Top tech news of the week: Android launches a delicious new software, nicknamed ‘Pie,’ Facebook denies reports of going after customer banking data, and Alex Jones finds himself in hot water with multiple popular platforms like YouTube. Get these and other tech news updates now!
Android’s Latest Software, Pie, Launches
CNBC | Mon Aug 6, 2018 — Monday was a sweet day for software. Google released its latest Android software for Pixel phones. The software was nicknamed Pie after a longstanding pattern on Google’s part of choosing dessert-themed names for launches. This software is the latest offered solution in the fight against smartphone addiction. It also employs artificial intelligence to learn what apps users use the most, such as an adaptive battery. The software will be in beta mode until the fall, and available to other phone types following that. Read the full story >>
YouTube Follows Apple’s Lead and Removes the Alex Jones and Infowars Channels from its Platform
Business Insider | Mon Aug 6, 2018— Alex Jones is in some hot media water. The political commentator and conspiracy theorist has had his content removed from several platforms. Most recently one of those platforms was YouTube, following in the footsteps of Apple, Spotify, Facebook, and iTunes. All of these platforms have removed videos, podcasts and web pages from Alex Jones, who is now facing a lawsuit after claiming that the parents of Sandy Hook victims were crisis actors and their murders a hoax. Anyone who tries to visit the commentator’s YouTube page will be greeted with a termination notice. Another one of Jones’ pages, Infowars, has also been taken down. Read the full story >>
Facebook Denies Reports It Asked Banks for Users’ Financial Data
USA Today | Tue Aug 7, 2018 — Another week, another Facebook headline. Recently, the Wall Street Journal reported that Facebook is urging banks to provide financial information. This ranges from credit card transaction history to checking account balances. WSJ cited improving customer service options as the reason behind these requests. Facebook is denying the report, saying they are not actively going after people’s personal banking information. They explain their relationships with banking and credit card institutions to offer services like customer chat or account management. Read the full story >>
Self-Driving Truck Startup Kodiak Robotics Raises $40 Million
TechCrunch | Tue Aug 7, 2018 — In a recent roundup, we shared Uber’s news of tabling the self-driving semi project. However, another company has taken up the torch. A startup called Kodiak Robotics has raised $40 million to finance their self-driving truck project. Don Burnette, formerly a participant on the Uber self-driving semi project, co-founded Kodiak Robotics in April with venture capitalist Paz Eshel. Kodiak will divide the funds between increasing their team and product development. Kodiak plans to use light detection and ranging radar known as LiDAR as well as camera, radar and sonar technologies to develop the self-driving truck. Read the full story >>
FCC Admits It Was Never Actually Hacked
TechCrunch | Tue Aug 7, 2018 — Of all the tech news surrounding data breaches, it’s not as common to hear about a fake one. The FCC has recently come clean regarding a reported data breach from last year being falsified. After a year of avoiding answers to questions about the scale of the hack and subsequent response to the problem, the FCC inspector general has found no evidence that a breach occurred. Emails obtained in June show that evidence for this and another claim in 2014 were very thin. The claim originated with the former CIO David Bray, but the truth was still never revealed following his departure. Read the full story >>
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