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London transport cyber attack: Boy, 17, arrested

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2 months ago

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London transport cyber attack: Boy, 17, arrested
Getty Images Commuters on escalators at Elizabeth line stationGetty Images

Tfl says a “limited number of customers” may have had bank account numbers and sort codes accessed

A 17-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the cyber security incident affecting Transport for London (TfL), the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.

TfL said that about 5,000 customers’ sort codes and bank account details could have been accessed by hackers amid an “ongoing cyber security incident”.

The NCA said the teenager was arrested in Walsall, West Midlands, on 5 September, after the cyber attack began four days earlier.

TfL said data including names, emails and home addresses had been accessed.

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‘Hugely disruptive’

The NCA said the teenager was arrested on suspicion of Computer Misuse Act offences.

He was questioned by NCA officers and has since been bailed.

The NCA said it was working with TfL and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to minimise the risk to customers.

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Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, said: “Attacks on public infrastructure such as this can be hugely disruptive and lead to severe consequences for local communities and national systems.”

Getty Images Palestra House in SouthwarkGetty Images

Transport for London, which is based at Palestra House in Southwark, first reported the cyber attack on 2 September

He added: “We have been working at pace to support Transport for London following a cyber attack on their network, and to identify the criminal actors responsible.

“The swift response by TfL following the incident has enabled us to act quickly, and we are grateful for their continued co-operation with our investigation, which remains ongoing.”

TfL’s chief technology officer Shashi Verma said the customers who had been affected would be contacted directly.

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He added that an investigation into the cyber attack was taking place alongside the NCA and the NCSC.

‘Refund data’

“Although there has been very little impact on our customers so far, the situation continues to evolve and our investigations have identified that certain customer data has been accessed,” he said.

“This includes some customer names and contact details, including email addresses and home addresses where provided.

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“Some Oyster card refund data may also have been accessed. This could include bank account numbers and sort codes for a limited number of customers.

“As a precautionary measure, we will be contacting these customers directly as soon as possible to advise them of the support we can provide and the steps they can take.”

Mr Verma added that the “security” of its systems and customer data were “very important” to TfL.

“We continually monitor who is accessing our systems to ensure only those authorised can gain access,” he said.

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“We will continue to keep our customers and our staff updated.

“I would like to apologise for the inconvenience this incident may cause customers and I thank everyone for their patience as we respond to this incident.”

The NCSC is urging anyone who thinks they may have been the victim of a data breach to be vigilant about suspicious emails, phone calls or text messages.

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Nintendo Palworld lawsuit seeks $65,700 in damages

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3 mins ago

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November 10, 2024

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Nintendo Palworld lawsuit seeks $65,700 in damages

Nintendo and the Pokémon Company are seeking approximately $65,700 in compensation from their lawsuit against Palworld developer Pocketpair. In a press release the studio issued on Friday, it said Nintendo and the Pokémon Company want ¥5 million each (plus late fees), for a total of ¥10 million or $65,700 in damages.

At first glance, that’s a paltry amount of money to demand for copying one of the most successful gaming properties ever, particularly when you consider Tropic Haze, the creator of the now defunct Yuzu Switch emulator, agreed to pay $2.4 million to settle its recent case with Nintendo. While Nintendo and the Pokémon Company may have well wanted to sue for more, their legal approach may have limited their options somewhat.

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As you might recall, when the two sued Pocketpair in September, they didn’t accuse it of copyright infringement. Instead, they went for patent infringement. On Friday, Pocketpair listed the three patents Nintendo and the Pokémon Company are accusing the studio of infringing. Per Bloomberg, they relate to gameplay elements found in most Pokémon games. For example, one covers the franchise’s signature battling mechanics, while another relates to how players can ride monsters.

Pokémon games have featured those mechanics since the start, but here’s the thing: all three patents were filed and granted to Nintendo and the Pokémon Company after Pocketpair released Palworld to early access on January 19, 2024. The earliest patent, for instance, was granted to Nintendo and the Pokémon Company on May 22, 2024, or nearly four months after Palworld first hit Steam and Xbox Game Pass.

