May 25, 2018 - The WAN Show Document

[LinusTech]

 

 

Main News Topics

Apple Knew the iPhone 6 Would Bend

Source 1: Master Disaster https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/930572-apple-knew-the-iphone-6-would-bend-before-they-released-the-product/

Source 2: https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/a3a3gg/iphone-6-touch-disease-documents

 

• Information contained in internal Apple documents filed under seal in a class-action lawsuit show that Apple knew that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were susceptible to bending prior to the phones’ launch.

  • The company found that the iPhone 6 is 3.3 times more likely to bend than the iPhone 5s,

  • the iPhone 6 Plus is 7.2 times more likely to bend than the iPhone 5s

  • Apple described the bending as “expected behavior”

• After the phone launched in 2014 and viral images of customer’s bent iPhones began to circulate, Apple publicly maintained that there were no engineering issues with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

• In early 2016, many iPhone 6 and 6 Plus devices began to exhibit symptoms of “touch disease.”

  • The phones’ screens would have a flickering gray bar at the top, and the touchscreen would stop working entirely or would work intermittently.

  • This was caused by the “Touch IC” chip, which translates a user’s touch into digital signals, became partially unseated from the phone’s logic board.

    • It is believed the problem is caused by flexing or bending associated with normal use

• In May 2016, Apple quietly began reinforcing the part of the logic board associated with touch disease

• Apple did not publicly acknowledge touch disease until November 2016, after widespread news reports about the issue.

  • Apple announced it would replace touch-diseased phones for $149;

  • it had previously charged $349.

  • In its public announcement, Apple did not acknowledge that it had recently made engineering changes to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

• In a court filing in the class action case,Apple’s lawyers wrote that its “rigorous and comprehensive reliability test data proved that enclosure bending and twisting cannot cause the issue unless the phones had already been repeatedly dropped on a hard surface,”

  • this has been disputed by the plaintiff’s expert witnesses.

  • Apple has argued that those witnesses aren’t experts in part because they hadn’t “reviewed” Apple’s internal tests.

 

John "TotalBiscuit" Bain passes away

Source 1: SC2Mitch https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/930465-renowned-game-critic-john-totalbiscuit-bain-passes-away/

Source 2:

 

• YouTuber, Podcaster, and Game streamer TotalBiscuit passed away this week, succumbing to a 4-year battle with cancer. He was just 33 years old.

• Bain contributed immensely to consumer advocacy in gaming and was a positive force in developing the indie game scene.

• He is survived by his wife Genna, who has stated she will continue the Co-Optional podcast as well as her own YouTube channel.

 

Uber self driving car accident caused by design flaws

Source 1: spartaman64 https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/930390-uber-self-driving-car-accident-caused-by-design-flaws/

Source 2: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2018/05/emergency-brakes-were-disabled-by-ubers-self-driving-software-ntsb-says/

Source 3: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/HWY18MH010-prelim.pdf

 

• The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report on the fatal March crash of an Uber self-driving car in Tempe, Arizona.

• The report confirms that the sensors on the vehicle worked as expected, spotting pedestrian Elaine Herzberg about six seconds prior to impact, which should have given it enough time to stop given the car's 43mph speed.

  • As the vehicle and pedestrian paths converged, the self-driving system software classified the pedestrian as an unknown object, as a vehicle, and then as a bicycle with varying expectations of future travel path.

  • At 1.3 seconds before impact, the self-driving system determined that an emergency braking maneuver was needed to mitigate a collision.

  • 2 According to Uber, emergency braking maneuvers are not enabled while the vehicle is under computer control, to reduce the potential for erratic vehicle behavior.

  • The vehicle operator is relied on to intervene and take action.

  • The system is not designed to alert the operator.

• There were many questions about the human operator’s alertness

  • The self-driving system data showed that the vehicle operator intervened less than a second before impact by engaging the steering wheel.

  • The operator began braking less than a second after the impact.

  • In a post crash interview with NTSB investigators, the vehicle operator stated that she had been monitoring the self-driving system interface.

