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☆ Open-source software braces for trade war
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Pete Sweeney | Thomson Reuters | Asia Economics Editor Pete Sweeney Joined Reuters Breakingviews In Hong Kong In September Previously He Served As Reuters' Chief Correspondent For China Economy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

HONG KONG, Feb 27 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The open-source software movement has been an unprecedented driver of global innovation and productivity growth. As with most Chinese handset makers, founder Ren Zhengfei relied on Android’s open-source code to run his company’s smartphones. Beijing has reciprocated, per a Nikkei report, by instructing its own tech companies not to incorporate ChatGPT into their platforms - a rare example of a mutual firewall. Dividing the world into competing open-source camps would mark another reverse for free trade. Follow @petesweeneypro on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSRegulators have told major Chinese tech companies not to offer ChatGPT services, the Nikkei news service reported on Feb. 22 citing sources with direct knowledge, causing shares in Chinese companies building chatbots to fall.

☆ I helped create a 'cyber army' to help Ukraine defeat Russia. We can't fight with guns, but we can fight with our laptops.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Yegor Aushev appealed for volunteers for a "cyber army" to help Ukraine defeat Russia. Within the first few days of the war, we separated the cyber army into groups of between 7 to 10 people. Our call for decentralized cyber army volunteers is probably what inspired others to create their own groups, such as Ukraine's IT army, formed a few days later by the minister of digitization, Mykhailo Fedorov. Another project involved using tech to recognize who was in photos left by Russian soldiers in Bucha near Kyiv. If it was a couple hundred Russian SIMs, of course it's Russian soldiers and not tourists.

☆ Tesla cofounder calls Autopilot and FSD software 'crap' that could risk the carmaker's future
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Tesla cofounder Martin Eberhard said he's "not a big fan" of autonomous cars. The Tesla cofounder said it's a "mistake to think of a car as a software platform." The Lotus Elise was a two-seater convertible that the British car company Lotus Cars first sold in 1996. The Tesla cofounder said that while he appreciates "safety-oriented systems" like driver-assist features, he's "not a big fan" of autonomous driving. Last year, the billionaire said the carmaker's self-driving software is the difference between Tesla being worth a lot of money and Tesla being worth almost nothing.

☆ Ousted Tesla cofounder Martin Eberhard sounds off on Elon Musk, how the company has changed, and the EV wars
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

But Eberhard and Musk butted heads, and Musk ousted Eberhard from his CEO role in 2007. Musk said that Eberhard was holding up production of Tesla's first car, the Roadster, and that Eberhard was responsible for other operational issues. And the proof is for the first time ever in decades we built a car company successfully. "His behavior changed dramatically as soon as we started having press about Tesla," Eberhard said. Musk has said the company "is as much a software company as it is a hardware company."

☆ Tesla recalls more than 362,000 cars for a software issue that may cause them to 'act unsafe around intersections'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla will issue an over-the-air software update to more than 362,000 cars, NHTSA said Thursday. The carmaker issued the recall over concerns its FSD software may cause it to act "unsafe" in intersections. NHTSA said the beta software "increases the risk of a crash." Tesla will release an over-the-air software update to address the issue, according to the agency. The agency said the software issue "increases the risk of a crash" and allows the car to exceed the speed limit and travel through intersections in an "unlawful or unpredictable manner."

☆ What investors need to know about ‘staking,’ the passive income opportunity at the center of crypto’s latest regulation scare
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Not six months ago, ether led a recovery in cryptocurrency prices ahead of a big tech upgrade that would make something called "staking" available to crypto investors. A clampdown on staking, and staking services, could have damaging consequences not just for those exchanges, but also Ethereum and other proof-of-stake blockchain networks. For example, if you decide you want to stake your ether holdings, you would do so on the Ethereum network. Investors can give their crypto to the staking service and the service does the staking on the investors' behalf. Proof-of-stake vs. proof-of-workStaking works only for proof-of-stake networks like Ethereum, Solana, Polkadot and Cardano.

☆ Resistance is futile. Welcome to the "generative AI" era
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

This is going to be the year of “generative AI” the way 2012 was the year of Instagram. (Yes, Bing still exists and Microsoft hopes AI can make it relevant again for the first time ever.) Generative AI is the technology that underpins ChatGPT, the chatbot that’s gotten everyone in the content-generation biz (hello!) But Google, Microsoft and their rivals are still bullish. “We have even more exciting, AI-enabled innovations in the works that will change the way people search, work and play.”

☆ The 7 most in-demand tech skills for freelancers—many pay more than $125 an hour
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Gili Malinsky | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"The skills gap is still sharp, it's still a significant gap," says Vicki Salemi, career expert at Monster. "Employers are struggling to find labor in this tight labor market" that can fill various tech needs. CMS developmentA content management system, CMS, is a software that helps its users manage their various content, from creating it to publishing it. CMS developers charge as much as $105 per hour. They ensure the software works correctly in various scenarios and note any bugs or issues along the way.

