Cyberattack disrupts unemployment benefits in some states

A cyberattack on a software company has disrupted unemployment benefits and job seeking assistance for thousands of people in several states.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/cyberattack-disrupts-unemployment-benefits-in-some-states/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Crewless robotic Mayflower ship reaches Plymouth Rock

A crewless robotic boat retracing the 1620 sea voyage of the Mayflower landed near Plymouth Rock on Thursday.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/crewless-robotic-mayflower-ship-nears-plymouth-rock/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Berlin prepares ‘huge thermos’ to help heat homes in winter

Swedish utility company Vattenfall has unveiled a vast “thermos” that will store millions of gallons of hot water to help heat homes in Berlin this winter, even if Russian gas supplies dry up.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/berlin-prepares-huge-thermos-to-help-heat-homes-in-winter/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

European Union inks deal on crypto transfer tracing rules

The European Union has agreed on new rules subjecting cryptocurrency transfers to the same money-laundering rules as traditional banking transfers.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/european-union-inks-deal-on-crypto-transfer-tracing-rules/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Redmond police investigate alleged hate crime after noose found at Facebook construction site

General contractor BNBuilders confirmed the alleged hate crime occurred at the Redmond worksite for Facebook's Building X and said four employees were placed on administrative leave.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/redmond-police-investigate-alleged-hate-crime-after-noose-found-at-facebook-construction-site/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Microsoft’s $22 billion combat goggles get crucial field test with U.S. Army

U.S. Army soldiers have completed intensive testing of Microsoft’s new multifunction goggle — and the results may determine whether Congress rejects most of the $424.2 million proposed in next year’s defense budget to keep buying them. Over three weeks ending June 18, 70 Army infantry wore the devices during three 72-hour scenarios involving movement toward […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsofts-22-billion-combat-goggles-get-crucial-field-test-with-u-s-army/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Payment data could become evidence of abortion, now illegal in some states

Financial companies collect a lot of payment data from customers. Prosecutors could subpoena those records for evidence of abortion, legal experts say.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/payment-data-could-become-evidence-of-abortion-now-illegal-in-some-states/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

An FCC commissioner pushes Apple and Google to remove TikTok from app stores

A Republican member of the FCC said he was concerned that the Chinese-owned app TikTok could provide Beijing with access to the data of Americans. F

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/an-fcc-commissioner-pushes-apple-and-google-to-remove-tiktok-from-app-stores/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Cyberattack hits Norway, pro-Russian hacker group fingered

Norwegian authorities say a cyberattack has temporarily knocked out public and private websites in Norway in the past 24 hours.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/cyberattack-hits-norway-pro-russian-hacker-group-fingered/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

China’s Baidu races Waymo, GM to develop self-driving cars

Baidu Inc. is China's highest-profile competitor in a multibillion-dollar race with Alphabet Inc.'s Waymo and General Motors Co.'s Cruise to create self-driving cars.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/chinas-baidu-races-waymo-gm-to-develop-self-driving-cars/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Netflix co-founder helps direct startups amid tech turmoil

and live on his Netflix fortune when he left the company in 2003, Marc Randolph decided to counsel early-stage startups and their founders.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/netflix-co-founder-helps-direct-startups-amid-tech-turmoil/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

EXPLAINER: Abortion, tech and surveillance

With abortion now or soon to be illegal in over a dozen states and severely restricted in many more, Big Tech companies that vacuum up personal details of their users are facing new calls to limit that tracking and surveillance.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/explainer-abortion-tech-and-surveillance/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Instagram hides some posts that mention abortion

Instagram is blocking posts that mention abortion from public view, in some cases requiring users to confirm their age before letting them view posts offering information about the procedure.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/instagram-hides-some-posts-that-mention-abortion/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Siemens investing in Volkswagen’s Electrify America

The German industrial company Siemens will invest more than $100 million in a network of electric vehicle charging stations in North America operated by Volkswagen.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/siemens-investing-in-volkswagens-electrify-america/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

‘Silicon Heartland’ boon for Ohio, but families mourn homes

Ohio families that have called rural land home for generations are lamenting the loss of their property to a massive development project.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/silicon-heartland-boon-for-ohio-but-families-mourn-homes/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Where Apple sees security, critics see a highly profitable monopoly

While Apple maintains that outside apps would leave iPhone users vulnerable to malware and scams, antitrust advocates and cybersecurity specialists disagree.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/where-apple-sees-security-critics-see-a-highly-profitable-monopoly/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

The rise of the 0.5 selfie

Wherever Gen Z gathers these days, a 0.5 selfie is almost bound to be taken, capturing the moment with random flattery — or comical lack thereof.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/the-rise-of-the-0-5-selfie/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