  • The operator is responsible for monitoring diagnostic messages that appear on an interface in the center stack of the vehicle dash and tagging events of interest for subsequent review

• Uber has now pulled its self-driving program out of Arizona, laying off 300 people

  • it will continue to work on self-driving tech out of its advanced technology center in Pittsburgh

 

What’s Coming Out on Floatplane? Go Over Current Week.

Rapid Fire

Nintendo bans online access to all Switch devices owned by "Hackers"

Source 1: AluminiumTech https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/930455-nintendo-moves-to-ban-online-access-to-all-switch-devices-owned-by-alleged-hackers-read-anybody-breaking-nintendo-eula/

Source 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqYFU4X8F38

 

• Famous Nintendo Switch modder Shiny Quagsire found out that Nintendo’s bans are not device specific, but rather follow your User ID,

  • even if you’re trying to log in using a brand new, unmodded Switch

• What happens when you’re banned? You can’t:

  • Game online

  • Go to the e-shop

  • Add friends

  • Use social media tools

    • You still get game updates and the news channel

• Is it fair?

 

GDPR complaints already made against Google and Facebook.

Source 1: Qwickshot https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/930618-new-eu-data-laws-started-today-and-complaints-have-already-been-made-against-google-and-facebook/

Source 2: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-44252327

 

• Complaints have been filed against Facebook, Google, Instagram and WhatsApp within hours of the new GDPR data protection law taking effect.

• The companies are accused of forcing users to consent to targeted advertising to use the services.

  • Plaintiffs say the companies’ “take it or leave it approach”  doesn’t offer “free choice”

  • Forcing people to accept wide-ranging data collection in exchange for using a service is prohibited under GDPR.

• With GDPR: “whatever is really necessary for an app is legal without consent, the rest needs a free 'yes' or 'no' option."

• If the complaints are upheld, the websites may be forced to change how they operate, and they could be fined

 

Amazon Echo Sends Recording of Family's Conversation to Random Contact

Source 1: Pretzel 4000 https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/930441-amazon-alexa-sends-recording-of-familys-conversation-to-random-aquaintance/

Source 2: https://www.kiro7.com/www.kiro7.com/news/local/woman-says-her-amazon-device-recorded-private-conversation-sent-it-out-to-random-contact/755507974

 

• A man in Oregan received a phone call from one of his employees in Seattle who said he had just received audio files of the man and his wife conversing in their home.

• The couple has Amazon smart speakers all over their house, and did not know they were being recorded.

• "I felt invaded," she said. "A total privacy invasion. Immediately I said, 'I'm never plugging that device in again, because I can't trust it.'"

• They contacted Amazon, who assigned an engineer to investigate. The engineer did indicated that a fix was required.

• An Amazon spokesperson released this statement:

  • “Echo woke up due to a word in background conversation sounding like 'A-l-e-x-a.'

  • Then, the subsequent conversation was heard as a “send message” request. At which point,

  • Alexa said out loud 'To whom?'

  • At which point, the background conversation was interpreted as a name in the customer’s contact list.

  • Alexa then asked out loud, '[contact name], right?' Alexa then interpreted background conversation as 'right.'

  • As unlikely as this string of events is, we are evaluating options to make this case even less likely.”

• Amazon offered to “de-provision” the family’s A-l-e-x-a communications so they could keep using its Smart Home Features.

  • But they want a refund for the devices, which their representatives have been unwilling to do.

 

Rumour: Essential Up for Sale, Next Phone Cancelled

Source 1: Luca Rallis https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/930545-android-creator-puts-essential-up-for-sale-cancels-next-phone/

Source 2: https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2018-05-24/andy-rubin-s-phone-maker-essential-is-said-to-consider-sale?__twitter_impression=true

 

• Essential Products Inc., a startup co-founded by Android creator Andy Rubin that launched last year to great fanfare, is reportedly considering selling itself and has canceled development of a new smartphone.

• Essential is now actively shopping itself to potential suitors, and has received interest from at least one.