☆ The biggest risks in procrastinating on iPhone, Android software updates
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Kaitlin Balasaygun | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

watch nowNot all software updates offer an array of new features, but when they do it can feel like you are getting a new phone without added cost. Yet, many users still do whatever they can to put off the 30 minutes that a software update can take. Discomfort often stems from the perception that software updates will require users to relearn how to use certain features on their device and threatens their current habits. When 30 days have passed, the system then prompts the user to install the system update. When a major security update comes out, everyone should act relatively fast.

☆ ChatGPT creator OpenAI might be training its AI technology to replace some software engineers, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

OpenAI has quietly hired hundreds of international contractors to help train its AI tech, according to Semafor. Some are teaching software engineering to AI, potentially paving the way to replace some human coders. The engineer told Semafor he thinks the company wants to feed the training data into its AI technology. OpenAI is also the owner of the buzzy AI chatbot, ChatGPT. Software engineering might be added to the list next.

Figuring out how to contact Facebook can be difficult, as it does not accept phone calls for customer support. Here are a few things you can do instead to actually contact Facebook support for help with your account or other issues. How to contact Facebook supportIf you want to contact Facebook, you'll first need to log into your account. Find Facebook Help & Support in the dropdown menu in the top right. You can also approach Facebook via Instagram direct message or by including the Facebook handle in a post, but unless you get a lot of likes, chances are you're better using the Facebook Help Center.

☆ MoviePass CEO Stacy Spikes on his plans to relaunch the service (for real) and bring back an unlimited option
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Jason Guerrasio | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +20 min

Stacy Spikes told Insider he plans to put MoviePass out of beta and make it available for all by the summer. You would think Spikes would want to run as far away as possible from the movie-ticket-subscription startup. Before Stacy Spikes created MoviePass he created the Urbanworld Film Festival. I wanted to put that down because I see so many times people approach me and think MoviePass was my first business. MoviePassThe MoviePass beta version is focused on the credits system, e-ticketing, and fixing bugsWhat have been the biggest challenges in getting this beta version of MoviePass off the ground?

☆ Why tiny cactus bugs in red food dye are a $35 billion industry
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Robin Lindsay | Victoria Barranco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Cochineals are parasites that live on cactuses, and the acid in their guts has been used as red dye for millennia. Today, cochineals are used to dye cosmetics and foods like M&Ms and Yoplait strawberry yogurt. But up against synthetic dyes, Mexican cochineal farms are dying off, taking the ancient tradition with them. The acid in their guts makes a red dye used in textiles, cosmetics, and foods like M&Ms and Yoplait yogurt. It can be found on the walls of archeological sites, in priceless paintings, and in the robes of kings.

☆ Biden has 'no regrets' about handling of classified documents
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Jeff Mason | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

APTOS, Calif., Jan 19 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday he has "no regrets" about his handling of classified documents found at his home and former office and that he believes the matter will be resolved. "I think you're gonna find there's nothing there," Biden told reporters as he toured storm damage in California. Biden said he has been doing as instructed by his lawyers after "a handful of documents were filed in the wrong place." Biden’s legal team acknowledged last week it had found classified documents relating to his time as vice president in the Obama administration at his Delaware home, including some in his garage. Aides previously found another batch of classified documents at his residence and at a Washington think tank he was associated with.

☆ FuboTV insiders describe how its 'doomed' sportsbook collapsed in a year — and what it means for the future of the streaming company
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Colin Salao | Ashley Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +22 min

But despite the MetLife lounge remaining open throughout the 2021-22 NFL season, the Fubo Sportsbook wouldn't launch in New Jersey until the following one, in September 2022. "It was doomed from the start," one former Fubo Gaming staffer told Insider. Meanwhile, Rattner — whom the first former Fubo gaming staffer described as a "good talker" — sustained the startup's more youthful culture. The Fubo Sportsbook launched in New Jersey on September 7, days before the first Jets home game. A promotional image from when the Fubo Sportsbook went live in New Jersey in September 2022.

☆ A Tesla driver said he's still a loyal FSD user even after his car swerved off the road and crashed into another vehicle while using Autopilot
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Tesla driver Dave Key continues to use Autopilot even after he got into an accident with it, The New York Times reported. The 69-year-old crashed into a police car while using Autopilot in 2018. The Tesla driver said he had a "false sense of security" during the incident and was distracted by the scenery. Key isn't the only Tesla driver to report issues with the software but continue to support Elon Musk's vision for the company. Insider previously reported that a Tesla driver took a 6,392 mile road trip primarily using Autopilot and FSD and continues to view the program as a "lifesaver" despite encountering bugs in the software.

8 p.m. Slurp up H-town’s cultural melting potThe city is known for its sprawl, which can be admittedly annoying. That is, until you exit the freeway and discover a completely new world like Chinatown, in Houston’s southwest. There, you can visit Crawfish and Noodles , the chef Trong Nguyen’s hot spot specializing in Viet-Cajun food , a cuisine that’s become a local staple. Houston has the largest Vietnamese-American population outside of California, many of whom migrated from Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. Here, unlike traditional Louisiana crawfish boils, the bugs are seasoned after they're taken out of the water: lemongrass, ginger and fish sauce meet cayenne, paprika and black pepper in a pool of garlic and butter.

