• X blocks users from sharing links to Signal
    www.engadget.com
    Elon Musk is taking aim at federal workers and organizations, through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Now, Musk-owned X (formerly Twitter) is blocking Signal.me links, a URL used by encrypted messaging service Signal that allows people to quickly contact others directly, the blog Disruptionist reports. Federal workers have used Signal to covertly report relevant and dangerous activities.Anyone who attempts to post a Signal.me link in a DM, public post or on their profile page receives error messages such as, "This request looks like it might be automated. To protect our users from spam and other malicious activity, we cant complete this action right now. Please try again later." Other responses include, "We cant complete this request because this link has been identified by X or our partners as being potentially harmful." Engadget confirmed the block in a test.Users who try to click existing Signal.me links get a message stating, "Warning: this link may be unsafe. The link you are trying to access has been identified by X or our partners as being potentially spammy or unsafe, in accordance with X's URL Policy." They can choose to ignore the warning and proceed to the link.Musk is working with President Trump to cut federal workers across the board. Over 9,500 employees were fired on Friday, February 14, alone.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/x-blocks-users-from-sharing-links-to-signal-170642686.html?src=rss
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  • South Korea pauses downloads of DeepSeek AI over privacy concerns
    www.engadget.com
    DeepSeek, the massively popular Chinese AI assistant, has been temporarily unavailable from app stores in South Korea since February 15. A press release from the countrys data protection authority, the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC), stated that downloads will resume once the Chinese AI company complies with local data protection laws, while those with the app can still use it. DeepSeek is also blocked on South Korean government and military devices.DeepSeek only established a local presence in South Korea on February 10. The company also acknowledged that it didnt fully consider South Koreas data protection laws when launching the service globally. Fortunately for South Korean users, the new AI powerhouse intends to cooperate with the PIPC.The PIPC says that inspecting DeepSeek will take some time. On-site inspections of six AI services from Google, OpenAI, Microsoft and others took around five months. This inspection should take less time because it only involves DeepSeek.In a statement to TechCrunch, the PIPC revealed that it discovered DeepSeek was transferring Korean users' data to ByteDance, TikToks parent company. Local users were warned against entering personal information into the app.Last month, the Italian Data Protection Authority or Garante, sent DeepSeek an information request asking what type of data the models were trained on and several other questions. Other countries like Australia and Taiwan have also banned the app on government devices due to security concerns.Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded to South Koreas DeepSeek ban, claiming Beijing would never ask any company or individual to store or collect data illicitly.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/south-korea-pauses-downloads-of-deepseek-ai-over-privacy-concerns-163302959.html?src=rss
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  • Amazon just killed a useful Kindle USB feature leaving me stuck with less flexibility for ebook downloads and backups
    www.techradar.com
    In an effort to crack down on ebook piracy, Amazon is stopping users from downloading purchased titles to a computer.
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  • DeepSeek blocked from app stores in South Korea
    www.techradar.com
    South Korean officials have temporarily restricted new downloads of DeepSeek.
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  • Trader Joes issues another recall over foreign material risk, this time on its Organic Acai Bowls
    www.fastcompany.com
    On Friday, Trader Joes issued a recall on yet another product: its frozen Organic Acai Bowls.A recall notice was posted on the companys website, explaining the recall was due to the risk of plastic inside the frozen meal. Out of an abundance of caution, please discard any Trader Joes Organic Acai Bowls, as the product may contain foreign material (plastic), or return them to your neighborhood Trader Joes store for a full refund, the message reads.Notices were also spotted in Trader Joes locations.While Trader Joes has voluntarily removed the product from shelves, the recall hasnt made it to the Food and Drug Administration yet. As of Monday morning, the FDA had not listed the item on its list of newly recalled items.Last week, another recall hit Trader Joes, too. Several canned tuna products were recalled over a risk of botulism. Tri-Union Seafoods has made the decision to voluntarily recall select lots of canned tuna products sold under the Genova, Van Camps, H-E-B and Trader Joes brand names, the FDAs notice reads.It continued, This voluntary recall is out of an abundance of caution following the notification from our supplier that the easy open pull tab can lid on limited products encountered a manufacturing defect that may compromise the integrity of the product seal (especially over time), causing it to leak, or worse, be contaminated with clostridium botulinum, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning.In 2024, Trader Joes was plagued by a record number of recalls. Multiple frozen items were deemed unsafe due to foreign plastics, or other materials, like metals, lurking in the meals. Some customers complained they found rocks in a rice pilaf meal. The company had recalls over listeria concerns, salmonella, and more.The products were sold under Trader Joes private label, which has raised concern about the brands cost-cutting measures. The company previously declined to answer Fast Companys questions about the high number of recalls.
