Attackers can bypass fingerprint authentication with an ~80% success rate by Dan Goodin on 2020-04-08 13:00 (#51WDZ) Fingerprint-based authentication is fine for most people, but it's hardly foolproof.
Moto Razr review—RIP to our Moto Razr (March 30, 2020 – March 31, 2020) by Ron Amadeo on 2020-04-08 11:45 (#51W76) The touchscreen on our $1,500 smartphone died after a single day.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14—Ryzen 7nm mobile is here, and it’s awesome by Jim Salter on 2020-04-08 10:45 (#51W77) The G14 is a solid mid-range gaming laptop with an out-of-this-world CPU.
Scientists ponder how jugglers seem to defy limits to human reaction times by Jennifer Ouellette on 2020-04-08 10:30 (#51W78) The accuracy required is a measure of how unstable and difficult a juggling pattern is.
Pixel 4 face unlock finally gains an alertness check by Ron Amadeo on 2020-04-07 23:13 (#51VMP) The Pixel 4's face unlock will now finally check to make sure you're awake.
Senator backing anti-crypto bill calls out Zoom’s lack of end-to-end crypto by Dan Goodin on 2020-04-07 22:40 (#51VMQ) Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal dings Zoom for false end-to-end crypto claim.
The spacecraft that utterly transformed SpaceX has flown its last mission by Eric Berger on 2020-04-07 22:05 (#51VMR) On Tuesday, the first version of Dragon completed its 20th and final mission.
The next PlayStation controller is called DualSense, looks like a cool robot by Sam Machkovech on 2020-04-07 21:29 (#51VMS) New rumble sensors in the triggers, new light bar placement, USB Type-C, more.
Verizon canceling FiOS installs and telling customers to wait a few months by Jon Brodkin on 2020-04-07 21:19 (#51VMT) Verizon sows confusion, says November install dates are just "placeholders."
Chris Hemsworth stars as a ruthless mercenary in trailer for Extraction by Jennifer Ouellette on 2020-04-07 21:06 (#51VBB) The Russo Bothers produced the action-thriller hitting Netflix later this month.
Shkreli’s plea from prison: Free me and I’ll cure COVID-19 by Beth Mole on 2020-04-07 20:52 (#51VBC) He just needs a 3-month hiatus to get this pesky pandemic taken care of.
EU carbon-trading market has reduced emissions despite low carbon prices by Scott K. Johnson on 2020-04-07 20:40 (#51VBD) Estimated total EU emissions reduced by 3.8 percent between 2008 and 2016.
Acting Navy Secretary resigns after ousting captain, calling him “stupid” by Kate Cox on 2020-04-07 20:18 (#51VBE) Modly's public condemnation of Crozier over the weekend drew immediate backlash.
Verizon refuses to give DSL users its low-income deals during pandemic by Jon Brodkin on 2020-04-07 19:31 (#51VBF) Comcast impresses, but deals from Verizon, Charter, and others have problems.
Apple releases iOS and iPadOS 13.4.1 by Samuel Axon on 2020-04-07 19:15 (#51VBG) Apple also pushed out minor updates to Clips and Maps.
Easy-to-pick “smart” locks gush personal data, FTC finds by Kate Cox on 2020-04-07 18:45 (#51VBH) Fancy anti-pry technology? Sure, maybe. Secure in any other way? Not so much.
Firefox 75 overhauls the browser’s address bar by Samuel Axon on 2020-04-07 17:26 (#51V1H) The 2020 release schedule won't change, the team says.
A bunch of Nintendo Switch games are on sale today by Ars Staff on 2020-04-07 17:16 (#51V1J) Dealmaster also has deals on Sonos speakers, Amazon Echo devices, and more.
Ars analysis: ~80% of Steam games earn under $5K in first two weeks by Kyle Orland on 2020-04-07 17:06 (#51V1K) Valve offers a peek behind the sales curtain, telling an incomplete and mixed story.
University libraries offer online “lending” of scanned in-copyright books by Timothy B. Lee on 2020-04-07 16:31 (#51V1M) Books are only available to patrons of participating university libraries.
War Stories: How Homeworld brought the third dimension to real-time strategy by Lee Hutchinson on 2020-04-07 15:10 (#51V1N) Turns out traveling through hyperspace really isn't like dusting crops.
Great Barrier Reef survey: “What we saw was an utter tragedy” by Ars Staff on 2020-04-07 15:02 (#51TQS) The Great Barrier Reef faces its third mass bleaching in five years.
CDC releases first US data on COVID-19 cases in children by Beth Mole on 2020-04-07 14:17 (#51TQT) As hinted in earlier data, Infants and those with health issues worst off.
New Guinea villagers unearth evidence of the island’s Neolithic past by Kiona N. Smith on 2020-04-07 10:30 (#51TH2) New Guinea didn't import its Neolithic culture from Southeast Asia after all.
Polestar’s latest concept shows it thinks differently about design by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-04-07 05:00 (#51T8H) The design study shows there are ideas beyond just copying Germany and Japan.
