Technology

Arstechnica reports: Under the first-of-its-kind legislation proposed in New York, drivers involved in accidents would have to submit their phone to roadside testing from a textalyzer to determine whether the driver was using a mobile phone ahead of a crash. In a bid to get around the Fourth Amendment right to privacy, the textalyzer allegedly would keep conversations, contacts, numbers, …

From The Japan News: Starting this summer, the government will test a system in which foreign tourists will be able to verify their identities and buy things at stores using only their fingerprints. The government hopes to increase the number of foreign tourists by using the system to prevent crime and relieve users from the necessity of carrying cash or …

The Hill reports: A long-awaited Senate Intelligence Committee encryption bill would force companies to provide “technical assistance” to government investigators seeking locked data, according to a discussion draft obtained by The Hill. The measure — from Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and ranking member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) — is a response to concerns that criminals are increasingly using encrypted devices …

From the Los Angeles Times: Federal officials on Monday dropped their legal fight against Apple after unlocking the iPhone used by an assailant in last year’s San Bernardino terror attack, leaving unsettled a vexing debate over privacy and security amid rapid advances in technology. The move comes a week after Justice Department officials put a sudden hold on their demands …

MacWorld reports: On Monday, Apple chief executive Tim Cook positioned his company’s stance on protecting privacy as a patriotic duty. Cook addressed the ongoing iPhone privacy issue briefly as part of a presentation where Apple is expected to announce an new iPad Pro mini as well as a smaller iPhone. “We built the iPhone for you, our customers,” Cook said. …

Mashable recaps: Apple’s refusal to create a backdoor that would help the FBI get into an iPhone that once belonged to a terrorist caused a number of reactions from businessmen, IT experts and politicians. Few, however, have the ability to summarize different aspects of a complex issue (and throw in a few jokes) as comedian John Oliver, who dissected the …

Bloomberg reports: China’s effort to flush out threats to stability is expanding into an area that used to exist only in dystopian sci-fi: pre-crime. The Communist Party has directed one of the country’s largest state-run defense contractors, China Electronics Technology Group, to develop software to collate data on jobs, hobbies, consumption habits, and other behavior of ordinary citizens to predict …

Via press release: At today’s Apple shareholder meeting in Cupertino, California, shareholders will vote on a resolution submitted by the National Center for Public Policy Research, a shareholder, requiring Apple’s management to prepare a report identifying Apple’s criteria for operating in regions with significant human rights violations. Apple operates in 17 nations in which homosexual activity is illegal. In four …

Over 7 million views in one day. From Boston Dynamics: A new version of Atlas, designed to operate outdoors and inside buildings. It is specialized for mobile manipulation. It is electrically powered and hydraulically actuated. It uses sensors in its body and legs to balance and LIDAR and stereo sensors in its head to avoid obstacles, assess the terrain, help …

Donald Trump today called for a boycott of Apple until the company hands over proprietary security information which will allow the federal government to hack the iPhone of the San Bernardino terrorist. Earlier this week Apple CEO Tim Cook vowed to fight a court order which commands the company to provide that data to the FBI. Today Apple was granted …

This is major, especially for a Japanese corporation. Rocket News 24 reports: Panasonic, the Japanese electronics producer and one of the Olympic Games’ biggest sponsors, announces sweeping policy changes. LGBT rights in Japan have been in the headlines quite a bit the last few years, but today it looks like the LGBT community can count another win: Osaka-based Panasonic has …

Apple CEO Tim Cook today issued a lengthy public letter which forcefully denounces a federal court’s order that his company provide the means to hack the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino terrorists.  The Associated Press reports: Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook says his company will fight a federal magistrate’s order to hack its users in connection with the …

I’ll be there in 20 minutes, I have to charge my belt. The Verge reports: Last year’s CES brought us Belty, a monstrosity of a wearable that aimed to track changes in your waistline as a means of delivering health insights. It was hideous. This year Samsung is trying something similar, and it miraculously succeeded. Samsung’s smart belt looks indistinguishable …

The Verge reports: Microsoft is ending support for Internet Explorer 8, 9, and 10 next week on January 12th, releasing a final patch encouraging users to upgrade to one of the company’s more recent browsers. The end of support means that these older versions of Internet Explorer will no longer receive security updates or technical support, making anyone who uses …

Politico reports: Those resolving to see less of Donald Trump in 2016 may have a new Google Chrome browser extension to install. Dubbed “Trump Filter” by creator Rob Spectre, the open-source extension searches websites that users visit and strips out any mentions of the Republican presidential candidate, claiming to scrub Trump “from all your web browsing without leaving the Internet.” …

Vocativ reports: Spotify is facing a $150 million class action lawsuit—led by David Lowery, the frontman for the band Cracker—arguing that Spotify hasn’t been securing the proper licenses for all of the music it offers, and hasn’t been paying royalties to all deserving parties. Using his own tracks as examples, Lowery claims that Spotify has been willfully operating in this …

This seems like the right story to follow up a Star Wars post. CNN reports: The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, said it’s on track to demonstrate a working laser weapon on a fighter jet by 2020. “It really is a national tipping point,” said Kelly Hammett, chief engineer for the AFRL’s directed energy directorate. “We see the …

Strictly for the fanboys: “With 2015 coming to a close, we take a look at what Apple might have in store for customers in 2016.”

Long-awaited news for mop-top fans via Rolling Stone: The Beatles have announced they’ll activate their famous catalog on every on-demand streaming service, from Spotify to Apple Music, as of midnight on December 24th and the record business has one overwhelming reaction: What took them so long? “It’s surprising they didn’t do it this time last year,” says Terry McBride, manager …

Via Gizmodo: If you thought waking up on Christmas morning to above-average temperatures and no snow on the ground was scary, Boston Dynamics gives us a far more terrifying glimpse into a dystopian future where Santa’s reindeer have been replaced with (highly kickable) trotting robotic dogs. In this (what’s the opposite of heartwarming?) holiday video we see three of Boston …