WA Notify app is working to alert users of coronavirus exposures, but no data on how well

More than 1 million Washingtonians have downloaded WA Notify, an app that helps trace coronavirus exposures. But the state does not have reliable data on how many times the app has been used to alert people or on how many people have been alerted.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/wa-notify-app-is-working-to-alert-users-of-coronavirus-exposures-but-no-data-on-how-well/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Microsoft says hackers viewed source code, didn’t change it

Microsoft said Thursday that hackers tied to a massive intrusion of dozens of U.S. government agencies and private companies sneaked further into its systems than previously thought, although the intrusion doesn't appear to have caused any additional harm.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft-says-hackers-viewed-source-code-didnt-change-it/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Hedge fund Alden offers to buy Tribune, valuing it at $521M

Hedge fund Alden, Tribune’s largest shareholder, has offered to buy the rest of the newspaper publisher at a price that values it at $520.6 million. Alden sent a letter to Tribune on Dec. 14, according to a regulatory filing posted Thursday, offering $14.25 per share for the stock of Tribune it doesn’t already own. Alden […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/hedge-fund-alden-offers-to-buy-tribune-valuing-it-at-521m/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Nashville bombing spotlights vulnerable voice, data networks

PHOENIX (AP) — The Christmas Day bombing in downtown Nashville led to phone and data service outages and disruptions over hundreds of miles in the southern U.S., raising new concerns about the vulnerability of U.S. communications. The blast seriously damaged a key AT&T network facility, an important hub that provides local wireless, internet and video […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/nashville-bombing-spotlights-vulnerable-voice-data-networks/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Seattle’s Madrona Venture raises more than $500 million to invest in technology startups

Longtime Seattle venture capital firm Madrona Venture Group has raised more than $500 million to invest in technology startups, including $345 million for its eighth fund that mostly will target fledgling startups in the Seattle area.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/seattles-madrona-venture-raises-more-than-500-million-to-invest-in-technology-startups/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

2021 could be a huge year for space. Here’s what’s to come from NASA, Elon Musk, Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos.

For space exploration, 2020 was quite a good year. 2021 could be better. Here's just some of what could happen in the new year with Blue Origin, SpaceX, Boeing and others.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/2021-could-be-a-huge-year-for-space-heres-whats-to-come-from-nasa-elon-musk-richard-branson-and-jeff-bezos/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Robocall crackdown to be policed with U.S. phone company help

Under new rules announced Wednesday, voice service providers will be required to better police their networks for robocalls, resolve disputes if a call is blocked in error aid the FCC and law enforcement in identifying the origin of the robocalls.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/robocall-crackdown-to-be-policed-with-u-s-phone-company-help/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Robots with rhythm: Boston Dynamics’ dancing androids a hit

WALTHAM, Mass. (AP) — These robots have rhythm. Boston Dynamics released a video on Tuesday showing four of its robots dancing to the 1962 hit “Do You Love Me?” by The Contours, and it caught fire online. Two of the company’s humanoid Atlas models do the twist, the mashed potato and other classic moves, joined […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/robots-with-rhythm-boston-dynamics-dancing-androids-a-hit/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

A baritone finds a safe way choirs can sing together again: over car radios

Before the pandemic, 43 million adults and 11 million children in the U.S. belonged to choirs. Unlike church and bowling leagues, singing was seeing a rise in participation.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/a-baritone-finds-a-safe-way-choirs-can-sing-together-again-over-car-radios/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Drone-crowded skies get a step closer with U.S. safety rules

Commercial drone use for deliveries and services cleared a major hurdle in the U.S. with new rules allowing the devices to fly over populated areas for the first time and requirements for tracking them to address safety and security concerns.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/drone-crowded-skies-get-a-step-closer-with-u-s-safety-rules/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

A Tesla Model S erupted ‘like a flamethrower.’ It renewed old safety concerns about the trailblazing sedans.