500-year-old manuscript contains earliest known use of the “F-word” by Jennifer Ouellette on 2020-04-06 23:29 (#51SXZ) The Bannatyne Manuscript is an anthology of some 400 medieval Scottish poems.
After troubled first flight, Boeing will refly Starliner without crew by Eric Berger on 2020-04-06 22:19 (#51SY0) "Flying another uncrewed flight will allow us to complete all flight test objectives."
Bubba Wallace rage-quit a NASCAR esports race, then lost his sponsor by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-04-06 20:09 (#51SNE) It's all a game, until it isn't.
NASA sees an “exponential” jump in malware attacks as personnel work from home by Dan Goodin on 2020-04-06 19:50 (#51SNF) Space agency report suggests employees are falling for online scams.
Dr. Drew apologizes for being a COVID-19 denier after copyright silliness by Kate Cox on 2020-04-06 19:25 (#51SNG) Dr. Drew coronavirus supercut restored to YouTube after copyright takedown.
TV stations don’t have to correct Trump’s COVID-19 statements, FCC says by Jon Brodkin on 2020-04-06 18:59 (#51SNH) FCC denies petition, says investigation would "curtail freedom of the press."
Acting Navy secretary hammers captain he relieved over coronavirus by John Timmer on 2020-04-06 18:35 (#51SNJ) The popular Captain Crozier has now tested positive for the virus.
TCL launches self-branded smartphones at $449, $249 by Ron Amadeo on 2020-04-06 17:38 (#51SBK) After making a name for itself with cheap TVs, TCL wants to build cheap smartphones.
Sheltering in place? Start your car once a week, and other basic tips by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-04-06 17:13 (#51SBM) Being completely sedentary is bad for cars, not just people.
Experiment finds that gravity still works down to 50 micrometers by Chris Lee on 2020-04-06 16:36 (#51SBN) Sensitive gravity test fails to find hidden dimension. Next: find old wardrobe.
Apple will battle COVID-19 by designing and making millions of medical face shields by Samuel Axon on 2020-04-06 16:23 (#51SBP) Company joins GM, Tesla, startups, and more to make supplies to battle COVID-19.
Ars Subscription Drive: Success++ by Ken Fisher on 2020-04-06 16:13 (#51SBQ) We crushed our subscription goal thanks to your support.
What OneWeb’s failure tells us about space resiliency in the age of COVID-19 by Eric Berger on 2020-04-06 15:49 (#51SBR) "The smartest thing for the government to do to help the industry is to let contracts."
British government starts pushing social distancing via in-game ads by Kyle Orland on 2020-04-06 15:07 (#51S2F) Dirt Rally, Candy Crush Saga among games broadcasting "Stay Home, Save Lives."
Aircraft carrier captain lost his command because of “Catch-22” COVID-19 dilemma by Sean Gallagher on 2020-04-06 12:48 (#51S2G) Navy Secretary: "We... expect more from the Commanding Officers of our aircraft carriers."
Quibi, day one: This phone-focused TV service really isn’t that bad by Sam Machkovech on 2020-04-06 12:17 (#51S2H) Even if the content isn't entirely up your alley, the execution is interesting.
Final Fantasy VII Remake spoiler-free review: Our kind of Cloud gaming by Sam Machkovech on 2020-04-06 10:00 (#51RW4) Not a masterpiece. Not a disaster. FFVIIR stumbles, but it's still unforgettable.
Zoombombing is a crime, not a prank, prosecutors warn by Timothy B. Lee on 2020-04-05 23:54 (#51RDJ) Disrupting a Zoom meeting could lead to “law enforcement knocking at your door.â€
Don’t Panic: The comprehensive Ars Technica guide to the coronavirus [Updated 4/5] by Beth Mole on 2020-04-05 16:35 (#50DMG) This is a fast-moving epidemic—we'll update this guide periodically.
Flagship sedans like the Audi A8 are a dying breed by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-04-05 13:30 (#51QZ6) Expensive SUVs are just more popular than big expensive sedans these days.
How to refuel a nuclear power plant during a pandemic by WIRED on 2020-04-05 13:00 (#51QZ7) Swapping out spent uranium rods requires hundreds of technicians—challenging right now.
We now know the effect of altitude on classic “Diet Coke and Mentos“ fountain by Jennifer Ouellette on 2020-04-04 18:20 (#51QC8) Any excuse for a fun DIY demo during these trying times of sheltering in place.
Will SARS-CoV-2 have a long-term impact on the climate? by Diana Gitig on 2020-04-04 14:00 (#51Q28) Pollution is down now, but policy decisions will drive its future direction.
The party goes on in massive online worlds by WIRED on 2020-04-04 13:15 (#51Q29) MMORPGs aren't a perfect substitute for real-life socializing—but close enough for now.
Subscription drive, day 5: A plea from a punny pandemic reporter by Beth Mole on 2020-04-04 12:00 (#51PY9) There’s nothing funny about COVID-19, but we can still laugh at Goop together.