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Opera Browser Update Includes Pinboards, Video Pop-Outs

Andrew Orr ·

Codenamed “R5” an update to the Opera browser adds ways for users to save web content and improve the experience of video calls.

The new Pinboards feature is exactly that: a virtual pinboard that lets users collect websites, images, links and notes in visual form and share them with others, regardless of the device they access it from. Sharing a pinboard involves simply sharing a link, and those who it’s shared with can view everything the pinboard owner posts, as well as react with emojis.

Video conferencing popout pops the video out of the tab and keeps it on top of other tabs. This happens automatically whenever you’re switching to another tab and video pops in when you switch back to the video call tab

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Snap's Deal With Universal Music Group Lets Users Access Music

Andrew Orr ·

Snap Inc. and Universal Music Group have reached a deal that would give Snapchat users access to thousands of songs to share in messages and posts.

Snap users will be able to use songs from Universal in messages and posts in the app, the two companies said Thursday. Music fans also can share links to full songs from their streaming service of choice. Financial terms of the partnership, which includes new features that tout Universal artists, weren’t disclosed.

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Web Hosting Service 'DreamHost' Leaked 814 Million Records of Customer Data

Andrew Orr ·

A database owned by Dreamhost was found unsecured and publicly accessible online. It contained 814 million entries of exposed usernames, display names, and emails for WordPress accounts.

The exposed log files contained what appears to be 3 years of records that range from 3/24/2018 to 4/16/2021 and each contained information about WordPress accounts hosted or installed on DreamHost’s server and their users. On May 4th a DreamHost representative acknowledged the discovery and informed us that the finding was being passed on to their legal team.

Update: DreamHost reached out to say that none of those records contain data that would have allowed access to DreamHost accounts. They consist entirely of entries that include object update records, error reports, and log entries. Data from just 21 individual websites were involved. More information can be found on its website.

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New Features in GitHub Issues for Planning and Tracking

Andrew Orr ·

New beta features within GitHub Issues help development teams improve their planning and tracking.

Today, we are announcing new beta features within GitHub Issues to connect your planning directly to the work your teams are doing, and flexibly to adapt to their needs: project tables that are built like spreadsheets, custom fields, a keyboard driven command palette, improved task lists, and issue forms.

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John McAfee - Man, Myth, Legend, Dies by Suicide in Jail

Andrew Orr ·

John McAfee, founder of the antivirus software company McAfee, has died by an apparent suicide. He was held in a Spanish jail cell awaiting extradition to the U.S.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Spanish High Court had agreed to extradite McAfee, who has been charged with a number of federal financial crimes in two districts in the United States. McAfee was hit with a 10-count indictment in the Western District of Tennessee in October for allegedly evading taxes on millions of dollars in income. He was also charged in a separate indictment in Manhattan federal court in March for a pump and dump scheme involving cryptocurrencies that he was touting on social media.

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Apple Exec Says Users Who Want ‘Sideloading’ Move to Android

Andrew Orr ·

Apple released a whitepaper [PDF] about the safety of the App Store, and the company’s head of user privacy, Erik Neuenschwander, spoke to Fast Company about it.

Without iOS, users wouldn’t have a mobile operating system platform they could choose from that is impossible to be targeted by malicious sideloading. In Apple’s view, in other words: Do you want the best privacy and security possible? Your choice is iOS. Do you want sideloading? Your choice is Android.

First, “if you want X move to Android” is a bad argument. I like Cory Doctorow’s text on the subject. Second, it’s not “sideloading” it’s downloading your software from the internet like desktop users have enjoyed for decades. Apple has smart people and I’m sure they can figure out a way to bring Gatekeeper to iOS.

Cool Stuff Found

Apple TV+: How The World of 'Physical' Was Created

Charlotte Henry ·

In a new video, the cast and crew of new Apple TV+ show Physical reveal how they recreated 1980s California. Writer and showrunner Annie Weismann explains how her own experience with eating disorders influenced the show. The stars, including Rose Byrne and Rory Scovel, also explain what it was like heading back to 1981. The first episodes are available to subscribers now, with new ones landing each Friday, and the show is very much worth watching.

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7,000 Crypto Mining Computers Seized in Iran

Andrew Orr ·

Police in Iran have recently seized 7,000 computers used as cryptocurrency miners, it’s biggest haul so far. These miners were located inside an abandoned factory.

In late May, Iran banned the mining of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin for nearly four months as part of efforts to reduce the incidence of power blackouts blamed by officials on surging electricity demand during the searingly hot and dry summer.

According to blockchain analytics firm Elliptic, around 4.5% of all bitcoin mining takes place in Iran, giving it hundreds of million dollars in revenue from cryptocurrencies that can be used to lessen the impact of U.S. sanctions.

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Amazon and Apple Most Valuable Brands, but Chinese Firms Closing in

Charlotte Henry ·

Amazon and Apple are still the world’s most valuable brands according to a Kantar Brand Z survey. However, as Reuters noted, Chinese firms are hot on their heels.

“Chinese brands are steadily and slowly progressing, and have made significant headway as more companies leverage their own technological developments and demonstrate their abilities to align with the major trends shaping China and the global market,” said Graham Staplehurst, global strategy director at Kantar BrandZ. Five brands more than doubled their value, led by Chinese e-commerce giants Pinduoduo (PDD.O) and Meituan (3690.HK), China’s top liquor maker Moutai (600519.SS), China’s TikTok and America’s Tesla (TSLA.O). Tesla, founded in 2003, was the fastest growing brand and became the most valuable car brand, growing its value by 275% year-on-year to $42.6 billion, Kantar said.

NetNewsWire Update Supports iCloud Sync, Twitter Feeds
Cool Stuff Found

NetNewsWire Update Supports iCloud Sync, Twitter Feeds

Andrew Orr ·

Open source RSS reader NetNewsWire released an update on Tuesday that adds features that may be welcome for users: Sync via iCloud, BazQux, Inoreader, NewsBlur, The Old Reader, and FreshRSS, Share extension, Widgets for Today, Unread, and Starred articles, Special support for Reddit and Twitter feeds. So far this has been my favorite RSS reader to use and I enjoyed moving from Feedly to iCloud.