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According to Pocketpair, the two companies seek “compensation for a portion of the damages incurred between the date of registration of the patents and the date of filing of this lawsuit.” Put another way, it’s a small window of time the suit targets.

I’m not a lawyer, so I won’t comment on Nintendo’s strategy of attempting to enforce patents that were issued after Palworld was already on the market. However, I think it’s worth mentioning that Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe had said before the game’s release that Palworld had “cleared legal reviews,” suggesting the studio had looked at Nintendo’s patent portfolio for possible points of conflict. In any case, the Tokyo District Court is scheduled to hear opening remarks from each side next week.

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Quordle today – hints and answers for Sunday, November 10 (game #1021)

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24 mins ago

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November 10, 2024

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Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,000 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.

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NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Sunday, November 10

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44 mins ago

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November 10, 2024

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NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Saturday, September 21

Strands is a brand new daily puzzle from the New York Times. A trickier take on the classic word search, you’ll need a keen eye to solve this puzzle.

Like Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword, Strands can be a bit difficult to solve some days. There’s no shame in needing a little help from time to time. If you’re stuck and need to know the answers to today’s Strands puzzle, check out the solved puzzle below.

How to play Strands

You start every Strands puzzle with the goal of finding the “theme words” hidden in the grid of letters. Manipulate letters by dragging or tapping to craft words; double-tap the final letter to confirm. If you find the correct word, the letters will be highlighted blue and will no longer be selectable.

If you find a word that isn’t a theme word, it still helps! For every three non-theme words you find that are at least four letters long, you’ll get a hint — the letters of one of the theme words will be revealed and you’ll just have to unscramble it.

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Every single letter on the grid is used to spell out the theme words and there is no overlap. Every letter will be used once, and only once.

Each puzzle contains one “spangram,” a special theme word (or words) that describe the puzzle’s theme and touches two opposite sides of the board. When you find the spangram, it will be highlighted yellow.

The goal should be to complete the puzzle quickly without using too many hints.

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s theme is “Nice fit”

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Here’s a hint that might help you: specific types of outfits.

Today’s Strand answers

NYT Strands logo.
NYT

Today’s spanagram

We’ll start by giving you the spangram, which might help you figure out the theme and solve the rest of the puzzle on your own:

Today’s Strands answers

  • JUMP
  • CIVIL
  • STRONG
  • LEISURE
  • BIRTHDAY
  • BUSINESS






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Google Tensor G6 could be a Huge Downgrade, in favor of Battery Life

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1 hour ago

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November 10, 2024

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Google Tensor G6 could be a Huge Downgrade, in favor of Battery Life

We’re still enjoying the Tensor G4 on the Pixel 9 series, but there’s talk about the Tensor G6 for the Pixel 11 already. And according to the latest report from Android Authority, the Tensor G6 could have a pretty big downgrade. Why? Google wants to fix battery life and the thermals of the Pixel series. Something that they had already done a good job with, for the Pixel 9.

Google is also looking to cut the costs of the Tensor chipset, along with increasing battery life. According to the documents that Android Authority has looked over, the goal for Tensor is to get the target to around $65, to make it viable. Qualcomm’s most recent flagship chips are rumored to cost about $150.

Google’s heard consumers complaints about Tensor

Google is aware of the problems with Tensor, and is looking to solve them. Internally, Google has acknowledged that the number one reason for Pixel returns is overheating. About 28% of returns mention thermals being a problem. They also know that battery life needs to be improved. Stating that “Good battery life attracts user & drives loyalty with higher satisfaction”.

The search giant is looking for ways to improve the situation by reducing the temperature in high-power use cases. Part of this comes by way of the new “Cinematic Rendering Engine” which will reduce the power consumption of video recording with blur by around 40%, which means that it generate considerably less heart.

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So what does this mean for Tensor G6? Well, Googleis looking to reduce the die area, without regressing on features compared to the Tensor G5. Currently, the Tensor G5 is about 121 mm2, while the Apple A18 Pro is about 105 mm2, and both are using the same node process.