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  • 5 strategies for staying calm as a leader during times of chaos
    www.fastcompany.com
    Picture this: Its Black Friday, and the point-of-sale system your thousands of customers depend on keeps crashing. Understandably, those retailers are livid. Complaints pour in day after day, and you start to wonder if the business will survive.Thats exactly what happened to me when I was just starting out as an entrepreneur nearly 20 years ago.And as painful as it was, thatnear-death experience taught me something invaluable: the power of calm leadership.In todays unpredictable world, whether thats due to economic, environmental, or political eventsit can beharder than ever to stay calm and centered. Company leaders are no exception to this. Yet its critical that theydolearn to stay calm, because thats what will set the tone for the rest of their team. Stress and entrepreneurshipTheres no escaping the brutal realities of entrepreneurship. As this founder and CEO can attest, stress is an unfortunate part of it. Thats whythree-quarters of small business ownersare worried about their mental health, while more than half have been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, or stress-related problems.As a company matures, new hurdles and anxieties arise. The average entrepreneur spendsalmost 70%of their time working in the businessmuch of it putting out fires.Inevitably, there are days and weeks when the failures far outnumber the wins. That makes it easy to get dragged down into negativity. But if the leader operates from a place of calm, it can help everyone else bring their best selves to work. Here are a few principles that Ive learned about that can help you do just that.1. Youre not the hero of this storySo many business leaders feel like its up to them to save the day and feel like theyre the only one who can fix things.But this is a recipe for dizzying highs and crushing lows. And trust me, the lows outnumber the highs. You whiplash back and forth between elation and despair, and rarely find that middle ground of calm that you desperately need to make strategic decisions.A far more useful approach is to think of yourself as just one player in a larger drama. Sure, youre the boss, but youre channeling greater forces. Ultimately, youre an instrument that supports and directs the talents of the team around you.2. Mission actually does matterSustaining calm is easier with a sense of purpose. People can accept a tough journey if they know where theyre going and can see progress, however small.This is where your mission comes in. Now, it doesnt have to be earth-shattering. You just need something that everyone can get behind. My companys mission is simple: helping small businesses compete in a world of Amazon and Shein. Using technology to empower customers is our rallying cry.Importantly, this has to be more than a slogan on a website or a poster on the wall. (Theres a reason only25%of employees actually feel educated on company goals, according to Slingshots digital work trends report). Your company needs to live the mission, and employees need to understand how it translates into tangible goals and also see incremental progress.As gimmicky as it might seem, dashboards and trackers can be invaluable here. We have screens throughout our office showing key KPIs and movement over time. We also celebrate wins in monthly huddles and recognize team members who push the mission forward.3. Think impact rather than urgencyThe startup world moves fast. On any given week, there will be dozens (if not hundreds) of time-sensitive tasks that demand your attention.To focus on the things that matter, you need to think in terms of impact, not urgency. Rather than prioritizing your to-do list by deadline, narrow your to-do list down to the tasks that will actually move the needle for you and your company.With a manageable list, its easier to exit panic mode and to start calmly working away on what really matters. Running on adrenalineand treating everything like a five-alarm firemight get results in the short term. However, this is a surefire recipe for team burnout, which is ultimately inefficient and counterproductive.Doing this right isnt possible without long-term priorities. Setting a north star or long-term goal for your company allows you to see what you should prioritize and what you shouldnt.4. Remember that creation follows in the wake of destructionWhen Im not running a business, Iwork in conservation. Ive seen how the terrible violence of a forest fire sets the stage for regreeningand how quickly that recovery can happen.I think of that every time I suffer a setback, like losing a key employee. Of course, it hurts, but more often than not, such departures set the stage for much-needed changes and renewals.From moments of devastation, new opportunities for growth arise.5. When in doubt, write down the good and the badCalm leaders focus on the positive, but they also take stock of the negative.Throughout the year, I keep a running list of my gratefuls and lows.The real impact of this approach is retrospective. Looking back, I often realize that some of the lows werent really that low after all. In fact, they needed to happen and sometimes led to a major transformation. One example was losing a particular deal. In the end, that event ended up setting the company up for success by pushing us to explore new markets.Ultimately, every leader must decide how they want to show up for the team. In my experience, calm beats panic every time. Thats especially true when the stakes are high and people are looking to their leader to lower the temperature. And right now, that virtue may be more valuable than ever.
