America’s state prison systems need ways “to keep people from returning to prison,” reports the Wall Street Journal, “when an estimated 40% end up back behind bars within three years.”
Part of the problem comes in the form of filing cabinets, manila folders and legacy digital databases. In other words, records for a single prisoner might be kept in a dozen places… Now a group of 19 prison systems are tackling the problem with digital tools and artificial intelligence in some cases. They are contracting with San Francisco nonprofit Recidiviz, whose computer systems bring together prisoner data from its disparate sources into digital dashboards. From there, corrections staff can see information — such as court records and notes from parole-board hearings — about a prisoner or parolee all in one place.
The company says its efforts are working: Recidivism has fallen 16% in the prison population its systems track. It is the result of “just streamlining these workflows and knitting someone’s journey together end to end,” says Clementine Jacoby, chief executive officer of Recidiviz. Some criminal-justice groups show that recidivism is trending downward in general, though most of that data is nearly a decade old… The statistics from 11 states stop at 2019, and for four states stop at 2016. With 10 other states, no data was reported.
“Roxy” the AI time-traveling vlogger in front of the famed Crocodile Cafe music venue in what’s supposed to be 1992 Seattle. (@roxyintime via Instagram)
The best thing about Seattle’s grunge era is that it existed before the internet could completely spoil it — although the mainstream media, MTV and fashion designers eventually did their best.
None of them would be any match today for artificial intelligence.
In a new video we spotted on Instagram, a time-traveling vlogger under the handle Roxy In Time goes back to 1992 Seattle to explore the city’s music scene during its heyday. The result is grunge meets 2026 AI slop.
It’s an interesting study in how technology that’s very much being built and hyped in modern Seattle can be used to illustrate what the city sort of looked like more than three decades ago. In the video, it’s two years before the start of Amazon and another 15ish before cloud computing and a massive tech boom truly reshaped the region.
AI is being both celebrated and derided for its ability to help create content like Roxy’s time-traveling exploits. Where some see an innocent, weirdly educational history lesson, others can’t look past the replacement of human creativity, the excess of such material polluting social media channels, and the tech’s ability to deceive viewers in more dangerous ways.
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Roxy is an AI-generated influencer — not a real person — with a penchant for visiting historically significant places, both real and imagined. She recently checked out L.A.’s Sunset Strip in 1987 and a New York speakeasy during Prohibition in 1929. In other videos she runs across fantastical figures including Paul Bunyan and Humpty Dumpty, and she visits cavemen in 30,000 B.C.
In the Seattle video, Roxy is dressed for the era’s part in a flannel, Nirvana T-shirt, ripped jeans and combat boots. She starts her tour by saying she’s in town to see the band Mudhoney play at Belltown’s Crocodile Cafe. But first she heads to Easy Street Records in West Seattle to browse records, tapes and CDs.
The video is populated with images of random musicians carrying guitars down the street, and people drinking coffee and reading actual print publications instead of staring at laptops. At The Central Saloon and OK Hotel in Pioneer Square, everyone has long hair, or a beanie, or both. Sweaty music fans in mosh pits seem to fit the timeline.
AI’s vision of 1992 Seattle: No laptops at the cafe! Garbled words on flyers! The grunge pit! (Screenshots via @roxyintime)
AI’s artistic limitations do come into focus in a few spots, especially when written words are displayed. The names of bands and clubs on music flyers — such as Comet Tavern — are a jumbled mess. Same goes for some of the names on record dividers at Easy Street, where the store’s neon wording also breaks apart.
Back at the Crocodile, Roxy is in line to see Mudhoney, and she’s confused by an opening act named Pen Cap Chew. Inside, as the show starts, she realizes that Pen Cap Chew is actually Nirvana, playing under the secret moniker because by that time the band was a worldwide sensation riding the success of the album “Nevermind.”
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In perhaps the most realistic demonstration of being in 1992 — in a club where no one knows what a smartphone is yet — Roxy ends the video by saying she needs to stop recording.
“I’m putting this thing away, I’ve gotta watch this,” she says.
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Amazon sells a little bit of everything, and even though it’s not known as a major tool marketplace, the retailer has its share of landscaping items available, including mini chainsaws. Even better, throughout July 2026, Amazon customers can take advantage of strong discounts on these tools, saving a nice chunk of change while upgrading their outdoor arsenal.