• Essential has raised about $300 million from several investors, including Amazon.com Inc., Tencent Holdings Ltd., and Redpoint Ventures.

  • It was valued at $900 million to $1 billion a year ago.

• Current discussions are focused on a sale of the entire company, including its

  • patent portfolio, and hardware products like:

  • the original smartphone,

  • an upcoming smart home device

  • and a camera attachment for the phone

• Essential’s engineering talent, which includes those hired from Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google, would likely be part of a deal.

• The company hasn’t yet made a final decision on a sale

 

Apple and Volkswagen to make Driverless Cars

Source 1: OJTheAviator https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/930515-apple-and-volkswagen-will-make-a-self-driving-car/

Source 2: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/23/technology/apple-bmw-mercedes-volkswagen-driverless-cars.html?rref=collection%252Fsectioncollection%252Fautomobiles&action=click&contentCollection=automobiles&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront&auth=login-smartlock&mtrref=jalopnik.com

 

• Apple once had grand aspirations to build its own electric self-driving car and lead the next generation of transportation but later scaled the vision back to a focus on software for self-driving cars

• Now Apple is working solely on an autonomous shuttle for its own use with employees.

• Apple had negotiated with BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but both rebuffed Apple’s requirements to hand over control of the data and design.

• Apple has now signed a deal with Volkswagen to turn some of the carmaker’s new T6 Transporter vans into Apple’s self-driving shuttles for employees

  • It is unclear whether Apple’s partnership with Volkswagen will extend beyond the shuttle.

• The frame, wheels and chassis of the T6 vans will remain, but Apple is replacing many components,

  • dashboard and seats

  • computers, sensors

  • a large electric car battery,

• The shuttles will ferry employees between two of Apple’s Silicon Valley campuses, and will include a driver behind the wheel to take control if needed, as well as an operator in the passenger’s seat tracking the van’s performance.

• The project has suffered from repeated changes in direction that have hurt morale and led to hundreds of departures from its peak of more than 1,000 members two years ago

  • The project reportedly lacks a clear plan beyond the vans, including any near-term commercial goals.

• Executives leading Apple’s car project had told Time Cook that the shuttle would be completed by the end of 2018, but that deadline will be missed, one former employee said.

 

Amazon bans users for too many returns

Source 1: VegetableStu https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/929934-amazon-banwave-again-for-repeat-returners/

Source 2: https://www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/amazon-is-banning-shoppers-who-make-too-many-returns/

 

• Amazon is banning customers who take advantage of its generous return policy and closing their accounts.

• according to the National Retail Federation, 11 percent of sales are returned, and 11 percent of those are fraudulent

  • They have 300,000,000 customers

• Customers are not being warned of bans, but Amazon has reinstated the accounts of those that appeal convincingly.

• Amazon has not issued an absolute or proportional threshold for banning

[givingtnt]

yay
missed it. 
time for archive !

[Canada EH]

1 hour ago, LinusTech said:

4-year battle with cancer.

smoker?

[Taf the Ghost]

9 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

smoker?

Colon cancer that moved to the liver. Which is known as "bad luck".

[Canada EH]

56 minutes ago, Taf the Ghost said:

Colon cancer that moved to the liver. Which is known as "bad luck".

known as genes

[Red :)]

On 5/26/2018 at 5:54 AM, Canada EH said:

known as genes

<redacted by poster>

[mark_cameron]

Quote

 

• In May 2016, Apple quietly began reinforcing the part of the logic board associated with touch disease

• Apple did not publicly acknowledge touch disease until November 2016, after widespread news reports about the issue.

  • Apple announced it would replace touch-diseased phones for $149;

  • it had previously charged $349.

  • In its public announcement, Apple did not acknowledge that it had recently made engineering changes to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

That's outrageous.

 

If a company sells a defective product it can't charge consumers for the privilege of repairing the defect.

 

Basic European Consumer law says this.

 

It's why I won't buy Apple.

[Erkel]

I agree with Amazon, as it pushes up the prices for everyone else.

11% average is crazy, you could understand that in a category like clothing, but not in general.

