Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra hits the FCC, confirms S-Pen and Wi-Fi 6E support by Ron Amadeo on 2020-12-23 18:51 (#5C0YZ) The phone is due out earlier than ever, in mid-January.
For Biden administration, Fauci’s in, but Birx is not by John Timmer on 2020-12-23 17:19 (#5C0S2) Birx was widely seen as too accommodating to Trump but got sidelined anyway.
Rocket Report: SN9 rolls to the launch pad, SLS “wet dress” test ends early by Eric Berger on 2020-12-23 12:00 (#5C0CR) "It has surely been a year of challenges."
The omnibus bill was packed with energy and environment policy by Scott K. Johnson on 2020-12-23 11:45 (#5C0CS) DOE gets a long list of clean energy R&D projects.
Let’s Encrypt comes up with workaround for abandonware Android devices by Ron Amadeo on 2020-12-22 22:40 (#5BZSK) When you haven't been updated since 2016, expiring certificates are a problem.
Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings have unique microbiomes, study finds by Jennifer Ouellette on 2020-12-22 22:10 (#5BZQR) Research could help slow down deterioration of aging artwork, unmask counterfeits.
Congress creates new copyright court that could make trolling easier by Timothy B. Lee on 2020-12-22 21:40 (#5BZQS) Congress also made streaming pirated works a felony.
Firefox continues cracking down on tracking with cache partitioning by Jim Salter on 2020-12-22 21:19 (#5BZQT) Mozilla follows Apple's and Google's leads on partitioning, then one-ups them.
Google, Facebook reportedly agreed to work together to fight antitrust probes by Kate Cox on 2020-12-22 21:02 (#5BZN7) The law doesn't love it when competitors promise to cooperate in certain ways.
The 911 Carrera S: Two pedals good, three pedals better by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-12-22 20:46 (#5BZN8) Porsche designed the 992 around the PDK gearbox; why is the manual so darn good?
The Apple Watch Series 6 is $60 off at Amazon today by Ars Staff on 2020-12-22 20:06 (#5BZJ4) Dealmaster also has deals on tons of video games, wireless headphones, and more.
SARS-CoV-2’s spread to wild mink not yet a reason to panic by John Timmer on 2020-12-22 19:38 (#5BZJ5) A monitoring program picked up a single case and no indications of wider spread.
“America’s doctor,” Anthony Fauci, gets Moderna vaccine by Beth Mole on 2020-12-22 19:14 (#5BZJ6) Fauci was vaccinated alongside NIH director and HHS secretary.
Reminder: Donate to win swag in our annual Charity Drive sweepstakes by Kyle Orland on 2020-12-22 17:16 (#5BZCK) Help us set a new giving record by adding to our $35,000+ charity haul so far.
Ars Technica’s best games of 2020 by Ars Staff on 2020-12-22 17:10 (#5BZ9B) These 20 titles helped a quarantined 2020 pass by that much more quickly.
$50-per-month emergency broadband subsidies approved in pandemic stimulus by Jon Brodkin on 2020-12-22 16:31 (#5BZ9C) Congress creates $3.2 billion fund for people with low incomes or who have lost jobs.
Russia’s space chief is hopping mad over most recent US restrictions by Eric Berger on 2020-12-22 13:54 (#5BZ0A) "The first thing they did is spit into the Samara well."
Yukon gold miner unearths a mummified Ice Age wolf pup by Kiona N. Smith on 2020-12-22 12:15 (#5BYXD) Look upon the face of an Ice Age predator, and say "Aww."
Apple is allegedly working on a passenger car, breakthrough battery tech by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-12-21 22:17 (#5BY97) Reuters cites several anonymous sources in this update to Project Titan
Pornhub squarely targeted in bipartisan bill to regulate sex work online by Kate Cox on 2020-12-21 21:56 (#5BY98) The bill would cause more harms to sex workers than it would fix, critics argue.
Zero-click iMessage zero-day used to hack the iPhones of 36 journalists by Dan Goodin on 2020-12-21 21:39 (#5BY99) Malicious messages installed spyware that recorded audio and pics and stole passwords.
What we know about the new SARS strain that’s shutting down the UK by John Timmer on 2020-12-21 20:50 (#5BY6V) Policy is to treat it like a potential threat, but the emphasis is on "potential."
After riots, iPhone manufacturer says it “deeply regrets” exploiting workers by Ron Amadeo on 2020-12-21 18:58 (#5BY25) Apple flags Wistron for "violations of our Supplier Code of Conduct."
AT&T reportedly struggling to sell DirecTV at anything but a huge loss by Jon Brodkin on 2020-12-21 17:26 (#5BXXS) AT&T told bidders it may cancel auction if offers don't improve, NY Post reports.
These tires work better in snow thanks to 3D printing by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-12-21 16:45 (#5BXXT) Additive manufacturing helps create 3D "sipes" that open and close as you drive.
