation treatment. His left foot and lower leg were weak from a cancerous tumor — once half the size of a human fist — lodged on the right side of his brain. But with a slight assist from his bike’s motor, the Colorado Springs boy pedaled alongside his mom for 12 hours, stopping for ice cream and dancing on their bikes along the way. He was ready to quit, but pushed through the last…

UPS plans to hire more than 100,000 workers to help handle the holiday rush this season, in line with hiring the previous two years. Holiday season volumes usually start rising in October and remain high into January. While online shopping has slowed from the height of the pandemic, it’s still well above historic norms. UPS said that there will be job openings for full- and part-time seasonal positions, primarily package handlers, drivers and driver helpers. UPS promotes seasonal jobs as positions that can lead to year-round employment. In recent years, according to UPS, roughly 35% of people hired for seasonal package-handling jobs land permanent positions. Seasonal drivers with UPS start at $21 per hour, with tractor-trailer drivers making as much as $35 per hour. Package handler starting wages can range…

A cyberattack targeting the huge Los Angeles school district prompted an unprecedented shutdown of its computer systems as schools increasingly find themselves vulnerable to attacks at the start of a new year. The attack on the Los Angeles Unified School District sounded alarms across the country, from urgent talks with the White House and the National Security Council after the first signs of so-called ransomware were discovered late Saturday night to mandated password changes for 540,000 students and 70,000 district employees. Though the attack used technology that encrypts data and won’t unlock it unless a ransom is paid, in this case the district’s superintendent said no immediate demand for money was made and schools in the nation’s second-largest district opened as scheduled on Tuesday. Such attacks have become a growing…

The Venice Film Festival is buzzing with anticipation for Olivia Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Darling,” which is having its world premiere Monday night on the Lido. By 8 a.m. Monday, dozens of Harry Styles fans were camping out in front of the theater where the premiere would be held that evening and excitement was high for the arrival of the pop star whose otherworldly fame and following may make the Timothée Chalamet mania seen on Friday seem downright quaint. Many eyes were also turned to the film’s press conference, with hopes that reports about behind-the-scenes tension with star Florence Pugh would be addressed or clarified. Wilde, before the premiere, said she didn’t want to contribute to “the endless tabloid gossip” and “the noise.” “The internet feeds itself,” Wilde said. “I don’t…

China accused Washington of breaking into computers at a university that U.S. officials say does military research, adding to complaints by both governments of rampant online spying against each other. Northwestern Polytechnical University reported computer break-ins in June, the National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center announced. It said the center, working with a commercial security provider, Qihoo 360 Technology Co., traced the attacks to the National Security Agency but didn’t say how that was done. China and the United States are, along with Russia, regarded as global leaders in cyber-warfare research. China accuses the United States of spying on universities, energy and internet companies and other targets. Washington accuses Beijing of stealing commercial secrets and has announced criminal charges against Chinese military officers. The U.S. actions “seriously endanger China’s national…

United Airlines thinks that in a few years, plenty of big-city customers will pay $100 or more for a one-way ride to the airport in a four-seat, electric-powered air taxi. The Chicago-based airline said Thursday that it invested $15 million in a startup manufacturer, and signed a “conditional” agreement to buy 200 of the tiny aircraft with options for 200 more. United said it expects to receive the first taxis — which will take off and land vertically, like helicopters — from Eve Air Mobility as soon as 2026. It’s hard to judge United’s commitment to the deal, since it wouldn’t provide terms for the order. A spokesman said the conditions are standard when buying an aircraft that hasn’t been certified by regulators, and they cover “a number of United’s…

Restaurant owners moved to at least temporarily block a nation-leading new California law giving more power to fast food workers. The owners want the state’s voters to ultimately decide the law’s fate. A coalition calling itself Protect Neighborhood Restaurants filed a referendum request with the state attorney general, the first step before the law’s opponents can begin gathering signatures. If they get enough, the law that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed on Monday, Labor Day, wouldn’t take effect unless it’s supported by a majority of voters. If it stands, the law will create a 10-member Fast Food Council with equal numbers of workers’ delegates and employers’ representatives, along with two state officials, who will be empowered to set minimum standards for wages, hours and working conditions in California. The law will…

“Like, Comment, Subscribe,” Mark Bergen (Viking) YouTube has become such a part of daily life and popular culture in its 17-year history that it’s easy to forget how simple of a concept the site began with. In “Like, Comment, Subscribe,” Mark Bergen chronicles YouTube’s rocky history beginning in 2005 when it was envisioned as a simple video-sharing service. He even notes how its creators originally considered the idea of a video site focused on dating, a concept that seems perplexing today when looking at YouTube’s scope. But one concept that remained was its ease of use — a site that their moms should be able to use easily, as one of its founders said in an early email. Anyone with an Internet connection knows just how much of a technological…

With summer vacations winding down, airlines are counting on the return of more business travelers to keep their pandemic recovery going into the fall. Air travel in the United States, bolstered by huge numbers of tourists, has nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels — even topping 2019 numbers over the Labor Day weekend. Inflation — and especially this year’s sharp rise in airfares — raises concern about how long vacationers can afford to keep flying at their current pace. Airlines say they see no signs of a slowdown in leisure travel. Business travel, however, remains about 25% to 30% below 2019 levels, according to airlines and outfits that track sales. And it is not clear when — or if — road warriors will return to their old travel habits. “The whole…