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  • Minimalist wooden lamp showcases contrasting properties of pine
    www.yankodesign.com
    Wood has always been a darling of designers. In addition to its unique texture that differs by trees, it also has unique grains and stripes that add to the individuality of each block. But even the same tree can exhibit different and sometimes opposite properties, making each tree as multi-faceted as human beings. Such varied properties are not that easy to display harmoniously in a single design, but thats exactly what this lamp pulls off with aplomb.Although it almost looks like inspired by a certain sport, this wooden desk lamp is really all about nature, particularly its use of a particular kind of wood. In fact, it uses the same kind of material for both discrete parts of the lamp, exuding a kind of beauty that can only come from a creative composition of opposing design elements.Designer: John TreeThe base of this lamp is a block of solid pine wood, providing a robust anchor as well as a home for the electronics. The shade, on the other hand, is also made from pine but comes in the form of a thin veneer that was also purposely cut to show off a rather active grain pattern. These two are joined through a single slot cut into the block of pine, doing away with the need for complex mechanisms or visible fasteners.Solid and bulky, gentle and graceful, these two parts of the lamp convey the identity of pine trees, which is a favorite among Finnish designers where this Hoop Lamp comes from. The design is an exercise in minimalism, using nothing but the essentials in both substance and form, drawing beauty from its natural properties without the help of additional details and embellishments.Because of its thinness, the pine veneer effectively softens the light coming from the bulb inside the hoop. At the same time, the grains of the wood create a play of light and shadow that will differ from lamp to lamp, making each item unique and personal. All of these without doing more than just utilizing woods own nature to great effect.There is also a more subtle form of contrast to be found in the choice of materials. While both are made of pine, the two parts also age at different paces and produce different colors over time. The solid pine will have a more uniform rich honey tone over time, for example. Along with the nicks and marks that the lamp may collect over years of use, these blemishes actually add to the designs uniqueness rather than reduce its appeal.The post Minimalist wooden lamp showcases contrasting properties of pine first appeared on Yanko Design.
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  • Space-inspired BR-03 Astro watch depicts FPV of Earth, Moon, and Mars from International Space Station
    www.yankodesign.com
    Theres something about space exploration and watches that keeps us interested. The SpaceOne Tellurium, LUNAR1,622 by Sebastien Colen, Caviar Stargazer X-Edition,and theApollo Instruments DSKY Moonwatch have us longing for the next space-inspired timepiece. Thankfully, Bell & Ross has not kept us waiting long with their latest BR-03 Astro watch, whichis an ode to space exploration.The timepiece is highlighted by the actual movement of the celestial bodies Earth, Moon, and Mars across the dial representing the minutes and hours respectively. No doubt this is a deep connecting element for the wearer whos curious about the intricacies of the universe. The 60 seconds are represented by the small satellite moving in the orbit across the earth which is fascinating in its own right.Designer: Bell & RossThe Cosmic Dance of Celestial BodiesThe limited-edition space watch by the French watchmaker who is known for its aviation and instruments of flight-inspired designs, has a distinct space travel vibe. The dial of the BR-03 Astro mimics the view from the International Space Station as if youre looking in the vast expanse from the cupola viewing port, just like the astronauts do. That explains the Earth on the front center eclipsing the Moon, then we have the red planet basking in the distance, followed by the emptiness of the Milky Way represented by the blue aventurine glass backdrop. The latter is the trusted material of choice for horology to create the depth of the universe.The level of detail is unprecedented in the squared-off timepiece with the clouds above the Earth, the Moons crates, the geological scarring of the small little Mars, or the panels of the orbiting satellite. The micro-blasted black ceramic body of the futuristic-looking watch carries the signature B&R design philosophy that has made its square body superimposed with the round dial so popular. That knuckled crown at 3 oclock with the exposed screws brings the element of industrial design aesthetic to the timepiece.Limited Edition Timepiece of 999 UnitsThis 100-meter water-resistant horology piece has a sapphire crystal curved with a spherical cap in the middle for a better view of the Earth in relief. Measuring 41mm wide and 11.5 mm thick, the ceramic body carries the vastness of the space beyond the dial. Under the hood, the BR-03 Astro has the self-winding BR.CAL-327 movement (operational frequency of 28,800 vibrations/hour) that we earlier saw in the BR 03 Horizon watch as well. This gives the watch a run time of 54 hours before it automatically winds again.Complementing the darker hue of the watch is the black rubber synthetic strap with a PVD-treated buckle. Bell & Ross BR-03 Horizon watch is limited to just 999 units and carries a price tag of $4,800. For that price, the space-inspired watch is an absolute recommend for any astronomy fanatics who have good taste in horology!The post Space-inspired BR-03 Astro watch depicts FPV of Earth, Moon, and Mars from International Space Station first appeared on Yanko Design.