How to use translation apps and services for travelers | Travel Troubleshooter

How do you communicate with others when you don’t speak their language? Here are four tips for your next international trip.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/how-to-use-translation-apps-and-services-for-travelers-travel-troubleshooter/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

War-damaged Russian weapons on display in Poland

Officials say a display of war-damaged Russian weapons in downtown Warsaw serves as a reminder of the horrors of the war in Ukraine but also that Russian aggression can be defeated.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/war-damaged-russian-weapons-on-display-in-poland/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Cyberattack forces Iran steel company to halt production

One of Iran’s major steel companies says it was forced to halt production after being hit by a cyberattack, marking one of the biggest assaults on the country’s strategic industrial sector in recent memory.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/cyberattack-forces-iran-steel-company-to-halt-production/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Why captions are suddenly everywhere and how they got there

People with hearing loss have long adopted technology to navigate the world, especially since hearing aids are expensive and inaccessible to many.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/why-captions-are-suddenly-everywhere-and-how-they-got-there/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

2 Seattle startups racing to transform next-gen space travel

Seattle’s Avalanche Energy and Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation are developing two different approaches to small-scale nuclear power. Both companies are expected to deliver functional prototype spacecraft to the Pentagon by 2027.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/2-seattle-startups-racing-to-transform-next-gen-space-travel/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

‘An invisible cage’: How China is policing the future

While largely unproven, new Chinese surveillance technologies further extend the boundaries of social and political controls and integrate them ever deeper into people’s lives.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/an-invisible-cage-how-china-is-policing-the-future/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

State regulator approves Spokane generator’s clean energy plan

A state regulator has approved a plan filed by Avista Utilities that outlines its goals and progress toward clean energy through 2025.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/state-regulators-approve-spokane-generators-clean-energy-plan/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

How many writes can a solid-state hard drive take; can ‘dead zones’ on Windows 11 be fixed | Q&A with Patrick Marshall

Patrick Marshall answers questions about solid-state drives (SSD) and "dead zones" on a PC's screen.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/how-many-writes-can-a-solid-state-hard-drive-take-can-dead-zones-on-windows-11-be-fixed-qa-with-patrick-marshall/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Buy now, pay later becomes a new way to pay for guns

Credova, a little-known fintech company, is leading the way in offering installment plans to buyers of guns and hunting supplies.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/buy-now-pay-later-becomes-a-new-way-to-pay-for-guns/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Should you buy now, pay later? Tread carefully

Afterpay, Apple and other financial tech companies are popularizing installment plans for shopping splurges. Here’s what you need to know to avoid overspending or hurting your credit.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/should-you-buy-now-pay-later-tread-carefully/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Jury takes fraud case against Elizabeth Holmes’s ex-partner

The fate of hard-nosed technology executive Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani is now in the hands of a jury that will weigh criminal charges alleging he joined disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes, his former partner, in an elaborate fraud that jarred Silicon Valley.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/jury-takes-fraud-case-against-elizabeth-holmess-ex-partner/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Big Tech companies will cover travel expenses for employees’ medical procedures, including abortion

Tech companies including Microsoft and Amazon said they will cover or reimburse employees for travel expenses related to medical procedures, including abortions. 

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/big-tech-companies-will-cover-travel-expenses-for-employees-medical-procedures-including-abortion/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Major Washington employers commit to maintaining abortion access for employees

Some of Washington state's biggest employers will help workers who must travel to find reproductive health care.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/major-washington-employers-commit-to-maintaining-abortion-access-for-employees/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

After Roe, Dems seek probe of tech’s use of personal data

Four Democratic lawmakers are asking federal regulators to investigate Apple and Google for allegedly deceiving mobile phone users by collecting and selling their personal data.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/after-roe-dems-seek-probe-of-techs-use-of-personal-data/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

AI and the ghost in the machine: Losing human jobs is the least of our worries

A Google engineer claims he's found sentience in an artificial intelligence program. Even if he's wrong, it points to a future of risks and promises, writes columnist Jon Talton.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/ai-and-the-ghost-in-the-machine-losing-human-jobs-is-the-least-of-our-worries/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Toyota recalls electric car for faulty wheel that may detach

Toyota is recalling 2,700 of its bZ4X crossover vehicles globally for wheel bolts that could become loose, in a major setback for the Japanese automaker’s ambitions to roll out electric cars.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/toyota-recalls-electric-car-for-faulty-wheel-that-may-detach/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

NASA: Give us back our moon dust and cockroaches

NASA wants its moon dust and cockroaches back.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/nasa-give-us-back-our-moon-dust-and-cockroaches/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Amazon’s Alexa could soon mimic voice of dead relatives