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There are multiple reasons to consider a mini chainsaw. For one, they’re significantly lighter and easier to maneuver than full-size units. Functionally, they’re perfect for light pruning, trimming shrubs, and other smaller tasks that don’t necessarily require a full-on chainsaw. Sure, mini chainsaws may not be among the most essential items for a home tool kit, but they can certainly make outdoor work much easier in the long run.
Mini chainsaws are generally much cheaper than regular ones, too, even when they’re not on sale. This makes Amazon’s July 2026 sales an even more appealing time to buy one. If you’re in the market for a mini chainsaw, these are some of the best deals currently available from Amazon.
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Craftsman V20 Mini Cordless Chainsaw kit
There are many great places to buy Craftsman tools online, and Amazon is one of them. The retailer has a host of products from the seasoned tool brand for sale, including a mini chainsaw model that’s currently available at a solid discount. For a limited time, the Craftsman V20 Mini Cordless Chainsaw kit is on a 25% markdown, bringing the cost from $129.00 to $97.00. It’s not the biggest sale in Amazon’s mini chainsaw catalog, but it’s a pretty good deal considering what you get.
The core of the set is the Craftsman V20 mini cordless chainsaw itself, which features a 6-inch bar that can cut branches up to 4 inches in diameter and an integrated tip guard to improve stability while cutting. It weighs 8 pounds and has an oil-free design. The kit includes a Craftsman V20 2.0 Ah battery that’s advertised as providing 85 cuts per charge, as well as a charger for the battery. Amazon review-wise, most buyers are happy with what the kit offers, feeling it’s a fine tool for smaller cutting jobs with ample power and battery life.
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Saker mini chainsaw kit
Saker is far from a household name when it comes to lawn tools, but its products are certainly worth trying if they come in at the right price. If you’re interested, look no further than the Saker Mini Chainsaw kit that’s available through Amazon. This kit is currently discounted by 23%, dropping the price from $51.95 to $39.98. It may not come with all kinds of bells and whistles at either price point, but it at least provides the essentials to get the chainsaw up and running in no time.
Of the thousands of Amazon customers who’ve given this Saker kit a try, the vast majority find it a solid buy thanks to its overall quality, battery life, and price. The saw runs on an included 20-volt 1.5 Ah rechargeable battery and runs at 550 watts with a 4-inch bar on the front. It features a safety lock to prevent accidental activation and a hand guard to keep fingers and knuckles safe on the job. Alongside the battery, the kit includes a charger, tools such as a screwdriver and socket wrench to take the chainsaw apart as needed, and a bottle of chain oil to keep it in good shape.
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DocSmart mini chainsaw kit
When it comes to buying power tools, it’s always a good idea to get as much bang for your buck as possible. Fortunately, Amazon has its share of mini chainsaws that deliver on that front. For instance, the DocSmart Electric Mini Chainsaw kit is already an impressive package at its $69.99 retail price, but a 40% discount brings the total to $41.99. For that surprisingly low price, this model gives even the most popular mini chainsaws a run for their money, as buyers receive a bevy of add-ons alongside the 1,000-watt brushless mini chainsaw itself.
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The first thing to note is that this chainsaw comes with 6- and 8-inch bars, plus a blade for each. There’s also a screwdriver, a cleaning brush, and a blade sharpener for maintenance, plus a set of gloves and goggles to protect the user. Two 21-volt 2 Ah batteries and a charger are included as well. To top it all off, the kit comes with a carrying case to keep all of these elements safely stored and organized when not in use.
The only thing missing is oil, which this auto-oiling chainsaw requires. If you’re worried that the kit is too good to be true, don’t be; the tool has over 1,700 Amazon reviews, the majority of which are positive and praise the chainsaw’s power and durability, plus the kit’s overall value.
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LCOIEDU mini chainsaw kit
Buying from an obscure brand isn’t always a bad thing, particularly if the price is right. Another example of this is the LCOIEDU mini cordless chainsaw kit, which has received praise from numerous Amazon customers for its build quality, power, and overall value for the price. Normally, this set retails for $166.99 online, but for a limited time, it has been reduced by a staggering 70%. This brings the price down to a mere $39.99 — another case where the value is undeniable considering all that customers receive for such a low price.
This specific chainsaw model features an 880-watt motor, a 6-inch bar, and a 6-inch maximum cutting diameter, with two chains to get you started. Two 21-volt 6 Ah batteries, advertised as providing 80 minutes of continuous runtime per charge, along with a compatible charger, come included. The kit has a set of goggles and gloves, too, as well as a carrying case to keep everything protected, organized, and mobile. It should be noted that this is another mini chainsaw model that requires, and unfortunately doesn’t come with, chain oil, which in this case should be applied to the chain before use.
Google has announced a limited-time opportunity for eligible Pixel users to purchase Pixel Care+ even after the usual enrollment period. The company normally allows users to add the protection plan within 60 days of buying a new Pixel phone. Google has reopened Pixel Care+ enrollment for a limited time, but only for US customers. Your phone must pass Google’s condition check before enrollment.
The company requires that the phone work properly and not be physically damaged. You can sign up until August 2, 2026. Compatible phones are: Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9a, Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10a. The offer does not cover the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Pixel 8 series, older Pixel devices, or Pixel Watch.
What Does Pixel Care+ Offer?
Pixel Care+ offers protection beyond Google’s standard warranty. It covers accidental damage, hardware failures, and eligible repairs. Google does not charge for eligible front screen, back glass, or battery replacements. The plan also includes next-day replacement and priority support from Pixel experts. Users can add Loss and Theft Protection with a higher-tier plan. Google allows up to two loss-or-theft claims each year. Pricing starts at $8 per month and goes up to $15 per month, while two-year plans cost $159 to $279.
There are a few conditions you must meet before you can purchase Pixel Care+. Google requires your phone to pass a detailed condition inspection. The device cannot have cracked glass, liquid damage, charging issues, faulty buttons, or a swollen battery. Other accidental repairs still include a $99 service fee. Loss and Theft claims require a deductible between $79 and $99. Google does not provide this feature in New York. You must enroll before August 2, 2026.
The agency also fined 21 HP resellers 35.2 million rupees (about $365,335).
In a separate order, the CCI said that WhatsApp records showed that HP and 16 of its Tier-2 reseller partners operated “in a collusive arrangement” and that the messages show the companies engaging in “bid rigging, including cover bidding, price fixation, and customer allocation during 2017–2020.” HP India played a central role, the regulator said.
Per the order, HP India said that high printing supply prices led some resellers to threaten to “shift to low-cost counterfeit products to compete on price.”
“HP India was commercially forced into a position where it had to support the collusive arrangement adopted by the Tier-2 resellers,” the order reads.
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For its part, the order said that HP India “humbly objects to HP India’s role being characterized as a ‘kingpin’ of the entire collusive arrangement.”
Still, the revelation that some HP resellers are struggling with the exorbitant price of printer ink and toner underscores a problem many printer users face. The economic challenge is exacerbated by HP’s tendency to block third-party ink in already-purchased printers through firmware updates. At the same time, with even its own partners threatening to take their ink business elsewhere, HP is pressured to get more HP printer users to only use HP-brand ink and toner.
The CCI also ordered HP India and its channel partners to “cease and desist from anti-competitive conduct” and to hold competition compliance training programs within 60 days.
Meagan Breidert, Slalom’s senior director of sustainability and impact, taking a break outdoors. (Photo courtesy of Breidert)
While working for PwC in Jamaica early in her career, Meagan Breidert focused on international development clients. There, she learned about a Caribbean-wide initiative to make the region’s communities more resilient to climate change — adapting infrastructure and building warning systems to withstand stronger storms and rising sea levels.
Breidert left Jamaica with a new direction: a career in sustainability where she could tackle “big, challenging, complex problems,” she said.
Now senior director of sustainability and impact at Seattle-based Slalom, Breidert works out of the Washington, D.C.-area office for the global business and technology consulting firm. In her role, she leads Slalom’s internal climate programs and shapes how the company engages with community members and supports its employees.
Keep reading to learn more about Breidert’s sustainability journey. Her quotes have been edited for clarity and length.
What’s your biggest concern when it comes to addressing climate change?
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I worry that the discussion and the divide are being driven by the language we use. If we speak in plain language, we’ll see we all want the same things. We want clean air, we want clean water, we want our kids to grow up healthy. We don’t want toxins in our backyard. It doesn’t matter where you fall on a political spectrum, we as humans want the same things for our families.
What gives you the most hope for the planet?
I’m going to paraphrase the convener and architect of the Paris Agreement, Christiana Figueres. She says, “I focus on the signals, not the noise,” and I really took that to heart. There’s this incredible economic benefit to supporting climate-positive practices and a more sustainable way of living. Renewable energy is more economical, new jobs are being created with the green economy. Companies are actually saving money, the air is cleaner, quality of life improves.