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  • Your thoughts on the Fantastic 4 AI poster allegations
    www.creativebloq.com
    AI slop or Photoshop fail? This is what you told us.
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  • We bought the first iPhone SE 4 case. Heres what we learned
    www.macworld.com
    MacworldThe 4th-gen iPhone SE 4 is almost certainly going to be unveiled on February 19. Thats not baseless speculation: the clues come directly from Apple, with Tim Cook himself promising that the newest member of the family will arrive on Wednesday.We should acknowledge, however, that pundits were saying something similar last week, and obviously the new phone didnt appear. In fact, likely prompted by those optimistic rumors, third-party vendors have already started offering cases for the iPhone SE 4 or the iPhone 16e, depending on which manufacturer you ask.We bought one of these cases from a German firm while researching the iPhone SE 4 and have since received it. Were happy to share this case and its secrets with you now, but please note that all information should be taken with a grain of salt, as the manufacturer explains:We currently use the designation iPhone 16e based on information provided to us by our suppliers and various sources. These designations are not officially confirmed and are based on industry speculation and preliminary information.With the designs, as with the names, we are dependent on information and speculation from our suppliers and sources. This information is therefore not always reliable or definitive and is always subject to change or adjustment.DeinDesign (translated automatically from German)With that caveat out of the way, lets take a look at the case and see what it has to tell us.First, theres a horizontal cut-out for the camera. If that makes you think were getting two camera lenses on the rear, think again: this is just to accommodate a single lens and a flash next to it, as is the case on the 2022 iPhone SE. Its been widely rumored that the 16e will be based on the chassis of the iPhone 14, but if Apple was going to use the design of that devices camera module and diagonally arranged twin lenses it would be necessary to include a much larger square cutout. Most pundits agree that regardless of the chassis design, the new SE will have only one camera lens on the rear.Your design case for the iPhone 16e or SE 4 horizontal camera cut-outYour design case for the iPhone 16e or SE 4 speaker and USB-C connectorYour design case for the iPhone 16e or SE 4 side buttonYour design case for iPhone 16e or SE 4 Mute switch and volume buttons.Otherwise, the case sticks to the standard and familiar iPhone design elements: there are cut-outs for speakers and connectors on the bottom edge and for the mute switch and volume buttons on the left. Theres an area for the side button on the righthand side, but the case gives no reason to expect the 16e to feature the Camera Control from the iPhone 16.The clear silicone case from DeinDesign is a few millimeters narrower and shorter than an iPhone 14 case, which goes against the general consensus that Apple would use the iPhone 14 chassis for the upcoming iPhone SE. A few millimeters may not sound significant, but for smartphones, a difference of just one millimeter can mean that a case doesnt fit.Your design case for the iPhone 16e or SE 4 narrower than a case for the iPhone 14Your design case for the iPhone 16e or SE 4 shorter than a case for the iPhone 14Your design case for the iPhone 16e or SE 4 is about 70 mm wideYour design case for the iPhone 16e or SE 4 is 145 mm long.In fact, the discrepancies in size make us skeptical as to whether the case weve purchased will fit the upcoming iPhone at all. Apple uses elements from previous generations for its entry-level models for cost reasons: the production lines are tried and tested after years of manufacture, and it will cost money to make even small changes. An iPhone 14 chassis could be manufactured at zero cost in terms of research, development and quality assurance; a slightly different chassis is another matter.Whats more, iPhone dimensions have barely changed in years. The iPhone 12, 13 and 14 were all 146.7 mm long and 71.5 mm wide; the iPhone 15 and 16 were the same length and just 0.1mm wider. Significant change now feels unlikely.Our alleged iPhone 16e case measures approximately 148 mm by 75 mm, a good deal smaller than a comparable OtterBox clear case for the iPhone 16, which measures 151.7 mm by 77.2 mm. Based on these measurements, were worried that we might have to send the case back to the manufacturer. Or maybe Apple is in the mood for radical change after all.Well find out for sure on Wednesday. For all the latest news and rumors, keep an eye on our regularly updated iPhone SE 4 superguide.
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