 

In the hardware and electronics markets is it crazy,  People needing electrical tools for small weekend projects etc, just order them then return them once they are finished with them.  Is bad with some of the big box stores as well.  You see a mass of returns of big screen TV's after big sporting events.

 

People are not legitimately buying the products in a lot of cases,    They are ordering them with the intention of using them for a short time and then returning them for a refund.  They cannot be re-sold as new, so someone has to pay for it and that is the honest people.

[LeapFrogMasterRace]

I am with Amazon mostly because I have had an account for years and never returned one item. Taking action ensures when I actually NEED to return something I can instead of overall making it harder on everyone to return which would be the other and probably more expensive option to them.

[LeapFrogMasterRace]

2 hours ago, mark_cameron said:

That's outrageous.

 

If a company sells a defective product it can't charge consumers for the privilege of repairing the defect.

 

Basic European Consumer law says this.

 

It's why I won't buy Apple.

Hey at least it wasn't a rocket ship right

[NumLock21]

Airplane have autopilot and it also have TCAS where an alarm or voice will warn the pilot so they can take over. Can't believe Uber's design even have a simple alarm to warn the driver.

[Itsnotwebby]

Luke mentioned using Windows 10 Embedded, and that it's better. 

Why is that? Is this common knowledge?  What are the benefits?

[LAwLz]

I am kind of offended that the "Samsung/Apple only" option in the phone Essence phone poll was suppose to be the one who aren't interested in phones.

Samsung and Apple are the ones that are pushing phone hardware and software the most. If I get a new phone, it will most likely be a Samsung one because I am interested in phones, and they have the best ones in a lot of areas.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Itsnotwebby said:

Luke mentioned using Windows 10 Embedded, and that it's better. 

Why is that? Is this common knowledge?  What are the benefits?

He meant LTSB, as in long term support branch.

 

It's a special version of Windows 10 Enterprise which only gets security and stability updates, without all the stuff like 3D Paint. LTSB also comes without the store, Edge, Cortana and a bunch of other things. You can entirely disable all the privacy intrusive data collection from Microsoft too.

[JoostinOnline]

I miss the old set a lot. I'll get over it, but it felt original. It was relaxed and interesting, so it matched the attitude of the WAN Show. The new one is super generic. It's like every other YouTube news set.

[Canada EH]

I hope the persons family in the Uber crash wins a $10 million dollar law suit.

[DarrenKC53]

On 5/27/2018 at 12:41 AM, JoostinOnline said:

I miss the old set a lot. I'll get over it, but it felt original. It was relaxed and interesting, so it matched the attitude of the WAN Show. The new one is super generic. It's like every other YouTube news set.

I liked the old set but they seem to have a better setup sound wise now.

 

The only thing I'd like to see is zoom the camera out a little to frame the presenters better, they seemed a bit too close on Friday

[Tcrumpen]

My 2 pence on the phone discussion they had, to me a phone is a tool, i'm not to fussed if i'm not getting cutting edge tech, provided it's not slow as fuck and has a decent camera (for a phone that is) then i'm ok. Plus the whole Samsung/Apple thing here is quite a thing here mainly because you don't have much choice outside of the phones for contracts; you can do sim only plans and buy the phone outright but most of the time that works out way more expensive over the length of the contract (by like £400 extra for the SIM only option)

[tzenrick]

On 5/28/2018 at 4:09 AM, VegetableStu said:

TCAS on the road would require every car (regardless of puporse) to be connected to a central command server wouldn't it o_o

Terrain Collision Avoidance System. No. There is no central server for that. In airplanes, it is a form of ground avoidance RADAR. Uber's equivalent would be the LIDAR system. 

[tzenrick]

17 minutes ago, VegetableStu said:

?? TCAS (planes) are to prevent aircraft-to-aircraft collision o_o

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_collision_avoidance_system

(although yeah I now realise it's pretty independent from a central command or server)

Brain farted. I haven't studied my airplanes in 20 years. I do remember that there is very little that is dependent on anything centralized. There's just too much open space with no coverage, and too many old planes with old hardware.