A firefighter told a Tesla driver he was lucky he got out of the burning car, after the motorized door handles retracted. Fires involving older Tesla Model S and X vehicles have raised questions about the safety of electric vehicles as they age.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/a-tesla-model-s-erupted-like-a-flamethrower-it-renewed-old-safety-concerns-about-the-trailblazing-sedans/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

From Zoom to Quibi, the tech winners and losers of 2020

We streamed, we Zoomed, we ordered groceries and houseplants online, we created virtual villages while navigating laptop shortages to work and learn from home. When it comes to technology, 2020 was a year like no other. Here are the year’s tech winners and losers: ___ LOSERS: Most Read Stories Damon 'Snacks' Harrison asks for release […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/from-zoom-to-quibi-the-tech-winners-and-losers-of-2020/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

How Xbox learned to sell its consoles like smartphones

The launch of the new series of Xbox consoles is unlike any other console launch in the industry's history. By opening more doors into the Xbox ecosystem, Microsoft can better capitalize on its player base through its subscription services.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/how-xbox-learned-to-sell-its-consoles-like-smartphones/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Earthlings and astronauts chat away, via ham radio

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station often speak to students via ham radio in scheduled appearances. Some spend their limited free time making contact with amateur radio operators around the world.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/earthlings-and-astronauts-chat-away-via-ham-radio/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

AI-powered bionic hand promises lifelike dexterity

Engineers have created a prosthetic that's meant to be more mobile and affordable than other robotic limbs. It's a hand powered by artificial intelligence that gives amputees control over each finger, enabling them to perform many gestures and grips.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/ai-powered-bionic-hand-promises-lifelike-dexterity/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Algorithms are deciding who gets the first vaccines. Should we trust them?

As governments and workplaces begin vaccine rollouts, many are using algorithms in hopes of ordering their ranks in a fair, explainable way. But algorithms are no substitute for thoughtful policies, and they can become scapegoats for people's flaws.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/algorithms-are-deciding-who-gets-the-first-vaccines-should-we-trust-them/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

First step in securing your Wi-Fi network: Don’t broadcast its name

Patrick Marshall answers your personal technology questions. This week's topics include Wi-Fi security, suspicious emails about Windows 10 and long delays in receiving emails.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/first-step-in-securing-your-wifi-network-dont-broadcast-its-name/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

How to effectively teach a Boomer to Zoom from 3,000 miles away

If you take the right approach, getting a Boomer on Zoom or teaching the home team to livestream from some faraway place can be stress-free, life-enriching and empowering, according to the folks who work at the intersection of aging and technology.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/how-to-effectively-teach-a-boomer-to-zoom-from-3000-miles-away/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Does the shoe fit? Try it on with augmented reality.

Retailers are turning to augmented reality, the filtering technology popularized by Snapchat, to add a real-world feel to online shopping and to try to ease some of the frustrations of not being able to try on items before buying.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/does-the-shoe-fit-try-it-on-with-augmented-reality/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Report: License plate surveillance system was inaccurate

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts has ended the use of a controversial license plate surveillance system after discovering a glitch that caused inaccurate data to be recorded for more than five years, according to a report obtained by The Boston Globe. The inaccuracies were found in a network of mounted, fixed high-speed cameras installed by Massachusetts […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/report-license-plate-surveillance-system-was-inaccurate/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

China launches probe into internet giant Alibaba over monopoly allegations

China has formally kicked off an investigation into alleged monopolistic practices at Alibaba Group Holding, escalating a campaign of scrutiny over the country’s internet giants. The State Administration for Market Regulation is investigating Alibaba, the regulator said in a statement without giving further details. Shares in SoftBank Group, Alibaba’s largest shareholder, erased gains to trade […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/china-launches-probe-into-internet-giant-alibaba-over-monopoly-allegations/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Facebook support for liability reform has little guys nervous

Facebook says it's time to rethink the legal immunity that protects it from lawsuits over what users post online, a position that's leaving smaller websites worried about the cost of accepting more responsibility for what appears on their platforms.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/facebook-support-for-liability-reform-has-little-guys-nervous/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Millions of low-income Americans will receive internet access rebates under stimulus plan

Much of the money will fund a new monthly benefit for low-income families, aiming to ensure that those who have lost their jobs can stay online at a time when the pandemic has forced millions of people to work, learn and communicate on their devices from home.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/millions-of-low-income-americans-will-receive-internet-access-rebates-under-stimulus-plan/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Musk: Apple CEO didn’t take meeting about buying Tesla

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says he once considered selling the electric car maker to Apple, but the iPhone maker’s CEO blew off the meeting. In a tweet Tuesday, Musk said he reached out to Apple CEO Tim Cook “to discuss the possibility of Apple acquiring Tesla (for one-tenth of our current value). He refused to […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/musk-apple-ceo-didnt-take-meeting-about-buying-tesla/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Oregon case reflects extremists’ need of online presence

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A man supported the Islamic State group for years from a Portland, Oregon, suburb by helping the extremists maintain an online presence that encouraged attacks and sought recruits, federal agents and prosecutors said. Hawazen Sameer Mothafar, who was arrested in November and whose trial is scheduled to begin in January, produced […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/oregon-case-reflects-extremists-need-of-online-presence/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Google rejects DOJ antitrust claims in court filing