☆ Twitter is bracing for further layoffs as Elon Musk shrinks the employee headcount to its lowest level in over a decade
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Twitter is seeing rolling layoffs despite Elon Musk's claims that he was done laying people off. Musk says Twitter is in dire financial straits. Layoffs are picking up again at Twitter about six weeks after Elon Musk told his new employees he was done with such actions. By the end of these cuts, the company could see its lowest headcount in over a decade. Employees are expecting that plans to close many international offices and several smaller offices in the U.S. will result in even more layoffs.

☆ Army of pest-munching ducks keep South African vineyard blooming
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

STELLENBOSCH, South Africa, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Flocks of white, black and brown ducks hunt for snails and bugs as they patrol the grapevines at a vineyard in South Africa's winemaking town of Stellenbosch, helping the owners steer clear of pesticides and synthetic fertilisers. Around 500 Indian runner ducks work as a natural pest control at the Vergenoegd Löw Wine Estate, but also entertain wine-quaffing tourists. "We call them the soldiers of the vineyards," the managing director of the estate, Corius Visser, told Reuters. Ducks are at the heart of the winery's regenerative agriculture practices, and specifically Indian runner ducks, which have long legs and an upright posture, meaning they are able to reach for snails between the leaves. Nutrient-rich manure from the ducks and other animals ensure the vineyard runs as sustainably as possible.

☆ Ongoing headaches with F-35 fighter jets are rippling through the rest of the US military's combat aircraft fleet
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

US Air Force maintainers work on an F-35A at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada in February 2020. Nial BradshawRussia's air force has been mocked for poor maintenance that has undercut its airpower in the Ukraine war. Particularly troubling was a November 2022 GAO study that analyzed readiness of 49 US military aircraft models between 2011 and 2021. A reassembled F-35A is hoisted during a training course at Hill Air Force Base in September 2022. The Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps together plan to spend $20.2 billion a year for tactical aircraft development and procurement between now and 2027.

☆ Leaders who want longevity in their role need to love what they do and 'have other passions,' Adobe CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen told the WSJ that leaders who don't love what they do can't do their jobs. Narayen has been Adobe's CEO for 15 years, a longer tenure than that of most tech leaders. Narayen, who has been Adobe CEO since 2007, gave his advice to other leaders looking for long tenures. He added that he has "no idea" what he would do if he wasn't Adobe CEO. "I'm probably not as out there as other CEOs," Narayen told Insider.

☆ Elon Musk might have tweeted himself into hot water — again — with a regulator
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A US agency is examining a tweet from Elon Musk about possibly disabling a driver-monitoring feature. Tesla's FSD has a feature that reminds beta testers to apply pressure to the steering wheel. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is examining a tweet from Elon Musk regarding an update to Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, a spokesperson told Insider. FSD is an add-on to Tesla's Autopilot driver assist program. Tesla's FSD software has faced criticism in the past.

☆ A Tesla driver took a 6,392-mile road trip using Autopilot and Full Self-Driving software — there were some hiccups
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Tesla driver Tim Heckman drove 6,392 miles primarily using Autopilot and Full Self-Driving. He said Autopilot has gotten "worse" over the years and FSD was "exceptionally poor outside of California." But, the Tesla driver said the software has been a "lifesaver" when it comes to long road trips. In December, Tim Heckman drove a Model S Plaid from Los Angeles to Pennsylvania and back, using the autonomous software for 99% of the journey, an experience he documented on Twitter. "It's kind of like driving with a 15 or 16-year-old driver sometimes," Heckman said of using FSD in city streets outside of California.

☆ One of the last pre-Elon Musk Twitter executives to leave the company said he and the billionaire exchanged ideas at 3 a.m.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A former Twitter exec said he and Elon Musk used to swap ideas for the site late at night. Behnam Rezaei, Twitter's head of product and engineering, said on Wednesday that he had left Twitter the previous day. Rezaei said that he had worked with Musk "to transform the company towards his vision" and they had exchanged 3 a.m. texts about "product ideas or bugs." Rezaei's posts suggests an amicable parting, in contrast to the thousands of other Twitter staff who were abruptly laid off the week Musk took charge of the company. Schiffer said that he resigned from the company, though in his tweets Rezaei did not specify whether he quit or was laid-off.

☆ Twitter back online after global outage hits thousands
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Reports of Twitter outages fell sharply by Wednesday evening, according to the website, with some users later commenting service had returned to normal. loadingDuring the outage, some users said they were unable to log in to their Twitter account via desktops or laptops. Hundreds of Twitter employees quit the social media company in November, by some estimates, including engineers responsible for fixing bugs and preventing service outages. Thousands of Twitter users were also hit by a global outages in February and July, before Musk's takeover. In July, a near 19-hour service outage at Canada's biggest telecom operator Rogers Telecommunications shut banking, transport and government access for millions.

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