There’s just an abundance of upside, no matter what the motivation is. We’re seeing more and more renewable energy being used, and I think that’s a signal versus the noise.
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Meagan Breidert, far right, speaking at the Trellis Impact 26 conference in June. (Slalom Photo)
What is a habit you’ve changed personally because of climate concerns?
My home has solar panels and I can cover my family’s energy load with them. Regardless of my beliefs, economically it’s beneficial and my bills have decreased. My kitchen and home goods are plastic-free to the extent possible, so all glass. And my family’s clothes are sustainable. My son is younger, so he has more churn on clothes — but my clothes are generally natural fibers and secondhand or vintage where possible. And we eat an abundance of beans and tofu.
If you could wave a wand and invent one climate solution, what would it be?
I would love to have ready-made, at-scale solutions for plastic pollution and single-use plastics. At Slalom, we have a plastics commitment on removing problematic and single-use plastics from our operations, especially in our kitchens and break rooms, but for me personally, plastic is a visual, physical problem. People see it on vacation, when they go to the beach, or in daily life, walking down the street.
I would love solutions — whether it’s better recycling mechanisms or advances with bacteria, enzymes, fungi, that are able to break down plastics, or plastics made from less harmful components like seaweed or sugarcane — I would love to see those things come to the market tomorrow.
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If you could have coffee with any climate leader, past or present, who would you pick?
I would love to have coffee with the chief sustainability officer at Mars, Alastair Child. M&M’s, particularly peanut, are my favorite candy. But I think the interesting intersection is chocolate, coffee and vanilla grow together in tropical locations that are being the most affected by climate change and extreme weather. What is the plan to secure those supply chains and work with local and Indigenous communities on some of the traditional knowledge for growing those?
We all need to eat, and the planet is changing, and how our food grows, the price of commodities, the quality of those things are going to change. I would love to have this very deep-dive conversation around how my chocolate is going to continue, and my coffee and vanilla!
How do you approach this work and not get overwhelmed?
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I really chip away at problems and usually start on the data side, start with the stakeholders and just chip away. My team is great because we like to celebrate the little things, like, “Hey, that stakeholder answered the phone today, that vendor that we’ve been asking for data got us this information.” Before you know it, you look up and you’re like, “Oh, I just talked to 50% of our supply chain and now they’re providing us data.” Those small pieces add up to a lot. We can’t do it alone. It’s an entire ecosystem issue, so one at a time, chipping away.
What impact do you hope your work has in 20 years?
I don’t want to say working myself out of a job because I need a job, we all need jobs, but I would say I look forward to sustainability no longer having to prove its business case. It’s on the checklist. It’s already in there. Nobody has to say, “We’re making a business decision — oh, did somebody check with the sustainability people?” It should just be, “Here’s a business decision. It’s all in here, it’s all embedded, and there’s no question about the sustainability pieces.” Once that happens, then we’ll start to see some of the real gains.
Having the information shown on the display of a digital multimeter also recorded off-screen can be incredibly useful, but unless the device exposes something like SCPI on a network interface, you will have to get creative. In the case of the budget ANENG AN870 digital multimeter (DMM), [Bits und Bolts] really wanted to show its display clearly as an overlay in OBS instead of just the camera view, but with said DMM not offering an easy way he had to resort to just copying the data sent to its multiplexed LCD.
The GitHub project page contains the background information, as well as the instructions if you too have this DMM. It might of course also be useful as the jumping off point for your own DMM modification. In total the project requires three modules: an RP2040 Zero and HC-12 433 MHz transceiver on the DMM side, and another HC-12 plus ESP32-C3 module on the receiving side. A boost module is also added to generate 3.3 V out of the 2.4 V – 3 V provided by the meter’s two AA cells.
To be able to read the LCD signal lines, a custom PCB was created that is installed inside the DMM. With the LCD’s segments mapped, this meant being able to send a perfect copy of the display’s state to the ESP32-C3 and from there making it available via WiFi.
There’s a lot of health news going on in the country right now, in no small part to the absolutely pitiful and pathetic job RFK Jr. is doing heading up HHS. It is a near certainty that by the end of this week, the CDC will have published an updated case count for measles that is greater than last year’s total case count, which was itself the largest since the 90s. Pertussis is also surging. There’s that new outbreak going around where you apparently just shit your pants constantly, like some kind of minor South Park character or something.