Hackers stole personal data including Social Security numbers, addresses and account numbers of home mortgage holders at KeyBank, the bank reports, in the breach of a third-party vendor that serves multiple corporate clients. The hackers obtained the information on July 5 after breaking into computers at the insurance services provider Overby-Seawell Company, according to a letter that Cleveland-based KeyBank sent to affected residential mortgage customers. KeyBank, which operates in 15 states and has close to $200 billion in assets, would not say how many of its customers were affected or answer any other questions about the breach. In a statement, it said it was notified of the data theft on Aug. 4 and KeyBank systems and operations were unaffected. Overby-Seawell did not respond to phone messages and emails sent to…

The Toyota Corolla Cross is one of the more notable all-new models for 2022. It capitalizes on the popular Corolla nameplate and should attract shoppers looking for an entry-level crossover SUV. As with its rivals, the Corolla Cross boasts an elevated seating position and much of the utility of bigger SUVs but at a lower price. High fuel economy is a draw as well. But it is competing in an ultra-competitive small SUV division. Is this baby Toyota SUV a home run or just an infield single? Experts compared it to the Chevrolet Trailblazer to find out. This small Chevy SUV debuted for the 2021 model year and also draws on some name heritage. It’s among the top-rated extra-small SUVs thanks to its roomy seating and plentiful features. Read on…

Disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes requested a new trial, asserting in a court filing that a key witness for the prosecution now regrets the role he played in her conviction for investor fraud and conspiracy related to her failed blood-testing startup. The petition centers on the reliability of testimony provided by former Theranos lab director Adam Rosendorff, who said he repeatedly raised concerns about the accuracy of bloods tests that were being administered to patients during his tenure in 2013 and 2014. Prosecutors highlighted Rosendorff’s testimony during their closing arguments to a jury that convicted Holme s on four felony counts of investor fraud and conspiracy earlier this year after a nearly four-month trial. The same jury acquitted Holmes on charges of fraud and conspiracy against patients who had their…

Even though battery costs are rising, auto companies are rolling out more affordable electric vehicles that should widen their appeal to a larger group of buyers. The latest came Thursday from General Motors, a Chevrolet Equinox small SUV with a starting price somewhere around $30,000 and a range-per-charge of 250 miles (400 kilometers). You can get range of 300 miles (500 kilometers) if you pay more. GM won’t release the exact price of the Equinox EV until closer to the date it goes on sale, about this time next year. But the SUV is at the low end list of prices for electric vehicles sold in the U.S., where the average cost of an EV is around $65,000. Hitting a price around $30,000 and a range per charge close to…

California avoided rolling outages during extreme heat Wednesday, as operators of the state’s electricity grid continued to warn that unprecedented demand on energy supplies could force them to periodically cut power to some customers. The California Independent System Operator thanked California residents and businesses for heeding another “flex alert,” a request to reduce electricity consumption during peak evening hours. “With your help, we made it through another day without rotating #poweroutages,” Cal-ISO said on Twitter after the alert expired at 9 p.m. Targeted blackouts were avoided a day after miscommunication led utilities to mistakenly cut power to customers in several California cities. The confusion occurred Tuesday afternoon between a dispatcher at the Northern California Power Agency, which owns and operates power generating facilities for 16 members including a dozen cities,…

Every year, Apple takes everything we love about the iPhone and turns it up a gear. 2022 is no exception, with the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max bushing technological boundaries and introducing Dynamic Island, an intuitive way to experience notifications on your smartphone. INTRODUCING THE IPHONE 14 PRO AND PRO MAX The iPhone has come a long way in recent years. Though the transition from the iPhone 7 to the iPhone X was perhaps more dramatic than the transition from the iPhone X to the iPhone 14, there’s no denying that Apple has perfected the modern smartphone. This year, it’s further elevating the user experience, introducing four smartphones - the standard iPhone 14, an all-new iPhone 14 Plus for those looking for more screen real estate, and the stunning…

One of the strictest internet privacy laws in the United States has withstood a legal challenge, as a group of telecommunication providers has dropped its bid to overturn the Maine standard. Maine created one of the toughest rules in the nation for internet service providers in 2020 when it began enforcing an “opt-in” web privacy standard. The law stops the service providers from using, disclosing, selling or providing access to customers’ personal information without permission. Industry associations swiftly sued with a claim that the new law violated their First Amendment rights. A federal judge rejected that challenge, but legal wrangling continued. The groups, which include the country’s biggest telecommunications providers, filed to dismiss the lawsuit on Sept. 2, said Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey. Frey said the state’s privacy law…

Seventeen states with vehicle emission standards tied to rules established in California face weighty decisions on whether to follow that state’s strictest-in-the nation new rules that require all new cars, pickups and SUVs to be electric or hydrogen powered by 2035. Under the Clean Air Act, states must abide by the federal government’s standard vehicle emissions standards unless they at least partially opt to follow California’s stricter requirements. Among them, Washington, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon and Vermont are expected to adopt California’s ban on new gasoline-fueled vehicles. Colorado and Pennsylvania are among the states that probably won’t. The legal ground is a bit murkier in Minnesota, where the state’s “Clean Cars” rule has been a political minefield and the subject of a legal fight. Meanwhile, Republicans are rebelling in Virginia.…

Irish regulators are slapping Instagram with a big fine after an investigation found the social media platform mishandled teenagers’ personal information in violation of strict European Union data privacy rules. Ireland’s Data Protection Commission said by email that it made a final decision last week to fine the company 405 million euros ($402 million), though the full details won’t be released until next week. The penalty is the second-biggest issued under the EU’s stringent privacy rules, after Luxembourg’s regulators fined Amazon 746 million euros last year. Instagram parent Meta, which also owns Facebook, said that while it had “engaged fully” with regulators throughout the investigation, “we disagree with how this fine was calculated and intend to appeal it.” The Irish watchdog’s investigation centered on how Instagram displayed the personal details…