Lost Sega arcade classics born anew in cute, $130 Astro City Mini [Updated] by Sam Machkovech on 2020-12-21 15:06 (#5BXQW) Fun, clicky buttons, Sega rarities, and solid emulation—albeit with some issues.
Russia’s space chief cannot seem to get “gentle” SpaceX out of his mind by Eric Berger on 2020-12-21 13:57 (#5BXMT) "I wonder if gentle SpaceX is able to work in such conditions?"
Review: Alice in Borderland takes us down a deliciously bonkers rabbit hole by Jennifer Ouellette on 2020-12-20 19:51 (#5BWV4) Alice in Wonderland and Ready Player One meet Lord of the Flies and Cube.
Humanity is in danger of becoming obsolete technology in LX 2048 by Jennifer Ouellette on 2020-12-20 15:00 (#5BWKY) Director Guy Moshe chats with Ars about his ambitious sci-fi film.
How an obscure British PC maker invented ARM and changed the world by Ars Contributors on 2020-12-20 14:00 (#5BWJB) 1987's Acorn Archimedes was the first production RISC-based personal computer.
Russia’s hacking frenzy is a reckoning by WIRED on 2020-12-20 11:50 (#5BWG8) US still has no good answer for "supply chain" attacks that let Russia run wild.
Car crashes killed 36,096 people in the US in 2019 by Timothy B. Lee on 2020-12-19 16:26 (#5BVVQ) Urban pedestrian and cyclist deaths have risen over the last decade.
Kazakhstan spies on citizens’ HTTPS traffic; browser-makers fight back by Dan Goodin on 2020-12-19 15:45 (#5BVVR) Kazakhstan gov required citizens to install self-signed root certificate.
The 15 best films of a bizarre (and probably historic) year for film by Ars Staff on 2020-12-19 15:30 (#5BVT3) Some good 2020 news: Most of our favorite films this year can now be enjoyed from home.
Second COVID vaccine approved for use in the US by John Timmer on 2020-12-19 13:07 (#5BVQ0) More vaccines will help ease shortages, work through priority list.
Wildfire smoke is loaded with microbes. Is that dangerous? by WIRED on 2020-12-19 12:17 (#5BVNX) Researchers want to study potential effects of microbe-filled haze on human health.
A clever strategy to deliver COVID aid—with satellite data by WIRED on 2020-12-19 11:10 (#5BVMV) Togo used image analysis algorithms to target economic support for most vulnerable.
Miyamoto leads fans through Super Nintendo World—and it looks incredible by Sam Machkovech on 2020-12-19 00:11 (#5BV94) Nintendo, Universal Studios went all out to deliver a Nintendo-fan destination.
Microsoft may be developing its own, in-house ARM CPU designs by Jim Salter on 2020-12-18 23:55 (#5BV95) Bloomberg's unconfirmed report relies on confidential sources within Microsoft.
Stanford hospital erupts in protest after vaccine plan leaves out residents [UPDATED] by John Timmer on 2020-12-18 22:10 (#5BV4Q) Only 0.5% of the medical residents at Stanford are in on the first round of shots.
Some Big Sur users are unable to update macOS due to an MDM bug by Jim Salter on 2020-12-18 18:17 (#5BTXK) A bug in Mobile Device Management is causing major headaches for some users.
US government bans tech exports to top drone maker DJI by Timothy B. Lee on 2020-12-18 18:03 (#5BTTP) Chinese smartphone firms Huawei and ZTE have been on the list for several years.
Greenland is as much a love story as an epic spectacle of impending disaster by Jennifer Ouellette on 2020-12-18 17:55 (#5BTTQ) Director Ric Roman Waugh on bringing hope and humanity to a harrowing tale.
Law banning “rental” fees for customer-owned routers takes effect Sunday by Jon Brodkin on 2020-12-18 17:43 (#5BTTR) New law also targets hidden cable-TV fees and lets users cancel without penalty.
NOAA expects La Niña weather patterns through March by Scott K. Johnson on 2020-12-18 17:34 (#5BTTS) Here's last month's summary and the outlook for the next three.
Biomarkers are how cancers give up their secrets by Scott K. Johnson on 2020-12-18 16:10 (#5BTMT) An animated look at the evolving science behind modern oncology.
Finger-pointing abounds as states get fewer vaccines than planned by John Timmer on 2020-12-18 15:59 (#5BTMV) Pfizer: We have "millions more doses" with no shipping instructions from Feds.
Back 4 Blood alpha test: Building decks, killing zombies, having co-op fun by Sam Machkovech on 2020-12-18 14:00 (#5BTFB) Design director says he's learned from Evolve—and fun, familiar co-op combat checks out.
Why racing drivers trust their lives to a fireproof fabric called Nomex by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-12-18 12:54 (#5BTD2) Today's gear is lighter, brighter, more comfortable to wear, and protects longer.
Battery prices have fallen 88 percent over the last decade by Timothy B. Lee on 2020-12-18 12:30 (#5BTD3) Cheaper batteries are making it easier to fight climate change.