And so it was something of a breath of fresh air when the Trump administration nominated Erica Schwartz to lead the CDC, all because she appeared to be well qualified for the role and hadn’t said anything crazy-pants about things like vaccines. That this has become the standard for a feel-good HHS story is telling, but it was welcome news all the same.
Commenting on the nomination, Kennedy said he wouldn’t commit to taking CDC advice on vaccines, nor would he commit to not directly interfering with CDC operations and policy making.
Kennedy’s response Tuesday suggested Schwartz could face an equally short tenure. His answer came amid an exchange with Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) in a hearing of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Ruiz asked Kennedy: “If Dr. Schwartz is confirmed, will you commit on the record today to implement whatever vaccine guidance she issues without interference?”
Kennedy replied without hesitation: “I’m not going to make that kind of commitment.”
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Which is part of what informed senators to ask Schwartz about resisting Kennedy’s fuckery in her confirmation hearings. Sadly, it appears that Schwartz refused to demonstrate that she in fact has a backbone.
[D]uring a hearing sometimes marked by heated exchanges, Dr. Erica Schwartz repeatedly declined to say whether she would resist political pressure from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccine policy.
Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., repeatedly questioned Schwartz about whether she would have authority to make personnel and policy decisions without political interference from the Health and Human Services Department. Schwartz did not directly answer whether she could hire and dismiss CDC employees independently or whether she would refuse directives from Kennedy that conflicted with scientific evidence.
Asked by Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., whether she would carry out an order to discontinue a public campaign encouraging influenza vaccination, Schwartz replied, “I don’t speak in hypotheticals.”
And so, once again, the country will get to wonder whether the CDC really does have an actual director, or just some figurehead placed there to give Kennedy’s insanity the veneer of consensus. This is a very real problem given our current context and, frankly, these questions should not be terribly difficult to answer. For someone with integrity, at least, the answer should be something like, “As CDC’s Director, it would be my responsibility to refuse any order that would make the country less healthy, no matter who it comes from. And as CDC Director, I would have that authority by the nature of the position.”
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All of that being said, Schwartz did at least reaffirm her sanity on the topic of vaccines.
Ranking Member Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., asked Schwartz if she would remove a webpage updated last November on the CDC’s website on autism and vaccines. The webpage states that a link between the two has been ignored despite many studies finding no such link.
Schwartz said she accepted there is “overwhelming evidence” vaccines don’t cause autism, but did not commit to removing the webpage.
“Senator, I have been in situations where I have had to go to my superiors in the military to have conversations, very difficult conversations, about things that may have been concerning to the troops or to the military personnel, and I will do the same with [Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.],” she replied.
Once again, great that she is sane when it comes to vaccines, less great that she won’t commit to actually doing the right thing and removing the nonsense from CDC’s website.
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I’m still relatively optimistic about Schwartz leading CDC. It may be that she didn’t want to publicly embarrass what would be her new boss if confirmed. It may be that she ends up pushing back hard on Kennedy’s attempts at interfering with her agency if confirmed, which will probably end up with her being fired. Even that would be fine by me, since it would be one more glaring data point of chaos at HHS under Kennedy.
If that led to Kennedy’s firing, it would be worth it.
A proposed class action is trying to turn Apple’s unresolved Hide My Email flaw into a nationwide payout without alleging that the vulnerability was used in an attack or that the plaintiff’s email address was exposed.
Anthony Alvarez filed the lawsuit against Apple on July 15 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The complaint accuses the company of false advertising, fraud, breach of contract, and other violations tied to its marketing of Hide My Email.
The filing argues that Apple sold customers privacy it couldn’t provide. The claims cover the full version included with paid iCloud+ plans and the more limited relay addresses generated through Sign in with Apple.
Alvarez seeks to represent four proposed classes covering U.S. Apple customers, including two California subclasses. The lawsuit seeks damages and an order requiring Apple to fix Hide My Email or clearly disclose its limitations.
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The allegations haven’t been tested in court, and no class has been certified.
A real flaw, but no alleged attack
Security researcher Tyler Murphy discovered the flaw and reported it to Apple in June 2025. The vulnerability became public on July 1 after the problem remained unresolved for more than a year.
Apple said in March 2026 that a system change had addressed the issue, but Murphy’s testing showed that the vulnerability remained. Apple later told Murphy that it planned to address the problem through a future security update.
404 Media independently confirmed on June 29 that the vulnerability could connect a Hide My Email relay address with the real email account behind it. The publication withheld the technical details because the flaw could still be exploited.