Google is pushing back in court this week on antitrust claims brought against it by the Justice Department two months ago. In a legal filing with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Google denied or partially rejected almost 200 specific complaints against it. On only one count, that Google was a “founded […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/google-rejects-doj-antitrust-claims-in-court-filing/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Senator: Treasury Dept. email accounts compromised in hack

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dozens of email accounts at the Treasury Department were compromised in a massive breach of U.S. government agencies being blamed on Russia, with hackers breaking into systems used by the department’s highest-ranking officials. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., provided new details of the hack following a briefing to Senate Finance Committee staff by […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/senator-treasury-dept-email-accounts-compromised-in-hack-2/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Australian regulator delays decision on Google-Fitbit merger

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s competition regulator on Tuesday delayed for three months its decision on Google’s plan to buy fitness gadget maker Fitbit for $2.1 billion despite the European Union giving conditional approval to the deal. The European Union regulators last week approved the deal after Google promised to restrict user data and ensure […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/australian-regulator-delays-decision-on-google-fitbit-merger/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Google denies antitrust claims in early response to U.S. lawsuit

Google said that it had not used its multibillion-dollar deals with other large tech firms to protect its position as the dominant online search engine, in the company’s first formal rebuttal to the Justice Department’s accusations that those deals violated antitrust laws.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/google-denies-antitrust-claims-in-early-response-to-u-s-lawsuit/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Peloton buys Woodinville-based Precor in its biggest deal ever

Peloton's acquisition of Precor is expected to close early next year and is the largest to date for the New York-based maker of pricey bikes and treadmills. Shares of the company jumped 8% in extended trading.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/peloton-buys-woodinville-based-precor-in-its-biggest-deal-ever/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Report: Social media manipulation affects even US senators

BRUSSELS (AP) — The conversation taking place on the verified social media accounts of two U.S. senators remained vulnerable to manipulation, even amid heightened scrutiny in the run up to the U.S. presidential election, an investigation by the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence found. Researchers from the center, a NATO-accredited research group based in […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/report-social-media-manipulation-affects-even-us-senators/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

‘Telepresence’ robots are making virtual school feel a little more like real school

"Telepresence" robots have become increasingly popular in K-12 classrooms during the pandemic thanks to hybrid or blended learning models, where some students are in the classroom while others watch from home.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/telepresence-robots-are-making-virtual-school-feel-a-little-more-like-real-school/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Record labels reap billion-dollar bonanza from tunes on social media

After years of railing against technology giants for exploiting music to attract customers, record companies have embraced social media as their new cash machine. In the latest example, Warner Music Group has signed a deal with TikTok.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/record-labels-reap-billion-dollar-bonanza-from-tunes-on-social-media/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

PlayStation 5 scalpers use bots to hunt down scarce consoles

Sony has created one of the hottest gadgets of the year in the PlayStation 5, but its launch has been marred by scalpers who are using bots to buy up scarce supplies and threatening the long-term health of the company's most important product.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/playstation-5-scalpers-use-bots-to-hunt-down-scarce-consoles/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Trump downplays Russia in first comments on hacking campaign

WASHINGTON (AP) — Contradicting his secretary of state and other top officials, President Donald Trump suggested without evidence that China — not Russia — may be behind the cyber espionage operation against the United States and tried to minimize its impact. In his first comments on the breach, Trump scoffed at the focus on the […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/trump-downplays-russia-in-first-comments-on-hacking-campaign/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Trump contradicts Pompeo in bid to downplay massive hack of U.S. government, Russia’s role

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump addressed the ongoing cyber hacks of the U.S. government for the first time on Saturday, seeking to turn blame away from Moscow while downplaying their gravity. In a bizarre outburst on Twitter, he contradicted his top diplomat, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who on Friday pinned the breaches that have […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/trump-contradicts-pompeo-in-bid-to-downplay-massive-hack-of-u-s-government-russias-role/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

5G auction soars past $23 billion with Verizon leading way

Offers for 5G airwaves have already surpassed $23 billion in a massive U.S. auction that could feature heavy bidding by Verizon Communications, which needs more spectrum to compete in the dawning era of ultrafast mobile connections. Analysts expect Verizon to put up $20 billion in a field of 57 bidders that includes fellow mobile heavyweights […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/5g-auction-soars-past-23-billion-with-verizon-leading-way/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Amazon Has Turned a Middle-Class Warehouse Career Into a McJob

As Amazon opens U.S. warehouses at the rate of about one a day, it's transforming the logistics industry from a career destination with the promise of middle-class wages into entry-level work that's just a notch above being a burger flipper or convenience store cashier.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon-has-turned-a-middle-class-warehouse-career-into-a-mcjob/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Do I need to have different online user names for the best security?