Tensor G6 is looking to hit that 105 mm2 die area, including 4% area saving from TSMC’s new N3P process node. In order to do this, some sacrifices had to be made, including getting rid of ray tracing and GPU virtualization. Google is also looking to ditch the little cluster on Tensor G6, providing one prime core that’s the ARM Cortex-A930, and then six performance cores that are the ARM Cortex-X730.

It appears that Google is still in the process of actually building this chip, so things could change. After all, the Tensor G4 just came out less than three months ago, and this chip is set for 2026.

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Volvo EV drivers can start using Tesla’s Supercharger network this month

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1 hour ago

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November 10, 2024

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Volvo EV drivers can start using Tesla's Supercharger network this month

You can soon the battery of a Volvo at more than 17,800 Tesla Supercharger stations across the US and Canada. That should make it much easier for Volvo drivers to find a place to charge, even though they already had access to tens of thousands of fast charge points.

Starting November 18, drivers can locate Tesla Superchargers via the Volvo Cars app or built-in Google Maps. It’s possible to pay for charging sessions via the Volvo Cars app as well.

There’s one teensy catch, however, especially if you have had a Volvo EV for a while: to access Tesla Superchargers and other North American Charging Standard (NACS) chargers, you’ll need an adapter. This costs $230 ($310 CAD) and can be ordered from authorized Volvo retailers. The automaker will start shipping them to retailers on November 18, but adapters for the EX30 will be available at a later date. That said, Volvo is including the adapter with purchases of the new EX90 flagship SUV, EX40 or EC40 starting with model year 2025.

Volvo in June 2023 that it would support Tesla Superchargers and the NCAS. It’s one of many automakers that have backed a more standardized approach to EV charging in North America.

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Mobvoi Home Walking Treadmill review: the smart features stressed me out

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2 hours ago

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November 10, 2024

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Mobvoi Home Walking Treadmill review: the smart features stressed me out

2024 has been a stressful year. Other people might pick more relaxing ways to de-stress — a spa day, a nice cocktail, or maybe a social media detox. Not me, baby. I’ve decided to cope the same way I always do: ramping up training instead of stress eating my weight in mini-muffins. Except it’s unreasonable to abandon my desk and run a 5K every time the news cycle spikes my anxiety. Which is why, for the last three months, I’ve taken to logging miles on a desk treadmill. Specifically, the $240 Mobvoi Home Walking Treadmill.

As an overly self-quantified wearables reviewer, I picked Mobvoi’s walking treadmill for one reason and one reason only: it pairs with a smartwatch so all your steps are properly counted. 

My beef with treadmills — especially ones you stick under a standing desk — is that you can walk 500 miles on them but your smartwatch will record maybe 100 steps. Your legs could be working overtime, but smartwatches rely on arm swings to count steps. I know because anytime I write and walk at the same time, my Apple Watch says I’ve done diddly squat. And that’s even when I record an indoor walking session. No one needs to record every little step, but it helps me keep track of my workout volume and intensity.

I chose Mobvoi’s desk treadmill because it connects with smartwatches.
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Many folks get around that by strapping a smartwatch to their ankle. I refuse. Not only because I’ve tried it and found it uncomfortable but also because fitness tracking algorithms and sensors are all programmed and tested for your arm. Treadmill walk data becomes useless to me, a wearables reviewer, if I can’t trust that data to be accurate.

That’s where Mobvoi’s treadmill comes in. You can download the Mobvoi Treadmill app from the Google Play Store onto any Android smartwatch. (I used it with Mobvoi’s TicWatch Atlas and Samsung’s Galaxy Watches.) It connects to the walking pad when you turn it on. And voila. Your metrics are right there on your wrist — even if your arms are limp as you’re typing an email. It’s pretty accurate, too! There aren’t any extra sensors, but once connected to the app, it allows the device to share data with your watch. I noticed that meant my Android watches would correctly register my subtler movements as steps. My Oura Ring and Apple Watch didn’t.

Problem solved! Or, it would’ve been if I were a devoted Mobvoi user. But alas, even this simple walking pad can’t escape gadget ecosystems. 