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Apple deserves criticism for apparently leaving the problem unresolved while continuing to advertise Hide My Email as a privacy feature included with iCloud+. A feature designed to conceal a personal address loses much of its value when another person can trace the relay address back to the account behind it.
However, neither the complaint nor the public reports identify a known malicious attack using the flaw. Alvarez doesn’t allege that anyone uncovered or misused his email address, sent him unwanted messages, or otherwise exploited the vulnerability against him.
Alvarez’s claimed injury is financial. The complaint says he bought an iPhone and subscribed to the 200GB iCloud+ tier on or around March 15, 2025, and that he wouldn’t have paid as much had he known Hide My Email could fail.
The lawsuit extends that overpayment theory to four proposed classes, including people who bought Apple hardware and used the bundled version through Sign in with Apple.
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A narrow flaw becomes a sweeping damages claim
The iCloud+ theory is relatively straightforward because Apple explicitly includes Hide My Email with a paid subscription. Customers paying for that subscription can expect the feature to perform the function Apple advertises.
The hardware claim is more ambitious. The complaint, first reported by MacRumors, tries to attribute part of an iPhone or Mac‘s price to Hide My Email without explaining what the feature was worth or how a court could separate that value from everything else included with the device.
Apple markets privacy as a reason to choose its products, so a prominent privacy failure can damage customer trust even without a documented attack. However, the Hide My Email flaw doesn’t automatically prove that every affected customer overpaid for an entire Apple device.
The lawsuit arrived 14 days after the vulnerability became public. The broad proposed classes and the absence of any alleged attack against Alvarez make the case look like ambulance chasing.
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Apple mishandled a real privacy flaw, and customers shouldn’t have to wait for an attack before the company fixes it. Still, the lawsuit looks more like an attempt to monetize a newly publicized risk than compensation for proven misuse.
TSMC said it will invest another $100 billion in Arizona after reporting a record 77.4% year-over-year jump in second-quarter profit. The expansion would bring its total U.S. investment to $265 billion and include new fabs for 2-nanometer production and advanced packaging to serve major U.S. customers. The Associated Press reports: As AI-related demand continues to jump and needs for computing power from data centers surge, TSMC has been expanding chip fabrication plants in the U.S., Japan and Taiwan. It said it is increasing its annual capital expenditure budget for this year to $60 billion-$64 billion, up from an earlier estimate of $52 billion-$56 billion.
TSMC, or Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., is a key supplier to Nvidia and Apple. It had previously already committed $165 billion in the U.S. for building plants in Arizona, with six fabrication facilities planned. The extra $100 billion in investments are to “support the strong multiyear demand from our leading U.S. customers,” C.C. Wei, chairman and CEO of TSMC, said during the company’s quarterly earnings conference Thursday. An additional four fabrication plants in Arizona will likely be built with the new investments, TSMC said. They will focus on making some of the most advanced chips that are 2-nanometer and below.
In 1675, while transporting a barometer by night, the astronomer Jean Picard noticed a glow inside its glass tube, just above the mercury. As the mercury sloshed and splashed across the surface of the glass, a static electric charge had built up, which was discharging by ionizing the residual gas molecules inside the evacuated tube. [Styropyro] recreated this effect, and found that the dim glow could be made much stronger by adding some noble gas to the tube.
It starts with a simple recreation: he took a volumetric flask, attached a narrow glass stem to the mouth, added some mercury to the flask, evacuated it with a vacuum pump, and sealed off the glass stem. This produced a faint glow when shaken, but it was only really visible under very low light. When [Styropyro] brought it near a Tesla coil, however, it did glow much more brightly.
Backfilling an identical flask with neon to about 40 millitorr produced a much more spectacular result (a low pressure in the tube is necessary, but moderate pressure variations don’t significantly alter the effect). When shaken even slightly, this neon-containing flask produced a bright orange-red glow just above the surface of the mercury. Points of obstruction, such as those in a zig-zag tube, produced a brighter glow. A krypton-containing tube glowed blue, but less brightly than the neon tube.
Since this is, essentially, a triboelectric effect, other materials besides mercury should work; [Styropyro] tested several materials, and found that pieces of Teflon produced a faint glow, and copper beads a somewhat brighter glow. Unfortunately, Galinstan, the obvious replacement for mercury, wets and coats glass, preventing a charge buildup.
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Without an added noble gas, the standard glow of barometric light comes from the excitation of mercury vapors, a glow which can also be seen in mercury rectifiers, and which excites the phosphors of fluorescent light bulbs.
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