Patrick Marshall answers your personal technology questions. This week's issues also include getting photos off an old cellphone, what difference a new laptop will make for download speeds, and how to figure out what kind of WiFi client you have.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/do-i-need-to-have-different-online-user-names-for-the-best-security/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Pompeo says Russia ‘pretty clearly’ behind cyberattack on US

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Russia was “pretty clearly” behind the grave cyberattack against the United States, the first administration official to publicly tie the Kremlin to the widespread intrusion at a time when President Donald Trump has kept silent on the failure to protect government and private-sector computer networks. It’s not clear exactly […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/pompeo-says-russia-pretty-clear-behind-cyberattack-on-us/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Sony pulls Cyberpunk 2077 from PlayStation store after public outcry

Sony has removed Cyberpunk 2077 from its PlayStation Store and is offering full refunds, taking unusual steps to appease customers furious about bugs plaguing one of the year's most highly anticipated gaming blockbusters.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/sony-pulls-cyberpunk-2077-from-playstation-store-after-public-outcry/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Federal prosecutors accuse Zoom executive of working with Chinese government to surveil users and suppress video calls

A security executive with the video-tech giant Zoom worked with the Chinese government to terminate Americans' accounts and disrupt video calls about the 1989 massacre of pro-democracy activists in Tiananmen Square, federal prosecutors say.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/federal-prosecutors-accuse-zoom-executive-of-working-with-chinese-government-to-surveil-users-and-suppress-video-calls/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

How to send a recap of 2020 to friends and family

Even if you’ve never done a year-end newsletter, there’s still time to squeeze in a personalized message before the calendar flips the page. Here's how.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/how-to-send-a-recap-of-2020-to-friends-and-family/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Florida launches investigation into hacking of its servers

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida officials acknowledged Friday that state servers appear to have been compromised by overseas hackers who gained entry by imbedding malicious code into networking software from a Texas-based software company, SolarWinds. Two Florida officials who have knowledge of the matter but spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/florida-launches-investigation-into-hacking-of-its-servers/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Hacked networks will need to be burned ‘down to the ground’

It’s going to take months to kick elite hackers widely believed to be Russian out of the U.S. government networks they have been quietly rifling through since as far back as March in Washington’s worst cyberespionage failure on record.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/hacked-networks-will-need-to-be-burned-down-to-the-ground/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office seizes two fake domain names

BALTIMORE (AP) — Authorities have seized two domain names posing as biotechnology companies developing COVID-19 treatments but are apparently collecting personal information for fraud and installing malware, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Baltimore said Friday. An investigation was launched by Homeland Security Investigations earlier this month after corporate security for a company identified in an […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/maryland-u-s-attorneys-office-seizes-two-fake-domain-names/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Google’s antitrust case won’t go to trial until Sept. 2023

SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) — The U.S. government’s attempt to prove Google has been using its dominance of online search to stifle competition and innovation at the expense of consumers and advertisers won’t go to trial for nearly three years. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta on Friday set a tentative trial date of Sept. 12, […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/googles-antitrust-case-wont-go-to-trial-until-sept-2023/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

US blacklists top Chinese chipmaker, alleging military ties

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration blacklisted China’s top chipmaker Friday, limiting the Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp.’s access to advanced U.S. technology because of its alleged ties to the Chinese military. “We will not allow advanced U.S. technology to help build the military of an increasingly belligerent adversary,’’ Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/us-blacklists-top-chinese-chipmaker-alleging-military-ties/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Austin is winning recruits among the tech elite, but that’s not Seattle’s biggest danger

The Texas capital is gaining technology jobs at the expense of Silicon Valley as high costs there and the pandemic scrambles work options. But that doesn't present the big risk to Seattle.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/austin-is-winning-recruits-among-the-tech-elite-but-thats-not-seattles-biggest-danger/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

States making bold new legal claims in 2 Google lawsuits

WASHINGTON (AP) — As a wave of antitrust actions surges against Google and Facebook, states in two lawsuits are stretching beyond the cases made by federal competition enforcers to level bold new claims. The states are taking new legal approaches as they join the widening siege against the two once seemingly untouchable behemoths. The latest […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/states-making-bold-new-legal-claims-in-2-google-lawsuits/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology