The General Technology Thread

[ArcadiaGP]

Indiana couple who scammed Amazon out of $1.2 million in electronics due to the retailer's lax return policy is sentenced to almost six years in prison.

 

[jkaetz]

Indiana couple who scammed Amazon out of $1.2 million in electronics due to the retailer's lax return policy is sentenced to almost six years in prison.

That's dedication. How did Amazon not cut them off before they racked up 1.2 million? You'd think red flags would be going off around 10k+ in such a short period. Quick math says they were claiming 50k/month if it was spread evenly over the two years.

 

[JettaKnight]

 

[KMaC]

The article doesn't explain how the scam worked. The only way I can imagine this working is if Amazon gave them a refund but didn't require them to return the "broken" merchandise which was then sold. Is this correct?

 

[BluedSteel]

The article doesn't explain how the scam worked. The only way I can imagine this working is if Amazon gave them a refund but didn't require them to return the "broken" merchandise which was then sold. Is this correct?

Yes, it's stated plainly in the second paragraph. But apparently Amazon was only one victim of many and varied types of fraud/theft by deception. A busy little couple.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Microsoft has officially acquired Github.

 

[T.Lex]

What?!?

Its been years since I needed it, but dang... that feels like a complete sellout. Hope they got a ton of money for it, because something else will come along and take its place.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

What?!?

Its been years since I needed it, but dang... that feels like a complete sellout. Hope they got a ton of money for it, because something else will come along and take its place.

Yeah, and from what I'm reading, people are pulling projects left and right... probably preparing to upload elsewhere.

 

[jamil]

Microsoft has officially acquired Github.

Because Microsoft + Github = empowering developers.

Alternate equasion: Microsoft + being the storehouse for everyone's code = innovative advantage.

 

[WebSnyper]

Because Microsoft + Github = empowering developers.

Alternate equasion: Microsoft + being the storehouse for everyone's code = innovative advantage.

Microsoft has really been embracing the open source arena (one account I read indicated Microsoft was the most active organization in GitHub in the world), and another I ready indicated that GitHub wasn't making any money, so seems like it makes sense from that side of things, not to mention incorporating GitHub into other MS products, etc.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Intel to launch 28-core CPU before the year's end - Demoed at 5GHz on all cores

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Nice. I mean, until the next tool is released.

Apple will update iOS to block police hacking tool

 

[BugI02]

Maybe that's the more efficient method of home heating I asked for in the global warming thread. The waste heat from your gaming/surfing heats your house. Like warmer temperatures, spend more time on the web!

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

When I was a teenager and owned several large pieces of vacuum tube test equipment, my dad could turn the thermostat down all he wanted, I'd just light up another box full of glassfets. I probably had 200 tubes in my room, you'd better believe it was comfortable. I think the 564B has up to 40 depending on the plugins I have running.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

iPhones on iOS 12 Will Automatically Share Precise Location Data During 911 Calls in United States

 

[JettaKnight]

Maybe that's the more efficient method of home heating I asked for in the global warming thread. The waste heat from your gaming/surfing heats your house. Like warmer temperatures, spend more time on the web!

Still the TDP of a lot of these processors are under 100 watts. Video cards, however...


My PC can keep my feet warm, but the tungsten track lighting in the room consumes more electricity, I believe.


Maybe I'll modify my power distribution center to monitor power and not just voltage. (yes, I built my own super robust "power strip".)

 

[ArcadiaGP]

New York’s revenge-porn bill dies after 11th-hour campaign by Google

New York’s revenge-porn bill died early Thursday morning after the Senate adjourned for the year and took no action in the wake of an 11th-hour campaign by Google against the legislation.

The proposal — which has languished in Albany since its introduction in 2013 and was recently taken up again after a Post exposé — would have made nonconsensual dissemination of sexually explicit images a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.

It would have also helped victims sue Web hosts to remove the offending images.

But Google mounted a late effort against the bill, with the Internet behemoth opposed to any government oversight over how it regulates content.

 

[Leadeye]

I was encouraged by an article I read about geriatric exoskeletons, something my FIL could use now. Nothing like Ironman, more like a Segway with feet instead of wheels. It dramatically improved the walking mobility of patients and allowed them an erect rather than bent over posture. Maybe too late for him, but we'll all be there someday.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

The Supreme Court has ruled 5-4 that cell phone location data is protected by the Fourth Amendment.

 

[jamil]

The Supreme Court has ruled 5-4 that cell phone location data is protected by the Fourth Amendment.

The decision in case someone wants a quick link.

https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/17pdf/16-402_h315.pdf

Maybe we need a general SCOTUS thread.