But since you can also view stats on this display… technically you don’t need the smartwatch bit.
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For whatever reason, Apple Watch users are out of luck, as the Mobvoi Treadmill app isn’t available in Apple’s App Store. To view your live stats via the wrist, you must have an Android smartwatch. I don’t love that, and it’s a little baffling considering all this does is connect the walking pad and your watch over Bluetooth. Fortunately, I spend a good chunk of the year testing Wear OS watches and don’t care about having two phones and wearing two smartwatches at all times. But that’s not most people, and for regular iPhone users, this is a nonstarter. I asked Mobvoi if an iOS version would ever arrive but didn’t hear back.

Somehow, getting your phone to actually save that data is even more of a headache. If you have a Mobvoi watch, there’s no problem. Workouts recorded in the Mobvoi Treadmill app automatically pop up in the separate Mobvoi Health app on your phone. But the Mobvoi Health app only works with Mobvoi watches. If you use any other kind of Android smartwatch, you can’t actually log the treadmill data into whatever health app you keep on your phone. The data is just stuck on your wrist.

Things like this are why people pick one ecosystem and stick with it. During testing, I fixated on how to get all my walking pad data onto my iPhone — the device where most of my health data is stored. Thinking through all the ways to get my data off Android and into Apple’s Health and Fitness apps was so exhausting, it made me not want to use the walking pad at all. There were weeks when I let it collect dust in my office because I didn’t want to use it if I wasn’t getting credit for it. And getting that credit was too much work.

This is my preferred turtle speed for walking while working.
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At this point, I had to take a good hard look in the mirror. The whole point was to use this device to relieve stress. Instead, all I’d done was overcomplicate a walking pad. I ended up anxious and dreading my imperfect, messy metrics. I was so concerned about doing something “the right way” that I ended up not doing it at all. Looking back, I’ll be the first person to tell you that’s absurd. And yet, I’ve also been part of enough running and fitness communities to know that this is a common trap that even the best of us fall into.

My experience improved once I chucked the smartwatches into a drawer. I accepted my step counts wouldn’t be accurate and that my training algorithms across a dozen wearable platforms would be slightly off. I actually stopped recording my walks on every single platform altogether. As a result, my mental health improved, and I take far more walks now. My life isn’t any less stressful — I just have more endorphins, but that’s enough to make me more resilient.

Once I stopped caring about the data, I was free to figure out how to use the walking pad meaningfully. A lifelong overachiever, I started out trying to walk and work at 2.5mph to make it “worth it.” Imagine my surprised Pikachu face learning it’s quite difficult to walk at a brisk pace and write emails or even read because you’re bobbing up and down. And sweaty. Eventually, I accepted that my desk walks don’t have to be fast and found a turtle-like speed that works. (I’ve written most of this review at a 0.6mph pace.)

Turns out, ignoring the smart features and tracking helped me walk more.
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On mornings when the caffeine just isn’t hitting, a 20-minute walk usually jogs my shriveled brain cells while I catch up on the news. When something just isn’t working in a draft, walking while reading my sentences helps enormously. I’ve also noticed how my body becomes so stiff when I’m frustrated, anxious, angry, or full of dread. Hopping on a walking pad for a ploddingly slow 10 minutes is always enough to loosen me up — even if my step count isn’t impressive.

I highly recommend a walking pad if you, too, often experience existential dread and anxiety. Just maybe not this exact one. It’s funny. I picked Mobvoi’s treadmill precisely because it had the bells and whistles. But at the end of the day, all the extra connectivity, the data, and the “smarts” got in my way. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is remember why you’re doing something, zero in on it, and cut out the extra noise.

Agree to Continue: Mobvoi Home Walking Treadmill

Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them, since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate.

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You could just use the Mobvoi Home Walking Treadmill sans any smart features. In that case, you only agree to the terms and conditions of buying the actual product. However, if you use it with an Android smartwatch, you’re agreeing to the terms and policies of that device plus those of the Android phone it’s paired to. Optionally, you agree to any third-party services or apps you integrate with.

Used with a Mobvoi smartwatch, you’re agreeing to:

Final tally: anywhere from one to two mandatory policies and potentially several optional permissions.

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