Amazon’s Alexa might soon replicate the voice of family members - even if they’re dead.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazons-alexa-could-soon-mimic-voice-of-dead-relatives/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

At Microsoft, a back-to-office ‘normal’ may not happen this year

Microsoft wants employees to be in the office at least half the time, but concedes that it make take until early next year to see whether that goal has been met.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/at-microsoft-a-back-to-office-normal-may-not-happen-this-year/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Nuclear industry hopes to expand output with new reactors

The trade association for U.S. nuclear plant operators says it hopes to nearly double their output over the next three decades.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/nuclear-industry-hopes-to-expand-output-with-new-reactors/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Instagram tests using AI, other tools for age verification

Instagram is testing new ways to verify the age of people using its service, including a face-scanning artificial intelligence tool, having mutual friends verify their age or uploading an ID.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/instagram-tests-using-ai-other-tools-for-age-verification/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Fix the Hog: Harley, Westinghouse ordered to fix warranties

Federal regulators have accused Harley-Davidson and Westinghouse of imposing illegal warranty terms on customers and ordered them to fix their warranties and ensure that their dealers compete fairly with independent repair-makers.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/fix-the-hog-harley-westinghouse-ordered-to-fix-warranties/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Michigan to destroy some blood spots in fight over consent

Michigan has agreed to destroy more than 3 million dried blood spots taken from babies and kept in storage.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/michigan-to-destroy-some-blood-spots-in-fight-over-consent/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Elon Musk says new Tesla plants are ‘money furnaces’ losing billions

Elon Musk said Tesla's new plants in Germany and Texas are losing "billions of dollars" as the electric-vehicle maker tries to ramp up production.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/elon-musk-says-new-tesla-plants-are-money-furnaces-losing-billions/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

American Airlines testing face-scanning at DFW Airport

American Airlines says passengers with PreCheck can now pass through security checkpoints at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport with a face scan and phone app.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/american-airlines-testing-face-scanning-at-dfw-airport/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Microsoft: Russian cyber spying targets 42 Ukraine allies

Microsoft says “strategic espionage” by state-backed Russian hackers has targeted government agencies, think tanks, businesses and aid groups in 42 countries supporting Ukraine.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft-russian-cyber-spying-targets-42-ukraine-allies/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Space chief hopes for ‘Kennedy moment’ from European leaders

The head of the European Space Agency says Russia's invasion of Ukraine highlights the need for the continent to become less dependent on other nations.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/space-chief-hopes-for-kennedy-moment-from-european-leaders/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

To avoid US extradition, Megaupload pair plead guilty in NZ

Two men have pleaded guilty in New Zealand to their involvement in running the once wildly popular pirating website Megaupload.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/to-avoid-us-extradition-megaupload-pair-plead-guilty-in-nz/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Man gets 18-month term for sex assault of Alibaba employee

A Chinese court has sentenced a man to 18 months in prison after an Alibaba employee went public about being sexually assaulted at a business dinner.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/man-gets-18-month-term-for-sex-assault-of-alibaba-employee/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Ford pledges to work with community near future factory

Ford Motor Co. officials are pledging to be good neighbors to those in rural west Tennessee who live near the automaker’s planned electric truck factory, a project expected to create thousands of jobs and change the face of the region.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/ford-pledges-to-work-with-community-near-future-factory/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

EXPLAINER: How platforms dealt with ‘RINO hunting’ video

When a GOP Missouri U.S. Senate candidate released a video Monday in which he cocked a gun after calling for a hunt of fellow Republicans who he believes are “RINOs,” or Republicans in Name Only, Facebook scraped it off its platform within a few hours.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/explainer-how-platforms-dealt-with-rino-hunting-video/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Microsoft plans to eliminate face analysis tools in push for ‘responsible AI’

Microsoft will stop offering automated tools that predict a person’s gender, age and emotional state and will restrict the use of its facial recognition tool.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft/microsoft-plans-to-eliminate-face-analysis-tools-in-push-for-responsible-ai/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Facebook and US make deal to stop discriminatory housing ads

The Justice Department says Facebook will change its algorithms to prevent discriminatory housing advertising as its parent company subjects itself to court oversight in a response to a U.S. lawsuit.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/facebook-and-us-make-deal-to-stop-discriminatory-housing-ads/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Google exec to UN: Ukraine ‘a crystal ball’ for info warfare

A Google executive is warning the U.N. Security Council Tuesday that cyberattacks, disinformation and other forms of information warfare being waged in Ukraine are a “crystal ball” for future problems elsewhere.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/google-exec-to-un-ukraine-a-crystal-ball-for-info-warfare/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology